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First introduced in 1927, The Hardy
Boys Mystery Stories are a series of books about the adventures of brothers
Frank and Joe Hardy, teenaged detectives who solve one baffling mystery after
another. The Hardy Boys were so popular among young boys that in 1930 a similar
series was created for girls featuring a sixteen-year-old detective named Nancy
Drew. The cover of each volume of The Hardy Boys states that he author of the
series is Franklin W. Dixon; the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories are supposedly
written by Carolyn Keene. Over the years, though, many fans of both series have
been surprised to find out that Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene are not
real people. If Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene never existed, then who
wrote The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries?
The Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew
books were written through a process called ghostwriting. A ghostwriter writes
a book according to a specific formula. While ghostwriters are paid for writing
the books, their authorship is not acknowledged, and their names do not appear
on the published books. Ghostwriters can write books for children or adults,
the content of which is unspecific. Sometimes they work on book series with a
lot of individual titles, such as The Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew series.
The initial idea for both The Hardy
Boys and the Nancy Drew series was developed by a man named Edward Stratemeyer,
who owned a publishing company that specialized in children’s book.
Stratemeyer noticed the increasing
popularity of mysteries among adult, and surmised that children would enjoy
reading mysteries about younger detectives with whom they could identify.
Stratemeyer first developed each book with an outline describing the plot and
setting. Once he completed the outline, Stratemeyer then hired a ghostwriter to
convert it into a book of slightly over 200 pages. After the ghostwriter had
written a draft of a book, he or she would send it back to Stratemeyer, who
would make a list of corrections and mail it back to the ghostwriter. The
ghostwriter would revise the book according to Stratemeyer’s instructions and
then return it to him. Once Stratemeyer approved the book, it was ready for
publication.
Because each series ran for so many
years, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys both had a number of different
ghostwriters producing books; however, the first ghostwrites for each series proved
to be the most influential. The initial ghostwriter for The Hardy Boys was a
Canadian journalist named Leslie McFarlane. A few years later, Mildred A. Wirt,
a young writer from lowa, began writing the Nancy Drew books. Although they
were using prepared outlines as guides, both McFarlane and Wirt developed the
characters themselves. The personalities of Frank and Joe Hardy and Nancy arose
directly from McFarlane’s and wirt’s imaginations. For example, Mildred Wirt
had been a star college athelete and gave Nancy similar athletic abilities. The
ghostwriters were also responsible for numerous plot and setting details.
Leslie McFarlane used elements of his small C fictional hometown.
Although The Hardy Boys and Nancy
Drew books were very popular with children, not everyone approved of them.
Critics thought their plots were unrealistic and even far-fetched, since most
teenagers did not experience the adventures Frank and Joe Hardy or Nancy Drew
did. The way the books were written also attracted criticism. Many teachers and
librarians objected to the ghostwriting process, claiming it was designed to
produce books quickly rather than create quality literature. Some libraries –
including the New York Public Library – even refused to include the books in
their children’s collections. Ironically, this decision actually helped sales
of his books, because children simply purchased them when they were unavailable
in local libraries.
Regardless of the debates about
their literary merit, each series of books has exerted an undeniable influence
on American and even global culture. Most Americans have never heard of Edward
Stratemeyer, Leslie McFarlane, or Mildred wirt, but people throughout the world
are familiar with Nancy Drew and Frank and Joe Hardy.
According to the passage, which of
the following people was a real writer?
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A. Carolyn Keene
B. Franklin W. Dixon
C. Leslie McFarlane
D. Tom Hardy
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The hammer may be oldest tool we have record of. Stone hammers-some of the oldest human artifacts ever discovered-date back as early as 2,600,000 BCE. Not only is the hammer the oldest tool, but it is also the greatest. What make the hammer so great is its simplicity, power, and usefulness.The structure of the hammer is relatively simple-a fact largely responsible for its early invention and widespread distribution across cultures and geographic regions. The hammer is composed of two main parts: a handle and a head. The handle is used to swing the hammer. The head is used to hit other objects.While the hammer is a very simple tool, it is still able to generate tremendous power. This power results from two factors: the weight of the head, and the speed at which the hammer is swung. Every hammer (though some more than other) has a large distribution of weight at the head. When a hammer is swung, this weight pivots about the hand, which acts as a fulcrum. The handle carries the weight at a distance, acting as a lever arm, so a longer handle means increased speed. The weight of the head together with the speed generated by the lever arm is what gives the hammer so much power.The heavier the head and the faster it is swung, the more power a hammer produces.In addition to the hammer's great power, it also has an exceptionally wide range of useful applications. The purpose of the hammer -- to hit-- is a universal action that can accomplish many tasks. Let's start with the obvious: a hammer can be made to pound nails. But a hammer has many other uses as well. It can break apart hard objects such as brick or concrete. It can bend and shape metal or steel. It can gently tap objects to make small adjustments. It can be used to make sculpture or pottery. It can be used in the hot, harsh business of blacksmithing as well as in delicate operations like crafting jewelry. In times of desperation, it can even be used as a weapon.The hammer truly is a great tool. It is simple, powerful, and useful. A quintessential symbol of labor, the hammer has come to represent hard work and embody the spirit of human industry Question: The thesis statement is one sentence that clearly communicates what the author plans to discuss in the passage. Based on this information.which of the following sentences from the passage is its thesis statement?
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A. "The hammer may be the oldest tool we have record of"
B. "Not only is the hammer the oldest tool, but it is also the greatest"
C. "A quintessential symbol of labor, the hammer has come to represent hard work and embody the spirit of human industry"
D. "What makes the hammer so great is its simplicity, power, and usefulness."
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| 3 |
Speech is great blessings but it can also be great curse, for while it helps us to make out intentions and desires known to our fellows, it can also if we use it carelessly, make our attitude completely misunderstood. A slip of the tongue , the use of unusual word, or of an ambiguous word, and so on, may create an enemy where we had hoped to win a friend. Again, different classes of people use different vocabularies, and the ordinary speech of an educated may strike an uneducated listener as pompous. Unwittingly, we may use a word which bears a different meaning to our listener from what it does to men of our own class. Thus speech is not a gift to use lightly without thought, but one which demands careful handling. Only a fool will express himself alike to all kinds and conditions to men. Question: If one used the same style of language with everyone, one would sound
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A. flat
B. boring
C. foolish
D. democratic
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| 4 |
Gold used in jewelry is mixed with harder metals to add strength and durability. The metals added can also be used to change gold's color, giving it a for the natural yellow tone of pure gold. Mixtures like these, of less costly metals with more valuable ones, are called alloys. Copper and silver are the most common metals mixed with gold to make yellow gold jewelry. White gold is usually made with an alloy of gold and nickel.The measure of is called gold's purity is called a karat. The higher the karat rating, the higher the amount of pure gold. 24 karat is pure gold,18 karat is 75% pure gold, 14 karat is 58.5% pure gold,and 9 karat is 37.5% pure gold. All other things being equal, the higher the percentage of pure gold used in the alloy, the more valuable and expensive the jewelry will be.Gold jewelry pieces are usually stamped with a marking to identify the karat amount. White gold that is 24K is too soft for jewelry, 18K,14K and 9K gold are all appropriate for jewelry, and they all make pieces that look great and wear beautifully. Question: With respect to the relationship between gold and its karat rating, which of the following statements is/are true? I. The lower the karat rating, the less pure the gold II. The higher the karat rating, the more expensive the gold III. The higher the karat rating, the more valuable the gold
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A. I only
B. I andII only
C. II andIII only
D. I,II andIII
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Fleas are perfectly designed by
nature to feast on anything containing blood. Like a shark in the water or a
wolf in the woods, fleas are ideally equipped to do what they do, making them
very difficult to defeat. The bodies of these tiny parasites are extremely
hardy and well-suited for their job.
A flea has a very hard exoskeleton,
which means the body is covered by a tough, tile-like plate called a sclerite.
Because of these plates, fleas are almost impossible to squish. The
exoskeletons of fleas are also waterproof of fleas are also waterproof and shock
resistant, and therefore fleas are highly resistant to the sprays and chemicals
used to kill them.
Little spines are attached to his
plate. The spine the flea scurries through an animal’s fur in – search of
grooming pet tries to pull a flea off through the hair coat, these spines will
extend and stick to the fur like Velcro.
Fleas are some of the best jumpers
in the natural world. A flea can jump seven inches, or 150 times its own
length, either vertically or horizontally. An equivalent jump for a person
would be 555 feet, the height of the Washington Monument. Fleas can jump 30,000
times in a row without stopping, and they are able to accelerate through the
air at an incredibly high rate – a rate which is over ten times what humans can
withstand in an airplane.
Fleas have very long rear legs with
huge thigh muscles and multiple joints. When they get ready to jump. They fold their
long legs up and crouch like a runner on a staring block. Several of their
joints contain a protein called resilin, which helps catapult fleas into the
air as they jump, similar to the way a rubber band provides momentum to a
slingshot. Outward facing claws on the bottom of their legs grip anything they
touch when they land.
The adult female flea mates after
her first blood meal and begins producing eggs in just 1 to 2 days. One flea
can lay up to 50 eggs in one day and over 2,000 in her lifetime. Flea eggs can
be seen with the naked eye, but they are about the size of a grain of salt. Shortly
after being laid, the eggs begin to transform into cocoons. In the cocoon
state, fleas are fully developed adults, and will hatch immediately if
conditions are favorable. Fleas can detect warmth, movement, and carbon dioxide
in exhaled breath, and these three factors stimulate them to emerge as new
adults. If the flea does not detect appropriate conditions, it can remain
dormant in the cocoon state for extended periods. Under ideal conditions, the
entire life cycle may only take 3 weeks, so in no time at all, pets and homes
can become infested.
Because of these characteristics,
fleas are intimidating opponents. The best way to control fleas, therefore, is
to take steps to prevent an infestation from ever occurring.
Based on information in the passage,
the reader can understand that
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A. Fleas will die without access to blood
B. Fleas survive at a higher rate in outdoor habitats
C. Fleas will die after they produce 2,000 eggs
D. Newly hatched fleas are the size of a grain of salt
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| 6 |
The hammer may be oldest tool we have record of. Stone hammers-some of the oldest human artifacts ever discovered-date back as early as 2,600,000 BCE. Not only is the hammer the oldest tool, but it is also the greatest. What make the hammer so great is its simplicity, power, and usefulness.The structure of the hammer is relatively simple-a fact largely responsible for its early invention and widespread distribution across cultures and geographic regions. The hammer is composed of two main parts: a handle and a head. The handle is used to swing the hammer. The head is used to hit other objects.While the hammer is a very simple tool, it is still able to generate tremendous power. This power results from two factors: the weight of the head, and the speed at which the hammer is swung. Every hammer (though some more than other) has a large distribution of weight at the head. When a hammer is swung, this weight pivots about the hand, which acts as a fulcrum. The handle carries the weight at a distance, acting as a lever arm, so a longer handle means increased speed. The weight of the head together with the speed generated by the lever arm is what gives the hammer so much power.The heavier the head and the faster it is swung, the more power a hammer produces.In addition to the hammer's great power, it also has an exceptionally wide range of useful applications. The purpose of the hammer -- to hit-- is a universal action that can accomplish many tasks. Let's start with the obvious: a hammer can be made to pound nails. But a hammer has many other uses as well. It can break apart hard objects such as brick or concrete. It can bend and shape metal or steel. It can gently tap objects to make small adjustments. It can be used to make sculpture or pottery. It can be used in the hot, harsh business of blacksmithing as well as in delicate operations like crafting jewelry. In times of desperation, it can even be used as a weapon.The hammer truly is a great tool. It is simple, powerful, and useful. A quintessential symbol of labor, the hammer has come to represent hard work and embody the spirit of human industry. Question: Based on information in the passage, all of the following people might reasonably use a hammer at work except
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A. a sculptor who works in different metals
B. an artist who makes earrings
C. the driver of a concrete mixer
D. a carpenter who frames wooden houses
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Today, Mike and his mom are going to the library. Mike wants to find a book to read. His Mom wants to use a computer there. When they get ot the library. Mike finds a book about detectives. He also finds a book with chapters about a friendly ghost. Finally, he finds a book about a man who lives in the woods without food or water.He puts the books on the front desk and waits for his mom.Mike's mom sit at one of the computers in the library. She checks er email and looks at pictures of flowers on the internet. Then she reads a news article on a website. Mike's mom leaves the computer and walks over to Mike, holding up something out for him. Mike looks at her quizzically, It takes him a moment to recognize w that movie for us to watch tonight, " says Mike's mom"Sure,"Mike says, now holding the movie out in front of him. He reads the cover while walking back to the library entrance. He puts his books and the movie on the front desk to check out.A librarian stands behind the counter holding an electronic scanner. "How long can we keep them?"Mike asks her."Three weeks, "says the librarian."Cool,"says Mike.Suddenly, Mike is surprised. His mother is checking out something else that is too big to put on the desk. It's a picture of the ocean."What is that for?"Mike asks."To put on our wall at home, "says Mike's mom.:You can do that?"Mike asks.Mike's mom smiles at the librarian. "Yes, "she says, " but we have to return it in three months."Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can be understood that quizzically belongs to which of the following word groups?
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A. abnormally , strangely , weirdly
B. casually , carelessly , indifferently
C. passionately , keenly , intensely
D. inquisitively , questioningly , curiously
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| 8 |
Many people like to eat pizza, but
not everyone knows knows how to make it. Making the perfect pizza can be complicated,
but there are lots of ways for you to make basic version at home.
When you make pizza, you must
begin with the crust. The crust can be hard to make. If you want to make the
crust yourself, you will have to make dough using flour, water, and yeast. You
will have to knead the dough with your hands. If you do not have enough time to
do this, you can use a prepared crust that you buy from the store.
After you have chosen your crust,
you must then add the sauce. Making your own sauce from scratch can take a long
time. You have to buy tomatoes, peel them, and then cook them with spices. If
this sounds like too much work, you can also purchase jarred sauce from the
store. Many jarred sauces taste almost as good as the kind you make at home.
Now that you have your crust and
your sauce, you need to add the cheese. Cheese comes from milk, which comes
from cows. Do you have a cow in your backyard? Do you how to milk the cow? Do
you know how to turn that milk into cheese? If not, you might want to buy
cheese from the grocery store instead of making it yourself. When you have the
crust, sauce, and cheese ready, you can add other toppings. Some people like to
put meat on their pizza, while other people like to add vegetables. Some people
even like to add pineapple! The best part of making a pizza at home is that you
can customize it by adding your own favorite ingredients
In paragraph 3, the author writes,
“Many jarred sauce taste almost as good as the kind you make at home.” The
purpose of this statement is to
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A. Clarify a later statement
B. Provide an example
C. Clarify an earlier statement
D. Support the previous paragraph
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| 9 |
Q.4 Educational planning should aim at meeting the educational needs of the entire population of all age groups while the traditional structure of education as a three layer hierarchy from the primary stage to the university represents the core we should not overlook the periphery which is equally important Under modern conditions workers need to rewind or renew their enthusiasm or strike out in a new direction or improve their skills as much any university professor the retired and the aged have their needs as well Educational planning in their words should take care of the needs of everyone.Our structures of education have been built up on the assumption that there is a terminal point to education This basic defect has become all the more harmful today.A UNESCO report entitled Learning to be prepared by Edgar Faure and others in 1973 asserts that the education of children must prepare the future should consist of modules with different kinds of functions serving a diversity of constituent And performance not the period of study should be the basis for credentials the writing is already on the wall In view of the fact that the significance of a commitment of lifelong learning and lifetime education is being discussed only in recent years even in educationally advanced countries the possibility of the idea becoming an integral part of the idea becoming an integral part of educational thinking seems to be a far cry For to move in that direction means such more than some simple rearrangement of the present organization of education but a good beginning can be made by developing open university programs for older learners of different categories and introducing extension services in the conventional colleges and schools also these institutions should learn to cooperate with the numerous community municipal recreational programs health services etc. g.According to the author what should be the basis for awarding credentials
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A. Duration of the course
B. Competence of the course teachers
C. Diversity of the topics covered
D. Real grasp of matter or skill
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| 10 |
Do you live in a house? You might be surprised to learn that there are many, many kinds of houses. Most people in the United States are used to houses made of wood or bricks.But many people around the word live in houses made of grass, dirt, or cloth.In the Great Rift Valley of Eritrea, the nomadic people who are in the Atr tribe build their houses of straw. Their houses are shaped like domes - half spheres. The homes are small and cool. The people can move their houses when they want to move. Since the people are nomads, they move often. They take their animals to new places in order to find food.People whi belong to the Uros tribe of Lake Titicaca. Peru build their houses of reeds. Not only that - they also live on islands that are made of reeds .Their boats are made of reeds too. About 2,000 people live on these man-made islands. They started to build their own islands about 500 years ago.In Andalusia, in the south of Spain, some people live in underground houses.This kind of house is called a cueba.During the winter, the houses stay warm. During the summer, the houses stay cool.In Sana'a, Yemen, some people live in tall houses made of bricks. These bricks are made of clay, straw and soil.The bricks last many years - maybe as long as 500 years. The modern houses in Sana'a are made to look like the older,traditional houses, but they are made of concrete instead of bricks.In Mindadanao in the Philippines, some people still live in tree houses. The tree houses are made of bamboo with grass roofs. The houses are good lookout for snakes and wild animals. The air is cool and the houses stay dry. Now, most people use these tree houses as meeting places.The fisherman of Sabah, Malaysia build their houses on the water. They use wood from mangrove trees.This wood stays strong in the water.The houses receive official addresses form the government.Fujian, China has many townhouses that are made of hard-packed soil. The dirt becomes as strong as bricks when it is packed hard. One large family group lives in a townhouse. The townhouses were built around 300 years ago. A group of townhouses is protected by a thick dirt-packed wall.In the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, some nomadic people live in homes called gels. These homes are made of cloth. The cloth is filled with animal hair. Two poles in the center of the house hold the house up. The people move often to find food for their animals. The houses are easy to move and set up.Some American Indians live in teepees. These homes are made of cloth or buffalo hide. There are wooden poles used to hold the teepee up. Now some people use teepees only for special ceremonies, but people used to live in them all the time.The traditional houses of Chitos, Greece, are made of stone. They have arched doorways and indoor courtyards.They have outdoor dining rooms which are decorated with tile and rock. This means they are ornamented, and made to look more beautiful.The Dayak people of Indonesia build some of their houses on stilts, several feet the ground. The frame of the house is made of iron. The walls are made of tree bark. The floors are made of wooden planks which are placed side by side.The houses are decorated with pictures of water snakes and rhinoceros birds. These animals are part of the people's story of creation, or how the world was made.People build their houses to fit the needs of their lives. The houses are different, but one thing is the same wherever you go. There's no place like home Question: Which groups have cloth houses?
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A. The Atr and the Uros people
B. The Dayak and the Greek people
C. Mongolians and American Indians
D. Andalusians and the Dayak people
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