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Yellowstone National Park is the
U.S. States of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. It became the first National Park in
1872. There are geysers and hot springs at Yellowstone. There are also many
animals at Yellowstone. There are elk, bison, sheep, grizzly, black bears,
moose, coyotes, and more.
More than 3 million people visit
Yellowstone National Park year. During the winter, visitors can ski or go
snowmobiling there. There are also snow coaches that give tours. Visitors can
see steam (vapor water) come from the geysers. During
other seasons, visitors can go boating or fishing. People can ride horses
there. There are nature trails and tours. Most visitors want to see Old
Faithful, a very predictable geyser at
Yellowstone Visitors can check a schedule to see the exact time that Old
Faithful is going to erupt. There are many other geysers and boiling springs in
the area. Great Fountain Geyser erupts every 11 hours. Excelsior Geyser
produces 4,000 gallons of boiling water each minute! Boiling water is 100
degrees Celsius, or 212 degrees Fahrenheit – that’s very hot! People also like
to see the Grand Prismatic Spring. It is the largest hot spring in the park. It
has many beautiful colors. The beautiful colors are caused by bacteria in the water. These are forms of life that
have only one cell. Different bacteria live in different water temperatures. Visiting Yellowstone National Park can be a week
– long vacation or more. It is beautiful and there are activities for everyone.
Different temperatures are different
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A. Levels of heat and cold
B. Amounts of water
C. Levels of rainfall
D. Colors of water
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| 2 |
Nepal, a small, mountainous country tucked between India and China, may seem completely foreign to many Americans. Cows milk down busy streets unharmed, 24 different languages are spoken, and people eat two meals of rice and lentils every day. Nepali holidays, many of which are related to the Hindu religion. can seem especially bizarre to Americans unfamiliar with the culture. However, if we look beyond how others celebrate to consider the things they are celebrating, we find surprising similarities to our own culture.The biggest holiday in Nepal is Dashain, a ten-day festival for the Hindu goddess Durga that takes place in September or October. According to Hindu beliefs, Durga defeated the evil demons of the world. To thank the goddess, people visit temples in her honor and sacrifice goats or sheep as offerings. Throughout the year, most Nepalis do not eat much meat because it is expensive, but Dashain is a time to enjoy meat every day. Children fly colorful, homemade kites during Dashain. People also construct enormous bamboo swings on street corners and in parks.Every evening people gather at these swings and take turns swinging. Nepalis is a time for people to eat good food, relax and enjoy themselves.Aside from eating and enjoying themselves, during Dashain people also receive blessings from their elders. Schools and offices shut down so people can travel to be with their families. Reuniting with family reminds people of the importance of kindness, respect, and forgiveness. People also clean and decorate their homes for Dashain. And, like many holidays in the United States, it is a time for shopping. Children and adults alike get new clothes for the occasion. People express appreciation for all that they have, while looking forward to good fortune and peace in the year to come.During American holidays, people may not sacrifice goats or soar on bamboo swings, but we do often travel to be with family members and take time off work or school to relax. No matter how we celebrate, many people around the world spend their holidays honoring family, reflecting on their blessings, and hoping for good fortune in the future. Question: According to the passage, Hindus believe that the goddess Durga
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A. sacrifices goats and sheep
B. defeated the evil demons of the world
C. visits temples
D. enjoys meat every day
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| 3 |
Recent advances in science and technology have made it
possible for geneticists to find out abnormalities in the unborn foetus and
take remedial action to rectify some defects which would otherwise prove to be
fatal to the child. Though genetic engineering is still at its infancy,
scientists can now predict with greater accuracy a genetic disorder. It is not
yet an exact science since they are not in a position to predict when exactly a
genetic disorder will set in. While they have not yet been able to change the
genetic order of the gene in germs, they are optimistic and are holding out
that in the near future they might be successful in achieving this feat. They
have, however, acquired the ability in manipulating tissue cells. However,
genetic mis-information can sometimes be damaging for it may adversely affect
people psychologically. Genetic information may lead to a tendency to brand
some people as inferiors. Genetic information can therefore be abused and its
application in deciding the sex of the foetus and its subsequent abortion is
now hotly debated on ethical lines. But on this issue geneticists cannot be
squarely blamed though this charge has often been leveled at them. It is mainly
a societal problem. At present genetic engineering is a costly process of
detecting disorders but scientists hope to reduce the costs when technology
becomes more advanced. This is why much progress in this area has been possible
in scientifically advanced and rich countries like the U.S.A., U.K. and Japan.
It remains to be seen if in the future this science will lead to the
development of a race of supermen or will be able to obliterate disease from
this world.
Which of the following is the same in meaning as the phrase ‘holding
out’ as used in the passage?
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A. Catching
B. Expounding
C. Sustaining
D. Restraining
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| 4 |
At the time Jane Austen’s novels
were published – between 1811 and 1818 – English literature was not part of any
academic curriculum. In addition, fiction was under strenuous attack. Certain
religious and political groups felt novels had the power to make so-called
immoral characters so interesting that young readers would identify with them;
these groups also considered novels to be of little practical use. Even
Coleridge, certainly no literary reactionary, spoke for many when the asserted
that “novel-reading occasions the destruction of the mind’s powers.”
These attitudes towards novels help
explain why Austen received little attention from early nineteenth-century
literary cities. (In any case a novelist published anonymously, as Austen was,
would not be likely to receive much critical attention.) The literary response
that was accorded to her, however, was often as incisive as twentieth-century
criticism. In his attack in 1816 on novelistic portrayals “outside of ordinary experience,”
for example. Scott made an insightful remark about the merits of Austen’s
fiction.
Her novels, wrote Scott, “present to
the reader an accurate and exact picture of ordinary everyday people and
places, reminiscent of seventeenth-century Flemish painting.” Scott did not use
the word ‘realism’, but he undoubtedly used a standard of realistic probability
in judging novels. The critic Whately did not use the word ‘realism’, either,
but he expressed agreement with Scott’s evaluation, and went on to suggest the possibilities
for moral instruction in what we have called Austen’s ‘realistic method’ her
characters, wrote Whately, are persuasive agents for moral truth since they are
ordinary persons “so clearly evoked that we feel an interest in their fate as
if it were our own.” Moral instruction, explained Whately, is more likely to be
effective when conveyed through recongnizably human and interesting characters
than when imparted by a sermonizing narrator. Whitely especially praised Austen’s
ability to create character who “mingle goodness and villainy, weakness and
virtue, as in life they are always mingled. “Whitely concluded his remarks by
comparing Austen’s art of characterization to Dickens’, starting his preference
for Austen’s.
Yet, the response of
nineteenth-century literary critics to Austen was not always so laudatory, and
often anticipated the reservations of twentieth-century literary critics. An
example of such a response was Lewes complaint in 1859 that Austen’s range of
subject and characters was too narrow. Praising her verisimilitude, Lewes added
that, nonetheless her focus was too often only upon the unlofty and the
commonplace. (Twentieth-century Marxists, on the other hand, were to complain
about what they saw as her exclusive emphasis on a lofty upper middle class.)
In any case having being rescued by literary critics from neglect and indeed
gradually lionized by them, Austen steadily reached, by the mid-nineteenth
century, the enviable pinnacle of being considered controversial.
The passage supplies information to
suggest that the religious and political groups (mentioned in the third
sentence) and Whately might have agreed that a novel.
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A. Has little practical use
B. Has the ability to influence the moral values of its readers
C. Is of utmost interest to readers when representing ordinary human characters
D. Should not be read by young readers
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| 5 |
Cindy liked parks. She liked the trees and grass and nature. She liked the birds and squirrels she say in parks. She also liked walking down wooded trails or riding bikes along gravel paths. Parks were a lot more fun to exercise in than just walking down the street. because there was so much to see.She had been to many kinds of parks. Some were in mountains, with rivers and hiking. Some were open areas with broad stretches of green grass to play on. Others were in the forest, with paths running beneath towering trees with sweeping branches overhead. Cindy's favorite parks were near lakes.There was a lake park not far form her house. It had a boardwalk trail that was set on pilings across a shallow lake.That was the best part. She loved to walk along the brown wood path and stop along the way, looking in the water for frogs and turtles. There were a few pavilions to stop and sit under in the shade. The water was deeper near them, so she could see fish sometimes. Occasionally, she would even see long-legged water birds, like cranes. The fall was the best time to visit the lake parks. With the leaves changing color, it was very beautiful. The sun would be out in the cloudy sky, and then cool breezes would blow through the reeds and water grasses.Spring was nice, too, because all the butterflies were out. The flowers and blossoming trees along the wooded paths were fragrant and beautiful. The lake grasses were tall and green, rustling in the wind. Cattails bobbed among the reeds. It was a good time to visit. Summer was okay. It was still pretty, but too hot. At least in winter things were pretty, if in a stark and cold way. The white dusting of snow that covered everything gave the park a clean look. It was fun to follow other people's footprints in the snow, or to go out on the boardwalk and look at the frozen top of the lake.If Cindy had her way, she would visit the park every day. Come to think of it, she did it was also a great place to do homework or read. Question: What was the best part of the lake park?
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A. the animals
B. the boardwalk
C. the pavilions
D. the trails
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| 6 |
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: How are the islands and the houses of the Uros tribe the same?
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A. They are both made by machines
B. They are both made of reeds
C. They are both made of soil
D. They are both very modern
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| 7 |
Each nation has its own peculiar character
which distinguishes it from others. But the people of the world have more
points in which they are all like each other than points in which they are
different. One type of person that is common in every country is the one who
always tried to do as little as he possibly can and to get as much in return as
he can. His opposite, the man who is in the habit of doing more than is
strictly necessary and is ready to accept what is offered in return, is rare
everywhere.
Both these types are usually unconscious of
their character. The man who avoids effort is always talking about his ‘rights’;
he appears to think that society owes him a pleasant easy life. The man who is
always doing more than his sheer talks of ‘duties’ feels that the individual is
in debt to society, and not society to the individual. As a result of their
view, neither of these men thinks that he behaves at all strangely.
Which of the following thinks that the individual
is in debt to the society?
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A. A person who talks of his 'rights' only
B. A person who always doing more than his sheer talks of 'duties;
C. Every citizen of the country
D. A person who talks of his 'duties' only
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| 8 |
Educational planning should aim at meeting the educational needs
of the entire population of all age group. 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
as any university professor. The retired and the age 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 adult for various forms of self – learning. A
viable education system of the future should consist of modules with different
kinds of functions serving a diversity of constituents. 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 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
organizations such as libraries. Museums, municipal recreational programs,
health services etc.
What should be the major
characteristic of the futureeducational system?
|
A. Different modules with same function
B. Same module for different groups
C. No modules but standard compulsory program for all
D. None of these
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| 9 |
Cindy liked parks. She liked the trees and grass and nature. She liked the birds and squirrels she say in parks. She also liked walking down wooded trails or riding bikes along gravel paths. Parks were a lot more fun to exercise in than just walking down the street. because there was so much to see.She had been to many kinds of parks. Some were in mountains, with rivers and hiking. Some were open areas with broad stretches of green grass to play on. Others were in the forest, with paths running beneath towering trees with sweeping branches overhead. Cindy's favorite parks were near lakes.There was a lake park not far form her house. It had a boardwalk trail that was set on pilings across a shallow lake.That was the best part. She loved to walk along the brown wood path and stop along the way, looking in the water for frogs and turtles. There were a few pavilions to stop and sit under in the shade. The water was deeper near them, so she could see fish sometimes. Occasionally, she would even see long-legged water birds, like cranes. The fall was the best time to visit the lake parks. With the leaves changing color, it was very beautiful. The sun would be out in the cloudy sky, and then cool breezes would blow through the reeds and water grasses.Spring was nice, too, because all the butterflies were out. The flowers and blossoming trees along the wooded paths were fragrant and beautiful. The lake grasses were tall and green, rustling in the wind. Cattails bobbed among the reeds. It was a good time to visit. Summer was okay. It was still pretty, but too hot. At least in winter things were pretty, if in a stark and cold way. The white dusting of snow that covered everything gave the park a clean look. It was fun to follow other people's footprints in the snow, or to go out on the boardwalk and look at the frozen top of the lake.If Cindy had her way, she would visit the park every day. Come to think of it, she did it was also a great place to do homework or read. Question: Which type of park is Cindy's favourite?
|
A. Forest Parks
B. Grassy Parks
C. Mountain Parks
D. Lake Parks
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| 10 |
Educational planning should aim at meeting the educational needs
of the entire population of all age group. 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
as any university professor. The retired and the age 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 adult for various forms of self – learning. A
viable education system of the future should consist of modules with different
kinds of functions serving a diversity of constituents. 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 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
organizations such as libraries. Museums, municipal recreational programs,
health services etc.
What is the main thrust of the author?
|
A. Traditional systems should be strengthened
B. Formal education is more important than non-formal
C. One should never cease to learn
D. It is impossible to meet he needs of everyone
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