(Question)
Earlier this year,my oldest daughter got braces on her teeth,and let's just say she did not go quietly into that dentist's chair.Fear and hate pretty much describe the days leading up to her first appointment. So when she finally walked out with shiny teeth,a sore mouth and a broken spirit,I told her I was proud of her and took her to Ben &Jerry's for an ice cream reward.Two weeks later,we returned to the scene of the crime.The dentist spent about 45 seconds checking her teeth before sending her on her merry way.Before I could start the car, she was placing her ice cream order.She was shocked when I told her that she wasn't going to get a reward every time we get her teeth checked. Clearly,she's not alone.According to some parenting experts,kids are easily addicted to a benefit--producing system of parental rewards and bribes--it's not all ice creams,candies and cool toys.Some parents are offering their children prizes to just let them sit down and behave in a restaurant--or sleep in their own beds--or score a goal in the next soccer game. While the experts agree that occasional awards are okay, the danger lies in the system's overuse.Kids quickly gain a sense of entitlement ,where they come to expect a big reward for every good thing that they do,no matter how small.To keep things in check,experts say parents should reduce the number of rewards they offer,make sure rewards match the behavior and explain the real benefits of behaving for the sake of behaving. Have you used bribery or a reward system with your kids? Was it successful? Do your kids expect more because of that system? The intended readers of the passage are  _  . A) children B) teachers C) doctors D) parents
(Answer)
D


(Question)
Coffee is a powerful beverage.On a personal level,it helps keep US awake and active.On a much broader level,it has helped shape our history and continues to shape our culture. Coffee didn't take off until the l400s when people figured out they could roast its seeds.By the l500s,the drink had spread to coffeehouses across the Arab world.Within another l50 years,it took Europe by storm. "It actually had a major impact on the rise of business," historian Mark Pendergrast says.Coffeehouses became a spot not just to enjoy a cup but to exchange ideas.The insurer Lloyd's of London was founded hundreds of years ago in one of London's 2,000 coffeehouses.Literature,newspapers and even the works of great composers like Bach and Beethoven were also spawned in coffeehouses. It is often said that after the Boston Tea Party of l773,when American colonists attacked British tea ships and threw boxes of tea into the harbor,Americans universally switched over to drinking coffee.In a letter John Adams wrote to his wife,Abigail,the Founding Father claims his love of tea but says he will have to learn to embrace coffee instead,because drinking tea had become a symbol of not loving the country. For all the upsides coffee has brought the modern world,it also led to its fair share of downsides,too.Europeans carried coffee with them as they colonized various parts of the world,and this frequently meant they enslaved people in order to grow it.In Brazil -- where slavery was legal until l888 -- coffee plantations would use slash-and-burn agriculture,tearing down rain forests and planting coffee trees.Once the soil had been exhausted,growers would move on to another place. And yet,coffee,as Pendergrast says,"had a very good impact in many ways on our civilization,even though it was,for a long time,grown by slaves." What is mainly talked about in this passage? A) Some interesting stories about coffee culture. B) Important Roles that coffee played in history. C) How coffee became the most popular beverage. D) How coffee affected America's independence.
(Answer)
B


(Question)
Q My daughter is a junior in high school and has been on an individualized education program since fourth grade. She plans to go to college and intends to finish with a master's degree. Her performance is fairly good, but test scores are very low. She has held many leadership and volunteer positions. We have been advised to have her write an essay about how her learning disability is a barrier that she has overcome. Will that help or hurt her chances for admission? --Deborah AFirst let me answer the question on low standardized test scores (ACT/ SAT). There are hundreds of colleges that are "test optional" which means students can choose not to release their test scores in the application process. Admission decisions at these colleges for students who do not submit their test scores are made based on other factors. A list of test optional colleges can be found atfairtest.org. It is important, however, to make sure that the college is the right fit academically regardless of the test optional policy. You also asked if your daughter should write about her disability and if this would hurt her chances of being admitted. Please know that colleges do not deny admission based on disability. "Disclosing" a learning disability in a personal statement within the college application can certainly help. By writing a personal statement, students can potentially demonstrate, for example, their understanding of the challenge they face. They might also demonstrate an improved grade trend in that subject area, and show interest in more complex courses in spite of this disability. More importantly, a student disclosure can show self-confidence, motivation and an understanding of the disability. --Ms. Kravis According to Ms. Kravis, what can Deborah do about her daughter's low test scores? A) Keep them secret B) Explain the reasons C) Stress other aspects D) Work hard to improve
(Answer)

A