Buckingham Palace has a history that dates back over 500 years and has changed hands on numerous occasions, however, much of the building that remains standing today is from the original structure built in the early 1700's. In the beginning Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. However, in 1762 George III liked the house so much that he bought it for 28,000 and renamed it "The Queen's House". The reason for this was down to the fact that he bought the house to give to his wife Charlotte. Shortly after he did this, work soon began in order to remodel the house with the help of Sir William Chambers. This trend then continued with the accession of George IV in 1820 when he decided to reconstruct the house but he still used it for the same purpose that his father did. One of the biggest physical changes to the house occurred several years later when the king had a change of mind. It was in 1826 that King George IV set about transforming the house into what it is known today, Buckingham Palace. He did this with the help of an architect known as John Nash. The work that Nash carried out involved doubling the size of the main block through adding a new suite of rooms on the garden side facing the west. He then faced this with mellow Bath stone, which reflected the French neo-classical influence favored by George IV. Many of the rooms that Nash added still remain pretty much unchanged today. The palace as it stands today acts as not only the London residence of Her Majesty the Queen but also the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is in fact one of the few working royal palaces that remain in the world today. The state rooms are extensively used by the Queen as well as members of the royal family as a way of receiving and entertaining guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions. George IV reconstructed Buckingham House probably to  _  . A) please his own wife B) satisfy his son C) sell at a good price D) honor his old father
A
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Televisions were among the most talked about items at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some employed the most advanced technology ever. Some of the TVs used a new technology called Organic Light Emitting Diodes, or OLED. They were thinner, lighter, offered better color1 and were brighter than traditional LEDs. Smart TVs this year were smarter. Many offered technology that let users have a more personalized experience. One such TV from the electronics company TCL uses sensors and voice recognition to determine who is watching. It then offers programming based on the specific user. Another TV from Panasonic offers a similar personalized user experience. In addition to television technology, size also played a major part in CES 2013. Televisions varied in size from big to bigger, with at least two companies -- Samsung and HiSense -- exhibiting TVs measuring 110 inches. The yearly Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest technology trade show in North America and one of the biggest in the world. Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, the group that organizes CES. He gave one of the keynote speeches on opening day. "Now you know that CES is more than a trade show. It's a gathering of the brightest minds and the top leaders from many industries and those seeking a glimpse into the future." That glimpse into the future included a look at digital health and fitness devices, which were also big at CES 2013. There were devices that track your activity and others that measure blood pressure, heart rate and weight. There was even a fork that tells you when you are eating too fast. Cars, smart-phones, tablet computers and PCs also made news. And a 27-inch table computer drew quite a bit of attention. CEA President Gary Shapiro says there was much to see but not nearly enough time to see it all. "You cannot see the show in the four days that you have. We have over 3200 different industries showing over 20,000 new products. It's  ly incredible." From the passage we can infer that  _  . A) the CES is held every 4 years B) at the 2013 CES, the TV section was crowded C) if you watch TV every day, you needn't see a doctor D) tablet computers drew more attention at the 2013 CES
B
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Lots of kids hate school, a new study found. Usually this kind of feeling doesn't last long. But what happens if you feel this way too much? School is a fact of life and getting a good education can help you build the kind of future life you want. So let's talk about school and what to do when you don't like it.     If you don't like school, the first step is to find out why. You might not like school because you don't have enough friends, or maybe you don't get along with your teacher. Sometimes it's a big problem with your classes and school-work. You may be getting farther and farther behind, and it may seem like you'll never catch up.    When you know why you don't like school, you can start taking steps to make things better. It's a good idea to talk to someone about your problems with school. Your mum, dad, teacher or school counselor  will be able to help you. Another good idea is to write down your feelings about school in a notebook. It's a great way to let out emotions . Remember, you don't have to share what you've written with others. If you don't like school, the first step is to_. A) find out the reasons B) go to see a doctor C) ask your parents for help D) leave school for a short time
A
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He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards  _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel.  All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell. According to the passage, which statement is true? A) In 1992, Arafat's plane crashed in South Africa. B) Israeli officers thought Arafat himself sent the terrorist groups to Israel. C) China is the only country against Israel's decision of removing Arafat. D) Being Palestinian leader, Arafat would rather die in his own country than be driven away from his people.

D
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