Is it possible that the sinking of the Titanic was caused by a ghost? A plot of the story below is true ... but did it really happen quite like this? Our story begins not in the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic, but rather thousands of miles away in Egypt. It is here, perhaps, that we can find the start of the mystery   of the Titanic, in the year 1910, in the great city of Cairo. One day, a famous professor of Egyptian history called Douglas Murray was staying in Cairo, when he was contacted by an American adventurer. The American had something unusual to offer Murray, something that was certain to thrill him: a beautiful ancient Egyptian mummy case, containing the mummy of an Egyptian queen. It was over 3,000 years old, but in beautiful condition -- gold, with bright paintings on it. Murray was delighted with both the object and the askingprice. He gave the man a cheque immediately. The cheque was never cashed. That evening the American adventurer died. For his part, Murray arranged to have the treasure sent back to Britain. However, it was not long before he learnt more about the beautiful mummy case: On the walls of the tomb in which it had been discovered, there were messages which warned of terrible consequences to anyone who broke into the tomb. Murray was disbelieving of these warnings until a few days later, when a gun he was holding exploded in his hand, shattering his arm. The arm had to be cut off. After the accident, Murray decided to return to his homeland. On the return journey, two of his companions died mysteriously, and two servants who had handled the mummy also passed away. The nowterrified Murray decided he would get rid of the _ case as soon as he arrived in London. A lady he knew named Janet Jones said she would like it, so he gave it to her. Shortly afterwards, Jones' mother died, and she herself caught a strange disease. She tried returning the mummy, but naturally Murray refused it. In the end, it was presented to the British Museum. Even in the museum, the mummy apparently... What is the main purpose of this passage? A) To entertain readers with a story of mystery. B) To introduce an important historical event to readers. C) To warn readers about the dangers of mummies' curses. D) To inform readers about the true cause of the Titanic's sinking.
A


College students constantly hear the praises of education.We have all become used to believing that a college education is always a guarantee of an easier life.I was nine years old when my fourth-grade teacher presented me with a task, to write down all of the things I wanted in my life.I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job.The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: " GO TO COLLEGE." For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier. However, education cannot promise all wishes, dreams, and desires.Society must reject the foolish idea that a college education's main purpose is to satisfy our desires and secure success.Like most challenging things, education is a gamble   in which results depend entirely on people's ability to look past their wants to see the realism and reason behind their wants. For instance, my first year of college, I took a sociology class.In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor.We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries.I began to examine my own desire to be rich.To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all.Learning about other society's financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted. Through the process of education, everything once desired is tested.Wanting something no longer is enough; it's more important to examine why we want it and whether we really want it.When my desire for money changed, everything changed.I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them.I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them. Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life.Education is a source to expand our society to see beyond the superficial   appeals and the "quick fixes" , leaving the belief of an... The author's fourth-grade teacher probably agreed that   _  . A) the author was an ambitious student B) the author should set more realistic goals C) a college student would lead an easier life D) a college degree was the key to the author's dreams
D


*Question*
"A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right" says Mollie Hunter. Born and brought up near Edinburgh,Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market is. In Mollie's opinion it is necessary to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story,which is what every writer should be doing. "If you aren't telling a story, you're a very dead writer indeed." She says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain,Mollie is indeed an entertainer. "I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language," she says. "This love goes back to early childhood. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and,because my family always had dogs,and I was very good at handling them,I said I wanted to work with dogs,and the teacher always said  'Nonsense,Mollie;dear,you'll be a writer.' So finally I thought that this woman must have something,since she was a good teacher and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer." This childhood intention is described in her novel,A Sound of Chariots,which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical   and gives a picture both of Mollie's ambition and her struggle towards its achievement. Thoughts of her childhood inevitably   brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields--sadly now covered with modern houses. "I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,"she said "Never. When I set one of my books in Scotland" she said "I can recall my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields,or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that's important because children now know so much so early that romance can't exist for them, as it did for us." In Mollie Hunter's opinion,which of the following is one sign of a poor writer? A) Being poor in life experience. B) Being short of writing skills. C) The weakness of description. D) The absence of a story.
**Answer**

D