*Question*
Printing images is easy. Just select an image of a purple robot on your PC, for example, and press print. Your home printer exactly shoots drops of ink onto a flat piece of paper, creating the robot's 2-D image. "Printing" 3-D objects is different. Take the purple robot. First select a file of the 3-D printer. Immediately, the printer begins making noise, and a nozzle   releases plastic material in thin layers. In two or three hours, a 3-D purple robot is standing before you. 3-D printing has developed to the point where printers can now create high-quality objects using a variety of materials, including metals. That means 3-D printers can now make final products that meet high industrial standards. 3-D printers are already being used to make parts for racecars and jets as well as man-made limbs and hearing aids. So far, few homes have 3-D printers. That's because 3-D printing is not only new to most people but also quite expensive. To bring 3-D printing to the masses, some retail stores   plan to offer the service. For example, the Staples chain of office supply stores has announced that it will offer 3-D printing in Europe beginning in 2013. Customers will be able to submit their own 3-D designs to Staples website for printing. After the job is done, they'll pick up their item at a nearby Staples store or have it mailed to their homes. This service is sure to encourage many more people to try out 3-D printing. According to this article, who are 3-D printed parts already helping? A) People with physical disabilities. B) People in the solar energy field C) People who lack suitable housing D) People in need of computer skills
**Answer**
A

*Question*
Prepare: Plan ahead and think about what you are going to say. In the words of Mark Twain, it usually takes you more than three weeks to prepare for it. Know your subject: Always make sure that you know the subject and have background information at hand for question time. Know you audience: Find out who you will be addressing so that you can tailor  your comments accordingly. Make a point: Keep your speech short and brief and have a few clear points that you need to convey . Practice: Never learn your speech by heart as your speech will become stilted, but do practice it a few times in front of the mirror, your parents or your dog. Eye contact: If the thought of looking into a sea of faces scares you, adjust your gaze regularly at different points in the room to create the same effect. First impressions: Your first impression is important when making a public presentation. Find out about dress codes  at the place so that you look your best and, if possible, check the microphone beforehand to ensure you know how to use it. Get help: If public presentations are a major part of your life, read up on the art of speech---writing and delivery to improve your skills. The advice benefits    _  . A) teachers B) actors C) speechmakers D) spokesmen
**Answer**
B

*Question*
Liz had been bleeding for a long time! She was my closest professional colleague and good friend at the time when we worked in an IT company. It was her first day back at work after an operation and I thought she should have taken a few more days to recover. Realizing that we couldn't stop the bleeding, we headed to the emergency room and spent hours there waiting to be seen. After the treatment, I drove her to my apartment. I had to leave her in my apartment while I dashed off to take a final exam for a very important course I was taking. Upon my return, we decided Liz was in a good enough condition to sustain a trip back from my Northern Virginia apartment to her home in Maryland. Although it was nearly midnight and we were both exhausted, we still decided to set off. Unfortunately, in a not particularly safe part of town, we heard my car make a strange noise, and then ti was shaking violently as we drove along. Quickly, I stopped the car in the road and found a tire had blown out. Not knowing how to change a tire and feeling scared, I was trying out to figure out what to do next. Liz, weak from losing all that blood all day and weighing only about eighty pounds to begin with, came out and tried to help me. I had to scream at her to get back in the car and relax. Within seconds, a taxi pulled up behind us. A huge man appeared and began walking toward us. I felt that the blood drained out of my face and I nearly fainted in fear. "Got a flat tire, girls?" he asked. "Yes," I answered in a trembling voice. In no time at all, the man changed the tire for us and rushed off back to his taxi. He refused any payment and did not even tell me his name. He would never know how badly we needed his services that particular evening. And I, with a grateful heart, will never forget his kindness. What was the author doing when Liz was in her apartment? A) She was seeing a doctor. B) She was waiting for help. C) She was taking an exam. D) She was travelling in Maryland.
**Answer**
C

*Question*
When Elizabeth Kenny was a little girl, she fell off a horse and hurt her arm. Mrs. Kenny took her to a doctor in Toowoomba, Queensland. In the doctor's, Elizabeth saw many bottles of medicine standing in a row. Since then, she wanted to be a nurse. As soon as she was old enough, Elizabeth was trained in a hospital. After working for some time, she made a surprising discovery. Among her patients were some children who had lost the use of their legs because of polio ( ) . Kenny tried putting hot cloth on their legs and washing them in a special way. The results were great. The children were able to use their legs again. Most doctors would not believe that children could get well in such a simple way. Gradually, however, she became famous. From 1993 on people from many parts of the world brought their children to Australia to receive treatment by this wonderful nurse. She was invited to America where her methods were used in many hospitals. Money was collected to build Kenny foundations which were for polio patients. Kenny died in 1952, but she will long be remembered for her fight against polio. What was Kenny's surprising discovery? A) there were so many polio patients around her. B) Polio children could recover in a simple way. C) Children suffering from polio had refused to use arms D) Among the children some of them suffered from polio.
**Answer**

D