Television will turn 86 years old on September 7, 2013, and it has never looked better. In its youth, television was a piece of furniture with a tiny, round screen showing unclear pictures of  lowbudget programs. In spite of its shortcomings, it became well-received. Between 1950 and 1963, the number of American families with a television jumped from 9% to 92% of the population. As the audience got larger, the technology got better. Television sets became more reliable through the 1960s. Both of the reception and the picture improved. The major networks started broadcasting programs in color. Even greater improvements were coming according to Sanford Brown, who wrote an article forthe Postin 1967. Surprisingly, just about every prediction he made in the article became a reality. For example: All sets in the notdistant future will be color instruments. He also predicted that TV sets would become smaller, simpler, more reliable and less expensive and may forever put the TV repairman out of work. Smaller sets do not, of course, mean smaller screens. TV engineers expect screens to get much bigger. However, today's 3D TV is even farther away, if it's coming at all.  There is some doubt whether the public would be eager to pay for it, in view of people's cold reception given to 3D movies. But the technology with the greatest potential, according to Brown, was cable television  , which was still in its early stages then. As he predicted, the future of cable television was highly interactive. It wasn't cable television that gave Americans their electronic connection to the world, however. It was the Internet.  He even foresaw the future office: using picture phones, bigscreen televisions for conferences, and computers providing information, at the touch of a button. Brown ever said, "The future of television is no longer a question of what we can invent. It's a question of what we want." What can we infer about television sets in the 1960s? A) They were very popular with Americans. B) Their appearance remained unchangeable. C) They showed blackandwhite pictures. D) Their pictures were of poor quality.
A


Over a period of time, many habitats  change with respect to the types of plants and animals that live there. This change is known as succession. Succession occurs because plants and animals cause a change in the environment in which they live. The first weeds and grasses that appear on a bare field, for example, change the environment by shielding the soil from direct sunlight. As these plants spread, the ground becomes cooler and more moist than it was originally. Thus, the environment at the ground surface has been changed. The new surface conditions favor the sprouting of shrubs. As shrubs grow, they kill the grasses by preventing light from reaching them and also enhance  the soil. Pine seedlings  soon take hold and as they grow, they in turn shade out the shrubs. They are not able to shade out oak and hickory  seedlings, however, that have found the forest floor suitable.  These seedlings grew into large trees that eventually shade out the pines. Which of the following is a stage of succession as described in the passage? A) A forest cut down to build an airport. B) A flood washing away a crop of wheat C) Wild flowers growing in an unused parking lot D) Animals being tamed  by children
C


Q: Online education is becoming a popular learning choice to traditional colleges. Most colleges offer online programs in various fields and levels, which allows students to go on with their education over the Internet. Students must keep in mind that the college they wish to apply to must be approved by a related recognized organization. So who can really benefit from an online program? Well, anybody, and everybody! Online programs can turn out to be a pocket-friendly choice to a traditional college for many people. Here's a list of people who usually consider joining in an online degree program; l Stay-at-home parents. Online education is perfect choice for stay-at-home parents and those who have very young kids. Online classes give them the flexibility to complete or further their education while looking after home and family and without worrying about childcare. l Working professionals who want to further their education but travel a lot or have extremely busy schedules, as well as those who want to make a career change but do not have the time to enroll in a full-time degree program. l People who cannot commute to a college campus. l Shy students who might feel embarrassed among a group of people and prefer to study by themselves and at their own pace. l People who want to save money. Online programs can turn out to be more cost-effective than attending a physical classroom. l People who do not get distracted  easily -- something many people overlook when considering online education. If you are someone who can easily ignore the ringing of a phone, stay away from TV, and resist all other things that may draw your attention, online programs are for you. So do you think online education is for you? If you feel you belong to any of the above listed categories, then online education could work out very well for you. What should students consider when they apply to an online program? A) They are interested in its course. B) The college should be approved by authority. C) Their homes are not far from the college. D) Teachers in the college must be top-ranking.
A: B


*Question*
At first, the earth's surface layer   was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks. Then slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebbles   and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remains mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil. There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break into smaller ones. Wind, water, heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and cracks in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces. The moving water of streams and rivers also helps to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with it small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones. Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces. The heat of the sun is also helpful to breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the cracks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and the cracks become wider, and finally break into smaller pieces. Which of the following speeds up  the breaks of rocks most? A) Hot weather. B) Cold water. C) Sharp changes in temperature. D) More dead plants in the cracks.
**Answer**

C