Most American students go to traditional public schools.There are about 88, 000 public schools, all over the US.Some students attend about 3000 independent public schools called charter schools. Charter schools are self-governing.Private companies operate some charter schools.They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools.They receive tax money just as other public schools do.Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning.These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate. Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public schools.Local, state, or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach.Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them.Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools. The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are failing to educate students.But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools.One teachers' union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional schools and charter schools. The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study, which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress.Union education experts say the study shows that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools. Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more problems than students in traditional schools.Other education experts say the study results should make charter school officials demand improved student progress. What's the government's attitude toward charter schools? A) Doubtful B) Supportive. C) Subjective. D) Optimistic.
B


We've all heard about the power of positive thinking, but a recent study found that people who think they're getting fit actually get more positive benefits from activity, according to a Reuters Health article. The study examined hotel housekeepers over a period of four weeks. Some of the housekeepers were told that their work duties gave them enough activity to meet the Surgeon General's health guidelines  . Another group of housekeepers were told nothing. After four weeks, the housekeepers who believed their work activity counted as exercise lost weight and body fat, and their blood pressure went down. The results of this study suggest that it's important to understand and believe in the positive benefits of your activity. So here are a few things to think about the next time you exercise: Just thirty minutes of quick walking each day can greatly reduce your risk of a heart attack. Even your housework -- like yard work and house cleaning -- can help you burn calories and increase your fitness levels. Weight bearing activity just a few times a week can build bone density   and reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis  . Three 10-minute workouts  throughout the day are just as good to your health as one long workout. Moderate   amounts of exercise have been linked to lower rates of heart disease, stroke and even cancer. Strength training can help make daily activities like carrying bags or laundry feel easier. Regular exercise will reduce stress, keep you in a good mood and improve the quality of your sleep. It can be inferred from the passage that   _  . A) thought is more important than activity B) housekeepers lead a happier life than workers C) positive thinking does good to our health D) if one wants to get fit, think more
C


Q: I work in a busy Emergency Room( E. R. ) .  This weekend, I had a patient who was very nervousand paranoid. After looking at his chart, I saw that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism. There is an immediate prejudice against substance abuse in my E. R. One -we do not have a detox  facility.The people seeking treatment for addiction are sometimes looked down on as being less worthy of treatment  than  other  serious  physical  " ailments" . At first glance, I found out that the man was now somewhere in his mid-thirties, was very weak and had a generally aggressive character. He could not sit still and had a cough. He had not had a drink in four days. His hands were shaking and there was a scared look in his eyes. He told me that he began drinking about age 11 when his mother supplied him with it. He had tried to quit many times before but had not been able to." So .  what's different this time ?"I asked. "Because I'm starting to be mean to the people I love, but now I don't want to be.  I ca:n see that  I'm changing into something else. " That answer helped change my attitude toward him. I could see the pain behind his eyes. Behind the appearance, there was a terrified person whose goodness was being claimed by the alcohol. He  was desperate for help, but not so sure that his condition could be changed. I, thank this man for showing me that the goodness is dressed in all sorts of disguises  . Sometimes we have to undress it. It's worth doing. My patient was admitted to the hospital for help ,despite us not having a detox facility. What conclusion can we draw from the passage? A) Where there is a will, there's a way. B) A friend in need is a friend indeed. C) Never judge a book by its cover. D) Good is rewarded with good.
A: C


Q: Bea, a five-year-old girl, was born with a severe illness which means she has to be kept away from other children of her age, because her body is so weak that she would be unable to fight off a common cold. Bea was diagnosed with this disease when she was five months old. Since then, the hospital has become her second home, medicines for food, and all kinds of treatments her friends. Bea received a very special treatment when she was four years old, which would allow her to be like a normal child if successful. After that, she spent two weeks in ICU before living for four months on a separate ward . Bea was allowed home in February but still needed a special tube in her nose to send in medicines every two days. Her parents clean the house from top to bottom every two days and hoover each morning to make sure Bea is free from any possible bacteria. Anna, Bea's mother, said, "she is weak but so strong. We've never seen any child stronger than her. It seems as if nothing in the world could beat her. We really hope to send her to school next year." She used to drive on the local playground, but Bea was only allowed to watch sitting in the car. "It was heartbreaking to see Bea staring at the running and laughing children there. She never stopped fighting the disease. I know she's dying for such a normal life." Hearing of Bea's story, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has paid for a play park to be built in her back garden. "Bea is very brave and she has encouraged many children like her," said the chairman of the foundation. The Make-A-Wish Foundation had a play park built for Bea to_. A) honor her bravery in fighting against her disease B) call for attention to this immune   system deficiency C) encourage more children like Bea to be optimistic D) launch a campaign against this serious disease

A: A