If you hear the sound of a handset beeping  in a bag or pocket, you could be forgiven for thinking that someone has received a text message. But nowadays there are so many different ways of messaging someone that it could spell the death of the traditional text as we know it. Text messaging, or texting, is the art of sending a short, electronic message between two mobile phones or tablets . Users pay a certain amount to send messages via  SMS--short message service. But in the last few years, messaging in this way has been on the decline . The rise of smartphones and tablets has seen an increase in the use of instant messaging apps  , which take the place of traditional texts. Using wireless Internet connections, people can send limitless numbers of IMs to their friends for very little cost. Unlike traditional mobile texts, the user usually only has to pay to download the app once, after which each message they send is free. Web developers soon _ . Instant messaging apps have become popular all over the world. WhatsApp in America and Europe, WeChat in China and Kakao Talk in South Korea are but a few which have attracted hundreds of millions of people, who use the apps to chat to their friends in real time. These apps allow people to send picture messages for free--something which previously was quite costly. Research company Informa said that almost 19 billion messages were sent per day using chat apps in 2012, compared with 17. 6 billion SMS texts. And it expects the chat app market to grow t0 50 billion per day by 2014. So does this really mean the end for communication by text? Pamela Clark--Dickson from Informa doesn't think so. She says that there are a large number of people who use normal mobile phones, particularly in developing countries, who prefer the SMS messaging tool. There is an awfully big base of mobile phone users who are still going to find that SMS is the best messaging experience for them for a while. ,. Which of the following is true? A) people sent 19 billion SMS texts every day in 2012 B) All the messages sent on mobile phones and computers are free C) Picture messages can be sent at a high price if you use Wechat D) To send instant messages , people usually have to download the app first
D
Can you write down a Chinese word being read to you? Sometimes it can be difficult when you find the word is not included in most dictionaries. Lu Jialei, 14, from Hangzhou Foreign Language School, won the CCTV Chinese Character   Spelling Contest on Oct 18th, 2013. About 160 people competed. The host read a word to the contestant, explained its meaning and gave sample sentences. The contestant was required to write down the word. Winning the contest was a "surprise" to Lu. "I was not the smartest one," she said. "But I paid attention to details." To prepare for the contest, she and her teammates studied the Modern Chinese Dictionary for 10 days. There are more than 56,000 entries   including characters, words and phrases in it. She also had a secret weapon. She studied how Chinese characters were formed. "When others paid attention to the plot of a story, she looked at how authors use words and sentences to express themselves," said Su Yunsheng, Lu's Chinese teacher. Su is happy to see students like Lu find the beauty of Chinese language. "Besides using something Chinese and having Chinese traditional festivals, learning to write Chinese characters is also an important part of inheriting   Chinese culture," said Su. Lu Jialei studied the Modern Chinese Dictionary   _   for the contest. A) for more than one week B) as long as one week C) for more than half a month D) as long as half a month
A
Q: One year ago Bertha and Grace became close friends at a college in Dartmouth. One day, Bertha said that her aunt Margaret had invited  her to spend the summer holiday with her. And they would have picnics and parties as well. But Grace told Bertha that she planned to stay in Clarkman's bookstore until the new term began. Grace had to do something to feed herself because her parents died many years ago. Bertha  watched her friend's  pale   face. Just then she got a good idea. The next day when  Grace came back, Bertha showed her an invitation letter from her aunt Margaret. "Grace, would you like to spend your holiday with us? I will help you find a part-time job in our town." Grace cried after reading it. "Grace, please spend the holiday with me, or Margaret will be disappointed  . I want you to be happy," Bertha said. The holiday quickly passed by, and finally one letter from Margaret came to Bertha. "Bertha, Grace is the sweetest girl in the world, and I am very grateful  to you for sending her here." Grace planned to   _   for her summer holiday. A) visit her aunt B) see her parents C) stay in Clarkman's bookstore D) work in a restaurant
A: C
Question: It was mother's Day, but the young mother was a little unhappy.  Because she was 800 miles away from her parents. In the morning she phone her mother to wish her a happy mother's Day, And her mother told her about the beautiful lilacs  in the garden. Later that day, when she told her husband about the lilacs. He said. "I know where we can find all that you want. Get the children and come on."So they went, driving down the country roads. There on a small hill, they saw a lot of beautiful purple lilacs .The young woman ran quickly to enjoy the flowers .Carefully, she picked a few here and a few there. On their way home there was a smile on her face .When they were passing a nursing home ,the young woman saw an old granny sitting in a chair .She had no children with her .They stopped the car and the young woman walked to the old woman, put the flowers in her hands , and smiled at her .The old granny thanked her again and again . She smiled happily, too. When the young mother came back to her car , her children asked her ,"Who is that old granny ? Why did you give flowers to her ?""I don't kown her ."Their mother said ,"But it's Mother's Day , and she has no children. I have all of you , and I still have my mother . Just think how much those flowers meant to her ." The young woman was a little unhappy on Mother's Day because  _  . A) she didn't have a present B) she was a long way from her mother . C) she didn't know it was Mother 's Day D) she wanted to have a trip .
Answer: B
*Question*
Chinese government has decided to give up the rules of food with no checking .According to the Xinhua News, from September 17th , 2008, Chinese government decided to give up the rules of food with no checking. Many people said yes to it. The officer said that these days, the food safety accident about children milk of Sanlu made the government decide to give it up. In order to keep the food safe and people healthy, Chinese government said that all the food must be checked. The rule of food with no checking made in 1999 was given up from that day. "I think if the companies get the food with no checking, they will never check their food. It gives them the chance of making the food of poor quality," an old man said in the shop. " I hope our government not only gives it up, but also makes some strong rules to manage the companies," a young woman told us. " The important point is our government should send officers to the companies and check their food every time," a shop owner said. A young expert of food safety said, " The department of government should take the food from the shop or supermarket and check, not ask them to send. In that way, we can get the real checking." But in order to keep people's health, the government asks the officers to check all the food before they are sent to the shop or supermarket. That means all the food must be checked before they are sold. According to the officer's idea, all the food   _   before they are sold. A) must be checked B) must be stored C) must be handed in D) can be stored for a long time
**Answer**

A