Ques: It does not matter who wins. We are told that from day one. Usually, that statement is followed by some remark about being a loser. If we do not care who wins, then why do we compete? Fun, experience, the chance to meet new people --- these are the reasons we try to outdo each other. People will compete over anything. Every Christmas, my neighbors and I have a little Christmas light competition. It is heaven for the electric company, but I think we give Will Rogers Airport a scare. It is bright enough to land a plane in our front yards. I admit that last year my neighbors won, but only because they bought every strand of lights Wal-Mart had before I could get there. Personal competitions are great, but we get a little carried away. I cannot stand to see coaches shout at kids playing sports. Who cares if someone messes up and the other team advances? I'm tired of people competing just to win. It happens not only in sports, but in music competitions, too. People auditioning for chair placement in certain bands can get really unfriendly. This year I did not audition for a certain band, but I went to auditions anyway. This was the first time I actually had the opportunity to comprehend the whole picture. Other times I've been the person who was nervous and anxious. This time, I sat back and observed everyone else. I came to the realization that the people who aren't so good are terrified of the good people, and the good people are scared stiff that the bad people have taken lessons and can now show them up. Unless a person is on the outside looking in, I don't think anyone realizes _ . Maybe competing is human nature, but we shouldn't let it influence our judgment. Being disrespectful to opponents , letting competition become our life, and becoming so involved that we close ourselves off from friends and family is not the meaning of competition. A little competition is healthy, so it shouldn't hurt anyone. If it does, someone somewhere needs to back off, find the good thing hidden inside, and try it again.... From the passage, we can learn that   _  . A) the author failed the audition B) competitors may be unfriendly to each other C) it is coaches who always mess up the match D) those who observe opponents calmly always win
Ans: B

Ques: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road. " Millions of animals die each year on the U. S. roads, " the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots , an endangered wild cat, exist in the U. S. today. The main reason? Roadkill. "Eco-passages" may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. " These ecopassages can be extremely useful,so that wildlife can avoid road accidents ," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society. But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage. Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders  and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses. The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal over-pass ! This passage is written to   _  . A) protect the endangered animals B) call on drivers to be careful when they see animals on the road C) introduce a new way to help protect wild animals D) tell us the main reason for the killing of animals in the U. S.
Ans: C

Ques: The Maldives faces the threat of extinction from rising sea levels, but the government said on Thursday it was looking to the future with plans to build homes and a golf course that float. An increase in sea levels of just 18 to 59 centimeters would make the Maldives -- a nation of tiny coral islands in the Indian Ocean -- virtually uninhabitable by 2100, the UN's climate change panel has warned. President Mohamed Nasheed has vowed a fight for survival, and last month he signed a deal with a Dutch company to study proposals for a floating structure that could support a convention centre, homes and an 18-hole golf course. "It is still early stages and we are awaiting a report on the possibility," a government official said. The company, Dutch Docklands, is currently building floating developments in the Netherlands and Dubai. There was no immediate comment from the firm but its website said it undertook projects that make "land from water by providing large-scale floating constructions to create similar conditions as on land". The Maldives began work on an artificial island known as the Hulhumale near the crowded capital island of Male in 1997 and more than 30,000 people have been settled there to ease _ . The city, which has a population of 100,000, is already protected from rising sea levels by a 30-million-dollar sea wall, and the government is considering increasingly imaginative ways to combat climate change. Nasheed, who staged the world's first underwater cabinet meeting in October to highlight his people's dilemma , has even spoken of buying land elsewhere in the world to enable Maldivians to relocate if their homes are flooded. He has also pledged the Hulhumale to turn his nation into a model for the rest of the world by becoming "carbon neutral" by 2020. His plan involves ending fossil fuel use and powering all vehicles and buildings from "green" sources. Which statement is true about the Hulhumale? A) The Hulhumale is a natural island near the capital of Male. B) The Hulhumale is an artificial island to be built near the capital. C) The Hulhumale was built in 1997 and has settled over 30,000 people. D) The Hulhumale is protected by a 30-million-dollar sea wall.
Ans: B

Ques: Water skiing is a sport with many social, economic and health benefits to society. It is unique in that it is a sport where able and disabled persons, and people as young as 5 years and as old as 80 years of age can participate alongside each other. It is a sport that involves more than one person, and is a wonderful family activity that gathers members together for a day of fun at a favorite waterway. Anyone who has put on water skis can attest to its health benefits--it is a sport that demands and develops strength, agility and endurance. The sport includes several disciplines  including slalom, tricks, cable, jump, ski racing, kneeboard, wakeboard, and barefoot, with each of these practiced for either recreational or competitive enjoyment. Safety Tips for Water-Skiers Don't take unnecessary risks while water-skiing. The following tips will help you safely enjoy this thrilling sport: ALWAYS have an observer in the boat. This is a legal requirement in many states. The boat driver cannot watch the skier and operate the boat safely at the same time. ALWAYS wear a Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) designed for water skiing. Ski belts are NOT recommended. Your approved PFD will help keep you afloat. NEVER ski in rough water. High waves or a choppy sea will prevent the tow boat from maintaining a steady course and speed. NEVER ski after dark. It is dangerous AND illegal. Any boat traveling fast enough to tow a skier is traveling too fast to navigate safely at night. NEVER water-ski while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such activity is extremely dangerous because of the impairment to your judgment and ability to respond. A recent study conducted with expert skiers who were purposely drunk indicated that even their ability to ski was dramatically reduced. Use hand signals between the skier and observer. Agree before you start what each signal means so there is no confusion at a critical moment. Which of the following is against law while water skiing? A) An observer doesn't watch the skier. B) A skier doesn't fasten his safe belt. C) Go skiing at midnight. D) Go skiing after drinking wine.
Ans:
C