Question: One day, President Lincoln went to a party. At the gathering, a man called Douglas was repeatedly talking about Lincoln's low position in life and saying that he first met Lincoln when he was a shop assistant at a village shop. Finally he said, "And Mr. Lincoln was a very good waiter too." People burst into laughter, but they quieted down when Mr. Lincoln said quietly. "Gentlemen, what Mr. Douglas has said is true. I did keep a grocery , and I did sell cotton, candles and cigars, and sometimes whiskey . But I remember that in those days Mr. Douglas was one of my best customers. I often stood on one side of the counter  and sold whiskey to Mr. Douglas on the other side, but the difference between us now is: I have left my side of the counter, but Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as firmly as ever." Douglas was repeatedly talking about Lincoln's low position in life because   _ A) he was friendly to Lincoln. B) Lincoln was an example to show that an American of low position can also rise up in life. C) he wanted others to look down upon Lincoln. D) he wanted to tell other people about Lincoln's honesty as a shop assistant.
Answer: C

Question: It's not easy growing up. Growing up can be a real "pain" for some of us. Sometimes we feel trapped, sometimes we feel sad, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don't understand why we can't stay young forever. But we should take a look back on all the hardships in life with a positive attitude and learn from them. We must overcome every obstacle one small step at a time. We should realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains! Throughout our lives we are going to face many challenges and pains, but we should never let these _ keep us from following our dreams. We must overcome every obstacle one small step at a time. As a young girl, my parents forced me to do so many things that I didn't like. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music and I also hated them. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music hasenriched  my life in so many ways. I now realize that my parents and teachers wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves. We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just part of our life. They might seem so huge at the time, but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no challenges and lived a life like that. Life would be really boring and meaningless. The future is ours! A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just smallbumps  on our road to success, we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains! The purpose of the passage is to tell readers  _  . A) life is full of hardships B) growing pains can turn into growing gains in a positive way C) everyone is painful in growing up D) everyone should do what they don't like when young
Answer: B

Question: If I see one more article about how wonderful alternative energy is compared to oil, I will flip . Alternative energy sources can be good---- very good in fact. And it's pretty obvious that we're going to need them, and that our dependence on oil is a Bad Thing. But accepting that does not mean accepting that any kind of alternative energy is a good thing. To be a good thing, it has to have three properties: 1) It has to help reduce our dependence on oil, 2) It has to be no worse for the environment, and 3) It has to be economically practical. Many of the things praised meet one or even two of those properties. Solar panels, for example. They can reduce our need for oil, at least in certain regions, and they're certainly not bad for the environment. But they're expensive. If you spend the money to make your home solar-powered, you probably won't get back your costs for at least 15 years, which approaches the lifespan of the panels. Certainly we need to clean up our act big time and find workable sources of alternative energy. But we also have to keep in mind that every one of these alternative-energy sources comes at a cost, which is something people seem to forget. They hear the phrase "alternative energy" and automatically assume it's got to be good. But green isn't always good, and oil isn't always bad. One seemingly "green" technology that pops up again and again is electric cars. It is praised by well-meaning people as good for the environment and a way to reduce our oil dependence, especially as oil prices continue to rise. Electric cars are dirty. In fact, not only are they dirty, they might even be more dirty than their gasoline-powered cousins. People in California love to talk about " zero-emissions vehicles", but people in California seem to be clueless about where electricity comes from. Power plants mostly use fire to make it. Aside from the new folks who have their roofs covered with solar cells, we get our electricity from generators. Generators are fueled by something---- usually coal, oil,... Which of the following statements will the writer support? A) Any kind of alternative energy is a good thing. B) Alternative energy is bound to take the place of oil. C) People should have an objective view towards alternative energy. D) Solar panel is a good example of alternative energy that meets three properties.
Answer:
C