Ques: If you don't have a college degree, you're at greater risk of developing memory problems or even Alzheimer's  . Education plays a key role in lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder, and it's well documented that those with a college degree possess a cognitive  advantage over those less educated in middle and old age.        Now, a large national study from Brandeis University published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry shows that those with less schooling can significantly make up for poorer education by frequently engaging in mental exercises such as word games, puzzles, reading, and lectures.        "The lifelong benefits of higher education for memory in later life are quite impressive, but we do not clearly understand how and why these effects last so long," said lead author Margie Lachman, a psychologist. She suggested that higher education may encourage lifelong interest in cognitive efforts, while those with less education may not engage as frequently in mental exercises that help keep the memory agile  .        But education early in adulthood does not appear to be the only route to maintain your memory. The study found that intellectual activities undertaken regularly made a difference. "Among individuals with low education, those who are engaged in reading, writing, attending lectures, doing word games or puzzles once a week or more had memory scores similar to people with more education," said Lachman.        The study, called Midlife in the United States, assessed 3,343 men and women between the ages of 32 and 84 with an average age of 56 years. Almost 40 percent of the participants had at least a 4-year college degree. The researchers evaluated how the participants performed in two cognitive areas, verbal  memory and executive function --- brain processes involved in planning, abstract thinking and cognitive flexibility. Participants were given a series of tests, including tests of verbal fluency, word recall, and backward counting.        As expected, those with... According to the result of Margie Lachman's study, we can conclude that   _  . A) education is responsible for the lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder B) education early in adulthood can be the only route to maintain your memory C) those with higher education did better on the memory tests than those with lower education D) an intellectually active lifestyle does help to maintain your memory
Ans: D

Ques: Do you know what really troubles me? For some reason, words with silent letters have always bothered me. For example, consider these words: know, design, island, school, wrist, naughty, and salmon. All of these words have at least one letter that is not typically pronounced, and these words are just a very small part of words with silent letters in them. Some words are even worse, consider this word: colonel. Not only are some letters not pronounced, but letters that are not even there are pronounced. Even foreign languages, especially French, are guilty of this needless complexity and confusion. I know there must be some main historical reasons why the words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, but that does not mean bad traditions must continue to survive. Especially if they are no longer logical. Unfortunately, there is very little that anyone can do for it, because there's no group of people who can change or have the right to change the English language for everyone. However, the only thing we can do is make changes in the way we talk and write in hopes that it _ . For example, I pronounce the letter "l" in salmon on purpose to make people annoyed and to sound more different or complicated. I even pronounce colonel the correct or French way. I can only hope these two minor changes to the English language make sense to you, and you will help to keep up these minor changes forever in your everyday life. Which of the following is the main reason for silent letters? A) French language. B) Historical reasons. C) Some linguists D) Bad traditions.
Ans: B

Ques: I don't like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry," said Liu Dan, a middle school student in Beijing. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children's eyes? One of the biggest things is when someone becomes a parent, he or she likes worrying things. They worry about everything about you from the time you were born. They do a lot for you, though something would make you angry, because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends, the food you eat, your work at school, how much sleep you get, etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily. So how can you make things easier on yourself? It's easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing. Get them to know your friends. Call them if you stay somewhere else later than usual. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you. Most of all, try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practicing being parents and need help you can give them. Someday, when you become a parent, they may be able to help you how to get on with your children. The writer of the passage doesn't agree that    _   . A) parents want you to grow up healthily B) parents don't want you to make some bad friends C) parents worry about everything about you D) parents want to control you
Ans: D

Ques: For most people,below--freezing temperatures generally put a stop to outdoor exercise,but Siberian native Boris Fyodorov is not most people. Minutes after the calendar ticked over to this past 2014 New Year's Eve,Fyodorov set off on a solo,out--and--back marathon run from his home in the Siberian village of Oymyakon,completing the 26.2-mile course-his first marathon-in just over five hours.During the run he experienced temperatures as low as -38oC. And that was just the way he wanted it. "I heard about other marathons around the globe,naming themselves 'the coldest',like the most recent North Pole marathon with runners going at -28oC.'' Fyodorov told the Siberian Times."I thought surely this cannot be right.Our Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited place in northern hemisphere.Why don't we arrange a marathon here?'' Oymyakon is widely considered to be one of the coldest places on the planet,and its record-low temperature of-68oC, recorded in 1933,is tied for the coldest recorded temperature for any inhabited place on Earth.The average January temperature in the area is -50oC. Not only did Fyodorov finish the marathon in high spirits,but he also wants it to be colder the next time he tries it."I really want to organize next Oymyakon marathon in January when the air goes down to -50oC or -60oC,"he said. Fyodorov is not the first person to take on a cold--weather athletic challenge like this.In addition to the North Pole Marathon that he mentioned,the Antarctica Marathon is held every year in late February,taking runners on an out--and--back tour from Russia's Bellingshausen Station.A second Antarctica event--the Ice Marathon--has been held80F degrees south since 2006. Which part of a newspaper does the article come from? A) Health B) Education C) Culture D) Sports
Ans:
D