Ques:It is not a good idea to stop the actor Richard Griffiths in the middle of a play.During the past year he has stopped performances many times at the National Theatre when mobile phones rang, and he threw out one member of the audience because she failed to turn off her phone. So when a mobile rang out for the third time during his performance in Alan Bennett's The History Boys, he spoke angrily to the theatergoer  , "I am not going to compete with these electronic devices  ." Griffiths' actions led to a debate in the UK theatre world over whether phones should be forbidden by law from British theatres, too.Actors have already asked the government to legalise   the use of an electronic device that stops mobile phone signals in theatres. Technology companies have "stopping" devices that send out a high-powered signal on the same frequency   as a mobile phone, stopping the mobile phone signal. However, these are forbidden in many countries because they might stop emergency calls from being made. Rosemary Squire, president of the Society of West End Theatre, said, "Phones are one of the biggest problems theatres face.We should look at equipment that could stop phones or make a London-wide theatre rule." Nick Allott, the managing director of Sir Cameron Mackintosh's theatre group, said, "We would all welcome some ways of stopping ringing phones but doctors and emergency workers need to be connected in a theatre and we mustn't stop that." What can we do to solve the problem? According to the passage, "stopping" devices   _  . A) have the same functions as mobile phones B) cause the biggest problem theatres have to face C) prevent the mobile phones signals from being received D) help doctors or emergency workers receive emergency calls

Ans:C
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Ques:When different species of birds flock   together, their flight formations are determined by social dynamics both between and within species. New research from the Universities of Cambridge and Exeter reveals for the first time that, contrary to current models used to explain the movement of flocks, the differences between bird species and social relationships between individuals play a critical role in determining the dynamics of mixed-species flocks. The unified  behaviour of bird flocks has puzzled scientists for hundreds of years. One naturalist from the turn of the century even suggested telepathy may be involved. There have since been more logical explanations, including mathematical models that show that repeated interactions among individuals following simple rules can _ coordinated  group movements. However, these models usually rely on the assumption that individuals within groups are identical and interact independently, which may not reflect reality. Jolle Jolles, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology and author of the paper, said:"Spectacular collective behaviour can be found in a large range of animal species, and we now know that often these complex coordinated group movements may be the result of individuals following simple rules. However, rarely are the individual characteristics and social relationships within them taken into account. Our research highlights that these striking displays of group behaviour are much more complex." By analysing high-resolution photographs of mixed flocks of rooks and jackdaws (both from the corvid family), the researchers found that rather than individuals interacting in a consistent fashion throughout the flock, interactions depended on social dynamics between the different species as well as relationships within a species. The researchers discovered that birds prefer to fly close to members of their own species, and that the larger and more dominant rooks take the lead by flying near the front of flocks. Additionally, the... Birds may prefer to fly the closest to   _   . A) the largest one B) the most dynamic one C) the lifelong partner D) the friendly partner

Ans:C
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Ques:If you want to cook something quickly, you heat it from both sides. That's what's happening to the West Antarctic ice sheet . A new study reveals that the area under the ice sheet is far hotter than previously thought, fed by an unexpected flow of geothermal energy . While the CO2we send out heats the atmosphere above the continent, earth is melting us ice from below. If you were to drill   deep at some place on the continents, you would find that the temperature increases about 25degC for every kilometer deep into the hole on average. Scientists call this the geothermal gradient . Until recently, no one had drilled deeply enough through the West Antarctic ice to determine the geothermal gradient underground. For the new study, researchers drilled all the way through the ice and into the mud. They found that the geothermal gradient was about 200degC, which is several times the global average on continents. Few predicted this result, although it had been showed that the earth below the West Antarctic ice is unusually hot. Even with the new discovery, though, we still don't know exactly where the heat is coming from. One interesting possibility is volcanoes, which are under the ice. As recently as 2013, scientists were still discovering volcanoes under the ice in the area, and there may be many more. Some people say that these volcanoes, rather than manmade climate change, are responsible for melting the area's ice. While it's true that heat coming from within the earth, including heat related to volcanoes, makes the melting faster, it is just one contributor to the loss of the West Antarctic ice sheet---not the main cause. Today's study could help us understand how the whole system, including global warming, is melting the ice. What's the main idea of the passage? A) The West Antarctic ice sheet is in danger. B) Researchers are trying to stop global warming. C) The West Antarctic ice sheet's melting will bring terrible consequences. D) It has been known how to stop the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet.

Ans:A
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Ques:As the capital of China's Shaanxi Province, Xi'an's long history was properly summed up by our English-speaking guide: "If Xi'an is the grandmother of cities, Beijing is a youth and Shanghai is just a baby in the womb. " However, it was not until 1974, following the chance discovery of the Army of Terracotta Warriors by well-digging farmers, that Xi'an was once again pushed onto the international map. Three decades later, the local government is pouring funds into the tourism sector. Ancient monuments and museums are being restored, and various copies of Buddhist and Tang heritage are being constructed to help Chinese tourists rediscover their national heritage. One of those ancient monuments is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda-Xi'an's most sacred   monument-which was built in 652 by the monk Xuanzang ,who travelled across India for 18 years and returned with a precious collection of Buddhist sacred texts. In 1966,the Red Guards burnt the pagoda's scriptures, silk wall hangings and other relics in a bonfire that raged all night. But that destruction has largely been forgotten as tourists flock to the newly restored pagoda. The only original remainders-the empty shell of the seven-storey pagoda-light up at night, standing out in the city's skyline. Xi'an is also displaying the glories of the ancient Tang Dynasty, with a 165-acre Tang Paradise Theme Park that is visited by flocks of tourist groups. Although every bit of this Tang heritage is recreated, it is artistically pleasing, landscaped with ponds and lakes, classical gardens, bridges, palaces and pavilions. Explore the vast area on a golf cart, hopping on and off to see shortened operas from the Tang Dynasty days, laser shows on the lake, highly structured man-made waterfalls, as well as murals and statues of historical figures ,philosophers and poets. A 36km drive northeast takes you to Xi'an's most famous attraction, the Army of Terracotta Warriors. They were made to order in 221BC by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, who used the forced  labour of... From the passage we can learn that a large sum of money of the local government in Xi'an is being ploughed into  _ A) restoring the monuments B) restoring the Pagoda C) tourism industry D) exploring the history

Ans:
C
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