Ques: The Red Panda isn't much bigger than an average size house cat. At first you may think it's a bear because of its name. They're actually a member of the raccoon  family which you can tell if you look at their appearance. The Red Panda has a long bushy tail that is useful in two ways. It helps them stay balanced when they are high up in the trees and it keeps them warm in cold weather. Their fur is thick and reddish brown, which may be why they're known as the fire fox. The Red Panda can be found in forested mountains. They're originally from the forested mountain in the Himalayas in India, Nepal and Southern China. Bamboo is the most important part of their diet. They only eat the young leaves and shoots   of a bamboo plant. Red Pandas have a very low metabolic  rate in order to deal with their low energy diet and cool environmental temperatures. They're very shy and gentle and don't hang around the wild too much during the day. If they feel endangered, they'll stand on their back legs and make a hissing  sound. Red Pandas are good climbers and spend most of their time living mainly in trees. Their claws are very strong and help them hold onto the branches. They sleep in an unusual way by curling up tightly and wrapping their tails around their heads while sitting on a branch. Sometimes they'll sleep with their head beneath their chest and behind their back feet. This is the same position as an American raccoon sleeps. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A) The Red Panda can only be found in India, Nepal and Southern China. B) The Red Panda's tail can help it stay balanced when it is high up in the trees. C) The Red Panda eats the whole of the bamboo. D) The Red Panda has high metabolic rate when the temperature is low.
Ans: B

Ques: A team of researchers in the UK has shown that children who were taken to the library more often and owned more books at two years old achieved higher scores in school tests when they began primary school. The research also showed that although social background has a noticeable effect on a child's readiness for school, attending pre-school and having their parents teach them a wide range of activities have a positive effect---while extended exposure to television lowers their scores. "One message coming through loud and clear is that how a child learns in his very early years is critical   for a smooth transition into the educational system," said Professor James Law. "This is a very positive message, as it gets us away from the belief that a child's educational future is pre-determined by standard measures of socio-economic disadvantage, such as income, housing, or the mother's education." Data from the study shows that children from a positive communication environment had a better expressive vocabulary by their second birthday. These children went on to achieve higher scores in language, reading and maths tests when they entered school. In the early years, the communication environment was a better predictor of children's success with language than their general social background. Most children develop speech and language effortlessly, but some are slow to acquire these skills and go on to struggle with literacy   and academic skills throughout their schooling. This project set out to uncover what factors contributed to these problems. Professor Sue Roulstone said, "These findings are an encouragement to all parents to provide a positive communication environment for their children from the very start of their lives. The project did identify particular aspects of the communication environment, such as having children's books around and not having the television on too much. But the main message is that, as parents, we can have an impact on how our children learn to talk by providing a range of... What is implied in the passage?   _  . A) The research could help children who suffer from learning difficulties. B) Parents should take their children to school as early as possible. C) Teachers should teach children how to communicate with their parents. D) Children who have good language abilities will not have difficulties in class.
Ans: A

Ques: My son ,Izzy, was a nine-year-old boy and had been begging me to please let him find his way  home by subway, by himself. After all, we live in New York City, and getting around by public transportation is a basic part of life. It is also the first step toward feeling grown-up. So on that sunny Sunday,I gave him a subway map, a transportation card,$20 for emergencies, and a couple of coins so that he could call me if necessary. I didn't give him a cell phone because nine-year-olds lose things. A few days later, I wrote about his adventure,or non-adventure for a newspaper. Little did I realize the idea that a kid could tour the city on his own, and that a mom would let him, was big news. It turned out that many TV shows called me and asked for an interview. Bloggers were going crazy, so I started a blog, too, and letters came pouring in. Finally I found out why this was such a big story: we have become fearful for our children. Fear is hardly a new thing for parents, of course. But the fear of letting our children out of sight for even a second-that's new. How did this happen? How did it become too scary to let kids be kids? I asked the question when the reporter Trevor Butterworth interviewed me. "News reports," he answered. "News reports scare the pants off you. What is scarier than a kidnapped  kid no matter how far away?Because there are so many such stories, it starts to feel as if kidnappings are happening all the time. That's why the kid-on-the-subway story surprises the whole world." Izzy probably did a good job. He simply proved that kids could leave home alone and return home safely! But he didn't think it was a big deal. "It was fun," he said. "But I missed some classes because of the interviews." Sometimes it really pays to be brave. The author didn't expect that after she wrote her son's story for a newspaper,   _  . A) a blog would be started in her name B) her son would receive so many letters C) many TV shows would want to interview her D) many TV stations would want to film her son's story
Ans:
C