(Question)
What would you do if you were a fifth grader facing a huge homework load every night, and you found out that there was a machine that would do all the work for you? That's the situation presented to Sam, Kelsey, Judy and Brenton in Dan Gutman's entertaining new book for young readers, The Home Machine. The four children, all fifth graders in Miss Rasmussen's Grand Canyon School, are as different as any other 11-year-old child could be, but they have one thing in common -- all are somewhat separated from their classmates. Sam is a newcomer and has had his share of school trouble before; Kelsey quietly carries her pain at losing her father; Judy's sense of justice always annoys others; Brenton is the smartest child in the school, so smart that even his parents and teachers have trouble keeping up with him. When Brenton and his three classmates are put into the same study group by their teacher, the others discover that Brenton has made a time-saving gadget  to do homework for him. While the boy is perfectly able to do his homework himself, Sam, Kelsey and Judy can use the help. Having perfect grades is something new for these three, and as they meet every day to "do homework", they find that they're learning a lot about each other. Such a good thing can't last though, and when a secret man starts trying to get in touch with them, they begin to get nervous. Soon there's an even more frightening problem -- why can't the Homework Machine be turned off? Told in different voices as all the children make statements to the Grand Canyon Police, the story develops in an interesting fashion. Gutman is a gifted writer who has written dozens of children's books, each with a funny and impressing table that should be equally liked by boys and girls. Why did the children get frightened? A) They lost touch with each other. B) They were questioned by a strange man. C) They had no idea how to stop the machine. D) They were tracked down by the police.
(Answer)
C


(Question)
The Americans believe that anybody can become President of the United States. In a recent Hollywood comedy , that is exactly what happens. Dave Kovic, played by Kevin Kline, is a kind-hearted man who runs a business that finds people jobs. He leads a typical  American way of life, except for one thing-he looks exactly like the President, Bill Mitchell. In fact, the only thing that makes him different from the nation's leader is that he is very nice! The president has started using look-alikes during some public appearances. Dave is offered a chance to "serve his country" by becoming _ . However, things go wrong. The President becomes very ill and Dave ends up acting as the President forever. Director Ivan Reitman, who made the popular and successful comedies like Twins, Ghostbusters and Legal Eagles, could have gone for easy laughs by making fun of the American government. Instead, Dave is an attractive comedy about an ordinary man in extraordinary situations. Kevin Kline gives a double performance as Dave and the President, and Sigourney Weaver is at her best as his First Lady. The love story that develops between her role and Dave is a real classic . The film is 100% American. However, if you've ever felt that anybody could do a better job running the country than the people in power, then you'll enjoy Dave! What is the purpose of the text? A) To tell the reader about the American government. B) To discus the Americans' ideas about the President. C) To make a comparison between Dave and other films. D) To introduce a new film to the reader.
(Answer)
D


(Question)
Rainy days don't have to get you down, a happiness expert has claimed. Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, said that people only feel _ in bad weather because they think about it too much. Studies have shown that people who live in warm, sunny climates are no happier than those in chilly, wet climates, he says. So the British talking about the weather may be making us gloomier  than the weather itself. He said: "A study was done that measured the happiness levels of people in California compared to the North West. "They expected that people in California would be happier because it is more sunny, but they found that levels of happiness were exactly the same. "If it is sunny every day you get used to it and the sunshine doesn't make you any happier. "Most of the time the weather doesn't affect our well-being at all. But when we think about it, and think that it does, that's when we get miserable." In his new book, Happiness By Design, Dolan argues that we can think ourselves happy by taking our attention away from what makes us sad. "Most of our anxieties come from what might be," he argues. "If you want to be happier, pay attention to the things that make you feel good." He also claimed that a problem shared was not always a problem halved. He claimed that humans are actually very good at being able to get over tragedy and loss. Professor Dolan also admitted for the first time that he had a stammer , which had made his early life miserable. He claimed it only got better when he learned not to pay attention to his speech problem. "Things are never as bad as you imagine them being," he said. People in California   _   compared to people in the North West. A) are much happier B) can't enjoy sunny days C) are more used to sunny days D) have lower levels of happiness
(Answer)

C