(Q).
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: On the River Thames there are a number of boat races every year and these have become very popular with the public. Perhaps the best-known of these races is the University Boat Race. This takes place just before Easter every year and is a competition between teams from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. They row from Putney to Mertlake, a distance of about four and a quarter miles. This race has been taking place almost every year since 1829. Question: Generally, the Boat Race takes place   _  . - once a year - twice a year - every three years - every other year
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once a year


(Q).
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Experts believe that storms and severe weather in North America and Asia have disrupted bird flight paths across the world and swept huge numbers of bird species towards the British Isles. Birds flying to the other side of the Atlantic or to the Pacific to lay their eggs have been trapped in Britain and Ireland, adding their numbers to native species, and causing great excitement in the bird-watching community. Local birdwatchers have already observed a total of 442 species in the British Isles this year. The highest number ever seen in one year is 445, in 2008. "We only need four more to break our record," said Lee Evans, who runs the British Birding Association. "With three months to go I'm sure we'll do it." Last month an extremely rare Siberian Rubythroat bird was seen in Scotland, sending hundreds of birdwatchers north in the hope of catching a glimpse of this colourful Asian beauty. Another very uncommon bird, the bufflehead duck was cited in Cornwell and caused similar excitement. "I couldn't believe it," said Evans. "The poor thing was completely  _ . It must have been blown to England by the storms while trying to fly from Canada to the southern United States for the winter. That's 3000 miles!" Evans said that global warming over the past decade was playing a key role in transforming bird movements across the world. In addition, melting Arctic sea ice may also be opening up bird flight paths over the North Pole, making it easier for birds from the Pacific -- such as the slaty-backed gull and tufted puffin, both of which appeared in London earlier this year -- to reach Britain. Bird-watching is becoming an increasingly popular hobby among all age groups, added Evans. "A fifth of our members are under 18. This is a round-the-year hobby that you can enjoy from the kitchen window or from a car. More and more people are bird-watching, and as a result more and more unexpected species are being spotted in the British Isles." Question: According to the passage, which of the following birds comes from Asia? - Slaty-backed gull. - Bufflehead. - Rubythroat. - Tufted puffin.
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Rubythroat.


(Q).
Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Rice plants normally grow well in still water. But most will die if they are completely underwater for more than four days. Now, researchers have identified a gene   that helps rice survive longer underwater. They say the discovery will lead to new kinds of rice plants that can survive flooding, and therefore reach their final aim, ensuring more dependable food supplies. Tests are now being done in prefix = st1 /Laos,BangladeshandIndia. The researchers say experimental rice plants with the gene have survived underwater as long as two weeks. When flooding happens, most kinds of rice plants cannot get enough oxygen, carbon dioxide or sunlight. But the scientists say crop loss depends on several conditions. These include soil conditions and plant age. Others include the amount of time the plant is underwater and the amount of fertilizer   used on the crop.  On a genetic   map of rice, the scientists became interested in a group of three genes. They experimented with one of them, a gene known as Sub-One-A. They found that when this gene becomes very active, it improves the ability of rice to survive longer when rice is covered by water. They believe it succeeds because it affects the reaction to hormones  .  _ control the ability of a flooded plant to survive. Placing the gene into rice plants that are especially good for conditions inIndia, researchers say the genetically engineered plants not only survived but also produced good crops. The researchers are now trying to identify all the genes governed by the Sub-One-A gene. Being able to leave water on rice plants for an additional week might also help farmers prevent the growth of weeds. Less weed growth around their crops would mean less need for herbicide   chemicals. Question: Crop loss depends on all the following conditions EXCEPT   _  . - soil conditions and plant age - the amount of water the plant stands in - the amount of fertilizer used on the crop - the amount of time the plant is underwater
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