I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, some humans discontinued their wandering hunting and gathering and settled down to farm. Grain was the first domesticated crop that started that farming process. The oldest proven records of brewing are about 6,000 years old and refer to the Sumerians. Sumeria lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers including Southern Mesopotamia. It is said that the Sumerians discovered the fermentation   process by chance. No one knows today exactly how this occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became wet and a short time later, it began to ferment. The Sumerians were able to repeat this process and are assumed to be the first civilized culture to brew beer. They had discovered a "divine drink" which certainly was a gift from the gods. The word beer comes from the Latin word bibere, meaning "to drink", and the Spanish word cerveza originates from the Greek goddess of agriculture, Ceres. A vitamin-rich porridge, used daily, beer is reported to have increased health and longevity and reduced disease and malnutrition  . The self-medicating properties of alcohol-rich beer also eased the tensions and stresses of daily living in a hostile world. The use of yeast   was not yet known at that time. The success of the fermentation process was left to chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast particles in the air. Considerable scientific research took place in breweries   in the 19th century. A famous work from 1876 by Louis Pasteur was Studies Concerning Beer where he revealed his knowledge of micro-organisms. By establishing that yeast is a living microorganism, Pasteur opened the gates for accurately controlling the conversion   of sugar to alcohol. Another discovery in beer brewing was the work of Christian Hansen, a Danish scientist, who successfully isolated a single yeast cell and induced it to reproduce on an artificial culture medium. With the resulting yeast multiplication   methods, the purity of the fermenting process has been improved. Question: According to the passage, who was the first to brew beer? Options: A: The Greeks. B: Christian Hansen. C: Louis Pasteur. D: The Sumerians.
D

I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Education in the United States is compulsory  for children up to about the age of sixteen.Most young people stay in school longer than that. Most graduate from high school at the age of 17 or 18.     Almost half of these high school graduates continue their education at a college or university.Education for most young people in this country is free up to the time they graduate from high school.There are private schools, but most parents send their children to public schools, where students do not pay tuition . When young people go to college, however,they must pay tuition at a public university or a private university.University costs are going up a lot:private universities have become very expensive because the government does not help them.     Who pays? The parents of children in college may have to pay more,or often the students may have to find jobs.These students have to worry about assignments and grades and also about their jobs.If they work too much at their jobs they may be absent from class or miss assignments or make too many errors on tests.They may even fail their courses and have to leave the university.     For many students, the problem of getting an education is not just a problem of homework and exams.They also have to make money to pay for tuition.And professors don't teach them how to do that! Question: The main idea of the passage might be  _  . Options: A: selecting a good university in the United States B: the increase on university costs in the United States C: the argument about education in the United States D: the problem of getting an education in the United States
D

I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Until late April, northern China had experienced eight severe sandstorms this year alone, worsening the air quality in half the region's cities. This year's sandstorms are considered more severe than before. Not only are they increasing in frequency and having more serious effects on air quality, but they are also occurring earlier in the season and affecting a wider area. The timing of the first sandstorm moved up by a week this year, and the sandstorm-affected area has extended beyond 3 million square kilometers. The reason for the frequent dust storms is worsening desertification in China's northern areas, caused by a combination of warm, dry weather and the rapid spread of agriculture. The dust-affected area is likely to expand to the northeast in the near future as a large area of grassland in Inner Mongolia's northern plain turns rapidly to desert. Due to its lack of rainfall and overall surface dryness in the spring, Beijing experiences sandstorms every March and April. The most recent sandstorm hit the capital on April 17 and was the worst in five years. For about 40 days every year, the pollutants cannot be diffused, as the city's location makes it a natural container for accumulating sand and dust. Rapid urban development is affecting Beijing's air quality as well. To  _ the dust from hundreds of new construction sites, authorities have issued rules asking builders to cover all working areas, pack down loose dirt, and wash vehicle tires when leaving the sites. Question: According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the feature of this year's sandstorms? Options: A: Happening earlier than before. B: Affecting more areas C: Happening as frequently as before. D: Affecting air more seriously
C

I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article. Article: Revenge is one of those things that everyone enjoys. People don't like to talk about it, though. Just the same, there is nothing more satisfying or more rewarding than revenge. The purpose is not to harm your victims but to let them know that you are upset about something that they are doing to you. Careful planning can provide you with relief from annoying coworkers, gossiping friends or talkative family members. Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker's house. Reach under the cover of your coworker's car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you're lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise. Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers . If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck,her boyfriend will be there. The girl won't know what's going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won't leave his home for a month. When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins   into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. "Bugs!" They'll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald's. That night you'll have your first quiet, peaceful... Question: According to the passage, a harmless revenge is   _  . Options: A: to amuse the victim B: to hurt nobody emotionally C: to react to those who bother you D: to prevent one from disturbing others
