Rewrite the sentence:
He said that he would take responsibility for his company's damage to the area. But then he denied that.

 

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Because the low latitudes of the Earth, the areas near the equator, receive more heat than the latitudes near the poles, and because the nature of heat is to expand and move, heat is transported from the tropics to the middle and high latitudes. Some of this heat is moved by winds and some by ocean currents, and some gets stored in the atmosphere in the form of latent heat. The term “latent heat” refers to the energy that has to be used to convert liquid water to water vapor. We know that if we warm a pan of water on a stove, it will evaporate, or turn into vapor, faster than if it is allowed to sit at room temperature. We also know that if we hang wet clothes outside in the summertime they will dry faster than in winter, when temperatures are colder. The energy used in both cases to change liquid water to water vapor is supplied by heat – supplied by the stove in the first case and by the Sun in the latter case. This energy is not lost. It is stored in water vapor in the atmosphere as latent heat. Eventually, the water stored as vapor in the atmosphere will condense to liquid again, and the energy will be released to the atmosphere. In the atmosphere, a large portion of the Sun’s incoming energy is used to evaporate water, primarily in the tropical oceans. Scientists have tried to quantify this proportion of the Sun’s energy. By analyzing temperature, water vapor, and wind data around the globe, they have estimated the quantity to be about 90 watts per square meter, or nearly 30 percent of the Sun’s energy. Once this latent heat is stored within the atmosphere, it can be transported, primarily to higher latitudes, by prevailing, large-scale winds. Or it can be transported vertically to higher levels in the atmosphere, where it forms clouds and subsequent storms, which then release the energy back to the atmosphere
8. All of the following words (in the first paragraph) are defined in the passage EXCEPT _____

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It’s extremely important for kids of middle childhood to continue, or to start to lead a healthy lifestyle, including eating nutritious meals as well as getting plenty of exercise and adequate sleep every day. These positive health habits will help children grow strong, stay healthy, and decrease the likelihood that they will become obese. Childhood obesity rates have increasing dramatically in recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2004, 18.8% of school-aged children were obese, versus 4% of children 30 years before in 1974. Children’s skyrocketing rate of obesity is worrisome because it greatly increases children’s risk for remaining obese in adulthood, which in turn raises their risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and premature death as adults. Obese children may also develop associated health problems during the middle childhood stage, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and respiratory problems. Obesity can also set the stage for problems with self esteem, depression, anxiety and social ostracism, and/or being victimized by bullies Healthy diet and adequate exercise are important in preventing Type II diabetes in childhood as well as obesity. Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body cannot properly metabolize the sugars from food. Because the body cannot metabolize sugars, the sugars accumulate in the bloodstream instead and ultimately stress children’s kidneys, heart, circulatory system, and eyes. Insulin, which is created in the pancreas, is the chemical that breaks down blood sugar. In Type II diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin to deal with all the sugars coming into the body. This medical diagnosis used to be called “adult-onset diabetes” because the disorder primarily affected adults with poor eating and activity habits. Today, however, this illness is now diagnosed in America’s children far more than in adults. It is now referred to as “Type II diabetes”, to reflect this shift in prevalence. In contrast to the many youth in America who overeat and don’t get enough exercise, other children become obsessed with over-controlling their food intake and with exercising too much. With the constant barrage of perfect, photoshopped bodies in the media today, many children are feeling pressure at younger and younger ages to imitate those images. Children as young as 6 are reporting that they are trying to lose weight by dieting. Overemphasis on extreme thinness can put children at risk for poor self-esteem, unhealthy exercise patterns, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Children who embrace healthy eating and exercise habits during middle childhood will have a much easier time maintaining a healthy lifestyle through adolescence and adulthood than individuals who try to make the shift later in life. Teaching children to habitually eat moderate portion sizes and to choose healthy foods in preference to junk foods becomes increasingly important as children begin to spend more time away from home and gain more independence over their food and activity choices. Even though parents have less control over their children’s eating habits during middle childhood than when children were younger, it remains vital that parents continue to reinforce children’s healthy habits whenever possible. 
5. What does the word “It” in paragraph 3 refer to?

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Jupiter is the largest and most massive planet and is fifth in order of distance from the sun. It is well placed for observation for several months in every year and on average is the brightest of the planets apart from Venus, though for relatively brief periods Mars may outshine it. Jupiter’s less than 10 hour rotation period gives it the shortest day in the solar system in so far as the principal planets are concerned. There are no true seasons on Jupiter because the axial inclination to the perpendicular of the orbital plane is only just over 3°-less than that for any other planet. The most famous mark on Jupiter is the Great Red Spot. It has shown variations in both intensity and color, and at times it has been invisible, but it always returns after a few years. At its greatest extent it may be 40,000 kilometers long and 14,000 kilometers wide, so its surface area is greater than that of Earth. Though the latitude of the Red Spot varies little, it drifts about in longitude. Over the past century the total longitudinal drift has amounted to approximately 1200°. The latitude is generally very close to – 22°. It was once thought that the Red Spot might be a solid or semisolid body floating in Jupiter’s outer gas. However, the Pioneer and Voyager results have refuted that idea and proven the Red Spot to be a phenomenon of Jovian meteorology. Its longevity may well due to its exceptional size, but there are signs that it is decreasing in size, and it may not be permanent. Several smaller red spots have been seen occasionally but have not lasted.
3. According to the passage, the Great Red Spot________

A pilot cannot fly by sight alone. In many conditions, such as flying at night and landing in dense fog, a pilot must use radar, an alternative way of navigating. Since human eyes are not very good at determining speeds of approaching objects, radar can show a pilot how fast nearby planes are moving. The basic principle of radar is exemplified by what happens when one shouts in a cave. The echo of the sounds against the walls helps a person determine the size of the cave. With radar, however, the waves are radio waves instead of sound waves. Radio waves travel at the speed of light, about 300,000 kilometres in one second. A radar set sends out a short burst of radio waves. Then it receives the echoes produced when the waves bounce off objects. By determining the tune it takes for the echoes to return to the radar set, a trained technician can determine the distance between the radar set and other objects. The word "radar" in fact gets its name from the term "radio detection and ranging". "Ranging" is the term for detection of the distance between an object and the radar set. Besides being of critical importance to pilots radar is essential for air traffic control tracking ships at sea, and for tracking weather Systems and storms.

The word "shouts" in the passage most closely means.................................

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Chances are that your next CEO will be a she and your next congressman will be a congresswoman. After thousands of years of oppression, women across the world are occupying key positions in all spheres of society. The ever-evolving human desire drives the development of men and women alike. Over the past 60 years, we have witnessed a conspicuous change in women’s desire. Women wish to be less and less involved in household management and child care, and are increasingly expanding their involvement in other areas of society. At the same time, the world is pushing towards greater equality, and women assume roles and responsibilities previously only filled by men. Technology also plays a significant role in helping free up women’s time. Just as diapers and baby formula were a tremendous help for mothers, emerging robotics and artificial intelligence solutions will reduce the burden of household management to a level we have never seen. As the world becomes more interdependent, it demands the intervention of women, as though it were asking them to put their unique qualities into practice. A woman’s character is much more responsible, stable and consistent. She is capable of absorbing many changes and coping with long-term challenges — a quality that comes from her natural ability to carry an embryo and develop life within her. A man, on the other hand, is better at short-term moves. A woman is capable of holding onto a large number of tasks as well as carry them out successfully. A man, on the other hand, is more successful in linear processes aimed at a narrow goal. This is why most scientific breakthroughs, for example, manifest through the male brain. Men and women are also different in their attitude to failure in life. Figuratively speaking, a man can be as strong as iron — and yet one blow can break him. The woman is easier to bend — but like a flexible tree branch, she is much harder to break. The mutual completion of each other’s qualities is the key to building a healthy society in the new era. The integration of women in the leadership of society and other systems of human life is becoming necessary. The maternal qualities are expanding from the personal home to the global home. The female nature and drive to create a supportive and embracing environment will be expressed in society in creating healthy and proper conditions for bonding between people.  
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

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A hydroelectric dam ______________ in this area now.

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Certain birds are, more often than not, considered bad luck, or even a sign of impending death. For example, all over the world, both crows and ravens have some connection to war, and death. In early times, crows and ravens were thought to accompany the gods of war, or be signs of the gods’ approaching arrival. This idea later changed. Crows in particular were thought to be harbingers of ill fortune or, in some cases, guides to the afterlife. Woe be it to the person who saw a single crow or raven flying overhead, for this was most certainly a portent of death in the near future. Interestingly, though potentially bad luck for people individually, the raven is considered to be good luck for the crown of England. So much so, in fact, that a “raven master” is, even today, an actual government position in London. He takes care of the ravens there and also clips their wings, ensuring that these birds can never fly far from the seat of the British government. This way, the kingdom will never fall to ill fortune. Another bird that is thought to play a part in forecasting the fortunes of people is the swallow. Depending on how and when it is seen, the swallow can be a harbinger of either good or ill fortune. Perhaps inspired by the swallow’s red-brown breast, Christian people initially related the swallow to the death of Jesus Christ. Thus, people who saw a swallow fly through their house considered it a portent of death. Later, however, farmers began to consider swallows signs of good fortune. Any barn that has swallows living in it is sure to be blessed in the following year. Farmers also have to beware of killing a swallow; that would be certain to end any good luck they might have had. Though many people think these superstitions are old wives’ tales, there is actually some evidence to support them. For example, crows and ravens, being scavengers, appear at the aftermath of battles. Thus, large numbers of crows and ravens could be good indications of war in an area. As well, swallows feed on insects that can cause infections in cattle. Thus, a farmer who has many swallows in his barn may actually have healthier animals on his farm. Therefore, the next time you feel inclined to laugh at an old wives’ tale, maybe you had better find out if there is any truth to it first!
2. What does the phrase “this idea” in the first paragraph refer to?

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Normally a student must attend a certain number of courses in order to graduate, and each course which he attends gives him a credit which he may count towards a degree. In many American universities the total work for a degree consists of thirty-six courses each lasting for one semester. A typical course consists of three classes per week for fifteen weeks; while attending a university a student will probably attend four or five courses during each semester. Normally a student would expect to take four years attending two semesters each year. It is possible to spread the period of work for the degree over a longer period. It is also possible for a student to move between one university and another during his degree course, though this is not in fact done as a regular practice. For every course that he follows a student is given a grade, which is recorded, and the record is available for the student to show to prospective employers. All this imposes a constant pressure and strain of work, but in spite of this some students still find time for great activity in student affairs. Elections to positions in student organizations arouse much enthusiasm. The effective work of maintaining discipline is usually performed by students who advise the academic authorities. Any student who is thought to have broken the rules, for example, by cheating has to appear before a student court. With the enormous numbers of students, the operation of the system does involve a certain amount of activity. A student who has held one of these positions of authority is much respected and it will be of benefit to him later in his career.
Normally a student would at least attend ____ classes each week.
3. American university students are usually under pressure of work because ____

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 189 member countries.  It stabilizes the global economy in three ways. First, it monitors global conditions and identifies risks. Second, it advises its members on how to improve their economies. Third, it provides technical assistance and short-term loans to prevent financial crises. The IMF’s goal is to prevent these disasters by guiding its members. These countries are willing to give up some of their sovereign authority to achieve that aim.  The IMF has the rare ability to look into and review the economies of all its member countries. As a result, it has its finger on the pulse of the global economy better than any other organization. The IMF produces a wealth of analytical reports. It provides the World Economic Outlook, the Global Financial Stability Report, and the Fiscal Monitor each year. It also delves into regional and country-specific assessments. It uses this information to determine which countries need to improve their policies. Hence, the IMF can identify which countries threaten global stability. The member countries have agreed to listen to the IMF’s recommendations because they want to improve their economies and remove these threats.  Since the Mexican peso crisis of 1994–95 and the Asian crisis of 1997–98, the IMF has taken a more active role to help countries prevent financial crises. It develops standards that its members should follow. For example, members agree to provide adequate foreign exchange reserves in good times. That helps them increase spending to boost their economies during recessions. The IMF reports on members countries’ observance of these standards. It also issues member country reports that investors use to make well-informed decisions. That improves the functioning of financial markets. The IMF also encourages sustained growth and high living standards, which is the best way to reduce members’ vulnerability to crises.  The IMF provides loans to help its members tackle balance of payments problems, stabilize their economies, and restore sustainable growth. Because the Fund lends money, it’s often confused with the World Bank. The World Bank lends money to developing countries for specific projects that will fight poverty. Unlike the World Bank and other development agencies, the IMF does not finance projects. Traditionally, most IMF borrowers were developing countries. They had limited access to international capital markets due to their economic difficulties. An IMF loan signals that a country’s economic policies are on the right track. That reassures investors and acts as a catalyst for attracting funds from other sources. All that shifted in 2010 when the Eurozone crisis prompted the IMF to provide short-term loans to bail out Greece. That was within the IMF’s charter because it prevented a global economic crisis.  The role of the IMF has increased since the onset of the 2008 global financial crisis. In fact, an IMF surveillance report warned about the economic crisis but was ignored. As a result, the IMF has been called upon more and more to provide global economic surveillance. It’s in the best position to do so because it requires members to subject their economic policies to IMF scrutiny. Member countries are also committed to pursuing policies that are conducive to reasonable price stability, and they agree to avoid manipulating exchange rates for unfair competitive advantage.
3. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?

Each sentence has a mistake. Find it by chosing A B C or D 

The change from summer to winter occurs very abrupt in the tundra regions of North America

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Prosthetic body parts have been around in many shapes and forms for thousands of years. But up until just a few decades ago, they were often uncomfortable, provided little to no control for the user and didn’t look all that great either. Fast-forward to the present day and thanks to advances in medicine, robotics and neuroscience, a number of bionic body parts have been developed that have the power to be truly life-changing for those who need them the most, from a bionic eye to an artificial kidney to a thought-controlled robotic leg. Many of these bionic body parts are still in the early stages of production and are far from being rolled out to those that need them. That’s because there are all kinds of challenges to consider – not only the materials the body part is made from, but also integrating it into our bodies so it isn’t rejected, as well as developing ways for it to become part of our nervous system, so it behaves like any other limb or organ. Add to that the huge raft of financial, ethical, moral and political implications of enhancing our bodies with the help of technology. But it’s easy to overlook all of these concerns when the tech sounds so exciting, promising and like the robotic hands, arms and whole bodies of our sci-fi dreams. “The public perception of bionics is vastly different from the reality of prosthetics,” Kia Nazarpour, director of expertise in bio and environmental engineering, at Newcastle University, told us. "That’s thanks to science writers and researchers who showcase their work in a sci-fi oriented way to increase publicity."  
2. According to paragraph 1, what is the difference between artificial body parts before and today?

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Going to a restaurant shouldn’t be your excuse to eat unhealthy foods. Follow these tips and not only will you enjoy your meal more, you’ll feel satisfied and happy when you’re done. First, ask for it your way. Dining out is no time to be a meek consumer, notes Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and coauthor of the book Restaurant Confidential. “You need to be an assertive consumer by asking for changes on the menu,” he says. For instance, if an item is fried, ask for it grilled. If it comes with French fries, ask for a side of veggies instead. Ask for a smaller portion of the meat and a larger portion of the salad; for salad instead of coleslaw; baked potato instead of fried. “Just assume you can have the food prepared the way you want it,” says Dr. Jacobson. “Very often, the restaurant will cooperate.” Second, order A Salad before ordering anything else on the menu. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University found that volunteers who ate a big veggie salad before the main course ate fewer calories overall than those who didn’t have a first-course salad, notes Novick. However, remember: Salads Shouldn’t Be Fatty. This is a vegetable course-keep it tasty but healthy. That means avoiding anything in a creamy sauce (coleslaw, pasta salads, and potato salads), and skipping the bacon bits and fried noodles. Instead, load up on the raw vegetables, treat yourself to a few well-drained marinated vegetables (artichoke hearts, red peppers, or mushrooms), and for a change, add in some fruit or nuts. Indeed, fruits such as mango, kiwi, cantaloupe, and pear are often the secret ingredient in four-star salads.  
2. According to Dr. Jacobson, most restaurants _____________

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Myriad occupational schools in the central coastal city of Da Nang have received just a small number of applications over the past few years. “Last year we only had 142 new students, but the number of new enrollees is 50 this school year,” Truong Van Hung, rector of the Duc Tri Da Nang Vocational College, said, adding the school has set a target of recruiting 1,200 students for the 2014-2015 academic year. “Closing the school is just a matter of time,” he said. Similarly, the Viet A Vocational School in Hai Chau District in Da Nang has not recruited any new enrollee for over one year given the absence of job opportunities for its graduates. “We do not want to enroll because we cannot help students land jobs after they graduate,” a leader of Viet A said. “We will only admit new students when we can have a partnership with companies who can employ our students after they finish their studies.” Elsewhere, vocational schools in the southern province of Dong Nai are ‘frozen’. The Dong Nai Information Technology-Telecommunications Vocational School in the academic year of 2013-2014 enrolled only 82 students compared with a target of 1,000; the Nhon Trach Industrial Engineering Vocational School only had 200 out of its goal of 600 students for the school year; the 26-3 Vocational School received 150 students while they set a target of 250; and the South-Eastern Electromechanical Vocational School only recruited 300 out of the 500 students they planned to admit. The situation means that equipment for training programs at those schools has been left unused and covered with rust. Local experts have commented that if the lack of students persists, vocational schools are at high risk of being closed, sooner or later. 
5. The word “persists” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______

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The field of 3-D printing comes with a new set of legal questions hospitals using the  technology will need to consider, said Bruce Kline, a technology licensing manager who oversees patents for new technology developed at Mayo Clinic. For starters, he said the STL file printers use are a lot like MP3 music files, in that they can be protected under copyright and require licensing to use. Copyright violations can occur if a purchased STL anatomical model file for rare disease is illegally shared with another institution that did not purchase the file from the vendor that created the file.  Under the law, if a device has a functional use it falls under patent law. If it is not functional, it falls under copyright law. Kline said most medical 3-D printing for educational models and complex anatomy evaluation currently falls under copyright. But, he said that will rapidly change in the coming years as customizable 3-D printable medical devices see wider use.  Additive manufacturing (AM) allows the creation of patient-specific devices at the point of care. Kline said an interesting fact is that these devices are FDA 510(k)-exempt if produced by a hospital instead of a medical device vendor. He said this blurs the lines between traditional vendor relationships, since the hospital can now become the manufacturer. However, if a hospital makes a device, it also becomes liable for it. He advised that it might be better for a commercial vendor to make the device for the hospital so the vendor assumes the liability of the device. Custom-made medical devices are also exempt under FDA regulations, Kline said. So, if a physician creates or modifies a device to meet the clinical needs of a specific patient’s anatomy, he said it is acceptable to use under current FDA rules. This may leave the door wide open for use of 3-D printed devices that are customized for each patient using their own 3-D imaging datasets.  It is possible printable device files may become available in the next few years to customize and print on demand. However, Kline said it will be much more difficult to enforce patents on these types of devices. He explained if someone makes one or two devices, there is no economical way for the creator of those device files to go after the user/maker of of unlicensed copies of the device to claim lost profits.
5. The word “liable” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______

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The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), a non-profit organization committed to promoting sustainable tourism, states that ecotourism unites conservation and communities with sustainable travel. With that being said, they offer six core principles of ecotourism that vacationers should follow: minimize impact, build environmental and cultural awareness and respect, provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts, provide direct financial benefits for conservation, provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people, and raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate. Ecotourism offers the opportunity to help protect and maintain our planet. Beginning with responsible travel, sustainable tourism promotes green practices such as recycling and using organic products. There are also many environmental programs and initiatives made available so that people can get involved with sustainability. For example, in Kenya, tourists can get involved with the Basecamp Foundation, which has a monitoring program for big cats and elephants. These kinds of experiences try to demonstrate the positive impact of tourism and teach tourists about the significance of maintaining the environment. However, the simple act of being a tourist in a fragile, natural area helps a great deal, as the money spent there assists in raising funds to protect those areas for generations. Sustainable tourism supports local communities by allowing their economy to grow. Tourism alone employs a large number of local staff. This in turn empowers communities to fight against poverty and encourages the support of local events, festivals, and organizations. As a result the community and its local businesses thrive.  Not only is ecotourism an environmentally fun experience, but it’s also educational. By embarking on an ecotourism vacation, people gain an awareness and understanding of the social and economic conditions of the place they visit. In addition, vacationers learn to appreciate the area’s environment through conservation and also to respect the culture of the local people. While tourists are normally unaware of a country’s poverty or ill conditions, ecotourism strives to expose tourists to the realities of these areas. Ecotourism is a new holiday experience that mixes together vacation fun with conservation and education. Sustainable tourism creates environmentally aware individuals and helps develop their appreciation of nature and local culture. Not only do vacationers go home with new knowledge, but also a worthwhile experience.  
6. According to paragraph 4, what is the benefit of green travel being presented?

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Around the world, Rio de Janeiro is famous for its beautiful beaches, and Carnival celebration. But the city is also known for its poor areas, known as favelas. For years, many favelas had high poverty and crime rates. However, things are starting to change. In the past, many favelas received very little government assistance. Neighbourhood residents had to build their own streets and homes. Gangs were also common, and so were guns. However, a new government plan is starting to change this. The city is sending thousands of police officers into favelas with the goal of driving out the gangs. In some favelas, the plan is already working. Crime is down, and unlike the past, children are playing in the streets again. New apartment buildings are being built, and the city is providing more services. “In 20 years,’ says police officer Leonardo Nogueira, “the children who live here now will be different people.” Police influence is changing the favelas, but something else is, too. Today, more Brazilians are moving into these neighbourhoods because housing is expensive in other parts of Rio. “Favelas are a place for young doctors without money to get started and young architects to start working,” explains Simone Miranda, a Rio tour guide. In the past, favela residents felt different – separate from the rest of Rio. “But now,” says Miranda, “they feel part of the society of Brazil.” Life is improving in the favelas, but there are still challenges. In some areas, poverty rates are still high. As students, families, and foreigners move into the favelas, property costs skyrocket. In some areas, housing has more than doubled in price. Despite this, favela residents are hopeful. If Rio can develop these favelas for all residents – both poor and middle class the city could become a model for other cities with similar problems. 
2. Which of these things found in favelas is NOT mentioned in the passage?

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Most of the roughly 1,400 active volcanoes around the world, including many in the  United States, do not have on-site observatories. Lacking ground-level data, scientists are turning to satellites to keep tabs on volcanoes from space. Now using artificial intelligence, scientists have created a new satellite-based method of detecting warning signs of when a volcano is likely to erupt.  Every time one of the satellites passes over a given volcano, it can capture an InSAR image of the volcano from which ground movement away from or toward the satellite can be calculated.  InSAR can often pick up the ominous expansion of the ground that occurs when magma moves within a volcano’s plumbing, but it is difficult to continuously monitor the huge number of images produced by the latest generation of SAR-equipped satellites. In addition, some volcanoes exhibit long-lasting deformation that poses no immediate threat, and new images must be compared with older ones to determine whether a deformation at a volcano is a warning sign or just business as usual. To solve these issues, the researchers turned to machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence that can glean subtle patterns in vast quantities of data. They developed an algorithm that can rapidly analyze InSAR data, compare current deformation to past activity, and automatically create an alert when a volcano’s unrest may be cause for concern.  To test the algorithm’s viability, the team applied it to real data from the period leading up to the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra, a volcano in the Galápagos Islands. The algorithm worked, flagging an increase in the ground’s inflation that began about a year before the eruption. Had the method been available at the time, the team writes, it would have accurately alerted researchers that Sierra Negra was likely to erupt.
2. What does the phrase “keep tabs on” in paragraph 1 mean?

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For hundreds of years, giving flowers have been a social means of communication. In the United States, flowers are often given during rites of passage, for commemorating special occasions or as a heartfelt gift between loved ones and friends. Flower gifting also occurs in most countries around the world. However, the meanings and traditions often vary. While students traditionally gave their favorite teacher an apple in past years, in China, teachers are given flowers. Peonies are by far the flower most often given in China. They are also quite popularly used for weddings. Strangely, potted plants are not considered a pleasant gift among Asian cultures. The people believe that like a plant confined by a pot, the gift symbolizes a binding or restriction. In Russia, in lieu of giving birthday presents, the guest of honor receives a single flower or an unwrapped bouquet. Floral arrangements or baskets are not given. Russians celebrate a holiday known as Woman’s Day. Traditional gifts include red roses, hyacinths or tulips. When there is a funeral or other occasion where someone wishes to express sympathy, carnations, lilies or roses are given in circular configurations, which signify the transition of birth, life and death to rebirth. In this instance, the color of choice is commonly yellow. For joyous occasions, arrangements and bouquets generally contain an odd number of flowers In the times of ancient Rome, brides carried flowers to scare away evil spirits and encourage fertility. The Dutch believed that flowers were food for the soul. When invited to someone’s home in Great Britain, it is tradition to bring a gift of flowers. All types are acceptable except white lilies, which are usually seen at funerals. Not unlike the United States, red roses are a symbol of love. Flowers are generally gifted in odd numbered increments regardless of the occasion. However, the Brits also have superstitions regarding the number 13, so the number is avoided. In the southern region of the continent, flowers are traditionally given during Christmas. Egyptians are much more conservative and restrict flower gifting to funerals and weddings. While certain flowers may have significant meanings for some, flowers in Las Vegas and across the United States flowers are an accepted gift for any reason desired.  
5. What could the word “fertility” in paragraph 4 best be replaced by?

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Improving girls’ educational levels has been demonstrated to have clear impacts on the health and economic future of young women, which in turn improves the prospects of their entire community. The infant mortality rate of babies whose mothers have received primary education is half that of children whose mothers are illiterate. In the poorest countries of the world, 50% of girls do not attend secondary school. Yet, research shows that every extra year of school for girls increases their lifetime income by 15%. Improving female education, and thus the earning potential of women, improves the standard of living for their own children, as women invest more of their income in their families than men do. Yet, many barriers to education for girls remain. In some African countries, such as Burkina Faso, girls are unlikely to attend school for such basic reasons as a lack of private latrine facilities for girls. Higher attendance rates of high schools and university education among women, particularly in developing countries, have helped them make inroads to professional careers with better-paying salaries and wages. Education increases a woman’s (and her partner and the family’s) level of health and health awareness. Furthering women’s levels of education and advanced training also tends to lead to later ages of initiation of sexual activity and first intercourse, later age at first marriage, and later age at first childbirth, as well as an increased likelihood to remain single, have no children, or have no formal marriage and alternatively, have increasing levels of long-term partnerships. It can lead to higher rates of barrier and chemical contraceptive use (and a lower level of sexually transmitted infections among women and their partners and children), and can increase the level of resources available to women who divorce or are in a situation of domestic violence. It has been shown, in addition, to increase women’s communication with their partners and their employers, and to improve rates of civic participation such as voting or the holding of office.
4. The word “barriers” in the passage is closest in meaning to 

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Our parents play an important role in what we’re today and in what we’ll be in future. It’s our parents who make us (1)_____ in all sphere of life, they guides us, supports us, teaches us, and propels us in all phases of your life. The biggest role is of our mother; most cherished and admired relation in the world. She is special for everyone and should be. She is one (2)____ teaches us everything from how to speak to what to speak, from how to eat to what to eat, from how to (3)____ up for school to college. She is with us from happiness to sorrow. She teaches us from what is right to what is wrong. Definitely she is one who brings smiles on our faces when we take a walk down memory (4)_____ from our childhood till now. But when I recall my childhood, what I have is her faint memory; unfortunately, probably when I was about 5 years old she left this world. When I look around I realize how lucky they are who have someone under whose feet lies the paradise. So realize importance of her presence in your life and love her (5)______ the way she loves you unconditionally; dedicate every day of your life to her and don’t wait for mother day; celebrate everyday a mother day