solve it 10

Read the passage and answer the questions:-

Many people think that robots are an inevitable part of the future. It would be pretty cool to have a droid friend around to save the day, or even just to keep you company when you got bored. While it may seem like something out of science fiction, researchers are already imagining a world in which robots become a more integrated part of our lives. We already have robots among us: some are designed to work in factories, creating uniform products continuously. You may even have one in your home, in the form of a little vacuum cleaner that self‐drives itself around the floor.  
But for robots to make it to the next level, scientists think they’ll need to be a bit more versatile. The robots scientists are imagining look nothing like the stiff creatures you might be thinking of. No need for an awkward robot with stiff legs that attempts to walk and act like we walk and act—researchers are hoping to cook up something entirely different from what we’re used to seeing.  

How to Design a Robot

A group of researchers at Cornell University thinks the future of robots will actually be full of softbots. A softbot is simply a robot made out of soft tissue, so it can move more flexibly than
a hard‐bodied robot. And with the rise of 3D printers, building softbots is easier now than ever
before. The question that remains is: what will these robots look like? How will they move?

How will they carry things, or navigate small quarters? 
These are precisely the questions these scientists are trying to answer. It’s easy enough to build a robot that mimics a human. We already know what we look like and how we move. But how do we know this is the best way for robots to move? To put it simply, we don’t.   
So, the researchers are trying to figure out all the different ways robots could move. They’re basically in the middle of a very long brainstorming session. Once they realize what the
options are, they can figure out which motions are best suited to which actions, and create a final model that will perform the best in all scenarios.   
In order to do this, they’ve built a computer program that simulates the growth and movement of several kinds of softbots. They can use animated tissue, muscle, and bone to build a large number of different kinds of softbots. Then the computer program runs the robots through tests, checking out things like balance, coordination, or noisiness. In one example, they’re looking for speed, so the fastest robots get to stick around, while the slowest robots get cut.  

The Possibilities

We’re going to take a look at all of the different options for how a robot can move from one point to another—this is the speed test. Scientists run a computer program several times, and each time, the robots are a little bit different. Sometimes, they focus on giving the robots legs—either two legs like humans have, or four, like many animals have. And sometimes they see if they can make a mover without legs.  
The fastest robot they created has legs and runs in a bounding motion—the front legs move together and the back legs bound forward, similar to how a cheetah moves. Another robot
was made to have long legs that were mostly made of bone. These legs became long and skinny, so it wasn’t surprising when the robot started to gallop like a horse.   
Other times, they try to make robots that can move in non‐traditional ways. In one instance, they created a funny sort of robot that doesn’t have very much structure, just a big blob of muscle. This robot moves by inching its body forward, pulling its body in tight, and then releasing it to go long, much like an inch worm. It’s not a very fast robot, but it does have an advantage, the researchers realized. If they picked this robot up and dropped it randomly somewhere else, the robot would just keep on moving as if nothing had happened. The researchers realized this trade‐off—the bot may not be very fast, but it certainly is durable.

They even make some robots that seem almost silly from the outset. For example, some of their creations are designed to have no legs at all, but they still had to figure out a way to move them forward. One of the designs that resulted from this is a big robot that, instead of legs, has two large wings, and it flaps them back and forth to move. The design is almost like a gorilla relying primarily on its arms to move, but it’s a bit bulkier. Another robot that came out of this is a little guy who looks like an open jack‐in‐the‐box. The bottom of the body is box‐ shaped, but at the top, out pops two little arms. This robot moves by flailing its arms back and forth, which make the little guy slowly progress forward. It may seem silly, but an advantage this robot has is that it could easily hold things in its hands, or its empty lower‐box while still moving forward.  

Putting Ideas into Action

Now that the researchers have a number of ideas in mind, they can start performing other tests to see which robots perform better at tasks besides moving themselves along. Maybe they’ll have to measure how much energy the robot requires to function for a long period of time, or how much space it takes up. All three of these aspects will play into the future success of the robot, so it’s important to consider them all separately. Even if something ends up looking silly in a trial, the underlying reason behind its success may still warrant a characteristic to be considered for the final design.  
For example, perhaps one of the softbot’s tasks will be to take out the garbage (wouldn’t that be nice?). For that, you’d want a robot that could carry things and one not likely to fall. You’d also want a robot that was pretty quick, but you’d have to balance your desire for speed with  steadiness. If the bot drops its load half the time, on average, it won’t be so fast. So, you have
to incorporate a number of skills.
When making the robot, the researchers will have to look through all of the ideas they’ve created in their computer program, and pick and choose which characteristics will work best together to create a robot that can easily take out the garbage. They’ll have to balance their desire for speed with a steady hand, and the ability to carry heavy loads with a desire to make the robot light enough for a human to move around if the robot’s turned off.  
A good way to think about it may be through imagining yourself picking out your favorite clothes to wear. One day you may be torn between wearing the T‐shirt that’s extra soft, so it’s really comfortable to wear, and another shirt that’s your favorite color. Having to pick between these options will probably convince you to eventually find a new shirt that is both the fabric that you like and the color that you like. Now this new shirt will probably be your favorite, since it has all of the positive qualities you love.   

The Final Product

So, back to designing our robot that will help take out the trash. Of course it would be nice for the robot to be fast, but is that really the most important thing? It might be better to have a slower robot take out the trash. That way, there’s less of a chance the robot will fall and drop the trash (making it necessary for you to clean it up). In that case, let’s go back to the robot that moves sort of like an inchworm. That robot had a lot of body mass on the ground, so it was tough to tip over—think about tipping over a butter dish versus a candlestick.   
But maybe when the robot has taken the trash out, you will want it to be fast. The best thing to do then is allow it to separate its front section into two legs, and its back section into two legs. Then it can move in that cheetah‐like style, going faster. Perhaps the design of incorporating both ideas into one will result in a final product that isn’t completely an inch‐ wormer, and isn’t completely a cheetah either. The robot’s body is a little too sleek to be a worm and a little too lumpy to be a cheetah. But the beauty of the final design is that the robot is more versatile, and can do everything you need it to do.  
Hopefully, these types of robots will enter our lives soon. The Cornell researchers will just have to keep brainstorming different types of robot bodies, so we can always have the best selection of traits to pick from.


1. What are scientists at Cornell University trying to figure out?

A how to build a computer program that simulates the movement of softbots
B all the different tasks robots could perform
C all the different materials robots could be made of
D all the different ways robots could move

2. Why does the author describe the different robots scientists are creating with a computer program?

A to show that scientists are unsure about what type of robot to build
B to show how complex these computer programs can be
C to show that the scientists’ brainstorm session will take a long time
D to show a variety of ways that robots could move

3. Scientists must consider a variety of factors when designing a robot. What evidence
from the text supports this conclusion?

A Researchers are already imagining a world in which robots become a more integrated part of our lives.
B Scientists at Cornell University have built a computer program that allows them to simulate the movement of a robot before they develop a final design of the robot.
C If a softbot is being designed to take out the trash, the softbot’s ability to be steady must be balanced with its ability to be quick.
D The fastest robot created by scientists runs in a bounding motion, similar to how a cheetah moves.

4. What can be concluded about the purpose many robots will have in the future?

A Robots will be created to allow scientists to use computer programs.
B Robots will be created to move in non-traditional ways.
C Robots will be created to make life easier for humans.
D Robots will be created to help scientists brainstorm.

5. What is this passage mainly about?


A scientists who work at Cornell University
B the process scientists are using to design robots
C computer programs scientists are using to design robots
D robots that can move like humans 

6. What does the word “incorporating” means in the passage?

A crushing
B eliminating
C combining
D explaining

7. Scientists have built a computer program that simulates several kinds of softbots,  ___________ they can figure out which model works best.
A however
B so
C although

D after 

solve it 9

Read the passage and answer the questions:-


“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...” That is how one of Robert Frost’s most famous poems, “The Road Not Taken,” begins. He goes on to consider what it means to take paths through life that have not been charted before. When considering what it means to experiment and discover new solutions, Frost’s poem is very appropriate. New solutions for new problems very rarely mirror solutions that have come before. While past experience and knowledge of previous answers are important when facing new challenges, ultimately the problem solver must try something untested. It is for this very reason that companies, governments and other organizations, when faced with a particularly difficult challenge, assign several different and independent groups the job of finding a solution. This increases the chances of solving the problem more quickly.

A period from American history that exemplifies this concept is the New Deal Era. During this period the American people, their government, and various companies across the country, embarked upon several different, untested courses of action to combat the Great Depression, and lift the country out of a downward spiral. Countless programs were imagined and initiated, groups invested in new technologies and techniques, and people sought out new ways to keep their lives on an even‐keel. Most notably, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), serving as President of the United States, set about to establish a great variety of government programs. These programs were meant to nurture recovery on several different fronts. FDR understood the likelihood that certain plans, no matter how well‐crafted, might fail to truly bring about recovery. Therefore, he called for the development of several.

Roosevelt turned to his “Brain Trust” to help create all these government programs. The Brain Trust was a group of cabinet members and advisors who were very close to the President. These men and women worked in all different fields, from economics and manufacturing, to the arts and anthropology. Each had his or her own area of expertise, and was asked by Roosevelt to create a solution specific to that particular area. Roosevelt was determined to not only mend the economic or financial injuries to the American people, but also to mend the injuries to their spirit, sense of initiative, purpose and creativity. Roosevelt viewed the Great Depression as a complicated problem that had arisen within a complicated society. Only a great number of various programs could address most of the country’s problems and also ensure that many of the programs survived.

Three important New Deal government programs were the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Such programs were part of FDR’s alphabet soup of policies.  
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a group of young men between the ages of 18 and 25 who were responsible for helping to keep safe and cultivate certain natural resources across the United States. The CCC was incredibly popular. It was very successful in boosting the morale, or sense of well‐being, among its workers. These young men were paid $30 a month, sending $25 home to their parents. Living in camps, they worked to plant new trees, helped America’s forests regrow, built roads, and made adjustments to the land to protect it from floods, fires and erosion.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a government‐owned corporation that sought to rejuvenate the economy of the Tennessee Valley region during the Great Depression. This corporation set out to fulfill these goals by constructing dams to generate hydroelectric power as well as building coal‐burning plants to generate electricity. The TVA was incredibly successful in meeting the region’s electricity needs. Countless individuals worked as part of the TVA’s initiatives, whether constructing new dams and plants or operating existing ones.  
The Works Progress Administration gave jobs to millions of Americans and was the largest New Deal program. WPA workers helped build roads and public buildings, including many schools. A smaller group of American artists, musicians, writers, actors and directors were also given jobs by the WPA. This was a large part of FDR’s goal to heal more than just each American’s money troubles. He wanted to help American culture grow, even during a time of great hardship. The WPA is credited with funding many murals and other pieces of art across the United States. These art pieces were meant to inspire and reenergize the American people. The program also gave artists the chance to practice their craft and earn a living wage.  
The New Deal Era was a period in American history during which almost every possible solution you could imagine was tried. FDR was determined to hit the Great Depression with everything he could manage. It may be, however, that the efforts of the New Deal programs were not what finally ended the Great Depression. World War II broke out in 1939, and the United States entered the war in December of 1941. Many men became soldiers and many women went to work on military assembly lines. Almost overnight, American factories were producing everything from bullets and guns to tanks and airplanes. Uniforms needed to be stitched and food rations needed to be grown. It may be that this war effort was the single thing that helped most to put America back to work. Suddenly, the Great Depression was forgotten in the face of a military threat from overseas.


1. What happened during the New Deal Era?

A Americans refused to embark on any untested courses of action.
B Americans fought the Great Depression in many different ways.
C Americans decided to end the Civilian Conservation Corps because it was not successful in boosting morale.
D Americans became very frightened of Roosevelt’s Brain Trust.

2. What problem did the New Deal Programs try to solve?

A Roosevelt’s Brain Trust
B the Tennessee Valley Authority
C World War II
D the Great Depression

3. The New Deal Programs helped Americans during the Great Depression. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A The Civilian Conservation Corps boosted the morale of its workers, and the Works Progress Administration gave jobs to millions of Americans.

B After World War II broke out, American factories began producing everything from bullets and guns to tanks and airplanes.

C “The Road Not Taken,” a famous poem by Robert Frost, considers what it means to take paths through life that have not been charted before.

D The men and women in Roosevelt’s Brain Trust were experts in a variety of fields, from economics and manufacturing to the arts and anthropology.

4. Why might Roosevelt have asked the experts in his Brain Trust to help him create solutions in their particular fields?

A Because some of the members of his Brain Trust were experts in manufacturing, Roosevelt thought that they would be able to help the country build more tanks and airplanes.
B Because the experts knew a lot about their own fields, Roosevelt thought that they would be good at figuring out solutions involving their fields.
C Because the members of his Brain Trust included women as well as men, Roosevelt thought that they would be able to give balanced advice to Americans.
D Because the experts all had their own areas of specialty, Roosevelt thought that turning to them would keep any one field from becoming too powerful.

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A the Tennessee Valley Authority and how it provided electricity to one region of the United States
B the roads and public schools built by the Works Progress Administration
C the beginning of World War II and the reasons many Americans went to work on military assembly lines
D the New Deal Programs created to help solve the problem of the Great Depression

6. What does the word programs mean in the passage?

A events that celebrate important dates in American history
B concerns about the safety of everyday people in a time of war
C planned activities and procedures carried out to achieve a goal
D suggestions that citizens make to elected officials about how to run their country

7. Roosevelt established several government programs, _________ the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Works Progress Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

A including
B instead
C in conclusion
D meanwhile

Answer Key for solve it 6:-

1. C
2. A
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. A

Answer Key for solve it 7:-

1. A
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. B
6. D
7. A

solve it 8

Read the passage and answer the questions:-

What happens when two cars collide on the highway? Obviously we know what a car accident looks like. While slowly riding past in our own vehicle, we have seen the dented doors, the crumpled hood, and the shattered glass glittering on the asphalt. But what kind of physical processes are responsible for the ways these unfortunate cars look?
The physics of a car accident is fairly simple. Two cars are driving towards one another at a certain speed. For a legitimate accident to take place, rather than a simple fender bender, one or both of the cars must be traveling at a certain speed. If neither of the cars is traveling above a few miles an hour when they come in contact, an accident will not result.
For example, if two cars are moving at 30 miles per hour when they collide, this will result in an accident. In such a case, each car is exerting 30 miles per hour worth of force on the other. The combined effect of such a crash would be equivalent to a car slamming into a brick wall at 60 miles per hour. In both cases, energy is transferred from one object to the other — between the two cars, or between the car and the wall.
Clearly, the faster a car is traveling, the more energy it will transfer to the object — be it a car, a brick wall, or a guardrail. The exchange of energy between two cars that crash into each other at high speeds is often great enough to bend steel as if it were thin plastic. Formerly impenetrable brick walls will crumble upon coming into contact with a rogue vehicle driving at 60 or 70 miles per hour
But different types of forces exist between objects. If you are trying to park, for example, and your car slides against another car in the next spot, a frictional force is created. Frictional force can become heat, the way rubbing your hands together when it’s cold out tends to warm your hands up.

Still, objects don’t have to be touching in order to exert force on one another. Magnetic, gravitational and electric fields can exist between two objects that are not in contact. Take a wrecking ball, for example, which construction workers use to tear down old buildings to make room for new ones. When lying on the ground, the wrecking ball exerts the force of its own weight onto the ground. But when a crane operator lifts the wrecking ball into the air, the gravitational field between the ball and the ground changes. The higher the crane operator lifts the wrecking ball, the more potential energy is stored inside that ball. The higher the ball is raised, that is, the more damage it will do to the ground when it is dropped.

Similarly, once the wrecking ball is attached to a pendulum-like chain, the higher it is raised, the more damage it will do to the building’s wall. When the energy contained inside the ball has exerted its force against the wall enough times, the wall will eventually come crashing down. The same idea goes for skydiving. When you are standing on the ground, the most force you can exert on it would be through jumping or falling. The situation changes when you’re lifted into the air on an airplane. When the skydiver goes up into the plane at 20,000 feet, a certain amount of potential energy is stored inside him. When he jumps from the plane, that energy is then converted into motion, known as kinetic energy.
At 20,000 feet, of course, the amount of kinetic energy generated by a falling skydiver poses a risk to his life. A parachute, which slows the skydivers fall by creating air resistance, is required to reduce the kinetic energy the skydiver generates as he falls. Consequently, once the parachute has opened, the skydiver makes a gentle impact with the ground when he lands.

Bungee jumping, although similar to skydiving, involves a different kind of stored energy. Like the skydiver, the bungee jumper is a vessel of potential energy when he stands on the edge of a bridge. Also like the skydiver, that potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy when he jumps. But in the bungee jumper’s case, that energy is then transformed once more into what is called tensional energy.
When the bungee jumper reaches the end of the cord, he briefly stops moving. By this point, the kinetic energy produced by his fall has been fully transformed into tensional energy inside the cord. This energy then exerts its force on the bungee jumper himself, sending him bouncing back toward the bridge. In a traditional bungee jump, the same process occurs several times. Finally, once the kinetic and tensional energy have both been expended, the jumper is pulled back up to the bridge.

The relationship between energy and forces applies to less extreme activities as well. Baseball, in which the batter attempts to hit a round ball with a bat, demonstrates how energy can be transferred between objects colliding at high speeds. When a pitch is thrown, the batter swings the bat in a pendulum arc. The point at which the bat makes contact with the ball determines where and how far the ball will travel. If the ball connects too high or too low on the bat, vibrations will reduce the amount of energy transferred between the bat and the ball.
Some players might suggest that a bigger bat allows you to hit the ball farther. The problem is that a bigger bat is heavier, and therefore harder to swing than a lighter bat. Many professional baseball players use only bats of a certain weight and length, which correspond to the way they swing. Typically, batters prefer lighter bats, but if home runs are what you’re looking for, you might consider a bigger bat.

1. What question is the author attempting to answer in the beginning of the article?

A What happens when two cars collide on a highway?
B What speeds are safe for a car to travel at on the highway?
C What kind of physical processes are responsible for the ways cars look after an accident?
D What is frictional force?

2. The author explains the physics involved when objects crash, jump, and fall. How does the author explain this information?

A The author lists terms for physical processes and defines those terms.
B The author uses real-world examples to illustrate how different physical
processes work.
C The author explains a physical process and then provides diagrams showing
what he means.
D The author poses a hypothesis and then supports that hypothesis using
evidence from experiments.

3. Below are three pieces of evidence from the text:
1) In both cases, energy is transferred from one object to the other — between the two cars, or between the car and the wall. Clearly, the faster a car is traveling, the more energy it will transfer to the object — be it a car, a brick wall, or a guardrail.
2) The higher the crane operator lifts the wrecking ball, the more potential energy is stored inside that ball. The higher the ball is raised, that is, the more damage it will do to the ground when it is dropped.
3) When the bungee jumper reaches the end of the cord, he briefly stops moving. By this point, the kinetic energy produced by his fall has been fully transformed into tensional energy inside the cord. This energy then exerts its force on the bungee jumper himself, sending him bouncing back toward the bridge.

Which of the following statements are best supported by ALL THREE pieces of evidence
from the text?

A Jumping, falling and crashing are completely different physical processes and are unrelated.
B Jumping, falling and crashing all involve the transference and changing of energy.
C Jumping, falling, and crashing have nothing to do with physics.
D Jumping, falling, and crashing all demonstrate how “tensional energy” is transferred in a process.

4. What are dented doors, a crumpled hood, and shattered glass examples of?

A electromagnetic forces being exerted on the cars involved in the accident
B the effects of energy being transferred
C kinetic energy being changed to potential energy
D the effects of potential energy on the cars involved in the accident

5. What is the article “Crashing, Jumping, Falling” mostly about?

A the physical processes involved in crashing, jumping and falling
B the dangers of driving fast, going skydiving and wrecking buildings
C how tensional energy affects everything we do
D why bigger baseball bats are more effective for hitting homeruns

6. What is an example of “potential energy”?

A the energy that moves a rollercoaster car as it rolls downhill on the tracks
B the energy that is exerted on a brick wall after a car hits it
C the energy stored in a wrecking ball after lifting it in the air above the ground
D the energy that is used to move a baseball over the fence of a baseball field

7. ____________ the skydiver jumps from the plane at 20,000 feet, the potential energy
stored inside him is converted to kinetic energy.

A However
B When
C Although
D Before

SOLVE IT 7

Read the passage and answer the questions:-


Paul and Jimmy were chatting during lunch period in the cafeteria one day about their friend Taso’s upcoming birthday. Taso was going to turn 13 in two weeks. Paul and Jimmy recognized that it was a significant age because the word “teen” was mixed in there. To be a teenager was to be a little older, a bit more mature.
One could do things that young kids could not, and it somehow seemed that a 12 year-old was a young kid when compared to a 13 year-old, even though one could literally go from being 12 to 13 overnight. Teenagers have a bit more freedom—if their parents give them some, that is. So turning 13 meant there should not be just any old celebration for Taso. It had to be special. It had to be an expression of the fact that Taso was not just a little kid anymore, like Paul and Jimmy themselves, who had both turned 13 within the previous couple of months. More important than anything else, though, the birthday party had to be fun. Paul and Jimmy thought long and hard about what kind of a party they should organize in honor of Taso becoming a teenager. Over their lunch, they recalled their own birthday parties.
Paul’s mother had invited all of his friends to their local ice cream parlor for his 13th birthday. Paul could not deny that they all had fun. His mother had arranged with the owners of the parlor for the boys and girls to be allowed to make their own customized ice cream sundaes. 
“The ice cream was delicious,” Paul said to Jimmy. “But my mom gave me the same kind of birthday when I was five years old!” 
Jimmy laughed and said, “Yeah. My mom did something similar.”
Jimmy’s mother remembered that a local street fair would be held the same day as his birthday. She then decided to contact all of his friends with the message to meet Jimmy, along with his family, at the fair. There were some games where prizes could be won, and cotton candy and corn dogs.
“My birthday was kind of fun,” Jimmy admitted, not wanting to sound as though he were ungrateful for what his mother had done for him. “But my mom and dad were there the whole time! If the fair was on any other day besides my birthday, we could have done the same thing anyway.”
Paul agreed, adding, “Plus, there were so many grown-ups at the fair already. We could have hung out on our own and have been safe; no doubt about it.” 
“Right,” said Jimmy, reaching for his last fry.
So, for their long-time good friend Taso, a trip to the ice cream parlor, or a day at a street fair with their parents, was out of the question.
Suddenly, just a moment before the lunch dismissal bell rang, Jimmy exclaimed, 
“I’ve got it!”
“What?” asked Paul, excited to know.
“Let’s play Laser Tag!”

Paul had to give Jimmy credit for that idea. It was perfect. 
Lasers are used for many things. DVD players, printers, and barcode scanners are just a few items that use lasers. Lasers are used by construction workers to cut their materials or to weld pieces of metal together. Lasers can be used to measure lengths or to highlight something important a certain distance away. Lasers have also become an ingredient in a popular form of entertainment with the introduction of laser light shows at movie theaters and planetariums, not to
mention the fun game called Laser Tag.
Lasers are simply light sources that, unlike other kinds of light, are concentrated together. In other words, they are rays of light that are controlled and focused into a chosen area. Other light forms, like the sun’s rays, can spread out and cover large surface areas, and are not manmade or unnaturally configured. 
The word “laser” is actually an acronym, which means it is a word that contains letters that stand for other words. Laser’s letters stand for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” What that means is that a laser essentially is a collection of radiation that is harnessed and projected into a desired location. A laser generator can create a laser out of atoms that are put into a state of “excitement.” This is called “pumping,” and it creates photons or forms of light energy that the atoms rid themselves of upon becoming “relaxed.” The photon light waves are then radiated. Mirrors reflect this light back and forth, “amplifying” it, or making the light stronger, each time they reflect it. Laser generators use this absorbed energy and can transform it to one beam that shoots out in whichever direction it is pointed. The radiation sticks together by way of an electromagnetic field, which is possible because all of these photons are of the same exact wavelength.
Using these scientific foundations, toy companies began to manufacture fake gun sets that shot out infrared lasers in the late 1970s, which became hugely popular in the mid-80s with the promotion of the particular sets Photon and Lazer Tag. The laser infrared beams used in those play-sets included coded messages that indicated where each stream of light came from originally. When the special laser came into contact with the other players’ guns or another device that could
receive the message, a “hit” would occur and a noise would sound to make everyone know it. 

By the late 1980s, Photon and Lazer Tag saw their popularity completely dwindle. Recently, though, the game has seen a resurgence and regained a high level of appreciation from people, as shown by the fact that there are some organized, international Laser Tag competitions. Around the world, people have gone to Laser Tag auditoriums and hangars to play in whatever clothing they want, while simply renting the equipment for a certain desired amount of time.
***
Taso’s big day came. Paul and Jimmy were prepared. They had rounded up all of Taso’s friends and called Taso out from his home. Taso did not know what was in store for him, but when they arrived at their local Laser Tag arena, he was incredibly excited. He was really happy, too, because he realized he had such awesome friends who had thought a lot about how to give him a good time. Paul and Jimmy had chosen a fun game that didn’t make them feel like little kids, unlike some of the games that might be found at a local street fair. Plus, there were no grownups around! The boys’ parents had all agreed they could go play Laser Tag for Taso’s birthday, because there was no chance anyone would get hurt by playing, or at least no greater chance than if they all played basketball in the schoolyard.
Inside the arena, the boys strapped on the little contraption that sat on their chests and would make a noise if it was hit by an opponent’s laser. They grabbed their toy guns, too, and ran around the arena for three whole hours. To make it a little more challenging to see the other guys playing, the arena was filled with a little bit of light fog, which also helped reflect the laser lights, making it easier to see the red streaks dart all over the place.
After they had played four or five games and worked up quite a sweat, they all went to the ice cream parlor, that same one where they had gone for Paul’s birthday, where they made their own custom sundaes. They couldn't help but want to feel like little kids again and eat some savory ice cream after all that awesome Laser Tag.

1. How is Taso’s thirteenth birthday celebrated?

A by playing Laser Tag
B by going to a street fair
C by eating cotton candy
D by eating lunch at a restaurant

2. Paul and Jimmy want to make Taso’s thirteenth birthday special. What solution do they come up with?

A Their solution is asking Taso what he wants to do.
B Their solution is watching a DVD.
C Their solution is going to a movie theater.
D Their solution is playing Laser Tag.

3. Read this sentence from the passage: “Lasers are used for many things.” What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A The word “laser” is an acronym that stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
B In the late 1980s, the popularity of Photon and Lazer Tag decreased.
C Lasers are used for cutting construction materials, measuring, entertainment, and printing.
D Lasers are rays of light that are controlled and focused into a chosen area.

4. Why do Paul, Jimmy, and Taso enjoy playing Laser Tag?

A Playing Laser Tag makes them feel more relaxed than usual.
B Playing Laser Tag makes them feel like they are no longer little kids.
C Playing Laser Tag makes them feel like they are five-year-old children.
D Playing Laser Tag makes them feel smart.

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A ice cream, cotton candy, and corn dogs
B lasers, Laser Tag, and turning thirteen
C activities for kids at street fairs

D why Photon and Lazer Tag become less popular in the late 1980s

6. “Lasers are simply light sources that, unlike other kinds of light, are concentrated together. In other words, they are rays of light that are controlled and focused into a chosen area.”Why does the author use the phrase "in other words" above?

A to describe how the characters in the story are feeling
B to convince readers that they should look up the words “sources” and “rays”
C to prove that most people do not understand how lasers work

D to show that the same idea is going to be explained in a new way 

7. Paul and Jimmy think hard about what to do for Taso’s birthday; ______, they decide on
Laser Tag.
A finally
B like
C never
D on the other hand

solve it 6

Read the passage and answer the questions:-

“The reason that we have so many myths associated with Thanksgiving is that it is an invented tradition. It doesn't originate in any one event. It is based on the New England puritan Thanksgiving, which is a religious Thanksgiving, and the traditional harvest celebrations of England and New England and maybe other ideas like commemorating the pilgrims. All of these have been gathered together and transformed into something different from the original parts.”–James W. Baker, Senior Historian at Plimoth Plantation

1. FACT OR FICTION: THANKSGIVING IS HELD ON THE FINAL THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER EACH YEAR.

Fiction. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. However, in 1939, after a request from the National Retail Dry Goods Association, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month(and never the occasional fifth, as occurred in 1939) in order to extend the holiday shopping season by a week. The decision sparked great controversy, and was still unresolved two years later, when the House of Representatives passed a resolution making the last Thursday in November a legal national holiday. The Senate amended the resolution, setting the date as the fourth Thursday, and the House eventually agreed.

DID YOU KNOW?
In 2009, President Obama pardoned a turkey named Courage.

2. FACT OR FICTION: ONE OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING FATHERS THOUGHT THE TURKEY SHOULD BE THE NATIONAL BIRD OF THE UNITED STATES.

Fact. In a letter to his daughter sent in 1784, Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate national symbol for the newly independent United States than the bald eagle (which had earlier been chosen by the Continental Congress). He argued that the turkey was “a much more respectable Bird,” “a true original Native of America,” and “though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage.”
3. FACT OR FICTION: IN 1863, ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO PROCLAIM A NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING.

Fiction. George Washington, John Adams and James Madison all issued proclamations urging Americans to observe days of thanksgiving, both for general good fortune and for particularly momentous events (the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, in Washington’s case; the end of the War of 1812, in Madison’s).

4. FACT OR FICTION: MACY’S WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN DEPARTMENT STORE TO SPONSOR A PARADE IN CELEBRATION OF THANKSGIVING.

Fiction. The Philadelphia department store Gimbel’s had sponsored a parade in 1920, but the Macy’s parade, launched four years later, soon became a Thanksgiving tradition and the standard kickoff to the holiday shopping season. The parade became ever more well-known after it featured prominently in the hit film Miracle on 34th Street (1947), which shows actual footage of the 1946 parade. In addition to its famous giant balloons and floats, the Macy’s parade features live music and other performances, including by the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and cast members of well-known Broadway shows.


5. FACT OR FICTION: TURKEYS ARE SLOW-MOVING BIRDS THAT LACK THE ABILITY TO FLY.

Fiction (kind of). Domesticated turkeys (the type eaten on Thanksgiving) cannot fly, and their pace is limited to a slow walk. Female domestic turkeys, which are typically smaller and lighter than males, can move somewhat faster. Wild turkeys, on the other hand, are much smaller and more agile. They can reach speeds of up to 20-25 miles per hour on the ground and fly for short distances at speeds approaching 55 miles per hour. They also have better eyesight and hearing than their domestic counterparts.

6. FACT OR FICTION: NATIVE AMERICANS USED CRANBERRIES, NOW A STAPLE OF MANY THANKSGIVING DINNERS, FOR COOKING AS WELL AS MEDICINAL PURPOSES.

Fact. According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association, one of the country’s oldest farmers’ organizations, Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, including “pemmican” (a nourishing, high-protein combination of crushed berries, dried deer meat and melted fat). They also used it as a medicine to treat arrow punctures and other wounds and as a dye for fabric. The Pilgrims adopted these uses for the fruit and gave it a name—”craneberry”—because its drooping pink blossoms in the spring reminded them of a crane.

7. FACT OR FICTION: THE MOVEMENT OF THE TURKEY INSPIRED A BALLROOM DANCE.
Fact. The turkey trot, modeled on that bird’s characteristic short, jerky steps, was one of a number of popular dance styles that emerged during the late 19th and early 20th century in the United States. The two-step, a simple dance that required little to no instruction, was quickly followed by such dances as the one-step, the turkey trot, the fox trot and the bunny hug, which could all be performed to the ragtime and jazz music popular at the time. The popularity of such dances spread like wildfire, helped along by the teachings and performances of exhibition dancers like the famous husband-and-wife team Vernon and Irene Castle.

8. FACT OR FICTION: ON THANKSGIVING DAY IN 2007, TWO TURKEYS EARNED A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD.

Fact. On November 20, 2007, President George W. Bush granted a “pardon” to two turkeys, named May and Flower, at the 60th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, held in the Rose Garden at the White House. The two turkeys were flown to Orlando, Florida, where they served as honorary grand marshals for the Disney World Thanksgiving Parade. The current tradition of presidential turkey pardons began in 1947, under Harry Truman, but the practice is said to have informally begun with Abraham Lincoln, who granted a pardon to his son Tad’s pet turkey.

9. FACT OR FICTION: TURKEY CONTAINS AN AMINO ACID THAT MAKES YOU SLEEPY.

Fact. Turkey does contain the essential amino acid tryptophan, which is a natural sedative, but so do a lot of other foods, including chicken, beef, pork, beans and cheese. Though many people believe turkey’s tryptophan content is what makes many people feel sleepy after a big Thanksgiving meal, it is more likely the combination of fats and carbohydrates most people eat with the turkey, as well as the large amount of food (not to mention alcohol, in some cases) consumed, that makes most people feel like following their meal up with a nap.

10. FACT OR FICTION: THE TRADITION OF PLAYING OR WATCHING FOOTBALL ON THANKSGIVING STARTED WITH THE FIRST NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAME ON THE HOLIDAY IN 1934.

Fiction. The American tradition of college football on Thanksgiving is pretty much as old as the sport itself. The newly formed American Intercollegiate Football Association held its first championship game on Thanksgiving Day in 1876. At the time, the sport resembled something between rugby and what we think of as football today. By the 1890s, more than 5,000 club, college and high school football games were taking place on Thanksgiving, and championship match-ups between schools like Princeton and Yale could draw up to 40,000 fans. The NFL took up the tradition in 1934, when the Detroit Lions (recently arrived in the city and renamed) played the Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit stadium in front of 26,000 fans. Since then, the Lions game on Thanksgiving has become an annual event, taking place every year except during the World War II years (1939–1944)



1. When is Thanksgiving held today?

A. the first Thursday of November
B. the last Thursday of November
C. the fourth Thursday of November
D. after any particularly important event

2. This article is structured in a list format. What does the article list?

A. myths that people associate with Thanksgiving and turkeys
B. reasons why Thanksgiving was first created
C. ways in which the turkey is important to Thanksgiving
D. arguments for moving Thanksgiving to a different date

3. Some leaders of the United States have had a major impact on the way Americans celebrate
Thanksgiving today. What evidence from the text best supports this conclusion?

A. Two turkeys pardoned by George W. Bush were flown to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
B. Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the Thanksgiving holiday should be celebrated on the
fourth Thursday in November every year.
C. Benjamin Franklin felt that the turkey would be a better national symbol for the United
States than the bald eagle.
D. George Washington issued a proclamation urging Americans of the time to observe a day
of thanksgiving for the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

4. Based on the information in the text, what effect might Abraham Lincoln’s setting an annual day of
Thanksgiving have had?

A. The turkey became the national bird of the United States.
B. Holiday shopping was hurt, and continues to suffer.
C. The decision caused controversy among many Americans.
D. New traditions grew around the annual Thanksgiving celebration.

5. What is this article mostly about?

A. the role of the turkey in the U.S. and during Thanksgiving
B. traditions, little-known facts, and myths about Thanksgiving
C. the way Thanksgiving has affected shopping patterns

D. U.S. Presidents’ and Founding Fathers’ contributions to Thanksgiving

6. Why might the author include the phrase “fact or fiction” in every heading throughout the article?

A to suggest that some of the statements in the headings are fact, but some are fiction
B to convince the reader that all of the statements in the headings are factual
C to force the reader to decide whether the information in the article is factual or fictional

D to show that the author is not sure if the information in the article is true or not

7. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving, _____ in 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always
be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month.

A for example
B therefore
C but
D so