【阅读判断】Despite the bad weather, troubled health service, traffic congestion (拥挤), gender inequality, and the high cost of living, Ireland scored an impressive 8.33 points out of 10.Q: Cost of living in Ireland is pretty high.

【阅读判断】Despite other explanations, the real answer in my opinion lies partly in the child himself, partly in the behavior of the people around him. Q: The reason why children learn their mother tongue so well lies solely in their environment of learning.

【阅读判断】A moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds.Q: During the April 28 earthquake, the whole England was left without power.

【阅读判断】The people of Kiribati are afraid that one day in the not too distant future, their country will disappear from the face of the earth literally. Several times this year, the Pacific island nation has been flooded by a sudden high tide.Q: The people of Kiribati worry that one day their country will be taken away by a sudden high tide.

【阅读判断】Now, there are about 24 million microcomputers in use in the United States—one for every 10 citizens. It is estimated that by 1996, 61 percent of American managers will be using some sort of electronic work station.Q: At present about 10% of American citizens possess a microcomputer.

【阅读判断】Every year, in November, Thanksgiving Day reminds us of the good things in life, and people are thankful. On this day people usually eat turkey and great quantities of other foods.Q: The turkey is a most popular food on Thanksgiving Day.

【阅读判断】When our Neolithic ancestors, living in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago, discovered that certain grasses could be harvested and their seeds planted for richer yields the next season, the first great step in a new association of plants and humans was taken.Q: People living in the Middle East first learned to grow plants for food about 10,000 years ago.

【阅读判断】People living north of the mountain heard a loud boom that shook their windows, and airline pilots flying near the volcano soon afterwards described a thick black column of ash and steam shooting more than 2,100 meters into the sky.Q: Pilots flying at the height of more than 2,100 meters saw a thick black column of ash and steam shooting up into the air from the crater.

【阅读判断】What about drinking alcohol to wet your throat? I advice you not to touch alcohol before speaking. You will feel all-powerful and you will feel you can do everything, but in fact your brain and your mouth do not work together properly. Save the alcohol until after you finish speaking.Q: Due to the effect of alcohol, your thought and your mouth will not coordinate properly.

【阅读判断】Hercules served a king. The king was afraid of him. So again and again he sent him on difficult tasks. One morning the king sent for him and told him to fetch three golden apples for him from the garden of the Singing Maidens (歌女). But no one knew where the garden was.Q: Hercules was given many difficult tasks because the king wanted to get rid of him.