Read the following passage and choose A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

17. We didn’t (A) used to (B) have (C) a colorful TV, but we do (D) now.

18. In spite of (A) being tiring (B), they wanted (C) to watch (D) the film.

Read the following passage and choose A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

CARBON FOOTPRINTS

19 a. As

b. Although

c. However

d. Due to

20. a. for

b. to

c. on

d. in

21. a. replace

b. reuse

c. increase

d. balance

22. a. moving

b. decreasing

c. rising

d. falling

Everybody has a carbon footprint - it's the amount of carbon dioxide we produce with any action or activity. (19)__________________carbon dioxide contributes to 'greenhouse gases', our carbon footprints have a direct impact (20)________________the environment. You can estimate your carbon footprint on any number of popular websites: if it's small, then you're probably leading a relatively green lifestyle. But what happens if it's big?
            Well, the answer is that you can (21) ______________it. This modern answer to the problem is for people to contribute to balancing the negative effects of their actions by using green fuels, recycling, reforestation and a number of other activities which are said to contribute to a lowering of (22)_________________carbon dioxide.

Choose A, B, C or D to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in each of the following questions.

Right now, a private company is developing something called ET3. ET3 stands for Evacuated Tube Transport Technology.

The ET3 system would reportedly be able to take passengers from New York to Beijing in just two hours. Here is how it works. A vacuum tube goes all the way from New York to Beijing. The tube is only a few meters wide. Capsules move through the tube. Six people can sit in one capsule. The capsules use electricity instead of gasoline. For international travel, the capsules can travel at about 6,500 kilometers per hour. That is much faster than an airplane! 

So how can these capsules travel so fast? The answer is that there is no air inside the tube. When airplanes fly, they have to move through the air. The air resistance slows the airplanes down. Because there is no air in the ET3 tubes, the capsules are able to move at a very high speed. Besides, the capsules are quite light. They only weigh 183 kilograms.

Of course, ET3 doesn’t exist yet. Developers still have to solve a lot of problems. The biggest problem is that right now, ET3 would be far too expensive. In order to make ET3 cheaper, we will need much better technology. Maybe someday, you will be able to have lunch in New York and dinner in Beijing.

23. The word “works” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

a. travels                        b. operates                 c. earns money                       d. succeeds

24. According to the passage, which statement is NOT true.

 a. Each ET3 capsule can carry up to six people.

 b. We don’t know how to build its capsules

c. Speed in ET3 system is 6,500 km/h for international travel. 

d. ET3 can travel a little faster than an airplane.

25. What can be inferred from the passage?

a. There is still a lot to do before putting ET3 into operation.

b. In the future, people will mainly use ET3 to travel abroad.

c. ET3 won’t be used domestically due to its high-cost

d. ET3 will soon be cheaper.