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Extrapolating from the adage "two heads are better than one", a group of economists at the University of Iowa has learned how to turn the instincts of individuals into useful predictions of the future. So far, the researchers have tested their method by predicting the outcome of such events as the American presidential election and the number of books sold on the first day of a Harry Potter re lease. Now, they have turned their sights to influenza.
The influenza in question is not the pandemic bird-flu-related sort that is currently a cause for concern but the quotidian bug that lays people low, particularly in winter. Even this disease is not trivial, it kills, for instance, about 36, 000 people in America and possibly as many as 12, 000 people in Britain every year. If outbreaks could be predicted, patients at particular risk could be vaccinated and medical personnel redeployed in anticipation. $o Philip Polgreen and his colleagues wondered if they could succeed where medical science had failed, and give adequate warning of influenza outbreaks.
America’s Centres for Disease Control (CDC) track influenza cases in the country as they hap pen. A week later, they release the data, in part by using a colour-coded map. The colours reflect the level of influenza activity in each state on a five-point scale, with yellow representing "no activity" and red representing "widespread activity".
In their study, Dr Polgreen and his colleagues gave 60 doctors and nurses based in Iowa 100 "flu dollars" each. The participants used these to buy and sell shares coded according to the CDC’s colours for a particular week in the future, based on how many cases they thought would occur in the state during that week. For example, if a physician saw three young children with flu symptoms in his office, he might sell any yellow shares he had for the following week and buy red ones. Conversely, if no one he saw seemed to have trouble with influenza, he might buy more yellow or green (sporadic activity) shares for each of the next few weeks.
Over the course of the flu season from October 2004 to April 2005, 52 participants logged into the market as traders. They were able to buy and sell up to seven weeks in advance. At the end of the experiment, each flu dollar was converted into a real one and given to the participants in the form of an educational grant.

A:there will be no flu cases in the coming seven weeks. B:there will be flu breakout in the coming seven weeks. C:there will be some flu cases in the coming seven week. D:the study is failed.

Scotland provides superb opportunities to enjoy wild and grand scenery which is even more impressive than the postcards suggest. It also offers towns and cities with a rich cultural life, a good mix of accommodation and places to eat and drink. Friendly and welcoming, it is an interesting and colorful all-season destination, where landscapes and the environment, sport and leisure pursuits, heritage and history, culture and cuisine are all part of a rewarding experience.
The best reason for choosing to go on holiday to Scotland is: one of the last places inside the crowded and frenetic European Union where it is possible to be alone isolated countryside. This is not to say that Scotland, like everywhere else, does not have its tourist traps, its crowded roads or its popular beauty spots. But it is relatively easy to escape from them.
It would be a mistake to think that Scotland is merely an extension of England.
Indeed, no attitude is capable of causing greater offence to the Scots. They successfully resisted English attempts at domination for seven hundred years, and many differences between the two countries persist.
Scotland’s history, embodied in its castles, battlefields, and ancient links with France, Flanders and Scandinavia, is special.

A:was dominated by England for seven hundred years B:dominated England for seven hundred years C:kept out English invaders for seven hundred years D:became part of England for seven hundred years

Passage Two
Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music.
The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs.
By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953.
By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

A:wrote seven million songs B:sold seven million copies of his songs C:wrote seven songs D:sold seven million copies Of his seven songs

Passage Five
It used to take Redwood City, California police hours to locate gunfire. Now, they have a new tool that helps them find the gunfire quickly. This new tool is called the ShotSpotter. The police began using the ShotSpotter in 1995. They wanted to cut down on gunfire in their city.
One ShotSpotter covers a square mile. Eight microphones are put on the roofs of buildings. These microphones pick up gunfire noise. It only takes seven seconds to report the gunfire to the police. Then a red dot on the police map shows where the action is.
The ShotSpotter really works well. It locates the gunfire within 20 to 40 feet plus or minus. Redwood City police are very happy with the ShotSpotter. They think it might have helped catch the D.C. sniper.
ShotSpotters cost a lot of money. One of them sells for $200,000. Despite the cost, ShotSpotters can be a big help in fighting crime.

A:five seconds B:seven seconds C:seven minutes D:thirty seconds

Passage Two
Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music.
The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs.
By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953.
By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

A:wrote seven million songs B:sold seven million copies of his songs C:wrote seven songs D:sold seven million copies Of his seven songs

Passage Two Country music is an American popular-music style. In its current form, country music is a combination of two separate musical traditions: the styles of the Southeastern states and the music of the Southwest, especially Texas. Both styles influenced and were influenced by the blues and by the black rural dance music. The first country artists to be widely known achieved popularity in the late 1920s. The music of these performers was heard throughout tile south during the 1920s and 30s on radio programs. By the 1950s, country music had become a significant force in pop music. Regular appearances on the radio show made stars of many performers. The singer-songwriter Hank Williams wrote four million-seller songs in 1950, seven in 1951, and four more in 1953. By the 1970s, "some country musicians began combining country music with electric instruments, creating a country rock sound.

A:wrote seven million songs B:sold seven million copies of his songs C:wrote seven songs D:sold seven million copies Of his seven songs

During Mir’s lifetime, Russia spent about US $4.2 billion to build and maintain the station.
The Soviet Union launched Mir, which was designed to last from three to five years, on February 20,1986, and housed 104 astronauts over 12 years and seven months, most of whom were not Russian. In fact, it became the first intemational space station by playing host to 62 people from 11 countries. From 1995 through 1998, seven astronauts from the United States took turns living on Mir for up to six months each. They were among the 37 Americans who visited the station during nine stopovers by space shuffles.
______ Americans ever visited Mir during its lifetime.

A:62 B:37 C:11 D:Seven

Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer Society is now Europe’s largest organization for applied technology, and has 59 institutes employing 12,000 people. It continues to grow. Last year it swallowed up the Heinrich Hertz institute for Communication Technology in Berlin. Today, there are seven Fraunhofers in the US and Asi

A:a. B:The Fraunhofer Society has a history of about ______ year(s) till now. 60 50 seven one