Prices are sky-high, with profits to match. But looking further ahead, the industry faces wrenching change, says an expert of energy.
"The time when we could count on cheap oil and even cheaper natural gas is clearly ending. "That was the gloomy forecast delivered in February by Dave O’Reilly, the chairman of Chevron Texaco, to hundreds of oilmen gathered for a conference in Houston. The following month, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez gleefully echoed the sentiment: "The world should forget about cheap oil."
The surge in oil prices, from ＄10 a barrel in 1998 to above ＄50 in early 2005,has prompted talk of a new era of sustained higher prices. But whenever a "new era" in oil is hailed, scepticism is in order. After all, this is essentially a cyclical business in which prices habitually yo-yo. Even so, an unusually loud chorus is now joining Messrs O’Reilly and Chavez, pointing to intriguing evidence of a new "price floor" of ＄30 or perhaps even ＄40. Confusingly, though, there are also signs that high oil prices may be caused by a speculative bubble that could burst quite suddenly. To see which camp is right, two questions need answering: why did the oil price soar And what could keep it high
To make matters more complicated, there is in fact no such thing as a single "oil price": rather, there are dozens of varieties of crude trading at different prices. When newspapers write about oil prices, they usually mean one of two reference crudes: Brent from the North Sea, or West Texas Intermediate (WTI) . But when ministers from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) discuss prices, they usually refer to a basket of heavier cartel crudes, which trade at a discount to WTI and Brent. All oil prices mentioned in this survey are per barrel of WTI
The recent volatility in prices is only one of several challenges facing the oil industry. Although at first sight Big Oil seems to be in rude health, posting record profits, this survey will argue that the western oil majors will have their work cut out to cope with the rise of resource nationalism, which threatens to choke off access to new oil reserves. This is essential to replace their existing reserves, which are rapidly declining. They will also have to respond to efforts by governments to deal with oil’s serious environmental and geopolitical side-effects. Together, these challenges could yet wipe out the oil majors.
What is the tone of the passage

A:Humorous. B:Indifferent. C:Serious. D:Anxious.

Text 1
Prices are sky high, with profits to match. But looking further ahead, the industry faces wrenching change, says an expert of energy.
"The time when we could count on cheap oil and even cheaper natural gas is clearly ending. That was the gloomy forecast delivered in February by Dave O’Reilly, the chairman of Chevron Texaco, to hundreds of oilmen gathered for a conference in Houston. The following month, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez gleefully echoed the sentiment: "The world should forget about cheap oil."
The surge in oil prices, from ＄10 a barrel in 1998 to above ＄ 50 in early 2005, has prompted talk of a new era of sustained higher prices. But whenever a "new era" in oil is hailed, scepticism is in order. After all, this is essentially a cyclical business in which prices habitually yo-yo. Even so, an unusually loud chorus is now joining Messrs O’Reilly and Chavez, pointing to intriguing evidence of a new "price floor" of ＄ 30 or perhaps even ＄ 40. Confusingly, though, there are also signs that high oil prices may be caused by a speculative bubble that could burst quite suddenly. To see which camp is right, two questions need answering: why did the oil price soar And what could keep it high
To make matters more complicated, there is in fact no such thing as a single "oil price": rather, there are dozens of varieties of crude trading at different prices. When newspapers write about oil prices, they usually mean one of two reference crudes: Brent from the North Sea, or West Texas Intermediate (WTI). But when ministers from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) discuss prices, they usually refer to a basket of heavier cartel crudes, which trade at a discount to WTI and Brent. All oil prices mentioned in this survey are per barrel of WTI.
The recent volatility in prices is only one of several challenges facing the oil industry. Although at first sight Big Oil seems to be in rude health, posting record profits, this survey will argue that the western oil majors will have their work cut out to cope with the rise of resource nationalism, which threatens to choke off access to new oil reserves. This is essential to replace their existing reserves, which are rapidly declining. They will also have to respond to efforts by governments to deal with oil’s serious environmental and geopolitical side-effects. Together, these challenges could yet wipe out the oil majors.

A:Humorous. B:Indifferent. C:Serious. D:Anxious.

The people who answer the phone get an endless stream of calls from people who are extremely upset that their electricity got turned off just because they failed to pay their bill for 297 months, or people asking questions like "Is it OK to operate an electric appliance while taking a bath"
So let’s say that you have a genuine problem with your electric bill. The people in "Customer Service" have no way of knowing that you’re an intelligent, rational person. They’re going to lump you in with the usual not-so-bright public. As far as they’re concerned, the relevant facts, in any dispute between you and them, are these:
1. They have a bunch of electricity.
2. You need it.
3. So shut up.
This is why, more and more, the people in "Customer Service" won’t even talk to you. They prefer to let you talk to the convenient Automatic Phone Answering System until such a time as you die of old age "... If your FIRST name has more than eight letters, and your LAST name begins with ’H’ through ’L’ press 251 NOW. If your first name has LESS than eight letters, and your last name contains at least two ’E’ s, press 252 NOW. If your..."
So is there any way that you, the lowly consumer, can gain the serious attention of a large and powerful business I am pleased to report that there IS a way, which I found out about thanks to an alert reader who sent me a news report from Russia. According to this report, a Russian electric company got into a dispute with a customer and cut off the customer’s electricity. This customer, however, happened to be a unit of the Russian Army. So the commander ordered a tank to drive over to the electric company’s office and aim its gun at the windows. The electricity was turned right back on.
On behalf of consumers everywhere, I want to kiss this military commander on the lips. I mean, what a GREAT concept. Imagine, as a consumer, how much more seriously your complaint would he taken if you were complaining from inside a vehicle capable of reducing the entire "Customer Service" department to tiny smoking pieces. What I am saying is: Forget the Automated Phone Answering System. Get a tank.
Perhaps you are thinking: "But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don’t have that kind of money."
Don’t be silly. You’re a consumer, right You have credit cards, right
Perhaps you are thinking: "Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company"
Don’t be silly. You have a tank, right
The tone of this passage may be considered as ______.

A:humorous B:serious C:fantastic D:ridiculous

The people who answer the phone get an endless stream of calls from people who are extremely upset that their electricity got turned off just because they failed to pay their bill for 297 months, or people asking questions like "Is it OK to operate an electric appliance while taking a bath"
So let’s say that you have a genuine problem with your electric bill. The people in "Customer Service" have no way of knowing that you’re an intelligent, rational person. They’re going to lump you in with the usual not-so-bright public. As far as they’re concerned, the relevant facts, in any dispute between you and them, are these:
1. They have a bunch of electricity.
2. You need it.
3. So shut up.
This is why, more and more, the people in "Customer Service" won’t even talk to you. They prefer to let you talk to the convenient Automatic Phone Answering System until such a time as you die of old age "... If your FIRST name has more than eight letters, and your LAST name begins with ’H’ through ’L’ press 251 NOW. If your first name has LESS than eight letters, and your last name contains at least two ’E’ s, press 252 NOW. If your..."
So is there any way that you, the lowly consumer, can gain the serious attention of a large and powerful business I am pleased to report that there IS a way, which I found out about thanks to an alert reader who sent me a news report from Russia. According to this report, a Russian electric company got into a dispute with a customer and cut off the customer’s electricity. This customer, however, happened to be a unit of the Russian Army. So the commander ordered a tank to drive over to the electric company’s office and aim its gun at the windows. The electricity was turned right back on.
On behalf of consumers everywhere, I want to kiss this military commander on the lips. I mean, what a GREAT concept. Imagine, as a consumer, how much more seriously your complaint would he taken if you were complaining from inside a vehicle capable of reducing the entire "Customer Service" department to tiny smoking pieces. What I am saying is: Forget the Automated Phone Answering System. Get a tank.
Perhaps you are thinking: "But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don’t have that kind of money."
Don’t be silly. You’re a consumer, right You have credit cards, right
Perhaps you are thinking: "Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company"
Don’t be silly. You have a tank, right

A:humorous B:serious C:fantastic D:ridiculous

Text 1

A:Humorous. B:Indifferent. C:Serious. D:Anxious.

Nobody wants to be (21) . Unfortunately our bodies can (22) problems. When we aren’t (23) , our bodies tell us. Sometimes a part of our bodies hurts. When a part of our bodies (24) , we say we have aches and pains. We can have aches and pains in (25) parts of the body.
We call some simple (26) problems "aches". For example, we can have a headache, a toothache, an earache, a backache or a stomachache. Other simple problems are nor (27) aches, so we describe them in different ways. For example, we can (28) a sore throat, a sore leg, a sore toe.
"Pain" is another word that we use to (29) a problem. We can have a pain in the chest, a pain in the shoulder or a pain (30) the back. A pain is strong. Also, a pain hurts in a specific place.
When aches and pains aren’t too (31) , we can buy medicine in the drugstore. Usually small aches go away (32) . When pain is more serious, we (33) to visit the doctor (or the dentist). The doctor asks us what our (34) are. The doctor may have to do tests or take X- rays to (35) what is Wrong. Then he or she will tell us what to do.

A:light B:serious C:series D:heavy

Nobody wants to be (21) . Unfortunately our bodies can (22) problems. When we aren’t (23) , our bodies tell us. Sometimes a part of our bodies hurts. When a part of our bodies (24) , we say we have aches and pains. We can have aches and pains in (25) parts of the body.
We call some simple (26) problems "aches". For example, we can have a headache, a toothache, an earache, a backache or a stomachache. Other simple problems are nor (27) aches, so we describe them in different ways. For example, we can (28) a sore throat, a sore leg, a sore toe.
"Pain" is another word that we use to (29) a problem. We can have a pain in the chest, a pain in the shoulder or a pain (30) the back. A pain is strong. Also, a pain hurts in a specific place.
When aches and pains aren’t too (31) , we can buy medicine in the drugstore. Usually small aches go away (32) . When pain is more serious, we (33) to visit the doctor (or the dentist). The doctor asks us what our (34) are. The doctor may have to do tests or take X- rays to (35) what is Wrong. Then he or she will tell us what to do.

A:light B:serious C:series D:heavy

Nobody wants to be (21) . Unfortunately our bodies can (22) problems. When we aren’t (23) , our bodies tell us. Sometimes a part of our bodies hurts. When a part of our bodies (24) , we say we have aches and pains. We can have aches and pains in (25) parts of the body.
We call some simple (26) problems "aches". For example, we can have a headache, a toothache, an earache, a backache or a stomachache. Other simple problems are nor (27) aches, so we describe them in different ways. For example, we can (28) a sore throat, a sore leg, a sore toe.
"Pain" is another word that we use to (29) a problem. We can have a pain in the chest, a pain in the shoulder or a pain (30) the back. A pain is strong. Also, a pain hurts in a specific place.
When aches and pains aren’t too (31) , we can buy medicine in the drugstore. Usually small aches go away (32) . When pain is more serious, we (33) to visit the doctor (or the dentist). The doctor asks us what our (34) are. The doctor may have to do tests or take X- rays to (35) what is Wrong. Then he or she will tell us what to do.

A:light B:serious C:series D:heavy