Thinking is the hardest work anyone can do which is probably the reason why we have so few thinkers

Sonya stays in shape by eating lots of fruits and vegetables and by avoiding junk food, except in competitions. She also exercises regularly. These habits not only help keep Sonya Thomas healthy but allow her to perform better in competitions.

23. How are competitive eaters different from regular eaters?

A) Competitive eaters usually weigh less.
B) Regular eaters do not eat junk food.
C) Competitive eaters eat more food in less time.
D) Regular eaters do not like competition.

24. Why does the author mention Sonya's weight?

A) to encourage readers to eat healthy foods
B) to prove that appearance can be misleading
C) to persuade readers to try competitive eating
D) to explain why Sonya is (not) successful

25. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT … .

A) Sonya has broken some national and international records in competitive eating
B) Sonya can devour 44 lobsters in 12 minutes
C) Since Sonya is overweight, she can eat more than any person can do
D) Sonya rarely eats junk food.

26. “Sonya stays in shape” means ….

A) she is slim and attractive
B) she is plum and clumsy
C) she is physically weak D) she looks ill
What have recently been found in Egypt could be the earliest known writings. The clay tablets have been carbon dated to between 3300 BC and 3200 BC. This discovery will upset the belief commonly held by historians that the first people to write were the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, in about 3000 BC. Most of the tablets were found in the tomb of a king called Scorpion, south of Cairo. The writings in the form of line drawings of animals, plants and mountains are on clay tablets barely bigger than postage stamps. They have been deciphered as records of linen and oil delivered to King Scorpion I. Thus it seems that man's first writings were not a creative outpouring but the result of economics: when the chieftains expanded their areas of control, they needed to keep a record of taxes, paid in the form of goods.

27. According to the passage, the discovery of the clay tablets in Egypt …. .

A) has upset a great many historians interested in
this area
B) has not yet been officially confirmed by
authorities
C) apparently took place in approximately 3000 BC
D) will change the current understanding of the
history of writing

28. The clay tablets mentioned in the passage …. .

A) were used as ancient forms of postage stamps
B) reveals information about the economic dealings
of ancient Egyptians
C) are the earliest examples we have of Egyptian art
D) were specially created to be buried with King
Scorpion

29. From this discovery, it appears that …. .

A) these tablets were a form of ancient money
B) the tablets were bartered in exchange for oil
C) King Scorpion was one of the first merchants
D) the first writing was for the purpose of recording
economic transactions

30. “deciphered” means … .

A) decoded B) hidden
C) proposed D) thrown