Moderate Earthquake Strikes EnglandA moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power in Kent County. One women suffered minor head and neck injuries."It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride," said the woman.The British Geological Survey said the 4.3-magnitude quake struck at 8:19 a.m. and was centered under the English Channel, about 8.5 miles south of Dover and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county. Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds."I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me." said Hendrick van Eck, 27, of Canterbury about 60 miles southeast of London. "I then heard the sound of cracking, and it was getting heavier and heavier. It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year, but they are rare in Britain. The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4.8-magnitude quake struck the central England city of Birmingham.The country"s strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 1931, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever to strike Britain, including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France. Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time before another earthquake struck this part of England. However, people should not be scared too much by this prediction, Musson said, as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place. This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum. It can be inferred from the passage that England is rarely hit by high magnitude earth quakes.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
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Moderate Earthquake Strikes EnglandA moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power in Kent County. One women suffered minor head and neck injuries."It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride," said the woman.The British Geological Survey said the 4.3-magnitude quake struck at 8:19 a.m. and was centered under the English Channel, about 8.5 miles south of Dover and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county. Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds."I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me." said Hendrick van Eck, 27, of Canterbury about 60 miles southeast of London. "I then heard the sound of cracking, and it was getting heavier and heavier. It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year, but they are rare in Britain. The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4.8-magnitude quake struck the central England city of Birmingham.The country"s strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 1931, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever to strike Britain, including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France. Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time before another earthquake struck this part of England. However, people should not be scared too much by this prediction, Musson said, as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place. This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum. The Channel Tunnel was closed for 10 hours after the earthquake occurred.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
The Paper Chase1. "Running a house is a lot like running a business." says Stephanie Denton, a professional organizer based in Cincinnati, Ohio, who specializes in both residential and commercial paperwork and record keeping. To get a successful grip on organizing documents, bills, and other materials, Denton suggests the following tips:2. Create a space in which you can always do your paperwork. This is perhaps the most important element of a successful system. If you can"t devote an entire desk to the task, at least invest in a rolling file cart to store active paperwork and a two-drawer file cabinet for family records. Store the rolling file cart wherever it is most convenient and comfortable to do your work, whether that is the kitchen, office, or family room.3. When in doubt, throw it out. The first step to implementing a workable filing system is to eliminate paper you don"t use, don"t need, or that you could easily access again elsewhere. Throw out duplicate statements, old catalogs, and all of the coupons, mailings, or offerings you"ll never have an opportunity to use or even read.4. Set aside two days a month to pay bills. If a monthly due date doesn"t fit into your cycle, call up the creditor and suggest a more convenient date. Keep two manila folders at the front of your system for current bills—one to correspond with each bill-paying day—and file all incoming bills. Keep a list in the front of each folder of what needs to be paid in ease the invoice never arrives or gets misplaced.5. Think of your filing system not as a rigid tool, but as a living, breathing system that can accommodate your changing needs. A good filing system is both mentally and physically flexible. Everyone"s needs are different, says Denton, but when devising a filling system, ask yourself: "Where would I look for this" Create main headings for your filing system, such as Investments, Taxes, Children, and so forth, and file individual folders under the main headings. Never overstuff your files. A. Find a Place to Work on B. Implementing a Workable Filing System C. What Is a Good Filing System D. How to Invest in a Rolling File Cart E. Get Rid of Unimportant Things F. Dealing with Bills Paragraph 2 ______
Moderate Earthquake Strikes EnglandA moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power in Kent County. One women suffered minor head and neck injuries."It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride," said the woman.The British Geological Survey said the 4.3-magnitude quake struck at 8:19 a.m. and was centered under the English Channel, about 8.5 miles south of Dover and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county. Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds."I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me." said Hendrick van Eck, 27, of Canterbury about 60 miles southeast of London. "I then heard the sound of cracking, and it was getting heavier and heavier. It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year, but they are rare in Britain. The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4.8-magnitude quake struck the central England city of Birmingham.The country"s strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 1931, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever to strike Britain, including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France. Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time before another earthquake struck this part of England. However, people should not be scared too much by this prediction, Musson said, as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place. This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum. It was reported that one lady had got her head and neck injured, but not seriously.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
Business-method PatentsOver the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for what are called business methods. Amazon.com received one for its "one-click" online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for an asset allocation strategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box.Now the nation"s top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversial ever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-property lawyers abuzz, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In Bilski, as the case is known, is "a very big deal", says Dennis D. Crouch of the University of Missouri School of Law. "It has the potential to eliminate an entire class of patents."Curbs on business-method claims would be a dramatic about-face, because it was the Federal Circuit itself that introduced such patents with its 1998 decision in the so-called State Street Bank case, approving a patent on a way of pooling mutual-fund assets. That ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive rights to specific types of online transactions. Later, move established companies raced to add such patents to their files, if only as a defensive move against rivals that might beat them to the punch. In 2005, IBM noted in a court filing that it had been issued more than 300 business-method patents despite the fact that it questioned the legal basis for granting them. Similarly, some Wall Street investment films armed themselves with patents for financial products, even as they took positions in court cases opposing the practice.The Bilski case involves a claimed patent on a method for hedging risk in the energy market. The Federal Circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12 of the court"s judges, rather than a typical panel of three, and that one issue it wants to evaluate is whether it should "reconsider" its State Street Bank ruling.The Federal Circuit"s action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the Supreme Court that has narrowed the scope of protections for patent holders. Last April, for example, the justices signaled that too many patents were being upheld for "inventions" that are obvious. The judges on the Federal Circuit are "reacting to the anti-patent trend at the Supreme Court", says Harold C. Wegner, a patent attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School. Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because of ______.
A. their limited value to business
B. their connection with asset allocation
C. the possible restriction on their granting
D. the controversy over authorization