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Each Indian tribe had a different language. Many Indians never learned any languages except their own. Do you know how Indians from different tribes talked to each other? They had two ways to talk without sound. One way was by sign language; another way by signals. Sign language is a way of talking by using signs. Indians used sign language when they met strangers. In this way, they could find out whether the stranger was a friend or an enemy. In Indian sign language, signs were made with the hands. One sign meant "man". Another meant "horse". To tell the time of day when something happened, an Indian pointed to the sky. He showed where the sun had been at the time. Indians usually used signals when they wanted to send messages to someone far away. To make signals, an Indian might use a pony. He might use a blanket. Or he might use smoke, a mirror or fire arrows. To signal that he had seen many animals, an Indian rode his pony in a large circle. Sometimes the Indian gave a signal like this and then went away to hide. This meant that there was danger. The blanket signal was visible from far away. An Indian held the corners of a blanket in his hands. Then he began to swing the blanket from side to side in front of him. An Indian could send many different signals with his blanket. He could also send many signals with a mirror. He usually used the mirror to warn someone of danger. Of course, mirrors could be used only when the sun was shining. At night, Indians used fire arrows for signaling. Now you can see that Indians didn't need to learn each other's language. They could talk to one another by using signals or sign language. Indians didn't need to learn each other's language because _ . A they could use signals or sign language B they never met each other C they could write messages D they thought they could easily make themselves understood Answer: A. they could use signals or sign language Here are six steps to better studying. Pay attention in class Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Tell your teacher or parents about any problem that is preventing you from paying attention. Take good notes Write down facts that your teacher mentions or writes on the board. Try to use good handwriting so you can read your notes later. It's a good idea to keep your notes organized by subject. Plan ahead for tests and projects Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday's test will make it hard to do your best. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn't happen is to plan ahead. Write down your test dates. You can then plan how much to do after school each day, and how much time to spend on each topic. Break it up When there's a lot to study, it can help to break things into several parts. Let's say you have a spelling test on 20 words. Instead of thinking about all of the words at once, try breaking them down into five-word groups and work on one or two different groups each night. Ask for help You can't study effectively if you don't understand the material. Be sure to ask your teacher for help. If you're at home when the confusion occurs, your morn or dad might be able to help. Sleep tight So the test is tomorrow and you've followed your study plan--but suddenly you can't remember anything! Don't panic. Your brain needs time to digest all the information you've given it. Try to get a good night's sleep and you'll be surprised by what comes back to you in the morning. If you don't understand what you have learnt, you can _ . A read your notes over and over again B turn to people around you for help C put aside the material for later review D ask your teacher to explain it the next day Answer: B. turn to people around you for help Chen Jie, 14, from Ningbo, Zhejiang is a lucky girl. She got 3600 yuan as gift money this Spring Festival. However, her grandmother took away all the money and put it in a bank account. Many students experienced the same thing as Chen. They got their gift money, only to immediately have it taken away. Xiong Shengyue, 14, from Nanjing, doesn't agree with the practice. "I think the money should be the children's, " she said. " We should take care of it by ourselves." It is not that simple, said Chu Chaohui, a researcher at national Institute of Education Sciences. Giving gift money is used to show social status and develop relationships, he told Beijing Legal Evening News. Gift money has lost its traditional meaning of good will and has "little to do with the children". What's more, children don't earn the money through work. So he thought that parents should still play a big part in dealing with the money. But Yan Honglan, a mother of a 14-year-old boy in Beijing, has let her son be responsible for his gift money since the age of 8. "I want to develop his financial skills, ' Yan said. She also added:"No matter how you deal with the money, the most important thing is to make the children feel they're respected and trusted. Chen supported Yan's idea. She said that though she knew her grandmother wouldn't waste her gift money, she would feel happier if she could at least know how the money is spent. "It would make me feel a little bit more grown-up," she said. Chu Chaohui thought the gift money should be dealed with by _ A children B grandmother C parents D friends Answer: C. parents About us Summer Camps offer many programs that develop athletic skills, teamwork and healthy habits to kids. We create a safe and noncompetitive environment for learning and making friends. Our counselors are required to complete much training. Directors and head counselors are certified in CPR and First Aid and so on. Full-day Camp (ages 6-13) A typical camp starts with soccer, kickball, basketball or field games. After lunch, the kids do three activities. Depending on location, there are swimming, science and nature, arts and crafts, rope courses. Li'1 Rascals Day Camp (ages 3-5) Preschoolers get all the fun of full-day camp in half the time. Activities include arts and crafts, sports, games and relays. Each week has different themes. All participants must be able to be taught to use a patty . Specialty camps (ages 14-16) These specialty camps build many athletes. Our experienced staff will help your child be excellent in his or her favorite sport. Tennis Basketball Soccer Dance *Cheerleading Fee: $120 Contact Information Call: 068-990-3224; E-mail: summercampsforkids@hotmail.com or Write to: 125 Seventh Avenue South New York, NY 10014 What the parents from last year say about the camps: "All the activities were perfect. My son definitely wants to return next year and I will recommend the camp to others." --Kate "I think this is one of the best camps that my children have attended. The counselors and directors are enthusiastic and friendly. The programs are excellent and it is the only camp that they ask to go back to." --Jack "My children had an excellent time at your camp. I was very impressed by both your friendly, helpful counselors and directors and the excellent way that the entire camp was organized and run. I will consider next year! Many thanks." --Mary What do you know from the passage? A The camps are free for little children. B There are mainly three activities at Full-day Camp. C Specialty camps are only open to young athletes. D The counselors at Summer Camps all have rich experience. Answer: D. The counselors at Summer Camps all have rich experience. My son Paul got a job in a large chain of guitar stores. It was the first time for him to do such a job. The pay was based on a small salary and his sales. They offered him some training on how to get close to a customer, introduce the product and make the sale. However, he wasn't doing well. He was very _ . One morning Paul said to me, "Mum, you used to be a sales trainer. Can you tell me why I'm not doing well?" I said, "The key is that you must love the people you are selling your product to, not count the money you will make in your mind. Do what is best for them even though they are just buying something small or a cheap guitar." He promised he would try it. After some time, his sales began to increase. He became the top salesman in the store and his salary was increased. Within six months, he was one of the top ten salespeople in the whole chains of guitar stores around the country. His company held a big party to honor the top ten salespeople. New cars, great hotels and delicious dinners were the prizes. Paul was of course included. After the dinner, the boss of the company asked, "Paul, how did you make it?" Paul answered, " I don't want to tell you. You won't believe me." "Of course I'll believe you. Tell me." "I started loving the people who came in," Paul told him. The boss replied, "Okay Paul, now tell me how you REALLY make it." From the dialogue between Paul and the boss, we can infer that _ . A Paul hid his secret of success B Paul knew his boss wasn't smart C the boss didn't understand what Paul said D the boss disagreed with what Paul had said Answer: D. the boss disagreed with what Paul had said
Copenhagen is a city full of fairy tales . If you want to _ it, you have to spend a long time and walk slower to enjoy yourself. Copenhagen was the first city to have a street for walkers only. The city has less traffic noise and pollution than any other European capital. Walking along the river banks, you'll see the Amalienborg Palace first. The king's family is living there. Churches and castles show us the original city. Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in 1445. But fires in 1728 and 1795 completely destroyed the old wooden buildings. Much of what we see today dates back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Keep going, and you'll see the Christiansborg Palace. The town of Copenhagen began there. The you'll see Nyhavn ,a waterway, which was dug in 1673. When you see it, you'll understand why Hans Christian Andersen made this beautiful waterway his home. Nyhavn is a peaceful and wonderful place. You'll usually see some rich people walk along here. If you walk there, you can enjoy the old trees, the colorful lights and the beautiful gardens. You might feel as if you were in a fairy tale. Which of the following European capital cities has the least traffic noise and pollution? Sales of crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling have rocketed since its author Robert Galbraith was unmasked as JK Rowling, according to The Bookseller. It said 17,662 hardback copies were sold between 14 and 20 July, up from just 43 copies the previous week, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The Cuckoo's Calling was the week's bestselling hardback novel, despite some booksellers running out of stock. The Harry Potter author was identified in a newspaper article last week. On a website Rowling said 8,500 English language copies had been sold in all forms, including e-books, before her unmasking. The author added that she had received two offers from television production companies. "The situation was becoming increasingly complicated, largely because Robert was doing rather better than we had expected him to," she said. "But we all still hoped to keep the secret a little longer. Robert's success during his first three months as a published writer (discounting sales made after I was found out) actually compares favourably with JK Rowling's success over the similar period of her career." However, the Bookseller reported the hardback had sold fewer than 500 copies in its three-month period on sale before the Sunday Times' expose. The recent sales were not enough to send The Cuckoo's Calling to the top spot in the official UK top 50, instead landing it in third place. The Rowling revelation coincided with the paperback release of The Casual Vacancy -- her first official post-Potter work--which sold 19,548 copies in the same week, making the book number two in the sales chart. Neither title managed to draw John Grisham's The Racketeer from the top of the chart, which shifted 24,222 copies -- a 19% drop on the previous week. Elsewhere on the Robert Galbraith website, Rowling has revealed the reason she chose her pen name. She said she picked Robert because US senator Robert F Kennedy was her "hero" and she had never used the name in one of her earlier books. "I can only hope all the real Robert Galbraiths out there will be as forgiving as the real Harry Potters have been," she wrote. A follow-up to The Cuckoo's Calling has been finished and should be published next year, the author added. What does the passage mainly talk about? Lots of people have hobbies. Some people collect old coins or foreign stamps; some do needlework; others spend most of their spare time on a particular sport. A lot of people enjoy reading. But reading tastes differ widely. Some people only read newspapers or comics, some like reading novels, while others prefer books on astronomy, wildlife, or technological discoveries. If I happen to be interested in horses or precious stones, I cannot expect everyone else to share my enthusiasm. If I watch all the sports programs on TV with great pleasure, I must put up with the fact that other people find sports boring. Is there nothing that interests us all? Is there nothing that concerns everyone--no matter who they are or where they live in the world? Yes, dear Sophie, there are questions that certainly should interest everyone. They are precisely the questions this course is about. What is the most important thing in life? If we ask someone living on the edge of starvation, the answer is food. If we ask someone dying of cold, the answer is warmth. If we put the same question to someone who feels lonely and isolated, the answer will probably be the company of other people. But when these basic needs have been satisfied--will there still be something that everybody needs? Philosophers think so. They believe that man cannot live by bread alone. Of course everyone needs food. And everyone needs love and care. But there is something else--apart from that--which everyone needs, and that is to figure out who we are and why we are here. Being interested in why we are here is not a "casual" interest like collecting stamps. People who ask such questions are taking part in a debate that has gone on as long as man has lived on this planet. How the universe, the earth, and life came into being is a bigger and more important question than who won the most gold medals in the last Olympics. This text is most probably taken from _ . Which explains the pattern of day and night? Former South African President Nelson Mandela who was treated for a recurring lung infection, dies on Dec. 5th, 2013, at the age of 95. People around the world are mourning the loss of the country's first black president. He was often called humble, charming, loyal person and a man who cared about others. "He seemed to have that special charismatic personality," said Herman Cohen, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Africa from 1989 to 1993. "He became the symbol in the fight against _ ." Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. As a young man he became active in the anti-apartheid movement and joined the African National Congress, or ANC, in the 1940s. The white-led government banned the ANC in 1960, but the group continued to operate secretly. Mandela became head of the group's new military wing, coordinating a sabotage campaign against South African military and government targets. In 1962, he was arrested and put on trial for his actions and sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. He spent 18 years there, refusing a government offer to release him if he would renounce the ANC's armed struggle. But he was freed in 1990 after South African President Frederik de Klerk legalized all political parties and discharged most political prisoners. Shortly after his release, Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress. And in 1994, when the ANC won South Africa's first all-race elections, he was inaugurated as the county's first black president at age 75. "Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another," he said. President Mandela said he would stay for only one five-year term. Cohen says Mandela earned international respect for South Africa's national reconciliation. "Mandela devoted himself mainly to rallying the Africans to this new era to work on economic development, having good education, also he was very much of a spokesman on the international scene." he said. In 1993, Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his once bitter enemy F.W. de Klerk for their contribution to the peace process in South Africa. After receiving the award, Mandela praised the South African people. "All have created a society which recognizes that all people are born equal," he said. In a country torn apart by years of racial conflict, Nelson Mandela is considered a remarkable leader -- a man who turned South Africa away from violence and hatred into a country of greater peace and understanding. How long was Nelson Mandela sent to prison?
Some people love going to museums,while others absolutely hate it and would rather stay at home,enjoying their favorite TV shows.Increasingly,museums are being seen as outdated and boring by today's youngsters. I have just returned to the UK after travelling around the USA.While there,I visited lots of museums I must say,museums are typically educational, either to develop knowledge gained at school in particular subjects,or to enhance knowledge of other cultures In Chicago,we visited the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago.It was filled with paintings,drawings and sculptures by a huge variety of artists,such as Picasso,Monet,Matisse and Dali.There was a mixture of traditional and modern art,including colorful stained glass windows and abstract art. When we were in Washington D.C.,we visited a few of the Smithsonian museums. These are all free to visit-which is great if you just want to see a few things,and not spend all day inside.The Air and Space Museum was particularly good:it had lots of aircrafts and rockets on display,interesting information and also some interactive parts.We also went to the National U. S. Holocaust )Memorial Museum. Naturally,it was sad to read about the horrors of this tragedy which affected so many people in World War II .However,it was also incredibly interesting to read the stories of those who survived the Holocaust,as well as those who helped others. Last but not least,I also found the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to be of great interest. This museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives,as well as their families,when the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists in 2001 .It tells you how the terrorists planned the attack,how they hijacked the planes,and ultimately what happened as a result of their actions.Surviving pieces of the towers are shown in the museum,alongside damaged fire engines. It was a truly thought-provoking visit,which made me value my own life that little bit more. I think museums play an important role in preserving artifacts of historical importance for future generations.Whatever your interests,there is likely to be a museum for you. You can visit waxwork museums to see models of your favorite celebrities(and get photos with the Queen!),science museums for a more hands-on,interactive visit and so much more!Best of all,if you're ever in the UK,many of them are free! Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. There are a lot of interactive parts in waxwork museums. B. Art Institute of Chicago has a mixture of traditional and modern art. C. You'd better read the stories before visiting the holocaust Memorial Museum. D. The Air and Space Museum shows the attack 01 the twin towers by terrorists. Answer: B. Art Institute of Chicago has a mixture of traditional and modern art. There are many famous museums throughout the world where people can enjoy art. Washington, D.C. has the National Gallery of Art; Paris has the Luvre; London, the British Museum. Florida International University (FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see. And it does so without building, or even a wall for its drawing and paintings. FIU has opened what it says is the first computer art museum in the United States. You don't have to visit the University to see the art. You just need a computer linked to a telephone. You can call the telephone number of a university computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings. Robert Shostak is direction of the new computer museum. He says he starts the museum because computer artists had no place to show their works. A computer artist can only record his pictures electronically and send the records to others to see on their computers. He can also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist needs an expensive laser printer . Robert Shostak says the electronic museum is mostly for art or computer students at school and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostake said the FIU museum will take computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge _ for the electronic museum. To see the art in FIU museum, you need _ . A. floppy discs B. a computer and a printer C. pictures and drawings on paper D. a computer connect to the museum by telephone line Answer: D. a computer connect to the museum by telephone line Mr. Brown is a teacher. He is from New York, America. He would like to work in China because he likes our country. He thinks Chinese people are very friendly and he likes to live in China. He is happy to work in our school. He likes the school life here. He teaches English. There are 50 students in his class. Mr. Brown is kind. He and his students are good friends, too. Now some of Mr. Brown's students play sports on the playground . Bill and Mike play tennis. Tom and John play ping-pong. The other students play basketball. Mr. Brown is happy to play basketball with them. They have a good time. ,,. What does Mike do on the playground now? A. He has a class. B. He plays basketball. C. He plays tennis with Bill. D. He plays games with Mr. Brown. Answer: C. He plays tennis with Bill. You either have it , or you don't -a sense of direction ,that is .But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map ,while others can lose themselves in the next street? Scientists say we're all born with a sense of direction ,but it is not property understood how it works .One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out atprefix = st1 /LiverpoolUniversitysupports this idea and suggests that if we don't use it. we lose it . "Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around." says Jim Martland .Research Director of the project . "However if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car ,they never develop the skills" Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction .He makes the following suggestions. If you are using a map ,turn it so it relates to the way you are facing. If you leave your bike in a strange place ,put it near something like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike .When you return ,go back along the same route *Simplify the way of finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town,streams ,or walls in the countryside to guide you .Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are. Now you need never get lost again! According to the passage the best way to find your way around is to . A. ask policemen for directions B. use walls . streams , and streets to guide yourself . C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs . D. count the number of landmarks that you see . Answer: B. use walls . streams , and streets to guide yourself . I had about 10 minutes to exercise before I had to pick up my two older daughters from school yesterday. It was a busier day than usual for me with a couple of meetings besides my regular work. Years ago, I would have put off my workout and would have left things for the next day. But since it was a busy day as well, I knew that I may not have all that much time either. So, I picked up my kettle-bell and _ for 4 minutes. See, 4 minutes, if that's all you've got, is enough to give your body a great fat-burning exercise. How did I get a killer workout in 4 minutes? I used a training workout discovered 10 years ago by a Japanese Sports Scientist called a TABATA. It includes 20-second periods of warm-up, followed by 10-second periods of rest and 4-minute straight exercise. How is a 4-minute exercise able to burn fat? It all depends on the quality of work you do. Not on the quantity. Here's how I did it yesterday. You should never forget your warm-up. A TABATA workout is 20 seconds of 2-arm Kettle-bell swings, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds push-ups, and 10 seconds rest. You should do those 4 rounds. That's it. I was done in a total time of 8 minutes by the time and when I got to school my heart was still pumping pretty hard. A healthy body is needed for studying and working, and efficiency is the key to building a great body in the least amount of time possible and you can't get more efficient than a 4-minute workout. What is the most important thing in taking exercise according to the author? A. The goal B. the quality C. The quantity D. The method Answer: B. the quality
Question: If you are lost in the mountains, stay calm in the face of darkness, loneliness, and the unknown. It will greatly increase your chances of survival. Many people think that preparing necessary equipment and knowing how to use it are very important, but in fact eighty percent of mountain survival is your reaction to fear. Finding a hiding place Unnecessary labor will make you sweat and make you cold. Find a hiding place around you before trying to start your own construction. If you are in a snow-covered area, you may be able to dig a cave in deep snow for protection from the wind. You should try to hide yourself in the middle of the mountain if possible. Stay out of the valleys--- cold air falls, and the valley floor can be the coldest area on the mountain. Signal rescuers for help The best time to signal rescuers is during the day. Signal for help from the highest point possible--- it will be easier for rescuers to see you, and any sound you make will travel farther. If you take a box of matches and a space blanket ( a special blanket for traveling ), build three smoky fires and put your blanket ---gold side facing out --- on the ground. Do not walk away It will make finding you more difficult , as search teams will be trying to follow your path and may miss you if you have gone off in a different direction. Searchers often end up finding a car with no one in it. If you get frostbitten , do not rewarm the affected area until you are out of danger. You can walk on frostbitten feet, but once you warm the area and can feel the pain, you will not want to walk anywhere. Try to protect the frostbitten area and keep it dry until you are rescued. According to the passage, people most probably fail to survive if they _ A. do not take enough equipment B. stay in the middle of the mountain C. do not keep themselves warm D. stay in a snow-covered area Answer: C Question: Many people think walking is a good way to exercise and many fat people are advised to lose weight by walking. In fact, you can do it everywhere. Here's how to prepare for walking: ^Find a pair of shoes. It is easy to find a pair of shoes, but what matters most is comfort. ^Check your shape. The following tips will help you stay comfortable and get the most out of your walk: * Stand up straight. Imagine a string pulling you up from the center of the top of your head. Let that string pull you up as straight as possible. Relax your shoulders. * Look ahead. Keep your neck straight and your head held high to avoid unnecessary strain to your neck and shoulders. If you have to look down to see where you're going, lower your eyes, not your head. * Move your arms. Bend your elbows and let your arms swing naturally at your sides. You'll burn up to 15 percent more calories by keeping your arms moving. ^Stay safe walking is one of the safest activities you can do. Still, it's wise to take a few precautions . * If you're walking at night, wear a piece of reflective clothing. * When the weather's warm, be sure to drink a tall glass of water before you set out and another when you return. * If your path is rough, protect your ankles. Wear a comfortable elastic bandage for support, and keep your eyes focused on the path. _ is the most important when choosing a pair of shoes for walking. A. The price B. The brand C. Comfort D. The size Answer: C Question: One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worth. We naturally expect that a doctor's salary will be higher than a bus conductor's wages. But the question becomes much more difficult to answer when we compare a miner with an engineer, or an unskilled man working on an oil-rig with a teacher in a secondary school. What the doctor, the engineer and the teacher have in common is that they have devoted several years to studying in order to obtain the necessary qualifications for their professions. We feel instinctively that these skills and these years should be rewarded. At the same time we recognize that the work of the miner and the oil-rig laborer is both hard and dangerous, and that they must be highly paid for the risks they take. Another aspect we must take into consideration is how socially useful a man's work is. Most people would agree that looking after the sick or teaching children is more important than, say, selling second-hand cars. Yet it is almost certain that the used-car salesman earns more than the nurse and the schoolteacher. Indeed, this whole question of just rewards can be turned on its head. You can argue that a man who does a job which brings him personal satisfaction is already receiving part of his reward in the form of a so-called "psychic wage", and that it is the man with the boring, repetitive job who needs more money to make up for the soul-destroying repetitiveness of his work. It is significant that the jobs like nursing and teaching continue to be poorly paid, while others, such as those in the world of sport or entertainment, carry financial rewards out of all proportion to their social worth. Although the amount of money that people earn is largely determined by market forces, this should not prevent us from seeking some way to decide what is the right pay for the job. A starting point would be to try to decide the ratio which ought to exist between the highest and the lowest paid. The picture is made more complicated by two factors: firstly by the welfare benefits which every citizen receives, and secondly by the taxation system which is often used as an instrument of social justice by taxing high incomes at a very high rate indeed. Most countries now regard a ratio of 7:1 as socially acceptable. If it is less, the highly-qualified people carrying heavy responsibilities will become disappointed, and might even end up by leaving for another country. If it is more, the difference between rich and poor will be so great that it will lead to social unrest. Why do people naturally expect that doctors should be well-paid? A. Their work requires greater intelligence. B. They are under constant pressure at work. C. They work harder than most other people. D. They have studied for years to get qualified. Answer: D Question: It's time to be water efficient! As populations increase across Australia and the rest of the world, demand for water will also increase. If we don't reduce each individual's demand for water (both directly and through embodied water) the water situation will become dire. It is obvious that we cannot increase demands for water much more without detrimental effects to the environment, society and the economy. It's all too easy to blame someone else for the water situation -"if 70% of water is used for agriculture then that's what we should target" - but it's not that easy. We all depend on the food and resources that agriculture provides, and while there are definitely opportunities to increase water efficiency on the farm, the solution will take more than that. We each share responsibility for the sustainable management of our water resources, which means using less water at home, in the workplace, at school, on holidays, on the farm, ... everyone, everywhere, every time. It's time to become water efficient! This involves reassessing our relationship with water, and learning to use it more sparingly. On the most basic level, it requires a behavioural change, and assigning a value to water that truly reflects its worth. We can also unlock economic benefits of being water efficient. There are many real world examples given in the case studies on this site. Everybody has a responsibility to save water, if future generations are to enjoy a similar standard of living to the one we enjoy now. In fact, many of the impacts associated with water use are likely to have an effect on our own lives! www.savewater.com.au has been designed to help you respond to the challenge to become water efficient. It acts as a central repository for relevant information and further advice, so that you can actually achieve significant savings. It also showcases those companies with products that will assist you in your goal. What can we do to save water? A. find more water resources B. use less water everywhere, every time C. realize the importance of saving water D. unlock economic benefits of being water efficient Answer: B Question: James shook his money box again. Nothing! He carefully counted the coins that lay on the bed. $24. 17 was all that he had. The bicycle he wanted was at least $90! How was he going to get the end of the money? He knew that his friends all had bicycles. It was hard to hang around with people when you were the only one without wheels. He thought about what he could do. It was no use asking his parents, for he knew they had no money to save. There was only one way to get money, and that was to earn it. He would have to find a job. But who would hire him and what could he do? He decided to ask Mr. Clay for advice, who usually had opinions on most things. "Well, you can start right here," said Mr. Clay. "My windows need cleaning and my car needs washing. " That was the beginning of James' part-time job. For three months he worked every day after finishing his homework. He was amazed by the different kinds of jobs that people found for him to do. He took dogs and babies for walks, cleared out cupboards, and mended books. He lost count of the number of cars he washed and windows he cleaned, but the money increased and he knew that he would soon have enough for the bicycle he was eager to have. The day finally came when James counted his money and found $94. 32. He wasted no time and went down to the shop to pick up the bicycle he wanted. He rode proudly home, looking forward to showing his new bicycle to his friends. It had been hard working for the money, but James knew that he valued his bicycle far more since he had bought it with his own money. James valued his bicycle very much because _ . A. it was very expensive B. it was bought with his own money C. he was too poor to have one D. his friends all had bicycles. Answer: B
Janet walked past the barn, the big tree, and through the back yard to reach the chicken pen. Janet gathered the eggs from the chicken pen, so that her father could make scrambled eggs for breakfast. He would need at least 5 eggs for the meal, two for Janet and three for himself. Janet could only find four eggs in the chicken pen. She looked under every chicken, and in every nest, but could not find another egg. She placed the four eggs in her basket, and began to walk toward the house, when she heard a quacking sound. She went toward the sound and found a nest near the pond, with large brown eggs inside. "Quack" said a nearby duck, as Janet took an egg from the nest. Now she had enough for breakfast. What dish was Janet's father making for breakfast? Scrambled eggs Creativity is the key to a brighter future, say education and business experts. Here is how schools and parents can encourage this important skill in children. If Dick Drew had listened to his boss in 1925, we might not have an important product: a new type of tape. Drew worked for the Minnesota Mining Company. At work he developed a kind of material strong enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Finally, using his own time, Drew improved the tape, which now is used everywhere by many people. And his old company learned from its mistake. Now it encourages people to spend 15 percent of their work time just thinking and developing new ideas. Creativity is not something one is just born with, nor is it necessarily a character of high intelligence . Just because a person is highly intelligent does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of using the resources one has to produce new ideas that are good for something. Unluckily, schools have not tried to encourage creativity. With strong attention to test results and the development of reading, writing and mathematical skills, many educators give up creativity for correct answers. The result is that children can give back information but can't recognize ways to use it in new situations. They may know the rules correctly, but they are unable to use them to work out practical problems. It is important to give children choices. From the earliest age, children should be allowed to make decisions and understand their results. Even if it's choosing between two kinds of food for lunch, decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should let their children decide how to use their time or spend their money, but not help them too much if they make the wrong decision. The child may have a hard time, but that is all right. This is because the most important character of creative people is a very strong desire to find a way out of trouble. What did the company where Dick Drew work learn from its mistake? They encouraged people to spend some of their work time thinking and improving new ideas. In the last eight years, a lot of bees have disappeared. Scientists have been studying why those bees have been leaving their hives and not returning. They believe that their living environment may be changing. Now, the US government is stepping in to help fight this problem. President Barack Obama has asked for $50 million(310 million yuan ) in his 2015 budget to fight this problem, and has announced the start of the Pollinator Health Task Force. This group will work on keeping the US bee population healthy and strong, and will show people what they can do to help bees. Even though many people may not like bees, they are an important part of how we grow food. As pollinators , they move from one plant to another. Through pollination, plants can grow seeds and fruit. It's said that at least 90 kinds of plants including nuts, fruits and vegetables depend on bees for pollination. The new Pollinator Health Task Force will work hard to protect bees, and build new hives for pollinators. It also plans to start a public education activity to make more people know the importance of pollinators, and actions that can be taken to protect them. The group will reach out to schools, libraries, museums and so on. Obama said that helping save the bee population will avoid other losses for the agricultural sector , and will help protect the health of the environment. To fight this problem, the Pollinator Health Task Force will do the following EXCEPT _ . make the agricultural sector pay more attention to this problem Years ago, as we know, zoos kept animals in cages. Cages made it easy for visitors to see the animals, but a small cage is not a good place for an animal to live in. Today animals live in open areas. There are usually plants and a little lake around, like the animals' habitats. Visitors usually stay in the bus to see the animals outside. Zoos help to protect all kinds of animals. They protect animals in the zoo as well as animals in the wild. How do they do this? Zoos tell people how animals live in the wild and how to help protect their environment. The number of many kinds of plants and animals is becoming smaller and smaller. Mammoths, which are related with Asia elephants, are now extinct(.Scientists say that 74 different kinds of living things are disappearing a day! Zoos are working together to help animals-our friends. An animal or a plant that is going extinct _ . has fewer and fewer living member We chat with our colleagues all the time when we have lunch, gossip in the tearoom, or leave work together. Sharing your personal life brings you closer to your coworkers and builds trust within your team. But revealing too much about yourself to colleagues, managers or human resources staff can cause difficulties and even endanger your work. It's important to keep the right balance between getting along with colleagues and maintaining your privacy. "Communication in the office is tricky and complicated. You can neither spread chatter, nor be too silent and shut yourself off from others," said Yang Yudan, deputy HR director at P&G. According to her, there are several safe topics to talk about with colleagues during the break, such as the weather or movies. Women like to talk about makeup and clothing, while men are fond of sports and online games. But discussing your private life, such as relationship, habits or health conditions, is a potential minefield. Liang Kun, 26, had to resign from his job at a trading company in Guangzhou last week after discussing his income with colleagues during a lunch break. "I didn't realize it was such a serious issue until a senior member of staff went to find the boss, asking why I got a higher salary than her," said Liang. "Then our HR told me that according to the employee handbook it is forbidden to talk about salary in the office." HR expert Yang also reminds us that paychecks are your own business. It is unwise to share this information with others, no matter how close you are. To summarize, Yang advises office workers to be more aware of the image they project when talking to colleagues, "When you share your personal life, it will be recorded on your invisible resume and may slow down your career progressing." What can be inferred from the fact that Liang Kun had to resign his job according to the text? He broke the rules made by the company.
Flowers only bloom when they are planted in the right soil. That is also true for me. I first moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts, as a single mother with my baby daughter, Darcy. I was drawn to its New England beauty, friendly people and rich history. It happened that there were a lot of forsythia bushes around the house in which I lived just like my childhood home. I joined St. Mark's Episcopal Church where I taught the Sunday school. At church, I met my second husband, Dean. For more than 25 years, I bloomed in Foxboro, and I had another two children. Then, when Darcy was a few years out of college, she moved to Alameda, California, to be near friends. I missed her badly. A year later my beloved husband Dean had deadly cancer. He only made it eight months. My heart was broken. Later I moved to Alameda with my children. It was a beautiful Victorian island, and I was grateful to spend more time with Darcy. I even attended a church and made a few friends there. Still, I couldn't help but miss Foxboro. It had everything and everyone I loved. One spring day, when I was walking by a school, something yellow caught my eyes. Forsythia bushes! They made me homesick and I kept back my tears. "I miss you, Foxboro," I whispered. Then I went into a shop and looked at some ceramic pots lined up on a shelf. A large white one seemed to catch my attention. "That'll be perfect in my living room," I thought. I turned it over to look at the price. Instead I found these words: "New England Pottery, Foxboro, Massachusetts." A piece of artwork, from my second hometown, was right here. It was able to spread across the country and so were forsythia bushes. I took it as a sign that I can bloom, right where I am. Why does the author compare herself to flowers? Answer: Because she can live in any place that is right like flowers. Rehan was never serious about his studies. He always wanted to play with his friends and had a bad image in his teachers' eyes. After the first term exams, it was time for result. Rehan was upset. That day, in the first class Sir Mushtaq said, "Tomorrow there will be a parent teacher meeting and you will get your result." Hearing this Rehan was worried. He went home as usual, but didn't tell his mother about the parent teacher meeting. The next day when his teacher asked him about his parents, he said, "My parents are out of town, so please give my result to me." When Rehan went back home, he told his mother that he had got 95. his mother was glad and said, "Well done, my son! Show me your report card." Now, Rehan was really worried but he said, "Mom, actually this time we haven't got any report card and our teacher only told the result orally." A result without a report card? Rehan's mother asked, but didn't ask any more questions. She also promised to buy a new bicycle for Rehan as his reward. One day Rehan came back from school, threw the bag on the floor and rushed towards his room. When his mother saw the dirty bag on the floor, she decided to clean it for him. As she opened it, she found the report card about which Rehan had lied. Rehan's mother quickly went to Rehan's room and showed him the report card. Tears started to fall down from Rehan's eyes. For many days Rehan's mother didn't talk to him. At last Rehan said sorry to his mother for cheating. He promised to get first position in his class next time. Rehan proved himself. He worked very hard and at last he got first position in the final term. How did Rehan's mom learn the truth? Answer: She found the report card in Rehan's schoolbag. Dou Kou, a Chinese boy, is called "the youngest writer in the world". He has written three books till now. Dou Kou was born in Jiangsu in 1994. When he was 7 months old, his parents started working in over 30 different cities, such as Xi'an and Shenzhen. This kind of life gave him things to think and write about. When he was 9 months old, he could speak and at the age of one, he could say five to six hundred words. At three, he could look up words in the dictionary. At four, his father taught him how to learn by himself. His parents like reading very much. So does he . At the age of 5, he began writing fairy tales. At the age of 6, he wrote a novel about his life in different cities with his parents. His fairy tales are all from his life. One day, he found many mice in the house. They not only ate their food but also hurt his mother's hand. So he thought, "If we give mice the stomach of cows, _ will eat grass and they will be helpful to people." This was his first fairy tale Change stomach for Mice. Now he studies well in a middle school. He has written his third book, the novel called Eyes of Children. He says, "I am not different from other children. I just wrote several books." Thanks to his _ , Dou Kou could write his books. Answer: life in different cities It's time to do something for your father - the man who for many people has been an encouragement and support since birth. The third Sunday of June is Father's Day. The holiday honors not only fathers, but also all men who act as father figures, such as stepfathers, uncles and grandfathers. The idea of Father's Day came from the love and appreciation of American lady called Sonore Smart Dodd in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. He raised six children by himself on a countryside farm in Washington State after his wife died during the birth of their sixth child. When Dodd became an adult, she realized the selflessness her father has shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father who did all for his children. In the eyes of his daughter, William Smart was a courageous, selfless and loving man. Dodd's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Washington on June 19th, 1910. In 1924, US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared the third Sunday of June as Father's day. So this is a perfect chance to let your father know what he means to you. To show your love and respect, you need not buy an expensive gift. You can send him a home - made card; You can call him every day; Even you can give him a sweet smile when he comes back from work. All these little things are easy for us to do, but they can show your care and love to your father. Which of the following was NOT used to describe the character of Dodd's father? Answer: Humorous. Today's word, pan, takes us back to the days of the gold rush in California. On January 24th, 1848, a man named James Wilson Marshall discovered gold in California. The news spread quickly. Thousands rushed west. They traveled on foot, on horseback and by boat to reach the gold fields. By 1849, the great gold rush was on. Towns and cities grew overnight. Throughout California --- in the mountains, along the streams and rivers --- thousands of people searched for gold. Some found areas of mountain rock thick with gold. These men got rich. But such areas were few and quickly claimed by the first men to find them. Others searched for gold in the rivers coming down the mountains. They were after pieces of gold that the rains had washed down from above . The only way to find this gold was by panning. First a gold miner put dirt in a metal pan and added water. Then he shook the pan so that the water would wash the dirt. Slowly, he poured the water out of the pan. If he was a lucky miner, pieces of gold would remain. Across the nation, newspapers carried stories of the gold being found. Each one hoped that the place he claimed panned out well --- had some gold. For many, gold mining did not pan out. For a few, it panned out well. But in time, huge machines were built that could wash many tons of dirt at a time. Panning died out. The word, however, remained in the language. Today, Americans still say, " It panned out well ," when something they have done pleases them. A business, a discovery, a simple event pans out well if it is successful. Unhappily, sometimes things do not pan out. In recent years, the word pan has taken on another meaning. Today, it also means to criticize. How it got this meaning is hard to discover. But the job of a critic is to sometimes pan the work of a writer, artist or singer. What is the purpose of this passage? Answer: To introduce the word "pan" in American English.
Question: Most people think that the capital of the movie world is Hollyhood, in the United States. However, the real movie capital is Mumbai, in India. Mumbai used to be known as Bombay, and so the film industry there is called "Bollywood." Bollywood makes twice as many movies each year as Hollyhood--more than 800 films a year. The movies from Bollywood are very different from Hollywood movies. For one thing, Bollywood movies are much longer than most Hollywood movies. Most Bollywood movies are more than three hours long, and contain singing, dancing, action, adventure, mystery, and romance (but usually no kissing). Because Bollywood films contain so many different features, this style of film is sometimes called a "masala" film. ("Masala" is an Indian word for a mixture of spices.) Another big difference between Bollywood and Hollywood movies is the way movies are made. It takes much longer to make a movie in Hollywood than in Bollywood. In fact, filming may begin on a Bollywood movie before the script even finished. The director and writers can make up the story while the film is being made. Sometimes they will even write the script by hand instead of taking time to type it. Bollywood actors are very popular and some are in such high demand that they may work on several movies at the same time. They may even shoot scenes for several films on the same day using the same costumes and scenery. Since most Bollywood movies follow the same kind of story, shooting scenes for several films at the same time is not a big problem for actors or directors. This also helps keep the cost of Bollywood movies lower than the cost of Hollywood movies. The average Bollywood film, with a budget of only two million U.S. dollars, seems very cheap compared to the average budget of sixty million U.S. dollars for a Hollywood film--thirty times as much! Which of these statements would the writer probably agree with? A. Most Bollywood movies are very similar. B. It takes a lot of money to make a good movie. C. Only Indian people can understand Bollywood movies. D. Hollywood movies are too violent. Answer: A Question: Everyone may all have the experience of feeling anxious and stressed when having a rough day or having some troubles. Different people may choose different ways to deal with it, and for most people a break for a 10-minute walk may be quite useful.www.zxxk.com Anyway, here is another way around: to get a piece of chewing gum, and chew it. According to a Swinburne University of Technology study, gum-chewing has been found to "relieve anxiety, improve alertness and reduce stress among individuals in a laboratory setting." Some may argue that a laboratory is not the same as an office. But check out the conditions of the study: individuals were monitored while performing "a group of 'multi-tasking' activities." Doesn't it sound like the situation in the office?www.zxxk.com Here's a summary of some of the study's findings: Gum chewers showed a reduction in anxiety as compared to non-gum chewers by nearly 17 percent during mild stress and nearly 10 percent in appropriate stress. Gum chewers showed improvement in alertness over non-gum chewers by nearly 19 percent during mild stress and 8 percent in moderate stress. Improved Performance: Chewing gum resulted in a big improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities. Although these aren't major improvements, every little bit works and chewing a piece of gum is a lot quicker and easier than slipping outside for a 10-minute walk. So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol --a steroid hormone that is released in response to stress in your system. A few words of advice before you reach for the gum: don't crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I'd say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you. From the study in the text we know that _ . A. gum chewers may lack alertness B. gum chewers tend to be less stressed C. gum chewers can finish many jobs perfectly D. gum chewers can reduce their anxiety and anger easily Answer: B Question: Hi, Peter. Thank you for your telephone call. I'm happy to tell you that we have a double room for you now. It's on the fifth floor. It faces the West Lake, so you can see it well. The price for each room is $150 per night. Every morning from 7:00 to 9:30, there is a free breakfast, but you have to pay if you have lunch and supper in the hotel. Remember to bring your ID card with you. If you have any more questions, please let us know and we will be pleased to help you. We _ you to come to the hotel on August 16. We hope you will enjoy your stay with us. Thanks again for choosing our hotel. Peter wants to stay for 2 nights. How much does peter have to pay? A. $ 150 B. $200 C. $300 D. $250 Answer: C Question: TODAY, Friday, November 12 JAZZ with the Mike Thomas Jazz Band at The Derby Arms. Upper Richmond Road West, Sheen. DISCO Satin Sounds Disco. Free at The Lord Napier, Mort lake High St., from 8a. m. to 8p. m. Tel: 682--1158. SATURDAY, November 13 JAZZ Lysis at The Bull's Head, Barnes. Admission 60p. MUSICAL HALL at The Star and Garter, Lower Richmond Road, Putney, provided by the Aba Daba Music Hall company. Good food and entertainment fair price. Tel: 789--6749. FAMILY night out? Join the sing-along at The Black Horse. Sheen Road, Richmond. JAZZ The John Bennett Big Band at The Bull's Head, Barnes. Admission 80p. THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion . Tel: 789--4536 SUNDAY, November 14 DISCO Satin Sounds Disco, free at The Lord Napier, Mort Lake High Street, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. FOLK MUSIC at The Derby Arms. The Short Stuff and residents the Norman Chop Trio. Non-remembers 70p. Tel: 688--4626. HEAVY MUSIC with Tony Simon at The Bull, Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen. THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion. You want to spend the same day at two different places and don't want to cross any street. Which of the following is your best choice? A. The sing-along at the Black Horse and Jazz at The Bull's Head. B. The sing-along at The Black Horse and Folk Music at The Derby Arms. C. Folk Music at The Derby Arms and Heavy Music with Tony Simon at The Bull. D. Musical Hal lat The Star &Garter and Disco at The Lord Napier. Answer: C Question: My name is Peter and I'm 12 years old. I don't have a brother or a sister. I am in No.2 Middle School. My parents are Gray and Nancy Wilson. My father is a worker and my mother is a music teacher. My father's parents are David and Jacy Wilson. They don't live with us. They live in the nearby city . David is 63 and Jacy is 61. They come to see us once a month . My mother's parents are Henry and Sara Smith. Henry is 62 and Sara is 58. They are farmers. They have a farm. They grow vegetables and rice . I like to go to see my grandparents. How many children do Gary and Nancy Wilson have? A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four. Answer: A
The history of the Games Olympia Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it. The ancient stadium in Olympia could hold more than 40,000 audience, while in the surrounding area there were auxiliary buildings which developed gradually up until the 4th century B.C. and were used as training sites for the athletes or to house the judges of the Games. The Games and religion The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not a total part of a rite. Indeed, they had a secular character and aimed to show the physical qualities and development of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion. Victory ceremonies The Olympic victor received his first awards immediately after the competition. Following the announcement of the winner's name by the herald, a Hellanodikis (Greek judge) would place a palm branch in his hands, while the audience cheered and threw flowers to him. Red ribbons were tied on his head and hands as a mark of victory. The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, the Hellanodikis placed the sacred olive tree wreath , or kotinos, on the winner's head. Can you guess the meaning of this word "herald" in the passage? A. the author B. the headmaster C. the announcer D. the manager Answer: C As computers become more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly relying on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more. Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more wide-spread among university students. Almost all their assignments and essays are typed on a computer. All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer. It's faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that's why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are _ computers increasingly, problems appear. "When I'm writing with a pen, I find I often can't remember how to write a character, though I feel I'm familiar with it." "I'm not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper." Many students don't feel this is something to worry about. Now that it's more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite? Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, "Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer's emotion. Through one's handwriting, people can get to know one's thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them." To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage? A. The Importance of Handwriting and Typing B. To Type or To Hand Write C. Writing By Computer Will Replace Writing By Hand D. Practical and Aesthetic Value of Chinese Characters Answer: B After an extra day in space,the crew of Discovery returned to Earth,landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California early on Tuesday morning.The shuttle and its crew spent two weeks in space,most of it aboard the International Space Station.It was the first flight of NASA's spaceshuttle fleet since February 2003,when the shuttle Columbia came apart while reentering Earth's atmosphere. NASA officials delayed Discovery's return for one day because of cloudy weather in Florida,where the shuttle was supposed to lanD. On Tuesday morning,mission controllers directed Discovery to a landing site in California,where the skies were clear.The crew members will have to wait until Wednesday to see their families when they all meet together in Houston at the Johnson Space Center. Discovery had a very busy mission in space,compared to past missions.The space shuttle docked with the International Space Station most of the journey,delivering badly needed supplies and repairing damaged parts.The crew spent a lot of time testing new repair techniques on their own shuttle,conducting three different spacewalks(where astronauts exit the space shuttle to do work outside).On the third spacewalk,astronaut Steve Robinson went underneath the shuttle to remove material sticking out from between the spacecraft's protective tiles. There were concerns in the last remaining days of Discovery's mission that a torn heat blanket--another shield against overheating in the space shuttle--may pose a problem to crew members. NASA officials and technicians worked on ways that the crew could fix the problem, but later decided it was not a risk. With the shuttle and its crew safely back on firm ground, NASA is hailing this mission, labeled STS114,as a huge success. "I hope this shows people that we're coming back," NASA spaceflight chief Bill Readdy said after Discovery's successful landing. "We've got some more work to do. We know what we need to do and we'll do it. But for the cloudy weather, the shuttle Discovery would have landed _ . A. in Florida a day earlier B. in Florida a day later C. in California a day earlier D. in California a day later Answer: A Most of the stories are written by young,unpublished writers.And the audience undoubtedly will relate perfectly to the tales told in the book.The editors have organized this collection into nine categories :Relationships,Friendship,The Power of Love,Family,Lessons,Difficult Stuff,Overcoming Obstacles ,SelfDiscovery,and Growing Up.You'll be comforted to know that you're never as alone as you think. This book is written to help teens to deal with the problems that they face every day,from first love to heartache,from best friends to enemies.This book will help guide you through the difficult times and add happiness to the great times.The best part of this book is that there is something for everyone in it.The variety in this book is great.From the cartoons to the poems,you will never get bored of reading it. What's the main topic of Chicken Soup? A. Joys and sorrows of life . B. Growing pains and gains. C. Ways to live healthily. D. Ways to solve problems. Answer: B When Russell Lyons volunteered for the first time, he read Goodnight Moon to a class of San Diego preschoolers. And it wasn't reading-he'd memorized the book and was reciting it out loud. He was 4. Still, he said it felt good up there, in front of the other kids, lending a hand. He wanted more of that feeling. Thirteen years later, he's getting a lot of it. He's on a five-month road trip across America-not sightseeing, but volunteering. The University City resident has spent time at an animal reserve in Utah, a women's shelter in St. Louis, a soup kitchen in New York, a retirement home in Tucson. This week he's in Los Angeles, at a program that supports disabled youth. "I just like helping people and feeling that something I do is making a difference," he said. He resists the idea that his "Do Good Adventure" is all that unusual. It bothers him that the media often describes young people as lazy, self-centered and materialistic. So he sees his trip as a chance to make a statement, too. "About 55 percent of teens do volunteer work, higher than the rate of adults," he said, according to a 2002 study. "Not everybody knows that." Of course, some teens do volunteer work because it looks impressive on their college applications. Lyons said he mentioned his trip on his submissions. But charity work is a habit with him. Even before the cross country trip, he was volunteering abut 200 hours a year at various places. He's made sandwiches for homeless families in Washington D.C.. He's taught math to fifth-graders in Cuernavaca, Mexico. He gets some of that drive from his mother, Leslye Lyons, who has been involved in nonprofits for much of her life. She was there when her son "read" to the preschoolers-a memory of hers "that will never go away." Russell Lyons has been doing volunteer work because _ . A. it is necessary for college applications B. he ought to keep his promise to Momit C. he likes the feeling of being praised D. has become a natural part of his life Answer: D
To develop one's taste in English,the most effective way is to read English books extensively. However, one may be at a loss to choose the appropriate books,especially as a beginner.I would like to share some of my experience. My first English novel was Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice,recommended by many English teachers and professors as an ideal book for English learners. But I had great difficulty in understanding the novel,let alone enjoying it. It's not the vocabulary that troubled me,but rather the way Austen constructs sentences,and her way of thinking,which seemed too remote to me at that time. My fading enthusiasm was much recovered after reading Hemingway's novel Farewell to Arms. I particularly liked his brief and lively style. So my first suggestion is,as a beginner, you'd better choose contemporary novels instead of classical ones. However,reading novels is not the only way to improve your English. English essays can at once inform you,entertain you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell's work. Its language is plain, yet you cannot help feeling the elegance and the unique sense of humor. His simple language enables his philosophy within the reach of ordinary people. Here comes my second suggestion--essays are _ . Never follow other's opinions blindly,however famous or influential the person might be. As a saying goes,one man's meat is another man's poison. With that in mind,we are sure to find out our favorite writers through reading and develop our fine taste in English. What is the author's purpose of writing the passage? A student observes zinc turning from a solid to a liquid in a laboratory investigation. Which statement describes the change in zinc atoms while melting? Mr. Lee was in bed and was trying to go to sleep when he heard the bell ring. He turned on the light and looked at his clock. It was twelve o'clock. "Who can it be at this time of night?" He thought. He decided to go and find out. So he got of bed, put on his dressing gown and went to the door. When he opened the door, there was nobody there. "That is very strange." Then he went back to his bedroom, took off his dressing gown, got back into bed, turned off the light and tried to go to sleep. A few minutes later he heard the bell again. Mr. Lee jumped out of bed very quickly and rushed to the door. He opened it, but again he found no one there. He closed the door and tried not to feel angry. Then he saw a piece of paper on the floor. He picked it up. There were some words on it: "It is now after midnight, so it is April Fool's Day. April Fool to you!" "Oh, it was the English boy next door!" Mr. Lee exclaimed and almost smiled. He went back to bed and felt asleep at once. The bell did not ring again. Mr. Lee found _ on the floor at last. Which of the following is the primary advantage of sexual reproduction when compared to asexual reproduction? Rescue workers found a family in their RV on Tuesday after 17 days in the mountains near the prefix = st1 /Oregoncoast. Peter Stivers, Marlo Hill-Stivers, their two children Sabastyan, 9, and Gabrayell, 8, and Hill-Stivers's mother and stepfather, Elbert and Becky Higginbotham, were in the vehicle. On their way home from a trip to the coast, the family got lost in the mountains at an elevation of about 3,800 feet. What's worse, they were trapped in four feet of snow. "We had fuel and food, but we were running short," said Elbert Higginbotham. "We were rationing ." When the family was reported missing, rescue teams from Oregon and Californiasearched likely routes to the coast. But with no leads and no idea where the family was heading, those conducting the unsuccessful search eventually called it off. In the evenings, Sabastyan and Gabrayell entertained the adults by reading jokes from Reader's Digest aloud. The family members survived mostly on dehydrated food . On Monday, Hill-Stivers and her husband decided to go for help. They packed a tent, wool blankets, tuna fish, honey, and hand-warmers to take into the wilderness with them. The children stayed safe in the RV with their grandparents. The couple were found the following day by a US Bureau of Land Management worker. A rescue team in a helicopter located the rest of the family. The family was driven out of the snowbound area on snow machines. Parents and children were happily reunited. "They enjoyed it," Peter Stivers said of his children's experience. "They didn't know we were in trouble." For the adults, it was quite an ordeal . They had to worry about survival and rescue, and about keeping everyone calm. "I'm so proud of my family," said Elbert Higginbotham. "They stuck together, they didn't lose it." This passage is probably chosen from a newspaper's column of _ .
Question: Marjorie Baer used to joke about her retirement plans. She wasn't married and had no kids, but she didn't intend to be alone--she and all her single friends would move into a fictional home she called Casa de Biddies. Instead, Baer developed terminal brain cancer when she was 52. But just as she'd hoped, her friends and family provided her with love and care to the end. Ballance was only the first of Baer's friends who became her unofficial caregivers. With her brother Phil Baer from Los Angeles, they worked out a system to watch over their friend and allow her to keep some of the privacy and independence she cherished. Baer's good friend Ruth Henrich took Baer to doctors' appointments and helped her deal with all the aspects of life --answering machines, TV controls, and even phone numbers. After Henrich sent out an e-mail request, a group of volunteers signed up to ferry Baer back and forth to radiation therapy . Others in Baer's circle offered up particular talents: A nurse friend helped Baer figure out how to get what she was due from Social Security and her disability insurance; a lawyer pal helped Baer with her will; a partner who was an accountant took over her bills when she could no longer manage them. "There was this odd sense that the right person always showed up," says Ballance. Their arrangement worked remarkably well. Unmarried women are one of the fastest-growing groups in America; experts are concerned about how care-giving will be managed for them as they age. If the experience of Baer's friends is a guide, _ . It's already making it possible to create communities of caregivers who may have only one thing in common: the person who needs their help. On personal "care pages" set up through services such as Lotsa Helping Hands, friends and family members can post a list of tasks that need to be done, volunteer to do them, and keep updated on the person's condition. As Baer's cancer progressed, for example, her friends set up a page on Yahoo! where people could sign up to deliver meals or do errands . Catherine Fox, one of the friends who were present when Baer died, was deeply affected. "It was so comforting to know that if you're willing to ask for help, the generosity of family and friends can be phenomenal . It makes me feel secure and hopeful to know that help is there when you need it. " The writer tells us the story of Marjorie Baer for the purpose of _ . A. reminding us to be kind and make as many friends as we can B. informing that there will be a new trend of care-giving for the single elderly C. persuading us that we can enjoy our retirement even if we don't have a child D. introducing the convenience that will be brought by the Internet after we retire Answer: B Question: Most young boys like spending time on things like video games, superhero movies and sports, but Ken, a 9-year-old boy from the Philippines, is spending his free time trying to start an animal shelter for at-risk dogs. In February, photos of Ken feeding dogs on the street circled the Internet and immediately attracted many people who wanted to help. "I feel sorry for the dogs with no owners while other dogs around the world are being pampered ," Ken tells Pet360 in an email. "It really wasn't fair. And they are really thin." When Ken began feeding the dogs which had health problems, they would not let the boy come close. But after several feedings, the dogs warmed up to Ken and allowed the boy to help them. When animal lovers found out what Ken was doing, donations started to roll in, and Ken and his father were able to start a non-profit animal shelter called Happy Animals Club. The donations helped three dogs, Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy, receive high-quality canned food and treatment. After two months with Ken at Happy Animals Club, the dogs look like completely different animals and will be adopted soon. In May, Ken and his father hiring a 10,000-square-foot lot , where Ken hopes to build a no-kill animal shelter to help more dogs in need. "I want the dogs to have a home, where they can have shelter, eat and have fun," says Ken. Ken wants to save dogs from the city pound where most animals are put down. Right now, Ken doesn't have enough money to start the shelter. If you also want to save homeless dogs, you can visit the Happy Animals Club's website and offer some help. Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy are given as examples to show that A. many dogs are waiting to be adopted B. dogs can become very friendly in the end C. high-quality canned food is very important D. the donations can improve some dogs' lives Answer: D Question: I called a meeting with the parents of my student, Tommy. I wanted to talk with them about his schoolwork and behaviour .Tommy was always an excellent student. How could I make his father and mother believe that their recent separation made his grades bad.? Tommy's mother came in and sat down. Then his father arrived. But they didn't say even one word to each other. I told them about Tommy's schoolwork and behaviour. I hoped to help them see what they were doing to their son. But it looked that my words didn't work. I thought that maybe Tommy could tell them something himself. I found Tommy's paper in the back of his desk. Tommy has written some words on it many times. I gave the paper to Tommy's mother. She read it and gave it to his father. He read it and his face became soft . He reached for his wife's hand. She smiled up at him. My eyes were with tears. He helped her with her coat and they left together. I picked the paper up and looked at it again. It read: "Dear Mommy... Dear Daddy... I love you." . What's the best title for the passage? A. Tommy's Bad Grades B. A meeting with Tommy's parents C. Tommy Tells His Parents D. An Excellent Student Answer: A Question: A British farmer has been searching for a group of fighter planes for 15 years. The planes were lost in Burma during World War II. David Cundall, 62, traveled to Burma a dozen times. He spent about US $207,000 in the hope of finding a British Spitfire buried in the Southeast Asian country. Finally, his hard work paid off. Cundall started his search after his friend heard from a group of U.S. war veterans that they had buried Spitfires in the region. "We've done some pretty silly things in our time, but the silliest was burying Spitfires," the veterans said. Cundall began placing ads in magazines to try to find soldiers who might have been involved. After 15 years of searching, he finally managed to locate the missing airplanes. The planes had never been flown and were buried in their transport crates . "We made a borehole and used a camera to look at the crates. They seemed to be in good condition." Cundall told The Telegraph. The aircraft had arrived at a Royal Air Force base in Burma in August 1945. But, by that point in the war, the planes weren't needed. "In 1945, Spitfires were _ , and you could see them everywhere." Said Cundall. British Prime Minister, David Camerion, recently visited the country. As The Telegraph reports, Camerion's help may mean that the Spitfires could soon be on their way back to the United Kingdom. Cundall hopes that with the help of investors, the planes can finally take to the skies. "Spitfires are beautiful aeroplanes and should not be rotting away in a foreign land," Cundall says. "They saved our neck in the Battle of Britain and they should be protected." What can we learn about the British Spitfires? A. The planes buried under the ground were seriously damaged. B. The planes were not needed at that time during World War II. C. It will be very difficult to take the planes back to the United Kingdom. D. The planes were buried in Burma after they crashed there. Answer: B Question: Here is nine o' clock news Prime Minister Abdul Krim of Tyrea has said that the danger in the Middle East is greater now than for the past two years. His country does not want war, he says, but the Tyrean people have waited too long for an end to the troubles with their neighbours. If war comes, says Mr King, Tyrea will be ready. Ben Kitson, the writer of stories and plays for children, has died at his home in California. Mr Kitson was 82. His most famous book of stories, The Gentleman's House, sells all over the world, in more than twenty-five languages. Policeman in New York have stopped work. Their leader , Mr Paulo Angeli, says that they will return to work only when they receive more money for working long hours and doing what Mr Angel calls "the most dangerous job in the city." It has been a good year on the farm. The warm, wet spring, and the fine summer have been very good for all kinds of food plants. This means that fruit and vegetables will cost less in the shops this year. And now it's time for "Morning Music". . Mr Paulo Angeli is _ A. the most dangerous policeman New York B. a policeman who receives the most money in New York C. the leader of the New York City policeman D. a policeman and the leader of New York City Answer: C
Dear Mr. Perkins, We would like to introduce ourselves. Our company was organized only two years ago, but we are one of the largest boat companies inprefix = st1 /California. As you know, your son has bought a boat from us recently, and I think you know how pleased be is with our product. Also, John Webb, one of your son's friends, has bought a boat from us and, we understand, is very happy with his boat. We are always happy to know that our customers are satisfied. We are writing to you now because, as you know, your son has decided to buy a larger boat, and we need your signature on the loan papers. The loan application has already been signed by Danny. As you will see, there is one form to fill out, and there are three _ to sign. Danny's 26-foot boat was returned to our San Pedro Dock yesterday, and we are pleased to say that the new 36-foot "Challenger" will be delivered in two weeks from today. It is being inspected by our manager right now. The auto-pilot has already been installed by our mechanic. It looks as though everything will be ready in time for delivery. All we need are the signed contracts from you. Thank you. Tony Valention From the passage we can see that the boat company _ . A. isn't an old one B. is a world-famous one C. is developing slowly D. has to advise customers to buy its boats Answer: A. isn't an old one Sing the Language You're Learning How can you remember a song from your childhood to this day? Why do your teachers use songs to teach you English? It seems there is a scientific reason for this. Researchers are now studying the relationship between music and remembering a foreign language. They find that remembering words in a song is the best way to remember even the most difficult language. "Singing could be a new way of learning a foreign language. The brain likes to remember things when they are used in a _ and meaningful way", said Dr, Karen Ludke. The findings may help those who have difficulties learning foreign languages. On his blog, Dr. Ludke writes, "A listen-and-repeat singing method can support foreign language learning, and opens the door for future research in this area." Many language teachers know the value of using music and singing. Hua Zhuying, a teacher at a Chinese language school in Washington, D.C. depends heavily on songs in teaching Chinese. She says, "I use music all the time to teach children Chinese. For little kids usually we use the music. Not only does it work, but it is fun for kids." "Sometimes, I think if I were taught English that way, maybe I could speak much better English than now," Hua Zhuying adds. Our brain likes music, especially for remembering. So, if you're still struggling in learning a language, why not try singing it out ? According to the passage, the best way to remember a foreign language is to _ . A. read and write more B. listen to the teacher carefully C. copy the words many times. D. remember words in a song Answer: D. remember words in a song "Mum,what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton in the closet ?"Jessica asked. "A skeleton in the closet?"her mother paused thoughtfully. "Well, it' s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example,if in the past,someone in Dad' s family had been arrested for stealing a horse,it would be 'a skeleton in his family' s closet'.He really wouldn' t want any neighbor to know about it." "Why pick on my family?" Jessica' s father said with anger. "Your family history isn' t so good,you know. Wasn' t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes,but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh,sorry I asked. I think I understand now," Jessica cut in before things grew worse. After dinner,the house was very quiet. Jessica' s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband,who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica' s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt,a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica' s mother sank into a faint ,waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter. "What happened?Where am I?" she asked. "You just destroyed the school' s skeleton,Mum," explained Jessica. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you,but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets,it caused a problem between you and Dad." Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. "They' re both crazy," she thought. Jessica' s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because _ . A. they were crazy B. they were overexcited C. they realized their misunderstanding D. they both thought they had won the quarrel Answer: C. they realized their misunderstanding QQ is one of the most popular chat tools among teenagers. We regard it as an important chat tool in our dailylife because it has some advantages. First, we can make lots of e-friends on QQ. It is easy to find the person who has the same interest as us, and we can talk with him or her happily. Second, we can also join a QQ group to find the information we need. For example, if we want to learn English well, we can choose a group with many English lovers in it. Third, we can also play games with our friends on QQ and always have fun. QQ brings us a lot of benefits , but it can also cause some problems. It's dangerous to tell strangers on QQ our real personal information like telephone number, address and ID number. If we spend too much time chatting online, it won't be good for our study and health. QQ is a kind of _ . A. game B. chat tool C. book D. TV programmer Answer: B. chat tool light is unable to shine through what? A. wood B. water C. air D. glass Answer: A. wood
Researchers at Yale, Texas A&M and Boston University predict that by 2030 urban areas will expand by more than 463,000 square miles, or l.2 million square kilometers. That is equal to 20,000 American football fields becoming urban every day for the first three decades of this century. The growth in urban areas will go with the construction of roads and buildings, water and sanitation facilities, and energy and transport systems that will transform land cover and cities globally. Recent estimates suggest that between $25 trillion and $30 trillion will be spent on infrastructure worldwide by 2030, with $100 billion a year in China alone. "Considering the long life and near unavoidability of infrastructure investments, it will be critical for current urbanization-related policies to consider their lasting impacts," said Karen Seto, lead author of the study. "We have a huge opportunity to shape how cities develop and their environmental impacts." Nearly half of the increase in high-probability ----defined as greater than 75 percent ---- urban expansion is forecasted to occur in Asia, with China and India absorbing 55 percent of the regional total. In China, urban- expansion is expected to create a l,l00-mile coastal urban corridor from Hangzhou to Shenyang. In India, urban expansion will be gathered around seven state capital cities, with large areas of low-probability growth forecasted for the Himalaya region where many small villages and towns currently exist. Africa's urban land cover will grow the fastest, at 590 percent above the 2000 level of 16,000 square miles. Urban expansion win be concentrated in that continent's five regions: the Nile River in Egypt; the coast of West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; the northern shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya and Uganda and extending into Rwanda and Burundi; the Kano region in northern Nigeria; and greater Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. "Urban expansion is concentrated in. only a few areas where there are large cities and industry," said Seto. "From the northern shore of Lake Victoria down to Rwanda is also a major hotspot of urban expansion." In North America, where 78 percent of the total population lives in urban areas, urban land cover will nearly double by 96,000 square miles by 2030.The study also forecasts that 48 of the 221 countries in the study will experience insignificant amounts of urban expansion. " As for China, the expansion of urban area means_. $ 100 billion will be spent on infrastructure a year The impression you make at the beginning of an interview is very important. Employers often decide to hire someone in the first three minutes of the interview. They judge you by your appearance, attitude and manners. A friendly smile when you walk into the room is important. A smile shows a confident and positive attitude. When you introduce yourself, make eye contact with the interviewer. Some interviewers offer a handshake. Others don't. Try to be as natural as possible. But pay attention to your body language. The way you sit, walk, gesture, use your voice and show feelings on your face is all part of your body language. It makes the interviewer know how you feel about yourself and the situation you are in. Are you feeling positively about yourself? Your abilities? Your interest in the job? Speak clearly and loudly enough. Show interest and enthusiasm in your voice. When you speak, look at the interviewer. Also, don't say negative things about yourself, or former employer. Listen to questions carefully. If you don't understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat or explain politely. Almost everyone is nervous in a job interview. Interviewers know that. They don't expect you to be totally calm and relaxed. But they expect you to try to control your nervousness. They expect you to show confidence in your ability to do the job. At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for her or his time. It's a good idea to send a short thank-you letter right after the interview, or deliver it by hand. Phone the company if you have not heard anything after one week. Ask if they have made a decision about the job. Good luck! The main purpose of the passage is _ . to give you some advice on the art of finding a job prefix = st1 /Mauritius, with its full name the Republic of Mauritius, an island country, lies 1,200 miles off the southeastern coast of Africa, and just east of Madagascar, another African island country, which is larger by far thanMauritius. It covers 788 square miles and has a population of 1,00,000, about 750.000 Indians, 300,000 Chinese and 20,000 Whites included. They are living together peacefully, although they share such different beliefs as Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim and so on. The country can be divided into many parts with different climate all because of its peculiar terrains . In the center there are volcanoes several thousand feet high, and 90% of its arable land is covered with sugarcane. There are no people living on the island before the Dutch landed on it in 1638. The Dutch _ it in 1710, and five years later, the French came and succeeded in planting sugarcane there. It was conquered byBritainin 1818. As a result, its official language is English. The main big cities are Beau - Bassin and Mahebourg, withPort Louisas its capital. Mauritius has many rare and unique animals, such as the snakes, parrots and lizards. The giraffe is a type of animal with a very long neck and legs and yellow skin with dark spots. It is the tallest of all living animals. Mauritius was extremely poor when it declared its independence in 1968. In the past ten years, obvious economic prosperity has shown itself in this island country. Nowadays its business, culture and tourism are developing rapidly. Every year, thousands of millions of people rush there to enjoy the silver sand beach and song and dance performances with native national characters. Who succeeded in planting sugarcane? The French and British people All parents tell their children little white lies from time to time. "Of course Father Christmas comes down the chimney!" "Eat your spinach -- you'll get as strong as Popeye.". . . and so on. However, there's one fib that's bigger than all the others. It's "I don't have a favorite child." In his fascinating new book, The Sibling Effect: What Bonds Among Brothers and Sisters Reveal About Us, Jeffrey Kluger, a father of two daughters, aged eight and ten, claims that " 95 percent of parents in the world have a favorite child -- and the other 5 percent are lying." Kluger may be exaggerating the figures for dramatic effect -- but despite every parent's vehement denial that they have a favorite child -- scientific research shows that he is not far off the truth. According to one recent study by researchers from the University of California -- which followed 384 _ pairs and their parents for three years -- 65 percent of the mothers and 70 percent of fathers exhibited a preference for one child. As this was among families that knew they were being monitored, there's a strong possibility the true figures could be significantly higher. Favoritism is certainly a controversial topic. When raised as a subject for discussion on parenting websites, it always arouses a stream of angry denials. But interestingly, a lot of personal anecdotes appear from parents who say they were overshadowed by a favored sibling, or were, indeed, their mother or father's favorite. It seems everyone knows favoritism exists -- but nobody wants to put their hand up and say they're guilty of it themselves. Another research, where siblings have been asked to say who their mother and father favor, suggests that mothers do tend to a show a preference for their first-born son, but fathers often dote on their youngest daughters. Parents will often be drawn to the child who is easiest to get along with -- or the child that shares similar traits to them. For example, mum will have a special bond with her sensitive, arty son, while dad lavishes attention on his sporty daughter. Professor Scott says being least favored in a family can color1 our behavior as adults. "Children who feel they are less loved within their family are more likely to develop low self-esteem, anxiety and depression." But some experts believe being less favored can have positive consequences. Professor Scott agrees that favored children can sometimes find life difficult when they have to rub along in the real world. Which of the following is most likely a white lie? Thank you so much for the gift! I just love it! There was once an octopus who lived under the ocean. His name was Fred. Fred had never seen the world above the ocean before. He had spent all of his life under water with his friends, a blow fish named Joey, a sponge named Pam, a star fish named Elaine, and another octopus, Stacey. So you can imagine his surprise when he found a treasure chest that had been lost by a ship that had sunk. Inside the chest were things that were completely new to him. Among these was a whole bunch of food items, such as a bottle of ketchup, a coffee mug, a cherry pie, a sandwich, and more. When Fred found these things, he wanted to keep them all for himself. So when he returned to his friends, he didn't tell them what he had found. When his best friend Stacey asked him where he had been, Fred lied and said that he had only gone for a swim. But Stacey didn't believe him. Later on, when Fred was sound asleep in his bed, Stacey visited his room to see what he had been up to. She went digging around in his room for something interesting. When she found the treasure chest, she was amazed at what was inside. But she was also upset at Fred for lying to her, so she woke up him in the middle of the night to yell at him. Fred understood his mistake and apologized to Stacey, and then they shared the food. What kind of animal was Fred? Octopus
As an American artist and writer of children's books, Tasha Tudor's art and nineteenth-century lifestyle have fascinated adults and children for decades. She received many awards and honors for her contributions to children's literature. When people talk about her creativity in artwork, she said, "I do it to support my dogs and my four children." Her great publishing record, the number of magazine stories that have been written about her over the years, and her admirers have no effects on her at all. Much of Tasha's artwork and her reading are done in the wintertime. "I love winter. It's delightful," she says. "I don't have to go anywhere because I work at home. If I'm snowed in, I can stay this way for months." She hopes for early, deep snow to protect her garden from the hardship of the New England winter, and when it comes she puts on snowshoes when she needs to get down the mile-long dirt path that leads to the road. Given her enjoyment of winter and her fantasy way of life, it's not surprising that Tasha's Christmas is a storybook holiday. She hangs flowers over the front door. Her tree comes from the woods, and it goes up on Christmas Eve, lit by homemade candles and decorated with her great- grandmother's collection that dates from 1850. In a place of honor on the tree are large cookies cut into the shapes of her animals. The grandchildren and friends get presents from Tasha's old dolls; so do the animals and they have their own Christmas tree. "Of course, it's a known fact that all the animals talk on Christmas Eve," she has written. Small, handmade gifts fill a big wooden box. At the end of each year, Tasha can look back and know that her life is perfect, that she has again ignored the twentieth century, and that the magic continues. And for the rest of us,here's a bit of advice, Tasha style: "Nowadays, people are so restless. If they took some tea and spent more time rocking on the porch in the evening listening to light music, they might enjoy life more." From the passage, we can learn that Tasha's life is _ . Answer: simple and fantastic Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students' posture and attention improve. Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning. The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico and Japan," says Witt, " Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter . You can slouch on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels bad." Because the students are moving, their blood increases. That carries more oxygen( ) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer. "Besides, they're fun." says Pownall. What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will _ . Answer: like to move around HANGZHOU, April 4 (Xinhua) --Another H7N9 bird flu case has been confirmed in east China's Zhejiang Province, the provincial health department said Thursday, bringing the country's total number of cases to 10. The patient is a 64-year-old man from Huzhou City. He became ill on March 29 and was admitted to a hospital in Huzhou on March 31. On Thursday, medical experts confirmed that he was infected with the H7N9 bird flu strain after the provincial center for disease control and prevention said late Wednesday that he tested positive for the virus. An investigation has found that all 55 people who had close contact with the man have not showed any abnormal clinical symptoms, the department said. So far, China has confirmed 10 H7N9 cases -- four in Jiangsu Province, two in Shanghai Municipality, one in Anhui Province and three in Zhejiang. The two patients in Shanghai and one in Zhejiang have died. Health authorities and hospitals in many Chinese provinces have been on high alert for H7N9 cases. In Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, which neighbors Zhejiang, five hospitals have been selected and ordered to be ready to treat H7N9 patients, though no cases have been reported there. China's health authorities have promised transparency and cooperation to the World Health Organization (WHO) in regards to human infections of the new strain of bird flu. On Wednesday afternoon, the National Health and Family Planning Commission distributed prevention and control plans and technique directives to health institutions nationwide. "So far, the sources of infection have not been clear, but based on past experiences and recent epidemiological studies, the sources could be poultry or the secretion and excrement from poultry," according to the plan. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that no human-to-human transmission of H7N9 has been discovered and no epidemiological connection between these cases has been found. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? Answer: So far three people have died of H7N9 bird flu. Have you ever seen any students whose trousers hang so low that you can see their underwear? What do you think of that? Fashionable? Some of today's teenagers are big fans of such a look. But recently this trend has been at the center of an argument in Italian middle schools. The headmaster of a school in central Italy has asked students to stop wearing low-rise jeans that expose underwear and parts of the body. His request came after a class trip, when he saw one boy's baggy trousers slide to his feet. He pointed out that this way of dressing is not suitable for school. But in Italy, a nation that takes fashion very seriously, the suggestion caused a debate among parents, teachers and students. The issue is whether the headmaster's request will limit students' freedom-- or whether dress in Italian schools is too casual. A parents' group praised the move in favor of good taste, while others advised schools to stop worrying about fashion and fix up old school buildings. "We do not want to kick fashion out," the headmaster explained, "but extremes of fashion like this are not right in school." Many other schools have now requested that their students also stop wearing such trousers. Most students have simply ignored the request. Ludovica Gaudio, 14, wore extremely low trousers exposing orange underwear in class. It was cold, so she wore a matching orange scarf. Another 14-year-old said she would probably respect the request, simply for practical reasons. "I don't really feel comfortable in those sort of jeans," said Sarah Lattanzi, "in winter, when dressed like that, it's quite cold and I am afraid my stomach will ache." What led to the argument in Italian middle schools? _ Answer: Clothes that are too exposing. Publicity offers several benefits. There are no costs for message time or space. An ad in prime-time television may cost $250,000 to $5,000,000 or more per minute, whereas a five-minute report on a network newscast would not cost anything. Publicity reaches a mass audience within a short time and new products or company policies are widely known. Credibility about messages is high, because they are reported in independent media. A newspaper review of a movie has more believability than an ad in the same paper, because the reader associates independence with objectivity. Similarly, people are more likely to pay attention to news reports than to ads. For example, Women's Wear Daily has both fashion reports and advertisements. Readers spend time reading the stories, but they skim through the ads. Furthermore, there may be 10 commercials during a half-hour television program or hundreds of ads in a magazine. Feature stories are much fewer in number and stand out clearly. Publicity also has some significant limitations. A firm has little control over messages, their timing, their placement, or their coverage by a given medium. It may issue detailed news releases and find only portions mentioned by the media, and media have the ability to be much more critical than a firm would like. For example, in 1982, Procter & Gamble faced a massive publicity problem over the meaning of its 123-year-old company logo. To fight this negative publicity, the firm had a spokesperson appear on Good Morning America to disprove the rumor . The false rumors were temporarily put to rest. However, in 1985, publicity became so troublemaking that Procter & Gamble decided to remove the logo from its products. The example of "Procter & Gamble" is given to show _ . Answer: the negative effect of publicity
Question: One hot summer day in August my family and I wanted to go to the beach. We had not gone to the beach in a very long time and felt that today was a great day to do it. We piled everyone into the car-my mom, my dad, my sister, my dog, and me. I begged mom and dad to let me sit in the front seat, but they said no. I had to sit next to the smelly dog instead for the whole trip. When we got to the beach and opened the car door our dog raced down to the water to play. I grabbed the large umbrella we brought and walked down to the sand with mom and dad. After we had found a spot, they let me go play in the water. It felt really good to cool off in the ocean water on such a hot day. As I swam around I saw many cool things, like fish, seaweed, and shells. I brought the interesting shells that I found to a bucket I had on the beach and threw them in. They would be great to add to my collection at home. When I got tired of swimming, my sister and I wanted to make a sand castle. We built towers using buckets and dug a huge ditch with our shovels. When our castle was complete we were about to take a picture, but then the dog ran it over and smashed it. I was about to yell at the dog, but then mom said it was getting late and we had to go home. When we got home I was wiped out from playing all day, so I went to sleep almost immediately. It was a very good day that I'll always remember. When did the main character go to sleep? A. The main character went to sleep almost immediately when they got home. B. The main character went to sleep when the sand castle was complete. C. The main character went to sleep next to the smelly dog for the whole trip. D. The main character went to sleep when the dog smashed the sand castle. Answer: A. The main character went to sleep almost immediately when they got home. Question: Getting a good education is more important today than ever before. It is the best thing you can do to build a better future for your children and yourself. Most children in Canada attend public schools. Public schools are completely founded by governments through tax income. Boys and girls attend the same school and share the same courses and classes. Schooling in Canada is provided in English and in French. The rest of Canadian children attend private schools,which are supported mainly by fees paid directly by parents. Some private schools enroll only boys or girls. By law,children must attend school from age 5 to 16.Children are usually in school between 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.,and 3:00 or 4:00 p.m.Monday through Friday,from September to the middle of June. There are several different levels in the Canadian education system. The first is called Elementary Schools. In most provinces Elementary Schools include Kindergarten through Grade 7 or 8. From Grade 8 or 9 through 12 or 13,children go to Secondary School or High School. High School students must take certain courses for several years,such as English or French and mathematics. Some courses help students get a job after they graduate from school. Other courses prepare students for college or university. In Canada,teenagers usually make these choices for themselves,with the advice of their teachers,guidance counselor and parents. Schools usually offer extra activities at the end of the normal school day. These include sports,games,music and clubs. Most elementary and high schools encourage parents to take part in school activities. Parents' nights are organized from time to time. These are chances for parents to discuss their children's progress with teachers. You may wish to bring a friend with you. After graduating from high school,many young adults continue their studies through postsecondary education. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A. Most high school students choose their courses against their wills. B. The students do their afterclass activities all the afternoon. C. Parents are allowed to take part in school activities in the morning. D. If you don't send your fiveyearold child to school in Canada--you break the law in Canada. Answer: D. If you don't send your fiveyearold child to school in Canada--you break the law in Canada. Question: In studying layers of rock sediment, a geologist found an area where older rock was layered on top of younger rock. Which best explains how this occurred? A. Earthquake activity folded the rock layers. B. Volcanic eruptions destroyed a rock layer. C. Erosion removed several layers of rock. D. Weathering changed the layering of the rocks. Answer: A. Earthquake activity folded the rock layers. Question: "Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton in the closet ?" Jessica asked. "A skeleton in the closet?" her mother paused thoughtfully."Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be 'a skeleton in his family's closet'. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it." "Why pick on my family?" Jessica's father said with anger. "Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now," Jessica cut in before things grew worse. After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica's parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica's mother sank in a faint , waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter. "What happened? Where am I?" she asked."You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum," explained Jessica. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad." Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly."They're both crazy,"she thought. According to Jessica's mother, "a skeleton in the closet" means _ . A. a family secret B. a family honor C. a family story D. a family treasure Answer: A. a family secret Question: Cyclist Jia Yanmei and a fellow enthusiast covered more than 2,200 kilometers from Beijing to their individual hometowns in Sichuan to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families, Xu Lin reports. While others rushed home on high-speed trains or airplanes for the annual Spring Festival, Jia Yanmei spent 16-plus days cycling more than 2,200 kilometers from Beijing to her hometown, Nanchong, Sichuan Province. Thanks to social media, cycling fans from different cities were able to follow her progress, and some even offered food and accommodation if she happened to be nearby. "It's not that I failed to buy my train ticket home. I just want to bring the spirit of cycling to everyone -- to do whatever you want to do bravely. As long as you are on the road, you will enjoy yourself, " says Jia, 26, an English teacher at an educational institution in Beijing. She started her adventure at 8:30 am on Jan 12, with Wang Yujiang, 47, who works in architecture in Beijing. A cycling friend introduced them because Wang also wanted to cycle to his hometown, Guangyuan, Sichuan Province. Jia says Wang treated her like his daughter and took care of her on their way. After Wang arrived in Guangyuan, she cycled two days on her own to reach her home. "I must say that I admire her. She's not like others. No matter how tired she is, she can soon recover after meals," says Wang, who is cycling back from his hometown to Beijing now. " I've improved myself a lot after the cycling. No matter what difficulties I will meet with in the future, I will have confidence to face them, " Jia says. When she posted her plan online on Christmas Eve, many cycling fans supported her, lent her equipment and gave her gifts. She updated her social networks, such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, with news of her cycling adventures, as well as a cycling-related applications that recorded her route. Four days after her departure, one of her friends learned about the trip in a newspaper and told Jia's parents. Her mom was so worried about Jia's safety that she cried and called Jia several times. According to the passage, Jia Yanmei and Wang Yujiang have much in common EXCEPT _ . A. They shared the same departure time. B. They work in the same city. C. They had the same arrival time. D. They enjoy the same adventurous spirit. Answer: C. They had the same arrival time.
People with less education suffer fewer stressful days,according to a report in the current issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. However,the study also found that when lesseducated people did suffer stress it was more severe and had a larger impact on their health. From this researchers have concluded that the daytoday factors that cause stress are not random .Where you are in society determines the kinds of problems that you have each day,and how well you will deal with them. The research team interviewed a national sample of 1,031 adults daily for eight days about their stress level and health.People without a high school diploma reported stress on 30 percent of the study days,people with a high school degree reported stress 38 percent of the time,and people with college degrees reported stress 44 percent of the time. "Less advantaged people are less healthy on a daily basis and are more likely to have downward turns in their health."lead researcher Dr.Joseph Grzywacz,of Wake Forest University Medical Center,said in a prepared statement."The downward turns in heBaptistalth were connected with daily stressors and the effect of daily stressors on their health is much more devastating for the less advantaged." Grzywacz suggested followup research to determine why lesseducated people report fewer days of stress when it is known that their stress is more acute(severe)and chronic (lasting). "If something happens every day,maybe it's not seen as a stressor"Grzywacz says."Maybe it is just life." Stress level is closely related to . A family size B social status C body weight D work experience Answer: B Some children wish to be writers when they grow up. They mean that they want to write stories or books. They would be happy if many people read their stories or books some day. But I would like to tell these children that they will need to be good readers and read a lot before they become good writers. Nearly all great writers listened to others tell stories long before they started school. They also kept on reading for hours and hours for years. Even when they have become writers, they spend much of their time reading books instead of watching TV in the evening. If you are a good reader, it won't take you long to do the reading homework your teacher ask you to do. Then you will have time to read other books for fun. You read so well that you always want to look for more books to read. If you want to be a writer, reading is very important. When you decide to become a writer, you had better tell yourself, "I must read more and more if I really want to become a good writer." From this passage, we can know that _ . A children like reading B reading helps to make one a good writer C good readers are good writers D it's good to be a good writer. Answer: B A substance that has two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom is A green B renewable C alive D radioactive Answer: B The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3--old--daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. However, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger burst again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They are all for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and begged for her forgiveness. Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. The man yelled at his daughter because _ . A he was unsatisfied with the present his daughter gave him B the box his daughter gave him was empty C he had expected what was in the box D nobody gave him an empty box before Answer: A A baby mermaid was just born in Finland; Justin Bibber is getting married; iphone 6 is going to be released this year...We read rumors every day on the Internet. With the help of social media, rumors -- no matter whether they are true or false -- spread like wildfire, and sometimes we can't be sure what to believe. Now, an international group of researchers might be able to make it easier for us. They are working on a lie detector that could separate online truth from lies, Discovery news reported. Named after the Greek goddess Pheme, famed for spreading bad rumors, the system is far from a traditional lie detector, which works by attaching a machine to a potential liar. Instead, Pheme analyzes the rumor directly. When a rumor comes out, on a micro blog, for example, Pheme can trace the source of information to see if it was released by reliable sources like experts or news agencies. If it wasn't, Pheme then examines the history and background of the account to identify whether it was created just to spread rumors -- whether it's what's called an "Internet bot." After finding the source of the rumor, the system can keep a close eye on how other users react to the rumor -- either confirming or denying it -- to help analyze and further determine the reliability of the information. Some people might find the Pheme system unnecessary based on the idea that false rumors never survive for long and people always get to the truth over time. While that's a fair point, there is a certain class of rumors, such as "a tiger is at large" or "an asteroid is about to hit the Earth", that can cause panic among people and thus lead to serious consequences. These are cases when we need to be able to check for accuracy quickly. "Our system aims to help with that, by tracking and verifying information in real time," lead researcher Kalina Bontcheva, at the University of Sheffield, UK, told the BBC. According to Bontcheva, Pheme is still under development and won't be ready for another 18 months.[:. . ] Until then, there's an old fashioned technique that you can use to protect yourself from false information -- ask questions, check sources and don't believe any claim until you've seen the evidence for it. What is the article about? A Tips on how to deal with rumors online. B Factors that make rumors so easy to spread. C A new device that can check whether online rumors are true or not. D An introduction to some types of lie detectors. Answer: C
Question: Last night's meteor shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers.According to Gabe Rothschild,Emerald Valley's mayor,people gathered in the suburbs of the city,carrying heavy telescopes,expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky.What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overheaD. "My family was so frustrated,"admitted town resident Duane Cosby."We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing,but it turned out to be a huge disappointment." Astronomers--scientists who study stars and planets--have been complaining about this problem for decades.They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past.They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it. There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution.This population consists of birds,bats,frogs,snakes,etC. For example,outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds.According to the International Dark-Sky Association."100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers." Countless more animal casualties result from the use of artificial lighting.Clearly,people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings,but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans,too.They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person's chances of getting cancer. Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution.For years,Flagstaff,Arizona,has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory.Similar efforts have been made worldwide,and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them,so that other creatures can share the night. What do the astronomers complain about? A. Meteor showers occur less often than before. B. Their observation equipment is in poor repair. C. Light pollution has remained unsolved for years. D. Their eyesight is falling due to artificial lighting. Answer: C. Light pollution has remained unsolved for years. Question: A painted turtle will have natural coloring, but a turtle that has been painted will have A. cold colors B. thirty colors C. artificial colors D. natural colors Answer: C. artificial colors Question: My grandmother pointed at a picture of a six-year-old me and asked, "Sweetie, do you see that?" Studying my younger self, I smiled and nodded. "That's my granddaughter," Grandma said. "She lives in Connecticut. She must be.'.Well, I've forgotten how old she'd be now!" My smile froze and my hands began to shake. My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease. It seemed impossible for her to be unable to look after herself. Gradually, not remembering where she placed her glasses became not remembering where her house was, which became not always remembering my name. My birthday gifts from grandma used to be highly expected; she always knew exactly what to get and her cards would make me smile. Now, my gift from her is really from my father, who buys a present in her name since she doesn't remember when my birthday is.^birthday card without her writing just reminds me that my grandmother isn't the same anymore. I feel sad about it and I find a great comfort through writing. Writing my memories on paper helps me to deal with what is happening and to see Grandma as the~she truly is. Strangely enough, recording my sadness reduced~of the pain. I know it's her strength that pulls me through the hard times. So now, when I sit on the chair next to Grandma and know she can't remember my name, I swallow the bitter medicine of disappointment and smile. What does the writer want to tell us? A. How my grandmother celebrated my birthday. B. My memories about my grandmother is very clear. C. I could relieve my pain through recording my sadness. D. I hope to write something to save the~who got the Alzheimer's disease. Answer: C. I could relieve my pain through recording my sadness. Question: Every year in late April, students at Renmin University of China become the subjects of admiration and jealousy of their peers on other campuses in Beijing. Why? Because they get a week off in the middle of term, the so-called spring break. " _ 's been a unique tradition of our school for a decade," said Wang Yueran, 20, a journalism major at Renmin University, who organized a weeklong trip to Sichuan with 12 classmates last year. But having fun is just one dimension of the spring break. Field trips, voluntary work, and social projects are all on students' to-do lists. Experts say the spring break is not just for students to enjoy a few days off, but for them to gain new experiences beyond the campus walls. Push them out The traditional Chinese belief of the exploration of knowledge and truth emphasizes "reading 10,000 books and traveling 10,000 miles", which indicates the importance of experience as much as theory. But while Chinese universities have the tradition of spring outings, what's the benefit of making spring break an institution? Qin Jianguo, of the student affairs office at Shenzhen University, thinks the idea of the spring break in some universities in China comes from the intention of pushing students out of the ivory tower to experience more diversity in their lives. "Take traveling for example. A week traveling is a very different experience to a one- or two-day outing," said Qin. "Students are expected to acquire the spirit of teamwork and compromise, and learn survival and communication skills when put out there in an unfamiliar context." Diverse approaches Many countries have similar vacations in the middle of the semester for students to do things out of their own interest. Taking Japan as an example, instead of partying like their US counterparts, many Japanese students choose to work as interns or engage in study-related projects. "The spring break is an opportunity for many of our students to put their learning to use," said Hiroshi Kanno, dean of the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University, in the school's description of a recent spring break project. As for Chinese students who take a week off around the Labor Day holiday, many tend to do volunteer work. Duan Zhipeng, a 22-year-old economics major at Renmin University, applied for a project to go back to his hometown in Jiangxi province to introduce his university's enrollment policies and campus culture to local high school students. Not a trend yet Apart from Renmin University, only a few other universities, such as Yantai University, have a spring break for their students. The concept in China is still far from the culture and norms built around it in the US. Wei Xiang, a professor specializing in holiday economics at Beijing International Studies University, said that the spring break is a good experiment for universities to make study schedules smoother in order to give students more options to arrange their own leisure and study activities. According to the text, up to now, Apart from Renmin University, which University has a spring break for their students. A. Yantai University B. Peking University C. Suzhou University D. Nankai University Answer: A. Yantai University Question: Which action causes a chemical change? A. leaves dropping from a tree B. leaves blowing in the wind C. leaves being burned in a fire D. leaves being crushed into pieces Answer: C. leaves being burned in a fire
When people want to know about the weather, they usually go to there radios, TVs, newspapers, or to the Internet. However, you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses. Drops in air pressure produce an effect on small animals in many ways. Mice and deer are good weather indicators. People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that, before a storm, field mice come out of their holes and run around, Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains. Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways. For example, some birds become irritable and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread. Other birds chirp and sing just before a storm. It seems they know they won't get another chance for an hour or two. Birds also seek safe places before a storm, You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building. Pre-storm low pressure makes the are so thin that birds have difficulty flying. It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime, rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn. Watch for other weather signs if you see this. If they fly in the wrong direction, they may be flying ahead of a storm. By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature, we can become better prepared for any kind of weather. The best title for the text would be _ . Answer: Nature's Weather Signs In October 1961 at Crowley Field in Cincinnati Ohio an old deaf gentleman named William E. Hoy stood up to throw the first ball of the World Series. Most people at Crowley Field on that day probably did not remember Hoy because he had retired from professional baseball 58 years earlier in 1903. However he had been an outstanding player and the deaf people still talk about him and his years in baseball. William E. Hoy was born in Houckstown Ohio on May 23, 1862. He became deaf when he was two years old. He attended the Columbus Ohio School for the deaf. After graduation he started playing baseball while working as a shoemaker. Hoy began playing professional baseball in 1886 for Oshkosh(Wisconsin) of the Northwestern League. In 1888 he started as an outfielder with the old Washington Senators. His small figure and speed made him an outstanding base runner. He was very good at stealing bases during his career. In the 1888 major league season he stole 82 bases. He was also the Senators' leading hitter in 1888. Hoy was clever and he threw right-handed and batted left-handed. On June 19,1889 he threw out three batters at the plate from his outfield position. The arm signals used by judges today to show balls and strikes began because of Hoy. The judge lifted his right arm to show that the pitch was a strike and his left arm to signal that it was a ball. For many years people talked about Hoy's last ball game in 1903. He was playing for Los Angeles of the Pacific Coast Winter League. It was a memorable game because Hoy hit a wonderful ball which won the game. It was a very foggy day and therefore very hard to see the ball. In the ninth inning with two men out, Hoy managed to catch a fly ball to make the third out in spite of the fog. Los Angeles defeated their opposition and won the game. After he retired Hoy stayed busy. He ran a dairy farm near Cincinnati for 20 years. He also became a public speaker and traveled giving speeches. Until a few years before his death he took 4-10 mile walks several mornings a week. On December 15, 1961 William Hoy died at the age of 99. What can be inferred from this passage? Answer: Hoy was the greatest baseball player in his time. Everybody is afraid of something. More than 2500 children told us what they were afraid of. Some don't like the darkness. Some hate bad dreams and scary movies . And some of them want to run away from dogs and snakes. Tom, 11, is afraid of the darkness because he worries that someone might his house. 10-year-old Kathy said he was afraid of thunderstorms and the sound at night. The worst thing about the afraid feeling is that we don't know how to deal with it. Here are three ways to help children feel better. 1. Do something interesting in your free time. 2. Talk to your parents about your feeling. 3. Talk to a close friend. ,. (5) _ , it will be the worst thing. Answer: If you don't know how to deal with the problem Our nearest neighbor is the moon. In the sky, the moon and the sun seem to be of the same size because the moon is much nearer. The moon makes the tides--the changes in the level of the sea. The moon and the sun together pull the sea. In some parts of the world, the difference between * high tide' (when the sea is very near to the land) and ' low tide' (when the sea is far away from the land) is very big. This is very important for ships. The moon is very different from the Earth. Gravity on the moon is six times weaker than that on the Earth. There isn't any air. During the day, it is very, very hot but at night it is very, very cold. Nothing can live on the moon. If the moon goes between the Earth and the sun, we have an eclipse of the sun . The moon stops the light from the sun and we have night in the day. If the Earth goes between the moon and the sun, we have an eclipse of the moon. The moon goes into the shadow( ) of the Earth and it disappears for a few minutes. Which of the following happens when we have an eclipse of the moon? Answer: The Earth goes between the moon and the sun. The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league with 32 teams in. How does one choose which team to support? Some people choose the team of their hometown, or where they now live, or the team that their parents or their friends follow.[:ZXXK] A boy student from Oklahoma wrote a letter to each of the owners or presidents of the 32 NFL teams. He would see what answers he got, and then choose his team. Bill was home from school sick. It was the week before Christmas. He was "kind of bored" and needed something to do. So he asked his parents if he could write to every professional football team. Bill wrote the 32 letters by hand. "We weren't quite sure what we could get back. He didn't really have one team that he wanted to hear from," his mother said: "He just wanted to see what kind of reply he' d get." A letter to the Carolina Panthers' owner Jerry Richardson was one of those posted. Bill wrote in his letter, "My family and I love football. They are fans of different teams.But I don't have a team to cheer for yet. I am ready to pick an NFL team to cheer on for lifetime!" A few weeks later, Bill's mother was pulling into her driveway when a delivery man arrived with a box from the Panthers. When Bill came home, he excitedly opened the box. Inside he found a signed Carolina Panthers helmet as well as a handwritten note from Jerry. The team owner had written to Bill, "We should be honored if our Carolina Panthers became your team. We would make you proud of your joining us." Bill was overjoyed with what he got. He decided that from then on he would support the Panthers. He keeps the letter from Jerry in his bedroom. His mother says, "It's not the helmet they sent us. It's what they told us." That is what mattered to Bill and why he chose to become a Panthers' fan. We learn from the passage _ . Answer: some people choose a team to support as their parents do
Farmers could grow more rice and shaky Internet communications could work better someday, thanks to prize-winning discoveries by teenage scientists showed at a national science fair on Monday. High school scientists from across the United States showed off work in genetics, molecular biology, mathematics and other fields that judges said rose to the professional level. "It just blows me away. They're all just unimaginable," said Joel Spencer, aprefix = st1 /New YorkUniversityprofessor who served as judge at the Sidemen's Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology. Research done by finalists in the nationwide competition could lead to faster Internet speeds, more effective antibacterial drugs and better energy conservation. One team researched black holes in outer space, while another examined more than 700 fossils to better understand why dinosaurs died out. Juliet Girard and Roshan Prabhu won $ 100,000 scholarship for their work proving genes that help some kinds of wild rice flower earlier than others. Drawing on a database that described the genetic makeup of rice, the two students, fromJersey City,New Jersey, identified two genetic sections that directed wild rice to blossom an average of 10 days earlier than the ordinary short-grain rice that feeds much of the world. Their discovery could allow genetic engineers to develop a new strain that would take less time to reach maturity, allowing farmers to produce more and extending the growing region into colder climates. Steven Byrnes of Lexington,Massachusetts, took the top individual prize for his theory describing outcomes in a two-player game called Chomp. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. The students' research reached many fields. B. Some students researched black holes C. The database described the genetic makeup of wheat. D. The research can help to increase the production of agriculture. Answer: C. The database described the genetic makeup of wheat. My friend, Victor, is a zoo keeper in the National Zoo. His work is very interesting but it is hard. Sometimes it is dangerous, too. Every morning the zoo keepers have to get up at five to prepare the food for the animals. Each kind of animal is given special food. For example, the lions must be given meat; the deer must be given grass and leaves; and the parrots must be given fruit and nuts. Sometimes some animals won't let the others eat their food. If this happens, each of them must be fed separately . Every morning each cage must be washed by the zoo keepers. This can be dangerous, especially with lions and tigers. To make the work easier, the animals are locked in the sleeping compartments while the cages are being washed. When the animals are sick, the zoo keepers must look after them. Each sick animal is kept in a separate cage and given medicine. Sometimes they must be given injections. It is not easy to inject a sick lion! All the keepers live near the zoo. Each of them has a small house. There he lives with his family. They do not have holidays on Sundays and public holidays. Instead, each of them has a day off during the week. Each keeper has a holiday on a different day from that of the other keepers. The most important job of the keepers is to look after the safety of the visitors. People must be prevented from doing dangerous things. Many people have been injured because they did careless things, like putting their hands into the lion's cage. ,. All the zoo keepers must work _ . A. seven days a week B. on Saturdays C. on special festivals D. on weekdays Answer: C. on special festivals Passage 1 Does the early bird catch the worm? No, he saves it for tea: Animals seek out food in the morning but don't tuck in until afternoon. The early bird,strategy was revealed in an experiment in which over 2,000 birds were fitted with tiny radio tags which activated when they landed on feeders hidden in the woods. The feeders were moved around over the course of the day and the researchers noted when the birds landed on them. This revealed that the birds were much better at finding the feeders' new locations in the morning. However, they waited until the afternoon to get tucked in. The researchers said the complex strategy acts as an insurance policy, with birds remaining light yet still able to get enough fat to survive the night. It is particularly important in winter when the risks of predation are high and just one day without food can make the difference between life and death for small birds. Passage 2 What is a place where you could find old pictures of camels carrying people to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and also books about ancient Aztecs in Mexico? It is all found in the World Digital Library (WDL). Its collection is available on the Internet. The library has 8,000 items from whole books to ancient writings, to music and photographs. James Billington, who launched the WDL in 2009, says he wanted it to include items that are both interesting and important. Every item is explained in the 6 official languages of the United Nations: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian plus Portuguese. 25 million people have visited the website from 250 places since. Anyone may search the World Digital Library by subject, time period, kind of document or area of the world. The website is www.wdl.org. According to the research, how do small birds survive from the winter? A. By looking for food in the afternoon. B. By tucking in early to avoid starving. C. By staying in their nests all day long. D. By keeping thin to avoid being caught. Answer: D. By keeping thin to avoid being caught. Dear friend, For the past 17 years, you have been my best friend. I remember that you told me you were called Cigarette because of your features. You have seen me through difficult times, happy times and just about every stage of my life. You have always been here when I need you. Some of my family and friends didn't like you so much, but I've always been on your side. I thought you were a great friend, and I _ you at all times, especially when I was not very happy. It's hard for me to tell you this, but in the past few months, I have been seriously thinking about ending our relationship. I think that I've just been too dependent on you, and I feel that at the age of 35 I should start being more independent. I thought about just maybe seeing you once in a while, but I don't think that would work. Eventually, I'd start relying on you all the time again. I feel the only way to end our relationship is to end it forever. I've always included you in everything I've done. But next week, I'm going on a trip, and I've decided not to take you along. I feel this would be a good time to break up. I will be gone for a whole week without you and if I can make it on my own for that week, I know I can make it forever. It is a little sad for me knowing that I won't be able to rely on you any more, but I think I will be a better person in the end. By writing the letter, the author wants to _ . A. say goodbye to his girlfriend B. tell his friendship with Cigarette C. tell his travelling plan D. give up smoking Answer: D. give up smoking Cities need to put efforts to deal with pollution and clear the air. Chinese cities will need to put efforts to clear up the sky when a new department to improve regional air quality is set up by 2015, according to the latest plan released by the State Council. Besides the existing pollution control program for SO2, regional emission caps for other certain chemicals will be established in the three key air polluting areas-- the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Coal-consumption caps will also be tried out in some areas, according to the plan. "The plan is aimed at dealing with regional air pollution--such as acid rain and smog--which have become increasingly obvious in China in recent years and caused a severe threat to people's health," Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of environmental protection, said in an interview on Monday. "The air quality in a city affects the regions nearby because pollutants Can travel through the atmosphere," said Chai Fahe, vice-director of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. "So efforts to reduce air pollution in a single city, targeting a certain pollutant will not be enough," Chai said. Zhang said, "The country's major industrial districts--the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region--have recorded more than 100 misty days annually in recent years." These three regions, home to at least 200 million people, occupy only 6. 3 percent of the country's area but consume 40 percent of the country's coal and produce half of its steel, according to official figures. Studies also show that the visibility in eastern regions of China has dropped by 7 to 15 km compared to that in the early 1960s, as a result of air pollution. Liaoning province, the Shandong Peninsula, Wuhan in Hubei province and its surrounding area, the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region in Hunan province, the Chengdu-Chongqing region, and the western coast of the Taiwan Straits are also listed as areas to carry out such regional air pollution control programs, according to the plan. The new plan also requires an improved air quality system, which will measure the pollution levels. "The current system, which only measures some major pollutants, cannot reflect ." said Chai. It will not be enough to reduce air pollution in a single city because _ . A. air pollution has been becoming more and more serious in recent years B. air pollution like acid rain and smog is threatening people's health C. air pollutants in a city can travel in the sky and affect nearby areas D. air pollutants stay in fixed places over the cities Answer: C. air pollutants in a city can travel in the sky and affect nearby areas
Thomas Edison was one of ten said to be the greatest genius of his age. There are only a few men in all of the history, who have changed the lives of other men as much as the inventor of the first useful electric light. But Edison could never be happy only because someone said he was a genius." There is no such thing as genius," Edison said. He said that what people called genius was mostly hard work. But Edison was a dreamer as well as a worker. From his earliest days as a child he wondered about the secrets of nature. Nature, he often said, is full of secrets. He tried to understand them; then, he tried to learn what could usefully be done with them. Edison enjoyed thinking. He knew that most people will do almost anything instead of the difficult work of thinking, especially if they do not think very often. But he knew, too, that thinking can give men enjoyment and pleasure. Edison could not understand how anyone could be uninterested in life. As he loved to think, he also loved to work. On the day he became 75 years old, someone asked him what ideas he had about life. "Work," he answered. "Discovering the secrets of nature and using them to make men happier." He said he had enough inventions in his mind to give him another 100 years of work. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Many other people have changed Edison's life. The clock rules our lives. The more we try to save time, the less time we seem to have. In every area of our lives we are doing things faster. And many of us live in towns and cities which are getting noisier and more stressful as each day passes. But now a worldwide movement, whose aim is to slow life down, has started. Its supporters are people who believe that a happier and healthier way of life is possible. The Slow Food movement was founded the day that an Italian journalist, Carlo Petrini, saw that McDonald's had opened a restaurant in a beautiful square in Rome. He thought it was sad that many people today live too quickly to sit down for a proper meal and only eat much fast food. He decided that he had to try to do something about it and so he started the Slow Food movement. Slow Food has become a global organization ever since and now has more than 80,000 members in 100 countries. Slow Food also encourages people to eat local and regional food, to use local shops and markets, to eat out in small family restaurants, and to cook with traditional recipes. The idea of Slow Cities was inspired by the Slow Food movement. The aim of Slow Cities is to improve people's quality of life. Towns which want to become a Slow City have to reduce traffic and noise, increase the number of green areas, plant trees, build pedestrian zones, and promote local businesses and traditions. Now it has spread to other countries all over the world, from the UK to Japan and Australia. There are now 135 Slow Cities in 24 countries across the world that have been named since founding of the organization in 1999. Gao Chun County, in east China's Jiangsu Province, is expected to be named the first "Slow City" in China next year. "Slow Cities are about having a community life in the town," said a local resident. "It is not 'slow' as in 'stupid'. It is 'slow' as in the opposite of 'worried' and 'stressful'." But not everybody is happy. For teenagers, who have to go 25km to Norwich, the nearest city, to buy CDs, living in a Slow City is not very attractive. "It's all right here," says Lewis Cook, 16. "But if you want excitement, you have to go to Norwich. We need more things here for young people." All the following are necessary to be a Slow City EXCEPT _ . building more department stores Keeping the kids busy over the school holidays can be discouraging and cost parents a lot. But we've found some cheap and cheerful ways to enjoy family time this Easter from free days out to fun-filled theme parks which won't cost us much. We've done the homework so you can get started on having a great time. Theme Parks Save from 10% to 25% off the price of tickets for Legoland in Windor by booking in advance online. A family of four can save up to L45.90 on a one-day ticket, paying L137.70. Book seven days in advance and save L43 off the price of a family of four tickets for Drayton Manor Theme Park. Call 0844-472-1950 or book online and you'll pay L65 on the day. You can pick up a family of four ticket for a day at Alton Towers in Staffordshire for L43.80 off the day price. Save L16 off the price for a family trip to The Making of Harry Potter by buying a family ticket (two adults and two children) online. Family of four L101, compared to L117. Activities Students looking for a cut-price trip to see the animals can save 15% off the ticket price at Bristol Zoo and pay L12.71 rather than the full adult price L14.53. Teens should show their identity as students. Freebies Let your kids discover what it's like to be an animal on the African Plain in the ocean. Or, they can learn to love leaf beetles or become a scientist for the day at the Natural History Museum in London. Who is the text mainly intended for? The families. McDonald's is the world single biggest food provider with annual sales of around $12.4bn. And the company's symbol Ronald McDonald is now (or so the company claims) the word's most recognized person after Santa Claus. The first McDonald's restaurant was opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1948 by brothers Mac and Richard "Dick" McDonald. Mac ran the restaurant side; Dick was the marketing genius. He had already invented the drive-in laundry and had been the first person to use neon lights in advertising. Now he spotted the gap in the post-war, baby-boom market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants with simple menus, standardized food and efficient service. After a slow start, business began to boom. By 1954, the brothers were joined by another entrepreneur, a kitchen equipment salesman called Ray A Kroc who owned the franchise to the Multimixer, milk shake maker used throughout the McDonald's chain. A year later, Kroc had bought the McDonald brothers' chain of 25 franchises for the equivalent of around $70m(PS44m). Dick remained with the company until the Seventies, when he and Kroc fell out over Kroc's claim that the chain was his creation. Today, an almost Stalinist cult of personality surrounds Kroc (who died in 1984) at McDonald's, while the brothers who gave the company its name have all but been written out of its history. But though Kroc did not found McDonald's, he was certainly responsible for the empire-building philosophy which led to its world domination. He ushered in such essential contributions to international cuisine as the Big Mac (1968) and the Egg McMuffin (1973); and helped launch Ronald McDonald ---- "in any language he means fun" ---- on to television in 1963. Every three hours, a new McDonald's franchise opens somewhere in the world; it can be found in more than 100 countries including India (vegetarian-only to avoid offending the non-beef-eating populace) and Israel (non kosher, despite fierce local objection). McDonald's chain embodied the thrusting, can-do spirit of Fifties America with staff mottoes such as "If you've got time to lean, you've go time to clean." What do we know about McDonald's brothers? They had clear job separation on business. Some say the Internet will kill off papers. Others say not so fast. Are newspapers dying? That's the heated debate these days. Many say the disappearance of the daily paper is just a matter of time. The future of journalism is in news websites, not newsprint. However, others say, newspapers have been with us for hundreds of years, and while all news may be online some day, papers can exist for some time. So who's right? I'll outline the arguments on both sides, and then you can decide. Newspapers Are Dead Newspapers are in trouble. Circulation is dropping, display and classified ad income is drying up, and the industry has experienced a hard time. Big metro papers like the Rocky Mountain News have stopped operating, and even bigger newspaper companies like the Tribune Co. go bankrupt . And where are newspaper readers going? To the Web. A recent study has found that Internet users read online newspapers for an average of 53 minutes per week in 2008. That's highest level recorded in the eight years when the study has been done. The study found that 22 percent of users said they stopped their subscription to a printed paper or magazine because they could access the same content online. Some people say the Internet is just a better place to get the news. "On the Web, newspapers are live, and they can supplement their coverage with audio, video, and the valuable resources of their vast contents," says Geffrey I. Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future. Some readers no longer buy printed newspapers because they _ . can read online newspapers
Question: Is your schoolbag too heavy to carry? The e-schoolbag will help you. It is said that e-schoolbags are going to be brought into use in Chinese middle schools soon. In fact, the e-schoolbag should perhaps be called an e-textbook. It is a small computer for students. Heavy schoolbags are a problem for them. But the e-schoolbag will change everything. It is much lighter than a usual schoolbag. Also it is as small as a usual book, but it can still hold all the things for study, such as a textbook, an exercise book and so on. They can be made into chips that are as small as a stamp. The students can read the text page by page on the _ , take notes, or even send e-mails to their teachers. All they have to do is to put the right chip into the e-schoolbag and press a button . Some say that e-textbooks can be easily broken; some say it is not good to students' eyes. But only time will tell. An e-schoolbag is _ . A. a video chip B. a small computer C. a heavy bag D. a usual book Answer: B. a small computer Question: When you have good friends you really feel special and want to share in the spirit of friendship. You try to do pleasing and exciting things for each other. You could go on a friendship holiday, which would be very joyous. There are many places that you can go for a friendship holiday. First, let us look at some of the things that you will enjoy when you go on holiday with your friends. You will get a chance to relax and forget your _ life. You can relax and forget about dealing with lots of different things every day. Also, such a holiday is an opportunity to have fun with your friends as you explore different places. Moreover, there is no better way to get a true friendship; you have to spend time with people so that you can fully understand each other. I cannot insist enough on the importance of looking for enough time to share, and you can do this through a friendship holiday. You will have to look for a place that you all enjoy and feel comfortable in. Taking a friendship holiday does not have to be expensive. You can look for a good place where you can spend the weekend. The idea is to go away for some time so that you can be alone together. Besides knowing which place to go to, you need to know the activities that you are going to take part in while you are on holiday. If you are using a travel agency, let it guide you to some of the things that you will really like. Go for the activities that you will enjoy. It is pretty exciting how you can enjoy yourself with friends. You won't want to go back home. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of going on a friendship holiday according to the author? A. You can relax on the holiday. B. You will enjoy exploring different places. C. You can understand your friends better. D. You can have a good chance to make new friends. Answer: D. You can have a good chance to make new friends. Question: Many people believe that they will be happy once they arrive at some specific goal they set for themselves. However, more often than not, once you arrive "there" you will still feel dissatisfied, and move your "there" vision to yet another point in the future. By always chasing after another "there", you are never really appreciating what you already have right "here". It is important for human beings to keep sober-minded about the age-old drive to look beyond the place where you now stand. On one hand, your life is developed by your dreams and aspirations . On the other hand, these drives can pull you farther and farther from your enjoyment of your life right now. To be grateful means you are thankful for what you have right now. Gratitude fills your heart with the joyful feeling and allows you to fully appreciate everything that arises on your path. As you try hard to keep your focus on the present moment, you can experience the full wonder of "here". There are many ways to develop gratitude. Here are just a few suggestions you may wish to try: * Imagine what your life would be like if you lost all that you had. This will most surely remind you of how much you do appreciate it. * Make a list each day of all that you are grateful for, so that you can stay conscious daily of your blessings. Do this especially when you are feeling as though you have nothing to feel grateful for. Or spend a few minutes before you go to sleep giving thanks for all that you have. * Spend time offering assistance to those who are less fortunate than you, so that you may gain a new perspective . What really matters is that you create a space in your consciousness for appreciation for all that you have right now, so that you may live more happily in your present moment. Gratitude can NOT _ . A. fill your heart with happy feelings B. allow you to fully appreciate your "here" C. make people experience the wonder of "here" D. drive people to give up their future Answer: D. drive people to give up their future Question: More than 10,000 people were made homeless in Ternang when the Sungai Mas overflowed its banks yesterday after six days of continuous heavy rain. The wooden bridge across the river has been washed away. The town is cut off by flood waters. At the fifth mile, Jalan Tengkn, the water is two meters deep. It is closed to all traffic. Flooding first happened at mid-afternoon yesterday along the river banks. People trying to get to higher ground were just in time to escape the destroying of the flood. Most of the flood victims had to leave all their things behind. The National Flood Relief Center was reported to give its help and by early evening the whole town was moved out, helped by the army, police, Red Cross Society and volunteers . The flood victims are now housed in different simple relief centers in the nearby town of Ternang. "Everything possible is being done to help the unlucky people," a government spokesman said, "In fact, money, food and clothing have begun to come in from public organizations and helpful people. A Disaster Relief Fund will be started as soon as possible." According to the latest reports it is still raining heavily at Ternang. The whole town is expected to be wholly covered by the water. So far no deaths have been reported. What is the best title for this passage? A. A Big Flood B. Ternang Is in Danger C. Over 10,000 People Are Homeless D. Great Help Is Needed Answer: A. A Big Flood Question: You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations. It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last. Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine the American Dream as "day-to-day control of your life". They "prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel", said the magazine. Home ownership, once the _ of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream. So what has led to this huge change? Many point fingers at the poor economy. "Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and social stagnation ,"noted The Daily Beast. "The rate of 16-to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don't require a degree," Time reported. The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are "unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation's ladder". Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations."This situation is different for young adults today," he wrote. "A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennias are feeling they can only attain a day-today lifestyle that suits them." Dan Kadlec thinks Millennials' new definition of the American Dream is _ . A. beautiful B. understandable C. worrying D. positive Answer: B. understandable
Mary and Her Friends Mary has some friends. They are Betty, Peter, Alice and Mike. Mary is the oldest of the five. Betty is thirteen years old. She is younger than Mary and older than Peter. Alice is nine and Mike is seven. Betty and Peter are good runners . But Peter runs faster. Mary and Betty like to play basketball. Mary plays better than Betty. Alice sings best of them. Mary and Betty study in a middle school. Peter, Alice and Mike study in a primary school. They all work hard at school. But Betty works hardest. Her handwriting is good, too. Mary has _ friends. A. four B. five C. six D. three Answer: A. four There is growing concern about food insecurity in the developing world. Rising food prices, weather emergencies and political problems are deepening the struggle for families in many countries. Three UN agencies have published a report recently, saying high prices are likely to continue. Gregory Barrow, who is with the World Food Program in Rome, says, "If you look at the places where the World Food Program works, particularly in developing countries, you see people who might be spending more than 60 percent of their salary in purchasing food for their families." East Africa is suffering its worst drought in years. In Kenya, at least three and a half million people are going hungry, mostly in the north. Yet food is going to waste in central Kenya. Now, farmers there want the government to buy their food and give it to those in need. Farmers say bad roads and lack of transportation make it difficult for them to get their produce to the market. Mr. Barrow says, "It needs the government to make some arrangements such as providing transport. They can buy it at a good price, then give it to those people instead of asking for food from overseas, which is very bad. When we are throwing away food, _ are asking for food from overseas." Economists say that imports reduce local food prices, decrease productivity and increase the dependency on other countries. Farmers in Kenya hope the government can pay higher prices for their crops so that they can feed more Kenyans. What do we know about Kenya from the passage? A. The people in central Kenya are suffering from hunger. B. At least three and a half million Kenyans lack food. C. The Kenyan government wants to improve road conditions. D. People in northern Kenya refuse to ask for food from overseas. Answer: B. At least three and a half million Kenyans lack food. Amanda Clement grew up in Hudson, South Dakota. Baseball was always her favorite sport. Once in a while her brother Hank and his friends would let her play first base in their games. More often, however, they asked her to umpire for them, because they knew her calls would be fair and there would be no arguing. One day in 1904, Amanda and her mother traveled to Hawarden, Iowa, to watch Hank play for the home team against Hawarden. When they arrived at the ball field, two local teams were waiting to play a preliminary game. The umpire hadn't arrived, so Hank argued that the teams should let his sister serve as umpire. The players finally agreed. Amanda, then sixteen and standing five feet, ten inches tall, made perfect calls. She was so good that players for the main game asked her to umpire for them and even offered to pay her. Thus, at sixteen, Amanda Clement became the first paid female baseball umpire of all time. She is honored in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? A. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown B. Amanda Clement, First Female Umpire C. Baseball Games in Hawarden, Iowa D. A Family of Baseball Fans Answer: B. Amanda Clement, First Female Umpire A new University of Graz study concludes that vegetarians are more often ill and have a lower quality of living than meat-eaters. According to the German press release, vegetarians "have cancer and heart attacks more often". The release also says that they show more psychological disorders than meat eaters. Consequently, the report writes, they are a greater burden on the health care system. According to the press release the scientists evaluated data from the Austrian Health Interview Survey (AT-HIS), which is also part of an important and valuable EU survey (European Health Interview Survey). The scientists examined a total of 1320 persons who were divided up into 4 groups . All groups were comparable with respect to gender, age, and socio-economic status. The study also accounted for smoking and physical activity. Also the BMI was within the normal range for all four groups. The only thing that really was different among the four groups was the diet. The four groups were: vegetarians, meat-eaters with lots of fruit and veggies, little meat-eaters and big meat-eaters. The press release states that the results contradict _ that meat-free diets are healthier. Vegetarians have twice as many allergies as big meat-eaters, and they showed 166% higher cancer rates . Moreover, the scientists found that vegans had a 150% higher rate of heart attacks. In total the scientists looked at 18 different chronic illnesses. Compared to the big meat-eaters, vegetarians were hit harder in 14 of the 18 illnesses. In the analysis, the University of Graz found that vegetarians were also twice as likely to suffer for anxiety or depressions than big meat-eaters. That result was confirmed by the University of Hildesheim, which found that vegetarians suffered significantly more from depressions, anxiety, psychosomatic complaints and eating disorders. The University of Graz scientists also found that vegetarians are impacted more by ilnessses and visit the doctor more frequently. Big meat-eaters were also found to have a "significantly better quality of life in all categories", the study found. The four categories examined were: physical and psychological health, social relationships and environment-related life quality. What was the difference between the four groups in the experiment? A. Gender, age and socio-economic status. B. Smoking and physical activity. C. Diet. D. BMI. Answer: C. Diet. BELT FAJAR, West Bank - of Khalil Taqataqah's nine children, 20-year-old Andaleeb was his favorite. She was up early on Friday, made him tea and then slipped unnoticed out of the modest family home in this West Bank village. In centralprefix = st1 /Jerusalemlater in the day, Andaleeb ended her life the way dozens of other Palestinians did before: She blew herself up, killing herself and six Israelis and injured scores more. Andaleeb's parents, sisters, best friends and close s painted a picture of a quiet and soft-spoken woman who had not given a hint of her intentions. But Andaleeb spoke of her plan in a video taken before Friday's bombing and shown on Saturday on the Qatar-based Arab satellite TV channel AI-Jazeera. "I've chosen to say with my body what Arab's leaders have failed to say." Said Andaleeb, repeating a frequent complaint by Palestinians that Arab nations are not doing enough againstIsrael. "My body is a barrel of gunpowder that burns the enemy." she said, reading from a piece of paper. "She was like any other girl of her age. She spoke about love and marriage. I am so sad she's gone. It's the shock of my life." said her best friend and coworker Laila Mahmoud. A school dropout, Andaleeb had supported her family from a job at a Palestinian-owned textile factory in the nearby town ofBelt Jala. She had not reported for work for nearly three weeks because of repeated closures of West Bank roads by the Israeli army, according to her s. "Anyone in her place would have been out of control. It's her destiny and it's a source of pride and glory for us that she did what she could." said her aunt, Jameela Taqataqah as she held back tears. Andaleeb, the third Palestinian woman to commit a suicide murder this year, wore blue jeans and a matching checkered shirt when she had a photograph taken two months ago. Andaleeb, her parents' fourth child, looked more than 20 in the photograph. Andaleeb's parents said they learned of their daughter's death early this morning when Israeli troops arrived and asked everyone to step out while they searched the house. "They arrested one of her brothers and a male cousin who lives next door." said the parents. Which of the following is the writer of the news story most likely to agree with? A. Palestinians should kill more and more Israelis. B. Andaleeb was a lovely girl with great courage. C. Andaleeb's parents should have stopped her killing herself. D. Andaleeb's brother and cousin should be arrested. Answer: B. Andaleeb was a lovely girl with great courage.
The police Tuesday identified the suspect of the Virginia Tech shooting as Cho Seung-Hui, a native of South Korea,who killed 32 people before taking his own life Monday. "He was a 23-year-old South Korean here in the U.S.as a foreign university student." Flinchum said at a press conference held at Blacksburg, Virginia where the university is located. Cho was an undergraduate student in his senior year majoring in English,Flinchum said.He lived on campus at Harper Hall and his residence was established in Centreville,Virginia outside Washington. Meanwhile,Colonel Steve Flaherty,Superintendent of Virginia State Police, said the same gun was used in the two shootings at the university,suggesting there was only one gunman. Previous reports had said there was a possible second gunman still at large . A total of two attacks took place at Virginia Tech Monday.The first attack happened at a dormitory around 7:15 a.m. and left two people dead, while the second attack took place at the campus two hours later. A total of 33 people, including the gunman,were killed in the worst campus shooting rampage in U.S. history. Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said earlier Tuesday that all classes for the rest of the week had been cancelled. Before today,the deadliest campus shooting in the country took place in 1 966 at the University of Texas in Austin,in which 17 people,including the gunman,were killed. Founded in 1872, the state university has more than 25,000 full-time students.The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerful football team. At last,the police found out that _ . A the murderer was a male B there was another gunman C Cho alone did the shootings D there's one attack in the case Answer: C Plants use the water for their A heart ache B emotions C buddies D fare Answer: D While negligently driving his father's uninsured automobile, 25-year-old Arthur crashed into an automobile driven by Betty. Both Arthur and Betty were injured. Charles, Arthur's father, erroneously believing that he was liable because he owned the automobile, said to Betty, "I will see to it that you are reimbursed for any losses you incur as a result of the accident." Charles also called Physician and told him to take care of Betty, and that he, Charles, would pay the bill. Arthur, having no assets, died as a result of his injuries. Dodge, one of Arthur's creditors, wrote to Charles stating that Arthur owed him a clothing bill of $200 and that he was going to file a claim against Arthur's estate. Charles replied, "If you don't file a claim against Arthur's estate, I will pay what he owed you.""If Dodge did not file action against Arthur's estate, would Dodge succeed in an action against Charles for $200? A Yes, because Dodge had detrimentally relied on Charles's promise. B Yes, because Charles's promise was supported by a bargained-for exchange. C No, because Dodge's claim against Arthur's estate was worthless. D No, because Charles at most had only a moral obligation to pay Arthur's debts Answer: B In China, people usually set off firecrackers to celebrate Spring Festival. But this year seemed very quiet. It was really different. A man called Zhang Wei was asked by a reporter in an interview. He said that his friends and he hadn't set off a single firecracker. "We all suffered from last month's smog . If we don't call an end to the firecracker, the environment will get worse and worse during the holiday." said Zhang Wei. He put up a notice in his community in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. In the notice, he called on more people to set off fewer firecrackers during this year's Spring Festival holiday. Lots of parents agreed with Zhang Wei's idea. They said that they hated the noise of firecrackers. The noise used to wake up their babies too early. The babies really needed quiet mornings, More Chinese looked forward to celebrating the holiday in a greener way. They decided not to set off firecrackers. They also decided not to waste food. They said that the new celebrations sounded fashionable. "My family didn't buy any fireworks this year. Instead, we donated the money to charity. It's good for the environment and charity as well." Internet user "Fighter" wrote on Sina Weibo. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) .Zhang Wei lives in _ . A Jinan B Beijing C Shanghai D London Answer: A If an entity in intergalactic space has thrust placed upon it, what is the expected result? A it will start moving with acceleration B it will make a loud noise C spontaneously teleport a light year away D remain in the same location Answer: A
Carnival does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world. In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political or historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival, but they might have an indoor party. Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there join in dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people. The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts ten days before Lent . Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances and water processions . The official ending to the celebration is the party held in St. Mark's Square. Which of the following shows that the author pays special attention to the carnival in Bolivia? A The time of celebrating carnival in Bolivia is mentioned. B There are details and numbers about carnival celebrations in Bolivia. C People in the carnival celebration in Bolivia are mentioned. D Events or performances for carnival celebrations in Bolivia are told. Answer: B. There are details and numbers about carnival celebrations in Bolivia. Susan is very careless . She often loses her things. It's time for the geography class. But Susan can't find her geography book in her schoolbag. She looks into the desk, and it's not there. "Oh, no!" Susan thinks. "Is it at home? Do I lose it? Where is it? I need it!" Just then, the geography teacher, Mr. White, _ Susan's name. He gives her a geography book. And in the book, Susan sees a note: Susan I see the name "Susan" on the geography book. I find it on your seat. Mrs. Smith, school bus driver Where is Susan now? A At home B On the school bus C In the geography class D We don't know. Answer: C. In the geography class The Sahara Festival is a three-day African celebration of the very recent past, which takes place every year either in November or December. It is part military display and part competition. The military display comes first. It is very popular with tourists and local people and especially with government leaders. During the opening ceremonies, the government leaders first make speeches. They welcome everybody to the display and hope that everyone will enjoy themselves. Then there is a display of soldiers who march very smartly in front of the place where the government leaders sit. Then horsemen from several different countries show off their beautiful clothes and their good riding skills. One after another they come and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turns to show off their wonderful traditional clothes and dances. They are accompanied by men playing drums and beating strong rhythms for the dancers. The highlight of the opening ceremony are the races which take place in the evening. It is the grand _ of the day. Men ride their horses very fast. Some ride with their legs in the air, others ride in pairs on different horses. It is so fast and so wonderful! Before the races begin, _ take part in the activities during the opening ceremonies. A horsemen, dancers, horses and soldiers B horsemen, horses, government leaders and dancers C government leaders, horsemen, dancers and soldiers D musicians, soldiers, government leaders and soldiers Answer: C. government leaders, horsemen, dancers and soldiers Prana was a beautiful dog, whose name means "breath of life". Although he died several years ago, I can still remember the days we spent together and what he has taught me about love. I have two apple trees in the garden. Prana loved apples. When he went outside, he'd catch an apple and take it into the house to eat later. The apples had been on the ground and were often dirty so I wasn't always happy that Prana had brought them into the house. It was an autumn day in America, but it was very cold. A big snow fell and we had not done anything for its coming. On that special day, Prana went outside and I watched him through the window. I noticed that he was madly digging holes and bringing the apples to the ground so they could be seen above the snow. I did not know why he was doing this. He seemed to want to do something special. When I called him back, he had his usual one apple in his mouth. About five minutes later, I looked outside. The garden was completely covered with birds. Prana had dug up all those apples for his bird friends to eat. He knew that they wouldn't have stored enough food for the coming winter! The topic of the story is about _ . A apples B animals C love D life Answer: C. love Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and lack of consumer demand for environment friendly products have contributed to the pollution problem. One result is that millions of tons of glass, paper, plastic and metal container are produced, and these are difficult to get rid of. However, today, more and more consumers are choosing "green" and demanding that the products they buy should be safe for the environment. Before they buy a product, they ask questions like these, "Will this shampoo damage the environment?" "Can this metal container be reused or can it only be used once?" A recent study showed that two out of five adults now consider the environment safety of a product before they buy it. This means that companies must now change the way they make and sell their products to make sure that they are "green", that is, friendly to the environment. Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarkets' products carry labels to show that the product is green. Some companies have made producing of clean and safe products their main selling points and emphasize it in their advertising. The concern for a safer and cleaner environment is making companies rethink how they do business. No longer will the public accept the old attitude of "Buy it, use it, throw it away, and forget it." The public pressure is on, and gradually business is cleaning up its act. It becomes clear from the passage that the driving force behind the green products is _ . A public caring for the environment B companies' desire for bigger sales C new ways of doing business D rapid growth of supermarkets Answer: A. public caring for the environment
In England, traffic keeps on the left.Cars, buses and bikes all move on the left side of the road.But the traffic keeps on the right in China.So when you are in England, you must be very careful in the street.Before you cross a street you must stop and look both ways.Look right and look left and look right again.If the traffic lights are red, the traffic must stop.Then the people on foot can cross the road.If the traffic lights are green, the traffic can go.People on foot mustn't cross. In the morning and in the evening, when people go to or come back from work, the streets are very busy.Traffic is very dangerous . When you go by bus in England, you have to be careful, too.Always remember the traffic moves on the left.If you don't have a look first, you will go the wrong way. In many English cities, there are big buses with two floors.You can sit on the second floor.From there you can see the city very well.It's very interesting. ,. When you are in England you must remember that _ . Answer: the traffic goes on the left Reading is a great way to improve your English. You'll learn new words, revise previously-taught structures and absorb thousands of useful expressions and phrases... without any effort. By reading, you are receiving valuable language input. And this is how you learn! Remember, language learning is a combination of input + practice. As you're reading, you're taking in language naturally, and you're seeing how it all fits together. This is _ to your learning. The great thing about reading is that learning takes place subconsciously. There are no exercises to do, no grammar rules to learn, no tasks to complete... it's all natural. The language flows in through your eyes, and gets recorded in your brain. What could be easier? The key to effective reading is to read things that you want to read. There are millions of books, magazines and websites out there. You couldn't possibly read them all. So, the important thing is to find things that you like reading. Then, you'll be motivated to read. And then the reading won't be difficult. It'll be easy! And then you'll learn. It's simple. Remember: read what you want to read. What you like reading. What motivates and inspires you. But where can you start? Well, you could read a book that you've already read in your own language. Simply find a translated version of a book that you have read and enjoyed. This will make processing the content in the target language much easier as you'll already know what the book is about! You could also read the news. This is great as you can read the news in your own language first, then in English. You'll see that it won't be too difficult as you'll be familiar with the topics and stories. Magazines are also great. Find one that covers a topic you're interested in: business, clothing, guns, horses, houses, housekeeping, stocks and shares, sports, computers, electronics, designing, cooking... you name it, they'll have it. If not, look for information on the internet. There are also websites for every topic under the sun! Why not join a forum? They're a great source of English input as the language is often written in a simple, spoken style. Go to Google Groups, which has discussion groups based on common interests. Just type in the topic that interests you and join the chat. Finally, how you read is also important. The best thing is to read without using a dictionary. Let the words flow over you. Just skip the parts you don't understand. If you make your reading feel too much like work, it'll stop being fun. Of course, you could make a note of any new words and phrases that you like or see repeated frequently, but try not to break your concentration too much. Also, set yourself mini-objectives. For example, if you're reading a novel, read 20 pages a day. Very soon, you'll have been exposed to thousands of useful phrases and words. Have fun reading! You'll learn so much! You can start to read by _ . Answer: reading magazines containing topics you are interested in If you want to walk in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest figures, then go to Oxford. Many of Oxford's 38 colleges are open to the public year-round. Here are a few of the colleges worth visiting and some famous people who have studied there. Christ Church College Long before it became known as a location for the Harry Potter films, Christ Church was the college where Albert Einstein, author Charles Dodgson who wrote Alice in Wonderland, and 13 British prime ministers studied. In this large and popular college, you can see the paintings in the 16th-century Great Hall. Magdalen College Many consider Magdalen to be one of the most beautiful Oxford's colleges. This is where author Oscar Wilde read his classics course. You can enjoy the medieval church with its 15th-century tower. Opposite the college is the beautiful Botanic Garden founded in 1621. Merton College Founded in 1264, Merton has the oldest medieval library in use. J. R. R. Tolkien is said to have spent many hours here writing The Lord of the Rings. One of the college's treasures is an astrolabe ,thought to have belonged to Chaucer. The college has the most amazing collection of medieval colored glass in Oxford. Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is the largest university library in the UK. It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library. It holds more than 9 million printed items on 189 km of shelving and seats up to 2,500 readers. The users of the library here include five kings, 40 Nobel Prize winners, 25 British prime minister and countless famous writers. According to the passage, J. R. R. Tolkien is _ . Answer: the author of The Lord of the Rings When moist air comes in contact with a cold surface in the winter, one result can be frost. What has happened to the water vapor in the air to cause frost? Answer: It has sublimated. Of Chinese secondary school students top ten heroes,Mao Zedong,ranks number one and Olympic track gold medal winner,Liu Xiang,ranks fifth,according to a survey conducted by All-China Women's Federation (ACWF). Late Chinese leaders,Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai,and revolutionary martyrs,Liu Hulan and Dong Cunrui,all have remained important heroes in the eyes of Chinese teenagers aged 13 to 18. Meanwhile,the 2004 Olympic track and field star,Liu Xiang;model police chief,Ren Changxia;Hong Kong action star,Jackie Chan,and China's first astronaut Yang Liwei,have ascended to be the new stars among the students. "The coexistence of old and new models in youth's hearts reveal the new era's character," said Han Xiangjing,president of "China Women" magazine attached to ACWF. The respondents also chose their parents as heroes,ranking number two. "This reflects that young students' selection standards of heroes have changed to be more human oriented,emotional and personalized,"Han said. Reasons given by the surveyed students for this choice are:"parents are the people I love and indispensable to me"and"they consistently guide,encourage and support me." The survey was conducted in six provinces and cities across China,including Beijing,Shanghai,Henan,Shanxi,Liaoning and Hunan.Students completed 1018 questionnaires;443 polled were boys and 575 were girls. This passage most probably appears _ . Answer: in a newspaper
There was a pilot and four people in a small plane. Suddenly there was something wrong with the machine while it was flying in the air. The plane began to fall down. The pilot told the people there were only four parachutes . They all became worried and started to make excuses. "I must go," said the pilot, taking one of the parachutes and jumped out. The first person stood up, "I'm a doctor," he said. "I help people live longer and I save lives." He took a parachute and jumped out. The next person said, "I must have a parachute. I am a very clever person. I have to attend an important match. I know I will win the game because I'll be the cleverest person there." He picked up a pack and jumped out. Two men were left---an old businessman and a young mountain climber. At this time the plane was going down fast. The businessman said, " Young man, I am old but you are still young. You take the last parachute." The young mountain climber smiled. "Don't worry," He said. " We can both jump out because there are still two parachutes. Just now the clever man jumped out with my backpack." The clever man jumped out with _ . A. a parachute B. nothing C. the backpack of the climber's D. two parachutes Answer: C The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happens, my aunt. She was Myrtle C. Manigault, the wife of my mother's brother Bill. She taught me in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey. During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females. I liked to sing; she listened to my voice and pronounced it good. I couldn't dance; she taught me the basic dancing steps. She took me to the theatre--not just children's theatre, but adult comedies and dramas--and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed. My aunt also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me. I had books at home, but they were all serious classics. Even as a child I had a strong liking for humour, and I'll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis's Archy & Mehitabel through her. Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication. A writer herself for one of the black newspapers, she suggested my name to the editor as a "youth columnist". My column, begun when I was fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities--and it did--but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after graduation from college six years later, a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs. Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her "favourite niece". Like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path. We can conclude from the passage that Aunt Myrtle was a teacher who _ . A. trained pupils to be diligent and well-disciplined B. gave pupils confidence in exploiting their potential C. emphasized what was practical or possible for pupils. D. helped pupils overcome difficulties in learning Answer: B Face-to-face communication involves much more than the spoken word.In fact, we often communicate our feelings to others through our body language without realizing we are doing so.We communicate through posture, gesture and facial expression.But the eyes also play an important part in this unspoken language.William Shakespeare called the eyes "a window to the soul," and you can learn to look through that window and better understand a person's body language by reading eye movement. Begin a conversation and ask a simple question.Watch carefully for eye movement during the response.If the person looks up, he or she is thinking or forming pictures.This is also a sign of a visual thinker.Looking up and to the left shows recalling a memory, while looking up and to the right could show imaginative construction or lying. If the person looks down, this could be a sign of obedience or even blame.Looking down and to the left can show a person talking to themselves.Looking down and to the right can show that they are feeling strong emotion. Looking sideways can indicate distraction or checking out a potential threat, hut a sideways glance can also show anger.In addition, eyes that look side to side often show shiftiness and lying. A glance usually indicates a desire for something.Glancing at a door could show a desire to leave the room, while a glance, at a person could indicate a desire to talk to them.A glance is also used when it is forbidden to look at something. A person who is lying to you may hold eye contact longer than normal.In addition, this person might smile with his mouth but not with his eyes.Smiling with the eyes is difficult to do if the emotion is not genuine. Rapid blinking of the eyes can occur when a person is thinking, and this can also be another sign of lying.Again, a person who is aware of this sign might overcompensate and stare. Which of the following eye movement shows a dishonest speaker? A. If he looks up and to the left. B. If he looks up and to the right. C. If he looks down and to the left. D. If he looks down and to the right. Answer: B The main reason people come to America is said to be that they can chase the American Dream. Everyone has heard of it, and many have died fighting for it. The only thing is that there is no clear definition of the American Dream. It is not defined by one dream, but by all the opportunities that the United States offers. Since the founding of the United States, people have been _ to define the American Dream. In the playDeath of a Salesman, every character is trying to realize his own version of the American Dream. Willy feels that he has done so. He has spent his whole life as a not very successful salesman. As he gets older, he starts having conflicts with everyone in his life, and feels that only by killing himself will the people around him be able to finally be happy. Bernard, on the other hand, feels that the American Dream can only be achieved through career success. He shows that through hard work and dedication he will be crowned with success. The dialogue of the characters reveals the different attitudes they have toward the American Dream, and the reaction of Willy to the fact that Bernard is very successful while he is not. Many people try to achieve the American Dream, but few actually do so. As with any goal, it takes hard work and dedication to achieve the American Dream. InDeath of a Salesman, all aspects of this goal are examined. For the goal to be achieved, the dream must be an attainable one which is worth working toward. It also must be a dream that the professional world accepts and finds useful. According to the text,Death of a Salesmantries to tell us _ . A. what the American Dream is like B. why Willy decides to kill himself C. about Bernard's dedication to his work D. the life stories of Willy and Bernard Answer: A The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs. At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two. I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives. Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with. Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it's as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture. I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fiji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there. From the passage, we can learn that _ . A. the author's parents had been classmates before B. the author had lived in Fiji for about five years C. the author had no memories of her grandma D. people value family in Fijian culture Answer: D
Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost mention recycling, which is the process of treating used things, such as paper or steel so that they can be used again. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more things than we need. We are now dealing with the results of that _ in the possible greenest way, but it would be far better if we did not bring so many things home in the first place. Here is an example. In the UK, the total of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a household's waste. In many supermarkets, foods are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard. Too much packaging causes serious environmental problems. The UK is running out of different kinds of ways for dealing with this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect . Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The best way of avoiding this problem is to stop producing such unnecessary things in the first place. Food waste is another serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers to buy more than they need. They seldom encourage customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue. But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us. We have learned to connect packaging with quality . We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. Is it true for all the products? In fact, more and more companies realized the importance of protecting the environment. They try to package what really should be packaged, including products in good quality. As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize how many unnecessary things are being collected. We need to face the waste of our daily life. Although many people have taken action to recycle, we have a high mountain to climb. What does the passage mainly talk about? Answer: Recycling should be done in the first place. The way we do things round here Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, "Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us." That "quite" saddened me. I thought he was saying "we're kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else." Then I discovered that in American English "quite" sometimes means "very", while in British English it means "fairly". So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don't just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures . Some of these differences may be only on the surface-dress, food and hours of work-while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate ,while getting on with business. Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality .If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your guests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word "late" because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country. When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are _ . Answer: Germans Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy lean? It leans because of a mistake. It has leaned almost since the day the tower was built. In 1173, the people of Pisa, Italy, wanted to build a bell tower. They wanted the tower to be the most beautiful bell tower in all of Italy. The city also needed a bell tower because the church did not have one. However, there was a problem. As soon as the first floor of the building was finished, the tower started to lean. Builders tried to make the building straight again as they added more floors, but they couldn't figure out how to make it stop leaning. It took almost 180 years to finish the tower. Since then, the tower has leaned by another millimeter every year. Today, the Leaning Tower has eight floors and is 54.5 meters tall. By 1990, it was leaning by about 4 meters to one side. It was also slowly sinking into the ground. Many people became worried that it would soon fall apart. In 1998, repair works began on the tower, and by the end of 2001, it had been moved back by 45 centimeters. The tower will still lean, however, so it will need to be repaired again---in another 200 years. Before being repaired,, the tower leaned every year by another _ Answer: 1 millimeter While parents, particularly mothers, have always been attached to their infants . societal conditions frequently made this attachment difficult to maintain . First of all, the high infant death rate in the premodern times meant that such attachments often ended in hopelessness. Perhaps to prevent the sadness that infant death caused, a number of societal practices developed which worked against early attachment of mother and child. One of these premodern attachment discouraging practices was to leave infants unnamed until they had survived into the second year. Another practice that discouraged maternal attachment was tightly wrapping infants. Wrapping effectively prevented the close physical interactions like stroking and kissing that are so much a part of modern mothers' and fathers' affection for their infants. A third practice which had the same distancing effect was wet-nursing. Breast-feeding was not popular among the well-to-do in the early modern times; infants were often fed by wet nurses hired for the purpose. In some places, such as nineteenth-century prefix = st1 /France, city infants were sent to wet nurses in the country. Often a wet nurse would feed her own child first, leaving little milk for the city infant-who, in many cases, died. In Rouen, the death rate for children sent to a wet nurse was 35 percent Wet nurses were women who _ . Answer: fed babies of other families Undifferentiated cells in plants allow it to grow Answer: taller
Study-abroad programs are a great way to learn about different cultures. Sometimes students don't have the money to join in these programs. That is why scholarships for study-abroad programs are starting to become popular. Study-abroad programs can often be quite expensive. Finding scholarships is not that difficult. Usually, you can just visit the study-abroad office at your educational institution or even the financial services office. They will have a large directory of available scholarships. If your school does not have these offices, you can just quickly have a look on the Internet and find a wide variety of scholarships you might qualify for. The credentials you need to be considered for a scholarship vary greatly. But, to be a candidate for any scholarship, you generally need to have good grades, be an outstanding person, and be able to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to you. You will be able to show why you are a good candidate through the application process. The application process for each scholarship varies, which usually includes submitting an academic record, an essay, and sometimes an interview. Usually, you will have to submit your academic records. The administrators of the scholarship will know that you take your academic studies seriously. Next you usually need to write an essay. This could be on a wide variety of subjects, but they usually focus on something related to 'why you should get this scholarship' to determine how much you want the scholarship and how good of a candidate you would be. After this, the final few applicants may be asked in for an interview to learn about you and why you would be a good recipient of the scholarship. If you satisfy all these requirements, there is a good chance you will get a scholarship. If you don't have enough money, don't give up but use plenty of scholarship opportunities for you! To apply for a scholarship, the writer doesn't mention the credential that _ . A. you need to speak a foreign language well. B. you need to have good marks at school. C. you need to be an excellent student D. you need to know when to use the opportunities before you Answer: A. you need to speak a foreign language well. Children are more likely to get smallpox if A. their parents base their medical decisions on advice from has-been adult entertainers B. they undergo vaccination at an early age C. they're vaccinated when they're young D. their parents understand basic science Answer: A. their parents base their medical decisions on advice from has-been adult entertainers About a year ago, if you had asked who Dinara Safina was the answer would have been: "She is Marat. Safin's younger sister." Back then she was overshadowed by her wonder brother. But now she has made a name for herself: the world No. 1 player in women's tennis. The 22-year-old Russian. will overtake Serena Williams of the prefix = st1 /USfor top ranking on April 20. "Before, every place I go, I am Marat's sister. Nothing else," she told New York Times. "I always wanted to be myself, and now finally the results are coming, and people can know me as Dinara Satina." Safina has made it to two great event finals, in the 2008 French and in this year's Australian Open, and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly; family isn't the only connection Safina's and her brother share. Both of their DNA burns with competitive fire. Satin has held the distinction for years of being a hot tempered player on Court. When he lost his temper, he would break a racket . Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother. A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake". The Sydney Morning Herald, during the Australian Open, summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline: "Satina goes from basket case to top of the world." It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players. Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach. "I had no choice but to become a tennis player, but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court, her size. She is 1.82 meters tall and Weighs 70 kg. But it is hard work that led her to her recent Success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No. 1," she said. Which of the following statements is true? A. Serena Williams will be topped by Safina on ranking list on April 20. B. Dinara Safina was always very confident and eager to succeed. C. Safina was eager to become a tennis player when she was a child. D. Marat Safin won the two finals, in 2008 French and in Austrahan Open. Answer: A. Serena Williams will be topped by Safina on ranking list on April 20. Every time Lionel Messi breaks a record, it seems appropriate to compare him to the legends that came before him. In 2012, he rewrote soccer history on multiple occasions, and his latest record came when he scored his 86th goal of the calendar year, breaking Gerd Muller's previous mark, before wrapping up the year with 91 goals. All statistics indicate that Messi is currently the best player in the world, and that he will go down in history as the top footballer of his generation. But when he is judged against all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona, he still has work to do. We don't know whether the Barcelona striker will have another year in which he records more than 90 goals, but he must still sustain a similar level of production for the next several seasons. Messi has already taken part in three of Barcelona's victorious Champions League campaigns, and he played an important role in two of them. In order to firmly establish himself as the greatest club football player in history, he must win the tournament a few more times. Most importantly, the Argentine needs to win on the international stage. Regardless of what Messi does for Barcelona, his legacy will be incomplete if he cannot win the World Cup with Argentina. Both Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers, and Messi's performances for his country have been severely disappointing. While he was still a teenager in 2006 --and his lackluster showing is excusable due to his youth--he cannot brush off the disappointment that characterized Argentina's performance in 2010. But the 4-0 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup Quarter Final seems to have sparked Messi. He scored 12 times for Argentina last year, and the next World Cup could finally be Messi's breakout performance in blue and white stripes. Due to all of his accomplishments, it is easy to forget that the extraordinary footballer is just 25 years old. If he can avoid injury or lengthy slumps until his speed and skills start to decline due to age, he may continue to break records and win trophies. What can we infer from the passage? A. Messi has firmly established himself as the greatest club soccer player in history. B. Messi will try his best to win the next World Cup with Argentina. C. Messi can avoid injury and lengthy slumps to break records and win trophies. D. Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers. Answer: B. Messi will try his best to win the next World Cup with Argentina. Children's books or children's literature is very hard to define and categorize, because there is no set genre for children to enjoy. All in all they can be categorized into six major classes, namely early childhood picture books, traditional literature, fiction, non-fiction, biography and poetry. Children have unique taste and interest. Although Harry Potter may be an all-time favourite for children all over the globe, they prefer funny books to fairy tales when it comes to bedtime. The top three favourite books in bedtime stories are The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and The BFG by Roald Dahl. There are many writers who popularized the children's literature or children's Books through their brilliant works. John Amos Comenius, the author of Orbis Pictus which is considered to be the first picture book specifically for children. Charles Perrault is believed to be the one who laid the foundations of the fairy tales. Perrault's stories include Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and so on. Hans Christian Anderson is best known for his fairy tales, such as The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, and The Emperor's New Clothes. Many Children's Books have been made into feature films and are equally successful in this medium. Like Alice in Wonderland, the BFG series and the Harry Porter series. These series collected a huge amount of money when released worldwide in cinema halls. All these movies based on popular children's books are not only popular among children but also popular among adult audiences. Children's books are in demand all over the world and more writers and authors are coming up with some new books. The potential market is immense because children are more into reading in this era than previous and they are enjoying it to the fullest. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? A. There Are Six Kinds of Children's Books. B. Some Writers Are Well-known in the World. C. Many Films Are Based on Children's Books. D. Children's Books and Literature Are Very Popular. Answer: D. Children's Books and Literature Are Very Popular.
Here are some tips that may help you live a beautiful life. When you wake up in the morning, think about what you are going to do. No matter how you feel, get up and dress up. Take a thirty-minute walk every day. And when you walk, smile. Spend more time with old people over the age of seventy and young kids under the age of six. Smile and laugh more. And try to make at least three people smile each day. Life is very short, so don't wastetime hating others. Time _ almost everything. Give time time. Call your family and friends often. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what they are going through. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Each night before you go to bed, say to yourself, "Today, I did ... I feel great." Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Try to "pass all your tests". The lessons you learn will last a lifetime . What do we learn from this passage? A How to live a beautiful life. B How to get good grades at school. C How to get along with others. D How to solve problems in our lives. Answer: A Part-Time Trainer -- Hong Kong (Financial Markets) Objectives and responsibilities: Teach public and/or in-house training programs, based on Kaplan training materials Work 1 or 2 mornings/afternoons on weekends or a few evenings on weekdays Flexibility to work in our centre Requirements: Provide legal advice to banks or financial institutions Possess solid knowledge in finance and risk management Years of experience as a banker, lawyer, business advisor or analyst Strong communication skills Email your cover letter and resume to seiling.ng@kaplan.com Lecturer Requirements: Holder of accountancy qualification Deliver accounting material in clear and straight-forward manner Understand students learning needs Keen on teaching & able to work flexible hours Full time Universities or Institutions teaching experience is a must. Send your application letter with full resume stating present and expected salary to: Human Resources Manager, Kaplan Hong Kong via email hr@kaplan.com.hk. Part-time helper Duties: To add Chinese to videos by using a software, training will be provided Requirements: University Graduate Proficient in English & Chinese Able to read & understand simplified Chinese Proficient in MS office and Chinese Word Processing (simplified or traditional Chinese) Being immediately available is a must. Send your application letter with full resume stating present and expected salary to: Human Resources Manager, Kaplan Hong Kong via email hr@kaplan.com.hk If you want to apply for Part-Time Trainer, you should _ . A email hr@kaplan.com.hk B have experience of teaching before C speak fluent English and Chinese D be able to communicate with people easily Answer: D When Abraham Lincoln was invited to give a speech in Brooklyn, New York, in February 1860, he was already famous throughout Illinois, but almost no one in the East knew what he looked like. The presidential election of 1860 was coming, and Lincoln, as a possible Republican candidate , wanted to increase his popularity. Hoping to introduce himself to hundreds of new voters , Lincoln eagerly accepted the invitation to the East. He wrote a powerful speech opposing slavery . Then he went to Springfield, Illinois by train. When Lincoln arrived in New York, he was surprised to learn that so many people had bought tickets for his speech that it had been moved from a small Brooklyn church to a New York City college. Lincoln got to town exhausted. His suit was badly wrinkled , and his one piece of luggage was old and covered with dust. Worst of all, his plain face, uncombed hair shocked those who greeted him. However, his admirers decided to have Lincoln photographed . If the cameraman could make Lincoln a little handsome, perhaps he could win more votes. They found the city's most famous photographer Brady. Brady and his assistants looked through the camera and surprised by what they saw. So they decided to make an adjustment before they took the picture. Brady walked over to Lincoln and pulled up Lincoln's shirt collar as high as it would go. As a result, the picture successfully covered up his long, ugly neck, which made Lincoln appear quite handsome. Lincoln's speech that day proved to be a triumph. So did the photograph. The photo inspired thousands of copies; so many that Brady insisted that this picture became the means to Lincoln's election to the Presidency nine months later. If that's true it might be said that Lincoln won the election by a neck--a neck that had been shortened in New York. Lincoln went to the East in order to _ . A take a trip B have himself photographed C make a speech about Illinois D convince voters to support him Answer: D JOHANNESBURG--They say cats have nine lives. Now a Chinese toad has joined that club of clever survivors. South Africans are shocked at the endurance of a toad that got trapped in a cargo shipment from China to Cape Town, after jumping into a porcelain candlestick that was made there. South African officials reportedly planned to put down the creature, fearing it would cause harm as an invasive species if it were let go in the wild. But the toad got a last-minute pardon. Mango Airlines, a South African airline, transported the toad on Friday to Johannesburg for delivery to an animal shelter, after officials decided to find a way to let the toad live. The two-hour flight was a breeze compared to the trip from China, a long way of many weeks and thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean. Airline spokesman Hein Kaiser said the toad got "first-class treatment", sitting in a transparent plastic container with escort Brett Glasby, an animal welfare inspector. There was even a ceremony, in which the toad's boarding pass was handed to Glasby. "He was the star of the show on the flight," Kaiser said of the amphibious passenger. "I think every passenger stopped to have a look." On landing in Johannesburg, the toad was brought out of its container for a celebrity-style photo shoot. Observers said the brown toad seemed like a cool customer. It belongs to the Asian Toad species, which breeds during the monsoon season. It is believed to have survived the trip from China by hardening its skin to prevent it from drying out, and also by slowing its breathing and heart rate--methods that help the species survive in times of drought. "We've had snakes in imported timber and scorpions in fruit. We were called because the toad was right inside the candlestick, and we had to break it to get it out" Glasby, the inspector, toldThe Star, a South African newspaper. The toad was able to arrive in South Africa alive _ . A because it formed hard skin to protect itself B because it escaped all attacks and hunts C because it used to stop its breath in winter D because it was lucky to be given a chance Answer: A Many children love to play with snow in winter. But Long Chuan has come to hate it. This year his hometown suffered from snowstorms for nearly a month. The heavy snow stopped cars and trains, broke the electricity tower and turned tap water to ice. Every day Long Chuan had to walk several kilometers to carry drinking water. "I couldn't ride a bike and it took me 3 hours to walk to school. I can't remember how many times I slipped on the hard ice, " said Long Chuan. Long is not alone. This year millions of people in central and southern China had a freezing winter without enough water and electricity. The biggest snowstorms in 50 years killed more than 100 people. They also cost the country 111.1 billion yuan. Experts say a special type of climate condition , La Nina, caused the storms. During a La Nina, the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator becomes colder than usual. It changes the weather around the world. Besides China, Canada, the US and Middle Eastern countries also met with heavy snowstorms this winter. The special climate caused the recent flooding in Australia, too. However, experts say that people have destroyed the environment . Global warming may be causing these terrible weather events to happen more and more often. The heavy snow _ this year. A killed millions of Chinese B cost China 111.1 billion yuan C used too much electricity D lasted more than three hours Answer: B
We still don't understand the influence of the mind's power over the body, nor do we understand why there should be such power. All we can say for certain is that the mind does have power over the body in very many different ways. If a man is told that he is at the North Pole and he believes what he is told, he'll show physical signs which suggest that his body is reacting as though he were at the North Pole. He'll go pale and shiver. When the film Lawrence of Arabia was shown, cinema managers around the world reported that the sales of ice cream rocketed. The endless desert scenes had made the moviegoers feel uncomfortably hot. Hypnotists use the power of the mind over the body in order to use their influence. The hypnotist must only convince the patient that something is true, and the patient will act accordingly. If he convinces the patient that his arms are as heavy as lead, then the patient will be unable to lift his arms. If he convinces the patient that a piece of ice is a hot iron and he then touches the patient's skin with the ice, a blister will develop. The body will react to the suggestion and not to the reality, and signs of a real burn will appear. From the passage, we can imagine that people watching a film about the North Pole would probably want _ . A. an ice cream B. a cold shower C. a hot drink D. a hot iron Answer: C. a hot drink That Upper class people generally have more educational opportunities, greater financial security, and better jobs than people from lower social classes, but that doesn't mean they're more skilled at everything. A new study finds, surprisingly, that lower class people are better at reading the emotions of others. The researchers were inspired by observing that, for lower class people, success depends more on how much they can rely on other individuals. For example, if you can't afford to buy support services, you have to rely on your neighbors or relatives to watch the kids while you're busy. One experiment researched on volunteers who worked at a university: some had graduated from college and others had not. Researchers used the educational level as an indicator for social classes. The volunteers did a test of emotion perception , in which they were instructed to look at pictures of faces and indicate which emotions each face was displaying. People with more education performed worse on the task than people with less education. In another study, university students who were of higher social status had a more difficult time accurately reading the emotions of a stranger. These results suggest that people of upper-class status aren't very good at recognizing the emotions other people are feeling. This is because they remember their upper status and they think they can solve their problems without relying on others. In the third experiment, people were made to feel that they were at a lower social class than they actually were, and they got better at reading emotions. "The differences between upper-class people and lower-class people are not something ingrained ," Kraus says. "It's the cultural environment leading to them." This work helps show that the traditional image of the classes is wrong. "It's not true that a lower-class person, no matter what kind of person, is going to be less intelligent than an upper-class person. It's all about the social environment the person lives in, and the specific challenges the person faces. If you can change the environment even temporarily, social class differences in lots of behaviors can be removed." Why did people perform better in emotion perception in the third experiment? A. Because they became less independent. B. Because they didn't know they were cheated. C. Because they felt they must ask for help from other. D. Because they were made to understand lower-class people. Answer: A. Because they became less independent. London will stage its biggest political funeral in almost half a century on Wednesday when Britain's governing elite join the Queen and global leaders to bid farewell to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, better known as the " Iron Lady". In an event comparable to that of Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965, Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with admirers from parliament to the city's most famous cathedral. The bells of London's symbolic Big Ben clock tower will fall silent for the first time since Churchill's funeral and more than 700 men and women from Britain's armed forces will honor a woman who led them to victory in the 1982 Falklands War as foreign politicians from around 170 nations look on. Surveys have shown that many are unhappy that the estimated l0-million($15 million)pound bill for the funeral is being picked up by the taxpayer, while some left-wing lawmakers say the luxurious funeral is too expensive. But her admirers, of whom there are many in her party and in southern England, argue that her historical profile deserves such a funeral. She was the country's first and only woman premier, was Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and won three general elections. More than 2,300 mourners will attend including 11 serving prime ministers from around the world, the British government's entire cabinet, two heads of state and 17 foreign ministers. But there will be notable absences. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to attend and Nancy Reagan, the widow of Thatcher's great U*S. ally Ronald Reagan, is also unable to come. Thatcher struck up a close relationship with Reagan during the Cold War, backed the first President George Bush during the 1991 Gulf War, and was among the first to discover that Gorbachev was a man she could "do business with. " Covered in the red, white and blue British flag, Thatcher's coffin lay overnight in a 13th-century church in Britain's parliament, a forum she dominated for years. From the passage we can learn that Margaret Thatcher was _ . A. strong and smart B. weak and disappointing C. aggressive and warlike D. stubborn and luxurious Answer: A. strong and smart What will reflect more light? A. a black bag B. a yellow shirt C. a blue shirt D. brown shoes Answer: B. a yellow shirt When I was in the seventh grade, I was a candy striper at a local hospital in my town. I volunteered about 30 to 40 hours a week during the summer. Most of the time I spent there was with Mr. Gillespie. He never had any visitors, and nobody seemed to care about his condition. I spent many days there holding his hand and talking to him, helping with anything that needed to be done. He became a close friend of mine, even though he responded with only an occasional squeeze of my hand. Mr. Gillespie was in a coma . I left for a week for a vacation with my parents, and when I came back, Mr. Gillespie was gone. I didn't have the courage to ask any of the nurses where he was, for fear they might tell me he had died. So with many questions unanswered, I continued to volunteer there through my eighth-grade year. Several years later, when I was a junior in high school, I was at the gas station when I noticed a familiar face. When I realized who it was, my eyes filled with tears. He was alive! I got up the nerve to ask him if he was Mr. Gillespie, and if he had been in a coma about five years ago. With an uncertain look on his face, he replied yes. I explained how I knew him, and that I had spent many hours talking to him in the hospital. His eyes welled up with tears, and he gave me the warmest hug I had ever received. He began to tell me how, as he lay there comatose , he could hear me talking to him and could feel me holding his hand the whole time. He thought it was an angel , who was there with him. Mr. Gillespie firmly believed that it was my voice and touch that had kept him alive. Then he told me about his life. We exchanged a hug, said our good-byes and went our separate ways. Although I haven't seen him since, he fills my heart with joy every day. I know that I made a difference between his life and his death. As importantly, he has made a great difference in my life. I will never forget him and what he did for me: He made me an angel. The author didn't ask where Mr. Gillespie had gone because _ . A. she knew for sure that he had recovered B. she forgot all about him when she returned to the hospital C. she had been concerned that he might stay in coma forever D. she feared that he might have died Answer: D. she feared that he might have died
Tips for planning a trip abroad You may be going on a well deserved vacation with your family or planning a honeymoon trip to a foreign country. While discovering a new destination may seem exciting, keep in a mind a little bit of preparation can make your getaway all the more special. Here are some travel tips that can minimize any unpleasant circumstances that may arise when you are not familiar with the country you are travelling to. Be familiar with the culture and traditions of your destination. East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet. Rudyard Kipling's views may not seem entirely true with the world becoming a global village. There are, however, still differences that must be taken into consideration. It is better to be acquainted with the culture and traditions of the country you are visiting. For example, you may be travelling the Bali, a country equally well-known for its beautiful landscapes and temples as it is for its warm people. However, keep in mind that you must be suitably dressed to enter a temple. If you go wearing shorts, you may not be allowed to enter. Keeping into consideration facts such as this can make all the difference to your visit. General information about your destination Weather: This will help you decide what you have to pack for the journey and stay. Currency: No travel trip is complete without shopping and bringing back souvenirs. So it is important to be familiar with the currency, notes and coins and their denominations. Cost of local items: This will help you plan your budget and also give you a rough idea of the costs so that you are not taken for a ride when you go for your shopping expedition. Booking accommodation: Book your accommodation well in advance. This is especially important if you are travelling during the high season and you may find it difficult to get a hotel or guesthouse within your budget. Dealing with language problems: Be familiar with common words and phrases to make going around easier. Then again, when commuting from one place to another, do write down the destination and your hotel address in the local language, otherwise the taxi drivers may not understand where you want to go. Practical necessities Paperwork and documents: Know all the documents that are required for travelling to a particular country and ensure all your paperwork is complete so that you don't face hassles once you reach the place. Make two copies of your passport. Keep them in separate places, for example, you can leave one copy in your room and keep another with your friend. Should your passport be lost or stolen, you can use the copy to exit the country or use it to facilitate the replacement process. Email yourself all the important information such as credit card numbers, passport numbers, your driving license details etc. and anything else that could be of importance if an emergency arises. Finally, run a final checklist before starting your journey. You should have the following: passport, tickets, car rental and hotel reservation receipts/agreements, credit cards, medications or prescriptions, if required, addresses, password and any other important information that you may need. If everything is in order, you are all set for a smooth journey abroad. You can do the following things in Bali except _ . A. enjoying the beautiful scenery B. meeting warm people C. entering a temple wearing shorts D. learning about its traditions Answer: C On behalf of the Obama family,I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Like many of you. we'll spend the day with family and friends,catching up,eating some good food and watching a little football.Before we lift a fork,we lend a hand by going out in the community to serve some of our neighbors in need.And we give thanks for each other, and for all of God's blessings.We all share this day,united by the gratitude for the bounty of this nation. And we welcome the contributions of all people-no matter their origin or color or beliefs-who call America home, and who enrich the life of our nation. It is a belief as old as our founding:"Epluribus unum" -- _ . We are reminded that this creed, and America itself was never an inevitability, but the result of ordinary people in every generation doing their part to uphold our founding ideals-by taking the blessings of freedom, and multiplying them for those who would follow. As President Kennedy once wrote, even as we give thanks for all that we've inherited from those who came before us-"the decency(,) of purpose, steadfastness of resolve and strength of will, for the courage and the humility, which they possessed." we must also remember that "the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them." Today,we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals, including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families, who sacrifice so much to keep America safe.We are grateful to the countless Americans who serve their communities in soup kitchens and shelters,looking out for those who are less fortunate,and lifting up those who have fallen on hard times. This generosity, this compassion, this belief that we are each other's keepers, is essential to who we are, not just on this day,but every day.It's easy to focus on what separates us.But as we gather with loved ones on this Thanksgiving, let's remember and be grateful for what ties us together. Our love of country.Our commitment to justice and equality.Our belief that America's best days are ahead,and that her destiny is ours to shape-and that our inherited ideals must be the birthright of all of our children. That's what today is all about: _ Thank you, God bless you. What makes America as it is today? A. The blessings of God. B. The persistent efforts of all Americans. C. The contributions of people from different origin. D. The bonus of World War II. Answer: B In the United States , most children begin attending school when they are five years old . Public education is free and most children go to schools near their homes . Schools in these early years is fun . The children learn to read and write . But they also play games and go on trips . There is no reason at such an early age for him to hit the books. The situation changes as children become older. The subjects become more difficult .Students must learn about world history , algebra , and the life sciences. Tests become more common . Pressure is growing to hit the books, study hard , and advance. However , most serious students only really begin hitting the books for long hours when they reach high school. High school students who hope to continue their education at a college or university must take a special national test called the S-A-T .The test has two parts .The first part tests the student's ability with numbers and mathematical skills .The second part tests the student's ability in the English language. The S-A-T test is very important .A high school student who gets a high score on the two parts of the test has a good chance to enter a top American college .For this reason, many students hit the books for months to prepare for the S-A-T. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. In American the students have to pass certain test to continue their education B. Young children needn't work hard at their lessons because education is free[:Zxxk.Com] C. Those who fail in the S-A-T cannot go to a top college D. The students must spend much time preparing for the S-A-T Answer: B A kindergarten teacher decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she cannot forgive . So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3, while some had up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry the potatoes with them wherever they go (even to the toilet) for one week. With days passing by, the children started to complain because of the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes they were carrying. Those children who have 5 potatoes really began to feel the weight of the heavier bags. After one week, the children were happy to hear that the teacher had finally ended the game. The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for one week?" The children started complaining of the trouble that they had to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The burden of hatred will pollute your heart and you will end up carrying an unnecessary burden with you wherever you go. If you cannot _ the smell of rotten potatoes for just one week, can you imagine what a burden it would be to have the hatred in your heart for your lifetime?" According to the teacher, if a Child hates three persons, he or she needs to carry _ . A. one potato B. two potatoes C. three potatoes D. four potatoes Answer: C The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and knocked into the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. "How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy in my old age." Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank, who sat quietly listening to the others. Someone said, "Come on, Frank. Tell us your most embarrassing moment." Frank laughed and began to tell us of his childhood. "I grew up in San Pedro. My Dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home." He looked at us and said, "I wish you could have met my Dad. He was a big man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down over his brow. No matter how much my mother washed them, they would still smell of the sea and of fish." Frank's voice dropped a bit. "When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He had this old truck that he used in his fishing business. That truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck would belch a cloud of smoke. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here, I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me goodbye!" He paused and then went on, "I remember the day I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, "No, Dad." It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, "Dad, I'm too old for a goodbye kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss." My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear up. Then he turned and looked out of the windshield . "You're right," he said. " You are a big boy....a man. I won't kiss you anymore." Frank got a funny look on his face, and the tears began to well up in his eyes, as he spoke. "It wasn't long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back. It was a day when most of the fleet stayed in, but not Dad. He had a big family to feed. They found his boat adrift with its nets half in and half out. He must have gotten into a strong wind and was trying to save the nets and the floats." I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. "Guys, you don't know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek...to feel his rough old face... to smell the ocean on him... to feel his arm around my neck. _ . If I had been a man, I would never have told my Dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss." When his father drove him to the school, Frank would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear because _ . A. he was ashamed of his father's old truck B. he didn't want his schoolmates to see his father C. he thought he was old enough to go to school alone D. he hated the way his schoolmates stared at his father Answer: A
About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son's teacher asked me to meet him at his office. In the teacher's office, and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: " Is your son mentally retarded ? Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?" Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? No, no, it can't be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions. My son could not follow the teacher's directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was _ the class. Didn't he know my son did not speak English yet? He was angry: " Why hasn't your son been taught to speak English? Don't you speak English at home?" No, I didn't speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn't want him to forget his native language. Well, wrong answer! What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all times? " Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and sent them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?" Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of " those people." Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left. As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual . Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places- something very basic and obviously lacking in the "educator" I met in New Jersey. The author's attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as _ . Answer: positive Hello, everyone! Today I want to introduce my best friend to you. Her name is Rose. Rose is an outgoing girl. She is not tall. She is very thin. She has a round face and two big eyes. Her hair is short. She often wears a pink dress, because pink is her favourite colour. She always has a smiling face. Everyone likes her very much. So she has many friends. Rose is a clever girl. She's our monitor. She works hard at school every day. She is good at English and Maths. She always does her best to help others with their study. She likes asking teachers questions. Her homework is always clean and tidy. Her handwriting is very beautiful. She is a top student in our class. Rose is a versatile girl. She can play the piano. She can draw pictures well. She can play table tennis. She can swim. She can do many things very well. Rose has a pet. It is a small dog. Its name is Xiao Xiong. They are good friends. I like it, too. Do you like my best friend, Rose? Can you tell me about your best friend? What colour does Rose like best? Answer: Pink. At Dove's trial for theft, Mr. Wong, called by the prosecutor, testified to the following: 1) that from his apartment window, he saw thieves across the street break the window of a jewelry store, take jewelry, and leave in a car; 2) that Mrs. Wong telephoned the police and relayed to them the license number of the thieves' car as Mr. Wong looked out the window with binoculars and read it to her; 3) that he has no present memory of the number, but that immediately afterward he listened to a playback of the police tape recording giving the license number (which belongs to Dove's car) and verified that she had relayed the number accurately. Playing the tape recording for the jury would be Answer: proper, because it is recorded recollection. A large number of people in the world eat fast food .Whenever you go into a fast food restaurant , you can see lots of people enjoying their meals there. How do you know in which country people like fast food best ? The English people are the world's biggest fans of fast food , while the French are the least interested in quick meals , according to a survey done last year. The survey of thirteen countries shows that 45% of the English people say they can't give up fast food because it's delicious. And 44% of Americans and 37% of Canadians say the same. The French , proud of their delicious and high-class cuisine , don't like fast food. 81% of them think it is unhealthy , followed by 75% of the Japanese . How about the Chinese ? How often do you have the hamburgers or fried chicken? It doesn't matter whether you like Western fast food or Chinese food . The most important thing is to have good eating habits to keep healthy . The word " cuisine " in the passage means _ . Answer: food For many years, I had a belief that my suffering was due to my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts, and rejections with it. Many weight-conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix _ . Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved,being special, and being cherished. We fantasize about what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal. We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there. But we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin will finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness, self-worth, and, of course, love. It took me a long while to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards vary with culture. In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it's happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us strive hard to change our body, but in vain. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes toward ourselves, the whole world changes. According to the author, what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later? Answer: They feel optimistic about future plans on weight control.
I'm Lucy. I'm 14 years old. I come to China this year. Now I'm in Beijing International Middle School. I like animals . I think they're my good friends. When I go to school this morning, I meet a man with a cage . Five birds are in it . " How do you get these birds?" I ask . " I give them some food . When they come to eat it , I get them ." The man says . " They are too poor . Why do you get them ?" I ask the man . " It's very interesting !" The man says . " I need to do something ." I think . I want to help the birds . " Can I buy them ?" I ask . " Well ," he says , "Give me 50 yuan and your jacket ." I don't want to give my jacket to him because I like it very much . But for these birds I do it . The man gives me the cage. Then I let the birds fly out of the cage . I am happy to do that . Lucy meets a man with a cage _ . The baby monkey is much more developed at brith than the human baby. Almost from the moment it is born,the baby monkey can move around and hold tightly to its mother. During the first few days of its life the baby will approach and hold onto almost any large,warm, and soft object in its environment , particularly if that object also gives it milk. After a week or so , however, the baby monkey begins to avoid newcomers and focuses its attentions on "mother"-----the real mother or the mother-substitute . During the first two weeks of its life warmth is perhaps the most important psychological thing that a monkey mother has to give to its baby. The Harlows, a couple who are both psychologists, discovered this fact by offering baby monkeys a choice of two types of mother-substitutes ----one covered with cloth and one make of bare wire. IF the two artificial mothers were both the same temperature, the little monkeys always preferred the cloth mother. However, if the wire model was heated, while the cloth model was cool, for the first two weeks after brith the baby monkeys picked the warm wire mother-substitutes as their favorites. Thereafter they switched and spent most of their time on the more comfortable cloth mother. Why is cloth preferable to bare wire? Sometime that the Harlows called contact comfort seems to be the answer, and a most powerful influence it is. Baby monkeys spend much of their time rubbing against their mothers' skins, putting themselves in as close contact with the parent as they can. Whenever the young animal is frightened, disturbed, or annoyed, it typically rushes to its mother and rubs itself against her body. Wire does n't "rub"as well as does soft cloth. Prolonged "contact comfort" with a cloth mother appears to give the babies confidence and is much more rewarding to them than is either warmth or milk. According to the Harlows, the basic quality of a baby's love for its mother is trust. If the baby is put into an unfamiliar playroom without its mother, the baby ignores the toys no matter how interesting they might be. It screams in terror and curls up into a furry little ball. If its cloth mother is now introduced into the playroom, the baby rushes to it and holds onto it for dear life. After a few minutes of contact comfort, it obviously begins to feel more secure. It then climbs down from the mother-substitute and begins to explore the toys, but often rushes back for a deep embrace as if to make sure that its mother is still there and that all is well. Bit by bit its fears of the new environment are gone and it spends more and more time playing with the toys and less and less time holding onto its mother". After the first two weeks of their life, baby monkeys prefer the cloth mother to the wire mother because the former is _ . ks5u When humans and nature go head to head, nature often ends up losing. Rivers get polluted. Trees are knocked down. Natural resources are exhausted. That's what makes the Galapagos Islands so special--it's one of he few places on the Earth that nature can truly call its own. For people used to having wild animals run at the scent of humans, a visit to the Galapagos is a real eye-opening experience. Over 1,600 km west of Ecuador, the islands are home to a unique variety of animals that have absolutely no fear of people. Visitors can play on the beach with sea lions and giant sea turtles, swim with dolphins and whales, and get close enough to the penguins to count the eggs in their nests. The islands were declared a national park over 40 years ago, and the number of human visitors is tightly limited to avoid damaging he environment or putting stress on the animal. Tourists have to pay a $100 daily visitors fee, and can't step off the boat unless accompanied by an official guide. Once on the islands, you have to stay on the trail , but that seldom presents a problem: the animals are so curious about people that they'll usually come up to say hello. "It's a little like being in a zoo," said one traveler. "But instead of us looking at the animals, the animals, the animals are looking at us." Aside from the wildlife, one of the island' more unusual features is its post office. You can send postcards for free, but the problem is that there's no postman to collect them. Instead, travelers pick up mail addressed to people who live near them back home, and then hand-deliver the postcards when their trip is finished. On the Galapagos Islands the mail is delivered by _ . One day, a brave jackal came to the river to drink some water. He saw a lion looking weak and tired, and asked, "What is the matter, King of the Jungle?" The lion told the jackal his story. The jackal felt sorry for the lion. He pulled and pulled at the lion's tail until the lion became free. The lion was very happy and said, "Thank you so much for helping me. I thought I would die! You are my friend for life! I would like you to come and live with me. From now on, I will hunt and share my food with you." The jackal moved in with the lion's family and had a wonderful time. Soon, the lion had children of his own and so did the jackal. The lioness was not happy about the friendship. She complained to her children. Her children complained to the jackal's children; the jackal's children complained to their mother and their mother complained to the jackal. The jackal was upset and told the lion, "You told me to live with you. If you don't like it any more, you should have said so yourself." The lion was shocked and said, "This is not true. I've never complained about you. I still want you to continue staying with me." The jackal said, "We understand each other. But our families don't. Perhaps it is better for us to live apart, but continue meeting each other when we are free. We can even hunt together!" The two families parted, but the lion and the jackal met often and remained friends for the rest of their lives. From the above paragraphs, we can conclude that in order to keep our good friendship, we have to give something up or give in in some particular cases. However, we can never give up or destroy our families. What do you think of it? How was the lion when the jackal first met him? Jack White's house is near the river. Every morning, Mr White goes to work, and the children go to school. Their father takes them to school in his car every day. Mrs White stays at home. Every day, she does the housework. She often has lunch at 12:00. In the afternoon she often sees her friends. They often drink tea together . In the evening, the children come home from school. They get home early. But Mr White comes from work late. At night, the children often do their homework. Then they go to bed. Mr White often reads books and sometimes he watches TV with Mrs White. Sometimes Mr White _ with Mrs White in the evening.
There was once a magical lightning wand that contained special powers. When held by a human, it is believed to have given the human special powers that would allow them to take over the skies and the sea. Because of its dangerous power, a king named Ogthar wanted to hide the wand on a planet where no one could find it. Before Ogthar went out to hide his wand, he had to tie his shoelaces. Instead of tying them with his hands, he waved the wand to make it do it for him. Instead of tying his shoes, the wind and sky blew the shoes right off of Ogthar. Ogthar cried and cried because he no longer had shoes. After 17 days of crying, Ogthar saw that his life was not terrible without shoes, because he still had a magical wand. Ogthar then forgot about his shoes and instead made a magical land called "Wind and Sky Land" for children to gather and play in the fun wind and seas. Ogthar forgot about his shoes after a couple of years and even went on to go to school and get smarter. Ogthar is now a fireman and is glad that he never hid the wand. He now can never die and whenever he thinks of his shoes, he says to himself "Stop it!" What did Ogthar do after forgetting about his shoes? A He went to school and became a fireman. B He went to school and blew his nose. C He farted and went to school. D He blew his nose and farted. Answer: A Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you gain the most from them, and ensure you do not waste this wonderful opportunity to learn? Be positive about school. Don't say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school-life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile. Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable. Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong. Do today's work today. Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish a race if you rest all the time. Don't be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone fails some tests, loses some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don't let small problems seem very big and important. Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don't be too embarrasssed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything. Plan your time. Don't waste life lying in bed on Saturday morning. Go and play a sport, learn the piano, work on a project, read a book, practise English, or help someone with problems. There are always a lot of things to do. Set targets. If your last grade was a D, work for a C. try to make progress bit by bit. Think of small targets: "I will speak in class four times this week", "I will finish my project on Wednesday" or "I will get two more marks this week". Follow our advice, and have a happy school-life! According to the passage, which of the following statements is Not true? A If you are not interested in things at school, you are likely to feel bored. B It's not a shame to have problems and need help sometimes. C You won't make good progress unless you set big targets D Having enough food and sleep will help us study better. Answer: C The iMOVE database is a foreign-language information platform for persons interested in job opportunities offered by German companies. The information can be obtained in seven languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic. All programs in the area of professional training are carried out by German training providers. All these programs have a clear content to meet your special needs. Programs which take place in Germany are carried out in English. Many of the German training providers have stated their training activities towards the international market. Therefore, they also offer courses abroad. These courses are taught in English or the language of the target country. Providers will be glad to supply you with additional information on these courses. You can contact the provider directly to find out more about a program and the training provider. To guarantee high standards in the database, iMOVE has developed quality standards for training providers and their services. All of the training facilities in the iMOVE database have to follow these quality criteria . All training providers who publish their international training programs in the iMOVE database have recognized general terms and conditions. The purpose of the passage is to _ . A advertise the iMove database B hire overseas employees to work in German C make German companies more popular D encourage people to learn more foreign languages Answer: A Yao Ming, the centre of the Chinese National Men's basketball team, joins the Houston Rocket in the 2002 NBA. The 2.2 m, 120kg basketball star becomes the first one to come from a foreign team. Yao Ming was born in Shanghai in September, 1980. His mother is a leader of the Chinese National Women's Team. His father plays basketball, too. Yao Ming is welcome in China. He becomes a very important basketball player in China Basketball Association. It's short for CBA. During the 2000-2001 seasons, he gets 27.1 scores for the Shanghai Oriental Sharks in every match. Yao Ming joins the Houston Rockets in November, 2002. He says this is a new start in his basketball life. He world do his best to learn from the NBA and improve himself. Sport analyst Bill Walton says, "Yao Ming is very strong. He has the capability of changing the future of basketball." The Houston Rockets is the name of a _ team. A tabletennis B volleyball C basketball D golf Answer: C In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who lived those years with us. In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones closest to us and the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness. Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, it brightens yours. If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need. Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately. In that case, don't let embarrassment sink you into silence and speak up the first time you have the chance. Once a young minister, Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for thank you. But Brian soon found that these people had unusual generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. They do their thanks. I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, more caring? Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us-including ourselves. For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. Its message is universal; its poems transcend all earthly barriers; its music touches the heaven. When we say something for what others do for us, it _ . A benefits the people who do something for us B is good for both us and people who help us C wastes our and our friends' time at the same time D does harm to both us and people who help us Answer: B
John Wesley Powell(1834--1902)Was a famous explorer of the American West.When he Was young,his mother put him under the guidance of George Crookham,a self-taught scientist,from whom he received a wide,but informal,education.Young John learned many things about the natural sciences.But his father preferred him to study religion.The argument continued for three years.Then John decided to leave home to seek further education.He soon discovered that he knew more about science than any teacher he met.He realized that the only good scientific education in the country came from colleges in the east,like Harvard and Yale.But he Was too poor to go to them,SO he got work as a school teacher in Illinois.Whenever possible,he went on scientific trips of his own. In 1861,civil war broke out in the United States.John joined the Union forces of the North.At the battle of Shiloh Powell lost his right arm.Despite his disability, he began his famous exploration of the Colorado River on May 24 1869. It Was one of the greatest trips of discovery in the history of America.Never before had any white men traveled to that area.The trip Was far more dangerous than expected.The rivers were filled with rocky areas and waterfalls.Sometimes,the boats overturned or broke into pieces against big rocks.All along the way, Powell measured distances,temperatures,heights,depths and currents.He examined soils,rocks and plant life.Powell'S explorations led to the creation of US Geological Survey, which became responsible for all mapping and scientific programs of American lands. Powell's scientific studies of western lands shaped his ideas of how those lands should be used.He suggested programs to control both crop farming and cattle raising.He Was especially concerned about water supplies.Many of his ideas were rejected at first and were not signed into law until years after his death because they were far ahead of his time. John argued with his father because _ . A his father refused him to leave home B he wanted to go to college C his father wanted him to study religion D he wanted to work instead of study Answer: C Language-learners who say they never or hardly ever use dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes. The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every new word do not read fast. So they do not have time to read much. Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give only one or two words as translations of English. But one English word often has many translations in a foreign language and one foreign word has many translations in English. The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them too often. When they are reading, these students first try to get the general idea and understand new words from the context. Then they reread and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. If they are not sure how to spell a word, or divide it into syllables , they always use a dictionary. Also, if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form, they check these in a dictionary. This passage mainly tells us _ . A that students shouldn't use small two-language dictionaries B what were the defects of small two-language dictionaries C why students should use large college edition dictionaries D what dictionary students should choose and how to use it Answer: D Dear Santa, Thank you for all of the great gifts you give me this Christmas. My parents can't seem to decide whether you gave the presents directly, or if you just helped them and my grandma pick out the right presents. So, if you are advising her, please tell her next year that I do not own a Wii. I don't remember asking you for so many pairs of pants, but thank you for giving me the chance to try them on in the front of my whole family. I enjoyed them so much that I continued to wear them, with the tags still on. My mom and the holiday movies are always quick to remind me that Christmas isn't about the presents. It's about togetherness. But without the presents, there's nothing to do to fill up this long, long day. So I think Christmas is about the presents, and I'm sure you agree. If you do, I have some suggestions about ways that you could make the present part of the day last longer: using packing tape to wrap presents instead of Scotch tape . It took, like, ten minutes to open just one present. My final suggestion is pretty simple: more presents! If it took the whole day to open all of the presents, then I wouldn't have that terrible time, because my mom says it's wrong to go play video games in my room, but there's nothing else to do outside of my room. Anyway, thank you again and I look forward to seeing you next Thanksgiving. It's an iTunes gift card for you and hope you like it. Merry Christmas! What always make the writer's mother angry with him on Christmas Day? A His disliking to her Christmas. B His never saying thanks to the family. C His wrong suggestions about presents. D His staying in the room playing games. Answer: D Have you dreamed of building your own machine? Do you wish you could invent something new? Here we look at a few British inventions of recent times. Adaptable glasses Do you wear glasses? If so, can you imagine life without them? In 1985, Joshua Silver, a professor at Oxford University, asked himself, "Can I invent a pair of glasses that could be changed by the wearer?" He designed two plastic lenses that are filled with a special liquid. Using syringes you change the liquid between the lenses until you can see clearly. The glasses are not beautiful but they are easy to use and cheap to make. The wind-up radio When you switch your TV on tonight, think about all those people without electricity. Thinking about this, Trevor Baylis came up with the idea of designing a radio that could be powered by hand. In common with Joshua Silver he wanted his invention to be cheap and easy to use. He wanted even the poorest people in developing countries, who don't have electricity and cannot afford batteries, to use it. The radio has a generator which is powered by turning a handle. In 1996 it won a BBC Design Award for Best Protect and Best Design. The Dyson cleaner In many homes around the world you can see a cleaner that looks like a spaceship. This is the Dyson vacuum cleaner which uses something called "cyclonic separation" to separate the dirt. You do not need a bag for your cleaner and it does not get blocked so it is very practical. The idea came to Sir James Dyson after he kept having problems with his vacuum cleaner. He decided he could design a better one and in 1993 he opened his own factory. The Dyson is now one of the best-selling cleaners in the UK and Dyson is believed to have earned over a billion pounds. The Zapata fly-board Ever dreamed of zooming through the water and leaping in the air like a dolphin? Now you can thanks to a fly-board, built by water sports enthusiast Frank Zapata. With it you can dive back in the water and out again. It's possible to jump to incredible heights out of the water -- over 30 feet. The basic fly-board model comes in at PS4,200. So keep dreaming and inventing. One day you might get it right. The Dyson cleaner was invented with the purpose of _ . A helping people use cleaners more easily B making Dyson a rich businessman C keeping the house cleaner than before D taking the place of human cleaners Answer: A Do you know someone who has never been troubled by tests? Yeah, some people are lucky like that. But for most of us, taking tests can cause a lot of icky feelings and sensations, such as: trouble concentrating; low selfesteem; being nervous or anxious; feeling depressed or down on yourself; nausea ,indigestion, diarrheas ,or other stomach problems; racing heartbeat or trouble breathing; trouble sleeping; sweaty or cold hands. Spend a moment thinking about a test you have to take. Does it bring on any of these feelings? If so, that might mean you're having some trouble dealing with the stress of the test. Now that we know what stress feels like, let's talk about where test stress comes from. Here are a few of the biggest causes of test stress: Pressure from yourself.It's important to do your best and study hard, but if you feel like you just can't stop pushing yourself to prepare or that you won't be happy with anything but a high grade, that pressure can't be hard to handle. Pressure from parents and teachers.Most parents want to see great report cards, and they can start pushing when test time comes around. For teachers, many schools want to show high test grades from their students. So they have high expectations for the teachers, who then have high expectations for the students! Competition with friends.You love your best friends, but she's always asking you how you did in the test you both just took. This is normal, but can add to some of the pressure you're already feeling. Past experience.If you had a bad time with a test in the past, or if you've done poorly in one or more tests, you could feel anxious about the next one. Negative thinking.If you're convinced you're going to fail, or you keep beating yourself up with thoughts like"I'm not smart enough"or"I never do well," this can add to a lot of stress. Rumor. Sometimes, other students can spread rumors about a rest. Rumores like "That teacher's tests are totally impossible to pass!" can make you a lot more nervous. The direct reason why you feel anxious about tests is that _ . A you are always expecting to take the first place in taking tests B you didn't do well in the past one or more tests C it was just rumor that led to your anxiety D you are not sure of your study ability and skills Answer: B
I am 22. I used to work in a hotel. It was boring. One day a guest and I had a conversation. She asked me, 6/Do you like your job?" I was sad because I knew the answer. "No". She was 74 and gave me the most beautiful advice that I remember in all my life: You are too young to hate your job, young man. Go to get your passport and start your adventure( ). " So I did. Since I was a little kid I was dreaming to know Europe. So next day I had my passport. And one week later, my plane tickets. It was impossible to have a long holiday. So I resigned . My boss said I was crazy. My friends said that I was not responsible. I just paid no attention to those voices. It was Europe in winter. Not the best time to travel there. But Europe in winter is really cheap. I packed some books, a camera, 4 shirts, 2 pants, a coat, gloves, 2 pairs of walking shoes, candies and music to give away. I had little money. I just walked and walked. I went to high mountains and big cities. saw some beautiful sunsets . I heard some of the best musicians (for free). I discovered that there was still love in the world. I realized that sunrises are not always blue or yellow. Sometimes they mix. I spent 22 days and $1,500 (including the plane tickets). What I did to save money: 1. Used Couch, Surfing'( ). 2. Ate 20-cents bread. 3. Went to Burger King to get free potato chips and water. 4. Learned to cook. 5. Talked with local people. They always know where to do cool and cheap 6. Only went to free museums (only in England). Until this point in my life, I never had a clear idea of how to deal with my life. Now I do. I want to be a photographer so that I can inspire people with my pictures. Thanks to this travel. Thanks to that lady. After the man resigned, what possibly did his friend say to him? Answer: Guy, you should be responsible. What would you do if you were lost in the dark forest at night? The first sensible lesson is that you shouldn't bother trying to find your way in the dark at all, but just stay put until dawn. Because then you won't trip over things? No, mainly because you'll have an idea of direction. The sun rises in the east. But you will be amazed at how many people forget they know that. Apparently, the area underneath a holly bush provides a good makeshift shelter -- they are thick, and evergreen. The next thing to do -- or rather not to do -- is panic, for the obvious reason that unless there is someone there to hear you scream, it will get you nowhere. Just try to think of nice, happy things. There is always a point in films when a person who is lost in the desert or the snow, dehydrated and exhausted, comes across a set of their own footprints and realizes they have just walked in a huge, round circle. It is wrong to owe it to the unequal strengths or different lengths of your legs. Experiments prove that, without the sun or the moon (or landmarks) as a fixed guide, lots of small errors add up over time so the brain can't correctly identify the "straight ahead" direction. To just get out of somewhere, pick a spot on the horizon and just head for it. There are several ways to find directions in the dark, and by far the best is to establish north using the stars. Most people can identify the Plough, which is part of Ursa Major. It looks a lot like a saucepan. The Plough rotates through the sky, but let's imagine the saucepan lying horizontally , with its handle on the left. You need to trace a line from the star at the right-hand base of the pan, through the star at the right-hand rim , and follow it upwards; the north star is roughly five times the distance between those two "pointer" stars. Then drop a vertical line from the North Star to the horizon and that's north. "Tonight is very cloudy and I can't see the Plough." Maybe luckily, it is quite windy. Keep in mind that almost all of our weather comes from a south-westerly direction. (This only works if you are in the British Isles). To find the direction, you can throw light bits of dried-out grass in the air and see which way they blow; or, if there are clouds and patches of clear sky, see which way they blow across the stars. You can also get an idea of direction from leggy plants. If they look as if they have been blown over, they will probably be pointing north-east. If they are simply leaning in one direction as they grow, there's a good chance that is south (they will be reaching towards the sun). The last thing to do is to judge your direction and off you go. What might be the best title of the passage ? Answer: How to direct your way out of the wild If someone asks me: "Do you like music?" I'm sure I will answer him or her: "Of course, I do." Because I think music is an important part of our lives. Different people have different ideas about music. For me, I like rock music because it's so exciting. And my favorite rock band, the "Fox Ladies is one of the most famous rock banks in the world. I also like pop music. My classmate ,Li Lan, loves dance music, because she enjoys dancing. My best friend, Jane, likes jazz music . She thinks jazz is really cool. "I like dance music and rock very much,: says my brother, "because they are amazing." But my mother thinks rock is boring. "I like some relaxing music." She says. That's why she likes country music, I think. How many people's ideas about music are talked about in this passage? Answer: 5. Roger poured water over a pile of sand. Some of the sand washed away. This process is similar to which of the following? Answer: The erosion of the walls of a canyon How many times do you check your Moments or Facebook page in a day to see whether your latest post has got another "like" or "thumbs up"? Although you might be embarrassed to admit how many times you do this, don't worry. Psychological findings have shown it's completely normal. In fact, the pleasure we derive from getting a "like" is equal to that of eating chocolate or winning money, and we can't help wanting more. According to the findings of the UCLA Brain Mapping Center, which observed 32 teens aged between 13 and 18, the feedback circuit in the teens' brains are particularly sensitive, and the "social" and "visual" parts of their brains were activated when they received "likes" on a social network. The research also showed that though the thumbs up might come from complete strangers, the good they derive from it worked equally. So does it mean we should try our best to win as many thumbs up as possible? Not necessarily so if we know the reasons behind our desire for attention. In "Why do people crave attention" by M. Farouk Radwan, he explained several cases in which people naturally longed for attention. Radwan said people who were an only child, who were used to being the center of attention in their house, may try to reproduce these conditions. Feeling "overlooked and unappreciated" might also lead you to be eager for attention. Other times, the state of being jealous or wanting to cover your mistakes may also contribute to such longings. In fact, too much desire for attention can create anxiety, and in turn ruin your happiness even when you get it. So what can we do about it? The answer is quite simple. "If people could adopt goals not focused on their own self-esteem but on something larger than their self, such as what they can create or contribute to others, they would be less sensitive to some of the negative effects of pursuing self-esteem," wrote psychology professor Jennifer Crocker in the Journal of Social Issues. What's the author's attitude towards people's addiction to "thumbs up"? Answer: critical.
A decrease in trees may be attributed to I'm Tom. My best friends are John and Ann. We do many things together. John lives near my house and we are in the same class. He's fifteen years old and he's tall and slim. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He's polite and very clever. He's very good at math and he sometimes helps me with my homework. He usually wears jeans and a T-shirt. We also play basketball at a nearby park together and sometimes we play video games at my house after school. Our friend Ann isn't in our school. She's short and slim with straight brown hair and brown eyes. She's a little bit shy. We all have kung fu lesson every Tuesday and Friday afternoon. Ann is really good at kung fu. We call her the "kung fu kid". She sometimes plays basketball with us, too. She often wears a dress, a T-shirt and a baseball cap. The three of us have great fun together. When do the children have kung fu lesson? The supply of natural gas The flying fox is not a fox at all. It is an extra large bat that has got a fox's head, and that feeds on fruit. Like all bats, flying foxes hang themselves by their toes when at rest, and travel in great crowds when out flying. A group will live in one place for years. Sometimes several hundreds of them occupy a single tree. As they return to the tree towards sunrise, they quarrel among themselves and fight for the best places until long after daylight. Flying foxes have babies once a year, giving birth to only one at a time. At first the mother has to carry the baby on her chest wherever she goes. Later she leaves it hanging up, and brings back food for it to eat. Sometimes a baby bat falls to the ground. Then the older ones fly down and try to pick it up. If they fail to do so, it will die. Often hundreds of baby bats can be found lying on the ground at the foot of the tree. How do flying foxes care for their young? Nowadays, lots of students in Shenzhen complain that they have too much homework. Because of this, they feel unhappy about learning at school. According to a survey, a pupil has to spend two hours finishing the homework every day. It usually takes three hours for a middle school student and four hours for a high school student to finish the homework every day. Students in Grade Nine often do their homework until midnight. And all of them have to get up at as early as six o'clock the next morning. Mr. Li, a doctor in a hospital, told me yesterday, "Half of the students in Shenzhen are sub-healthy . The lack of sleep makes them tired and their health is becoming poorer and poorer." Many parents worry about _ . What does the passage mainly tell us?
One evening in November, Berlin received a telephone call from Mrs. Green. "Please, Dr Berlin, come to my house. I had 50,000 dollars on my desk and now it is gone." Dr Berlin arrived at Mrs. Green's house at eight o'clock. First he asked Mrs. Green, "When did you see the money last?" "At seven o'clock. I put it on my desk in my living room. Then I went to wash my hair. I came back at seven thirty and the money was gone." "I see." Dr Berlin said. "Were you alone in the house?" "No. My sister's son Jack is here, too." Then Dr Berlin and Mrs. Green went to Jack's room. "Please, sit down," Jack said. Dr Berlin sat on the only chair in the room, and the chair was cold. He also saw some books on the ground near his feet. "What have you been doing this evening?" Dr Berlin asked. "I came home at six-thirty, and went right to my room. I've been sitting in that chair and reading all the evening. I never got up and I never left the room. Maybe somebody came into the house and took my aunt's money." After hearing that, Dr Berlin was clear about who had taken the money. Which of the following is WRONG? A. Mrs. Green didn't live alone. B. Jack had given a careless reply. C. Dr Berlin found out who had taken the money. D. Jack had been really reading books all that evening. Answer: D. Jack had been really reading books all that evening. Friendship continues to remain central to our lives. Friends often affect our health and energy. More and more people are increasingly turning towards their friends for support and sharing rather than just communicating with their s. We may have a very unclear understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have a good number of friends around us. There are certain things you do to help you make friends or at least help you get close to people whom you want to make friends with. The first step to make friends with people is to make them like you. If they don't like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they'll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are interested in him, simple _ s like a little smile and calling him by his name can help. To make the other person feel important, you need to be a good listener and to encourage him to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion, but do not make fun of him. The second step is to develop trust in each other. You need to share opinions with this person and it is necessary for you to develop a habit of seeing things from his point of view. To become the best of friends, you must show concern and consideration for your friends' desires and opinions. The third and final step is to show your support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to be a friend matches with what that person can and wants to do in friendship, the developing friendship between you and your friend is sure to be easy and successful. What is the main purpose of the writer? A. To tell us about the importance of making friends. B. To tell us about the advantages and disadvantages of friendship. C. To introduce the steps for making friends. D. To tell us that friends are hard to make. Answer: C. To introduce the steps for making friends. After living in the United States for quite a long time, I do not think about the cultural differences any more. Last month, my parents came to visit me. Their observations on the American lifestyle reminded me that cultural differences between living in China and America are actually everywhere. When my parents came to America, they praised my house. Everyone had his/her own bedroom; there was a front yard, a backyard and a garage; there were many bathrooms - all convenient and comfortable. However, they were not used to the glass doors at the first floor. My mom, from southern China, was worried that someone would break open the glass doors. Though I said that nobody would do that, she was still worried about it. When I brought them to eat in fast food restaurants, whether it was in McDonald's or KFC, they saw that refilling drinks was for free. This concept of free refill was so new to them. A Chinese friend told me a story. He and his American girlfriend ate at a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted to drink English tea. He was curious, so he tried some and found that it didn't taste bad with milk and sugar in it. Adding more water to tea is free of course, so he drank more cups. His girlfriend found it embarrassing and explained to him that what he was doing was not exactly fair. If he wanted to drink more tea, he should buy another cup. My friend thought that Americans could take advantage of the free refills, but only a few of them did that. After staying in America for some time, he changed his habit. When eating at McDonald's for the first time in America, the writer's parents were probably surprised that _ . A. there were so many choices B. the prices for food were so low C. they could refill drinks for free D. they could get extra food for free Answer: C. they could refill drinks for free Global warming is when the earth heats up, the temperature rises. It happens when greenhouse gases ---carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide , and methane trap heat and light from the sun in the earth's atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can't get back out. Once the light is inside the car, it is trapped and the heat builds up, just like it does in the earth's atmosphere. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth. The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can't get out. As a result, the temperature rises. Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it, the earth would be freezing, or on the other hand it would be burning hot. We would not get the sun's heat and light to make the night somewhat warm. During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter it, so people, plants, and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat. Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it, if there gets to be too many gases, the earth can get unusually warmer, and many plants, animals, and people will die. They would die because there would be less food(plants like corn, wheat, and other vegetables and fruits). This would happen because the plants would not be able to take in the heat. This would cause us to have less food to eat, but it would also limit the food that animals have. Gradually, people, plants, and animals would all die of hunger. People are doing many things to try stop global warming. One thing people are doing is carpooling. Carpooling is driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. This minimizes the amount of greenhouse gases put into the air by a car. Another thing that people are doing is being more careful about leaving things turned on like the television, computer, and the lights. A lot of people are taking time away from the television, and instead, they are spending more time outdoors. This helps our planet out a lot. Now, more people are even riding buses, walking to school, and riding their bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air. Planting trees and recycling also help. If you recycle, less trash goes to the dump, and less trash gets burned. As a result, there are fewer greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Although adults do many things to help stop global warming, kids can do just as much. What is the effect of atmosphere? A. It only traps the heat of the sun. B. It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold. C. It works the same way as greenhouse gases. D. It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. Answer: B. It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold. To aid in increasing the population of an organism in an environment A. introduce more water sources B. restrict the food supply C. introduce more predators into the environment D. create artificial drought conditions Answer: A. introduce more water sources
We've organized the following information to help you prepare for your arrival at Boston College.Please feel free to contact our Admissions Office at any time over the coming months with any questions. Your First Steps... Please return the Acknowledgment Form sent with your acceptance letter to Dean Robert Howe, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, McGuinn Hall 221,140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. #For Ph.D.Acceptances and Master's Acceptances with funding, we ask you to reply by April 25, 2008. #For Master's Acceptances without funding and Non-degree Acceptances, we ask you to reply by May 31, 2008. #You should also contact your department to receive any department information. Over the Coming Months... Get informed about services around campus.We have provided links for you to the following offices. #Student Services After you return your Acknowledgment Form, you should receive a letter containing your BC Username and Eagle ID number.With this information you can reach email and Agora.In Agora, BC's online community, you can update your student information, check your student account, and register for classes. The Office of Student Services issues your BC Eagle One Card.This ID card acts as your campus library card and meal card. Student Services' website offers a complete listing of courses for the school year, as well as student forms and other important student information.The Office of Student Services also handles billing. #Housing ... CLICK HERE for more information. If we can be of any more help to you, just contact us.Congratulations again! We look forward to you joining our University! If you want to decide what courses for the school year you'd better _ . A. call up the Office of Student Services B. get in touch with the Admissions Office C. read your acceptance letter D. visit Student Services' website Answer: D. visit Student Services' website When many of us take a vacation, more than anything, we seek to relax. We spend long, lazy days on a beach chair or in a hammock . But too often, we return home, very very tired. It doesn't have to be this way. Come home _ after an active trip! And you won't be too tired! Active vacations are often the most relaxing ones of all. We don't expect you to take up jogging or backpacking. Rather, we ask the sedentary vacationers to spend two to four hours a day doing things, such as walking in city streets, going to a zoo or biking beside the ocean. These kinds of activities aren't just good for your physical health. They improve your mental health and even your spiritual health. And they make vacations memorable and worthwhile. Here are some fresh ideas to make your vacations as pleasurable as they are active and healthy. A walk at dawn or dusk can make you feel or look young again. Try to make this a daily thing that is done regularly. Don't allow yourself to spend all your time sitting in front of the water. *Many of us spend a large part of our vacations on the road, either getting to and from our destinations, or using the car for sightseeing. But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, great memorable vacations don't happen in a car seat. What is the purpose of the passage? A. To introduce the relationship between vacations and health. B. To show us how to make our vacations relaxing. C. To tell us where we should go for our vacations. D. To explain to us why vacations can sometimes be boring. Answer: B. To show us how to make our vacations relaxing. Linda was kind of late. Linda, 25, had a lot to do at work, plus visitors on the way: her parents were coming in for Thanksgiving from her hometown. But as she hurried down the subway stairs, she started to feel uncomfortably warm. By the time she got to the platform, Linda felt weak and tired -- maybe it hadn't been a good idea to give blood the night before, she thought. She rested herself against a post close to the tracks. Several yards away, Frank, 43, and his girlfriend, Jennifer, found a spot close to where the front of the train would stop. They were deep in discussion about a house they were thinking of buying. But when he heard the scream, followed by someone yelling, "Oh, my God, she fell in!"Frank didn't hesitate. He jumped down to the tracks and ran some 40 feet toward the body lying on the rails. "No ! Not you ! "his girlfriend screamed after him. She was right to be alarmed. By the time Frank reached Linda, he could feel the tracks shaking and see the light coming. The train was about 20 seconds from the station. It was hard to lift her. She was just out. But he managed to raise her the four feet to the platform so that bystanders could hold her by the arms and drag her away from the edge. That was where Linda briefly regained consciousness, felt herself being pulled along the ground, and saw someone else holding her purse. Linda thought she'd been robbed. A woman held her hand and a man gave his shirt to help stop the blood pouring from her head. And she tried to talk but she couldn't, and that was when she realized how much pain she was in. Police and fire officials soon arrived, and Frank told the story to an officer. Jennifer said her boyfriend was calm on their 40minute train ride downtown--just as he had been seconds after the rescue, which made her think about her reaction at the time. "I saw the train coming and I was thinking he was going to die, " she explained. What was the most probable cause for Linda's weakness? A. She had donated blood the night before. B. She felt hot in the subway. C. She had done a lot of work. D. She had run a long way. Answer: A. She had donated blood the night before. How to stick to your own opinion in socializing ? When it comes to your life , the opinion of others should matter very little . I am not talking about your friends and family , but others who have no importance in your reality - like your social peers and others like them . They are unimportant to your life , and yet you secretly struggle for approval at the cost of your own . Remember , your opinion is king . Start by being your true self . Allowing your true self to appear and connect with people on a more real level helps them in turn do the same with you . There is openness and honesty in the interaction . At the end of the day this is what we all want - the joy of true and meaningful connections . Next , evaluate your decisions . Are they representing who you are or are they the result of other people's opinion ? Practice your ability not to be affected by pressure and learn to take nothing personally . When we are bothered by outer criticisms , it influences and changes our behavior . Don't look to others for guidance on how to behave . Don't look for approval . If you don't need approval , you won't have a reason to try to impress people or be impressed by them . And finally , be real in EVERY situation . As you express your real self , others will think highly of you and the few who don't - don't matter anyway . Be willing to be judged , and then not take it to heart . If all this is a bit scary , then start small . Rather than not caring at all what others think , start by just caring a little less . No one outside your inner circle should get a vote or pass judgment or have influence on how you live your life . What are people advised to do in order to stick to their opinions in socializing ? A. Care about no one's opinion . B. Look for guidance on behaviors . C. Impress people by making changes . D. Start by taking others' judgment less seriously . Answer: D. Start by taking others' judgment less seriously . On Jan. 3, a netizen nicknamed "Programmer Humor"published a short story on his micro-blog. It said that there was an old lady who swept nearly every inch of his Internet company. When she passed by a programmer, she took a look at the codes on the programmer's computer and kindly reminded him, "Be careful, the stack is overfilled!" Certainly, it is a casual and fictitious story made up by the micro-blogger. However, no one would have guessed that the short blog would eventually cause the first great Internet meme of 2011 in China. Suddenly, the mysterious "Sweeping Old Lady" is showing up nearly everywhere and reminding professionals of their mistakes. From 8 a. m. on Jan. 5, some netizens collected stories of the "Sweeping Old Lady" and found she had appeared to give advice in 150 kinds of careers. A netizen even said he had met with a similar situation in real life. Actually, the "Sweeping Old Lady" is not new figure, but is based on the "sweeping monk "in Louis Cha's famous Kung fu novel of "Tian Long Ba Bu". The "sweeping monk" is an old monk and does the lowest class of work in Shaolin Temple, but he is actually the No. 1 master in the noel both in Kung fu and in the study of Buddhism. The "Sweeping Old Lady" is also a great modest master. Lots of netizens wish that they could have such a lady beside them to give them precious suggestions at a key time. Although there may be 1,000 "Sweeping Old Ladies" in 1,000 people's minds, it cannot prevent the "Sweeping Old Lady" from becoming the most popular figure on the Internet. "Programmer Humor" said he is just a programmer in the real world and once he saw the story about the "Sweeping Old Lady," he wrote it down in his micro-blog because it was funny. He never knew who the original writer of the story was and never thought the story could be so popular. What does the author think of the "Sweeping Old Lady"? A. She should be praised and respected. B. She shouldn't mind others' business. C. She should go in for network. D. She shouldn't show off before professionals. Answer: A. She should be praised and respected.
A trucker relates that he was traveling through rural North Carolina on I-95 when a brown car combined onto the highway. It came back and forth between lanes, causing the driver of the truck to change into a lower position. At first he thought the driver was drunk, but when he came closer, the trucker saw an old man shaking uncontrollably behind the wheel. He noticed a Citizen's Band aerial shaking to and fro as the car pulled suddenly between lanes, so he called on the radio: "You in the brown Chevy, if you can hear me, pull over. Pull off the road!" Amazingly, he drdf The trucker pulled up behind the car and climbed from his cab . The elderly man staggered from his auto and fell into the trucker's arms. He poured out a story of months of fear and pain that accompanied the illness of his only daughter. Now he was returning from the hospital where it was decided that she would stop any further treatment. In the hospital he remained "strong", but out on the road he fell apart. The two men talked for the good part of an hour. The father eventually decided to share his pain with his ciaughter and said he felt good enough to drive home. The men embraced and the trucker followed him for 50 miles. As they drove along, the two talked together on the radio. The older man finally acknowledged that his exn was ahead and thanked his new friend again for the help. The trucker asked if he could make it home all right and, suddenly, a third voice broke in on the conversation: "Breaker 19, cjon't worry, good buddy. Go your way. I'll see him home" Glancing in his mirror, he saw another truck move into the exit lane behind the brown car. I think there are good people the world over. People who will gladly give that caring touch, a needed warm embrace or a patient and listening ear. They are like angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. From "she would stop any further treatment. ", we can know that Last year, I worked as a young marketing person in a company. It was one of those busy days...management meetings, sale calls, planning my travels, booking hotels, and the list was endless. By the end of the day, I was not only tired but was getting angry with myself and everyone around me. It was at this time that Paul invited me to his house for a "chill out ( )." Although tired, I was all excited to chat up with Paul and share and learn through his rich experience in marketing. As we entered through the main door to his house, Paul started singing a song : I have a dream, to help me through in everything...and so on. I was in no mood to listen to his song; I wanted to hear about how he dealt with difficult sale calls! As I told him about just that, I was totally surprised at what I saw next. Two young girls, aged between 17 and 20, walked over to Paul and hugged him. They couldn't walk steadily, and neither could they talk properly. Their faces were full of smiles and they also sang a song: No Mummy's kisses only Daddy's smiles. Nobody wants us. Daddy hugs us tonight. Curious to know, I asked Paul who these girls were. I knew that Paul lived in that house but I had never seen these girls. Paul explained: "I also have a dream, a dream to make these girls happy. They are my daughters and they were born as 'special children'". And he further added, "They don't have a mother. My wife died when they were very young", and that he is both mother and father to these beautiful daughters. I was moved to tears. In the office, no one knew what Paul was going through in his personal life. He never looked for any pity from his friends. In fact, he always helped us and encouraged us to move forward in life. I finished my tea and made my way out, when Paul said to me, "All of us have dreams." What might be the most suitable title for the passage? For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size . I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds , hurts and rejections with it . Many weight-conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix everything. Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved , being special , and being cherished . We fantasize about what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal .We work very hard to realize this dream . Then , at last , we find ourselves there . But we often gain back what we have lost . Even so , we continue to believe that next time it will be different . Next time , we will keep it off . Next time , being thin will finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness , self-worth , and , of course , love . It took me a long while to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty . Beauty standards vary with culture . In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds . More importantly , if it's happiness that we want , why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body ? Why not look inside ? Many of us strive hard to change our body , but in vain . We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves . When we change our attitudes toward ourselves , the whole world changes . According to the author , what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later ? I have spent almost a third of my life in China, living and working in this beautiful country. In a sense, China has been and is still my second home But in those past years I had never been to Quzhou. Some days ago, for the first time in my Chinese life, I stepped into the beautiful city of Quzhou. My impressions of Quzhou city were as I always thought: green countryside, rainy sky, wet air. That was what I imagined for years the south of China would be. When we finally arrived, I was impressed by the elegant city. Next day we were taken to visit some places not far away from the city. I was not aware of the direction of our short trip, but when we arrived at Lanke Mountain and got out of the car, I thought that we had been taken to a fairyland : the light rain over the green and thick plants, the silvery sky like a heavy blanket and the mystery of this mountain made me feel like being part of a picture. Jiulong Lake was our next step. The mystic atmosphere of this place was so strong that I decided to watch the view standing at the top when I stepped into the small boat to sail upstream. Sometimes we were so close to the mountain that we could clearly see the red soil under the plants. _ The final leg of the day's journey was a primary school. We were welcomed by the smiles on the faces of many young pioneers. The energy of the hundreds of kids made me feel younger for a while, so educated, so polite and so warm that I had no doubt about the future generations of Quzhou people. The people seem to me the best of Quzhou and they will remain in my memories forever. In the writer's eye, Quzhou is _ . For many of us, printed books are satisfying in ways beyond the words they contain. Billions of printed books have been published, read and saved in the 600 years since movable type was invented, so why mess with a good things? Sony Electronics is doing just that, betting that readers will be won over by the convenience of readability of its new electronic book devices. Sony's reader, the PRS-505, can hold 160 books in its fixed memory, enough to line the shelves on a good-sized wall in the average American home. The $299 device is about the size of a paperback book, but a half-inch thick and weighs less than a pound. The Sony book reader is revolutionary not only in its storage capacity. The font is highly readable and adjustable by size. Unlike laptop computers, you can put the Sony in your purse, read it in direct sunlight and even bookmark the pages. And you can connect it to your PC to download books. Surprisingly, though the reader has liberated the book from paper, electronic books aren't always a bargain. For example, David Baldacci's "Stone Cold" download retails for $15.19 at the Sony site, while Amazon will deliver a hard copy to your mailbox for $16.19. The Sony reader also lets you store and play or display music. So what's not to like about the Sony? Well, for many _ , a lot. Book lovers like to have, hold and keep their volumes, which don't need charging. You can write notes in the margin1s, and enjoy the ambience they provide on your book shelves. The need for electronic reading devices is likely to grow as more people worried about the billions of tons of paper used for printed material. Many believe the time will come when devices like the Sony reader are as common as printed newspapers and magazines today. According to the passage, the Sony book reader _ .
Where is that noise coming from? Not sure? Try living with your eyes closed for a few years. Blind people are better at locating sounds than people who can see, a new study says, Without the benefits of vision the ears seem to work much better. Previous studies have shown that blind people are better than others at reaching out and touching the sources of sounds that are close by. Researchers from the University of Montreal wanted to see if blind people were also better at locating sounds that are far away. Twenty-three blind people participated in the study. All had been sightless for at least 20 years. Fourteen of them had lost their vision before age 11. The rest went blind after age 16. The experiment also included 10 people who could see but were wearing blindfolds. In one task, volunteers had to pick the direction of a sound coming from about 3 meters away. When the sound was in front of them or slightly off center in front, both groups performed equally well. When sounds came from the side or the back, however, the blind group performed much better than the blindfolded group. The participants who had been blind since childhood did slightly better than those who lost their sight later. Recognizing the locations of distant sounds can be a matter of life-or-death for blind people, say the researchers. Crossing the street, for instance, is much harder when you can't see the cars coming. Still, the researchers were surprised by how well the blind participants did, especially those who went blind after age 16. In another experiment, the scientists also found that parts of the brain that normally deal with visual information became active in locating sound in the people who were blind by age 11. These brain parts didn't show sound-location activity in the other group of blind people or in the sighted people. The scientists now want to learn more about the workings of brains of "late-onset" blind people. The recent study shows blind people are better at telling_. A. the sources of loud sounds B. the locations of distant sounds C. the direction of sharp sounds D. the distance of a sound in front of them Answer: B Part of the fun of watching sports events is following an exciting rivalry . But where do all these rivalries come from? Some rivalries start because athletes spend a lot of time close to opponents . Other rivalries get personal. Things that one rival says that are thought to be not respectful to the other can cause a rivalry, even if the words are misunderstood. And sometimes, rivalries grow just because the athletes don't like each other's personalities. Some sports may also be more likely than others to cause rivalries. "Some sports only meet a few times, so there is less chance for rivalries to build," For example, in sports where athletes perform on their own, such as diving, rivalries might also take longer to appear than in sports in which athletes compete at the same time. But in tennis, players often face each other, and rivalries are more likely to happen. So do the rivalries do good or harm to the athletes? Some believe that rivalries can be a good thing because they encourage athletes to try harder to win. But rivalries can also become too personal, taking athletes' attention away from their sports. Keegan agreed that rivalries often do athletes more harm than good. "They can be a huge distraction and lead to focusing on the opponent more than the game," he said. "Top athletes often have physical and mental training that they follow in order to worry less and prepare to compete", Gould further explained. An important part of that preparation is preventing from distractions, including rivalries. "The better athletes don't care too much about a rivalry - they try to treat every competition the same," Gould told LiveScience. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article? A. Rivalries between athletes may result from misunderstandings. B. The more often you meet your opponent, the more you dislike him or her. C. Rivalries mainly come from a dislike for each other's personalities. D. Audiences easily get bored if there are few rivalries in a competition. Answer: A Once a king got two nice falcons from his son. He had never seen such beautiful falcons before. He loved them so much and he ordered the best falconer to train them to fly. After several months, the king came to see how the training was going on. He found that one falcon had already been able to fly high in the sky, while the other was staying on the branch of a tree quietly, just keeping still. The king called all his falcons together and ordered them to try every way they could to make the other falcon fly. But none of them succeeded. One day, while the king was taking a walk in the forest, an idea came to his mind. Maybe someone who knew the natural environment well could solve this problem. He spent for a farmer who lived in the forest into his palace to train it at once. The next morning, the king saw the other falcon flying above in the sky freely. " it is unbelievable !" shouted the king. How could you make it happen?" The farmer replied,"It's very easy. I just cut off the branch where the falcon rested." It is always the same to human beings. We all have "two flying wings" in our hearts as well, but we often seem not to notice them and stay where we just for safety and comfort. We won't realize we can fly so high and freely until the "branch" we are resting on breaks. . Why did the king call all his falconers together? A. Because he wanted to get more falcons. B. Because he wanted the other falcon to fly. C. Because he wanted them to see his falcons. D. Because he wanted to know more about his falcons. Answer: B Even though orbiters have eyed it from space and landers have rumbled across its surface, Mars still has more secrets to reveal. Two findings emerged this week: the possibility of an active glacier far from the planet's poles and evidence that sulfur--rather than carbon--was the element driving the planet's warmer climate long ago. Both discoveries could force some rethinking about Martian evolution and dynamics--and maybe even provide insights about Earth's past. The glacier discovery was announced Wednesday by the European Space Agency (ESA). A high-resolution stereo camera aboard ESA's Mars Express spacecraft spotted the feature in a region called Deuteronilus Mensae, located in the mid-north latitudes of the planet. The Mars Express science team drew the preliminary conclusion that the material in the feature is water ice and that it accumulated as recently as 10,000 years ago, probably from an underground source. Other deposits of water ice have been mapped at the martian poles, but they're much bigger and are millions of years old. The find is a surprise because the prevailing view is that any water reaching the martian surface from underground quickly evaporates and eventually drifts into space. Yet all of the physical characteristics of the feature are "consistent with that of a glacier," says geologist and team member Ronald Greeley of Arizona State University in prefix = st1 /Tempe. Meanwhile, in the 21 December issue of Science, a team from HarvardUniversityand the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a possible solution for the curious absence of carbon-based minerals on Mars. A buildup of carbon dioxide in the ancient martian atmosphere supposedly produced enough of a greenhouse effect to allow liquid water to flow for a time on the surface. The problem is that such a process should have deposited ample carbon-containing minerals on the planet's surface--something that hasn't been found. So the researchers have come up with a new explanation: Large amounts of sulfur dioxide(SO2) in the atmosphere, the result of early volcanic activity, captured enough heat to allow water to flow. This would explain the plentiful distribution of sulfates among martian minerals. Where does the passage probably come from? A. Travel & Fashion B. Economy & Finance C. Animal & Botany D. Nature & Astronomy Answer: D There were times it was only schoolchildren who felt sick before they got their grades. But now teachers in Germany are scared, too, as they are being graded by their students. Many teachers are opposed to it. They don't mind being evaluated . But they are upset because the results are then being posted on the Internet and accessible to millions of Internet users. On the websitewww.spickmich.deduring the past four months students have posted evaluation of 100,000 teachers. The teachers are graded on categories such as "motivated", "good instruction", "easy examinations", or even "sexy". Many teachers think that their privacy has been violated. The creators of the website say that the students are only being offered the chance to provide teachers with some feedback about their classroom instruction. Bernd Dicks, who founded the website with three friends, says that the students are largely quite satisfied with their teachers. On a grading scale of one to six, the teachers' average grade is 2.7 and it has been improving lately. He often says the impression is that students are bullying their teachers. But there is also bullying of the students by teachers. "Teachers must also learn to live with criticism," he added. But still, the website is not totally immune from manipulation , as one teacher near the northern city of Hanover recently proved. He registered himself on the website as a student and then rated his own teaching colleagues highly. Within a few days, seven of his colleagues were listed in the top 10 ranking of Germany's best teachers. From what the teacher in Hanover did, we can infer _ . A. he intended to help his colleague B. there was some disadvantage of the website C. his colleagues were more popular than him D. he wanted to know how he was evaluated Answer: B
Sometimes the easiest way to get somewhere is on the back of a bike. More and more people are using cars in many places in Africa today. However, things are different in Malawi( ).Bikes are the most popular in this African country. Bike riding is a way of life in Malawi. People use them to carry heavy things. They also use bikes to carry people, especially tourists. These years, taking a " bicycle taxi" to travel around Malawi has become quite popular among tourists from all over the world. If you go to Malawi, you will find a lot of bike taxis waiting on the sides of the roads. The riders make the bikes comfortable for passengers to sit on . You can jump on a bike taxi and get around at a very low cost. Alice is a 21-year-old student from Canada. She enjoys the special bike riding a lot. "I really like the bike taxi," she says. "It's easy and cheap." Alice usually pays just $1 for going shopping in town. 28-year-old Panjira Khombe began to ride a bike taxi two years ago. The young man enjoys this job."I used to make boats for a living, but that's a hard job. Being a bike taxi rider is easy for me and I don't mind carrying heavy people," he says. The best title of the passage may be " _ " . Bike Taxis ." Those words were some of the last penned by George Eastman. He included them in his suicide note. They mark an ignoble end to a noble life, the leave taking of a truly great man. The same words could now be said for the company he left behind. Actually, the Eastman Kodak Company is through. It has been mismanaged financially, technologically and competitively. For 20 years, its leaders have foolishly spent down the patrimony of a century's prosperity. One of America's bedrock brands is about to disappear, the Kodak moment has passed. But George Eastman is not how he died, and the Eastman Kodak Company is not how it is being killed. Though the ends be needless and premature, they must not be allowed to overshadow the greatness that came before. Few companies have done so much good for so many people, or defined and lifted so profoundly the spirit of a nation and perhaps the world. It is impossible to understand the 20th Century without recognizing the role of the Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak served mankind through entertainment, science, national defense and the stockpiling of family memories. Kodak took us to the top of Mount Suribachi and to the Sea of Tranquility. It introduced us to the merry old Land of Oz and to stars from Charlie Chaplin to John Wayne, and Elizabeth Taylor to Tom Hanks. It showed us the shot that killed President Kennedy, and his brother bleeding out on a kitchen floor, and a fallen Martin Luther King Jr. on the hard balcony of a Memphis motel. When that sailor kissed the nurse, and when the spy planes saw missiles in Cuba, Kodak was the eyes of a nation. From the deck of the Missouri to the grandeur of Monument Valley, Kodak took us there. Virtually every significant image of the 20th Century is a gift to posterity from the Eastman Kodak Company. In an era of easy digital photography, when we can take a picture of anything at any time, we cannot imagine what life was like before George Eastman brought photography to people. Yes, there were photographers, and for relatively large sums of money they would take stilted pictures in studios and formal settings. But most people couldn't afford photographs, and so all they had to remember distant loved ones, or earlier times of their lives, was memory. Children could not know what their parents had looked like as young people, grandparents far away might never learn what their grandchildren looked like. Eastman Kodak allowed memory to move from the uncertainty of recollection, to the permanence of a photograph. But it wasn't just people whose features were savable; it was events, the sacred and precious times that families cherish. The Kodak moment, was humanity's moment. And it wasn't just people whose features were savable; it was events, the precious times that familes cherish. Kodak let the fleeting moments of birthdays and weddings, picnics and parties, be preserved and saved. It allowed for the creation of the most egalitarian art form. Lovers could take one another's pictures, children were photographed walking out the door on the first day of school, decided what was worth recording, and hundreds of millions of such decisions were made. And for centuries to come, those long dead will smile and dance and communicate to their unborn progeny. Family history will be not only names on paper, but smiles on faces. The cash flow not just provided thousands of people with job, but also allowed the company's founder to engage in some of the most generous philanthropy in America's history. Not just in Kodak's home city of Rochester, New York, but in Tuskegee and London, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He bankrolled two historically black colleges, fixed the teeth of Europe's poor, and quietly did good wherever he could. While doing good, Kodak did very well. Over all the years, all the Kodakers over all the years are essential parts of that monumental legacy. They prospered a great company, but they - with that company - blessed the world. That is what we should remember about the Eastman Kodak Company. Like its founder, we should remember how it lived, not how it died. History will forget the small men who have scuttled this company. But history will never forget Kodak. Which do you think is the best title for the passage? Kodak Is Dead Which would likely lessen the impact of climate change the most? Earth Day A tongue can adhere to metal if what occurs? conduction A trip to London My family had dreamed of a trip to London for a long time.Luckily it was possible for us to realize our dream because all of us were free on the weekend. We planned to drive into Cambridge and caught the 7:34train to Liverpool Street Station.Then my wife and I would separate from Joan,my wife's sister,to do different things and finally meet again for lunch.And after lunch,we would go to the concert. But we were late because of a thick London fog.The train had to move along so slowly that it was not until 10:30that it got there.In spite of our late arrival,Joan decided that she would go to see the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London while we went shopping.It was only after her sister had disappeared into the fog that my wife realized that we hadn't decided where we should meet for lunch.Since I had our three tickets for the concert in my pocket,this was indeed a problem.We didn't have any mobile phones at that time.There seemed to be nothing we could do except taking a taxi to the Tower of London,and try to find her there.Needless to say,we didn't find her. It was now one o'clock,and the concert began at 2:30."Perhaps she will think of waiting outside the concert hall,"said my wife hopefully.By this time the fog was so thick that road traffic had to stop,and the only way to get there was by subway.Hand in hand we felt our way along the road to where we thought the nearest station should be.An hour later we were still trying to find it.Just when I was about to become angry,we met a blind man tapping his way confidently through the fog.With his help we found the subway station which was just fifty meters down the road. By now it was far too late to get to the concert hall before the performance began at 2:30,so we decided to return to Cambridge.It took seven hours instead of the usual two to make that journey.Nor were we able to get any food and drink on the train.We were tired and hungry. We finally reached home at ten.Opening the door we were amazed to find Joan at home; she had seen the Crown Jewels,had managed to get another ticket for concert,and had had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant.Of course,she managed to get home,too.Oh my god! The writer and his wife felt on the train back home. tired and hungry
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of , infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, where as if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often "go on welfare" if they have a serious illness. When older people become or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet , a great many nursing homes and hospitals have been built. These are often profit making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply " grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under skilled . The author believes that the increased size of the human population results from _ . A an increase in birthrates B the industrial development C a decrease in death rates D childhood diseases Answer: C I had a successful career as an environmental health manager in London. But my life changed beyond recognition at the age of 35. I was born 50% deaf in both ears. But my world was totally transformed when I was diagnosed with deafness and eventual blindness. It was my wife Elizabeth who first noticed there was a problem. She moved a pencil past my face and was shocked to discover I couldn't see it unless it was directly in front of me. My eyesight had been failing for years but I simply hadn't noticed. I couldn't imagine how my life could get any worse, but in fact it has improved immeasurably. Of course, coming to terms with it was hard at first. My first reaction was denial, followed by severe depression. I had built effective coping strategies to deal with my hearing loss; losing my sight, too, just felt too much to handle. You absorb so much information about the world through your eyes, so the idea of that being taken away was terrifying. I spent several days on the sofa, feeling depressed. I felt all my opportunities were reduced. But I am very positive and didn't wallow for long. I have seen some people react to the news by withdrawing from life, but I chose differently. I got off the sofa and decided to train as a homeopath . Looking back, I think this was a way of working through my problems. We left London to start a farm in the country, which I combined with starting my own environmental health business. It was just what I needed: clean air, spring water and space. So many wonderful things have happened so far and now, age 50, I feel that I am living a second life. I aim to remain active and engaged with life. I don't think of myself as disabled. Instead, I've learned to live with them. We know from the passage that the writer was _ . A haft blind in both eyes when he was born B completely deaf in both ears when he was born C diagnosed with eventual blindness at the age of 35 D a successful environmental health manager in New York Answer: C Once there was a rich man who lived with his wife and child. He loved the child so much that he sent him to Oxford for two or three years. At the end of the first year at the university, this young student came home. He wanted a change. And he also wanted to tell his parents about Oxford. It happened one night when the father, the mother and the young student were sit- ting at supper. They had in front of them only two chickens. Just as they were about to begin eating, the father said, "My boy, I have spent a lot of money on you to send you to Oxford. Now I want to know what you have learned." The son smiled and said, "Father, I have studied a science which can _ that these two chickens on the plate are really three chickens." "Well," said the father, "This is something I would like very much to know." "There are two chickens on the plate," said the student. He took one of the chickens in his hand and said, "Here is one more; and one and two makes three. So here are three chickens." Then the father took one of the chickens to him-self, gave the other to his wife, and said,"I shall have one of the chickens myself, your mother will have another, and you can have the third for your supper and nothing else." The father kept his word and so the student went without his supper. What did the Father ask his son at supper that night? A Whether he liked Oxford or not. B How he got along with his classmates. C What he had learned in the first year at the university. D The number of the money he had spent at the university. Answer: C An old woman walked into a clothes shop. She asked the salesgirl to let her have a look at a new dress on display, but the girl stood still behind the counter, taking no notice of the request. The old woman spoke to the girl again, raising her voice a bit, but still received no answer. The old woman looked closely at the girl and nodded to her, "I am too old to see well." I can't even tell a plastic model from a real girl." On hearing this, the salesgirl shouted at the old woman, " What? Did you call me a plastic model?" The old woman was greatly surprised. "On, dear me," she said. "The model can speak. Then it must be a robot of a new type." The assistant was a _ . A woman B model C robot D man Answer: A Large numbers of children in Britain are missing out on the natural world, a study from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) suggests. The three-year project found that only 21 % of children aged 8 --12 were "connected to nature". Girls were much more likely than boys to be exposed to the great outdoors, while children in Wales had the lowest score across the UK. The RSPB says that a perception among some adults that nature is dangerous or dirty could be holding children back. There has been an increasing amount of research in recent years underlining the lack of contact and experience with nature among modern children. Some have argued that this is having a negative impact on their health, education and behaviour. The RSPB says its new study is the first to quantify the scale of British children's exposure, or lack of it, to the natural world. They came up with a definition of what "connected to nature" actually means and then deve -loped a questionnaire with 16 statements designed to assess the level of connection among children. Some 1, 200 children from across the UK were asked to agree or disagree with these statements. Only 21 % of children in the UK had a level of connection with wildlife and the natural world that the RSPB believes should be realistic and achievable for all youngsters. This "realistic and achievable" value is based on the average scores of children visiting RSPB sites or who are junior members of the organization. One interesting finding was the gender difference. While 27 % of girls were at or above the "realistic and achievable" target, only 16 % of boys were at the same level. "We need to understand these differences," Sue Armstrong Brown, head of conservation at the charity, told BBC New. "Whether boys and girls are scoring differently on different questions, are girls more empathetic to nature than boys for instance? We need to analyze the data to find that out." The report also stressed significant regional differences. Only 13% of children in Wales achieved the basic level of exposure, compared with almost twice this number in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Modern children across the UK lack contact and experience with nature because _ . A they all live in big cities B they are busy with their homework C some people are anxious about their safety D headteachers think it's dangerous to explore nature Answer: C
Sea-floor spreading occurs at divergent boundaries. Which statement best identifies the geologic process taking place at the point where sea-floor spreading occurs? A. a trench is forming B. new crust is forming C. oceanic crust is subducting D. a continental plate is subducting Answer: B. new crust is forming The old lady got up early to be ready for the post.Although she seldom received letters or parcels,today she was sure there would be something.Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times.Of course Myra was busy.Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work for the aged. The old lady was eighty today.She had put on her best dress.Perhaps Myra might come.The old lady was sure of that.Two spots of color brightened her cheeks.She was excited--like a child.She would enjoy her day. Mrs. Morrison,a social worker,had brought a card and a bunch of flowers when she came to do the breakfast.Mrs. Grant downstairs had made a cake.The little boy from the ground floor,Johnnie,had been up with a packet of candies,and offered to help her fetch the post. "I guess you'll get lots and lots of presents,"he said,I did last week when l was six." What would she like ? A pair of slippers,a table lamp,a book or a little clock.So many lovely things. She stood by the window,watching.The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle.Her heart beat fast.Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate.And then he gave her four envelopes.Three were unsealed cards from old friends.The fourth was sealed,in Myra's writing. "No parcel,Johnnie?" "No,granny." Maybe the parcel was too large to come by letter post.That was _ .It would come later by parcel post.She must be patient. But disappointment flooded her.She tore the envelope open unwillingly.A cheque fell to the floor like a bird with a broken, wing.Slowly the old lady bent to pick it up.With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits. The author seems to tell us that . A. there is no love like that of the parent for the child B. to accompany our parents should be the first law of nature C. a mother's voice is the most beautiful sound in the world D. we never know the love of our parents for us till we have become parents Answer: B. to accompany our parents should be the first law of nature Alfred Nobel, a Swedish - born chemist, who died in 1896, at one time believed that his invention of explosives could bring wars to an end, But later he found he was wrong. Nobel was born in Sweden in 1833. With only one year of formal schooling, he became a chemist and inventor by age of 16. He was also a _ , speaking English, Russian, German and French besides Swedish. He wrote poetry . He began his work with producing liquid nitroglycerin for use in mining and construction. He then discovered that liquid nitroglycerin could be dried. He called it dynamite, after the Greek word dynamis, meaning "power". Then he became rich. When he died, his estate was worth about 89 million. Nobel never married, and he left most of his estate to those who have been known as Nobel Prizes. The money is invested and the interest is given out as yearly prizes for persons who have done something special for mankind in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, literature, and peace. Prizes were first awarded in 1901. Over the years, many great people such as Albert Einstein in physics, Marie Curie in chemistry, Martin Luther King, Jr. for peace and Mo yan for literature got the awards. All the questions have been answered Except _ . A. who chooses the Nobel Prize winners B. when were Nobel Prizes first awarded C. who could win Nobel Prizes D. what else was Nobel interested in besides chemistry Answer: A. who chooses the Nobel Prize winners The traditional tent cities at festivals such as prefix = st1 /Glastonburymay never be the same again. In a victory of green business that is certain to appeal to environmentally-aware music-lovers, a design student is to receive financial support to produce eco-friendly tens made of cardboard that can be recycled after the bands and the crowds have gone home. Major festivals such as Glastonburythrow away some 10,000 abandoned tents at the end of events each year. For his final year project at the University of the West of England, James Dunlop came up with a material that can be recycled. And to cope with the British summer, the cardboard has been made waterproof. Taking inspiration from a Japanese architect, who has used cardboard to make big buildings including churches, Mr. Dunlop used cardboard material for his tents, which he called Myhabs. The design won an award at the annual New Designers Exhibition after Mr. Dunlop Graduated from his product design degree and he decided to try to turn it into a business. To raise money for the idea, he toured the City's private companies which fund new businesses and found a supporter in the finance group Mint. He introduced his idea to four of Mint's directors and won their support. Mint has committed around PS500,000 to MyHab and taken a share of 30 per cent in Mr. Dunlop's business. The first Myhabs should be tested at festivals this summer, before being marketed fully next year. Mr. Dunlop said that the design, which accommodates two people, could have other uses, such as for disaster relief and housing for the London Olympics. For music events, the cardboard houses will be ordered online and put up at the sites by the Myhab team before the festival-goers arrive and removed by the company afterwards, They can be Personalized and the company will offer reductions on the expense if people agree to sell exterior advertising space. The biggest festivals attract tens of thousands of participants, with Glastonburyhaving some 150,000 each year. Altogether there are around 100 annual music festivals where people camp in theUK. The events are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious. It is implied in the passage that_. A. the weather in the UK. Is changeable in summer B. most performances at British festivals are given in the open air C. the cardboard tents produced by Mr. Dunlop can be user-tailored D. cardboard tents can be easily put up and removed by users Answer: C. the cardboard tents produced by Mr. Dunlop can be user-tailored if a solid piece stands out in the elements, and reduces in size over time, what might have happened? A. it is moving away B. it has been depressed C. it has been stolen D. it has been weathered down Answer: D. it has been weathered down
A lot of teachers hate doodlers during classes."Pay attention!"Teachers will often warn doodling students,sure that they must be daydreaming. However, according to a recent study, doodling while listening to a boring lecture helps concentrate the attention: Andrade,a psychology professor in England asked participants to listen to a boring lecture. Half the participants were told to color in squares and circles freely on a piece of paper while listening to the lecture.The other half weren't given a task.After it was over, the participants were asked to retell the lecture. Those given the doodling task(color in squares and circles)remembered 29 percent more information than the non-doodlers.Andrade said. "If someone is doing a boring task,like listening to a dull conversation,they may start daydream,"said Professor Andrade. "Daydreaming distracts them from the task,resulting in poorer performance.A simple task,like doodling,can stop them from daydreaming without affecting their performance at the task,"he said. So the next time you're doodling during a class,and you hear"pay attention",you can tell the teacher with confidence that you've been paying attention to every word. Professor Andrade thinks _ . Answer: If a hundred bees swarm a pink rose and a dozen bees swarm a yellow lily, the lily will Answer: Last Friday a storm swept through two villages in the New Territories , destroying fourteen homes. Seven others were so badly destroyed that their owners had to leave them, and fifteen others had broken windows or broken roofs. One person was killed, several were badly hurt and taken to hospital, and a number of other people received smaller hurt. Altogether over two hundred people were homeless after the storm. A farmer, Mr. Tan, said that the storm began early in the morning and lasted for over an hour. "I was eating with my wife and children," he said, "when we heard a loud noise. A few minutes later our house fell down on top of us. We tried our best to climb out but then I saw that one of my children was missing. I went back inside and found him safe but very frightened." Mrs. Woo Mei Fong said that her husband had just left for work when she felt that her house was moving. She ran outside at once with her children. "There was no time to take anything," she said, "A few minutes later, the roof came down." Soldiers helped to take people out of the water area and the welfare government brought them food, clothes and some other things. Mrs. Woo and her family didn't get hurt because _ . Answer: Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in prefix = st1 /Italy. They were made inCremona,Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren't the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer. Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today's violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremonaare special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different aboutCremonaor those Italian violin makers. Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins. But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood. Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today. There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren't very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000! This passage is about _ . Answer: There is a time when Karyn Bosnak couldn't pay a $59 bill at the grocery store. She was officially broke. She didn't have enough money to get on the subway, but she looked rich. She was a television producer, earned $900 a week, and had a closetful of designer labels like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. But she also had a $20,221.40 credit card bill and an empty bank account. Karyn decided that it was time for a change. She built a website and simply asked people to help her out by sending her a dollar or two. On the site, Karyn honestly explained her situation. "If 20,000 people gave me just $1, I'd be home free." Amazingly, it worked. Her website was visited by more than a million people. Although most donors just gave a few dollars, one generous donor sent $1,000. She was on TV and in newspapers and magazines. She was offered a book deal and a movie contract. And of course, she was able to pay off her credit card debt. She also sold her designer clothes on eBay. In her closet, where the Gucci purse once sat, Karyn keeps all the letters that people have sent her. It's hard to understand why so many people helped a total stranger pay off her huge credit card bill. Karyn explains, "I was just honest about what happened; I didn't make up some sob story about saving the world." Her donors think it's funny and original, and view it less as a charity than as an entertainment site. Imitators have appeared all over the Internet, some with extremely selfish requests for things like a BMW or a house. Actually, Karyn was not the first person to put up a website asking strangers for money. The practice has a name: "cyber-begging." Most sites receive little traffic and even less cash. Karyn also had thousands of enemies and critics. People sent her hate mail and scolded her on websites. Karyn says she never let this anger bother her. "They are probably jealous they didn't think of it." She explains. Why did so many people respond positively to Karyn's website? Answer:
Diwali is perhaps the most well--known of the Hindu festivals. It is celebrated by Hindus in India and abroad. It is often called the Festival of Lights. For Hindus, Diwli is very important and it is also very exciting time for them. Normally , this holiday is celebrated in October or November and it falls on a different date each year. This year , it will be celebrated on October23. Diwali is usually celebrated for 5 days. To prepare for Diwali, Hindus spend several weeks cleaning their homes and preparing special food in order to welcome Laskhmi, the goodness of wealth into their lives. They will open the windows of their homes during this time to make sure that she can enter their home. One of other traditions of Dawali is to light up oil lamp in the homes. The oil lamps are used to make the goddess of wealth enter the homes. Hindus believe that she will not enter a home that is not lit up. During Diwali, the children in India do not have to go to school. They share gifts with one another and prepare special holiday meals to celebrate this event. Fireworks are also a big part of the Diwali festival. They are used to scare away bad spirits. Hindus usually do the following EXCEPT _ during Diwali to welcome the goddess of wealth. A. watching fireworks B. cleaning their homes C. preparing special food D. opening the windows of their homes Answer: A Recently, a study showed that changes found in astronauts' eye tissue might cause vision problems, and possibly even blindness. As well as threatening the health of astronauts, this could influence long-distance missions into space. Larry Kramer of Texas Medical School in Houston and his colleagues carried out MRI scans on 27 NASA astronauts after they had spent an average of 108 days in space. About half of them had some problems in their optic nerve or eyeball. The changes match those seen in people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a rare condition in which the pressure of blood is abnormally high in the brain. People with the condition experience headaches, nausea and vision problems including blindness. In space, the changes are probably caused by living in free fall. "It is not because of the sunlight in space or the spacecraft's function," says Kramer. "One likely reason is that blood which normally pools in the legs is shifted toward the skull , raising pressure." The findings are similar to the results of a survey of 300 astronauts carried out in 2011. The damage in vision was reported by 29 percent of astronauts on short-term missions, and 60 percent on long-term missions. "If astronauts are exhibiting these changes after only 100 days in space, what will happen on a three-year flight to Mars?" asks Jason Kring, who studies human performance in extreme conditions at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. "Deteriorating vision could seriously damage astronauts' ability to carry out routine mission tasks, including monitoring displays and navigating the rocky landscape of Mars," says Kring. "This possibility, combined with what we already know about how micro-gravity affects muscles and bones, paints a dark future for human space flight unless we start to develop effective measures." Kramer says that NASA has the matter in hand. In the wake of the study, all astronauts now have regular brain scans. This includes those yet to travel into space, providing a baseline from which any changes would be obvious. He also believes it might be possible to identify astronauts' risk of eyesight damage from medical data before sending them into space. What can be inferred from the passage? A. Staying for a long time in space will lead to blindness. B. Scientists' research in space will be banned soon. C. Space flight makes astronauts' bones function better. D. NASA has started to care for astronauts' eyesight. Answer: D Millions of Americans return from long-distance trips by air, but their luggage doesn't always come home with them. Airline identification tags can come loose, and the bags go who-knows-where. And passengers leave all kinds of things on planes. The airlines collect the items and, for 90 days, attempt to find their owners. They don't keep them, since they're not in the warehouse business. And by law, they cannot sell the bags, because the airlines might be tempted to deliberately misplace luggage. So once insurance companies have paid for lost bags and their contents, and they no longer belong to passengers, a unique store in the little town of Scottsboro, Alabama, buys them. The "Unclaimed Baggage Center," is so popular that the building, which is set up like a department store, is the number-one tourist attraction in all of Alabama. More than one million visitors stop in each year and take one of the store's shopping carts on a hunt for treasures. Each day, clerks bring out 7,000 new items, and veteran shoppers rush to paw over them. You can find everything from precious jewels to hockey sticks, best-selling novels, leather jackets, tape recorders, surfboards, even half -used tubes of toothpaste. The store's own laundry washes or cleans all the clothes found in luggage, then sells them. The Unclaimed Baggage Center has found guns, illegal drugs and even a live rattlesnake. The store has a little museum where some of its most unusual acquisitions have been preserved. They include highland bagpipes, a burial mask from an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb, and a medieval suit of armor. Statistics indicate that less than one-half of one percent of luggage checked on U.S. carriers is permanently lost and available to the store. The Unclaimed Baggage Center is very popular because _ . A. visitors may purchase something undervalued. B. all thethingsthereareverycheap. C. there's a large variety of goods. D. visitors will enjoy some amusing activities there. Answer: A More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple . The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves. The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple. In nutrition it was all good news too. This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C(C) than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a _ in the shopping basket of the healthy eater. Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out the market. Why was the new type of pineapple selling well? A. It was rich in nutrition and tasted nice. B. It was less sweet and good for health. C. It was developed by Del Monte. D. It was used as medicine. Answer: A For twenty years, I saved all my college course notes and textbooks: that's a lot of paper. Worse, it's not easy to carry them around -- and trust me, they aren't light -- on at least seven moves. Yet I never once looked at them. They sat in our basement, covered in a thick layer of dust. If books and papers could wonder, they'd wonder why they were still under our stairs after all those years. When would the Big Day come? Well, the Big Day eventually did arrive; only it was different than expected. My wife, always more accepting changes than I am, finally talked me into clearing out the entire mess. The pain I experienced was also unexpected. What hurt me was to come across those terrible papers I'd written, which reminded me of my poor study habits, and an embarrassing lack of comprehension. It was great to get rid of them. But it was also a clearing of personal history. At first, I struggled with this. The truth was in the record that my books, my notes, and my papers were primary source materials, documenting an important time in my life. To clear them out was to clear out the truth. What I've learned since taking this leap is that the process is more important than the truth. I feel as if much of my real education during my college years isn't in the documents but now in me. So I am glad to free myself of this physical burden. And what's better is that I don't need to look back to those painful moments. They belong to the past. You might want to consider doing something similar, either under the stairs of your basement or in your mind. What is the personal rubbish piling in your life? Clear _ out and make your life awesome. The author struggled at the very beginning for _ . A. a sense of pain B. a sense of embarrassment C. a sense of regret for the past D. a sense of losing part of his history Answer: D
When you are in England, you must be very careful in the streets because the traffic drives on the left. Before you cross a street, you must look to the right first and then left. If the traffic lights are red, the traffic must stop. Then the people on foot can cross the road. If the traffic lights are green, the traffic can go. People on foot mustn't cross. In the morning and in the evening when people go to or come from work, the streets are very busy. Traffic is most dangerous then. When you go by bus in England, you have to be careful, too. Always remember the traffic moves on the left. So you must be careful. Have a look first or you will go the wrong way. In many English cities, there are big buses with two floors. You can sit on the second floor. From there you can see the city very clearly. It's very interesting. In China, before you cross a street, you must look to _ first and then _ . A the left; the right B the right; the left C the front; the back D the back; the front Answer: A. the left; the right A salvage yard contains a mixture of iron, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Which property of iron does the salvage yard take advantage of when separating the iron from the rest of the materials? A magnetic B electrical C ductility D malleability Answer: A. magnetic The majority of the fresh water on Earth is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. If the climate changed around the world, causing glaciers and ice caps to melt, which situation would most likely occur? A Land would become more fertile. B Air temperatures would decrease. C Ocean water would become saltier. D Land masses would become smaller. Answer: D. Land masses would become smaller. Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member------these are all "game" ideas that you will have throughout your life. Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Some games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they _ that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and teamwork. Many children's games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as adults. For example, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. It can be very helpful to exercise their hands and eyes, which is needed in hunting. Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in the friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for a whole country, not just the athlete who has got _ . For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much. Sports are also an event that brings people together. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it------some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He set up an organization which can provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a hopeful future. Next time, when you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in your life. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A The most famous games are the Olympic Games. B People around the world play soccer just for fun. C The game called bones can be helpful to the Arabian children. D Nicolette Iribarne gives poor children a chance for a better life. Answer: B. People around the world play soccer just for fun. Nails in the Fence There once was a little boy who had a bad temper . His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day he had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually _ . He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said," You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say thing in anger, they have a scar just like these holes. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say 'I am sorry ', the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as physical one." The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked at his father and said " I hope you can forgive me ,father, for the holes I put in you." "of course I can," said the father. When the boy finally told his father that all the nails were gone, his father _ . A took him to the fence and look at the holes B asked him to pull out one nail of the back of the fence C asked him to focus his time on study D told him to have a rest Answer: A. took him to the fence and look at the holes
Question: We all enjoy the colors of autumn leaves. Did you ever wonder how and why a fall leaf changes color? Where do the yellows and oranges come from? To answer those questions, we first have to understand what leaves are and what they do. Leaves are nature's food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar is called photosynthesis, which means " putting together with light. " A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color. As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees "know" to begin getting ready for winter. During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small a-mounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. Covered up by the green chlorophyll, we just can't see them in summer. The bright reds and purples we see in leaves are made mostly in the fall. In some trees, like maples, glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn cause the leaves turn this glucose into a red color. The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves. It is the combination of all these things that make the beautiful colors we enjoy in the fall. Which of the following is True according to the passage? A. Trees don't change colours with seasons. B. Trees can still perform photosynthesis well in winter. C. Trees have colours like yellow and orange even in summer. D. Trees don't need food in winter. Answer: C Question: Hi, my name is Wang Jun. Do you want to know about my staying in America? Well, to tell you the truth, it is really an eye-opening experience here. In China, I had English classes five times a week since Grade Five. But I didn't know textbook English could be so different from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut. When I first studied English, I was told to say "I'm fine." when people say "How are you?" But in the USA, I found that people say "I'm good." or "I'm tired." One day, someone greeted me with "What's up?" It made me _ I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say. Since then, I have learnt more and more differences between Chinese and American cultures. To my surprise, American girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun getting a tan . In China, girls try every possible way to keep their skin white. American students are hard-working like Chinese students. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard and that's it. But here, a "good" student not only gets good grades, but also does a lot for the public. That is to say, they get lots of knowledge at school and learn many life skills from social work. American girls make Wang Jun feel surprised because _ . A. they work hard at school B. they try to keep their skin white C. they hope to get a tan D. they do lots of social work Answer: C Question: For centuries,mankind and dogs have suffered from a communication failure.We can tell dogs what we want them to do and sometimes they comply,but we've always struggled when it comes to understanding the true meaning of their barks and whimpers.There is exciting news now-a dog translator has been invented to help you communicate with your furry friend. Researchers at North Carolina State University have fashioned some kind of miracle dog translator body harness .What's special about it is that it doesn't just rely on the dog's vocalizations to interpret what Fido is banging on about. Oh no-this miracle harness reads and interprets the ordinary dogs'body language as well,giving us a full two-way dog communication experience. Researcher David Roberts says:"Dogs communicate primarily through body language,and one of our challenges was to develop sensors that tell us about their behavior by observing their posture remotely." Sensors on the harness monitor the dog's heart rate and body temperature and software builds up a vocabulary,letting the human know what the dog is feeling. What would dogs say if they could talk to us?The human can even communicate back through the harness thanks to vibration motors,supposedly by tapping into the dog's senses so that it can understand what you're trying to say to it. The dog harness is designed for dogs involved in search and rescue and other front-line work,but it's got us dreaming of a beautiful future,one where humans and dogs can co-exist as equals,with the dog able to fully express itself at all times. What is the author's attitude towards the possible human-dog communication? A. Shocked. B. Excited. C. Embarrassed. D. Annoyed. Answer: B Question: Kailey and LeAnn were preparing a report on ocean tides. Which information should they include in their report concerning the greatest influence on the strength of a high tide in a particular area? A. the position of the Moon around Earth B. the position of Earth around the Sun C. the rotation of the Moon D. the rotation of Earth Answer: A Question: At Institute for the Future, game designer Jane McGonigal creates massive multi-player free online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which focus on social changes and environmental problems. She hopes that players will use their new skills to make the real world better. According to Jane, our addiction to gaming is actually a great thing, so long as we use it properly.Speaking at the TED (Technology/Entertainment/Design)2010 Conference, Jane says that people should devote more time to games to build the skills necessary to make the world better.People who take part in MMORPGs develop specialized skills in problem-solving as a team.So, if gamers are willing to take part in role-playing games based on real-world problems,they will be able to work together to find ways that can be used in the real world. Jane focuses on creating the kinds of video games that enable players to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of those around them.In 2007, she helped create a video game called A World Without Oil, in which 1, 800 players tried to find new ways to transport themselves in a world without oil.Even after completing the game, the players focused on the problem and its possible solutions.Her next game, Evoke, takes an even more practical way.Game players are mainly young people in Africa.They will learn to create a business that will help stop problems such as poverty and AIDS on a local level.By the end of the game, players will be guided by experts on how to start their own businesses. "We can make any future we imagine and we can play any games we want," she said at the TED Conference."So let the world-changing games begin." The passage is mainly about _ . A. some popular online games B. advice on how to play games C. games to solve real-world problems D. ways to develop specialized skills Answer: C
Question: When Lew Alcindor was 13, and obviously still growing, a group of schools began offering him scholarships . The Alcindors decided to send their only child to Power Memorial Academy, a small school on Manhattan's West Side. At Power, Alcindor came under the control of Coach Jack Donohue, a strict young an who already gained his fame as one of the best coaches in the city.Donohue brought Alcindor along slowly.As a first-year student, the boy was not able to do much but wave his long skinny arms and shoot a basket now and then.But by the second year, when he was 15 years old and nearly 7 feet tall, Alcindor was quick and skillful enough to make the high school All-American team and to lead Power to an undefeated season. From then on he simply got better.Some rival coaches used to take their teams quickly away from the floor before Power warmed up so that their players would not see him any sooner than they had to.Wearing size 16 D shoes and sucking a lollipop , Alcindor would loosen up by starting his leaping lay-ups .Then he would casually shoot the ball with either hand, to the delight of the fans. When reporters and photographers began to follow Alcindor closely, Donohue protected his boy firmly.He simply ordered Lew to talk to no member of the press, and this suited Lew fine.He was not comfortable talking to grown-ups, perhaps because he towered over them.Discouraged photographers began following him in secret as though he were an easily-frightened giraffe.Once after ducking into a subway to escape, Alcindor told a friend that it was all becoming like policemen and robbers."People want you not for yourself," Donohue warned him, "but because you're a basketball player.Don't forget that." Why did some rival coaches take their teams away from the floor before Power warmed up? A. Their teams refused to play Power. B. Their teams feared to see Alcindor. C. Their teams would lose courage. D. Their teams would lose interest. Answer: C Question: Take control of your health by learning these four numbers. They'll help with everything from losing weight to protecting your heart. Your daily calorie needs This is not technically a measurement, but it can have a huge influence on your health. Most women need 2,000 calories a day for good health, and men generally need about 2,550. One way to work out your daily calorie needs is to multiply your weight in pounds by 13 to 15, depending on your activity level. But roughly, that's 300 to 400 calories for breakfast, 500 to 600 for lunch, and 600 to 700 for dinner. Trying to lose weight? Eat about 500 calories less. Your waist size Waist size is one of the best ways to measure whether your weight is affecting your heart health. When body fat is packed into your abdomen ,your risk of heart attack increases. For women, health risk begins to rise when your waist is more than 35 inches. For men, risk increases with a measurement when your waist is over 40 inches. Your blood pressure Blood pressure rises and falls normally during the day. When it remains high, you have high blood pressure and this carries a higher risk or heart disease and stroke. A reading of 140/90 mm Hg or more is considered high, and if it's between 120/80 and 139/89, you may still be at risk and should be taking steps to prevent the development of high blood pressure. Your morning pulse rate Your pulse rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. A normal resting pulse rate is 60 to 90 beats per minute. People who are fit tend to have lower resting pulse rates because their heart muscles are in good shape. But if you don't exercise regularly and your heart rate is lower than the normal range, tell your doctor--it could be a sign of heart disease. How can you control daily calories if you decide to lose weight? A. Eating around 2,000--2, 500 calories B. Having fewer than 500 calories. C. Cutting down about 500 calories from amount. D. Taking in a little fewer calories than the total amount Answer: C Question: Dear Sir, Good day! I want to become a pilot , because my cousin is a pilot . I think he is great. He is cool when he wears his pilot uniform. If I become a pilot , my parents will be proud of me and I can travel around the world . I am in the third grade in a university. I'm tall with medium build; I'm quite healthy and strong. I like playing sports .If I have a chance to become a pilot, I will have a great time flying in the blue sky. I believe I can be a good pilot .The problem is that I can't afford my dream .You know, to be a pilot needs a lot of money. My parents are both workers. They don't have much money. Could you help me find a sponsor ( ),sir? And how can I get a scholarship ? I am _ your help, sir? If you have time, you can e-mail me at www,cn,com . Your help will mean a lot, sir. Once again good day and thank you. Yours Wei From the passage we know _ . A. Wei has a lot of dreams B. Wei's cousin always wears school uniform C. Wei's parents are against Wei's decision D. Wei is trying to make his dreams come true. Answer: D Question: Britons spend as much as nearly five hours a week keeping their homes clean, a survey found. Kitchens are cleaned most often, while doing the oven and windows are the least popular jobs. In total, they spend just over PS1 billion a year on products to keep the dirt at bay -- almost PS40 per household. Market analyst Mintel found a clear division of labour. While the average Briton spends 4 hours, 40 minutes cleaning their home each week, men spend just 3 hours, 53 minutes compared to 5 hours, 25 minutes for women. And while seven in ten women say they do most of the cleaning, this falls to four in ten for men. Confirming many parents' feelings, only one in five adult children and over living at their parents' home helps with cleaning chores, with children under 18 doing even less. Last year, the household cleaning market was worth PS1.06 billion, which equates to annual spending of PS39.89 per household. Those looking for the cleanest homes in the country should head to Scotland, where people spend an average of five fours, 6 minutes, which is closely followed by East and West Midlands at five hours, 1 minute. In comparison, the least number of hours spent in cleaning is spent in the southeast/East Anglia at four hours, 18 minutes. The southwest and Wales stand at four hours, 46 minutes, the northwest four hours, 44 minutes, and Yorkshire and the Humber four hours, 21 minutes. According to Richard Caines, Mintel's senior household care analyst, men still lag women in the household cleaning stakes and spend on average an hour and a half less time cleaning their home, suggesting an opportunity for a campaign to encourage more cleaning by men to helpredressthis imbalance. The number of households that need cleaning is continuing to grow, but pressure on time from increasingly busy lives limits the number of hours people are willing or able to spend cleaning their homes. This means the market will see an increasing focus on easy-to-use, but effective hard surface cleaners and cleaning equipment. Such products can help encourage more cleaning to be done in less time, but as well as focusing on more convenient products, cleaning brands can also inject an element of fun into campaigns through encouraging a more shared approach that involves the whole family. This will also help to address the gender imbalance and get older children to make more of a contribution to cleaning. The passage mainly tells us . A. women spend more time than men cleaning their homes B. Britons spend a great deal of time in cleaning their homes C. why there is a time division for two genders to clean homes D. there will be a big market for producing cleaning equipment Answer: B Question: A new weapon is on the way in the fight against smoking in Europe. Soon when smokers buy cigarettes they might see a shocking photo of a blackened lung or a cancer patient staring back at them from the packet. Some boys may think of smoking as cool and sexy. Their friends won't agree when they see their packets of cigarettes lying on the table. The European Union announced on October 22, that it had chosen 42 photos that showed the damage cigarettes could do to the body. It called on member nations to put these pictures on packets to discourage smokers. To catch the attention of teenagers, the special packets warn of long-term medical dangers, like cancer. Short-term effects, like bad skin, are also on the list. "The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror. That is the message we should send to the young," said David Byrne, an EU health official. "Hopefully these pictures will shock students out of their love for cigarettes."[:ZSSxxSSk.Com] The EU head office hoped the pictures would work better than current written warnings on packs of cigarettes. The warnings included "smoking kills" and "smoking can lead to a slow and painful death." So far, Ireland and Belgium have shown interest in the photos. Canada has used similar pictures and warnings on cigarette packs since 2000. The country has recently seen a fall in the number of smokers. According to studies, smoking is the single biggest cause of avoidable death in EU. Every year more than 650,000 smokers die, more than one person a minute. The pictures chosen by the EU are supposed to work on _ . A. young smokers B. smokers in Ireland and Belgium C. all smokers D. young smokers' friends Answer: A
Question: It's not the flashiest car in the world. Not even close. But the 1971 Volkswagen named Helios can do something most cars can't: nm on solar energy - energy from the sun's light and heat! Joshua Bechtold, 14, and the other students at the Riverside School in Lyndonville, Vermont, worked many months to getHeliosready for the 1999 American Tour de Sol ( "Sol" is the Latin word for "sun"). They named their car after Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology . The 4-year-old Tour de Sol encourages the use of "green", or environmentally friendly, cars to help reduce pollution and save energy. It' s not a race. Cars are judged on fuel efficiency rather than speed. In the week-long event, 44 cars took the 350-mile tour from Waterbury, Connecticut, to prefix = st1 /Lake George,New York. Of the 23 student cars, Helios was the only one built by middle school students. A teacher droveHelios, but the children talked with people wherever they stopped along the mad. "That was my favorite part," says Anna Browne, 15. "We explained how the car runs." Due in part to old, inefficient batteries , Heliosfinished fourth - out of four - in its kind, the sun-powered class. "We were there for the fun of it," Anna says. "We're proud ofHelios," says Ariel Gleicher, 14. "It's a car that's good for the environment." What is special about the car Helios in the text? A. It was built by middle school students. B. It has an' attractive design. C. It was made in 1971. D. It won the fourth prize. Answer: A Question: As you climb into the hill country, the roads get dustier and rougher, and fewer cars can be seen. Phonxay is one of the poorest districts of Laos, and many of its villages are only accessible by footpath. Our destination this hot morning is a concrete water tank that can be found just off the road. A UK organization helped to build it six years ago, and in the nearby village of Thapho, where clean drinking water is scarce, it has made a big difference. The tank feeds six taps which in turn give water to over 800 people---it has improved things for almost every family, from schoolchildren to grannies. But lately, we were told, the clean water supply has come under pressure from new arrivals, people who have come down from the hill areas, and there are concerns that there will not be enough clean water to go round. There are also serious worries about resources in Laos. The Chinese are building a 400km railway link, which could transform the landlocked country. About 150,000 Chinese workers will be involved. What will this do to local clean water supplies? How will the workers be fed? The vast majority of Laotians live on farms. But with foreign investors wanting to buy up land, local people will have to be moved to make room for them. Heavily dependent on both foreign aid and foreign investment, Laos still falls well behind its neighbours, although its economy has grown at about 6% a year in the last decade. Its biggest economic problem is the lack of locally trained skilled workforce. But there are reasons to be hopeful for the future. Laos is beautiful, and foreign tourism continues to grow: fortunately so far the fast-food chains and coffee bars common elsewhere are nowhere to be seen. Although all local media are government-run, the Internet is not controlled and the BBC and CNN are available to those with satellite dishes. The government has also achieved impressive results in rural development, with communities benefiting not just from cleaner water but the construction of new schools and regular visits from medical teams. Poverty will not be history in Laos within the next decade, but with small steps forward and a bit of outside help, the country could find itself out of the UN's least-developed category by 2020. What is the most serious limitation on Laos' economic growth? A. The lack of local skilled workers. B. A poor transportation system. C. Too much foreign aid. D. Too many foreign workers. Answer: A Question: Technology is the application of knowledge to production. Thanks to modern technology, we have been able to increase greatly the efficiency of our work force. New machines and new methods have helped cut down time and expense while increasing overall output. This has meant more production and a higher standard of living. For most of us in America, modern technology is thought of as the reason why we can have cars and television sets. However, technology has also increased the amount of food available to us, by means of modern farming machinery and animal breeding techniques, and has extended our life span via medical technology. Will mankind continue to live longer and have a higher quality of life? In large measure the answer depends on technology and our ability to use it widely. If we keep making progress as we have over the past fifty years, the answer is definitely yes. The advancement of technology depends upon research and development, and the latest statistics show that the United States is continuing to pump billions of dollars annually into such efforts. So while we are running out of some scarce resources we may well find technological substitutes for many of them through our research programs. Therefore, in the final analysis the three major factors of production(land, labor and capital) are all influenced by technology. When we need new skills, on techniques in medicine, people will start developing new technology to meet those needs. As equipment proves to be slow or inefficient, new machines will be invented. Technology responds to our needs in helping us maintain our standard of living. According to the passage, people can live a long life with the help of _ . A. higher quality of life B. medical technology C. modern farming machinery D. technological substitute Answer: B Question: After the "Big Bang ",the earth was just a cloud of energetic dust. What it was to become was a mystery until the dust began to slowly combine into a ball moving around the sun. The problem was that the earth became violent because it was not clear whether the solid shape was to last or not. It exploded loudly with fire and rock, which were in time to produce the water vapor, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and other gases, which were to make the earth's atmosphere. As the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface. Nobody knew that it was going to be different from other planets going round the sun. Water had already disappeared from planets like Mars or satellites like the moon, but it stayed on the earth. This is how the earth began to show its special qualities. Many people think that this was important for the beginning of life. It allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases, which had become part of the earth's atmosphere, into the oceans and seas. That made it possible for life to begin to develop. What scientists think is that the earth was different because of the arrival of small plants growing in the water on its surface. Nobody understood that these plants were the start of many changes. They multiplied and filled the first oceans and seas with oxygen .This encouraged the development of early shellfish and all sorts of fish. Many millions of years later the first green plants began to appear on land. Scientists believe that taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and filling the air with oxygen helped life to develop. Later land animals appeared. Some were insects. Others, called amphibians, were able to live on land as well as in the sea. When the plants grew into forests, reptiles appeared for the first time. They produced young generally by laying eggs. Later, some huge animals, called dinosaurs, developed, They laid eggs too. They became the most important animals on the earth for millions of years. But when they disappeared, mammals became more important. They were the last group of animals and they were different because they produced their young from within their bodies. Small clever animals, now with hands and feet, appeared and spread all over the earth. They developed new methods of growing food, hunting and moving around. As time went by they covered the earth and have become the most important animals on the planet. But they are not taking care of the earth very well. They are putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping from the earth into space. The earth may become too hot for the lives on it. Whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved. Why was life able to develop on the earth but not on other planets? A. The earth had a solid shape. B. The earth did not have harmful gases in its atmosphere. C. The water stayed on the earth but not on other planets. D. The earth was not too hot and not too cold. Answer: C Question: My 10-year-old Donna said, "Mom, I made a new friend at school today. Can she come over tomorrow?" Donna was a shy girl and I wanted her to make some friends _ . "Sure, honey, that sounds great." I said, thinking back to my own best friend, Lillian. We lived across the street from each other in Washington Heights, New York. We met at the age of 10, too. Like my daughter, I was shy, but Lillian drew me out. She was one of the friendliest people in school, with shiny black hair and a mile-wide smile. In senior high school, Lillian went on a trip to Florida. This was the first time we had to be away from each other for a few days. "I'll be back soon." she told me. But three days later, Lillian's sister told me that she had fallen into a river and hadn't come out any more. Soon, my family moved to New Jersey. Whenever I thought of her, tears came into my eyes. The next day Donna brought her new friend home. "Hi, Mrs. Loggia." the little girl said. Her hair was so shiny and black and she shot me a big smile. "My name is Laura." My daughter's new friend was so much like Lillian. I was still puzzled when Laura's mom came to pick her up later that afternoon. I opened the door to let her in. "Judy!" she cried. "It's me, Lillian's sister, from Washington Heights." Yes, my daughter's friend looked familiar . She was Lillian's niece. We can know from the passage that _ . A. Laura and Donnaare of the same age B. The writer didn't know about Lillian's death. C. Laura was Lillian's daughter. D. Judy moved to New Jersey because of Lillian's death Answer: A
University -- the best days of my life! I made lots of friends in my student dorm, went to great parties, joined the debating society...and, well, I did some work too -- but I must admit my lecturers were very patient with my tardiness . It's easy to look back at our university days through rose-tinted spectacles but the truth is that when we first arrived on campus, most of us were out of our comfort zone. In fact, a survey of students at Imperial College London has revealed that 3 out of 4 students experience high levels of stress, or a mental health condition, during their time at college. The survey, completed by over a thousand students, also found that 70% of those that experience stress do so at least once a week, and 9% of students feel stressed constantly. Kirsty, a student at Exeter University, didn't enjoy her first days in college. She says: "When I first got to university I don't think I'd realized that I'd forgotten how to make friends. I'd been with the same school friends for seven years, and so I was trying to balance social success with academic success while learning how to look after myself at quite a young age." Dr Ruth Caleb of the counseling service at Brunel University in London has some tips that should make life easier for students before they set off for university. She says: "Certain things that I think it would be very helpful for students to have put in place are an ability to do the practical things of life - to do the washing, to do the cleaning and so on -- being able to cook. Budgeting is extremely important in university life." And Caleb adds: "You should learn how to spend time on your own comfortably." I graduated and learnt how to take care of myself the hard way. I hope that new students these days remember to acquire some life skills before they make the big jump. Which of the following tips are helpful or important EXCEPT _ according to Dr. Ruth Caleb? Answer: balancing social success and academic success A child who has once been pleased with a tale likes, as a rule, to have it retold in almost the same words, but this should not lead parents to treat printed fairy stories as formal texts. It is always much better to tell a story than read it out of a book, and, if a parent can produce what , in the actual situation of the time and the child, is an improvement on the printed text, so much the better. A change made against fairy tales is that they harm the child by frightening him or making him sad thinking. To prove the latter, one would have to show in a controlled experiment that children who have read fairy stories were more often sorry for cruelty than those who had not. As to fears, there are, I think, some cases of children being dangerously terrified by some fairy story. Often, however, this arises from the child having heard the story once. Familiarity with the story by repetition turns the pain of fear into the pleasure of a fear faced and mastered. There also people who object to fairy stories on the grounds that they are not objectively true, that giants, witches, two-headed dragons, magic carpets, etc. do not exist; and that, instead of being fond of the strange side in fairy tales, the child should be taught to learn the reality by studying history. I find such people, I must say so peculiar that I don't know how to argue with them. If their case were sound, the world should be full of mad men attempting to fly from New York to Philadelphia on a stick or covering a telephone with kisses in the belief that it was their beloved girl-friend. No fairy story ever declared to be a description of the real world and no clever child has ever believed that it was. The author's mention of sticks and telephones is meant to suggest that _ . Answer: there is some misunderstanding about fairy tales "I've changed my mind.I wanted to have a telescope,but now I want my daddy back ." Lucien Lawrence's letter to Father Christmas written after his schoolteacher father had been knifed to death outside his school gate ,must have touched every heart.Lucien went on to say that without his father he couldn't see the stars in the sky.When those whom we love depart from us , we cannot see the stars for a while . But Lucien , the stars are still there, and one day, when you are older and your tears have gone , you will see them again. And in a strange way, I expect that you will find your father is there too , in you mind and in your heart .I find that my parents , long dead now , still figure in many of my dreams and that I think of them perhaps more than I ever did when they were alive . I still live to please them and I'm still surprised by their reactions.I remember that when I became a professor, I was so proud,or rather so pleased with myself ,that I couldn't wait to cable my parents . The reply was a long time in coming , but when it did , all Mother said was"I hope this means that now you will have more time for the children!" I haven't forgotten .The values of my parents still live on . It makes me pause and think about how I will live on in the hearts and minds of my children and of those for whom I care .Would I have been as ready as Philip Lawrence have been to face the aggressors , and to lay down my life for those in my care ? How many people would want me back for Christmas ? It's a serious thought , one to give me pause . I pray silently , something , in the dead of night , that ancient cry of a poet " _ ), and my darling form the power of the dog ."Yet I know that death comes to us all , and sometimes comes suddenly. We must therefore plan not to live forever , but live as if we will die tomorrow. We live on, I'm sure, in the lives of those we loved , and therefore we ought to have to care for what they will remember and what they will treasure . If more parents knew this in their hearts to be true , there might be fewer knives on our streets today . In the author's opinion ,the value of a person's life is _ . Answer: to have a high sense of duty to the whole society. An engineer constructs a prototype from wood. Which of the following is the best tool for the engineer to use to make the prototype's surface smooth? Answer: sandpaper Hello, everyone, I'm Xing Fei. I'm from China. My family name is Xing. I live in Bei Jing. My family is very large. In my family, my grandfather's father is the oldest one. He is now ninety-nine years old. My grandfather is eighty years old. And my grandma is eighty-two years old. They have four children, my uncle, my father, and my two aunts. I'm their grandson. My parents have two children, my sister and me. And I have four cousins. Now, I'm a student in No. 10 Middle school. And my sister is only five years old. My parents are both teachers. They love my family very much. So they work hard. We go to the park every morning. My mother says that it can help us keep healthy. How many cousins does Xing Fei _ ? Answer: four
This wonderful 16-day tour is designed to highlight South Africa's amazing diversity of cultures, its curious mixture of old and new, as well as its wonderful scenery and wildlife, together with its unique history. Join us to experience Cape Town and the exciting Kruger safari on our tour to South AfricA. We believe that a more naturally beautiful country than South Africa would be difficult to find: from the rocky peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, to the timeless semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo and then the forested seashores and mirror-like lakes of the Garden Route, the attractive valleys of the Winelands and the symbol of the country, Table Mountain -- all under an endless blue sky.Quite amazing! Included in our price: Return flights from London Heathrow Three-and-four-star hotels, sharing rooms, breakfast and lunch included Internal flight to the beautiful Garden Route Full-day guided safari in the Kruger National Park Visit the legendary Zulu War battlefields of Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift, the historical Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town, Apartheid Museum and Blyde River Canyon Travel on Outeniqua steam train or go whale watching depending on the season For more information, call 0845 155 6706. On this 16-day tour, visitors might experience the _ of South Africa. Answer: history, cultures and scenery 2010 was the year the Earth struck back. Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, blizzards , landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter million people in 2010 - the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined. "It just seemed like it was back-to-back and it came in waves," said Craig Fugate, who heads the US Federal Emergency Management Agency. It handled a record number of disasters in 2010. "The term "100-year event' really lost its meaning this year." And we have ourselves to blame most of the time, scientists and disaster experts say. Even though many disasters have the ring of random chance, the hand of man made this a particularly deadly, costly, extreme and strange year for everything from wild weather to earthquakes. Poor construction and development practices make earthquakes more deadly than they need be. More people live in poverty in vulnerable buildings in crowded cities. That means that when the ground shakes, the river floods, or the tropical cyclone hits, more people die. Disasters from the Earth, such as earthquakes and volcanoes "are pretty much constant," said Andreas Schraft, vice president of catastrophic perils for the Geneva-based insurance giant Swiss Re. "All the change that's made is man-made." The January earthquake that killed well more than 220,000 people in Haiti is a perfect example. Port-au-Prince has nearly three times as many people - many of them living in poverty- and more poorly built shanties ,than it did 25 years ago. So had the same quake hit in 1985 instead of 2010; total deaths would have probably been in the 80,000 range, said Richard Olson, director of disaster risk reduction at Florida International University. Climate scientists say Earth's climate also is changing thanks to man-made global warming, bringing extreme weather, such as heat waves and flooding. The excessive amount of extreme weather that dominated 2010 is a classic sign of man-made global warming that climate scientists have long warned about. They calculate that the killer Russian heat wave - setting a national record of 111 degrees - would happen once every 100,000 years without global warming. Data show that 18 countries broke their records for the hottest day ever. "The Earth strikes back in response to bad human decision-making," said Debarati Guha Sapir." "It's almost as if the policies, the government policies and development policies, are helping the Earth strike back instead of protecting from it. We've created conditions where the slightest thing the Earth does is really going to have a surprising impact." White House science adviser John Holdren said we should get used to climate disasters or do something about global warming. "The science is clear that we can expect more and more of these kinds of damaging events unless and until society has sharply reduced the amount of heat-trapping gases and particles ." What is the real concern of the writer of this article? Answer: The harmonious relationship between humans and nature. My Family Is Very Poor A little boy comes to a new city. His name is Peter. Of course ,he lives with his mother and father. His family is very rich . They have a driver and a lot of servants . Peter is going to a new school. On the first day his parents say to him," peter,be modest at your new school. Don't say we are rich. "And Peter says," Yes,Dad,mom. " So Peter goes to school. He sees his new teacher. And he sits down with the other children. The teacher says. "Good morning,children. The first exercise today is a composition . The topic of the composition is 'My Family'."So every child writes a composition. This is Peter's composition: "My name is Peter. My family is very poor . Both my father and my mother are very poor. Our driver is very poor and all the servants are poor..." ,. Peter's parents tell him not to _ . Answer: say they are rich If you walk slowly through downtown Helsinki during the day, taking in the splendid 19thcentury buildings, white boats and noise of passing trams , you will start to understand why it is called a city of two colors: white and blue. The sea is always present in Helsinki. When you take a walk over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds screaming. When you take the tram ,suddenly and unexpectedly, you are faced with a calm, shining blue sea. You may notice that people in Helsinki do not rush about as in other cities. Instead ,they walk along the roads, politely letting other people by. An usual way to see Helsinki for the first time is to start out by the boats. You will walk by the elderly women selling fish and vegetables in the market square and find yourself in front of a beautiful park. You may enjoy a pleasant walk in the park for a few hours and then take the tram. Trams are the perfect way to get around in Helsinki. Watching the old houses, parks, theatres, churches, shops, restaurants and people in the streets, you may have a slightly sad film feeling to it. The pale summer nights are another wonder in the city. Following the waterfront of the city after sunset, you couldn't help stopping and listening to the sweet silence, interrupted only by the screaming seabirds and leaving fishing boats. However, in some way. Helsinki is also the most modern city in northern Europe. You will surely want to visit the white Glass Palace, the modern art museum, and all those extremely popular cafes and design stores. The best way to see most of Helsinki is to go _ Answer: by tram We can't live without love and we know what love is, but we don't say only humans know what love is. Yes, it's impossible for animals to do some things because of their physical body. However, sometimes some of them might be able to show us the love that we have forgotten on our "busy road", just like the following story. A dog, was knocked down by a car and died in the middle of the road. Later, another dog ran beside the body of the dead dog and he tried to wake his friend up using his legs. When his effort to wake up his friend failed, he tried to push his friend to the roadside. But his friend was too heavy for him to push. Though traffic was busy and dangerous, he wouldn't want to go away from his friend, just standing beside his friend shouting and crying. A lot of people saw this story and were very touched . Even a dog can show his loyalty and love to his friend, what can our humans do? The dog died because _ . Answer: it was knocked down by a car
Once upon a time, there was a spider with the name Anansi. He knew that he was very clever but he also knew he wasn't wise. He didn't like this, but he did not know what to do. One day he had an idea. He went around the village with a basket and asked each person to give him some of their wisdom. The people laughed at Anansi because they knew that he needed wisdom the most. So each person put a bit in his basket and wished him good luck. Soon his basket was full, but Anansi was worried that his neighbors might be jealous( ) of his wisdom and take it from him. He decided to hide it at the top of a tall tree. When he had tied the basket to the front part of his body, he tried to climb the tree, but it was too difficult. He tried again and again with out success. Then his youngest son walked by. "What are you doing, father?" he asked and Anansi told him." Why don't you carry the basket on your back instead?" his son said. Anansi put the basket on his back and climbed the tree easily, but he wasn't happy. "I walked all over the village and collected so much wisdom that I am the wisest person ever, but my baby son is still wiser than me. Take back your wisdom!" he said. And he threw the basket of wisdom into the air and went home. And that's how wisdom went all over the world. Anansi wanted to get his wisdom from _ . Answer: the villagers All the water vanishes from a small depression basked in sunlight on a paved road because of Answer: evaporation Anyone for kimchi ? Around 2,000 women made the traditional dish last week in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea(ROK). More than 270 tons of kimchi were produced and handed out to needy neighbours. In the ROK, kimchi is more than a dish to be eaten with every meal, even though Koreans are said to eat about 40 pounds(around 18kg) of kimchi per person each year. According to Korean.net, the country's official multilingual website, kimchi represents "the spirit" of the Koreans. Kimchi traditionally has a rosy color. Korea.net says: "The color red wards off evil spirits. The color represents the spirit of the Korean people and kimchi is more than just a food. It's a culture." A meal without kimchi is unthinkable. So what is kimchi? Joan Raymond, food writer for US website health.com, writes: "It's a reddish, fermented cabbage dish , made with a mix of garlic salt, vinegar, chili peppers and other spices. It is served at every meal, either along with or mixed with rice and noodles. It is part of a high-fiber, low fat diet, which has _ ." Kimchi is used in everything from soups to pancakes and as a topping on pizza and burgers. Health.com named kimchi in its list of the world's top five healthiest foods as it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion and may even reduce the risk of cancer. A study conducted by Seoul National University claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus (bird flu) recovered after eating food containing the same bacteria found in kimchi. When Koreans pose for photos, they say "kimchi", instead of "cheese". According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: Kimchi is a cultural treasure for Koreans. Sydney Australia--Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours. Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them. Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams. She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn't get in touch with their children. Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: _ were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies. Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones. We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from _ . Answer: their parents and friends Too many cars have created a lot of serious problems in our world. Besides congestion , accidents and fast fuel consumption , cars are responsible for a good part of air pollution in big cities. All the time, they are pumping huge amounts of waste gases into the atmosphere. These gases are very harmful, causing disease and even death. Last winter, car fumes formed heavy smog over Beijing, making the sky gloomy for weeks and deteriorating people's health. One possible solution is to design and develop clean cars and clean fuels. In Tsinghua University, campus buses are driven by electricity. In Beijing some of the public buses begin to run on natural gas, which does not give off as much carbon dioxide as the petrol. But it may take decades for the new models of clean cars to completely replace the traditional ones. Another solution is to develop modern public transportation systems and restrict the use of private cars. If the price of petrol rises constantly and the public vehicles are efficient and convenient enough, most people will not use private cars. And the total number of cars in big cities will reduce greatly. On the whole, the elimination of air pollution needs the co-efforts from the government, the public and the environments. This problem will be solved only with the help of science and technology. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: In some university, electricity is used in school buses
On June 17, 1774, the officials from Maryland and Virginia held a talk with the Indians of the Six Nations. The Indians were invited to send boys to William and Mary College. In a letter the next day they refused the offer as follows: We know that you have a high opinion of the kind of learning taught in your colleges, and that the costs of living of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you. We are sure that you mean to do us good by your proposal ; and we thank you heartily. But you must know that different nations have different ways of looking at things, and you will therefore not be offended if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same as yours. We have had some experience of it. Several of our young people were formerly brought up at the colleges of the northern provinces: they were taught all your sciences; but when they came back to us, they were bad manners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods-they were totally good for nothing. We are, however, not the less thankful by your kind offer, though we refuse to accept it; and, to show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we will take care of their education, teach them in all we know, and make men of them. Different from the officials' view of education, the Indians thought _ . Fed up with huge mortgage payments, Simon Dale decided to take matters into his own hands. Armed with only a chisel, a chainsaw and a hammer, the 32-year-old moved his family to a hillside in Wales and started digging. The result is a wooden eco-home - constructed in four months and costing just PS3,000 - which would look perfectly at ease alongside the Hobbit houses in The Lord Of The Rings. Mr Dale, who has no experience in carpentry or architecture, created his sustainable family home using scrap wood for floors, materials scavenged from skips and by diverting water from a nearby spring. He said: "Being your own have-a-go architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land rather than, at worst, a mass-produced box designed for maximum profit and the convenience of the construction industry. Building from natural materials does away with producers' profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings. The family struck lucky searching for a site for their dream project. In return for looking after the area, the owner of the woods gave them their plot for free. After digging into the hillside, Mr Dale - with the help of his father-in-law, a builder - first constructed the building's timber frame. The roof, which came next, has a layer of straw bales for insulation and is covered with sheets of plastic to make it waterproof. Finally it is covered with a layer of earth, which ensures the house blends perfectly into its surroundings. Once the outer shell was complete, the family made an interior wall from straw bales stacked on dry-stone walling and staked together with hazel sticks. As well as being made from sustainable material the Hobbit house, as it is dubbed by locals, has lime plaster on its walls instead of cement, a compost toilet, a fridge cooled by air from beneath the foundations and solar panels for power. The owner of the woods gave the Simons the plot for free because _ How do you spend a usual holiday at home? My alarm clock wakes me, which reminds me of school. I usually would sleep like a log, but today is a holiday and I have to be at the pool for swimming practice at a quarter to seven. About 30 swimmers show up for practice. An hour later, I ride my bike home. The suburbs are quiet in the morning, with few cars on the street. I know I should be studying German but instead I wander to my room, lie down on the bed and sleep like a log. When I open my eyes again, the first thing I see is the alarm clock. It's 10:40 and I have a basketball class in less than 20 minutes. With the help of a shortcut I arrive on time. About 15 kids and I spend the rest of the morning "shooting hoops ". A bus takes us home,and I see a neighbour walking her dogs. It's past noon. Lunch is "dousha baozi" ,which my younger brother Richard doesn't eat. He devours part of a cake from the fridge. I wonder if I should practise on the keyboard, study German, finish my homework, play chess,read or sleep like a log. I decide to play computer games for an hour and promise myself that I'll work on German later. As the computer games hit higher and higher levels, Richard and I become more and more bored. He has been aching for someone his own age to play with, and I write , he is _ . He is too sleepy. I think I'll turn off this computer and take him to the park. Then maybe I'll call on some of my old classmates. Holidays can be a time to learn, a time to play, a time to grow or a time to sleep like a log. Whatever you choose to do with your time, do something that you'll remember! What did the writer NOT do during the day? Passport Control If you are arriving at London Heathrow Airport and are not _ to another flight outsideprefix = st1 /BritainorNorthern Ireland, you must pass through Passport Control and Customs immediately after leaving your plane. If you are not Britain or a citizen of the European Community ,you must fill out a special form before your passport is examined. This form is called a landing card and should be given to you during the flight to London. After landing, follow the ARRIVALS signs. Make sure you are in the right channel when you reach Passport Control. There is one channel for holders of European Community Passports, and a second channel marked "Other Passports". Baggage Reclaim Area After passing through the Passport Control, follow the signs to the Baggage Reclaim Area. If you have luggage which is carried in the aircraft hold, it will be delivered to you in the Baggage Reclaim Area. Look for the sign with your flight number. If you have only hand luggage, go directly through the Baggage Reclaim Area to the Customs.Customs All passengers must pass Customs after Passport Control. There is a choice of two channels: Green and Red. If you have nothing to declare, go through the Green Channel. If you are not sure about your Duty Free allowance or if you have something to declare, go through the Red Channel. Information about Duty Free allowance can found on special notice - boards in the Baggage Reclaim Area. You should study this information carefully whether you are going through the Red Channel or not. Please note that if you go through the Green Channel, you may be stopped and asked to open your luggage for inspection. At Heathrow when reaching Passport Control,_. Everybody is happy as his pay rises. Yet pleasure at your own can disappear if you learn that a fellow worker has been given a bigger one. Indeed, if he is known as being lazy, you might even be quite cross. Such behavior is regarded as "all too human", with the underlying belief that other animals would not be able to have this finely developed sense of sadness. But a study by Sarah Brosnan of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, which has just been published in Nature, suggests that _ , as well. The researchers studied the behaviors of some kind of female brown monkeys. They look smart. They are good-natured, co-operative creatures, and they share their food happily. Above all, like female human beings, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of "goods and services" than males. Such characteristics make them perfect subjects for Doctor Brosnan's study. The researchers spent two years teaching their monkeys to exchange tokens for food. Normally, the monkeys were happy enough to exchange pieces of rock for pieces of cucumber. However, when two monkeys were placed in separate and connected rooms, so that each other could observe what the other is getting in return for its rock, they became quite different. In the world of monkeys,grapes are excellent goods (and much preferable to cucumbers). So when one monkey was handed a grape in exchange for her token, the second was not willing to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber. And if one received a grape without having to provide her token in exchange at all, the other either shook her own token at the researcher, or refused to accept the cucumber. Indeed, the mere presence of a grape in the other room (without an actual monkey to eat it) was enough to bring about dissatisfaction in a female monkey. The researches suggest that these monkeys, like humans, are guided by social senses. In the wild, they are co-operative and group-living. Such co-operation is likely to be firm only when each animal feels it is not being cheated. Feelings of anger when unfairly treated, it seems, are not the nature of human beings alone. Refusing a smaller reward completely makes these feelings clear to other animals of the group. However, whether such a sense of fairness developed independently in monkeys and humans, or whether it comes from the common roots that they had 35 million years ago, is, as yet, an unanswered question. Female monkeys of this kind are chosen for the research most probably because they are _ .
Telephone: 22706030 Address: 9020 Bridgeport Road Open: Mon. --- Fri. 7:00a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and 5:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. Sat 7:00a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00p.m. Sun 11:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. and 5:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. NEW YORK MESEUM Telephone: 77364431 Address: Vanieer Park, 1100 Chesnut St. New York American's largest museum specializing(...) in American history and art of our native people Open: Mon. --- Fri. 9:00a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday free) Sat 9:00a.m. - 1:00 p.m. LANSDOWNE PARK SHOPPING CENTRE Telephone: 33562367 Address: 5300 No. 3 Road Open: Mon. Tues & Sat 9:30a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wed Thurs & Fri 9:30a.m. - 9:30p.m. Sun 11:00a.m. -- 5:00p.m. SKYLINE HOTEL Telephone: 22785161 Address: 3031 No. 3 Road (at Sea Island Way) The Hanger Den --- Wed to Sun Dinner from 5:30 p.m. Coffee Shop --- Mon to Fri 6:00 a.m.; Sat, Sun 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Visiting New York Museum, you can know _ A. the history of America's native people B. the history of America C. the history of New York D. the art of New York Answer: B. the history of America If you have ever gone through a toll booth , you know that your relationship to the person in the booth is not the most intimate you'll ever have. It is one of life's frequent affairs: You hand over some money; you might get change; you drive off. Late one morning in 1984, headed for lunch in San Francisco, I drove toward a booth. I heard loud music. It sounded like a party. I looked around. No other cars with their windows open. No sound trucks. I looked at the toll booth. Inside it, the man was dancing. "What are you doing?" I asked. "I'm having a party," he said. "What about the rest of the people?" I looked at the other toll booths. He said, "What do those look like to you?" He pointed down the row of toll booths. "They look like......toll booths. What do they look like to you?" He said, "Vertical coffins. At 8:30 every morning, live people get in. Then they die for eight hours. At 4:30, like _ from the dead, they reemerge and go home. For eight hours, brain is on hold, dead on the job. Going through the motions." I was amazed. This guy had developed a philosophy, a mythology about his job. Sixteen people dead on the job, and the seventeenth, in precisely the same situation, figures out a way to live. I could not help asking the next question: "Why is it different for you? You're having a good time." He looked at me. "I knew you were going to ask that. I don't understand why anybody would think my job is boring. I have a corner office, glass on all sides. I can see the Golden Gate, San Francisco, and the Berkeley hills. Half the Western world vacations here......and I just stroll in every day and practice dancing." After hearing what the worker said, the author would probably _ . A. go to the worker's senior to complain about his bad attitude towards job. B. go climbing the Golden Gate and the Berkeley hills to have a vacation. C. learn to take a positive attitude to job and appreciate valuable things in life. D. go back home instead of wasting time traveling to San Francisco. Answer: C. learn to take a positive attitude to job and appreciate valuable things in life. Driving in Canada is similar to driving in many parts of the United States.Distances and speeds,however,are posted in kilometres per hour and some signs,particularly in Quebec,may only be in French. Unless otherwise posted,the maximum speed limit in Canada is 50km/hr in cities and 80km/hr on highways.On rural highways,the posted speed limit may be 100km/hr.It is not allowed to take automobile radar detectors into Quebec,Ontario,Manitoba,and the Yukon.Seat belt use is required by law for all passengers,and child car seats must be used by children under 40 pounds.Some provinces require drivers to keep their vehicles' headlights on during the day and some have banned driving while using a hand-held cell phone.Motorcycles cannot share a lane ,and safety helmets for motorcycle riders and passengers are necessary.Running a red light is a serious crime throughout Canada and drivers are advised to stop before starting when a light turns green. Winter travel can be dangerous due to heavy snowfalls and icy conditions.Some roads and bridges are often closed in winter.Snow tires are required in some provinces.Travelers should also be careful about animals while driving at night in rural areas. Highway 401,from Detroit to Montreal,is one of the busiest highways in North America.It has been the scene of many deadly traffic accidents due to sudden and severe weather changes,high rates of speed,and heavy truck traffic.Thus drivers should be _ while travelling here. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information and tips.Also,we suggest that you visit the website of Canada's national authority responsible for road safety. What is the best title for the text? A. Different traffic rules in Canada B. Tips for travelling by car in Canada C. Special rules for driving in Canada D. Traffic safety and road conditions in Canada Answer: B. Tips for travelling by car in Canada Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their life are their friends. They believe that their family don't know them as well as their friends do. In large families ,it is quite often for brothers and sisters to fight ,and then they can only go to their friends for some ideas. It's very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend much time on the phone. This communication is very important in children's growing up, because friends can be the right one to talk about something with .These things are difficult to say to the family. However, parents often try to choose their children's friends for them. Some parents even ask their children not to meet their good friends. .Many teenagers think that _ can understand them better. A. friends B. brother C. sisters D. parents Answer: A. friends Welcome to Crumland Farms In 1940, John and Lib Crum bought some land on Opossumtown Pike in Frederick, Maryland. They called their new home "Crumland Farms", and started milking a dozen cows by hand. By the time their son, Denny, and his wife Judy sold off the animals 60 years later, over 600 cows were being milked 3 times a day! The dairy operation may be gone, but Crumland is still a working farm. The family grows corn, wheat, soy beans and hay , but their main product is fun! Corn Maze Come and challenge yourself at this 8-acre Corn Maze! September 26th-November 1st Monday -Friday 10:00 am-6:00pm Last ticket sold at 4:30 pm Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-10:00pm Last ticket sold at 9:30 pm Admission: $8.50 per person Pumpkin Patch Monday through Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00 pm, September 26th through November 1st. Admission to Pumpkin Patch is free. Pumpkins are $0.50 per pound. Plenty of pre-picked pumpkins are also available. The Nighttime Party On October 25th we are hosting a special party from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Our two-story air slide and hayrides will be open, as well as campfires in the zoo. Our pumpkin patch and bakery will be open all the evening. Come and have some fun and be sure to enjoy a piece of our famous fresh-baked pie! It is $11.50 per person for admission. The Pizza Farm Season: May, June &July Available :To groups of 20+ Admission: $5per person The Pizza Farm at Crumland is an interactive way to help children understand that all food-- including pizza --originates on a farm. Here we've planted a one-acre circle and divided it into 8 parts. Inside each is a pizza ingredient. It's a great way for kids to see, touch and learn how their favorite food begins on the farm. Special Pricing! Receive a 10% discount when you buy tickets online! No admission needed if interested in just purchasing pumpkins Monday-- Friday. Children 2 years and younger are admitted free! The Pizza Farm is a good place for kids _ . A. Who hope to learn more about farming B. Who would like to experience a campfire C. Who want to taste different kinds of pizzas D. Who plan to buy pumpkins at a very low price Answer: A. Who hope to learn more about farming
A priest had a cat that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The tree was not strong enough to climb, so the priest decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitty. He did so, checking his progress in the car again and again, then work out if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent enough for him to reach the kitty. But as he moved a little further forward, the rope broke. The tree went "boing!" and the kitty at once sailed through the air -- out of sight. The priest felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen his kitty. Nobody had seen a lost kitty. So, he prayed, " _ " and went on about his business. Several days later he was at the grocery store, meeting one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Before this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?" She replied, "You won't believe this," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well, if _ , you can keep it." She told the priest, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. You won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A cat suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws spread out, and landed right in front of her. " The priest drove his car to bend the tree in order to _ . A get his kitty down from the tree B persuade his kitty to come down C feed the kitty D see if the rope was strong enough Answer: A Volunteering means that you work to help people without being paid. There are many different volunteers. They help people who really need help. There are many places where you can be volunteers. Here are just a few places for you. Hospital---ask if you can go and visit people who are really sick. Sometimes what they need is someone to talk to, or someone to give them hope Orphanage ---the children living there really need someone to play with them. Food Shelter ---many food shelters need people to clean up the shelters and help give out food or water to those who need it. Seniors' Home ---help the elderly people clean up their homes. Community Center ---a lot of community centers are very well run. However, some of them really need extra help, especially cleaning and repairs. As a student you can also do a lot of things to help others at school. Maybe you could start a support group. Here is some advice: Help students give up smoking, drinking or other bad habits. Help students who come from poor families. Help new students get used to their school life soon. Provide graduating students with information on future studies. How many places are mentioned for you to be volunteers in according to this passage? A Six B Five C Four D Three Answer: A Li Ming: Hi, Lingling,! Nice to meet you! Lingling: Hi, Li Ming! _ Li Ming: How are you, Lingling? Lingling: Fine, thanks. Mum, this is my friend, Li Ming. Li Ming, this is my mum, Mrs. Wang. Li Ming: Good afternoon, Mrs. Wang ! Mrs. Wang : Good afternoon, Li Ming! Welcome to our home! Li Ming: _ . Me too! _ . A I'm fine too. B How are you? C Hello! D Nice to meet you too! Answer: D If the eyes are the windows of the soul, then the body is the mirror of our feelings. If we are feeling great, we may give our body signals . If we look at someone else's body, we can often tell how they are feeling by their body signals. So reading body language signals is a great tool in daily communication. In case you don't think that learning how to read and use body language is important, here are some numbers for you. 7% of the information we receive is from what people actually say, and 38% of the information we receive is from the tone and the speed of their voice; while 55% of the information we receive is from their body language. These non-verbal signals will help you a lot, but you still need to focus on what people are saying. If you focus too much on their body language signals, you and the person may feel uncomfortable. It is useful to be able to read people's body language, but it is useful to learn how to send the right signals and avoid the wrong signals too. Body language may be given several interpretations. Many signals have different meanings, depending on the person and the situation. Be sure of it when you are trying to read a body language signal. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? A Body language is uncomfortable. B What people are saying is not important C Body language can show your emotion. D To send wrong signals is not body language Answer: C What we eat, when we eat or how we eat is usually considered to be an everyday eating habit. Good eating habits are very important for our health. Most of us would rather eat sweets and ice-cream than meat and rice. Sweets and ice-cream are not bad for the stomach if we eat them at the end of a meal. But we should also know that if we eat them before a meal, they will spoil our appetite . It is a good habit for us to eat our meal at the same time each day. When we feel hungry, it is a sign that our body needs a good supply. When we feel angry or excited, we may not want to eat. A long time ago, in England some judges used to decide whether a man was telling the truth by giving him some dry bread. If he could not swallow the bread, it was a sign that he wasn't telling the truth. He was telling lies. Although this seems very strange and rather foolish, it is indeed an excellent way of finding out the truth. A man who is worrying about something has difficulty in swallowing anything dry. Because he is worrying, he loses his appetite and does not want to eat. A man who is angry has _ . A a good appetite B a poor appetite C a liking for ice-cream D a strong desire to drink some cold water Answer: B
I'm Jack. I'm a middle school student. I have lessons from Monday to Friday. At weekends, I usually get up very late. I wash my face, brush my teeth and then go out to do morning exercises. I eat my breakfast at about nine o'clock. After that, I often go to the park with my parents. The park is a little far from our home, so we go there by bus. It often takes us about twenty minutes to get there by bus. The park is very beautiful. There are always lots of people in the park. There are men and women, old and young. Parents must take good care of their children. There is a large lake in the middle of the park. I often go swimming there. Sometimes, I fly kites. We always have a good time there. Who does Jack go to the park with? A. His parents. B. His brother. C. His cousin. D. His mother. Answer: A What can cause a forest fire? A. littering cans and food wrappers B. an overheating car engine C. a combination of snow and rain D. sudden electrostatic discharge from a cloud Answer: D Annabelle Smith and her two best friends, Samantha and Kristy, loved going to Sand City School. Mrs. Lemming, their teacher, would read them a story. That Monday afternoon, Mrs. Lemming read them a story called Super Sophie Saves the Day. After school, Annabelle, Samantha and Kristy walked home together. "I decide that from now on I'm going to be a superhero like Sophie," Annabelle told her friends. "You mean heroine," Kristy said. "You're a girl, Annabelle." The next day Kristy and Samantha picked Annabelle up on their way to school. Annabelle had a red towel taped to her blue shirt. "I am Super Annabelle," Annabelle said. "I'll save someone on the way to school." Charlotte, another second-grader, walked past the girls. Her sweater was tied around her waist. She ran a little faster, and her sweater was nearly on the ground. Annabelle wondered what she would do. Giving her a dirty look, Charlotte ran away. Annabelle walked into her father's study when she got home. She had a homework question for him. A note on her father's desk said he was lending some books to Charlotte's father. She noticed a magazine on his desk that said Go Green. "Homework can wait," Annabelle thought. "Maybe Charlotte goes green!" In the woods, Annabelle saw a man cutting down a tree. Trees were good for the environment. She prevented him from cutting down the tree, and then she fell on the hard ground. Annabelle walked farther in the woods, where she found Charlotte picking up litter. Annabelle said, "You are the second-grade's hero, Charlotte." Charlotte stared at Annabelle. "I'm picking up litter to make the earth a better place," she said. "I don't care about being famous." Annabelle felt slightly ashamed of herself. Why did Annabelle prevent the man from cutting down the tree? A. Because trees can protect the environment. B. Because trees are living plants. C. Because she considered it a danger to cut down trees. D. Because the man might fall down on the ground. Answer: A Since two years ago, Where Are We Going, Dad? ( <<?>> ) has become one of the most popular TV shows. On the shows, the five fathers and their children traveled around China, riding camels through the western deserts, fishing on the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare home in southwestern Yunnan Province. One dad doesn't know how to do his daughter's hair, so some people try to help him. Another one must _ with his son for three days in the desert. Because the father can't cook, they only eat instant noodles . Why is Where Are We Going, Dad? so popular? Because it is about how Chinese parents look after their kids. The show makes modern parents think about what they should do with their kids. "In traditional Chinese culture, the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing " said Li Minyi, a professor of early childhood education. In the past, children were taught to obey their parents' wishes and look after them in their old age. But today Chinese parents increasingly realize that respecting their children's choices may be a better way to prepare them for modern society. As they raise their children, parents are growing up at the same time. ,. Where Are We Going, Dad? is so popular because _ . A. it teaches fathers how to cook B. it tells us how to survive in the desert C. it is about how Chinese parents look after their kids D. it shows us how to ride camels through the western deserts Answer: C A rabbit population has increased noticeably in the past ten years. Which of the following is a reasonable hypothesis for this population growth? A. Competition for food has increased among rabbits. B. The rabbit's main predator has been eliminated by human development. C. Abnormal weather conditions have decreased water levels of the local ponds. D. An organism that relies on similar food sources has migrated into the area. Answer: B
Question: Why do people smoke? One reason is that people become addicted to cigarettes. The addictive substance in cigarettes is nicotine . When people smoke, the nicotine goes right into the blood stream and makes people feel comfortable. A smoker's body gets used to the nicotine, and if he stops smoking, he feels nervous. Many smokers try to stop smoking but because of the addiction to nicotine they feel so uncomfortable that they often find it too difficult _ . Another reason is that people simply enjoy smoking. Having a cigarette for many people means taking a break. For some people smoking becomes part of certain social rituals , for example, sending the cigarette after dinner. Many people enjoy smoking because it gives them something to do with their hands. Reaching for a cigarette, lighting it and flicking the ashes are special comfort in a situation where they feel nervous. Many people also like the taste of tar in cigarettes. However, it is the tar that causes cancer. While governments and health experts have tried to get people to give up smoking completely, cigarette manufacturers have tried to keep selling them by producing cigarettes with less tar. Many people in western countries have welcomed these cigarettes since they found it hard to stop smoking and wanted to reduce the danger to their health. Why do people welcome low-tar cigarettes? A. Because they taste better. B. Because they are cheaper. C. Because they are less harmful. D. Because they are easy to be made. Answer: C Question: When people introduce themselves,I always hear them say"I'm just a housewife."I don't understand why their introduction is always filled with regret and self-pity.Is it,really a crime to be a housewife?Is it really embarrassing when you choose not to work outside and instead choose to work in your home? How could you be"just a housewife"when the basic social unit of society depends on you and your service?A housewife works for the longest hour,supporting your husband,child studies,caring for elders,managing finances,paying bills,grocery shopping,cooking according to individual taste,cleaning,etc.A housewife could be anyone:daughter,wife,mother,teacher,financial advisor,fashion designer and nurse,gardener,driver,cook,and so on.Don't think you are not being paid for it.You get the reward that no money can offer----the love and affection of your family,their trust in you,a happy home and your own satisfaction. It is you who choose to be in this occupation,willingly or for any other reason.After a busy day,all wait to return to the comfortable home set by you.They know you will be there to absorb all their stress and tiredness and relax them.Would the life have been the same had you been working outside to earn some money?Would you along with your family have been able to buy all the content in life that you are enjoying now with that money? Respect yourself for what you are.Introduce yourself to the world with the same dignity.The world understands the importance of your job; it's time to make them accept it.Introduce yourself with pride and with twinkle in your eyes"I am a housewife".Kick that"just"out. If a housewife worked outside,she would . A. have the same life like before B. set a comfortable home for her family C. absorb her family's stress D. lose the content that she is enjoying Answer: D Question: Do you think of white when someone talks about a polar bear? In fact, the polar bear does not have white fur. It just appears to be white. Polar bears have a very good sense of smell. It helps them to find food. During summer, polar bears sleep longer, because they are able to find their food more easily at night. Usually, after a meal, polar bears have a short sleep. A polar bear can have 2-3 babies at a time. They live with their mothers until they are about two-and-a-half years old. However, polar bears will die out soon because of people. There are only 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the world. The ones that are left are trying to survive today. The number of polar bears is becoming smaller and smaller because of the loss of sea ice-- polar bears mostly inhabit the sea ice, not the land ice. This is happening because of global warming , pollution, hunting and so on. Ordinary people don't care, but great people have the power and want to save tigers, fight for giant pandas and save polar bears. Ordinary people will wait, but great people will find a new world. For me, I will not waiting. I will take the bus more often from now on. Join me and save the polar bears, and, of course, the tigers, the giant pandas and... Where can this passage come from? A. A magazine about animals. B. A book about greetings. C. A poster about working plans. D. An instruction book. Answer: A Question: A student is given three toys by his teacher and is asked to find out the differences. All the three toys seem to be the same in shape, size and material. After careful observation, the student finds out holes in the toys. The first toy has holes in the ears. The second toy has holes in one ear and the mouth. And the third toy has only one hole in one ear. Then the student puts a needle in the ear hole of the first toy. The needle comes out from the other ear. When the needle is put in the second toy's ear it comes out of the mouth. And when the needle is put in the third toy's ear, it does not come out. The first toy means those people around you who make you think that they are listening to you and caring for you. But they just pretend to do so. After listening, as the needle comes out from the other ear, the things you said to them are gone. So be careful while you are speaking to this type of person around you, who does not care for you. The second toy means those people who listen to you and make you think that they care for you. But as the needle comes out from its mouth, these people will use your things and the words you tell them against you by telling them to others for their own purpose. For the third toy, the needle does not come out from it. These kinds of people will keep the trust you have in them. They are the ones you can depend on. What is the best title of the passage? A. Toys and people B. Toys and needles C. The choice of toys D. Toys and secrets Answer: A Question: Mr. Lin has a store. It's next to No. 5 Middle School. It _ maps, books, pens, pencils, clothes and some other things. The things in his store are not expensive. Boys and girls like to go to his store. They like Mr. Lin because he is very nice. Mr. Lin likes the boys and girls, too. Mr. Lin has a"lost and found"box in his store. Look! A baseball, a ruler and some books are in the box. This box helps some boys and girls find their lost things. A sofa is in Mr. Lin's store, too. Boys and girls can sit there and read books after school. They can ask Mr. Lin questions about these books and he often helps them to find the answers. The boys and girls like Mr. Lin because _ . A. he is nice B. he is interesting C. his store is tidy D. the things in his store are not expensive Answer: A
Question: Alice spends her summer vacations walking back into history. Alice is 15 and she is a guide who shows visitors around the Fort Delaware Museum in New York. "This year, I spun wool on a spinning wheel. Last year, I was a candle maker. My first year, I cared for the garden and looked after the animals. All the jobs I've had at the fort have been really fun." Fort Delaware is a living-history museum that shows how life was in frontier America in the mid-1700s. "Reading about history can't compare to experiencing it for yourself," says Alice. The experience begins as soon as visitors enter the fort. The smell of wood smoke fills the air. Women in petticoats (long skirts) and men in knee breeches(knee-length shorts) are busy with their chores. The guides show visitors how the settles would have carried out everyday work. "Kids are surprised when I tell them that one of their jobs would have been to make candles," says another guide, 16-year-old Jane. "They don't realize that kids back then had to work hard." She also shows visitors how to play with toys and games. They are playing historical parts, so the guides can't wear shorts or T-shirts when the weather is hot. But the clothes of the past can easily change modern kids into people from 18th century. "The clothing felt strange at first, but it does make it easier to get into characters," says Jane. Working at the fort has helped Jane to appreciate her life even more. Alice agrees, "The fort has taught me how hard life was and how much work there was every day. We are so lucky with everything we have now. Life wasn't always this easy." ,. (5,2,10) Fort Delaware in New York is a _ museum. A. living-history B. toy C. candle D. clothing Answer: A Question: In 2004,the World Health Organization,WHO,warned of a possible outbreak of another serious disease which may be even more deadly than SARS.The WHO believes that it is likely that bird flu will spread to human beings in the next few years.If it does,up to seven millions people could die from the disease. Diseases like bird flu are caused by viruses,that is,tiny things which change and be come more dangerous over time.When a new type of a common virus changes,it may be able to get past the body'S immune system.If that happens,humans are in great danger until a cure or treatment becomes available. There have always been viruses and people always get sick,of course,but as we saw with SARS,the situation is more difficult today.People travel more than ever before,which means that disease can spread quickly and across large areas----in fact the whole world. Scientists are already working on drugs that will prevent or limit the effect of a new virus,but the process takes time.It is just as important to make sure that countries,especially poor countries,are prepared to deal with the disease. New disease usually affect poor areas the most,so we must help develop health care in all countries. The situation is more serious today because_. A. people travel more B. people don't eat health food C. there aren't enough hospitals D. scientists can't find a cure Answer: A Question: They say that the real marathon begins at 35 kilometers -- the rest is just a warm up. And sure enough, in 2009, at around the 36 kilometer point of the Beijing Marathon I experienced what runners call "hitting the wall". I had been doing well until that point, but suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my leg. My pace slowed down dramatically and every brain cell in my head seemed to be screaming "stop!!!" The last 5 kilometers were not fun; in fact, they were really hard work. Keeping motivated to run those last few kilometers was one of the hardest things I had ever done. But that is what makes running a marathon such a rewarding experience -- if it were easy everyone would do it. I have to admit it is sometimes not even easy to find the motivation to get out of bed, pull on your running shoes and head out into the morning to go for another run. These last two weeks of training for the Muztagata climb have been a little tough. I have been following my training plan for about three months but now I find that my original enthusiasm has all been used up. Day after day of going to the gym is beginning to wear me down and there still seems so much longer to keep this up. I have begun to doubt that I am actually making any progress or getting any fitter and even thought that I might be going backwards! These are all very common experiences for people who are working towards challenging, longer term goals and I have learned to recognize these "highs" and "lows" in my energy and enthusiasm. Over the years I have learned a number of tricks that help me to deal with the days when my early motivation seems to have abandoned me for good. When people are working extremely hard towards challenging, _ . A. they can keep themselves motivated all the time B. they will never hesitate to continue carrying out their plan C. they sometimes feel as if they stop making progress D. they will fail to keep their spirits up Answer: C Question: Cutting down a tree A. ceases its ability to grow B. will cause it to grown 10x bigger C. will decrease the likelihood of deforestation D. will cause the tree to flourish Answer: A Question: KangKang has a good friend. Her name is Han Mei. She is fourteen years old. She has a round face.She has a small mouth,a small nose and big eyes.Her hair is long,and her ears are big. Do you know her? ,. Han Mei is _ . A. 11 B. 12 C. 13 D. 14 Answer: D
The air here is fresh. There are not many tall buildings in our town. The best building is in our school. There are four hundred students and twenty-five teachers in our school. In the front of the school, there is a playground. I often play basketball with my classmates on it. There is a little garden behind our school. And we can grow beautiful flowers and plant trees in the garden. Next the garden, there is an orange orchard . You can hear birds singing everywhere. There is a river not far from our school. In summer, we usually go swimming in it. There is _ in the front of our school. A. a river B. a tall building C. a playground D. a garden Answer: C Many bacteria are decomposer organisms. Which of the following statements best describes how these bacteria help make soil more fertile? A. The bacteria break down water into food. B. The bacteria change sunlight into minerals. C. The bacteria combine with sand to form rocks. D. The bacteria break down plant and animal matter. Answer: D A researcher found shark fossils on top of a mountain. This evidence suggests which of the following about this region? A. It was once below a waterfall. B. It was once part of a riverbed. C. It was once covered by an ocean. D. It was once near a freshwater lake. Answer: C Microsoft founder Bill Gates has talked about to be a good parent, saying that 13 is a right age for a child's first mobile phone. The 57-year-old father of three said on the Today show that his children Jennifer and Rory were not allowed phones until their thirteen birthday and his youngest daughter Phoebe is still waiting for one. "We've made a rule in our family that it's 13 when you get a phone." He also said as a resulthischild often returned homefromschool complaining, "All the other kids have it, I'm the only without it, it's so embarrassing." Asked if he keeps passwords to his son and daughters' e-mail and Facebook accounts . Mr Gates said that he doesn't for Jennifer, 16, who he says is "old enough". Besides their wealth Mr and Mrs Gates ,who live in Lake Medina, have said they want to raise their three children as usually as possible. It is said that their kids have to do housework at home after school and aren't given much pocket money. And in 2010Mr Gates said that he wanted to give most of his $61 billion away rather than hand it down. "That wouldn't be good either for my kids or society," he said. Mr Gates left Microsoft in 2008 to put his heart to charity. During the Today interview with host Matt Lauer, he said that helping others made him feel happy as creating software. " What you really feel is what you've achieved. If a piece of software gets out there and lots of people love it--it lets them get their work down in better ways--that's exciting." he replied. Mr Gates doesn't keep a password to Jennifer's email because _ . A. Jennifer doesn't like him to do so B. Jennifer is already sixteen years old C. he thinks children should be free D. parents can't know kid's password Answer: B There are good Santas and there are bad Santas. The good Santas all realize one thing: In the mind of a child, Santa Claus is perfect. That's difficult. And so they come from around the world to attend the Charles W. Howard School in Midland, Mich. The school offers a three-day, 40-hour course for Santas hoping to be excellent. A former Macy's Santa named Charles Howard founded the Michigan school in 1937. "Many people will think if you have a suit and you're a Santa," said Tom Valent, the school's current dean. "It's more than that." The school teaches everything from breathing techniques for carol singing to the beard maintenance. There are lessons in child psychology, sign language and even media training for talk-show appearances and call-in shows. Santas also need to make sure they know all the names of the reindeer . What's harder to deal with, however, is children who ask for Christmas gifts like bringing daddy home or making mommy happy again. After spending time in the classroom, Weir went to the mall to test his training. However, at one point, his hat fell off, and he was unsure how to react. "You're the real Santa," Valent said. "Pick that hat up, slip it back on, keep smiling and do your job. You've got to stay on top of your game. Even the last one at night, when you're tired, you've got to remember: This one's forever, so do a good job." According to Weir's performance, we can conclude that _ . A. Weir was short of experience B. Weir was not fit for the job as a Santa C. Weir did very badly in the game D. Weir was not a good student in school Answer: A
When we talk of plants, most of us will think of things that grow from the ground and have green leaves, but there are plants that do not look or act like other plants. Some of these belong to a special class of plants called fungi. Fungi may appear almost everywhere. They commonly grow in wet places where they call get food and water easily. Because fungi do not have green leaves to make their own food, but fungi must take their food from animals, other plants or water. Some fungi live on dead or rotting wood, while others grow on living trees or in dirt or moss . Mushrooms are the best-known fungi. There are many kinds of mushrooms appearing in all shapes and sizes. For example, cauliflower mushrooms are found in forests from July to October.They can grow to be as heavy as fifty pounds! They grow at the foot of trees Squirrel's bread is another kind of wild mushroom Its appearance and use Call explain its name. These fungi look like small golden cakes Squirrels can easily eat them or carry them off to their hole to eat later. The mushrooms found in food stores are carefully grown by people who know they are safe to eat. People are warned never to touch of taste wild mushrooms because some of them are deadly. Even less dangerous ones cart still make a person very sick.. People are advised not to eat wild fungi because _ . My father and I were very close. I loved pleasing him, and he was always proud of my success. If I won a spelling contest at school, he was on top of the world. Later in life whenever I got a promotion , I'd call my father right away and he'd rush out to tell all his friends. In 1970,when I was named president of the Ford Motor Company, I don't know which of us was more excited. Like many native Italians, my parents were very open with their feelings and their loves not only at home, but also in public. Most of my friends would never hug their fathers. But I hugged and kissed my dad at every opportunity for nothing could have felt more natural. He was a curious man who was always trying new things. He was the first person in Allentown to buy a motorcycle. Unfortunately, my father and his motorcycle didn't get along too well. He fell off it so often that he got rid of it just a month after buying it. As a result, he never again trusted any vehicle with less than four wheels. Because of that motorcycle, I wasn't allowed to have a bicycle when I was growing up. Whenever I wanted to ride a bike, I had to borrow one from a friend. On the other hand, my father let me drive a car as soon as I turned sixteen. I hugged and kissed my father at every opportunity, _ . The nervous-looking young man had waited for a few moments outside the jeweler's shop before he got enough courage to enter.He was warmly greeted by a young assistant. James felt a rush blood to his face as he explained he would bring in his future wife to choose a birthday present.The assistant listened carefully and told him he'd better buy a necklace. He wasn't used to buying jewelry and was a little worried about overspending. After some discussion as to reasonable price and type , the assistant showed him dozens of necklaces and helped him to choose. At last James chose one and left the shop promising to return at five o'clock. When, half an hour later, James did return to the shop with his future wife, Laura, the assistant acted as if she had never seen him before. When she was asked to show them some necklaces, she first brought out some inexpensive ones for them to choose and then gave them the one she had prepared. A choice was soon made and they went away, satisfied. James would certainly come back to buy what he wanted when he got married. The word "overspending" in this passage means _ . I am a sophomore at Princeton University, where I am majoring in chemical engineering. I chose to study at UCD in the spring of 2015 primarily because I have always been interested in Ireland and Irish culture, but also to take advantage of UCD's courses in pharmacology , a field not offered at my home school. I also chose UCD because of its Introduction to Scientific Research module, which matches visiting students with professors for a term-long research project, and because of the Science office's friendliness and helpfulness. I am convinced that I made the best possible decision! While at UCD I lived on campus, which allowed me to throw myself into everything the university has to offer. I was given the opportunity to work with Geraldine Butler's lab. I loved it so much that I ended up heading to the lab almost every weekday, whenever I wasn't attending my always-interesting classes in pharmacology. After lab, I enjoyed a variety of after-school activities--that was certainly a new experience for me. Living in Dublin provided a great opportunity for seeing the rest of Ireland and Europe. I spent my weekends and spring break traveling to every corner of the island, amazed at all of the history and natural beauty. I was also able to visit the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. After every trip, it was nice to return to friendly Dublin and head out with my roommates to one of our favorite pubs. I would highly recommend studying abroad at UCD. I learned so much from my courses and my research project and had a wonderful time exploring Ireland. I can't wait to come back! What does the author feel at the moment? Part I If you are hunting a chance to improve yourself in English, TOP ENGLISH CITY will be a smart choice. We are members of "the International Language Workshop" and enjoy both of the good honor in English teaching and high quality of our teaching team. We are devoted to providing affordable, excellent English training programs for those who want to improve both their English knowledge and their language skills. In TOP ENGLISH CITY, you will be a top English-speaker among your competitors and enjoy the advantage that your competitors have not. You will be proud of being a member of TOP ENGLISH CITY. Courses designed: Basic Studies... Sat. 8:00-10:00 a. m. Intermediate Spoken English... Sun. 8:00-10:00 a. m. Standard Spoken English... Sat. 8:00-10:00 a.m. Basic Business English... Sun.8:00-10:00 a.m. Intermediate Business English... Sun. 7:00-9:00 p.m. TOEFL Super Studies... Sun. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Children's Weekend... Sat. &. 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Question: Editor's note: do you care about the environment ? Have you ever wanted to help protect it ? Well read on, as this month we're going to hear from overseas teens about what they do to help the environment. I can't remember when I started collecting litter . But it was when I got tired of seeing litter near my home and realized that no one else was going to pick it up. I live close to a forest in Ohio, America. I can walk there in three minutes! I used to love going there to play with my dog. But one day there was so much litter there that I became very unhappy. I decided I had to clean up the forest. I wanted to feel happy going there again. I made my first trip to clean the forest that afternoon. I took a big black rubbish bag with me. Ten minutes after starting to pick up litter, my bag was full! It had cans, bottles, broken glass and newspapers in it. Since that first trip three years ago. I've gone to the forest four times a year to pick up litter. I'm often there for three hours. It makes me feel great to do something for the environment. After each trip, I look at all the litter I've found. If any of it is recyclable , I keep it.I can't understand why people drop litter. But I will keep picking it up until they stop dropping it. I know I am only doing a small bit to help the earth, but I still think it is important. How many times has the writer gone to the forest a year to pick up litter? A. Three times B. Four times C. two times D. Six times Answer: B Question: How do you like your school? Have you ever written to your headmaster to express your idea? Here are some letters written by students from different schools. Luke, 14, from Jiangsu I will give some suggestions about our school uniform. In our school, we students have to wear uniform every day. But the yellow and green sports kit looks really dark and old. It can't stand for young and lively spirit. We can add some red or orange colors and make a new type of uniform. I hope our headmaster will think about it. Danny, 14, from Zhejiang I have two suggestions for my headmaster. First of all, I think we should have more hobby classes in science , such as plane model making class and computer programming class. It is really boring to study basic subjects all the time. And second, I hope we can have more PE lessons or more time for physical exercise. Lots of students now don't have a strong enough body. Sam, 15, from Shanxi I'd like to say thank you to my headmaster. About one week ago, I got a bad cold after playing basketball. Our headmaster came to me after he knew about it. He took care of me until my parents came. I really want to thank him for that. Helen, 14, from Shandong In the letter I wrote, I want to talk about the possibility of personal classes. Now many middle schools are trying the "personal class" system. Students don't have regular classes. They can choose lessons they want to take. _ And it is also good for exercise. We don't have to stay in one classroom all the time. All the students except _ write to the headmaster to complain about something. A. Luke B. Danny C. Sam D. Helen Answer: C Question: A dog found shot in the head and face with a pellet gun, stuffed in a garbage bag and left to die is recovering from his injuries at an animal clinic in Texas. The bag containing the 3-year-old male mixed breed was discovered tied to a fence in Conroe, Texas, earlier this month. When local residents opened the bag, the dog appeared, took a few steps and fell. Augustyn rushed the dog to an emergency animal clinic, where he was treated for many pellets to the face, eyes, mouth, neck and shoulders. The dog was stabilized, but according to Dr Ron Hendrick, a vet at the Animal Emergency Clinic of Conroe, pellets remain in both eyes and it's unclear whether the dog nicknamed Buck was left blind forever. A Facebook page, Buck Needs Bucks for His Buckshot Injuries, was launched last week by Augustyn. It was created to help pay for the dog's medical bills. The page has attracted nearly 7,000 "likes" and, according to its creator, already more than enough donations to pay for his treatment. "The last 24 hours has been overwhelming for me," Augustyn wrote on the page. "I have gone from not knowing if I would have enough money to pay for Buck's emergency bill to having an unbelievable amount of money to provide the best possible care for Buck's recovery. I have thought long and hard about this today and how I should handle this. The conclusion is that I will open a separate bank account for Buck and all donations will be used for Buck's recovery and necessities." With the help of Facebook, Buck's story quickly sparked international interest. "Buck is now walking," Augustyn says. Police in Montgomery County say they are investigating the incident, and Augustyn says she has been in contact with law enforcement officials about donating a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who tortured the dog. Sadly, cases like Buck's are not uncommon, particularly in Texas. What was Augustyn's purpose in launching the Facebook page? A. To ask for donations for the dog. B. To ask a vet to help treat the dog. C. To call for people to love animals. D. To ask people to find the dog's owner. Answer: A Question: Something roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. "Father!" Hassan cried. We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room. "Father! What's that sound? Hassan screamed, his hands outstretched toward Ali. Ali wrapped his arms around us. A white light flashed and lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by rapid sharp sounds of gunfire. "They're hunting ducks." Ali said in a hoarse voice. "They hunt ducks at night, you know." Don't be afraid. A siren went off in the distance. Somewhere glass broke and someone shouted. I heard people on the street, jolted from sleep and probably still in their pajamas, with ruffled hair and puffy eyes. Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness. We stayed huddled that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born. Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended. The end came when Russian tanks were rolling into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting. Just before sunrise, Baba's car peeled into the driveway. His door slammed shut and his running footsteps pounded the stairs. Then he appeared in the doorway and I saw something on his face. Something I didn't recognize right away because I'd never seen it before: fear. "Amir! Hassan!" He cried as he ran to us, opening his arms wide. "They blocked all the roads and the telephone didn't work. I was so worried!" We let him wrap us in his arms and, for a brief moment, I was glad about whatever had happened that night. Who is the author of the passage? A. Hassan B. Ali C. Baba D. Amir Answer: D Question: Plants may not have eyes and ears,but they can recognize their siblings ,and researchers at the University of Delaware have discovered how.The ID system lies in the roots and the chemical signals they secrete . Canadian researchers published that sea rocket,a common seashore plant,can recognize its siblings.Susan Dudley observed that when siblings are grown next to each other in the soil,they "play nice" and don't send out more roots to compete.However,the moment one of the plants is thrown in with strangers,it begins competing with them by rapidly growing more roots to take up the water and mineral nutrients in the soil. After reading Dudley's study,Bais decided to find the method behind the sibling recognition.Working in his laboratory,Bais and his doctoral student Meredith Biedrzycki set up a study with wild populations of Arabidopsis thaliana.In a series of experiments,young seedlings were exposed to liquid media containing the root secretions from siblings,from strangers,or only their own secretions.The length of the longest lateral root was measured.The exposure of plants to the root secretions of strangers induced greater lateral root formation than exposure of plants to sibling secretions.Strangers planted next to each other are often shorter,because so much of their energy is directed at root growth.Because siblings aren't competing against each other,their roots are often much shallower . Biedrzycki did the _ laboratory research,observing more than 3,000 plants involved in the study every day for seven continuous days and documenting the root patterns."Arabidopsis roots are nearly translucent when they are young and were also twisted when I removed them from plates,"Biedrzycki notes."This manuscript is very important for my research since the focus of my thesis project is understanding the biochemical ways behind root secretions." The research also may have implications for the home gardener."Often we'll put plants in the ground next to each other and when they don't do well,we blame the local garden center where we bought them or we attribute their failure to a germ,"Bais says."But maybe there's more to it than that." Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? A. A Great Biology Researcher B. Plants Recognize Their Siblings C. Plants' Roots and Secretions D. A Research on Plants Answer: B
Bob was happy. He was at a new school, and students there were friendly. "Hi, Bob!" some students greeted him, but some students said, "Hi, Peter!" Bob didn't understand. He asked one student. "Why do some students call me Peter?" "Oh, that's easy to answer," the students said, "Peter was a student here last year. Now he is at a different school. You look like Peter. Some students thought that you were Peter." Bob wanted to meet Peter. He got Peter's address from a student and went to Peter's house. Peter opened the door. Bob couldn't believe his eyes. He looked really like Peter! Bob and Peter had the same color eyes and same smile. They had the same black hair. They also had the same birthday. And they both were adopted by two different families. Bob and Peter found out that they were twin brothers. Soon after the boys were born, one family adopted Bob, and another family adopted Peter. Bob's family never knew about Peter, and Peter's family never knew about Bob. Soon Bob and Peter's story appeared in the newspaper. There was a photo of Bob and Peter next to the story. A young man called John saw the photo in the newspaper. John couldn't believe his eyes. He looked like Bob and Peter! He had the same color eyes and the same smile. He had the same black hair. He had the same birthday. And he, too, was adopted by another family. Later John met Bob and Peter. When Bob and Peter saw John, they couldn't believe their eyes. John looked really like them! Why did John looked really like Bob and Peter? You can guess. Bob and Peter are not twins. Bob, Peter and John are triplets. Some students in Bob's new school thought _ . Bob was Peter Earning a black belt in martial arts and being issued a pilot's license are both impressive accomplishments that take year of effort to achieve, but 30-year-old Jessica Cox has done both despite being born without arms. In spite of all difficulties , but with strong faith and the help of her family ,Cox put herself through high school and then college, typing papers with her toes, She became the first armless black belt in American Taekwondo Association and now has two black belts, She got her driver's license and then, astonishingly, her pilot's license in 2008, The achievement earned her a place in the Guinness Would Records, which recognized her for becoming the first person without arms to fly an airplane. Now Cox is the subject of a new documentary, Rightfooted, Which Cox says the hopes will inspire disabled young people around the world, "Had I watched a film similar to this one earlier, in my life ,I know it would have make a difference." Cox says in a trailer for the documentary. The young woman says her current goal is to become a motivational speaker, particularly for chileren born without arms , She says she believes her message can reach millions of people working to overcome a variety of disabilities. As the next step, she has been invited by non-governmental organization Handicap International to work with disabled children in Ethiopia Cox is extremely excited for the opportunity, She hopes that sharing her story will inspire children with disabilities and encourage Ethiopians to include all children in school because in Ethiopia only one percent of children with disabilities are educated and their parents do not think they can benefit from going to school, She also hopes to meet with government officials to inspire change. What is true of Jessica Cox? She is an armless woman with strong faith My husband had just bought a new washing machine for me. I decided to use it the other day and I washed a lot of things. Everything worked well, but I found one of my husband's socks missing. I looked everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. The next morning, I got ready for school as usual. When the bell rang, the students came in, I greeted them and told them what we were going to do that day. When I turned around to write on the blackboard, the class burst out laughing. They laughed and laughed. They laughed so much, in fact, that I was afraid the headmaster would be in and see all this. I asked the class to stop, but the more I talked, the more they laughed. I decided to pay no attention to them and continued to write on the blackboard. When I did this, they laughed even more. Finally, the teacher who was in the next room came in to see what all the laughter was about. When he came in, he started laughing, too! "Good heavens," I said. "Will someone please tell me what is so funny?" "Oh, God," said the teacher. "You have a brown sock stuck to the back of your skirt!" So that's how I found my husband's missing sock. "Oh, well," I said to the class," Let's just say you have had an unforgettable lesson on static electricity ." What did the writer do when she got to know why her students laughed? She explained the matter in a clever way The _ is the tallest modern land animal. It can be over 5. 5 meters tall. Its neck alone may be 1. 9 meters long. Yet the giraffe has only seven bones in its neck, the same number as in the humans'. Even a small bird has many more bones in its neck than a tall giraffe. Each bone in a giraffe's neck is very long, while the bones in a human's neck are short. That makes the difference. A female giraffe gives birth to one baby at a time. The baby, called a calf, is about 1. 9 meters tall at birth. By the age of eight it is full-grown. The giraffe eats mostly leaves. Because it has a long neck, it can reach the high leaves on the trees. ,. We can guess when a giraffe sees a tiger _ . it will run away as fast as possible A recent survey of 2000 parents in Britain showed that they are often afraid of science questions asked by their curious children only because they have no idea what the answer is. Here is a list of some simple questions that you can ask your parents to see if they know the answers. Q: Why is the sky blue? A: You probably know white sunlight is made up of seven colors. While it moves in a straight line when going through space, it starts to divide as it hits "raised area" in the atmosphere. The ones with longest wavelengths pass through easily. The blue , however , can be taken in by the gas molecules because it has a shorter wavelength , which in turn scatters it in different directions. That's why when you look up at the sky, it appears to be blue. Q:Why does the moon sometimes appear during the daytime? A: The simple answer to that is because just like any other object it is being lit by the sun. As long as it is around 45 degrees or even 90 degrees off the sun, it will receive light and be able to be seen. The only time it is not able to be seen during its 28-day orbit around the earth is when it is right between the earth and the sun. That's because its back , which is not lit by the sun, is facing us. Q: Where do birds/ honeybees go in winter? A: While the bird part is quite easy, since a lot of them get together and travel, the honeybee part is likely to puzzle your parents. It turns out that these busy insects stop being that active when the temperature drops below 50degF. Instead ,they get together in the lower central area of the hive and form a ball around their queen. This helps keep both warm enough to survive the cold winter months. How long can't the moon be seen during the daytime in a month? 28
London, the capital of England, is political, economic and commercial centre. It stands on the Thames, extending for nearly thirty miles from north to south and for nearly thirty miles from east to west. London is divided into many administrative units. Greater London, the largest unit, cover 1,605 square miles. The heart of this unit is the City of London. It is surrounded by a ring of 12 boroughs called Inner London or Central London, covering 303 square miles, and itself, is again surrounded by a greater ring of 20 boroughs called Outer London with an area of 1,279 square miles. Thus, Greater London is made up of the City and 32 boroughs. The City of London covers _ aquare miles. A 1,605 B 303 C 23 D 900 Answer: C. 23 Each Sunday, people can hear the music of the Mission Dolores Basilica in San Francisco. The Spanish missionaries built the church in 1791. It was the start of a special kind of neighborhood: the Mission District. The area is a place with a long and varied history. One community member says that it's important for people to understand the many levels of history in the neighborhood. He feels that _ is a big part of understanding what it means to be a real San Franciscan. One of the most interesting parts of the district is its people. Over the years, immigrants have come to the area from Ireland, Germany, and Italy. But the most recent immigrants are mainly from Latin America. It's easy to see the style that these recent additions give to the neighborhood. You can see it in the art on the walls, taste it in the food, and hear it in the music! Juan Pedro Gaffney, the director of the Spanish Choir of San Francisco, says that the people there share the pain and the happiness of their friends and family members and that music has always been a basic part of cultural identity in the district. He feels that the music of the district is colorful and lively. But it isn't just its music that's colorful and lively. Its art is full of life as well. The local art community stays close to the area's culture and tradition. A local arts organization often leads people on walks through the district. They visit streets like Balmy Alley, which is famous for its murals . Even though the meanings behind the murals are always changing, they are still very powerful. One artist explains that they are fighting for fairness in the community and to help the environment through murals. Apparently, they're something the community likes. Many of these artists feel that the district is a successful neighborhood where new immigrants are welcome. "People see that they're not so different from each other," says one artist. "There are a lot of things that bind the immigrants through culture and tradition." It can be inferred from the passage that in the Mission District _ . A immigrants from different cultures live in harmony B Latin American music and foods are the most attractive C the Spanish Choir stands out in the competition of different cultures D new immigrants have to give up their own culture to be welcome Answer: A. immigrants from different cultures live in harmony Benjamin Franklin only studied in school for two years. But he liked to read and write very much. Once he discussed a question with his friend in letters. His father found the letters and read them. He felt Ben did not express himself well. Nor did Ben make his meaning clear. He agreed that his father was right, From then on, he paid more attention to the style of his writing so that he could write better. About that time he bought a copy of the British periodical called The Spectator (<<>> ). He read it over and over. He thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to write in the same style. With this in mind, he studied some of the stories and made a note of the thought in each sentence. Then, a few days later, without looking at the magazine, he tried to write the stories. He tried to express each thought as fully as it had been expressed before. Then he compared his writing with the magazine. He found some of his faults in the compositions. In this way he discovered he needed to know many more words. He felt that writing poetry would help him since that needed to use many different words which had the same meaning. So he turned some of the stories into poems; and after a time, he wrote them as stories again. He insisted on doing this for a long time. He learned much from his efforts and went on to practise his writing. Then he became the first famous writer in American history. What did his father do to him? A He found his son's letters written very well B He felt his son expressed himself very well C He told his son what he wrote wasn't so good D He bought a copy of The Spectator for him Answer: C. He told his son what he wrote wasn't so good One day,four lawyers were riding their horses along a country road. There had been a rain. Water was dripping from the trees,and the grass was wet. They rode slowly,talking and laughing. Suddenly they heard some noises from the tree above them. "What is the matter?" asked the first lawyer. "Oh, it's only some old birds!" said the second lawyer. "The storm made one of the babies fall out of the nest. It is too young to fly, and the mother bird is very worried." "What a pity! It'll die down there in the grass," said the third lawyer. "It doesn't matter. It's only a bird," said the second lawyer. Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and took the little one in his big warm hands. "Never mind, my _ ," said Mr. Lincoln. "I will put you back in your little nest." He climbed up the tree and put the bird softly into their warm little home. A few minutes later, Mr. Lincoln joined them again. His shoes were covered with mud and he was wet. Then the other three laughed at him. They thought it was foolish for a strong man to do so much just for a young bird. "Gentlemen," said Mr. Lincoln, "I could not sleep tonight if I had left the helpless bird in the grass." Later Abraham Lincoln became very famous as a lawyer. He also became the president of America. He was one of the greatest American presidents. The other three lawyers laughed at Lincoln because _ . A he climbed the tree B he was wet C his shoes were covered with mud D they thought it foolish for him to do so Answer: D. they thought it foolish for him to do so As the size of a flower increases A more bees visit the flowers surrounding it B more honey makers will be drawn to the flower C the flower blooms anew D birds will eat the flower Answer: B. more honey makers will be drawn to the flower
Stockholm's street magazine sellers no longer only take cash -- they now take cards too. "More and more sellers were telling us that people wanted our magazine but weren't carrying cash," says Pia Stolt, the magazine's publisher. "So with the help of a local computer company, we came up with a way to accept payment electronically. "We didn't know how it would turn out, or whether people would be unwilling to give the credit card information to a stranger on the street," says Stolt, "but the results have been great--sales are up 59%." "Swedes are pretty trusting and we're used to taking up new technology so this was the perfect solution," adds Stolt. "The cashless society campaign we're seeing in Sweden is definitely a good move as far as we are concerned--it's unstoppable." Banks and stores invested heavily in card payment systems in the 1990s and now local consumers are using them in huge numbers. Today, four out of five purchases are made electronically in Sweden and going totally cash-free is the next step. Sweden's public transport system has already been cashless for several years, after local public transport workers complained that handling cash had become dangerous. "Bus drivers were getting attacked for their money so Sweden banned cash on public transport," says Arn Arvidsson, the president of Cashless, an organization supporting the move to a cash-free society. "There were also a number of bank robberies, so four years ago, the banks began to move away from cash. Now, all of Sweden's big banks operate cash free wherever possible, and the number of bank robberies is at a 30-year low." There is, however, concern about how well Sweden's 1.8 million pensioners--out of a total population of 10 million--will adapt. "A lot of elderly people feel excluded," says Johanna Hallen of the Swedish National Pensioners' Organization. "Only 50% of older people use cash cards regularly and 7% never use cash cards. So we want the government to take things slowly." The digital payment revolution is also a challenge for tourists, who need pre-paid tickets or a Swedish mobile to catch a bus in the capital. "There's a worry about crime and theft as well," says Arvidsson. "Figures show that computer-related credit card crime has almost doubled in the last decade." The demand for a cashless public transport system first came from _ . A transport companies to reduce their costs B banks so they could increase their profits C transport workers to protect their safety D the government to improve transport times Answer: C. transport workers to protect their safety The Occupy protests in Hong Kong are approaching an end. Traffic on Mong Kok's Argyle Street _ in the late afternoon after the clearance of the barriers and tents by protesters, who remained largely calm, only resisting the clearance at several points. Some 3,000 police officers were deployed in the operation, a much higher number than were used to assist in the clearance of a protest site in Admiralty District on November 18. The operation in Mong Kok comes a week after the partial clearance of another protest site next to the local government headquarters in Admiralty, bringing an end to the months-long protest movement. Some 3,000 police officers also stood guard at the former protest site in Admiralty on Tuesday. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying expressed on Tuesday his hope that business could resume for shops in the area. He also restated that the protest was an unlawful gathering, and called for the protesters to respect and obey the law. "The common call of Hong Kong people has finally been answered. Now the protest is coming to an end which is necessary and unavoidable. The public has suffered enough," Leticia Lee See-yin told the Global Times. "Many people are living in Mong Kok or operating their businesses in the area. They are all angry at the protest for affecting their business. Two shop owners even shut down their stores because they can no longer afford losses caused by the protest," said Lee. It is believed that the successful clearance of the Mong Kok site has proven that the protests are decreasing as they approach an end. "The authorities met with much less resistance compared to a month ago when protesters reacted violently when police tried to remove barriers in the same area in Mong Kok. Now the public has expressed a stronger desire than ever for the protest to end," Tang Ka-piu, a lawmaker, told the Global Times. It can be learned from the passage that the occupy protests _ . A have made the public suffer a lot B have lasted for two months C are supported by common people D have caused no loss for the citizens Answer: A. have made the public suffer a lot Did you know that reading can keep your mind active and engaged well into old age? Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home. She was 100 years old. She read at least one book per week, mostly novels. She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with. "I love to read. It helps me keep up with what's going on in the world," she said. "A friend of mine brings me a new book every week. I look forward to her visits and I look forward to the books." "I can't get around much any more," said the 100-year-old woman, "but when I read, I can go anywhere, anytime I want. And no one has to help me!" Reading also sets a good example for younger generations. I have observed that the best readers are those students who see their parents reading. And I'm not talking about only reading novels. Newspapers and magazines are important too. Your actions will communicate a great deal to your children and grandchildren about what you value. But why is reading so important? In this day and age, with television to give us news, and movies and videos to keep us entertained, who needs to read? The answer is everyone. Developing good reading skills does not only mean that you can read a novel or a magazine, it also means being able to read and understand things like a credit card contract or an insurance policy, or the instructions for how to put a new printer to use with your computer. In addition, developing good reading skills means that you can think for yourself. You can read about the advantages and disadvantages of anything from homeschooling to taking a vacation to Ireland. And then you can make up your own mind about what's best for you and your family. The example of the 100-year-old woman is used to _ . A inform us of a woman who loved reading B show a new way of gaining information C find differences between books and travels D introduce the benefits of reading books Answer: D. introduce the benefits of reading books Do you need useful and interesting books? Here we've got plenty for you. Successful Fishermen Fishing is a healthy hobby. You can enjoy fresh air when you go fishing in the countryside. This book will teach you how to choose fishing places and how to make good fishing rods easily. Many kinds of fishing skills are shown in the book. Read it and you will become a more successful fisherman. Best Learners This book can give you the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers and students themselves. Read this book and learn: What the three difficulties in study are and what to do with them. What to do if you are not interested in a subject you are studying. Twenty-six simple exercises to help you study easily and fast. You will get more from this book. For younger students, you can buy Learn to Study for Beginners. It is easier to understand. How to Keep Pets A pet can be our best friend. Do you have pets in your house? Are they in good shape? This book not only offers you many colorful pictures of lovely pets, but also provides you with the knowledge about: How to choose right pets for yourself. How to build houses or nests for your pets. How to feed the pets and how to keep them clean. Buy this book and you will learn more. We have many other books on sale. For more information, enter www. Knowbetter. com. If you buy two or more books at a time, you'll get 10% off. The writer wrote this passage in order to _ . A increase sales of the books B buy useful and interesting books C tell people how to keep pets D teach students to study easily and fast Answer: A. increase sales of the books My teenage son Karl became _ after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six failing grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked. One night I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. "I want to talk to you about Karl's absences." Before he could say another word I choked up and said sadly, "I love my son. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands." For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, "Thank you for your time." and hung up. Karl's next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. He was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting. I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, "Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?" I nodded. "That was me. I thought I'd play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That's when I knew I had to make you proud. From the passage we can learn that _ . A children in single-parent families always have mental problems B mother's love plays an important role in teenagers' life C parents should give their children everything that they need D school education still works well without the support from parents Answer: B. mother's love plays an important role in teenagers' life
One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a "sea of technology"rather than experiencing the natural world.Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors,which will change the wild places of the world,its creatures and human health for the worse,unless adults get working on child's play. Each of us has a place in nature we go sometimes,even if it was torn down.We cannot be the last generation to have that place.At this rate,kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes."If the decline in parks use continues across North America,who will defend parks against encroachment ?"asks Richard Louv,author ofLast Child in the Woods. Without having a nature experience,kids can turn out just fine,but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives.That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health,to stress levels,creativity and cognitive skills.Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents--and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it:research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters leadership by the smartest,not by the toughest.Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child.The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world.A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes.We really need to value that more. Kids are not to blame.They are over-protected and frightened.It is dangerous out there from time to time,but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood rite of passage. Everyone from developers,to schools and outdoors' citizens,should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring,taking friendship in fields and woods that cement love,respect and need for the landscape.As parents,we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature.This could yet be our greatest cause. According to the author,children's breaking an arm is _ . John keeps a record of new words and expressions in English. He usually writes them in a note-book. Then, later in the day, he asks his teacher about them. "Mrs. Thomas, these expressions are new to me. 'She's blue today.', 'You're yellow', 'A little white lie', 'She has green fingers'." After looking at the note-book, Mrs. Thomas says, "In everyday English, John,'blue' sometimes means sad. 'Yellow' means afraid. A person with 'green fingers' grows plants successfully. And 'a white lie' is not a bad lie." "I don't understand. Please give me an example." " For example, I offer you some cake. The truth is that you don't like my cake. You don't say that. Instead, you say, 'No, thanks, I'm not hungry.' That's a white lie." John says, "I see , thanks for the explanation!" You're yellow to fight. means " _ ." As the use of alt fuels increases, the use of what will decrease? The sharing economy has grown in recent years to include everything from apartment sharing to car sharing to community tool sharing. Since 2009, a new form of sharing economy has been emerging in neighborhoods throughout the US and around the world---- Little Free Library. The libraries are boxes placed in neighborhoods from which residents can withdraw and deposit books. Little Free Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. Some libraries also have themes, focusing on books for children, adults, or tour guides. In 2009, Tod Bol built the first Little Free Library as a gift to his mother, who was a devoted reader. When he saw the people of his community gathering around it, exchanging conversation as well as books, he knew he wanted to take his simple idea further. "I think Little Free Libraries open the door to conversations we want to have with each other," Bol said. Since then, his idea has become a movement, spreading from state to state and country to country. According to Little FreeLibrary.org, there are now 18,000 of the little structures around the world, located in each of the 50 US states and 70 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The Internet has helped to spread Little Free Libraries. But an Atlantic article says the little structures serve as a cure for a world of e-reader downloads. The little wooden boxes are refreshingly physical and human. For many people, the sense of discovery is Little Free Libraries' main appeal. "A girl walking home from school might pick up a graphic novel that gets her excited about reading; a man on his way to the bus stop might find a volume of poetry that changes his outlook on life," says the Atlantic article. "Every book is a potential source of inspiration". Why did Tod Bol want to build more Little Free Libraries? My high school life has been filled with many ups and downs, whether it was social or academic. Even though my current high school was not my first choice, I never regretted attending Southside High School. "Since you have chosen it, then it is the best for you," said my parents. Up until the junior year I did not realize my capabilities as a student. Being in the IB Program, I was told that my junior year would be the toughest in all the years of high school. With this "little" piece of information, I walked into my junior year, scared of my grades. As weeks went by, I started to believe that the junior year was not as hard as everyone had said, but I was wrong. My grades were rapidly declining and by the end of the first term I had had five Cs in seven of my classes! I could not believe it --- I did not want to believe it. I tried my best to get my grades up myself without any help from anyone, but my pride just made my grades worse. And I had to miss out on one of the most important speech and debate competitions all year: States. I was heartbroken. I realized that I could not survive my junior year on my own, so I had to get help fast. Once I got a tutor, my grades went from Cs, Ds, and even some Fs, to nothing but As and Bs. I slowly started to gain my confidence back in all of my classes and even myself. By the time the third and fourth quarter came around, I had been on the honor roll twice, and I was receiving awards from speeches and debates, tennis and school. Southside has taught me to always keep my head up and never give up on myself no matter what life throws at me. I am proud to be a Southside Tiger. What is mainly talked about in Para 3?
The most common disease in the world is the cold. It often starts with a sore throat . You sneeze and your nose runs. You usually have a headache, too. Often you have a cough later. It's not a serious disease, but you can feel quite bad. There isn't a cure for a cold, but you can take some medicine to make you feel better. For example, you can take aspirin to get rid of your headache. It is good to rest. and to drink a lot of water, too. A doctor once told me."With the right medicine. a cold will last for seven days. With no medicine, it will go on for a whole week!" A long time ago, people understood that some plants made them feel better. For example, the juice of lemons makes a sore throat feel better. In modern times, scientists have found out which chemicals are in them. Man, of our medicines today are made from those chemicals. There are some diseases that we can't cure yet. And nobody has found a cure for old age. But because of modern medicines, the average people now live longer than their grandparents. What makes a sore throat feel better? Answer: This is Bruce's Noodle House. We have different kinds of noodles. A large bowl of noodles with mutton is only 4 dollars, and 3 dollars for a medium bowl. Each bowl of beef noodles is just 3.5 dollars. And a large bowl of chicken noodles is 2 dollars. Each bowl of pork noodles is just 3.5 dollars. One dollar is for a large bowl of vegetable noodles. Come and enjoy the delicious noodles here! If you order any meat noodles, fruit is free . If you are too busy to come. Please call us at 2888998, and you will get the food in half an hour. Our Noodle House is open for 24 hours a day, from Monday afternoon to Sunday. If you want to eat some fruit, you can order _ noodles. Answer: Money off your rented textbooks from TextbookRental. ca Offer details Pay online Limit l voucher per person,may buy 5 more for others Shipping is extra(average$6,return shipping included) The voucher is valid towards shipping Taxes extra High spots Save up to 75%on every textbook Rent books by the semester past shipping Buyback program for your old books Make a great gift Keeping school expenses low i s important. Get a better bargain on academic supplies with today's WagJag:for$10,receive$25 towards rental textbooks from TextbookRental ca. TextbookRental. cahelps students continue with their study while saving precious money for other purposes. The site contains books in all academic fields--arts,sciences,business,education and more. Once you find your desired textbooks,complete the easy checkout process and your course materials will be shipped to your dorm or home. Discounts on each single book vary but can save you up to 75%. After the semester finishes,mail back your books(free of marking,stains or other damage),using the included prepaid return envelope. The site's l5-day return policy 1ets you send unneeded books back for a refund. Centered in Toronto,TextbookRentaL ca has delivery places across the country to make sure students from Victoria to St. John's get their textbooks in a timely fashion. The site also lets students save a little money by buying their previously purchased used textbooks. If you're not happy with your purchase,let us know why and we'll give you a full refund. Seriously, it's that simple! TextbookRental. ca Contact WagJag--WagJag Business Hours are Monday--Friday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. E-mail:info@wagiag. com Phone:416-687-5848 Toll free :1-855-492-4524 Fax:1-866-268-4286 The voucher mentioned in the passage _ . Answer: How often one hears children wishing they were grown-ups and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets. Childhood is a time when there are few _ to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. What's more, life is always presenting new things to the child -- things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his parents. He is not so free to do what he wishes to do; he is continually being told not to do things or being punished for what he has done wrong. When the young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the great happiness of building up for himself his own position in society. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: which of these conditions might lead to the inability to move one's bones? Answer:
Narcissus was a beautiful looking boy. He had long, flowing, blond hair, beautiful, bright, blue eyes and even, white teeth. Many young ladies fell in love with him including the nymph : Echo. Nymphs were lively spirits who lived near streams and lakes and protected trees in the forest. Echo had upset the Queen of the Gods; Hera. As a punishment Hera made Echo unable to speak except to repeat the last three words of the person she was talking to. Poor Echo fell in love with Narcissus but could never tell him how she felt. Narcissus teased her and she ran away with tears pouring down her face. Aphrodite, the goddess of love saw what happened and decided to punish Narcissus. As he came to a pool of water Narcissus saw his reflection and fell in love with the vision he saw. It was of course his own reflection. Poor Narcissus watched his own reflection, every time he tried to touch the face of the vision he loved it broke up on the shimmering surface of the water. Narcissus stopped eating, lost his beautiful looks and desired to get his love. In the end he anguished gradually and died. Aphrodite took pity on him and made a flower grow in his place on the bank of the lake. Narcissus flowers can be found to this day growing wherever you can find water and trees. Echo fell in love with Narcissus because _ . Answer: Narcissus was good-looking. Two Chinese spacecrafts successfully completed China's first space docking early November 3, 2011, which has taken the country a step closer to building its own space station. Nearly two days after its launch, the unmanned spacecraftShenzhou VIIIdocked with the space lab module Tiangong I more than 343 km above the earth surface.Shenzhou VIIIandTiangong Itook apart after flying together for 12 days. On the 14th of November, the two spacecrafts finished the second docking. ThenShenzhou VIIIparted fromTiangong Iagain and returned to the earth safely on the 17th.Tiangong Iis still traveling around the earth in the space, waiting for the arrival ofShenzhou IXandXand so on in the near future. _ marked another great leap for China's space program and made China the third country in the world, after the United States and Russia, to master the space docking technique . The world's first space docking was achieved in 1966, when the manned U.S, spacecraft Gemini 8 (8) docked with an unmanned Agena Target Vehicle . Space docking is necessary to explore space beyond Earth's orbit. "The capability increases China's ability to act independently in space, as well as its ability to work together with others," said Gregory Kulacki, a U.S. space scientist and senior analyst. "With the success of its first space docking, China is now equipped with the basic technology and ability required for the construction of a space station," said Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program." The country is on its way to building a permanent manned space station around 2020." What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Without space docking technique people can't explore space beyond Earth's orbit. About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas . I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that was incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which was doctor's code for preparing to die. It meant to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It meant to make sure everything was buttoned up so that it would be as easy as possible for your family. It meant to say your goodbyes. I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy . I was calm, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now. This is the closest I've been to facing death. No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by the principle -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. _ somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Why can the author's illness be cured so soon? Answer: His pancreatic cancer can be curable with surgery. For many girls, having long beautiful hair is something to beproud of. Rachel Barrett, 15, recently cut her long hair and lookedlike a boy. But she was also proud of herself. She donated herhair to a charity and raised a lot of money.Barrett is a middle school student in Britain. On Nov. 16 at her school's talent contest, Barrett had her hair cut off in front of around 300 students. The hair would be used to make wigs for children with cancer. She has raised several thousand pounds and the money will help people with breast cancer . Barrett got the idea when she visited her friend's mom with cancer. "All of her hair had fallen out, and it really made me want to do something," Barrett said. When she found out that the charity Little Princess Trust could make wigs for children with cancer, she decided to donate her own hair, even though she loved it. "I saw how sad it was for my friend's mom to lose her hair. So if my hair can go to help a young child with cancer then it's worth it," she said. Cath Stanton, a teacher, felt proud of the girl. "She's always been very well groomed , so for her to cut all her hair off really moves us," she said. "She has done a moving job." Many students were moved by her courage and donated money. From this passage, we know Barrett is a(n) _ girl. Answer: kind He's out there somewhere, an instant icon in the records of American conflict, the final big-game hunter. But a puzzle, too, his identity would be kept a secret for now, and maybe forever. He is the unknown shooter. The nameless, faceless triggerman who put a bullet in the head of the world's most notorious terrorist, Bin Laden. He's likely between the ages of 26 and 33, says Marcinko, founder of the "SEALs Team 6" that many believe led the attack on Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He'll be old enough to have had time to hurdle the extra training tests required to join the counter-terrorism unit, yet young enough to stand the body-punishing harshness of the job. The shooter's a man, it's safe to say, because there are no women in the SEALs. And there's a good chance he's white, though the SEALs have stepped up efforts to increase the number of minorities in their ranks, Marcinko and Smith say. He was probably a high school or college athlete, Smith says, a physical specimen who combines strength, speed and wisdom. "They call themselves 'tactical athletes,'" says Smith, who works with many future SEALs in his Heroes of Tomorrow training program in Severna Park. "It's getting very scientific." Marcinko puts it in more conventional terms: "He'll be ripped," says the author of the best-selling autobiography "Rogue Warrior.""He's got a lot of upper-body strength. Long arms. Thin waist. Flat stomach." On this point, Greitens departs a bit. "You can't make a lot of physical assumptions," says the author of "The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL." There are SEALs who are 5 feet 4 and SEALs who are 6 feet 5, Greitens says. In his training group, he adds, there were college football boys who couldn't hack it; those who survived were most often men in good shape, but they also had a willingness to show their concerns in favor of the mission. The shooter's probably not the crew-cut , neatly shaven ideal we've come to expect from American fighting forces. "He's bearded, rough-looking, like a street naughty boy," Marcinko supposes. "You don't want to stick out." Marcinko calls it "modified grooming standards." His hands will be calloused , Smith says, or just rough enough," as Marcinko puts it. And "he's got frag in him somewhere," Marcinko says, using the battlefield shorthand for "fragments" of bullets or explosive devices. This will not have been the shooter's first adventure. Marcinko estimates that he might have made a dozen or more deployments , tours when he was likely to have dealt with quite a number of dangerous situations, getting ready any time for explosive devices or bullets. We can say for sure according to the passage that _ . Answer: the writer is a person who is curious about the shooter
Great speakers are not born but made. You too can become a good orator by taking up the public speaking courses. Those who are incapable of speaking in front of the public can' t come up in their life. The art of public speaking must be practiced by everybody who wants to reach great heights in their career. A lot of public speaking courses are available on the Internet. Choosing the best course that is right for you may be difficult but not impossible. The basic motive of public speaking courses should be to train you to become a public speaker and improve your skills of _ a public speech. The course should first educate you with the principles of public speaking and tell you how to overcome stress and anxiety. By overcoming fear, you will be able to deliver your presentation clearly to your audience. A speaker can have a great influence on the audience with his body language and your public speaking course should tell you the gestures on stage that can attract the audience. Non-verbal communication also has a major role to play in delivering a speech effectively to a group. Though body language is important, the content and the natural use of words are what the audience are closely caring about. Public speaking courses should give tips in using the right words at the right time. Even though you have prepared well, the real success of public speaking lies in the way your speech is delivered. Public speaking courses will train you to present the contents in a lively manner impressing the audience. Your presentation should be professional and stylish. You can add humor or interactive sessions to your presentation to gain the audience attraction. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage? A What to look for in the public speaking courses. B Some golden rules of giving a good speech. C It is easy to find the speaking courses online. D Some useful tips of delivering a public speech. Answer: A. What to look for in the public speaking courses. Jane 09:45:10 Hi, Jim. Nice to meet you! I'm a girl. My name is Jane Green. My favorite color is red. I have a red bike. My bike number is 67582. My telephone number is 873-3516. Jim 09:46:05 Hi, Jane . Nice to meet you, too! I'm a boy. My name's Jim Hand. My favorite color is blue. I have a blue car. My car number is ZA9Z78. And my telephone number is 894-2015. Jane likes _ . A Red B Red ruler C Blue D Black Answer: A. Red A source of heat may come from A a cold shower B holding hands C holding ice D Antartica Answer: B. holding hands Dolphins are not fish, but warm-blooded animals. They live in groups, and speak to each other in their own language. In this, they are like other animals, such as bees and birds. But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals. Their brain is nearly the same size as our own, and they live a long time--at least twenty or thirty years. Like some animals, dolphins use sound to help them find their way around. They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food. We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds, but the lower part of the mouth, called the jaw. Strangely, dolphins seem to like man, and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people. There is a story about sailors in the 19th century. In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand, they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack. From 1871 to 1903, Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way. Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack. He recovered and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area-except for The Penguin. Today, some people continue to kill dolphins, but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them. Dolphins are different from many other animals in that they _ . A live in groups B have large brains C are warm-blooded D have their own language Answer: B. have large brains Defendant is charged with murder in connection with a carjacking incident during which Defendant allegedly shot Victim while attempting to steal Victim's car. The prosecutor calls Victim's four-year-old son, whose face was horribly disfigured by the same bullet, to testify that Defendant shot his father and him. The son's testimony should be A admitted, provided the prosecutor first provides evidence that persuades the judge that the son is competent to testify despite his tender age. B admitted, provided there is sufficient basis for believing that the son has personal knowledge and understands his obligation to testify truthfully. C excluded, because it is insufficiently probative in view of the son's tender age. D excluded, because it is more unfairly prejudicial than probative. Answer: B. admitted, provided there is sufficient basis for believing that the son has personal knowledge and understands his obligation to testify truthfully.
A researcher observes that an organism placed in a glass container filled with water moves away when a penlight is focused on the container. The researcher concludes that the organism is light sensitive. Which other explanation for the organism's response to the light is most possible? Answer: The organism moves away from heat sources. Visiting Balboa Island, in sunny southern California, proved an exciting experience that I will never forget. I had never been to Balboa Island, even though it is only about an hour from my home in northern San Diego. Our first stop was for a specialty called a "Balboa Bar". It is a famous chocolate covered ice cream on a stick, created many years ago. As we drove along the streets toward the boat, I also saw some interesting buildings that stood for many years. Many of the building designs seemed like dollhouses and someone in our group said that the style was called, Victorian. After we parked our car on one of the streets, we got on the boat sailing to Balboa Peninsula. As I looked around the boat, I saw a bird flying very close to the water and our boat. A little girl near the boat' s edge jumped out to touch it and shockingly fell into the water! Her dad, who stood nearby, jumped in after her at once and everyone on the boat ran to help. The boat's engine stopped and both father and daughter got saved with the help of people on the boat. On Balboa Peninsula my family and I went to various shops, especially for food! We saw a restaurant at the very end. We enjoyed our lunch there, at the first Ruby's Diner ever opened in southern California. Although I have been to other restaurants of this popular chain , being at the very first is a great memory. On our way back to Balboa island we stopped at the huge Ferris Wheel, bought some sugars and played games. It was an exciting afternoon walking around on Balboa Island. I look forward to returning soon to spend some time on the beach again or maybe even to try fishing! What' s the best title for the text? Answer: My trip to Balboa Make a difference with your photography Take the chance to make a real difference with your photography and contribute to One Minute on Earth, a project aiming to help street children around the world. We all live on the planet Earth, in different time zones and different parts of the world. When you read this, it will be night in one part of the world and morning somewhere else. A sunset and a sunrise is always there at any minute on earth. In 2015 on the 7thof April at 13:00 (New York time), 200 photographers all around the world clicked on the button of their cameras all within the same minute on earth. From all these amazing landscape photos and stories, a photobook was made which was sold to raise money for charity. 100% of this profit was donated to the Ashalayam Deutschland organisation which used this money to support a street children center in Kolkata India. You can still buy this book from our website, which will help us continue to support the kids. We plan to hold this event annually, with the next one scheduled on June 21st2017 at 21:00 (New York time). Money raised from the sale of the new photobook will go to a home in South Africa where 75 parentless children live. This year's event will include not only landscape photos but also street photos. The main rule is that the sky must be shown in the photo, so all can see at what time it was shot when this year's One Minute on Earth got to you. What do the 2015 and 2017 events have in common? Answer: They each produce a photobook. Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to a store and seeing it turned into a physical object. This is now possible with the help of 3D printers. Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies, but now, stores with 3D printing services are appearing around the United States. Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago. The store is filled with tools like a laser cutter, an industrial sewing machine and 3D printers. The Jaycoxs offer 3D printing classes and services for anyone who is interested. "I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It's going to have a huge effect on society as a whole." One of the students in a recent class was KiChong Tran. He plans to open a 3D printing business in Cambodia. 3D printing services are becoming available for American consumers. The UPS Store is a nationwide retailer ( ) that provides shipping, copying and other services. The UPS Store recently put 3D printers in three of its independently-owned stores. Burke Jones owns one of the stores in San Diego. "The demand has been amazing. It's been much more than I would have imagined." The UPS Store plans to add 3D printers in three more stores. At The UPS Store, the cost of the object depends on the amount of materials used. The store charges up to $95 an hour to design the object with computer software that creates a digital file to guide the printer. Mr. Jaycox predicts that within five years, 3D printing technology could become more popular. But KiChong Tran says even current technology can make a difference in a developing country like Cambodia. "With 3D printing, you can give them tools; you put it in their hands so they are responsible more for their own development and they learn skills beyond just learning English and becoming a tour guide or something like that or working at a bank; you can actually create things that give value to the world." He says it's not just in Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer that it can turn a good idea into reality. The Build Shop LLC is a store _ . Answer: known for tools like laser cutters Scurvy is a disease that sailors often got on long voyages. It was discovered that scurvy could be prevented by eating oranges and lemons. This suggests that scurvy is a disease caused by Answer: a nutritional deficiency
Terra-cotta Warriors As the greatest archaeological findings of the 20th century, Terra-cotta Warriors has a really long history.In 246 BC, Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to prepare for his mausoleum which took 11 years to finish to defend him in the afterlife.There are over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, bronze chariots, and even weapons found in it now.Terra-cotta Warriors was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages and it has made Xi'an a famous city for tourists. Big Wild Goose Pagoda The Big Wild Goose Pagoda has a history of over 1,300 years and is a typical ancient Chinese building.It is located in the south of Xi'an City.Because Master Xuanzang stored his classics brought from India in the pagoda, it is also a holy place for Buddhists.As a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve, it won the title of an AAAA Tourist Attraction as well. Xi'an Ancient City Wall As one of the landmarks of Xi'an, Ancient City Wall still stretches round the old city today, dividing the city into the inner part and the outer part.Ancient City Wall was originally built during the old Tang Dynasty (618 -- 907) and then enlarged by Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, thus forming the modern Xi'an City Wall.After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide at the top and 15-18 meters thick at the bottom. When was the modern Xi'an City Wall formed? A. In the Tang Dynasty. B. In AD907. C. In modern times. D. In the Ming Dynasty. Answer: D. In the Ming Dynasty. One night last February, a seventeen-year-old Duffy drove home along a winding road, he saw a strange light thrown against the tree. "I knew it wasn't the moon", he said. "I drive this road all the time and I notice little things out of place." Duffy stopped his car and got out to examine. Below him far down in the deep valley lay a broken car with its headlights on. Thirty minutes earlier, a man had driven off the edge of the road, which has no guardrail. His car fell and rolled end over end, landing on its top more than two hundred feet below. Duffy rushed to call for help, then returned and got down to reach the injured driver. Snow covered the valley and the temperature was below freezing. After struggling back up the cliff, Duffy took off his jacket and shirt and wrapped the injured man in time, along with the blankets from his car. Life-saving deeds are starting to become usual action for Duffy, the oldest of seven children. When he was 12, he saved his ten-year-old brother from drowning. Two years ago, his three-year-old sister ate rat poison, and Duffy cleaned out her mouth, make her drink milk to protect her stomach and called doctors. "We have tried to teach the children good values, and it looks like we have got some reward for it." His father says. The strange light came from _ . A. The bright moon. B. Duffy's car. C. The broken car in the valley D. an unknown place Answer: C. The broken car in the valley Heading to Seattle? What's New in Washington's Seaside City? Advice to visit Seattle's Pike Place Market may border on cliche--but for a good reason. "Whether you're visiting Washington's seaside city for vacation or just stopping by en route to and from the coming Sasquatch music festival, Pike Place is an easy catch-all destination for shopping, eating and just plain walking around," said Kirk Johnson, The New York Times's Seattle bureau chief for the past three years. The Seattle Great Wheel is one of many stops to consider in Washington's seaside city. "Almost any day of the week, especially on the weekend, it's a crazy fun scene of people shopping," Mr. Johnson said. "There's also pretty good food." He recommends wandering into whatever place--especially a hole in the wall--catches your eye. There is one specific restaurant Mr. Johnson likes: the Pink Door, which has no signage and can be found only by its rosy entrance. "It's creative, interesting Italian," he said. "In the summer they get a lot of great fresh vegetables and probably have the best tomato bruschetta I've had." He also recommends the nearby Pioneer Square, the oldest neighborhood in Seattle. Its historic architecture has charm, and the area isn't bad for a lunch break, he said. The clear favorite here is Salumi--which, as the name suggests, is known for its cured meats. Mr. Johnson did warn, however, that it's necessary to plan for the fact that the restaurant has a long line as soon as it opens. Pioneer Square is also a portal to Seattle's maritime world that remains alive and well. Ferry rides are a short walk away. Mr. Johnson said the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island provides "a great view of the city," and it's not a long ride back to the mainland. At some point, you may see sculptures emerging on the horizon--that would be the Olympic Sculpture Park, which is operated by the Seattle Art Museum, Mr. Johnson said, and that's worth a visit itself. People who want to experience Seattle's nearby charms can easily do so with a bicycle, Mr. Johnson said, if they want to get away from depending on a car. He takes a ride to Chateau Ste. Michelle, a famous winery outside the city. Starting in June, he said, Chateau Ste. Michelle hosts a summer concert series on its lawn. If you are a music lover, you are advised to go to _ . A. the Seattle Art Museum B. the Seattle Great Wheel C. the Olympic Sculpture Park D. Chateau Ste. Michelle Answer: D. Chateau Ste. Michelle Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries, it's one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature. Earth Hour started on March 31st, in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later Earth Hour had become a global movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome's Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour. In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world's largest movement to stop global climate change. On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common--our planet. Earth Hour will continue to be a call to action to every individual, a call to stand up, to take responsibility and lead the global journey to a sustainable future. The purpose of the text is to _ . A. tell us what WWF does B. advise us to take part in Earth Hour C. introduce the movement, Earth Hour, to us D. persuade us to take action to stop climate change Answer: C. introduce the movement, Earth Hour, to us Long long ago in England, there lived a man named Robin Hood. Robin Hood lived with other men in a forest, Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood was a thief -- a different kind of thief. He stole from the rich and gave what he stole to the poor. Poor people didn't need to worry about going into Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood often gave them money. Everyone in England knew about Robin Hood. The king was angry! He didn't want a thief to be a hero. He sent his men to Sherwood Forest to catch Robin Hood. But they weren't able to catch him. The king wanted to meet Robin Hood and knew what kind of person he was. One day, he dressed himself up as a poor man, and then he went to Sherwood Forest to see Robin Hood. After the king talked to Robin Hood, he liked him very much. He said, "I like you very much, but I have to tell you the _ .". He told Robin Hood who he really was. Robin Hood was not angry. He laughed and laughed. The king invited Robin Hood to come and live in the castle. The castle was 20 miles away. Robin had to walk south, cross a river, turn left and then turn left to get there. Which is TRUE about Robin Hood? A. He only stole expensive things. B. He only stole things from the rich. C. He only stole cheap things. D. He only stole things from the poor. Answer: B. He only stole things from the rich.
What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist , a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference, and the influence that colours have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favourite colours as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing. Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines and painted orange rather than black or dark grey. Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colourful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colours they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief . The author believes in the passage that _ . Answer: We moved into a beautiful two-story old house. The house was built in 1956. It was repaired in 2003. At first, really small things began to happen. They didn't make me believe that something was wrong, but as time went on, things started becoming stranger and stranger. Early something was missing, and later on it would be found somewhere else. I just thought I had forgotten where I put it, or perhaps my daughter was playing around with things. Then later on I would hear strange sounds when nobody was at home but me. . . yet it was an old house, and sometimes old houses did make little noises, so again, I didn't really mind. Then things that I couldn't explain started happening. It was last November and I was at home alone cleaning the house. When I was sweeping the kitchen floor, I felt a very cold wind blowing my hair. I thought the kitchen window must have been opened, but when I checked it, it was closed. The windows were new, and there was no way any cold air came in. We all felt very strange and moved away from there in October, 2014. I was never really frightened. It was just strange, like something or someone was trying to get my attention or something. The house is _ years old. Answer: Being shy keeps many Chinese people from getting to know westerners. You may feel nervous about making language mistakes in front of a native English speaker. But remember, westerners living in Asia know how it feels to try to communicate in a foreign language. They have made many mistakes when speaking Chinese! So don't worry about speaking imperfect English. The important thing is just to communicate. Start talking, and make some foreign friends! Many westerners value their privacy . Don't be surprised if your new friend doesn't want to include you in everything he does. This may seem strange to Chinese who worry about that their friends will get lonely. Chinese people often expect their good friends to give advice and take care of them in many ways. If you expect this kind of care from westerners, you may be disappointed. Why? Because most westerners value _ . They feel insulted if others think they can't take care of themselves. They will assume you feel the same way. Of course, these tips are just rules of thumb and may not apply to all westerners. Each person you meet will have his or her own ideas about friendship. When you get confused , don't be shy and worry to ask questions. Your new western friends may also have many questions about Chinese culture, and they may be hesitant to ask. So encourage them to ask questions, too. Be honest and open to your friends. Respect each other's differences. The friendships you make can be lifelong treasure both for you and your new friends. .Why do many Chinese people feel worried to speak to the foreigners? Answer: If one is hitting ebony and ivory and making sound Answer: The Pinners, a retired couple, had lived in their home in a residential neighborhood for 20 years when the Darleys moved into the house next door and built a swimming pool in the back yard. The four young Darley children frequently played in the pool after school. They often were joined by other neighborhood children. The Pinners were in the habit of reading and listening to classical music in the afternoons. Sometimes they took naps. The boisterous sounds of the children playing in the pool disturbed the Pinners' customary enjoyment of quiet afternoons. In the Pinners' nuisance action for damages against the Darleys, the Pinners should Answer:
Bob Smith is old. He has two big houses and a new car. He has no wife, but he is a father of four children. He has two sons and two daughters. One son is from Canada. His name is Jack. The other is from England. His name is Mike. One of his daughters is from China. Her name is Meimei. She is eleven years old. The other is from America. Her name is Lucy. She's eleven, too. Bob Smith is not the children's real father, but he loves them very much. The children love their "father", too. Bob Smith has many toys for the children. He gives different toys to different children. The boys play with toy cars. The girls play with doll and toy animals. Bob Smith is their good friend. Bob is children's _ . Newton's work in physics helped to provide mathematical explanations for the earlier conclusions of which scientist? Milk was one of the main foods of people long before history was written. It will probably keep on being one as long as there are animals that give milk. Even the word "milk" is very old. It comes from Sanskrit ( ), one of the oldest languages known to man. A very old picture of _ has been found. It was drawn more than five thousand years ago. In the years long ago, people got their milk from their own animals. But later new inventions made the milk industry a big business. In 1851 Gail Borden found a way to take some of the water out of milk. This made it keep much longer. Four years later, Louis Pasteur introduced a way to kill the bacteria ( ) in milk. Next, a special milk bottle was made. This was followed by the invention of machines that could fill bottles with milk. These discoveries had a great effect on the milk industry. They meant that milk could be stored longer. Some people believe that milk drinking will become less popular that it has been. But remember how long milk has been an important food and think of many ways in which it is useful. It seems safe to say that milk industry will always be important. Milk is the most possibly to be a food of ours _ . Mrs. Brown's old grandfather lived with her and her husband. Every morning he went for a walk in the park and came home at half past twelve for his lunch . But one morning a police car stopped outside Mrs. Brown's house at twelve o'clock, and two policemen helped Mrs. Brown to get out . One of them said to Mrs. Brown . " The poor old man lost his way in the park and phoned to us for help , so we sent a car to bring him home . " Mrs. Brown was very surprised , but she thanked the policemen and they left . " But , grandfather , "she then said " you have been to that park nearly every day for twenty years . How did you lose your way there ?" The old man smiled , closed one eye and said , " I didn't quite lose my way , I just got tired and I didn't want to walk home !" ,. The old man had been to the park every day for _ . Yves Gomes is now a university student in Maryland, but he may soon have to leave the country. "I still want to continue with my college education and I want to be able to study here and go to medical school," he said. Gomes is one of thousands of young illegal immigrants who grew up in the United States and are now studying at American colleges and universities. He is doing well in his studies, but he is fighting deportation to India, a country he left with his parents when he was just 14 months old. They were deported more than a year ago. "If I was to go back to India I would just feel like all of that would have gone to waste because here at least I am still able to go to college," he said. Immigration is a divisive political issue in the United States with some 11 million people in the country illegally. One element of the debate is the hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States before the age of 16. Pending legislation know as the DREAMAct would give them a chance to become legal residents if they complete two years of college or join the military. Milanie Schwartz, a politically conservative student at the University of Texas, explains why some Americans oppose the legislation. "We think it's unfair that students who are illegal immigrants would get a fast track to citizenship, while people who did come here legally wouldn't have those same opportunities," she said. "The question is legalization or not, " said Jon Feere, who also opposes the DREAM Act. He is a policy analyst with the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington and is concerned about the act's effect on the economy. "There's a lot of unemployment in the United States right now. And there are already many legal immigrants who are already here who are desperate for those jobs," he said. But supporters of the DREAMAct say well-educated immigrants would help the economy. Raul Hinojosa is an immigration research analyst at UCLA." Not letting them contribute to the economy would not only lose all the financial investment we have already made in these youths, but we would lose literally trillions of dollars of potential value because they want and are ready to contribute to the US economy," he said. That's exactly what Yves Gomes wants to do -- finish school and become a doctor. He says without the DREAMAct, many students' dreams will be lost. "They are studying at Harvard, they are studying at UCLA--the top universities -- and they all have bright futures and because of the system they are going to be told to go home, go back to a country they don't even know, " he said. The DREAMAct has failed to win passage in Congress since it was first introduced 10 years ago. Now time is running out for passage this year, and opposition Republicans have threatened to block it. Yves Gomes hopes that won't happen. He wants to finish school and eventually become a US citizen. The passage mainly focuses on _ .
6 June ,Saturday I read an article about people living in the e-age yesterday .It talks about different ways of communicating like chatting online ,sending e-mails ,sending different kinds of messages and keeping an online diary . The article says that people nowadays send e-mails at least once a day .I do not agree with this because I send e-mails only twice a week .However ,I do check my e-mails once a day .I like receiving e-mails. About chatting online ,the article says that it is becoming more and more popular among teenagers .I think this is true .Whenever I arrive at home ,I turn on my computer and log on to chat online with my friends .I prefer chatting online to calling a friend .because I can chat with many friends at the same time .But I like using mobile phones. When I don't have my computer with me ,I can send short messages to my friends . I also like keeping in touch with them in this way . I keep an online diary four times a week .I like telling others what has happened to me .I think I am one of the people living in the e-age . I can't live without computers or mobile phones . What does the passage NOT talk about ? Answer: Making pen pals . It was four o'clock when we left Micatlan,and we traveled quickly until it became almost completely dark.It was our intention to return to our general quarters in Atlacomulco that night.We had a long journey ahead of us,especially because it had been decided there was no way we would try to cross the ravines again at night,since they were considered far too dangerous.Futhermore,an eclipse of the moon was expected,and,in fact,while we were crossing an open field,the moon appeared on the horizon,half in shadow,a rare and beautiful sight. After a few hours of riding,we suddenly realized that we had lost our way,and worse still,had no way of finding it again.Night had fallen and there was not a single hut in sight,only great plains and mountains and the lowing of distant bulls all around us.We continued on ahead,trusting in luck,though it was difficult to say where she had brought us.By good fortune,our advance riders ran into two Indians,a man and a boy,who agreed to guide us their village and no further. After an interminable and exhausting road,which we traveled at a brisk trot,the barking of several dogs announced an Indian village.In the dying light,we could just make out cane huts,firmly situated between the banana trees,with fenced gardens in front of each one.Our convoy stopped in front of one particular hut,a kind of inn or shop for alcohol,where a naked goblin-like figure,the ideal husband for a witch,was serving cheap brandy to the Indians,most of whom were already drunk. We dismounted and threw ourselves to the ground,too tired to even think.Someone found us,God knows how,a cup of dreadful hot chocolate.We began to realize that we were completely lost,and so it was agreed to give up our attempt to reach Atlacomulco that night.Instead,we should head for the village of "E1 Puente",where our guides know a Spanish family,made up of several unmarried brothers,who,without any doubt,would be delighted to offer us a safe refuge for the rest of the night.We remounted and began our journey,a little restored after the pause in our journey and the dreadful hot chocolate. When we reached the inn-like hut _ . Answer: we were too exhausted to ask for anything The Lego Group had a very low beginning in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen,a carpenter from Denmark.Christiansen began creating wooden toys in 1932.Two years later, he came upon the Lego name by putting together the first two letters of the Danish words Leg and Godt,which mean "play well."The name could be interpreted as "I put together" in Latin;it is also similar to the Greek verb meaning "gather" or "pick up". In 1947,the company enlarged to making plastic toys.At first,the use of plastic for toy production was not highly regarded by salesmen and consumers of the time.Many of the Lego Group's shipments were returned,following poor sales.However, Christiansen's son,Godtfred Kirk Christiansen,saw the great potential in Lego bricks to become a system for creative play-As the junior managing director of the Lego Group,he spent years trying to improve the "locking" ability of the bricks and made the bricks more versatile .In 1958, the modem interlocking brick design was finally developed and patented . Today Lego is sold in more than 1 30 countries.Every minute 33,824 Lego bricks are made,and kids around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with Lego.There will be more than 400 million people playing with Lego bricks this year.On average,every person in the world owns 62 Lego bricks,and about seven Lego sets are sold every second. This year Lego fans all over the world are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tiny building blocks.Though already 50 years old,Lego is still the same product it was in the 1950s. Bricks bought then are still compatible with present bricks and that is probably the reason the toy has never fallen out of favor. What is most likely the reason why Lego still remains popular? Answer: Old Lego bricks may still be connected to new ones. Zhu Haoyu, 18, a history major, wears his iPod everywhere on campus. The freshman has it going out for a walk, visiting the library or lying in bed. However, he found that his habit is like displaying a big "Do not disturb "sign for himself. As time slips away, he has begun to regret not having conversed much with his peers around . "As I put the little buds into my ears, I'm in a universe of my own, forgetting all troubles in the real world," said Li. The MP3 player is one of a number of gadgets --starting with the Sony Walkman, which led to the iPod, iPhone and iPad --that give people the ability to shut themselves off from world around them. Youngsters delight in handset technology. In public, students chat on their cell phones, stopping only to talk briefly to friends. On buses or trains it's common to see youngsters with PlayStations instead of playing poker or sharing jokes or games. And during airline flights, people watch episodes of US TV dramas on their iPads, rather than talking. The recently published an article saying that headphone wearing culture is making us anti-social. "Half of humankind is wired to a parallel universe that leaves them ignoring their surroundings and fellows," wrote Tom de Castella. Actually, it's a decade since Apple unveiled the iPod, which promised "1,000 songs in your pocket". In 2007 more than half of Western residents were using an iPod or MP3 player. Entertainment is on offer in all surroundings, not just at home. But in the meantime, it has created barriers between us. Many people subscribe to the view that the headphone culture is creating a "spoilt, selfish generation that lacks civic culture". However, many users of portable MP3 players argue that the device, as a mind drug, helps them relieve stress by escaping for a while. It is also said to be able to help some students concentrate on work or study. "If you want to get away from the hucksters on the way, just start listening to your player," said Liu, a freshman. "They do not approach people with headphones on." This might also mean he's blocking those who want to ask him for the directions. Experts, however, say that short contacts or mini conversations with strangers are helpful to our mind. Many experts warn that it is dangerous to lose touch with people in our lives. Zhu Haoyu found that his wearing the iPod _ . Answer: made others unwilling to talk to him The Internet is not perfect. There are many problems with it. The Internet is not organized. There is no one in charge of the Internet. It is sometimes difficult to find what you are looking for. It is also easy to get the wrong information on the "Net". Some businessmen cheat people on the Internet. Internet thieves can steal credit card numbers. Some advertisers send spam to e-mail boxes. E-mail boxes are often filled with these unwanted advertisements. Illegal businesses can operate on the Internet. These businesses sell X-rated materials, cigarettes and alcohol to teenagers. The Internet has websites with information about making bombs, breaking the law and terrorism. Criminals can fool people, especially children, in chat rooms. They can spread poisonous information and attack new members. The Internet is the greatest advance in communication since human emerged. But it can also like a dark alley in a dangerous part of town. Parents need to set parental controls on their children when they use the Internet. This will keep some of the bad material away from their children. The Internet can be dangerous to computers, too. Some people who have evil intentions enjoy causing problems for other people they don't even know. They create computer viruses. A computer can get virus by downloading a program that has a virus in it. Some virus come by e-mail. A virus can destroy the data a person has saved in computer files. A virus can cause a computer to crash. A virus can also reproduce itself! It can send copies of itself to everyone on a person's e-mail address list. Then these people's will have the same problems and can't work normally! Parental controls are needed when children use the Internet because _ Answer: poisonous information may have a bad effect on children
Mammals with blow holes can hear signals called A. radio waves B. air horns C. people talking D. clicks Answer: D. clicks Hello! I'm Jane. I'm thirteen . I have a sister, but I don't have a brother. I like games. I often play soccer with her. I have 2 volleyballs. I like ping-pong, too. I play ping-pong with my friends after school. Do you like games ? Do you play sports every day ? Jane has _ volleyballs. A. one B. two C. three D. four Answer: B. two Living a healthy lifestyle lies in forming the right eating habits. Here are some of the good habits you can develop when it comes to healthy eating. Drink plenty of water. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. You may need even more water if you are in a hot environment or if you are exercising. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study has shown that those who eat breakfast will consume an average of 100 calories less during the day than their colleagues who skipped breakfast. They will also be able to concentrate better. Don't skip lunch. If you do so, your blood sugar level will drop and your metabolism will slow down. When you get home you are starving and eat everything you can find. We all need to snack from time to time, but please choose your snacks carefully. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks besides your three main meals. Choose healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese with apple sauce, and so on. Eat your fruit and vegetables. We should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Take a piece of fruit for a snack, add some banana and _ to your favourite breakfast cereal, have a salad with lunch, and eat at least one vegetable at dinner each night. Do not eat your dinner too late. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest most of the food before you rest for the next 8 hours. Plan dinner for the week ahead of time and make sure you have everything you need in the house so other family members can get a head start on dinner if you have a late meeting at the office. How many good eating habits are mentioned in the passage? A. 8. B. 7. C. 6. D. 5. Answer: C. 6. I learned my first lesson from my grandparents when I was young. They both grew up in very large families and lived through the Great Depression. Saving for a rainy day was their life philosophy. Rather than seeking fulfillment through material items, they chose to spend really simple life together with their family. Over the years my grandparents notice dramatic changes in their community. Every year more farmland was destroyed to build larger and larger homes. As real estate prices rose, many of their neighbors sold their little homes and land. Soon theirs was the only small house surrounded by a sea of mansions. My grandparents built and lived in a small 600-square-foot cottage for most of their adult lives. Lots of family members encouraged my grandparents to expand their little old house. But they didn't want a bigger one. They loved their little house and were content with what they had. My grandparents avoided a consumptive ( ) lifestyle by painting and repairing the house themselves. They lived in a small home, but had a huge garden. They loved gardening and planting because it reduced their grocery bill, improved their health, and gave them an excuse to be outside. They also reused and recycled many things. For in- stance. they had driven the same car for over 15 years and didn't buy a new one until the old Chevrolet was worn out. From my grandparents, I learned an important lesson: it is possible to live a simple life. My grandparents taught me that living a simple life isn't about self-deprivation . Instead ,it's about giving yourself the time, freedom, and money to pursue your dreams. Becoming debt free, downsizing to a smaller home, and going out on foot instead of by car are good ways to take control of your life and start pursuing your dreams. The author's grandparents didn't expand their house because _ . A. they didn't understand the family members' advice B. their house was really new and large enough C. they were satisfied with the house they lived in D. they were too old to do any house-building job Answer: C. they were satisfied with the house they lived in Spider-Man 3 (<<3>> )got $29.15 million on the very first day in 16 overseas markets and beat the first two Spider-Man movies. "The movie had the best opening day ever in some countries on Tuesday, including France, Italy and South Korea." a man from Sony Pictures said. "Spider-Man 3 will open during the next few days in many other countries, including the United States on Friday. We certainly hope the same thing will happen in North America," said Jeff Blake, Sony vice chairman, on Wednesday. 2002's Spider-Man opened with $114.8 million in its first weekend, a debut record that stood until Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest broke it last year with $135.6 million a weekend. Spider-Man 2 opened on a Wednesday before the fourth weekend of July in 2004, and set a record of $180.1 million in its first six days. In France, Spider-Man 3 took in $6.8 million on the opening day, more than the first days for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 combined. It earned $4.6 million in Germany, $4 million in Italy, $3.7 million in Japan, $3.4 million in South Korea, $1.1 million in the Philippines and $1 million each in Hong Kong and Thailand. Jeff Blake hopes that _ . A. more and more people can see the movie B. Spider-man 3 will be enjoyed by children C. Spider-man 3 will make as much money as the first two movies D. Spider-man 3 will be as popular in North America as it was in other places Answer: D. Spider-man 3 will be as popular in North America as it was in other places
The Mona Lisa Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working on a special painting for a church at the time, but the church painting was not going well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second wife. This is the woman who can be seen in the Mona Lisa. All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci`s works. Da Vinci used darkness and light in a clever way in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and math. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and round shapes like balls. Even her smile can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the painting is sitting on a balcony ,and mountains can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks and mountains, so these can be seen over and over in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees to the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are held together in front of her. This way of sitting is now used by many artists when they are painting a picture of a man or a woman today. What can a person see in the painting? A. A lot of geometry B. Mountains C. Clever use of light and darkness D. all of the above Answer: D 2008 sadly saw the worst earthquake in China in over 30 years. The Great Sichuan Earthquake was 8 on the Richter scale and killed around 70,000 people in May, not to mention the tens of thousands who were injured or went missing. On 26thJanuary, 2009, the biggest earthquake in India took the lives of 25,000 people. In the morning, when everybody was enjoying holiday, the earthquake began, It was about 7.5 on the Richter scale. "There is nothing left between the sky and the earth any more. Everything has been pulled down. " said one of the villagers alive. " There is no water, no food and no one has come to help." Nobody died in Pakistan, a country next to India. The City of Lahore was lucky. In Lahore American School, where I was studying, all of the students were safe. They were in the field, so most children didn't feel anything. The earthquake was felt by the teachers that were on the second floor. However, though Mrs Young was also on the second floor, she didn't feel anything. She didn't know what happened until a teacher told her about it. Those teachers who were on the other floors had different feelings. Mr Emond, the maths teacher from Australia, said that when the earthquake started he thought there was something wrong with him, but then another teacher said that it was an earthquake. After those words Mr Emond felt better. Mrs Davis and Mr Frost didn't feel anything either. My mother didn't feel anything. She didn't even know that it was an earthquake till she saw a shaking light. My dad saw the computer shaking and then he looked out of the window and saw many people going out. The recent biggest earthquake both in China and India killed around _ people. A. 25,000 B. 45,000 C. 70,000 D. 95,000 Answer: D Born into a poor family,two of the Durers' children still had a dream for art,but they knew their father could not afford to send either of them to the academy . After discussions,the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin.The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy.Then,when the winner completed his studies,he would support the other brother,either with sales of his art work or,if necessary,by working in the mines.So they tossed a coin.Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg.Albert went to the dangerous mines and financed his brother,whose work at the academy was almost an immediate success,and by graduation,he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his works. When the Durer family held a dinner to celebrate Albrecht's homecoming, Albrecht drank a toast to his brother,"Now,Albert,it is your turn to go to Nuremberg and follow your dream,and I will take care of you." Albert wiped the tears from his cheeks,glanced at the faces he loved,and said softly,"No,brother.It is too late for me.Look....look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been broken at least once,and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,much 1ess make lines on canvas with a pen or a brush.No,brother ...for me it is too 1ate." Therefore,Albrecht took pains to draw his brother's injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.The entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and named it "The Praying Hands". The passage is mainly about A. the early life of Albrecht Durer B. the story behind "The Praying Hands" C. the sacrifice Albrecht made for his brother D. a young man showing his talent through effort Answer: B About 150 years ago, a village church priest, Patric Bronte, in Yorkshire, England, had three lovely, intelligent daughters but his hopes fell entirely on the only male heir, Branwell, a youth with remarkable talent in both art and literature. Branwell's father and sisters saved their pennies to pack him off to London's Royal Academy of Arts, but if art was his calling, he dialed a wrong number. Within weeks he hightailed it home, a penniless failure. Hopes still high, the family landed Branwell a job as a private tutor, hoping this would free him to develop his literary skills and achieve the success and fame that he deserved. Failure again. Still, the selfless sisters squelched their own goals, farming themselves out as teachers and governesses in support of their increasingly indebted brother, convinced the world must eventually recognize his genius. As failure multiplied, Branwell turned to alcohol, then opium, and eventually died as he had lived: a failure. So died hope in the one male -- but what of the three sisters? During Branwell's last years, the girls published a book of poetry at their own expense (under a pen name, for fear of reviewers' bias against females). Even Branwell might have laughed: they sold only two copies. They didn't give up. Instead, they continued in their spare time, late at night by candlelight, to pour out their contained emotion, writing of what they knew best, of women in conflict with their natural desires and social condition, in reality, less fiction than autobiography! And 19th century literature was transformed by Anne's Agnes Grey, Emily's Wuthering Heights, and Charlotte's Jane Eyre. But years of sacrifice for Branwell had eventually ruined their health. Emily took ill at her brother's funeral and died within 3 months, aged 29; Anne died 5 months later, aged 30; Charlotte lived only to age 39. If only they had been nurtured instead of sacrificed. No one remembers Branwell's name, much less of his art or literature, but the Bronte sisters' tragically short lives teach us even more of life than literature. Were Patric Bronte alive, what might he regret most? A. Not taking good care of his children. B. Intending his son for an artist or a writer. C. Putting all of his eggs in one male basket. D. Sacrificing too many pennies for his son. Answer: C The $ 11 billion self - help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like " I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking? Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are. The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, _ In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written. In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable." Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts. The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking. What is the finding of the Canadian researchers? A. Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good. B. There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems. C. Unhappy people cannot think positively. D. The power of positive thinking is limited. Answer: A
"Please read this," my three-year-old Claire said one day, pointing to a page with an old children's song: "Do you know how to plant cabbages". In blue ink, someone had crossed out cabbages and written "Watermelons!" "Daddy! Did you do that?" Claire asked, looking up with an expression of shock. We had only recently asked her not to write in books, and suddenly here was proof that her parents weren't practicing what they asked. I told her it was written by my grandfather and sat down to tell the story. I grew up on Granddad's farm in Nebraska, America. One afternoon, I decided to plant some watermelons. "Hmm, there's a crop I haven't tried!" Granddad smiled. "Let's do it now!" With Granddad's help I planted the seeds. The next morning, I found a big watermelon there. I knew it was Granddad that put a watermelon there and I thought he had played a joke on me. Later that month, Granddad gave me a book. "For school," he said seriously. I opened it to where he'd written "Watermelons!" and laughed at another of his jokes. Claire listened quietly to the story and asked to plant seeds too, so I took her to buy some seeds. On the walk home, I realized for the first time that Granddad could have met my childish enthusiasm with some disappointing facts such as that watermelons don't grow well in Nebraska or that it was too late to plant them anyway. But instead of doing that, he had stolen back into town that afternoon and bought the biggest melon on the market. That night, after I was asleep, he had awkwardly unloaded it and, with a painful bend, placed it exactly above my seeds. He made sure I experienced the "wow." I had always thought the midnight miracle was just one of Granddad's jokes. Now I realized he had planted hope that day. As Claire planted the seeds happily, I watched my grandfather's joy take fresh root in her life. And that was the biggest miracle of all. Why did Granddad put a watermelon where the author planted seeds? Answer: Because he didn't want to disappoint the author. I chose to study in Madrid because I had a desire to learn Spanish. My first impressions of Madrid were incredible. It was before the New Year that I arrived in Madrid for the first time. While traveling to my Spanish friend's house in a taxi, I appreciated the buildings along the road which were different from those of my own country. There are an incredible number of restaurants and bars from all over the world. If you are really into sightseeing, I hope you have rechargeable batteries for your digital camera, because one week really isn't enough time to see everything here including a number of art, science, and historical museums as well as parks, buildings, and amazing landscapes. What I liked best about life in Madrid was the fact that if you were frustrated with schoolwork and wanted to have some fun, you can easily go out. The nightlife never seems to stop and the people are all very friendly. You can meet people and practice Spanish while having fun at the same time. What I liked least was the fact that many people smoked in the streets. Also, coming from the US, I was used to having a big breakfast every morning, but while living with an actual Spanish family, I wasn't really satisfied with the food in the morning. I think I have definitely become more independent since I came back from Spain. Living in a big city like Madrid ,I found that it is necessary to plan ahead and to make a schedule for future. There is so much to see, not just in the Spanish World, but in the European World as well. The author went to Madrid to _ . Answer: study Spanish The US recession has opened up the biggest gap between male and female unemployment rates since records began in 1948, as men bear the blow of the economy's decline. Men have lost almost 80% of the 5.1 million jobs since the recession started, pushing the male unemployment rate to 8.8%. The female jobless rate has hit 7%. This is a dramatic change of the trend over the past few years, where the rates of male and female unemployment barely differed, at about 5%. It also means that women could soon overtake men as the majority of the prefix = st1 /USlabour force. Men have been badly hurt because they dominate those industries that have been affected: 9 in every 10 construction workers are male, as are 7 in every 10 manufacturing workers. These two sectors alone have lost almost 2.5 million jobs. Women, in contrast, tend to hold more stable jobs and make up 75% of the most unaffected sectors of all: education and healthcare. "It protects them a little bit and softens the blow," said Francine Blau, a labour market economist at CornellUniversity. "I think we are going to see this pattern until the recovery." The widening gap between male and female joblessness means many US families are totally reliant on the income the woman brings in. Since women earn on average 20% less than men, that is putting extra stress on many households. From which section of newspaper is this passage probably taken? Answer: Business. Mary Walker works at a bank. She begins working at eight in the morning. She has a break at noon for one hour. She stops working at five in the afternoon. At five the bank closes. Everybody goes home. Some people drive home. Some ride bikes. Some take the bus or the train. But Mary walks home. She likes to walk. She walks, and walks, and walks and walks. Mary lives eight miles from the bank. She walks for three hours. At eight in the evening, Mary is at home. She eats dinner. At ten she goes to bed. Mary is tired . She is 82 years old. Which sentence is right? Answer: Mary walks home. In the middle of the first term of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was not in school, but in the woods. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams. "Steve! Pay attention!" Steve turned to look at her, fixing his eyes on Miss White, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade. "You all did pretty well," she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, her eyes searching his face. "...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!" She just stared at Steve. Steve dropped his eyes. After that, it was war! Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained _ "Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved. "You're smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing touched him. "Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing. "Steve! Please! I care about you!" Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it! Someone cared about him? Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, both parents were out. He, quickly, gathered up a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all smiles! God, she was beautiful! Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Miss White's face was in total shock! The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand knowledge and translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to go ahead! Which of the following words best describes Steve's teacher? Answer: Caring.
ARLANDA, Sweden (Reuters Life!) - Many people hate the idea of having to sleep on a plane. But Swedish entrepreneur Oscar Dios thinks they can be persuaded otherwise and he has created a new kind of hostel to prove it. Dios says it is the world's first jumbo (unusually large) jet hostel, an actual jet-plane at Sweden's main airport outside Stockholm which has been changed into a 25- room guesthouse that sleeps as many as 72 people. "I learned about this plane that was standing deserted at Arlanda airport and I've been trying the concept of hostels in many different houses and buildings," he told Reuters. "I thought, 'Why not a plane?'" Jumbo Hostels opened for business on Thursday, giving customers the chance to check in and sleep in a room that can best be described as comfortable." "The most challenging part with this project is trying to build something inside a metal hull - it's just really, really tight." The jet, which was originally produced for Singapore Airlines, was taken out of service in 2002. It is held on a concrete foundation with the landing gear secured in steel cradles. One feature of the hostel is its price - a room starts at 350 Swedish crowns (about $ 41), which is a lot less than hotel rooms outside of major airports. Another feature is that customers can get married on the wing of the plane and stay in the plane's more luxurious honeymoon suite . Instead of walking down the aisle in the church, lovebirds can take what Jumbo Hostels calls the "wing walk," where they can be joined in great happiness at the wing tip. The hostel has someone ready to perform the ceremony. But in some respects this hostel remains a plane - most customers have to share the jet's nine bathrooms and the staff only wear air host and hostess outfits. The only room that has its own bathroom is the honeymoon suite. The purpose of the passage is to _ . Answer: introduce a new kind of hostel Recently a Beijing father asked what "PK' meant at an Internet forum. "My family has been watching the ' Super Girl' singing competition TV programme . My little daughter asked me what'PK'meant. but I had no idea. "explained the puzzled father. To a lot of Chinese young people who have been playing games online. it is impossible not to know this term. In such Internet games, "PK" is short for -Player Kill", in which two players fight until one ends the life of the other. In the case of the -Super Girl" singing competition, "PK" was used to refer to the stage where two singers have to compete with each other for only one chance to go up in competition ranking. Like this father, Chinese teachers at high schools have also been finding their students' compositions using Internet jargons which are difficult to understand. A high school teacher from Tianjin asked her students to write compositions with simple language, but they came up with a lot of Internet jargons that she didn't understand. "My 'GG' came back this summer from college. He told me I've grown up to be a 'PLMM' . I loved to 'FB' with him together ; he always took me to the 'KPM' . " went one composition. "GG" means Ge Ge (Chinese pinyin for brother) . "PLMM" refers to Piao Liang Mei Hei (beautiful girl). "FB" means Fu Bai (corruption). "KPM" is short for KFC. Pizza Hut and McDonald's. Some specialists welcome Internet jargons as a new development in language. If you do not even know what a Kong Long (dinosaur. referring to an ugly looking female) or a Qing Wa (frog. referring to an ugly looking male) is, you will possibly be regarded as a Cai Niao! What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Do you speak Internet-ish? Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong, and nothing seemed to go right? Not too long ago I was having one of those days. I was discouraged, weary, and plain sad. My focus was on me. After all, no one else was experiencing the same trials I was. I expressed my upset state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said, "I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and take them to her this afternoon?" I didn't really want to, but decided that I didn't want to go back to my other problems just yet. I made the cookies and arranged them on a little plate. Then I made a card with a sunflower on it and wrote a small note of empathy. That afternoon I dropped by my friend's house. I went to the door and rang the bell. Soon, Jamie came to the door and looked at me in surprise for the unexpected visit. Before she could say anything I rushed, " I heard you were having a hard day and decided to bring you something. I hope your day goes better." The look that came over Jamie's face was one that I could never put into words. It was as if a darkened sky was suddenly lit with the golden rays of the sun; it was as if in that small act, her day was brightened. I got back into the car and for some amazing reason; I felt a lot better myself. That day I experienced the truth that James Barri attempted to describe, " Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." The author made cookies and arranged them on a plate _ . Answer: to stop thinking about his own worries I remember the first time I got on a horse. When I was a little boy aged two, my mom agreed to let me take a short ride and that was it! From then on, I drove my parents crazy Begging for a horse. When I was four, I had Mutism, in which children stop speaking in certain social situations. I went days, weeks months without a sound at school. At most, I might quietly whisper to a friend. I suffered silently through school until I was ten when a psychologist had an idea. He asked me what I wanted more than anything else in the world. He explained I was going to be given an opportunity to work for that. And I was permitted to whisper the answer in my mother's ear, "A horse." I was to get a pony, but I had to live up to my end of the bargain. I had a chart of weekly tasks I had to accomplish. I had to answer the phone five times per week, something I had never done before. I had to say one word to my teacher at school and the list went on. For a child with Mutism, saying one word to someone can be like climbing Mount Qomolangma. I did everything that was asked of me and the day came. His name was Sequoia, whom I fell in love with immediately. When I was in Sequoia's presence, I forgot all about my problems and felt strong and secure. I am a fully participating member of society these days. My horses and I made it through a master's degree. I may have made it otherwise, but I'm not sure. I feel I owe my life to the horses and I try to give it back to them every day. They have given me the best gift I could ever imagine, my life. What is the author's purpose in writing the text? Answer: To show his deep gratefulness to horses. I was a medical student. To gather data for my paper, I started visiting patients at Dr Sardjito Hospital, where I would review the medical records of patients and then interview them. One evening, I was in a ward , desperately "hunting" for the final three patients I needed to complete my study. Holding a patient questionnaire, I walked towards a room. A patient called Ms A was lying in bed, clearly still weak. There were no relatives or friends with her. Even the bed beside her was empty. I sat down on a chair next to her bed, and in a low voice I introduced myself and asked if I could gather some additional information from her. She agreed. After I finished, I prepared to leave. Before I could stand up, Ms A said, "I haven't seen you here before, doctor. Are you new?" "Not really, Madam. It's just that I don't come here every day," I replied. Ms A started talking about herself. She shared her difficulties and sufferings, talked about her husband, who was killed in a car accident, and that she struggled to earn money. All I did was nod my head as a way of showing my sympathy. Without realizing it, I had begun holding Ms A's hand. Finally, Ms A stopped talking. "I'm very sorry for keeping you here to listen to my problem, but I feel relieved now. I had no one to pour out my problems to." Tears fell from the corner of her eyes. Finally, I knew what to say. "It's OK, Madam. It's part of my duty." I stood up and waved goodbye. A few days later, when I returned to the ward, I discovered Ms A had left the hospital as her condition had improved. Ms A taught me the most important lessons a doctor can learn. Sometimes patients do not need expensive medicine. They just need someone with the patience and willingness to lend an ear and spare a little of their time. What do we know about Ms A from the passage? Answer: she was living in a hard condition
There are seven continents in the world. Among them, Antarctica is the most special one. It is a world of snow and ice all year round. China has sent many scientists there. They try to find resources under the icy land and study climate change and sea biology. What do they eat? Scientists don't have many choices on what they eat. About 60% their food is frozen food. It is easy to heat . Meat is common on the menu, while vegetables are not usual. Fresh vegetables are hard to grow in the cold weather. Therefore, people often eat dried and canned vegetables. How do they sleep? In Antarctica, summer lasts from November to March. During this time, Antarctica faces the sun and gets sunlight 24 hours of the day. In order to get some sleep,scientists cover the window with black cloth to make "night". How do they work? People can wear warm clothes to be against the cold weather, but they can do little with the strong wind. Sometimes, the wind is even stronger than a typhoon. It can easily blow people away. So there are ropes that connect some research stations. People can hold these ropes to keep balance in strong winds. How do they keep in touch with others? There are no cables or Internet on the frozen continent. So mobiles and computers don't work there. Scientists usually use two-way radios to communicate at work. If they want to say hello to family and friends, they can use the satellite phones. What do scientists do in Antarctica? They mostly find resources and study climate change and sea biology. Many people don't realize the importance of music education in the schools today.A new study showed, however, music education is extremely important. In college, music education is one of the largest programs.Teachers have to learn general education materials and techniques. They must learn to play every instrument; they must learn music history and music theory; they must learn instrument repair and teaching methods; they must learn conducting and so much more.At the same time, much of our culture and tradition is absorbed in music. Music plays a very important role in our education. Music helps with math and science. Students learn to count, and how to multiply and divide.Students also use science to help them discover what sounds good together and what doesn't.Students also need science to understand something called the "overtone series", which is about how music is produced by vibration and why. Students learn a lot about languages through music.Many songs are written in other languages, including ancient ones.Students must learn to translate these works to understand what they are singing about. A song is likely to be a famous short work set to music; so students are exposed to that very often while singing. Students learn a huge amount of cooperation of body parts through music, so parts of the body can work better together.Students must use motor skills in order to play an instrument.Singers and wind players must learn breath control and be in good shape to play. Students learn about art. Some famous pieces were written about important pieces of art, and students learn about the artists and styles as they're playing the music. Music education also brings higher thinking to our children.It allows them to think about complex patterns.Students have to be aware of what every other musician does at every time.In that way, it develops cooperation, as well.They tend to develop more ability for learning. As one can see, music is very important to education. According to the passage, learning music in college will be quite _ . stressful In the United States and several other countries , 2.5 million children play baseball in an organization called Little League . They play on teams in their hometowns . Their parents and other adults in the community coach or instruct them and serve as umpires to make sure that everyone follows the rules . Local businesses give money for the ball fields and the uniforms . Local teams compete against each other and the winners get to play teams that are more distant . Eventually , the top teams go to the Little League World Series . One hundred years after Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown , New York , in 1839 , Little League got started in Pennsylvania . Three men started the game for neighborhood boys with a smaller playing field and fewer innings than adult baseball . Little League became popular after World War II when the game spread across the United States . By 1955 it was played throughout North America and within five years it had spread to Europe . Children's baseball really caught on in Japan and Taiwan of China and teams from those areas won the World Series seven out of eight years . After this , the organization tried banning foreign teams from the World Series , but the ban came to an end after one year . At first , Little League was only for boys aged nine to twelve . However , in 1974 , the parents of girl baseball players brought a law suit . The courts ruled that Little League had to include both boys and girls . Later Little League added on softball and other games for teenagers up to age eighteen . Occasionally , a Little Leaguer becomes a professional player . For example , Gary Carter went from Little League to play nineteen seasons in the Major Leagues , ten of them as an All-Star player . By and large , youngsters play baseball for fun , but their parents are pround of them . Most players take part in Little League _ . to enjoy the game My son. The phrase felt difficult and strange the first time I said it, and I had to practice it a thousand times. I started saying the words to myself the day when the ultrasound told me we were having a baby. Finally, my son was born. The nurse came out of the delivery room, holding a tiny, howling human being wrapped in a white sheet, his small hands and delicate fingers shaking nervously. "Baby Sanchez?" she asked, looking at the room full of expectant fathers. I stood up, holding my breath. She showed me my baby. "My son," I whispered. The little guy screamed, "waaaaaaaaaah." But in my heart I heard him cry out, "Daaaaaaad!" I don't care if everyone in the room will swear they didn't hear my baby say that. I called him, "My son," and he called me "Dad," and that's that. People ask me, "What did you feel at that moment?" I can't even begin to answer. I'm a writer yet I try hard to find the right words. Joyful isn't powerful enough. Bliss is not sweet enough. Peaceful isn't calm enough. Happy isn't tense enough. After my son was taken away to the nursery, I sat down and shut my eyes. But tears escaped them away. Then out of the blue, my 80-year-old father entered, and we embraced. "Dad," I whispered. "My son," my heart heard him saying. Suddenly the past 33 years folded into the present and I was now the baby bundled in white, with my father standing over me. "My son," I imagined him saying. "Daaaaaaaaaad!" I cried my little lungs out. At that point, I knew I was going to be a great father. The old man in front of me seemed to agree. He smiled and we walked out of the room in search of the tiny human being that would change our lives for ever. Why was the writer sure he was going to be a great father? Because his father had already set him a good example. It was shortly before midnight, and Dr Patricia was getting ready for bed. The phone rang on the end of the line was a woman about to break a promise. The woman was her mother's neighbour. Flora Harris had made the neighbour swear she wouldn't tell her daughter she'd a heart attack and was in the hospital, for fear her daughter would worry. The neighbour wisely decided to disobey orders. Harris desperately wanted to get to the hospital immediately, but she couldn't. She lives in Washington, D.C, and her mother lives in California. For the past year a half, Harris has gone to Los Angeles every other month to take care of her mother. Flora Harris takes care of her husband, James, who's 91 and has Alzheimer's disease. They live in their own home, and a caregiver comes to help them a few hours a day. Harris is one of many Americans facing the heartache of how to take care of aging parents from afar. She's often worried, not to mention extremely busy with a demanding job, two teenage daughters and the frequent trips to California. In some ways, Harris is lucky. She has the resources to make the trips to Los Angeles. Plus, Harris is a doctor who treats the elderly. " But it's still tough," she said. " I can foresee what the next few years are going to look like, and it's not a pretty picture. My father's going to need diapers . There will come a time when he won' t recognize me and he's easily excited. I worry he's going to be violent and hurt my mother." So what do you do when you live a continent away for your aging, sick parents? There are no magic answers. You can hire someone to help, but you can't _ it completely. What can we learn about Patricia Harris from the passage? She thinks it harder to look after her parents the next few years.
Question: What's in a name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our well-being . Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this might due to the association that others made with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, people who are seen as good natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality becomes shaped to fit it. Dr David Holmes said, "This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name. For example, the original meaning of Judy is 'praised'." Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet. Dr Holmes said, "The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes , also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care." "Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristics. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies," said Dr Holmes, "however, names connected with ordinary people are seldom chosen for their babies". According to the passage, which of the following names are better? A. Ruth and Joshua. B. Pauline and Frank. C. Richard and Stuart. D. Joshua and Ben. Answer: A. Ruth and Joshua. Question: "Mr. Mott often forgets important meetings. The robot will go after him all the time. It listens to everything he says. It sees everything he does. At night, it watches him sleep. It knows everything about Mr. Mott..." It sounds like a wonderful idea, doesn't it? But I'm afraid that Mr. Mott will not get on well with the robot, because everyone has something he doesn't want others know. It is privacy. Just imagine that there is a video camera around you all day. How do you feel? When you are taking an exam, a teacher sits in front of you and watches you all the time. How do you feel? Mr. Mott doesn't lose all his memory. At least he remembers that he always forgets. So why can't he do something for this HIMSELF? He can keep a notebook with him, like most people do. In the notebook he can write down the things he should do, the persons he should meet and the places he should go. Isn't the notebook much cheaper and safer than the robot? Why does the writer think Mr. Mott will not always get on well with the robot? A. Because it is invented by others. B. Because it can talk with Mr. Mott. C. Because it can remind(;) Mr. Mott of something he forgets. D. Because it knows something Mr. Mott doesn't want others know. Answer: D. Because it knows something Mr. Mott doesn't want others know. Question: Outdoor air pollution leads to more than 3 million premature deaths each year, and more than two thirds of them occur in China and India, according to new research. The authors estimate that without government intervention, the total number of deaths could double by 2050. The study, published in the journal Nature, identifies particulate matter as the prime pollutant leading to premature mortality. Particulate matter, a substance formed as a combination of different materials released into the air, is thought to be harmful to human health once it exceeds 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Researchers also identified ozone as a contributor to dangerous air quality. The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place. In India and China, the study says, emissions from residential heating and cooking drive air pollution by creating unhealthy quantities of smoke. Overall, residential heating emissions cause one third of air pollution-related deaths worldwide. In highly regulated areas, like the United States, Europe and Japan, emissions from agriculture tend to be primary contributors to air pollution. Fertilizer used in agriculture releases ammonia into the atmosphere, a process that creates harmful particulate matter. Globally, air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually, the study finds. The findings are consistent with a 2014 report from the World Health Organization that suggested that 7 million deaths occur annually due to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. The study's conclusions give a sense of urgency to efforts to reduce air pollution but present challenges because of difficulty regulating heating activity in people's homes, according to study author Jos Lelieveld. People who live in the most affected areas should be provided with information about less toxic heating methods, he said. "It's important to reduce emissions from residential energy use," Lelieveld said on a conference call for journalists. "You can't ask people to stop eating and cooking, but you can provide better technologies." Air pollution contributes to a variety of ailments that eventually lead to premature mortality like lung cancer, stroke and heart failure, according to the study. Another study published this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reached similar conclusions showing the devastating effects of pollution on individual health. Researchers found that chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%. That risk is especially high for heart disease; the chance a person will die of heart disease increases by around 10% with chronic exposure to particulate matter. Researchers found that the number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 without new government policies. Nearly all of the increase will occur in Asia, according to the report. What might air pollution lead to? A. Lung cancer. B. Stroke. C. Heart failure. D. All above. Answer: D. All above. Question: Every day in China, about 200 million children go to school. Many of them take school buses. What should we do to keep these students safe on the road? On April 5, 2012,the State Council published new rules about school bus safety. These new rules are stricter than the old ones. Under the new rules, local governments must make sure that students go to nearby school or _ schools to reduce traffic risks . Also, local governments must help kids in the countryside reach their school buses. From now on, school buses have a speed limit of 80 km/h on highways and 60 km/h on normal roads. While on the road, other cars must let school buses go first. The new rules also say that school buses must never be overloaded . There are many other rules as well. A school bus must have more than seven seats. On each bus, there must be at least one adult to keep an eye on the kids. Each school bus must have a fire extinguisher , a first aid kit and a GPS. A series of school bus accidents happened in China in 2011. To stop such accidents, the Central Government decided to strengthen the rules for school buses. The most serious accident happened in Gansu in November,2011. When a nine-seat minibus crashed. There were more than 60 children inside, and 21 of them died. I hope such terrible things won't happen again and all of us can pay more attention to the safety of the students. According to the passage, the government made new rules because _ . A. 21 students died in school bus accidents in 2011 B. School buses in China were not safe enough before C. 200 million children in China go to school by bus every day D. the government encourages all students to take school buses Answer: B. School buses in China were not safe enough before Question: Feeling exhausted and hopeless, I began walking to my car. Every step seemed tiring, and every step was another to survive. As I looked up into the sky I thought about how my grandmother had left me, and my anger began to return. I was annoyed by the loss, and my belief in God was beginning to fade. I couldn't understand why these things happened. So as I stood in a public parking lot a million questions formed in my mind. Why did this happen to me? Aren't we supposed to get signs from the people that pass on? Why did I not feel her presence anymore? Is there a heaven? Suddenly, a woman driving right by my side rolled down her window and distracted my unanswered thoughts. "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me," she said loudly. Thinking she was going to ask for my parking spot, I simply pointed to my car. The thought of having to say where my car was seemed like too much to bear. "No, excuse me," she said again. At this point, I felt I had no choice but to see what this annoying lady wanted. As I got closer, I was startled--was this my grandmother's nurse, Adu, who lived with her during her final months? I soon realized that she wasn't, although the resemblance was unusual. Then, I realized that this Adu was searching for something in her bag. Surprisingly, I was overcome by a sense of relief that led me to be patient the entire time the lady was searching. Others would be nervous by a stranger reaching in their bag, but I wasn't. She finally reached to the very bottom of her bag and handed me a three-page booklet. "It looks like you need this," she said calmly with a warm smile on her face. I looked down at the mysterious and obviously used booklet and on the front cover in big bold letters read "What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?" It took me only a few seconds to comprehend the exchange with this woman, but by the time I looked up, she was gone. I walked slowly into my car holding the tiny little book that was given to me with fear that it would fly away in the wind. I didn't know what it was exactly, but I knew that if my grandmother had anything to do with that I didn't want to let it go. I felt a sense of relaxation as I opened the first page. It explained how people pass on, but their spirit remains with us. This was the first time since my grandma had passed that I felt her with me, just like I had wanted. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but I did know that I finally felt happiness from the surprising change in events. I couldn't, and still can't, believe what had happened to me on that day. I don't remember the specific details that you usually hear about like what the person was wearing, the time of day, or even the weather, but it doesn't matter. It was a random day in November when my life turned back around and I began to feel hope again. It was real. It was a miracle. And, I'll remember it for the rest of my life. The author refused to say anything to the woman but just pointed to her own car at first mainly because _ . A. the author did not know the woman B. the woman interrupted the author's thoughts C. the author thought she wanted to use the vacant parking space D. the author was too weak to say anything Answer: C. the author thought she wanted to use the vacant parking space
Welcome to Pocono Whitewater There's something fun here at Pocono Whitewater for every level of adventurer! We have mild to wild whitewater rafting , family trips, and birdwatching boating. Choose one adventure now. It's up to you! We have trips available daily. Give us a call today! Dam Release Whitewater Rafting Experience the best whitewater on the Lehigh River! Surrounded by forests and mountains, you will enjoy 12 miles and 5 hours of Class III whitewater rafting and outstanding scenery. This is a fun and thrilling trip that everyone over the age of 12 can make. While paddling in the swift water, you'll shout and laugh. Dam Release Whitewater Rafting Rates: Individual (over the age of 12) : $61.00 Group (at least 8 persons) : $31.00 Rates Include: all necessary rafting equipment, life jackets, free parking, bus service to/from the river and professional river guides. Family Style Whitewater Rafting Bring along the whole family this summer and enjoy 8 miles and 5 hours of Class I whitewater rafting. Mild water of the Lehigh River is simply perfect for beginners, school groups, and kids aged 4 and older. This is just perfect for enjoying the passing scenery, kicking your feet over the edge of the raft, or taking a swim in the river! One of the most unique things about this trip is a free riverside barbeque ! Our workers will cook and serve you a picnic lunch -- hotdogs, potato salad, fruit, etc. The classic family picnic! Family Style Whitewater Rafting Rates: Adult: $39.00 Child (aged 4--14) : $33.00 Group (at least 8 persons) : $30.00 Rates Include: all necessary rafting equipment, life jackets, free parking, bus service to/from the river, and a barbeque lunch, river guides not included. Family Style Whitewater Rafting is unique in that _ . Answer: it provides a barbeque lunch for free France The France company that spread a Europe-wide cheating of food supply by passing off 750 tons of horse-meat as beef was allowed on Monday to restart production of minced meat, sausages and ready-to-eat meals. But the company will no longer be allowed to stock frozen meat, Agriculture Minister Stephane Foll said. United Kingdom A new virus that broke out in the Middle East last year and killed five people is well adapted to infecting humans but could practically be treated with drugs that improve the immune system. "The virus is from the same family as the common cold and as SARS." a scientist from Oxford on Tuesday. South Africa Olympian runner Oscar Pistorius broke into the door of a small bathroom where his girl friend was bathing after a shouting match on Valentine's Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said on Tuesday as he charged the sports star with planned murder. Egypt Former Egyptian prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq was referred to the Cairo Criminal Court on Tuesday over corruption and money laundering charges, the official News Agency reported. Shafiq has left Egypt for the United Arab after losing the presidential race. We can learn from this passage that _ . Answer: the French company once cheated its customers. It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and James was going shopping with his mother. While she made her shopping list, James looked out the window. In the sky, he saw pretty birds. He smiled - James liked birds. He saw one last Friday when he was getting muddy in the puddles, and another on Wednesday when he was playing with his toy spaceship. Once his mother was done making her list, James got his shoes on before getting in the car. "Should I bring my jacket, Mom?" he asked. "No," his mother answered, fixing his hair, "it is warmer today than it was yesterday, in fact, it's hot!" James and his mother got in the car, and drove off to the store. He leaned his head on the car window, looking at the animals and trees they passed. He saw flowers, a puppy, ants, and people walking, and even a chipmunk! When they got to the store, James and his mother grabbed an empty shopping cart. James always liked helping his mother do her shopping - she sometimes let him get a treat if he was good. They went up and down the aisles, picking up the things on the list, including James' favorite food - peanut butter - and James was very well behaved. As they finished their shopping and walked to the front of the store in order to pay, James' mother said, "James, you can get a candy bar if you'd like, so I can say 'thank you' for being a super good helper today." James was so excited. He picked one with peanuts and chocolate, and placed it with the rest of their items. When they got home, James spent the rest of the day playing Legos in his room. It was a good day. What did James do on the way to the store? What did he see? Answer: Leaned his head on the car window and saw flowers, people walking, and a chipmunk. While traveling, you'll be taking money, license or passport. Or you will buy something expensive to take back home with you and you don't want it to get stolen. Here are some ideas on how to keep your valuables safe while traveling Plan ahead of time Think of what you really need and don't need to take on your trip. Only take the valuables that you must have, not just ones that you would like to have. Carry your valuables on your person Something that is small, like cash and credit cards and your passport, can be carried in a money wallet around your neck or in a money belt. This way, your valuables are hidden and right next to you, where you know where they are at all times. Wear clothing that can hide the money belt. Carry larger valuables in your carry-on bag. If you can't fit it in your money wallet like some large valuables, you'd better put them somewhere that you will keep touch with them. Your can put them on the plane, so you don't have to worry about the airline losing your bag or someone stealing it from the belt after the flight before you get to it. Choose a hotel that has the front desk for valuables. This way, you don't have to worry about housekeeping getting hold of your valuables, or someone stealing your valuables if your room is broken into. If you give the valuables to the front desk to keep for you, choose a time when others are not looking. When you plan your travel ahead of time, you should make sure that _ . Answer: you take valuables that you must have The trouble with school is that you can't choose the people you get to see every day. If you're unlucky enough to be stuck with classmates who don't really "get" you, you've just got to try to make the best of it. But that doesn't mean you need to "fit in", or at least in the way that people think. If you try to transform yourself into a clone of everyone else, it won't help you make friends. It'll just make you feel like a fake. You also shouldn't shut down or refuse to be friends with everyone who doesn't like you. If you do that, you'll just make yourself miserable. Instead, you've got to work on being comfortable and confident with whom you are while ignoring all the haters. Keep on speaking up, asking questions and getting to know people better. If you send out positive energy, then people will generally send some back to you. A couple of them will stay the same, and you're allowed to forget about them. If you feel like you're doing all that but still not getting anywhere, then don't give up. Just expand your circle. Get a part-time job at a cool-looking place, join an after-school art class or youth group--do whatever it takes to find a couple of like-minded people to connect with. Even if you don't find anyone right away, you'll still be getting some more social experiences under your belt, and that's always a good thing. A fun book called Uncool, by Erin Elisabeth Conley, has some tips for folks like you who want to stay positive at school while being true to your personality: Throw caution to the wind. Don't tolerate others' mistakes. Have patience with people who are different from you. Don't change just because someone else thinks you should. *Know that even though you may be a misfit, there's always some place where you will be welcomed in the world. The author agrees that you should take part in more activities in order to _ . Answer: get more chances of making friends
It has become a certain belief among the public-drink at least eight glasses of water a day to improve health and well--being.Bottled water companies often repeat it to increase their sales but it is actually a silly idea. There is no evidence to prove the advantages of drinking eight glasses of water a day,scientists say. The misunderstanding is caused from the suggestion that adults should drink 2.5 liters of water daily,which was highlighted(,)by the British Medical Journal in December.The important part of the suggestion that most of this quantity of water is contained in prepared foods,however,is usually ignored. U.S.researchers who reviewed the evidence concluded that most people do not need to worry about the amount of water they drink every day.Besides drinking water,they will be getting plenty of liquid in other ways.Caffeinated drinks such as tea,coffee and cola,and alcohol can help reach the daily total if they don't drink too much,though these drinks help the production of urine . Less well known are the dangers of drinking too much water,causing water poisoning,low salt levels and even death. The review of research by Dan Negoianu,from the University of Pennsylvania,found that not a single study included the suggestion of drinking eight glasses of water a day.Although one small study suggested that drinking water could result in fewer headaches,the results were not very important.However,the benefits of drinking some water to prevent a pain in head after drinking too much alcohol are.separately,proved to be true. No studies showed any advantages to the color1 of the skin because of the increased water taken into bodies.Dehydration can make skin less pleasant,but there was no clear evidence to support the idea that water helps people keep a youthful appearance.The researchers also found no evidence that drinking lots of water does some good to the body's organs . From the passage, we know that the suggestion about drinking eight glasses of water a day _ . A. causes some serious diseases B. is misunderstood by people in fact C. has enough scientific evidence to support it D. was published by the British Medical Journal Answer: B. is misunderstood by people in fact Hello Kitty, the Japanese white cat with no mouth,has a lot of fans around the world. A new home for Hello Kitty was opened in China in the summer of 2014. The Hello Kitty Theme Park was built in Anji, Zhejiang Province and this is the first Hello Kitty Park in China.Anji is known for its natural beauty. It has large forests and many bamboo groves . So the new Hello Kitty Park will be both a playland and a natural park. Children and visitors will enjoy the fun of games and learn about the environment at the same time. There are five gardens in the park. Each of them has a different theme of the five natural elements: water, wood,fire, metal and earth. Visitors to the amusement park will be able to enjoy 3D Games, watch Hello Kitty films and food service. Children can have lots of interesting activities here. Now you see,Hello Kitty's new home was so interesting. So come and see it by yourself. China has _ Hello Kitty Park(s) until 2014. A. one B. two C. three D. five Answer: A. one In our town, there is a big zoo with a lot of animals in it. There are so beautiful tigers and two old lions. They eat a lot of meat every day. There are also two big elephants and one baby elephant. The elephants are kind animals. They eat a lot every day. They like children. Children often give them bread and bananas. Elephants like bananas best. In our zoo there are also brown bears, black bears and white bears. They stand on their hind legs, hold up their four legs and ask for food. They like cakes very much. There's also a children's corner in our zoo. Children ride horses and donkeys and watch the monkeys there. The monkeys are very funny. They climb up ropes and jump down again and play with each other like small children. How many kinds of bears are there in the zoo ? A. one B. two C. three D. five Answer: C. three People living in the UK take quite a few holidays abroad and in this country each year.Choices made about where to go, how to get there and what to do while there can either benefit or harm the environment. While on holiday Many of the things you can do to the greener on holiday will be the same things you can do at home--but there are also some extra things too, like avoiding gifts made from endangered plants and animals.Here are some suggestions: Making the most of locally produced food and drink, and local activities and attractions will support people in the area you are visiting and reduce the need for further environmental influence from transport; Switching off any air conditioning, heating and lights will help reduce climate change effect; Save water--some countries suffer from water shortages and saving water can help avoid damage to our natural habitats . Endangered species Some gifts and foods available in some countries can be made from endangered plants or animals.Check before you buy, but if you doubt, avoid animal and plant gifts.More details of the types of products to avoid and illegal trade hotspots can be found on the Souvenir Alert web page. Making a positive contribution to the place you are visiting There are ways in which your holiday can help support local people and the environment: There are many opportunities to volunteer and help with projects that conserve and improve natural habitats; *When you are away, or if you are looking for somewhere to visit, you can support projects or attractions which protect wildlife, such as nature reserves and conservation projects. According to the passage, we can _ to help reduce climate change effect. A. make good use of water B. buy local food and drink C. save electricity D. go around on foot Answer: C. save electricity One of the most recent social changes taking place in the world is social networking. Social networking has been in existence for at least 150 years, and probably longer than that. In the times before the invention of the computer and the World Wide Web (WWW), social networking was done in person. People who had similar likes and interests would gather together to share experiences, make new friends, and improve their businesses. On the Internet, social networking websites made their first appearances during the late 1990s. The first major social networking website in the United States was MySpace. MySpace allowed its users to exchange messages, share pictures, and make new friends in a way that was never thought of in the past. With MySpace, people who did not go out much could reach out to others from their own homes. In 2004, Facebook was created. It was first a website created for use by Harvard University's students and teachers, but it soon expanded to include just about everyone. It is now larger than some of the largest companies in the world. It is a website that is changing all the time. Facebook has completely changed the way people stay connected with each other and the rest of the world. The way it works is simple. Users can set up a new account easily. All a new user needs is an email address to start. Once a person has created an account and his friend also has his own Facebook page, he can invite his friend by sending a request out to him. Once you get started, making new friends will come easily. What do new users of Facebook need to create an account? A. An email address. B. His friend's help. C. High-speed network. D. His friend's Facebook page. Answer: A. An email address.
Question: If you ask people to name the one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like "Shakespeare," "Samuel Johnson," and "Webster," but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn't even speak English--William the Conqueror . Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived people belonging to two major language groups. In the west-central region lived the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, though not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic. In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and other Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call Anglo-Saxon (or Old English), a Germanic language. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German. But this state of affairs did not last. In l066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words. We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming, while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating. When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more "foreign" than France because the German they see on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic in its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of one man's ambition . Why does France appear less foreign than Germany to Americans on their first visit to Europe? A. Most advertisements in France appear in English. B. They know little of the history of the English language. C. Many French words are similar to English ones. D. They know French better than German. Answer: C Question: The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever . He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him . The next morning he said to the men , " Have you provided me with that sunset ? " " No , sir . " the men answered . The director was angry . " Why not ? " he asked . " Well , sir , " one of the men answered . " we're on the east coast here , and the sets in the west . We can get you a sunrise over the sea , if necessary , but not a sunset . " " But I want a sunset ! " the director shouted . " Go to the airport . take the next flight to the west coast , and get one . " But then a young secretary had an idea . " Why don't you photograph a sunrise . " she suggested . " and then play it backwards ? Then it'll look like a sunset . " The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay . Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director . " Here it is sir . " they said , and gave it to him . He was very pleased . They all went into the studio . " All right . " the director explained . " now our hero and heroine are going to say good-bye . Run the film backwards so that we can see the ' sunset behind them . ' " The " sunset " began , but after a quarter of a minute , the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop . The birds in the film were flying backwards . and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach . After the " sunset " began , the director suddenly put his face in his hands _ . A. because he was moved to tears B. as he saw everything in the film moving backwards C. as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined D. because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and heroine Answer: B Question: Jennifer has collected rocks while hiking. As she attempts to classify her rocks, which will she put in the pile of sedimentary rocks? A. Black-and-gray crystalline rocks B. Shiny rocks with smooth textures C. Rocks with visible pieces of shells in them D. Rocks with small interlocking crystals in them Answer: C Question: "I'd like to be at a healthier weight," a friend told me. "But we just don't have the money to buy expensive diet foods and there isn't enough money to join a gym." Many people feel that way -- that a healthy diet and exercise plan is out of reach because of their high cost. Don't lose hope! We'll be looking at ways to make healthy choices without spending too much money. First you don't need to buy the expensive pre-prepared "diet foods." Back in the early 1970s when I started housekeeping, 90% of the food I bought was ingredients. Very few things were preprocessed . Now 90% of the food you find in the store is quick food. That's a bad thing. Quick foods like boxed "just add hamburger" meals have had the fiber removed to make them faster to prepare. Take a look at the label on that box. It often has low numbers listed under "fiber" because fiber takes longer to digest. If the low fiber meal is digested, the result is that your body begins to store fat. Besides, your body is short of nutrients . You will be driven to eat more to try to make up for the low quality of the food you are eating. And then there are the chemicals the producers add to the quick meals to make them palatable. If not, the stuff would taste like cardboard and you wouldn't enjoy it. However, these chemicals certainly aren't good for your health. What's the answer? Buy whole ingredients and give up the expensive, low nutrition, processed foods. Do the cooking yourself and you will have control over what is in your food -- and it will cost less, too. The author doesn't like quick food mainly because _ . A. it contains too much fat B. it makes people eat more C. it has low fiber D. it takes longer to digest Answer: C Question: Cars!!! Holidays! Thousands of prizes! Hurry! Free with every packet of splash! Your personal lucky number! Will be among the 500,000 winners! Use splash for the softest...quickest... whitest wash! Don't delay... buy a packet today! Those who bought a packet of splash _ . A. are sure to win a prize. B. are sure to be among the 500,000 winners. C. could get $500,000. D. could get the personal lucky number. Answer: D
Question: When Frida Kahlo's paintings were on show in London, a poet described her paintings as " a ribbon around a bomb". Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time. Sadly, she is actually _ today than she was during her time. Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City , Kahlo suffered from polio at the age of seven. Her spine become bent as she grew older. Then, in 1925, her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident. Throughout the rest of her life, the artist had many operations, but nothing was able to cure the terrible pain in her back. However, the accident had an unexpected side effect. While lying in her bed recovering, Kahlo taught herself to paint. In 1929, she got married to Diego Rivera, another famous Mexican artist. Rivera's strong influences on Kahlo's style can be seen in her early works, but her later works from the 1940s, known today as her best works, show less influence from her husband. Unfortunately, her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and1940s, even in her home country. Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953.For more than a decade after her death in 1954, Kahlo's works remained largely unnoticed by the world, but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last. What is author's attitude toward Kahlo? A. Devotion B. Sympathy C. Worry D. Encouragement Answer: B Question: Some recent surveys show that the health conditions of many white collar employees and office workers are rather dangerous. Death cases among white collar employees and office workers are increasing year by year and these cases are generally believed to have been caused by overwork and spending little time taking rest or doing exercise. If their offices are within the distance of half an hour's walk, some office workers now choose to go to work on foot. Ms. Deng, who works in a foreign enterprise in Beijing, has been walking to her office for more than six months now. " I usually have a tight work schedule and can't find time to do exercise. So I choose to walk to work. " As she said, if the office is not far from home, most women would like to go to work on foot. Walking is good for their health and can help them to keep good figures as well. Apart from walking to office,one can also find time to do exercise when one is at work. The simplest way is to desert the lift. Mr. Wei, who works in the Passenger Service Department at Shenzhen Airlines, is one of such men who frequently climb stairs. " I only use the lift whenever I'm with my colleagues or my boss. Otherwise, I would climb stairs instead of taking the lift. " In addition, some office workers try to find time to go to a gym at the end of a day. Ms. Sang works in a law firm in Shenzhen. She goes to the gym several times a week when she has the time. " I go to the gym every weekend. During the weekdays,I will also go there whenever I have the time. " Ms. Sang and her husband both have a gym membership card for a whole year. The cards cost them 3000 yuan. However, they think it's worth it. If a white collar employee lives one kilometer away from her office , she had better _ to keep healthy. A. walk to her office B. run and then take the stairs to her office C. take a taxi to her office D. ride a bike Answer: A Question: New research shows that kids from low-income families may be falling behind their peers because an important part of their brains is underdeveloped. Researchers from MIT' s McGovern Institute for Brain Research compared the brains of 12-and 13-year-olds from rich families with the brains of their peers from lower-income families. They found that one particular area of the brain--the neocortex ,which plays a key role in memory and learning ability--is thinner in children from lower-income households. This is a _ part of the brain for young students, who are often tested based on their ability to recall large chunks of information. Children who had a thinner neocortex performed poorly on standardized tests,researchers found.More than 90% of high-income students scored above average on a statewide math and English/Language Arts standardized test,compared with less than 60% of low-income students.Differences in cortical thickness could account for almost half of the income-achievement gap in this sample,researchers wrote. "Just as you would expect, there' s a real cost not living in a supportive environment. We can see it not only in test scores,in educational attainment,but within the brains of these children,"says psychological scientist John Gabrieli,a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT and one of the study's authors. Since a 2011 study published by Stanford University professor Sean Reardon found that the gap between standardized test scores of high-income and low-income students has grown by about 40% since the 1960s,there' s been a lot of research aimed at finding links between income and achievement, rather than race alone. The MIT study found low-income children were equally likely to have a thinner neocortex,no matter their races. Gabrieli and his co-authors can' t say exactly why poor children' s brains develop differently because there are too many possibilities to count.Their findings do,however,underline the importance of early intervention to ensure that low-income kids get the tools they need to succeed. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Wealthy parents do better in raising children. B. Differences exist between poor children and rich ones. C. Poor children study harder due to their financial conditions. D. Poor children have thinner neocortex than their wealthy peers. Answer: D Question: How do you improve your English speaking skills, so that you can communicate more easily and effectively? These tips will help you to become a more confident speaker. Practice where you can and when you can. Any practice is good--- whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or not. It's important to build your confidence. If possible, use simple sentence structure that you know is correct so that you can concentrate on getting your message across. Try to experiment with the English you know. Apply words and phrases you know to new situations. Native English speakers are more likely to correct you if you use the wrong word than if you use the wrong grammar. Experimenting with vocabulary is a really good way of getting feedback Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way. Try not to translate into and from your own language. It takes too much time and you will find it difficult to get an English answer right away. You don?t know how to do well. The more you want to act well, the more slowly you act. This will make you more shilly-shally. If you forget a word, do what native English speakers do all the time ,and say things that 'fill' the conversation. This is better than remaining completely silent. Try using ' um',or 'er',if you forget the word. Don't speak too fast! It? s important to use a natural rhythm in speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you. Try to relax when you speak and you,11 find that your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. Speak English at normal speed. Final tips --Try to become less hesitant and more confident. --Don't be shy to speak------ the more you do it, the more confident you,11 become. --Remember to be polite------ use "please" and "thank you" if you ask someone to do something for you. How many tips does the author offer in the passage? A. 9. B. 10. C. 11. D. 12. Answer: C Question: How Does Your Body Keep the Same Temperature? The temperature of your body should always be the same if you are fine, no matter whether the weather is hot or cold. That is why the doctor tests your temperature with a thermometer when you are sick. Normally, your body temperature is ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit . If it is higher than that, it is a sure sign that something is wrong with your body. Your body keeps the same temperature all the time, because it balances the heat it produces and the heat it gives off. It is always burning up food and producing heat. It can produce heat faster when the body needs or give off heat faster when the body becomes too warm. Let's see how this works. The heat of your body is given off chiefly through the skin. When you feel cold, your skin is tight and shows "goose flesh". When you feel chilly , you must jump around to keep warm. Then your muscles begin to work, burn up fuel and produce more heat. It is not pleasant to shiver so you usually prefer warming up by taking exercise, or put on more clothes to keep warm. When you get warm, the skin is loose and soft. It is so supplied with blood that heat is given off rapidly. If you get too warm, you begin to sweat and more body heat is used in evaporating the moisture in your body. In warm weather or warm rooms, you wear less clothing, so that heat can be given off freely. You prefer less exercise because your body is warm enough, and the extra heat produced by taking too much exercise makes you uncomfortable. Now you see why you feel differently in different kinds of weather. In summer, when it is hot, you feel tired and lazy. You do not care to work or play, but enjoy lying down and doing nothing. When you get out of doors in winter, the cold air makes you feel lively. You want to run and play. When a person gets too warm, he begins to sweat in order to _ . A. evaporate the moisture B. give off heat quickly C. make the skin soft and loose D. get the blood to move faster Answer: B
Among the soldiers of King Philip there was a poor man who had done some good deeds. He had pleased the king in many ways, and so the king believed in him. One day this soldier was on a ship at sea when a great storm came up. The winds drove the ship upon the rocks, and it was broken. The soldier was thrown upon the shore ; and he would have died there if it had not been for the kind care of a farmer who lived nearby. When the soldier was well enough to go home; he thanked the farmer for what he had done, and promised that he would repay him for his kindness. But he did not mean to keep his promise . He did not tell King Philip about the farmer. He only said that there was a fine farm by the seashore, and that he would like very much to have it for his own. "Who owns the farm now?" asked Philip. "Only a useless farmer, who has never done anything for his country," said the soldier. "Very well, then," said Philip "You have served me for a long time, and you shall have your wish. Go and take the farm for yourself." And so the soldier drove the farmer from his house and home. He took the farm for his own. The poor farmer was hurt seriously. He went ly to the king, and told the whole story from beginning to end. King Philip was very angry when he learned that. He sent for the soldier in a great hurry, and when he had come, he had these words burned in his forehead: "The Ungrateful Man". The soldier told a lie before the king probably _ . because he wanted to take the farm for his own If you want to bottle your own pop, you should invest in an aluminum mine One night, the first floor of the house suddenly caught fire. The fire was big, and soon became a sea of fire. On the second floor lived a little girl and her grandmother; the little girl's parents had died, and she lived together with her grandma. In order to rescue the little girl, the grandmother was burned to death, leaving the little girl crying for help loudly. How could people enter the house? At the very moment, a man carrying a ladder rushed to the flames and got into the window. When he appeared again in the eyes of the people, the little girl was in his arms. He gave the child to the crowd, and then disappeared into the night. This little girl had no family. Two months later a meeting was held to find a person to adopt the girl. A teacher was willing to adopt this child, and said she could give her the best education; a farmer wanted to adopt this child, saying that village life would let the child grow up healthily and happily; a rich man said, "I can give the child everything that others can do." A lot of people who wanted to adopt this child said about many benefits of their adopting the child. But the little girl's face had no expression. At this time, a man, through the crowd, walked straight in front of the little girl, and opened his arms for the little girl. People were puzzled, and they found that the man had terrible scars on his arms. The little girl let out a cry, "This is the man who saved me!" She suddenly jumped up, and buried her face in his arms and sobbed. Naturally the man adopted the girl. What did the man do when he had saved the little girl? He left the girl to the crowd and left quickly. A pack of wolves eat the sheep before a grizzly bear can get to them, what have the wolves done to the bear? out competed The changing of night to day occur seven times a week
After a serious earthquake happened, a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to his son's school, only to find that the building where his son studied had collapsed and looked like a pancake. He was shocked. He didn't know what he should do for a while, then he remembered the words he had said to his son, "No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you! "And tears began to fill his eyes. He started digging through the ruins . As he was digging, other helpless parents and the firemen arrived and tried to pull him off the ruins, saying, "It's too late! They're all dead! There's nothing you can do! " To them he replied with one line, "Are you going to help me now? " And then he kept on digging. No one helped, however. He went on alone because he needed to know for himself: "Is my boy alive or is he dead? " He dug for eight hours. . . 12 hours. . . 24 hours. . . 36 hours. . . then, in the 39th hour, he pulled back a rock and heard his son's words. He shouted his son's name, "ARMAND! " He heard back, "Dad!?! It's me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised, 'No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you!' You did it, Dad! " "What's going on in there? How is it? " the father asked. "There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We're frightened, hungry, thirsty and thankful you're here. When t he building fell down, it made a triangle , and it saved us. " "Come out, boy! " "No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, because I know you'll get me! No matter what happens, I know you'll always be there for me! " Other parents and the firemen wanted to pull him off the ruins because they thought . Answer: all the children had died in the earthquake Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergence alert system using text messages delivered to cell phones. Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry's trade association, CTIA, estimates more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month. The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires improvements to the nation's emergency alert system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies. "The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan. Participation in the alert system by carriers--telecommunications companies is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry. The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alerts. There would be three different types of messages, according to the rules. The first would be a national alert from the president, likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would involve "approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts. The service could be in place by 2014. Under which circumstance will an alert message not be sent? Answer: A child loses his way. Carrying a passenger on a bicycle is an offence punishable by law. Everyone knows that but still some of us do it. I had done it many times before until something happened to teach me never to do it again. It was not the police. Rather it was an unforgettable, and unpleasant, experience. It happened one evening when my friend Segaran and I wanted to go and visit another friend who lived some distance away. I had a bicycle. Segaran did not. So, as usual, he sat side-saddle on the horizontal bar of the bicycle while I pedalled. We had done it many times before, so it should not be any problem. Near my friend's house, we got onto a gravel path made slippery by the recent rain. Still we managed to move along, thoroughly enjoying the rough ride. As we passed by a stream, I made the mistake of going too near the bank. The rain had softened the soil and it could not hold our combined weight. One moment we were going along merrily, the next we were tumbling head over heels into the stream. Splash! Splash! Splash! We plunged into the river bicycle first, followed by Segaran, then me. Normally the stream is only a few centimetres deep with clear water. When we fell in, it was a metre deep with smelly black water. The water prevented us from getting badly injured but we also had to pay the price of swallowing some of it. It tasted horrible. Segaran got the worst of it for being sandwiched between the bicycle and me. Our pride was far more hurt. We walked all the way home. I had to push the bicycle because its front wheel was bent out of shape. From that moment I promised never to carry anyone on a bicycle again. _ taught the author never to carry a passenger on a bicycle again. Answer: The experience Do you know that you are not outgoing enough? Do you want to make friends, but are you too shy? Read the following rules. They will help you. Feel comfortable. Always be clean. Shower, brush your teeth, and try to look nice. Dress in clean clothes. They must make you feel good and comfortable. Those make you feel more confident . Smile more often. Try to smile more often at people. It will get them to think that you are friendly Then they'll talk to you more even if they don't know you. Just talk Some people worry about talking because they think,"What am I going to talk about with that person?" Outgoing people don't even think about it.They just go up to people and say what they think. Listen to people. You can't just talk. People will think that you're self-centered .You have to listen to others and give your ideas. Let them know what you think. Read the news. Don't just stay at home and do nothing. Surf the net for news and information, and talk about them when you're with friends. ,. What makes you feel good and comfortable? Answer: Have a nice look. He was struggling to tie his shoes. I was struggling with whether I should help him. I did, and he was grateful. "Thank you," he said. "I'm glad I could help. I just thought it would be easier for me to reach," I said. He was a disabled man, and forced to look down most of the time. His arms and legs were twisted terribly, and he couldn't do what the rest of us would consider easy tasks. He always managed to look up to see how you reacted to his words, however. He had a big smile, making me feel comfortable. I was still on my knees by his wheelchair. " Nice shoes," he said. "Thanks. No one ever complimented me on them before," I said. "No one has the same view of the world as I do," he replied. "Tell me about the world as you see it," I said smiling. "Most people can see if someone is comfortable with them or not in their eyes. I see it in their feet." he said. "If people keep moving their feet, I just let them go, because I know they're impatient with me. I don't want to make people uncomfortable. "What about me? I asked. "I could see your _ And then you came down to my level. I was the one who was nervous." he said. "I don't normally have someone look me in the eye." "They don't know what they're missing," I told him. "My old face is nothing to brag about." he said. "But that smile is so big." Yes, and it's not only a big smile but an attitude. The disabled man knew people were impatient mostly by their _ . Answer: feet
Question: Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything--tutors , cards, special learning centers--in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic school. After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't kiss his mother hello. Instead,he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time,day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening. Finally,little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise,little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity .She went to his room and asked, "Son, what was it? Was it the nuns ? " Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, "No. " "Well then," she asked again. "WHAT was it? " Little Tommy looked at her and said, "Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed to the plus sign ,I knew they weren't joking. " Tommy's mother felt surprised that his son _ . A. was still the same as usual B. worked hard but said little C. kissed her hello after school D. ate so much at dinner Answer: B. worked hard but said little Question: A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. "Wait a minute," someone might say, "are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?" The position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, "Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis." Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy. I arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required. "All right then," I said. "Okay, here we go." Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. "Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!" A terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment. What did the students do when the author started his class? A. They began to talk. B. They stayed silent. C. They raised their hands. D. They shouted to be heard. Answer: B. They stayed silent. Question: Everyone hopes to have a healthy lifestyle. But do you know what a healthy lifestyle is like? Here are some ways to have a healthy life. Get active This is the most important way of a healthy lifestyle. Walking, running, playing basketball and other sports will help you keep healthy. Keep clean Keep the places around you clean. Unclean and untidy places can not only make you angry but also (...) make you ill. Eat healthily Our health depends on our food, so everyone should remember to eat healthy food. The healthier food you eat, the healthier you will be. Live green This is the easiest way to live a healthy lifestyle. Plant trees around your house. Try your best to use less water. Stop using things if they are bad for environment . How will unclean places make people feel? A. Sad. B. Angry and ill. C. Happy and healthy. D. Excited. Answer: B. Angry and ill. Question: What Should I Do? One of the most popular items in the school newspaper advice column . No one know who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name. The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers. ASK THE WISE OWL Q: I'm always late for school. I try not to be, but I can't help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy. A: You are probably late for school because you don't really like school. My advice to you is try and enjoy school more, then you won't be late so often. Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara. A: I can't advise you until I know about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold . Write and tell me more about yourself. Q: I'm always at the bottom of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly. A: I advise you to concentrate on improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes. The Wise Owl. What does Molly want to do? A. Make more friends. B. Improve her grades. C. Stay at the bottom of her class. D. Concentrate on one subject at a time. Answer: B. Improve her grades. Question: It was a sunny night. Jim was having a drink with his friend. He drank too much, and he had to leave at half past eight because he had a ticket for a music festival, which would start at nine o'clock. It was half past an hour's walk from the pub to the theatre. Jim knew a _ that would only take ten minutes, but it meant crossing rails , and was dangerous. He took the shorter way, however, and when he reached the rails, he tripped and fell over. Then he fell asleep with his face down. After a while, a train came. When the driver saw a body lying on the track, he tried hard to stop the train. When it finally stopped, it was several meters before the body. The driver quickly got off and checked. Luckily, he found the man was still alive, but sleeping. Though the driver tried hard to wake him, Jim just kept sleeping. The driver took Jim to the hospital, where he woke up at last. When Jim was told what had happened, he decided to give up drinking. "I'm so lucky that I have a chance to turn my life around,' he said. Where did Jim and his friends have a drink? A. In a hospital. B. In a pub. C. At a theatre. D. In a hotel. Answer: B. In a pub.
Long long ago, there lived two girls named Emily and Tina. Both of them had long black hair and blue eyes. One day while they were playing in the back yard , Emily heard a tinkling sound. She jumped up. "Listen," she told her twin. They listened. The noise came again. This time Tina heard it. She sat up. "It came from over there," She whispered, looking at the zinnias far away. They came near to find it out. Then something flew out, making the same tinkling sound they had heard before. The children looked at one another. "Was it a bee?" asked Tina. "I don't think so," replied Emily. "Do bees make a sound like bells?" "Let's call it the Tinkle Bee anyway," said Tina. Emily nodded, listening with a little difficulty. What had made that noise? The next day, Emily and Tina brought their cookies outside. Tina took her plate by the zinnias. Suddenly she caught something. "Emily!" she called. "I've got the Tinkle Bee!" Emily rushed over. They sat down on the grass. Tina opened her hand very carefully. There was that sound! Something was shining in Tina's hand. They smiled. Then Emily cried, "It's a fairy !" Tina looked down at it in her hand. It looked like a girl. A _ girl with wings! Tina dropped it before she noticed that a wing was torn . The little fairy could not fly away so she took a piece of grass out of the ground and sat on it. Emily and Tina were surprised at what they saw. The fairy turned to Emily and said, "Hello, I am Marabella." Then she said again, "Marabella the Fairy." Emily smiled. "I'm Emily," she said. Tina said, "I'm Tina. Are you really a fairy?" "Oh, yes!" replied Marabella. "I've always been a fairy." What does the passage mainly tell us? Answer: The process of Emily and Tina's finding a fairy. I'm Evan Ducker. I'm just like every other 15-year-old boy, except I was born with a red birthmark . Some birthmarks are signs of serious medical conditions. I'm very fortunate--mine isn't. I pretty much live a regular life, except for people asking me about it all the time, which can get annoying sometimes. When I was about 4 years old, I asked my mom why there weren't any characters with birthmarks in the books she would read to me. When we went to the library, we realized there weren't any available for little kids. Worse than that, the books available to older kids and adults described characters with birthmarks as unattractive. So I decided to write my own. I based the story on all the real things that happened in my life. But instead of people, the characters in the book are real animals from the Galapagos Islands, including red-footed booby birds . I picked a booby bird as the main character because the birds have red feet due to a vascular condition, similar to a human birthmark! It was really tough to get my book published. It took a long time because a lot of publishers refused to publish it. They would say there wasn't a big enough market for a book about birthmarks. But my mom never gave up trying to help make my dream come true. And in 2005, she finally took her own money and self-published "Buddy Booby's Birthmark". After it was published, I got letters from readers all over the world. They all shared their stories and thanked me for sharing mine. Teachers wrote to tell me that my book changed the way classmates treated each other and that my book was helping kids to accept and appreciate their differences. Then, as more teachers started reading my book, I created a free global reading event, the "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read--Along for Tolerance and Awareness." The author's book "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" _ . Answer: made a difference to its readers Increasingly, over the past ten years, people--- especially young people -have become aware of the need to change their eating habits, because much of the food they eat, especially processed food , is not good for the health. As a result, there has been a growing interest in natural foods: foods which do not contain chemical additives and which have not been affected by chemical fertilizers , widely used in farming today. Natural foods, for example, are vegetables, fruit and grain which have been grown in soil that is rich in organic matter. In simple words, this means that the soil has been nourished(...) by unused vegetable matter, which provides it with vitamins and minerals. This in itself is a natural process compared with the use of chemicals and fertilizers, the main purpose of which is to increase the amount--but not the quality--of foods grown in commercial farming area. Natural foods also include animals which have been allowed to feed move freely in healthy pastures . Compare this with what happens in the mass production of poultry :there are battery farms, for example, where thousands of chickens live crowded together in one building and are fed on food which is little better than rubbish. Chickens kept in this way are not only tasteless as food; they also produce eggs which lack important vitamins. There are other sides of healthy eating which are now receiving increasing attention from experts on diet. Take, for example, the question of sugar. This is actually unnecessary food. It is not that sugar is harmful in itself. But it does seem to be addictive: the quantity we use has grown steadily over the last two centuries and in Britain today each person consumes an average of 200 pounds a year! Yet all it does is provide us with energy, in the form of calories. There are no vitamins in it, no minerals, and no fibre. According to the passage, _ . Answer: the use of sugar is habit forming The global energy crisis is approaching. What can we do? Here are some steps you can take. Cooling puts the greatest stress on your summer energy bill and the power grid . Just as t tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. Clean or replaces filters monthly or as needed. For central air conditioning systems and room air conditioners, look for the ENERGY STAR, the federal government's symbol for energy efficiency. For central air, purchase the system with the highest possible Seasonal Energy Efficiency Raton. (SEER) Use energy-efficient ceiling fans either alone or with air conditioning. Ceiling fans do a great job of circulating air. When used with air conditioning, fans allow you to raise the thermostat and cut costs. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so before you leave; turn off the ceiling fan. Let a programmable thermostat! "remember for you" to automatically adjust the indoor climate with your daily and weekend patterns to reduce cooling bills by up to 10 percent. You can come home to a comfortable house without wasting energy and cresting pollution all day while you are at work. Try to make your home airtight enough to increase your comfort, make your home quieter and cleaner and reduce your cooling costs up to 20 percent. Gut your air conditioning load, and reduce pollution by planting planting leafy trees around your home and fixing reflective bricks on your roof. Close blinds or shades on south-and west-facing windows during the day, or fix shading equipment to avoid heat build-up. Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers. And use fluorescent bulbs , which provide bright, warm light while using at least two-thirds less energy, producing 70 percent less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs . Drive the car that gets better gas mileage whenever possible if you own more than one vehicle. If you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching 10 percent of your trips from a car that gets 20 mils per gallon to one that gets 30 mpg will save you more than PS65 per year. Carpool. The average U.S. commuter could save about PS260 a year by sharing cars twice a week with two people in a car that gets 20.1 mpg---assuming the three passengers share the cost of gas. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer: energy-saving tips Let's do some sleep math. You lost two hours of sleep every night last week because of a big project due on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, you slept in, getting four extra hours. On Monday morning, you were feeling so bright-eyed, and you only had one cup of coffee, instead of your usual two. But don't be cheated by your energy: You're still carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness, or what experts call "sleep debt". Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should get and the amount you actually get. It's a _ that grows every time we remove some minutes off our nightly sleep. "People get more and more sleep debt without noticing it," says William Dement, founder of the Stanford University Sleep Research Centre. Studies show that such short-term lack of sleep leads to a foggy brain, worsened eyesight, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity, and heart disease. A survey reports that we're losing one hour of sleep each night--more than two full weeks of sleep each year. The good news is that, like all debts, sleep debt can be paid off with some work. Adding an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up. For the long-term lack of sleep, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern . Go to bed when you are tired, and allow your body to wake you in the morning naturally (no alarm clock allowed). As you pay off sleep debt, your body will come to a rest at a sleep pattern that is particularly right for you. Sleep researchers believe that although the exact genes remain to be discovered, genes do determine our individual sleep patterns. That probably means you can't train yourself to be a "short sleeper" and you're fooling yourself if you think you've done it, so earn back that lost sleep and follow the orders of your inner sleep needs. When you put away sleep debt, you become a superman. The example of sleep math is used to show _ . Answer: how you build up your sleep debt
It's 10:30 pm, and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. The message becomes clear: "R U awake?" Brandon' s use of technology doesn' t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles ( ) in his room. With so many choices, it' s no surprise that when he isn' t at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten. Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you've got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" media expert Cheryl Olson says. Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It' s a matter of balance," says Olson." You've got to work on it. " Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It' s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply, " says Rideout. With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. " But parents might have to step in sometimes. " According to the passage, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that _ . Answer: It was over two months before Christmas when 9-year-old Mary told her father and me that she wanted a new bike. Her old Barbi bike was too old and it often needed repairing. As Christmas came nearer; her dream for a bike seemed to disappear; for she didn't mention it again. Then much to our surprise; on December 24th; she said that she really wanted a bike as the Christmas present more than anything else. We didn't know what to do. It was too late. We were busy with Christmas dinner and packing presents for our children; parents and also friends till midnight. So there was no time to buy the "right bike" for our little girl. Thinking that we might in this way make our child unhappy on Christmas; we felt _ and sad. Suddenly my husband came up with an idea. "What if I make a little bike out of the clay and write a note that she could trade in the model bike for a real one after Christmas?" So he spent the next 5 hours working on a small clay bike. On Christmas morning; we were very excited and waited for Mary to open the little box with the beautiful red and white bike and the note. She opened the box and read the note loudly. She looked at me and said; "So; does this mean I can trade in this bike for a real one?" Smiling; I said; "yes." Mary had tears in her eyes when she replied; "I would never trade in this beautiful bike that Daddy made for me. I prefer to keep it rather than get a real one." At that moment; we thought we would have moved the god to buy her every bike on earth. Mary's father got the idea to _ . Answer: Can you imagine living in a house built by recycled waste? Texas home builder Dan Phillips transforms trash into artful treasures, creating beautiful floors with wood pieces, kitchen counters from ivory -colored bones and roofs out of license plates . The fantastic houses which spring from his imagination are made almost entirely of materials which would otherwise have ended up in a garbage area. " People have been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years; using whatever is available to build shelter, " Phillips said."If you think about carefully what could be used, then building materials are everywhere. The thirteen homes he has built so far would fit better in an art museum than the residential streets of Huntsville, a conservative town of about 35 ,000 people. Living in these houses is a bit like living in a roadside attraction."Almost every day, somebody knocks on the door and says ' Is there any way that we could see?' "said Edie Wells, an artist who rents a room in the Bone House.Her home features a stairway made of bones, floors covered in wine corks and beer bottle caps.Wells said visitors are most impressed when they see a bathroom with its walls, floor and ceiling entirely covered with broken mirror pieces. In addition, each house is highly energy efficient with plenty insulation , an on-demand solar hot water heater and a system that can collect and recycle rainwater to clean the toilet and wash clothes. Phillips founded Phoenix Commotion 12 years ago with the aim of creating a new model for sustainable housing.For as little as $ 10,000 it builds affordable homes for single parents, low-income families and artists. The company has used hundreds of tons of construction waste by recycling the materials into habitable buildings. Phillips tries to spread his recycled-house idea by speaking at events across the United States, and by using the Internet to reach out to like-minded individuals.Phillips said: "I'm not going to be saving the world anytime soon.But there needs to be at least some visibility for this model in this century. According to the passage, the houses are like artful treasures because they are _ . Answer: A perpetual motion machine is a theoretical device which, once started, continues to operate without any additional input of energy. Which statement describes why a perpetual motion machine is impossible to design? Answer: Little Peter is a boy of nine. He began to go to school when he was six, and now he is in Grade Three. He lives not far from the school, but he is often late for class. He likes watching TV in the evening and goes to bed late, so he can't get up on time in the morning. This term, Mrs. Black, Peter's aunt, teaches music in Peter's school. She is strict with Peter and often tells the boy to obey the school rules and come to school on time. Yesterday morning, Peter got up late. When he hurried to school, it was a quarter past eight. His aunt was waiting for him at the school gate. "You are ten minutes late for the first class, Peter," Mrs. Black said angrily. "Why are you often late for class?" "Every time, when I get to the street corner , I always see a guidepost . It says SCHOOL--GO SLOWLY!" The guidepost is for _ . Answer:
Waxy leaves can be considered A love B anger C happiness D clothes Answer: D. clothes Although Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world , you will be surprised that there are still some free activities in Tokyo. Free temples ( ) There are many temples in Tokyo.The most famous one is Meiji Jingu.This is the most important temple in Tokyo. If you visit it , you can know more about Japanese history .Of course , it's free. Free museums If you go to Kanto Earthquake Museum , you can see the exhibitions and the memorial for the people who died in the 1923 earthquake _ Free parks There are two famous parks in Japan. They are Yoyogi Park and Ueno Park .Yoyogi Park is one of the largest parks in Tokyo .It is now a great place to see street performers.Ueno Park is popular with many Japanses people and foreign visitors. Free snacks Janpanese food is delicious and healthy . You can try different kinds of snacks , before spending money on them. You don't need to pay for them when you try them. ,, . (1,5) If you visit Meiji Jingu,you can _ A know more about Japanese history B see the exhibitions and the memorial C see many foreign visitors D try different kinds of snacks. Answer: A. know more about Japanese history Kunming is the capital of Yunnan. It's a city with a long history. Kunming has a population of more than 5,000,000. Though the weather in Yunnan changes from place to place, Kunming is famous for her beautiful weather. It's neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter. That's why more and more people like to travel and even to live there. You can see that great changes have taken place here. A lot of tall buildings, cinemas and hospitals have been put up. You can cross the streets over footbridges in the city. You can buy whatever you want in shops and supermarkets in or around the city. People's lives are becoming better and better. At weekend or on holiday, people like to relax themselves in different places and in different ways. In winter, people especially old people would like to climb the Western Hills. From the top of Hills, you can have a good look at the beautiful scenery of Kunming. Far away from the Hills, you can enjoy the Sleeping Beauty among the Hills. After supper, families take a walk along the bank of Dianchi Lake. The Golden Temple and EXPO Garden are two famous places of interest in the north of the city. EXPO Garden is known to people both at home and abroad. You can spend a whole day visiting the world-famous garden. A little farther away from the southeast of the city, a special forest welcomes you. It is not a tree forest, but a stone forest. So it is called the Stone Forest. People in Kunming are really friendly. They often invite their friends home to try delicious food, like rice or noodles. If you want to know more about Kunming and taste her food, please visit her yourself. The weather in Yunnan is _ . A the same in different places B neither too hot nor too cold C different in different places D different in the same place Answer: C. different in different places An old and very rich friend of mine told me he had an unpleasant experience. He went to a famous jewelry shop and asked to be shown some gold necklaces. After examining several minutes, he decided to buy a gold necklace with a precious diamond, and asked if he could pay by cheque . The assistant said that was quite in order, but the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager's office. The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone with exactly the same name had given them a worthless cheque not long ago. My friend got very angry when he heard this and said that he would buy a diamond necklace somewhere else. When he got up to go, the manager told him that the police would arrive at any moment and he had better stay unless he wanted to get into serious trouble. Sure enough, the police arrived soon afterwards. They were polite, too, but explained that a person who had used the same name as his was responsible for a number of recent robberies. Then the police asked my friend to copy out a note which had been used by the thief in a number of stores. The note read, "I have a gun in my pocket. Ask no question and give me all the money in the drawer." Luckily, my friend's handwriting was quite unlike the thief's. He was not only allowed to go without further delay,but also to take the diamond necklace with him. Which of the following is suggested in the passage? A Though the man had some trouble, he got the necklace without paying cash. B Nobody saw the man take the necklace with him. C The manager never thought an old man would be a thief. D The thief always stole things in famous jewelry shops. Answer: A. Though the man had some trouble, he got the necklace without paying cash. My conscience was pricked again on a tour of Venice in 2010. I had taken refuge from the crowds in a quiet canal-side cafe. Outside the cafe was an old woman kneeling on the ancient cobbled stones, begging. Steady streams of tourists were walking past her. A lone young back-packer stood away from the throng drinking something, but I noticed he was also observing the woman. A tourist group glanced at the woman and walked on. Another group of tourists arrived and, again, walked past her. The backpacker watched. Then, as I prepared to leave, I stopped at the sight of the backpacker stepping forward and placing some money in the woman's cup. He did this rather ostentatiously , just before the arrival of another tourist group. I watched as the leader of the group stopped and put some money in the cup. Having been shown the way, other tourists followed suit and added more coins to the woman's cup. The young backpacker repeated this process in front of the next tour party going past. Once again, the subtle peer pressure worked on the tourists, who all added coins to the cup. His work done, the young man walked over to the old beggar woman, patted her shoulder and said, "I hope that helps a bit." I don't know if the woman understood his English or realized what had just happened, but I did. I placed some money in the woman's cup and continued my travels, light-hearted after witnessing such an astute act of caring. The author went to a quiet canal-side cafe to _ . A take a rest B watch the woman beggar C get away from the crowds D avoid meeting the beggar Answer: C. get away from the crowds
Fifteen years ago, I entered the Boston Globe, which was a temple to me then. It wasn't easy getting hired. But once you were there, I found, you were in. Globe jobs were for life-guaranteed until retirement. For 15 years I had prospered there--moving from an ordinary reporter to senior editor. I would have a lifetime of security if I stuck with it. Instead, I had made a decision to leave. I entered my boss's office. Would he be angry? I wondered. He had a famous temper. "Matt, we have to have a talk," I began. "I came to the Globe when I was twenty-four. Now I' m forty. There' s a lot I want to do in life. I'm resigning. " "To another paper?" he asked. I reached into my coat pocket, but didn't say anything. I handed him a letter that explained everything. It said that I was leaving to start a new media company. We were at a rare turning point in history. I wanted to be directly engaged in the change. "I' m glad for you," he said, quite out of my expectation. "I just came from a board of directors meeting and it was seventy-five percent discouraging news. Some of that we can deal with. But much of it we can' t," he went on. "I wish you all the luck in the world," he concluded. "And if it doesn't work out, remember, there is always a place here for you." Then I went out of his office, walking through the newsroom for more good-byes. Everybody was saying congratulations. Everybody--even though I'd be risking all the financial security I had carefully built up. Later, I had a final talk with Bill Taylor, chairman and publisher of the Boston Globe. He had turned the Globe into a billion-dollar property. "I' m resigning, Bill," I said. He listened while I gave him the story. He wasn't looking angry either. After a pause, he said, "Golly, I wish I were in your shoes. " If the writer stayed with the Globe _ . A he would be able to realize his lifetime dreams. B he would set up a new media company C he would never be allowed to develop his ambitions D he would never have to worry about his future life Answer: D. he would never have to worry about his future life A farmer sprayed his orange trees with a pesticide to eliminate the insects damaging the trees. Some of the insects survived and produced offspring that were also resistant to the insecticide. Which process is illustrated by the pesticide resistance of the offspring? A natural selection B selective breeding C aerobic respiration D sexual reproduction Answer: A. natural selection In China, many students spend their weekends studying at school or doing homework at home.What are the students doing on weekends in America? Kathy: We're washing people's cars. My friends and I are working together. The money we get is for our school basketball team . Tom: I'm watching an interesting movie with my friend. It's noon. My friend is laughing at something, so now I am laughing , too. We're laughing at the interesting dog in the movie. Tony: I'm with my grandmother in the park. My parents are working today. We're playing and talking. She and I are good friends. She's telling me interesting stories. Kitty: I'm sitting in bed with my notebook computer. It's 11:00 at night. I'm writing letters to my friends. They are in other countries . When I think of them, I'm very happy. What are many Chinese students doing on weekends? A Playing with friends. B Watching TV. C Doing their homework or studying. D Washing cars. Answer: C. Doing their homework or studying. In England a woman fell down a stair. Panic followed--178 persons lost their lives. In Michigan a woman fell ill. There was a call for water. Someone thought it meant fire---71 were killed. In Oklahoma an old man's hair caught fire---36 died. What should you do to be out of danger? 1. As you sit in any crowd, pick out an exit which is not the one where most persons enter and plan to use if necessary. 2. If a rush stairs, do not get into it . Stay still. Let it pass. Then go to the exit you have chosen. 3. Do not cry out. Speak quietly. Act calmly. 4.Do not stop for your hat and coat unless they are at hand. 5. If there is smoke, crouch. The best air is about three feet above the floor. 6. When you are outside the building, stay out. Many dead would be alive if they had not returned for something. 7. When you get out, move far from the door so that others can get out. If you are in a crowd when panic stars, you should _ . A run with the others. B call for help as loudly as you can. C hurry at once to an exit. D stay still until the crowd has passed. Answer: D. stay still until the crowd has passed. In 1995,I returned to Miami Beach High School to speak to the drama class.Afterward I asked the drama teacher if any of my English teachers was still there."Irene Roberts,"he told me,"is in class just down the hall." I was no one special in Miss Roberts' class.I don't remember any one special bit of wisdom she passed on.Yet I cannot forget her respect for language,for ideas and for her students.I realize now,many years later,that she is a selfless teacher.I'd like to say something to her,but I don't want to pull her from a class. The drama teacher brought Miss Roberts into the hallway where stood this 32yearold man she last saw at 18."I'm Mark Medoff,"I told her."You were my 12th grade English teacher in 1981."She raised her head,as if this angle might bring back her memory.And then,though armed with a message I wanted to deliver in some perfect words,I couldn't think up anything more memorable than this,"I want you to know,"I said,"you were important to me." And there in the hallway,this slight and lovely woman,now nearing retirement age,this teacher who didn't remember me,began to weep;she held me in her arms. Remembering this moment,I began to sense that everything I will ever know,everything I will ever pass on to my students,to my children,is an inseparable part of a treasure of our shared wonder and hope that we can,must,make ourselves better. Irene Roberts held me in her arms and through her tears whispered against my cheek,"Thank you."And then,with a quick look into my forgotten face,she disappeared back into her classroom,returned to what she had done thousands of days through all the years of my absence. On reflection,maybe those were,after all,just the right words to say to Irene Roberts.Maybe they are the very words I would like to speak to all those teachers I carry through my life as part of me,the very words I would like spoken to me one day by some returning student,"I want you to know you were important to me." The writer of this passage is most probably _ . A a college student of drama B a 32yearold actor C a high school student D a drama teacher Answer: D. a drama teacher
"If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!" That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better. Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is. When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it. With your skip, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too. You can even feel sounds against your skin. Have you ever wanted to know why some people like very loud music? They must like to feel the sounds of music. All children soon learn "what Don't touch!" means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops,we touch things we might buy, such as food, clothes and so on. To see something well, we have to touch it. The bottoms of our feet can feel things, too. You know this when you walk on warm sand, cool grass or a bad floor. All feel different under your feet. There are ways of learning to see well by feeling. One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them! Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things which you can touch. Their signs say, "Do touch!" There you can feel everything on show. If you want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you'11 really see! Why does it say, "At first, it is not easy to feel these things?" A The things are used by people, too. B People are used to these things. C People know how to use these things. D These things are easy to feel. Answer: B From which part of the plant does a bee get food? A flower B seed C stem D root Answer: A Drawing is a universal language. It was probably our first form of self-expression when we were babies: long before we start writing, we're painting and scribbling , both in order to make sense of the world and because we enjoy it. In the history of human culture, too, painting and image making came before writing or even simple mathematics: 30,000 years ago compared to 5,000. Yet after we leave school most of us never pick up a pencil again--willingly. If asked to draw something, most adults and many older children will shake their heads and say, " Not me! I can't draw. I'm hopeless at it." When you think about it, this is very strange. Drawing involves coordinating the hand and the eye with the pencil. It's a basic skill, no more difficult to learn than other amazing things that humans do, such as hitting a tennis ball over the net or writing our own name. there's no special talent involved. Anybody who can learn to write can learn to draw. So, there you are - no excuse not to get out your pencil, pencil sharpener and rubber and take part in the Big Draw, a nationwide series of free art events taking place all over Britain next October. Everyone's welcome: all you need is a willingness to express yourself through drawing. The Big Draw, now in its fifth year, has already achieved two world records: one for the longest drawing in the world (1km) and the other for the greatest number of people drawing at the same time (7,000). This year, there will be an attempt to create a new Guinness World Record for the longest visitors'book: people will be invited to leave their name and a drawing on a three-kilometer piece of paper. The theme this year is Inside\Outside--People, Structure( ) and Spaces, and other events planned include drawing on a three-kilometer piece of paper. The Big Draw is not about turning the nation into artists, it is about helping people to acquire this universal language of communication. Its greatest achievement next October will be to bring hundreds of thousands of people together to look, imagine, draw and have fun. What is the writer's main purpose in this text? A To call on people to join a cultural event. B To describe the history of drawing. C To advise us to take drawing lessons. D To explain how children develop. Answer: A "Humans should not try to avoid stress any more just as they would not _ food, love or exercise," said Dr. Hans Selye, the first physician to record the effects of stress on the body. While here's one question that continuous stress is harmful, several studies suggest that challenging unexpected and difficult situations can be good for you. In a 2001 study of 158 hospital nurses, those who faced considerable work demands but dealt with the challenge were more likely to say they were in good health. In a study at theprefix = st1 /AcademicCenter, researchers put volunteers through a stressful experience: a timed task that required memorizing a list followed by a short test. Those who did well on the memory test had an increase in levels of immunoglobulin A, which is the body's first line of defense against germs . Stress makes the body produce certain stress hormones. In short bursts these hormones have a positive effect including improved memory function. "They can help nerve cells deal with information and put it into storage," says Dr. Bruce McEwen of Rockefeller University inNew York. But in the long run these hormones can have a harmful effect on the body and brain. "Continued stress is not good for you," says Dr. Bruce," it's the short burst of stress that could be protective." The passage is mainly about_. A how to avoid stress B how to deal with stress effectively C the benefits of manageable stress D the effect of stress hormones on memory Answer: C The story of the day I lost my best friend to a car accident. The day a precious life was taken from us way too soon. It was a bright and Sunny day in November. Thanksgiving had been celebrated only two days before. Since it was a holiday weekend I had been on the phone with Greg the night before many times. His dad didn't want him to come over because of the holiday. I guess he finally wore him down and he called and said, "I can stay". So, my mom, brother, and I went to pick him up. He was always smiling. The complete opposite of my shy self, Greg was always the life of the party. We got two large pizzas that Friday night. I've never known anyone in my entire life who loved to eat more than Greg. That's the way he was though. He was just enjoying life. And if it meant gaining weight or whatever, so be it. He would sit back and put his hands on his belly and just laugh. We (Greg, David, and I) did so many funny things together and had such great times. Things we should have done and things we shouldn't have done, I'll "Never" forget. On Saturday morning Dad took us out for breakfast. We all finished eating and followed my Dad up to the cashier. Greg asked Dad if he could have a candy bar. I looked at Greg shaking my head. He just laughed. After breakfast, Father took us to my Mom's house. When we got out at Mom's house there was no one home. So, one of us grabbed a big wheel and rode it down the steep driveway into the street. Just boys being boys. Greg and I did it several times until the last time. The car hit him on the head, knocking him around 75-- 100 yards. My brother and I both ran screaming just yelling for help and crying. One of the neighbors called 911. I was in shock. That day was forever etched into our memories. It still hurts to think about it. Wishing we could have grown old together. Wondering how it would have been. I'm sure It WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT. Why did the author shake his head hearing Greg's request? A He thought Greg was too impolite to his father. B He wondered why Greg liked eating so much. C He was afraid his father couldn't afford it. D He was sure Greg would put on weight. Answer: B
Can you resist cream cakes? I miss my sugar! I've decided to lose weight and I had to give up cakes. It's difficult because I have a sweet tooth and I love cream cakes. Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that the Burts, a family of five in South East England, lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes . It wasn't easy. To avoid temptation, I don't go to any bakeries, but this family actually owns one, which makes up to 3,000 cakes a week. And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt weak. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy. And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a ton of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you have to taste a recipe to know if it's right. No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more delicious products. I wonder what makes us have a strong desire for sweet food. Anyway, I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." What did the Burts do after hearing the doctor's advice? Answer: Today was not a good day. Everything went wrong. First, I slept late and Mom shouted at me to wake up. When I went to the kitchen for breakfast, there was no cereal. I decided to have some toast instead, but I burned it. I had to eat it anyway because there was no more bread. The juice bottle was empty, so I had a glass of cold water. When I was getting on a bus, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home to get it. Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next. I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on the school work I had missed. After lunch, it was time to give the teacher our homework. I reached into my bag to get it, but it wasn't there. I had left it at home. I was in trouble again. When I got home, I went straight to my room to catch up on my homework. Mom cooked fish for dinner. She knows I don't like fish, but she thinks it is good for her son. How terrible! I hope tomorrow will be better. How many "terrible" things did the boy mention in this story? Answer: Which of the following is the main role of flowers found on most flowering plants? Answer: Jason What I like best is seeing Arsenal win and playing football. If I am feeling sad I will play a football game on my Play Station 2. The best day I have ever had was when I finished first in the 800-metre race at my secondary school. It was a school record, although I didn't know that at the time. My family makes me happy, too. Antonio My little sister makes me sad because she always tells tales on me to my mum. If I am having a bad day, food cheers me up. I like chili con carne and sweet chili crisps. It makes me happy because I want to be big and have lots of energy. Usman I haven't done anything very exciting in my life but one of my best achievements is that I got a good report from my school this year, because last year I got a bad one. People on TV make me laugh, particularly Eddie Murphy. If I am having a bad day I watch Basil Brush. I am good at making other people happy. I just talk and my friends start laughing -- they think I am silly. Ashleigh If I'm having a bad day, knowing that someone is there for me can make me happy. I wouldn't say I'm the best at making other people happy, but I know that just being a good friend to other people is important. The things I like doing are singing, dancing, hanging out with my friends and just being lively and funny. Kinzey The most exciting thing I have ever done in my life was when I went abseiling in Wales. But that was a one-off. The things I do all the time are playing football, watching movies and going places with my friends. I know it sounds bad, but what I find funny is when people hurt themselves. If I am having a bad day and I see someone having a worse day than me, that makes me feel better. _ like playing football. Answer: Doctor Carl was a very busy man. He always worked hard. He often forgot his families' birthdays. Yesterday afternoon he remembered it was his wife's birthday. He loved his wife. He wanted to give her a present. On his way home from hospital, he bought some beautiful flowers in a shop. When doctor Carl got home, he gave his wife the flowers and said, "Happy birthday to you, dear!" "It's April 20th today. I remembered your birthday this year." Mrs. Carl laughed and said, "My birthday was the day before yesterday, but thank you all the same. Better late than never!" Where did he buy some flowers? Answer:
Question: "If you run for more than five minutes at any time, you might need a pair of running shoes." Advises Stephen Pribut, a US sports expert. Running shoes are highly technical footwear. The provide stability while bearing up to three times the wearer's body weight. But it's not easy to find the right pair. Finding the right running shoes is something of an art, or a science and a feel. The science part begins with the shape of the arch of your foot, which anyone can find out at home with this quick experiment: Put your foot in water and place it on a piece of brown paper. If you see a "C" shape on the paper when you remove your foot, you have a rare high arch. If the shape looks more like a rectangle, that means you have flat feet. See something in between? That's a normal arch. Conveniently for shoppers, shoe companies nowadays divide their shoes in three categories: neutral ( for high arches), stability ( for normal or low arches) and motion control (for flat arches). So you'll know which type suits you. At this point, most people would just grab an appealing shoe and try it on, But professionals would do a few quality-control tests. First, you bend the shoe toe to heel to see where it bends. If it's not at the forefoot---where the foot actually be bends, be afraid. Then you grip both ends and twist in opposite directions. If you can twist it like a tower, it means there's zero support. Finally, you squeeze he heel in both directions. A stable heel won't _ . Now you need to check the mold that shapes the inside of the shoe: whether its wide or narrow in the mid-foot, how it sits on the heel and how roomy the toe box is. It's wise to make the shoe purchase in the late afternoon, to allow for any swelling that your feet do throughout the day. Toes also decide sizing choices. The rule is that you need a finger's width from your longest toe (whether that's your big one or not) to the end of the shoe. Why is the late afternoon the ideal time to go shopping for shoes? A. We are likely to be more patient in the afternoon. B. Feet usually become larger late in the day. C. The toes become longer late in the day. D. The arch of our feet will be in best shape in the afternoon. Answer: B. Feet usually become larger late in the day. Question: I am my mother's third girl. When I was born, the doctor gently explained to my mother that my left arm was missing, below the elbow(,). Then he gave her some advice, "Don't treat her any differently from other girls." And she did! There were five girls in our family and we all had to help out. Once when I was about seven, I came out of the kitchen, "Mum, I can't peel potatoes. I only have one hand." "You get back to peel potatoes, and don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!" Of course I could peel potatoes--with my good hand and my other arm. "Jenny, if you try hard enough," she said, "you can do anything." Once in the second grade, our teacher had each of us race across the monkey bar . When it was my turn, I said no. some kids laughed. I went home crying. The next afternoon Mum took me back to the school playground. "Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised. She praised me when I made progress. I'll never forget when I was crossing the bar, the kids were standing there with their mouths open. It was the way with everything. Mum had the courage to face anything. and she taught me I could, too. Who peeled the potatoes at last? A. Jenny. B. Jenny's mum. C. Jenny's sister. D. Nobody. Answer: A. Jenny. Question: Want to save money when traveling by train? Here are some ways. Day Returns This ticket can save you up to 45% on the standard fare. You have to travel after the rush hour period Mon.--Fri . but can travel at any time on Sat. or Sun. Big City Savers These are special low-priced tickets on certain trains. You have to book in advance--at the latest by 16:00 the day before you travel. It's first come, first served. Weekend Returns Weekend Returns are available for most journeys over 60 miles. Go on Fri. Sat. or Sun, and return the same weekend on Sat. or Sun, and save up to 35% on the standard fare. Monthly Returns These are available for most journeys over 65 miles. Go any day and return within a month. Monthly returns save up to 25% on the standard fare. Family Railcard For PS20 this railcard allows you to take a second adult and up to 4 children for only PS3 each when you buy single or return tickets. You can travel as often as you like until the card becomes out of date. Which is the best ticket to buy if you live in London and want to go to a small town 80 miles away for four days? A. Big City Savers B. Monthly Returns C. Weekend Returns D. Day Returns Answer: B. Monthly Returns Question: A new product - the Apple Watch - into the market. Last year, the watch was firstly introduced by Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. The price of the watch is from $349 to $1,099, depending on its size and whether it is a sports or regular one. Apple engineers and designers have put in a lot of thought and hard work into creating this "small screen" on your wrist . The "sensor " on the screen not only finds your finger, but also knows the difference between when you are tapping , and when you are pressing hard er. The watch also has "haptic feedback ". You can s end personal messages to your friend --such as drawing a star or a special sign with your fingers, or tapping the watch, say 3 times, and your friend will receive those taps on their wrist. Besides telling the time, the watch will use 'Bluetooth' to connect with your iPhone and show calls or text messages that come in. According to Tim Cook, the watch may open up a whole new area of applications that we had never thought of. Some car f actories like BMW have developed an app that allows its car owners to open their cars with the watch. A 'Hotels' app may allow you to open the door to your hotel room without worrying about losing the smart-card. And finally, even at the airport--passengers may be able to simply wave their wrist to check into their flight. The biggest use of the watch, however, is as your personal fitness coach. The watch can show your pulse (heartbeat) using a sensor at the bottom of the watch. It also has the same sensor as your iPhone, so it knows when you are moving, and also how much you are walking or running. It will remind you if you have been sitting for too long without taking exercise. We can learn from the passage that the Apple Watch _ . A. is designed by Tim Cook B. was brought into the market last week C. sells at different prices for different colors D. can show your pulse and knows when you are moving. Answer: D. can show your pulse and knows when you are moving. Question: Once there was a rich,beautiful and wise princess.Tired of those who were only interested in her money,she said that she would only marry whoever managed to present her with the most valuable and sincere gift of all. Soon the palace was filled with gifts of every kind.Among all these gifts,she found a simple dirty stone.She wondered who had offered this gift.She pretended to be very angry because of the gift when the young man was brought before her. He explained,"Dear Princess,this stone stands for the most valuable thing one can give---- it is my heart.It is also sincere.And because it is not yet yours,it is as hard as a stone.Only when it is filled with love will it become softer than any other thing." The young man quietly left,leaving the princess surprised.She was so in love that she took the little stone with her wherever she went.And for months she gave the young man gifts and all her attention.But his heart remained as hard as the stone in her hands.Losing hope,she ended up throwing the stone into a fire. Then in the heat of the fire,the stone became a golden figure .Then the princess understood that she herself would have to be like fire. During the following months,she contributed her life, her wisdom and her wealth to her country.And the people started to call her the "Princess of Fire". And,as with the stone,the Princess of Fire melted the hardness of the young man's heart.And, just as he had promised,he became so soft that he made the princess happy till the end of her days. How did the princess feel When she first saw the stone? A. Angry. B. Excited. C. Curious. D. Sad. Answer: C. Curious.
Question: Amsterdam is a city like Venice founded on and around water or waterways. However, unlike Venice, Holland's largest city isn't only a museum. Amsterdam is a real, living and large city. The Dutch capital has clearly come a long way since it was founded. A story goes that two fishermen and a seasick dog first came there. The dog jumped ship to pour out the con- tents of his stomach and the two fishermen became the founders of Amsterdam. The reality of its founding might have something to do with the River Amstel which was built in the 13th century. Settlement developed slowly there and it took its name. Amsterdam is built on numberless canals, which neatly divide the city into easily navigable districts. There seems to be a canal around every corner in Amsterdam. This is not too surprising when you consider that the city is home to 165 canals, which are more than Venice. During the summer, people come together in Vondel park, where locals and tourists alike relax in the. fine weather. Amsterdam might be one of Europe's wettest capitals, but as soon as the clouds are clear and the sun shines, its citizens go out into the streets to sit in cafes, go boating on a canal, or even ride bicycles; the number of bikes in the city is more than double that of the city's population. Amsterdam's winters tend to be cold with plenty of rain, but this seldom seems to stop the tourists from gathering together in the city. Particularly cold winters also offer a good chance for visitors to watch the local people skating across the frozen canals. These days, with plenty of rail, bus and air connections to all over Europe, the Dutch capital is a year-round tourist destination as well as one of the world's key business centers. In winter the tourists in Amsterdam may be advised to _ . A. relax in Vondel park B. go boating on canals C. drink in cafes D. watch people skating Answer: D Question: Fox was hungry. He was very hungry because he had not eaten in 3 days. Bird flew to Fox's home and talked to him. Bird asked Fox why he had not eaten in so long. Fox said it was too cold outside. Bird said "But you have such nice, thick fur!" \tabFox said, "Well I am really too lazy." Bird said he would bring Fox any food he saw when he was flying around and left. \tabBird flew to other side of the forest to visit Tiger, but he did not see any food on the way. Tiger was reading a book about cooking. "Hmm, there are so many delicious foods I have not tried yet." Bird arrived at Tiger's den and said "Hello Tiger, what are you doing?" Tiger said "I am trying to think of what to have for dinner." \tab"How can you choose?" asked Bird. \tab"Why don't we pick a color and eat something that is that color" said Tiger. \tab"How about red?" said Bird. \tab"Yes! Like a fox!" said Tiger. \tab"I know where a fox is!" said Bird, "I'll show you." So Tiger followed Bird all the way across the forest. Finally they arrived outside Fox's home. "Pretend you are asleep and wait right here", said Bird to Tiger. Bird then flew in to Fox's home very happy. "Fox, I have found a big yummy treat for you and you won't ever be hungry again! Follow me outside." Fox followed Bird outside and said "WOW! A whole tiger! Yum!" Then Tiger jumped up and gobbled up Fox in one bite. Fox was now inside Tiger's belly and he yelled out "Bird, you lied to me! Why?!" \tab"Because you ate my sister!" yelled Bird. \tab"That wasn't me, it was Snake!" cried Fox. \tab"Oh. Um, sorry Fox. Well at least you don't have to hunt for food now" said Bird. Tiger laughed so hard that he coughed up Fox. Then they all went and got ice cream. Who did Bird visit after visiting Fox? A. Bird's sister B. Tiger C. Snake D. no one, he went home. Answer: B Question: Once there was a piano player in a bar. People came just to hear him play. But one night, a lady asked him to sing a song. "I don't sing." said the man. But the lady told the waiter, "I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want the player to sing!" The waiter shouted across the room, " Hey, friend! If you want to get paid, sing a song!" So he did. He had never sung in public before. Now he was singing for the very first time! Nobody had ever heard the songMona Lisa sung so beautifully! He had talent he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar. But once he found, by accident, that he could sing well, he went on working hard and became one of the best-known singers in the US. His name was Nat King Cole. You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel that your talent is great, but it may be better than you think. With hard work, most skills skills can be improved. Besides, you may have no success at all if you just sit on your talent. The lady asked the player to sing a song because _ . A. she had paid him for this B. she knew him very well C. she wanted to have a change D. she enjoyed his singsing Answer: C Question: Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do things with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We don't always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend. No two people are the same. Sometimes friends don't get along well, which doesn't mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away, then we feel very sad. We miss them much, but we can call them and write to them. Maybe we would never see them again, and we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them. Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women, if they are friendly to people in a town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places. There's more good news for people, if they have friends. These people live longer than those people if those don't have friends. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares, if someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself. If people have friends, they would live longer, because _ . A. they feel happier and healthier B. they get a lot of help from their friends C. they take better care of themselves D. both A and C Answer: D Question: A creature exhibiting an instinctive behavior may A. use rocks to open shells B. climb trees to reach fruit C. use tools to paint houses D. make trades with other creatures Answer: B
Being less than perfectly well-dressed in a business setting can result in a feeling of great discomfort that may well require treatment to eliminate (remove). And the sad truth is that "clothing mismatches" on the job can ruin the day of the person who is wearing the inappropriate attire --and the people with whom he or she comes in contact. Offices vary when it comes to dress codes. Some businesses have very high standards for their employees and set strict guidelines for office attire, while others maintain a more relaxed attitude. However, it is always important to remember that no matter what your company's attitude is regarding what you wear, you are working in a business environment and you should dress properly. Certain items may be more appropriate for evening wear than for a business meeting, just as shorts and a T-shirt are better suited for the beach than for an office environment. Your attire should reflect both your environment and your position. A senior vice president has a different image to maintain than that of a secretary or sales assistant. Like it or not, you will be judged by your personal appearance. This is never more apparent than on _ , when what you wear can say more about you than any business suit ever could. In fact, people will pay more attention to what you wear on dress-down days than on "business professional" days. Thus, when dressing in "business casual" clothes, try to put some good taste into your wardrobe choices, and recognize that the "real" definition of business casual is to dress just one notch down from what you would normally wear of business-professional attire days. Remember, there are borders between your career and our social life. You should dress one way for play and another way when you mean business. Always ask yourself where you are going and how other people will be dressed when you get there. Is the final destination the opera, the beach, or the office? Dress properly and you will discover the truth in the principle that clothes make the man--and the woman. Unless you are sure what to wear, it pays to dress slightly traditionally than the situation demands. Which of the following is NOT the rule offered in the passage regarding business dress? Remember to ask others for advice when you don't know what to dress. Tendons work with what to move the bodies skeletal system meat Maybe you don't think animals have certain mental powers which human beings do not have. But the truth is that some of them have instincts, and besides this, I am sure they can feel certain things we humans cannot. A personal experience showed me this. Some years ago, I had a dog named Howard. From the time when he was a puppy, he was timid, so we named him Howard, sounding like "coward"! He was especially afraid of thunderstorms. At the first flash of lightning or crash of thunder, he would run whining into his house and hide under a table. I often went for a walk with Howard. Once, as we were walking along a road, it began to rain. I quickly ran to a bus stop for shelter. The bus stop had a roof supported by metal poles. Soon after I had got there, Howard caught my trousers in his teeth and tried to pull me away. At first I was puzzled and a little angry at his behavior. But I decided to humor him and walked away from the shelter into the rain and started to go home. When I was about two hundred metres from the shelter, there came a flash of lightning and soon after, there was thunder which nearly deafened me. Howard stopped walking and began whining. Thinking he was afraid, I bent to pick him up. As I straightened up, I glanced at the bus shelter we had just left. I was shocked to see that two of the poles were bent and the roof was lying on the ground, broken. The shelter had been struck by the bolt of lightning! Which of the following is true according to the passage? Some animals can feel certain things humans cannot. Johnny wakes up early this morning. He is so happy. Today Daddy is taking him to the aquarium. Johnny wants to see blue fish, red fish, yellow fish, and green fish. He also wants to see really big fish. Daddy and Johnny are at the aquarium. "Look!" Johnny says. "There's a big red fish!" The fish swims away. A small yellow fish swims up to the glass and looks at Johnny. "A yellow fish!" says Johnny, "He's tiny." Lots of blue fish swim by behind the yellow fish. "Look at all of those blue fish!" says Johnny. "They stay together." Daddy points at a long fish and says "That one is as big as me!" Johnny laughs. He still wants to find a green fish. He sees a lot of fish, but none of them are green. "Daddy, I can't find a green fish. I want to see a green fish." Daddy laughs. "Let's go to the next window and look." Johnny looks through the next window and sees lots of fish, but none of them are green fish. "I still don't see any green fish," says Johnny. "Look there," Daddy tells him. Johnny sees a green sea turtle! It's a lot bigger than a fish. After looking at all the fish, Daddy and Johnny go home again. Which fish did Johnny see first? the red fish By warranty deed, Marta conveyed Blackacre to Beth and Christine "as joint tenants with right of survivorship." Beth and Christine are not related. Beth conveyed all her interest to Eugenio by warranty deed and subsequently died intestate. Thereafter, Christine conveyed to Darin by warranty deed. There is no applicable statute, and the jurisdiction recognizes the common-law joint tenancy. Title to Blackacre is in Darin and Eugenio. (C) Darin and Eugenio.
Which is most considered a part of the skeletal system? Peter is thirteen years old. He is in Grade Two this year. He likes to play soccer and watch soccer games. And he often reads newspapers. He does his best to know when and where there is going to be a soccer game. Now Peter is having lunch. He is listening to the radio, too. He is very happy because there is going to be a nice soccer game on TV at four this afternoon. He wants to watch it very much. But he is going to have English and Chinese classes. He thinks hard and wants to find a way. "Hello, Mrs. Black," Peter says to his teacher on the telephone, "Peter is ill in bed. He wants to ask for half a day's leave ( )." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." says Mrs. Black, "But who's that?" "It's my father, Mrs. Black." Peter often reads newspaper because _ . The Petit Appetit Cookbook List Price: $35.00 Price: $23.10 You save: $11.90(34% off) Product Description: Fresh, healthy meals that give little mouths something to smile about...In the Petit Appetit Cookbook, mother and professional cook Lisa Barnes offers healthy foods to help create delicious menus and bagin a lifetime of proper eating habits for babies and very young children. Everyday Raw Express (Paperback) List Price: $19.99 Price: $13.57 You Save: $6.42(32% off) Product Description: Many people love eating raw food, but often the recipes take hours or even a period of several days to prepare. Everyday Raw Express offers delicious soups and smoothies, pastas and desserts, all prepared in 30 minutes or less. If You Give a Dog a Donut (Hardcover) Reading Level: Ages 4--8 List Price: $16.99 Price: $10.10 You Save: $6.80(40% off) Product Description: If you give a dog a donut, he'll ask for some apple juice to go with it. When you give him the juice, he'll drink it all up. 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Helen, a busy professor, wants to buy her 10-year-old son, Jim, a book, and get herself a cookbook, how much will she save? Rene Descartes' explanation of pain has long been acknowledged in medicine. He proposed that pain is a purely physical phenomenon - that tissue injury makes specific nerves send a signal to the brain, causing the mind to notice pain. The phenomenon, he said, is like pulling on a rope to ring a bell in the brain. It is hard to overstate how deeply fixed this account has become. In medicine, doctors see pain in Descartes' terms-- as a physical process, a sign of tissue injury. The limitations of this explanation, however, have been apparent for some time, since people with obvious injuries sometimes report feeling no pain at all. Later, researchers proposed that Descartes' model be replaced with what they called the gate control theory of pain. They argued that before pain signals reach the brain, they must first go through a gating mechanism in the spinal cord . In some cases, this imaginary gate could simply stop pain signals from getting to the brain. Their most _ suggestion was that what controlled the gate was not just signals from sensory nerves but also emotions and other "output" from the brain. They were saying that pulling on the rope need not make the bell ring. The bell itself--the mind-- could stop it. This theory led to a great deal of research into how such factors as mood, gender, and beliefs influence the experience of pain. In a British study, for example, researchers measured pain threshold and tolerance levels in 53 ballet dancers and 53 university students by using a common measurement: after immersing your hand in body-temperature water for two minutes to establish a baseline condition, you put your hand in a bowl of ice water and start a clock running. You mark the time when it begins to hurt: that is your pain threshold. Then you mark the time when it hurts too much to keep your hand in the water: that is your pain tolerance. The test is always stopped at 120 seconds, to prevent injury. The results were striking. On average female students reported pain at 16 seconds and pulled their hands out of the ice water at 37 seconds. Female dancers were almost three times as long on both counts. Men in both groups had a higher threshold and tolerance for pain, but the difference between male dancers and male nondancers was nearly as large. What explains that difference? Probably it has something to do with the psychology of ballet dancers--a group known for self-discipline, physical fitness, and competitiveness, as well as by a high rate of chronic injury. Their driven personalities and competitive culture evidently accustom them to pain. Other studies along these lines have shown that outgoing people have greater pain tolerance and that, with training, one can reduce one's sensitivity to pain. There is also striking evidence that very simple kinds of mental suggestion can have powerful effects on pain. In one study of 500 patients undergoing dental procedures, those who were given a placebo injection and promised that it would relieve their pain had the least discomfort-- not only less than the patients who got a placebo and were told nothing but also less than the patients who got actual drug without any promise that it would work. Today it is abundantly evident that the brain is actively involved in the experience of pain and is no more bell on a string. Today every medical textbook teaches the gate control theory as fact. There's a problem with it, though. It explains people who have injuries but feel no pain, but it doesn't explain the reverse, which is far more common-- the millions of people who experience chronic pain, such as back pain, with no signs of injury whatsoever. So where does the pain come from? _ . The last sentence of the passage serves mainly to express that _ A learned characteristic could be
The Internet began in the 1960s as a small network of academic and government computers primarily involved in research for the prefix = st1 /U.S.army. Originally limited to researchers at a handful of universities and government departments, the Internet has quickly become a worldwide network providing users with information on a range of subjects and allowing them to purchase goods directly from companies via computer. By 1999, 84 millionU.S.citizens had access to the Internet at home or work. More and more Americans arc paying bills, shopping, ordering airline tickets, and purchasing stocks via computer over the Internet. Internet banking is also becoming increasingly popular. With lower overhead costs in terms of staffing and office space, Internet banks are able to offer higher interest rates on deposits and charge lower rates on loans than traditional banks. "Brick and mortar" banks are increasingly offering online banking services via some special websites to enlarge their traditional services. At present, 14 percent of Internet households conduct their banking by means of the Internet, and the figure is expected to double during the next two or three years. Increasing commercial use of the Internet has heightened security and privacy concerns. With a credit card, an Internet user can order almost anything from an Internet site and have it delivered to their home or office. Companies doing business over the Internet need many security measures to protect credit card, bank account, and social security numbers from unauthorized access as they pass across the Internet. Any organization that connects its networks to the global Internet must carefully control the access point to ensure that out-siders cannot disturb the organization's internal networks or gain unauthorized access to the organization's computer systems and data. According to the text, Internet banking _ . Answer: It helps us understand the world better if we know a little geography and have some maps at hand. But with maps in Chinese only, misunderstanding is possible in studying world events. Chinese names are long, hard to pronounce and without meaning to a foreigner. For the opening of the country maps are important and helpful and needed badly. I wish maps various languages, such as those used in the United Nations, would come out and be sold in all bookstores open to Chinese. According to the passage maps in foreign language are badly needed _ . Answer: Do you like traveling? How can you make your trip interesting? Here's some advice. Read! Before you leave, you should find some information about the place, such as its geography, history and people. You can introduce that place better by reading. Take photos! If you want to take some photos, remember to choose the most special sights. Don't choose the sight you can see in other places. For example, Qingdao and Ningbo are _ cities, so don't only take photos of the sea. You should take photos of something else, too. Taste! You'd better taste some specials in the area. Food in some places is very delicious. So why not taste it? Maybe you have just one chance to taste it in your life. Write! When you visit a place, you should take a pen and a notebook, so you can write down what you see and what you think during the trip. How many pieces of advice about traveling are mentioned in the passage? Answer: While others look away from trouble, this lady digs in and gets to work. Gretchen Buchenholz, the native New Yorker and mother of six, has worked on behalf of needy and margin1alized families for years in the city. She does everything from buy groceries for homeless families to start schools for children. In 1974 she founded Merricat's Castle, a nursery school that opened its doors to kids of all racial and economic backgrounds, the able-bodied as well as those with disabilities or terminal illnesses. She founded the Association to Benefit Children (ABC), the nonprofit group, some 20 years ago. The story of how she started ABC is pretty amazing. In 1984 she was on her way to a government office to get a day-care permit when, by accident, she entered a room where homeless families were waiting to be placed in a " welfare hotel." She saw three bare cribs with babies lying in them. The children wore no diapers (their parents couldn't afford them), and the room was filthy . After talking to the parents and learning that they and their children were hungry, Gretchen marched out and bought bread, peanut butter, apple juice and diapers. Then she started making phone calls. She dialed the American Red Cross, City Hall and The New York Times. Gretchen has made many people see that we need to recognize these children are not different from our own, and we need to join in and help. Too often, people look away from suffering. But she sets us an example that we should gain strength to do something about it. The children wore no diapers because _ . Answer: While most of us are happy to take the credit when things go well, few of us are willing to take the blame when things go wrong. Rather than trying to hide our shame or embarrassment, experts found that we are simply less aware when our actions result in a negative outcome. The research may explain why we often feel it hard to take the blame for our actions. "Our result suggests that people may really experience less responsibility for negative than for positive outcomes," said Patrick Haggard, leading researcher and professor of the institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. In a series of tests, participants were asked to press a key. A sound then followed, either disapproving, neutral or approving, and they were then asked to estimate the time between the action and when they had heard the sound. Researchers found that individuals experienced different levels of responsibility depending on the outcomes. They also discovered they were significantly slower to recognize if their actions had resulted in a bad consequence, compared to when they had done well. "Effectively, we have found that we experience a negative outcome differently, not just retell it differently. We make a weaker connection when there is a bad result. And respond much more strongly when something good happens," said Professor Haggard. When something goes right, everyone wants to take the credit, and when things go wrong, nobody is interested in putting their hands up. The researchers said our brain is "very much concerned" with reward, as good results are key to survival. Although our own perception of whether we are guilty of something or not is changed by the outcomes, this does not provide a defense if we have done something wrong. "Our experience of our own responsibilities can be misleading and can be strongly colored by the outcomes of our actions," said Professor Haggard. "We have to take responsibility for what we actually do, not just for how we experience things." According to the passage, a person who is concerned with reward is _ . Answer:
New York is the biggest city of the USA. A long time ago, it was called Lenapehoking. In 1626, Dutch people bought the land for only $24! They called it New Amsterdam. Then in 1664, the British took it over and changed the name to New York. New York had an excellent harbour . Many people from all over the world came by sea and landed in New York. These people wanted a better life. New York seemed to give them that. By 1835, New York became the largest city in the United States. New York City used to have five smaller towns but now they are all part of the same city. They are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Today, New York is home to millions of people from all over the world. These different cultures make New York an exciting place to visit. There's much to do in New York. You can take a helicopter riding through the city, ride horses in Central Park, see a movie in the afternoon and watch the sunset over the Brooklyn Bridge. Don't worry if you get hungry. Some restaurants are open 24 hours a day! The writer suggests that the tourists watch the sunset in _ . Answer: The manager and staff are happy to welcome you and will do all they can to make your stay an enjoyable one. MEAL TIMES Our overnight charge includes a continental-type breakfast. Breakfast: 7:30--9:30 a.m. Lunch: 12:00--2:00 p.m. Afternoon tea: 4:00--5:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:00--9:15 p.m. Meals can be served in rooms at a small extra charge. We regret that meals can not be served outside these times. Light refreshments including tea, coffee, biscuits and sandwiches can be served in rooms between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. except during the meal times listed above. Cold drinks are available in the room refrigerator. ROOM CLEANING Please hang the sign on your door handle if you do not wish to be disturbed. It will be easier for the maids if you can leave the room temporarily at any time between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. VALUABLES We are not responsible for the loss of money, jewels, or other valuables unless they are kept in the safe and signed for by the manager. DEPARTURES Please inform receptionists of your intended leaving before 9:30 a.m. of the day concerned and leave the room by noon to allow for its preparation for incoming guests. If necessary, luggage can be left in the charge of the hall porter . A SPECIAL REQUEST We would respectfully suggest that in consideration of the comfort of other guests, the volume of radios and televisions should be turned down after 11:00 p.m. Meals can be served _ . Answer: Professor Smith recently persuaded 35 people, 23 of them women, to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for a fortnight. When he came to analyse their embarrassing lapses ( ) in a scientific report, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groupings, nor did the lapses appear to be entirely random . One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. "the explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer," explains the professor. "People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman's custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. But somehow the action got reversed in the programme," About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these "programme assembly failures," Altogether the volunteers logged 433 unintentional actions that they found themselves doing -- an average of twelve each, There appear to be peak periods in the day when we are at our zaniest . These are two hours some time between eight a.m. and noon, between four and six p.m. with a smaller peak between eight and ten p.m. "Among men the peak seems to be when a changeover in brain 'programmes' occurs, for instance between going to and from work." Women on average reported slightly more lapses- 12.5 compared with 10.9 for men probably because they were more reliable reporters. A startling finding of the research is that the absent-minded activity is a hazar of doing things in which we are skilled. Normally, you would expect that skill reduces the number of errors we make. But trying to avoid silly lapses by concentrating more could make things a lot worse or even dangerous. Programme assembly failures (Line 6, Para. 2) refers to the phenomenon that people_. Answer: Parents fear they are putting too much pressure on their daughters to reach their academic potential, the president of a girls' school body has said. Incoming Girls School Association head Jill Berry said parents were worried about achieving a balance between school achievement and happiness. Mrs. Berry also said that girls could put themselves under a lot of pressure. A poll of 1000 parents surveyed for the association said their top concern was their daughter's education. Girls tend to outperform boys in all stages of their education, and this can lead schools to assume all girls will do well. Mrs. Berry said, "There is no doubt that many mothers and fathers are worried about getting the balance right between their daughters realizing their academic potential while at the same time being happy and safe." Mrs. Berry said in her experience girls had very high expectations of themselves. "That's a positive thing and we want them to aim high. But sometimes we do find a girl is being unrealistic in her aspirations or putting herself under unreasonable pressure. It's not necessarily pushy parents--it can come from the girls themselves." But parents, too, wanted support to get the balance right between caring and being involved in their children's lives and not being "helicopter parents", she added. Women could be perfectionists and it was important to encourage girls to listen to their body, which could give warning signs of too much stress, she added. "Bright motivated high achieving girls with high expectations of themselves are more susceptible to eating disorders," Mrs. Berry said, "But girls' schools are usually very good at dealing with these things." It was a teacher's job to help girls "to have it all", but to help them deal with inevitable disappointments as well, she said. Helicopter parents are those who _ . Answer: "It's So Good" in French, was one of Eartha Mae Kitt's first hit songs. But her childhood wasn't so good. She was born into a poor family in South Carolina in nineteen twenty-seven. When Eartha was eight, her mother remarried. Her stepfather did not like her so she was sent to New York City to live with an aunt, who helped pay for her piano and dance lessons. Eartha Kitt worked in a factory as a young teenager. But she kept up her dance lessons. One day she tried out for a famous African-American dance company. Soon, Eartha was performing in shows around the world with the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe. In Paris, Eartha left the dance company to sing in a nightclub. Her voice was very attracting. She learned French quickly and gained French fans. Soon the film director Orson Welles discovered Eartha Kitt singing in Paris. Welles asked her to play a lead part in a play he was directing. The play made her find her acting talent for the first time. After that Eartha Kitt returned to New York and appeared in the Broadway show with "Monotonous", a song about a bored woman, and it became famous. She soon signed with a record company. Then Eartha Kitt acted her first role in a film in nineteen fifty-seven in "Mark of the Hawk". Kitt was very careful about choosing her roles in films. She refused parts that were not respectful to black people. In nineteen sixty-seven, Eartha Kitt got the part of Catwoman on the popular television series "Batman". Fans loved the special way she said her "r"s to create a sound like a cat, which made her an unforgettable Catwoman. She was strongly against the Vietnam War and in nineteen sixty-eight she became blacklisted in America. For about ten years, she could only find work in other countries. But that brought her a greater international achievement. What did Eartha Kitt do when she first performed around the world? _ . Answer:
There's no need to say it, but there are really more than a few benefits to educational tours. From the word itself, an educational tour is something done to gain knowledge while traveling and touring to some place. It creates opportunities for people to think out of the box and see things and places that aren't usually seen in their normal environment. Educational trips aren't always those that cover far distances. As already said, it is done to gain knowledge and you wouldn't need to go very far to have it. Sometimes, an educational trip could be in your hometown. Historic places and museums are always on top of the lists of the places to go in an educational tour. Educational tours like these would make you know your country better. Your country's history is rich and it is the reason why you came. But remember that the history of other states, counties and countries are as important as your own. When you go on a trip to another country, it is likely that you learn their culture first. Different cultures have different understanding and perspective of different acts, and it could be dangerous or offending if you cannot understand a culture. When you go on an educational tour, it is likely that you would have the opportunity to socialize with other people. Students are encouraged to talk to locals and natives and learn from them, because it is with understanding that students gain knowledge. When students talk with local people, they are gaining insights to their life and their culture. It is said that when in Rome, act and think as the Romans do, and this is a valuable skill that not all people could do. There are millions of people who want to travel, and an educational tour is the perfect time to do so. Traveling opens new doors and opportunities; it always makes you want to learn more. Cultures are many and widely different, and it is a very valuable talent to understand the people of different cultures. Traveling with groups of other students is safer than traveling alone, and bulk travels like those could also be helpful on the budget. Group of friends could stay at one place and get discounts on the place that you wouldn't get if you are traveling alone. Traveling is fun and more budget-friendly when with other people on an educational tour. Travel abroad for a month, try and see if you wouldn't miss your own country. Traveling would let you see your own country in a different way. The benefits of an educational tour are all important, but this one creates patriotism in a person. A school isn't a place where they teach you to find the answers; it is a place where one teaches you to find the questions and learn the answers for yourself. Educational tours are valuable this way. They teach you that you are not the only one seeking for questions and that there are other people who are willing to help you on your way too. Which statement is correct according to the passage? Answer: Read the suggestions for making an English speech. a. Looking at and talking to one person in the audience helps keep you natural, but it feels foolish talking to only one person. Speak to that person as long as 15 seconds and then change another one. b. The audience have a hard time understanding what they hear. They need your help. Slow down, pause and guide the audience through your talk. Remember that you should help the audience understand what you are saying. c. Make your voice a little lower than normal. Listeners like to listen to a relatively deep voice. d. When you talk, try to be as natural as possible. Don't try to memorize your words and read or recite them to your audience. You can use short notes to help you remember the important points. e. You should know you and most of the people you talk to are different in many ways. Some of them may not know what you are talking about. Then speak to them on their terms and in their languages. f. Concentrate on what you want to say. If you are always paying attention to gestures ,you will feel uncomfortable. g. It's true that there are some differences between American English and British English, but they'll not cause much difficulty for listeners, so just speak the way you're used to. Choose a suggestion for each of the following students according to their problems. Amy: When I am talking, I can't help waving my hands, for I think it can help me express what I want to say better. But my classmates say I look funny and foolish by doing this. Answer: Last year, two days after Christmas, we kicked China out of the house. Not the country obviously, but bits of plastic, metal, and wood with the words "Made in China". We kept what we already had, but stopped bringing any more in. because it had coated our lives with toys, and useless stuff. Sometimes I worried about jobs sent overseas, but price triumphed over virtue at our house. We couldn't resist what China was selling. But on that dark Monday last year, an unease feeling washed over me as I sat on the sofa. It wasn't until then that I noticed a fact: China was taking over the place. It stared back at me from the empty screen of the television. I spied it in the pile of tennis shoes by the door. It glowed in the lights on the Christmas tree and watched me in the eyes of a doll lying on the floor, I slipped off the couch and sorted gifts into two piles: China and non-China. The count came to China, 25, the world, 14. Christmas, I realized, had become a holiday made by the Chinese. Suddenly I wanted China out. I persuaded my husband, and on Jan. 1 st, we started a-year-long household embargo on Chinese imports. The idea wasn't to punish China. And we didn't fool ourselves into thinking because we wanted to measure how far it had pushed in. We wanted to know what it would take in time, money, and worry to kick our China habit! In the spring, our 4-year-old son started a campaign to support "China things". "It's too long without China," he cried. He kept at me all day. I have discovered for myself that China doesn't control every aspect of our daily lives, but if you take a close look at the underside of boxes in the toy department, I promise it will give you pause. "When we can buy China things again? Let's never stop." My son said. After a year without China I can tell you this: You can still live without it, but it's getting costlier by the day. And a decade from now I may not be brave enough to try it again. The writer's purpose in writing this passage is _ . Answer: A drain cleaner consists of sodium hydroxide and aluminum. When the drain cleaner is added to water, bubbles of hydrogen are produced, and the solution becomes very hot. Which of these best describes what happens to form the bubbles when the cleaner is added to water? F Answer: I'm sure many of you have seen Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Multiplicity, or many of the other movies that describe cloning. Most of what you see in these movies is false. What you don't know is that cloning could be dangerous, to the clone and to our society as a whole. I think human cloning is wrong mainly for four reasons. What about identity? Humans are promised the right to their own personalities. What would happen if we ignore those rights by giving them someone else's genetic identity? True, Cloning may prevent people from possessing their identities. Also, these is a large power struggle here. Cloning means a degree of power and controls over another person's physical identity and that ignores their rights and their only personalities. The person doing the cloning would have more power than any parent would have. Cloning would also deal with killing embryos . You might not have known, but Dolly, the sheep that was cloned in 1996, was one of over 200 sheep embryos and hers was the only embryo that survived. The rest died or were thrown away. Imagine if the failure rate was that high when we started to clone humans. cloning means running the risk of wasting too much effort Cloning someone, at this present time, would be extremely dangerous to the birth mother and the clone. In studies done on cows, 4 out of 12 birth mothers died. There is a very high failure rate, which is shown in the cloning of Dolly. Even if you had a few good embryos, failures have been noticeable in animal tests. So, should we work ahead in the world of cloning? I say no. the risks are greater than the benefits. It's dangerous to the clone and to the birth mother. We would be killing human lives in the process. It would also be a violation of the clone's right to its own genetic identity and personality. According to Paragraph 4 ,which is right ? _ . Answer:
Tom likes to talk much but his father doesn't want him to speak when they have their meals.One day,when they have supper,Tom wants to say something,but he doesn't say.His father sees it and asks him,"Well,my boy.What's it?""Are flies good to eat,Father?"asks Tom."No,"says his father,"Why do you ask that?""You have one on your food and you have swallowed it." How many flies does Tom's father have? One. How does the appearance of a constellation change during the night? Its position appears to shift relative to the horizon. The managing editor is usually the person in charge of the day-to-day editorial process of a newspaper. He or she makes sure that the newspaper comes out on time each day and that costs are kept within a budget. He or she is usually responsible for hiring and firing newsroom staff, and serves as the spokesperson for the newspaper. The managing editor may also be involved in story, photo and graphics selection, assignments, laying out pages, and editing copy and writing headlines. The news editor is in charge of the news pages of the newspaper. He or she makes decisions on which stories are used and which are not. The news editor and his or her assistants also lay out pages of the paper. The copy editor edits wire and local stories and writes headlines. The copy editor is often the last person to see a story before it actually appears in print. The city editor makes sure that the news in the city is covered and that as many local stories as possible get into each edition. The city editor monitors the local general assignment, beat and specialty reporters. The state editor supervises reporters who cover communities and areas outside the city but still within the circulation area of the newspaper. The national editor _ reporters in bureaus in cities outside the circulation area of the newspaper. Most newspapers rely on the wire services for national news, but some have correspondents who work in other cities and report to the national editor. The national news is mostly sent to the national editor by all of the following ways EXCEPT _ . by letter So far, educationists have still failed to design anything more efficient and reliable than examinations. Some people say examinations test what you know. 71 . They may be a good means of testing memory, or the skills of working rapidly under extreme pressure, but they can tell you nothing about a person's true ability and talent. Educationists, of course, should take the responsibility to face the challenge and come up with wise solutions. The answer is ly yes. There are many TV programs about Chinese dishes, but few are Like A Bite Of China . The seven-part documentary tell us food in different places in China. The different kinds of food on TV are from 60 places. You can see many kinds of food and they can _ your eyes and stomach. And you also learn how to make the food . That's why the program becomes so popular. However, the program is not only about food. There are many different stories between food and people. To know good stories, workers of the film spent three months doing the research and nine months filming. Liu Wen, one of the workers, says the story also shows the social transportations . "The program is like a window, it makes the world know more about China. And it helps people around the world not only enjoy Chinese dishes, but also learn Chinese culture." How long did the workers spend finishing the whole program? a year

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