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Question: Being safe in your everyday life needs knowledge. you remember the following information,your life will be much safer. * Always notice the environment around you. You shouldn't walk alone outside late at night. Make sure where the public phones are. If anything dangerous happens,you can find them easily. Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body instead of putting it on your back. When a bus is full of people,it is easy enough for a thief to take away the things in the bag on your back. If you are followed by someone you don't know, cross the street and go to the other way, let the person understand that you know he or she is after you. Next,don't go home at once. You are safer in the street than you are alone in your home or in a lift. *If you have to take a bus to a place far away, try to get to the stop a few minutes earlier before the bus leaves. On the bus,don't sit alone. Sit behind the driver or other people. Don't sleep. Which of the following is NOT safe when you are out? A. Go home alone late at night. B. Make sure where the public phones are. C. Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body. D. Always notice the environment around you. Answer: A. Go home alone late at night. Question: Born in 1982 in Australia, Nick came into the world with neither arms nor legs. Through his childhood Nick dealt with the challenges of studies as well as sadness as he was questioned why he was different from all the other kids. But soon he realized that even with them, he was still unlike his classmates. As Nick grew up he learnt to do more and more things on his own. He adapted to his situation and found ways to finish tasks that most people could only do by using their arms. As time went by Nick began to _ his situation and achieve greater things. In grade seven Nick was elected captain of his school and worked on various fund-raising events for local charities. After school Nick went on with further study and get a double bachelor degree . By the age of 19 Nick started to fulfil his dream of being able to encourage other people through motivational speaking and telling his story. Nick believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we meet in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles can be the single most effective factor in overcoming them. At 25 years old he moved to California, USA, where he is the president of an international organization.Since his first motivational speaking when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world,sharing his story with millions of people. Nick`s story shows his belief that _ . A. attitude is everything B. nothing is impossible C. no pains ,no gains D. good beginning is half done Answer: A. attitude is everything Question: Mother Teresa, whose name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, was born on August 26th, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. She always wrote her birthday as 27th of August because it was the day of her baptism , which was always more important to her than her birthday. For her work with the poor around the world, she received the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. In 1928, she accepted a religious order and took the name Teresa. The order immediately sent her to India. A few years later, she began teaching in Calcutta. In 1948 the Catholic Church agreed her request and let her enter the convent and she began to work for the poor people. She became an Indian citizen in the following year. In 1950, she set up a religious organization in Calcutta. The organization provided food for the poor people and then she set up hospitals, schools, youth centers, and homes for the sick and the dying poor. It now has branches in 50 Indian cities and 30 other countries. Besides the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa has received other awards for her work with the poor people. On September 5th, 1997, Mother Teresa passed away, but she will continue to inspire people all over the world through her lasting present of love and faith. Mother Teresa often reminded the world that she was a nun , not a social worker, and that prayer and communication with God were at the deepest heart of her every action. Why does the author say "She will continue to inspire people all over the world"? A. She was good at praying and communicating with God. B. She was not a social worker but a loyal nun for all people. C. She received the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize and other awards. D. Her love to the poor and faith will be kept in people's hearts. Answer: D. Her love to the poor and faith will be kept in people's hearts. Question: There is no place like home--as long as it is far enough away, it seems. Britain has become a nation of nomads ,with nearly half of us living more than 100 miles from the town or village where we grew up, research shows. The trend is being fuelled by the Internet, better communications and property wealth. People who move away fit into four separate categories--Sheep, Hens, Cows or Pigs. Sheep are people who change home for economic and emotional peace. Hens are home and environment care-seekers. Cows are career or work shifters, while pigs are people caught up in grand parental support. It is far from the common believed idea of Coronation Streets, where close-knit generations of the same family live within a few streets of each other throughout their lives. Less. Than 20 percent of people now live in the town where they were born. Instead, young adults move away to find work, get married or seek adventure. Many use the Internet to work from a home which need not be within easy traveling distance of their workplace. Also joining the moving crowd are older people who either move to be near grandchildren or retire to new homes. One in ten of those who do make away makes a complete break, and now lives 500 miles or more from where they grew up. Women are likely to leave as men, a sign of independence that would not have excited in the 1950s and 60s. People in the North-East, North-West, Yorkshire and prefix = st1 /Scotlandare the most likely to live in the community where they were born, the study found. According to the research in the passage, British people tend to _ . A. become more independent whenever they graduate or grow up B. live or work far away from where they were born or grew up C. live near their own homes D. become more close to each other Answer: B. live or work far away from where they were born or grew up Question: Sweetest Day in America is always the third Saturday in October. This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities). It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country. Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged, and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed. Over 60 years ago, a man in Cleveland, believing that the city's orphans and shutins too often felt forgotten and neglected, thought of the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this through the distribution of small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to participate in the celebration ceremony, which came to be called "Sweetest Day". In time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small remembrance. And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country. Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious affection or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of giftgiving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a practical way. Sweetest Day was intended to remember _ . A. the young and disabled B. friends and relatives C. orphans and shutins D. the sick and aged Answer: C. orphans and shutins
Every student in America likes popular music. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music as they drive on the street. Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, the life of American people. Most of the radio programmes are music. Pop music singers make much money. Once the popular singer is famous all over the country, young people buy his or her tapes . Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. There are other kinds of music. They are important to Americans. One is folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is western or country music. This kind of songs started by cowboys watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl we call western or country music. How many kinds of music are mentioned in the passage? A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5 Answer: B. 3 "Benjamin Franklin," Walter Isaacson tells us at the beginning of his long (but never boring) new biography, "is the founding father who winks at us." By that, Isaacson explains, he means Franklin is the most human--and most modern--of the men who shaped the American republic. We admire Washington, Jefferson and Adams, but they remain creatures of the 18th century. The man we encounter in "Benjamin Franklin"--funny, pragmatic and selfaware -- seems like one of us, or at least someone we'd like to be. Unlike Washington's cherry tree, Franklin's kite was real. His experiments with electricity made him one of the great scientists of his day. He was a middleclass businessman whose success as a printer and a journalist allowed him to retire at 42--and he devoted the rest of his life to his country. He was diplomat who persuaded the French to back the American Revolution and the author of the first great American autobiography. He was an excellent swimmer. There was almost nothing he couldn't do well, except write poetry. But what truly distinguished Franklin was his talent of being great and human at the same time. He owned slaves as a younger man, but in his last years became an abolitionist .When he fathered an illegitimate son, he acknowledged his fatherhood and took the responsibility of raising the boy. He seems strange today in the joy he took in compiling and creating all those self- improvement _ he published in Poor Richard's Almanac -- "early to bed, early to rise" and so on. Generations of lazy boys could have been happier without that. But he was no hypocrite . Isaacson tells us Franklin practiced what he preached, and often laughed at _ while he did so. By a happy accident, this is the second excellent biography of Franklin to appear in two years, after Edmund S.Morgan's inspiring "Benjamin Franklin." What type of literature does this passage belong to? A. Research paper. B. Book review. C. Biography. D. Short story. Answer: B. Book review. A tortoise died many years ago, but it is easy to tell that what was left behind was from a tortoise because in the rock there are A. muscles B. skeletal system C. organs D. candy pieces Answer: B. skeletal system While you're in Shanghai, please come and take a walk round some of our interesting places. Shanghai Museum You must see this beautifully designed museum. It is a wonderful place to study Chinese art and history. There are ancient treasures, fantastic Chinese sculptures, paintings from all ages and many other things for you to enjoy. Pay to enter. Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.(9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Saturday) Yu Gardens These famous Ming gardens are often rather crowded. Don't forget to try their delicious snacks. Pay to enter. Open 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Lu Xun's Museum This is a great place for book-lovers. There are photographs of the famous writer, some of his books written by hand and many letters. A very interesting place for a few hours. Very cheap. Open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Shanghai Natural History Museum Everything is about the natural world and science. You can study dinosaurs, hundreds of animals, plants, rocks and more, and see many unusual exhibition. Very cheap. Open 9:00 am -5:00 pm. Shanghai Art Museum An interesting building, once used as a race club and library. Drop in and see the latest exhibition. There are shows by painters from all over the country. The museum also encourages research into art. Pay to enter. Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Which place is open the shortest every day? A. Shanghai Museum. B. Lu Xun's Museum. C. Shanghai Art Museum. D. Yu Gardens. Answer: B. Lu Xun's Museum. This is a song, and millions of Americans will hear it on New Year's Eve. It is called "Auld Lang Syne" (<<>> ). It is the traditional music played during New Year's celebration. "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends. The words "auld lang syne" mean "old long since". No one knows who wrote the poem first. However, a version by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared in a song book three years later. The song is played in the United States mainly on New Year's Eve. The version you are hearing today is by the Washington Saxophone Quartet. One of the 4 musicians in the group is VOA's Rich Kainfaite. As we end our programme with "Auld Lang Syne",I would like to wish all of our radio friends a very happy New Year! This is Buddy Thomas. When did the words and music of "Auld Lang Syne" we know today first appear? A. In1790. B. In 1793. C. In 1796. D. In 1799. Answer: D. In 1799.
In 490 B.C. the Greek messenger, Pheidippides , ran about 40 kilometers from the town of "Marathon"to Athens to announce the victory of Athens over Macedon . Since then ,the 42-kilometer "Marathon"race has become a great test for athletes. However, for many years , only men were allowed to run this race , because the distance was said to be unbearable for women. In 1966, an American women named Roberta Gibb proved that idea wrong. Gibb had always enjoyed running .One day in 1964 , she saw the Boston Marathon happening as she was running in the woods. Since running meant a lot to her, she began training harder , hoping to join the marathon some day. Gibb finally applied to run in the 1966 Boston Marathon, but she was not given entrance because the Boston Marathon Association considered that women were not strong enough to run 42 kilometers . Yet, this was no obstacle to Gibb, for she knew she had the physical and mental strength to complete the race .On the day the 1966 Boston Marathon was held , Gibb hid in the bushes and jumped into the race when it began. She finished the race in 3 hours and 21 minutes, defeating two thirds of the men in the race and proving that women could run the marathon. Although what Gibb did was only to realize her dream, in doing so she showed the world that women could accomplish greater things than many people believed they could. What did Roberta Gibb do to prepare herself for the Boston Marathon ? She trained herself harder than before. A new book written by a Chinese American on her super-strict parenting - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" has raised fierce debates in the US. Amy Chua is a Yale Law School professor and the mother of two teenage girls. She is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. In the Chinese culture, the tighter represents strength and power. In her book, Ms. Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. Chua writes that her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to go on a date, be in a school play, watch TV or play computer games. They couldn't choose their own after-class activities or get any grade less than an A. They had to play piano or violin - and no other musical instruments. She writes that if a Chinese child gets a B - which she says "would never happen" - there would be "a screaming, hair-tearing explosion." She describes making her 7-year-old daughter play a piano piece perfectly - yelling and not letting her leave the bench even to use the bathroom - until it was. Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters. Stacy Debroff, who has written four books on parenting, says Amy Chua's parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children. But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacy Debroff advises parents not to just repeat the way they were raised. Alison Lo, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Washington's Bothell campus, said. "I don't think Amy is advocating a best practice of parenting style, or that success and achievements are critical yardsticks of a good life. But I can imagine how strong her daughters' college applications are going to be. For many parents whose dreams are seeing their kids graduating from a competitive university, Amy is sharing with the readers that it is achievable by persistent, dedicated parental guidance," Lo said. "In that sense, a young adult's giftedness can be born, or made." What are Sophia and Louisa allowed to do? Playing the piano New findings show that musical training affects the structure and function of different brain areas, how those areas communicate during the creation of music, and how the brain interprets and combines sensory information. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2013, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. These views suggest potential new roles for musical training including training plasticity in the brain, offering an alternative tool in education, and treating a range of learning disabilities. Today's new findings show that long-term high level musical training has a broader effect. Researchers found that musicians have a better ability to combine sensory information from hearing, touch, and sight. The age at which musical training begins influenced brain structure and its function. Beginning training before the age of seven has the greatest effect. Even older adults who took music lessons as children but haven't actively played an instrument in decades have a faster brain response to a speech sound than those who never played an instrument, according to a study appearing November 6 in the Journal of Neuroscience. The finding suggests early musical training has a lasting, positive effect on how the brain deals with sound. "Playing a musical instrument is a multi-sensory and motive experience that creates emotions and movements--from finger tapping to dancing -- and engages pleasure and reward systems in the brain. It has the potential to affect brain function and structure when done over a long period of time," said Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, press conference speaker, also an expert on music. "As today's findings show, musical training brings about new processes within the brain, at different stages of life, and with a range of effects on creativity, cognition , and learning," he added. According to the passage, we learn that _ . musical training causes new processes within the brain Everyone has a hobby. My hobby is keeping a diary in English.When I was nine years old, I began to have my hobby. At first it was hard for me, but now it is easy. I know it's helpful to learn English well. After school I often go to the school library to read English stories or articles. Sometimes my English teacher tells some interesting things to me. I collect information for my diary by doing these. After I finish my diary every day. I always try to correct mistakes with the help of the dictionary. Now my English is very good. I love my hobby. It helps me a lot to learn English well. The writer thinks _ is good to learn English well. keeping a diary Firefighter Regina Wilson works in Brooklyn, New York. A reporter is asking Regina questions about how she does her job. Reporter: How long have you been a firefighter? Wilson: Eight years. Reporter: How did you get started? Wilson: First, I had to take a lot of tests. Then, I went to firefighting school for 13 weeks. I learned how to put out fires and how to use equipment . Reporter: How do you stay safe on the job? Wilson: I wear special clothing called bunker gear. It helps keep me safe from fire. I also carry an oxygen tank and a mask . They help me to breathe in a smoke-filled building. Reporter: Are there any new tools that firefighters use? Wilson: We have a special camera that can see in the dark. It can find heat. That way, we can tell where a fire is located. Reporter: Do you save pets? Wilson: I recently helped save some kittens. They were hiding under the beds. Pets usually hide during a fire because they are scared. Reporter: Do you ever get afraid? Wilson: There is no time to be afraid. I think about what I have to do to put out the fire safely. Reporter: What do you like best about being a firefighter? Wilson: Helping people! ,. Why did the author most probably write this article? To give readers information about firefighters .
Question: In the latest beauty craze sweeping social media in China,women--and even some men--are boasting that they are paper thin,by posting photographs of their waists behind a vertical piece of A4 paper.To qualify,the waist must be entirely hidden by the paper.A piece of A4 paper is 8.3 by ll.7 inches,roughly the size of a sheet of American letter paper. With the A4 Waist,the trend is attracting hundreds of photographs and thousands of comments on Weibo and other social media networks like Weixin or WeChat.Being abnormally thin is a widespread standard of beauty for women,one that has been criticized as an unhealthy ideal of female attractiveness. The tiny waist has a long tradition in China,going back at least to King Ling of Chu,who ruled from 540 to 529 B.C.Many in China know the passage from the Book of Han,the history of the Western Han Dynasty:"The King of Chu loved a narrow waist.Many people at court starved to death.'' Several commentators have found the A4 trend disturbing.In a telephone interview,He Xiaobin,senior fashion features editor at the Chinese edition of GQ magazine,said,"I find it completely stupid.Everybody has a different frame and body shape.Using a single size to define all human beings and thinking you have created a new standard is foolish.''The A4 waist challenge annoyed him,saying that it allows certain people to gain bragging rights,while leaving others in depression. Luckily,some who do not qualify are turning to humor for comfort.Can they substitute a different paper size,such as A3,which is 11.7 inches across Or measure a body part besides the waist? What do we know about the latest beauty craze? A. Women with A4 waists are considered beauties. B. The love for slim waist is a new modern trend. C. A4 waist is an old standard of being slim in China. D. It is a new method to help people go on a diet. Answer: A Question: There is a famous saying from the French politician J.A. Brillat-Savarin that goes: "Tell me what kind of food you eat, and I will tell you what kind of man you are." It can be easy to not really think about what you eat. For example, whenever you go into a supermarket to buy a drink, it is all too easy to pick up an ice cream or a piece of chocolate as well. You might not even really want them, but sometimes their bright, nice packaging can be too hard to refuse. So, in our special food magazine we will show you why you should really pay more attention to what you eat! Food not only influences our health but also our beliefs, customs and personalities. The first article will look at the way fast food is leading to obesity . The famous cook, Jamie Oliver, has made it his purpose to introduce ideas about healthy eating. In a speech, Jamie Oliver told the world that during the 18 minutes that he gave his speech, four Americans would die because of the food that they ate! Obesity is also a growing problem in China. As China Daily reported in February, the number of obese people under the age of 18 in China has reached 120 million. Jamie has worked for 10 years to try and fight this problem. Learning about food is important not just because of health problems but also because many people still don't have enough food today. And we know as the improvement of science sometimes we have to face genetically modified food. Don't worry - we'll make you know more about all these topics in our special article! We'll also tell you something interesting about food. For example, do you know what the largest food on the menu is all over the world? It's the roasted camel and it has been served for several hundred years, often stuffed with chicken, lamb, egg, fish and rice! Hopefully by the time you finish reading this edition , you'll pay more attention to the food that you eat. As Oliver says, food is something that can help us enjoy our life. It is important that we love it! Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. Some people may buy some food just because of it's packaging. B. Four Americans died because of Jamie Oliver's speech. C. We have enough food for all the people in the world now. D. Chicken is the largest food on the menu all over the world. Answer: A Question: That day was a very good day. The volunteers who visited an orphanage now became the best friends each other. The four persons were Li Hui, the reporter of Jing Newspaper, Zhao Qiang and Huang Jian, reporters of Chongqing Television Station, and me. According to our experience of driving in the disaster area, it would be OK to drive in the morning, but the road was dangerous in the afternoon. So this morning we got off at 6:00 am. It is about 40 kilometers aim place. It would take not more than one hour normally. However, because of poor road conditions, we tried twice but failed to go through. We had to stop driving to wait for road repairing. It was very dangerous to park on the road in the mountain. To be honest, my experience in the disaster area were over load . I almost couldn't stand. But one thing had been supporting me, I had been very grateful to have such a chance to help the people of disaster area, to have such a chance to share my love. When we took two vehicles supplies to the orphanage, the leader of the orphanage Mr. Lang with 31 children was too excited to say anything. ,. Why did the volunteers think he should work in the disaster area? A. Because their leaders ordered that. B. Because they wanted to repair the roads there. C. Because their relative was there. D. Because they wanted to show their love there. Answer: D Question: I had a summer camp with my classmates last year. Early in the morning. We gathered at the bus station. After saying goodbye to our parents,we got on the buses. It took us more than two hours to arrive at the campground. We got off the buses cheerfully. Laughing and shouting. We jumped and ran all over the place. It was the first time for us to be away from the parents .Some of us started to feel homesick . However, when the night party and dances began, the homesickness was gone. The next day, everybody rushed to the boating class, hoping to be at the head of the others. At first ,my friends and I worked hard, but the boat wouldn't listen to us and kept going round and round. Then the teacher taught us how to work together. After many tries, we did much better. Swimming class was my favorite. It was about the hottest time of a day and the best time to stay in the cool water. The swimming teacher was a funny man, and during the class he often made us laugh happily. During the week I learned a lot of new things and made many new friends. I also learned how to take care of myself. Which is the best title for the passage? A. I Learnt a lot. B. Boating and Swimming. C. On the Campground D. My First Summer Camp Answer: D Question: My name is Frank White. I'm fifteen years old. I was born on May 13th, 1996. Mike is my good friend. His birthday is on May 15th. He is only 13 years old now. Every year on May 14th, we have a birthday party together in our school. We often have a pop concert . I play the guitar. He plays the drum. Many friends come to our party. We are very happy. Mike was born on _ . A. May 13 th, 1998. B. May 15 th , 1998. C. May 14 th,1996. D. May 16 th , 1996. Answer: B
Mount Huangshan is probably one of the most famous mountains in China. It has been listed as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. It lies in the south of Anhui Province. It is about 1,200 square kilometers. Every year, thousands of Chinese and foreigners pay a visit there. While you are climbing the mountain, you can enjoy the sea of clouds, wondrous pines and unique rocks around you. Early morning when the sun rise, the sky looks very beautiful. It's really a nice place to visit. Each of the four seasons on Mt.Huangshan has their different beauty. It is said that you won't want to visit any other mountain after the Five Famous Mountains, and you won't wish to see even the Five Famous Mountains after returning from Mt.Huangshan. This saying may give you some ideas of the beauty and _ of Mt.Huangshan. Together with the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Great Wall, Mt.Huangshan has become one of the great symbols of China. What can you enjoy when you climb Mount Huangshan? Answer: Above all. If your family is thinking of getting a pet, consider adopting from an animal shelter. Animal shelters are full of dogs, cats, rabbits, and more animals, all in need of loving homes. Some may come with emotional or behavioral issues, but most are happy, healthy, and ready for a loving home. Here are some tips for you to find great animals. Make some decision. Think about what you want in a pet and remember that all pets have different personalities. Cats tend to be more independent and need less affection, but kittens need lots of attention. Cats don't need to be walked, but you need to clip their nails and play with them. Dogs need to be walked at the very least twice a day. However, they are usually great companions and love to spend time with their family. Visit the shelter. Set aside at least a few hours to visit shelters in your area--remember that you may need to visit more than one visit. Try to bring along everyone who will be living with a new pet. Ask the shelter staff lots of questions. And never adopt an animal because you feel sorry for it--be patient so you find a pet who is truly a good match for your family. Get everything ready. Buy all necessary supplies and food well before the animal comes home. Make sure that the entire household is in agreement about rules and responsibilities--will the dog be allowed on the couch? Who will clean the litter box? Put it in writing before the pet arrives. Bring your new friend home! You'll probably be excited when your new pet arrives, but be sure to give them space and time to get adjusted to a new home and a new family. The pet may act differently once they leave the shelter. Interact with your pet a lot and get them used to a routine, and soon you'll be one big happy family ! Before a new pet comes home, we'd better _ . Answer: set down an agreement on paper Many grown-ups worry that spending too much time playing video games isn't good for a kid's health. But some doctors have noticed that kids who bring their game players to the hospital seem less worried about being there. They also seem to feel less pain when they are giving all their attention on a car race or other games. At a children's center in Baltimore, Maryland, young kids are finding hospital visits easier to deal with, thanks to a test program called HOPE. Patients in HOPE have a life-threatening condition where their kidneys no longer get rid of wastes from their blood. To get their blood cleaned, these kids must use the dialysis machines at the hospital three times a week, for at least three hours each time. HOPE allows kids to play Internet sports, racing, and other games with each other. They will be able to connect with kids in other hospitals who have the same problem. "We want to use the Internet to bring together kids who are ill, and let them know they are not alone," said Arun Mathews, the doctor of the program. He loved video games himself and got the idea to connect kids all over the country. Many researchers elsewhere are testing video programs that might help young patients. For example, nine-year-old Ben Duskin of San Francisco, California, who was struggling with cancer helped to design a video game where players got rid of cancer cells. That's all great news, because doctors already know that reducing pain and worry helps patients heal faster. Which can be the best title for the passage? Answer: Video Games May Help Reduce Pain When Barbra Streisand discovered in 2003 that a photograph of her California beach house was among 12,000 photos on theInternetas part of a collection by photographer Kenneth Adelman, she did what any famous person would do:hit him with a $50 million lawsuit. But in trying to hold back the images, she caused a different outcome. Her legal actions led to almost half a million people visiting the website, viewing and copying the photos within a month. Ever since then, the effect of letting public know something you are trying to keep secret has been called the"Streisand effect". The problem for anyone trying to _ information is that the Internet is the world's biggest and most efficient copying machine. Put a document on to a connected machine and it will spread. So when you want to be famous, you can't, but if you find yourself in the spotlight and want to erase yourself, you cannot. There is no shortage of examples of the Streisand effect. Nine-year-old Martha Payne created a simple blog, posting the meals her school served. She took a photo of what was barely a filling meal by anyone's standards. With the photo, she filled a comment, "Now Dad understands why I am hungry when I get home." The thing did not go too far, until the local authority banned little Martha from doing that again. Martha posted a supposedly final post called "Goodbye", explaining everything. Once the media found this out, things went from bad to worse for the authority. Now the blog has more than 9.5 million page views. Martha has even expanded her blog by including pictures of school meals taken by other kids from all over the world, like Germany and Japan. We can find similar examples throughout history, to be frank. Man has experienced the Streisand effect ever since the birth of mass communication. Why does it exist? Every time you are told not to see what's in the secret shiny box wrapped in gift paper, you're going to do everything in your power todo exactly that! Just realizing that knowing something about someone is harmful to their status, we will want to know that piece of information. This is exactly the human nature. This is what lawyers and authorities should be familiar with. Unfortunately, a few of them fail to grasp it. What can be inferred from the passage? Answer: The ban on something may have opposite effect. Billy and Bobby were small boys. They were brothers, and they often fought each other. Last Saturday their mother said to them, "I'm going to cook our lunch now, go out and play in the garden......and be good." "Yes, Mum," the two boys answered, and they went out. They played in the garden for half an hour, and then Billy ran in. "Mum," he said, "Bobby's broken a window in Mrs Allen's house." Mrs Allen was one of their neighbours. "He's a bad boy," his mother said. "How did he break it?" "I threw a stone at him," Billy answered, "and he quickly moved down." Mrs Allen was _ . Answer: their neighbour
Breath includes which of the following? A. Energy B. Chemical C. Vapor D. Cells Answer: C The Hotel Portixol,a hotel that oozes style and has thoughtful extras in Palma Majorca. Location In the bay of Portixol,a 30-minute walk or 10-minute cycle east of the old town,overlooking Portixol port. Character The square white building,with its blue shutters and dark wooden balconies,stands out as you approach Portixol. Inside as well as out,Hotel Portixol oozes style - wicker sofas in a shade deck. Thoughtful extras include free bicycle hire and telescopes in each room. Rooms Thirteen of the 26 rooms have balconies,overlooking the sea. All have large showers and king-size beds. Our corner room had double glass doors on two sides which created a much-needed breeze. Food Breakfast is a feast,with a huge selection of fresh fruit,yogurts,cereals,meats,cheeses and breads. The lunch and dinner menus mix traditional Mediterranean food with eastern and European classics. Why Palma? Parts of Majorca have a certain reputation,but calm,sweet Palma is a far shout from the island's busy and sometimes tacky beach resorts so popular with hen and buck parties. The Majorcan capital is also one of the easiest short-break destinations in Europe. The old town is a 10-minute taxi ride from Palma airport,while the tangled streets inside the old city wall combine the best restaurants,shopping and culture Majorca has to offer. While very hot in summer,temperatures remain pleasant during the rest of the year. *Getting there Easy Jet flies to Palma from most airports in the UK,from PS29.99 one way. A taxi from Palma airport to the city centre costs about PS8; or you can catch a bus which costs a few euros. The passage is mainly written to those _ . A. want to travel to Majorcan capital B. enjoy traveling out freely C. will stay in a hotel in Palma D. like to go shopping in the city centre of Majorca Answer: C Jenny, I often think if I am as important to you as you are to me. We had an unhappy time yesterday. I really felt sad after it and almost apologized to you. However,you could still laugh and talk with others like nothing had happened. I suddenly realized that I was not that important to you. You didn't even realize that I was angry and sad. What's more,you even forgot my birthday this year. Goodbye,my friend. I have closed my feeling toward you. It is sad to say goodbye,my friend. But it is meaningless for us to be friends any longer. Lucy Dear Lucy, I'm sorry that I hurt you so much yesterday. But here is something I really need to tell you. I never thought the quarrel we had yesterday was as serious as you thought. I just felt tired and didn't feel like going shopping. Susan and Lily are also my good friends. I couldn't pretend not seeing them when they passed by. I also couldn't let them know I was blue because of the quarrel. I didn't want them to feel sad just because I was sad. I'm your best friend,but I don't want to be your only friend. I don't want to be with you all the time because sometimes I need to have my own time. I want to spend some time with my other friends and my brother. Please try to make more friends. You will feel much happier if you have more friends. And remember,I'm your best friend forever! Jenny In the letter,Jenny suggests Lucy should _ . A. make more friends B. leave her alone C. make friends with Susan and Lily D. spend more time with her family Answer: A Liam lives in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth and plays in the snow in December. His friend lives in the Southern Hemisphere of Earth and plays at the beach in December. What is the best explanation for why this is possible? A. tilt of Earth on its axis B. rotation of Earth on its axis C. revolution of Earth around the Sun D. revolution of the Moon around Earth Answer: A The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi, girl! My name is Rose. I'm 87 years old. Can give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may! "and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age ?"I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel!" "No seriously "I said. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" "she told me. Over the course of the year, Rose because a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went .She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. "We do not stop playing because we are old"; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only two secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success/You have to laugh and find humor everyday. Your've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die!" she said. "The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change." Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Song of Rose". She challenged each of us study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end, Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Rose made herself known to the author in a _ manner. A. serious B. cold C. crazy D. humorous Answer: D
Mary is from the U.S.A. She has two brothers. Now her family are in China. Her father, Mr. Peterson teaches English in Xihu Middle School. And her mother works in the same school. She teaches English, too. Mary likes red clothes very much. Her mother likes red clothes a lot, too. Mary is a nice girl student. She is in Xihu Middle School .She can speak Chinese. She has many Chinese friends. She teaches them English, and they teach her Chinese. Her two brothers are twins. One is Bob, the other is Bill. They look the same. They are only three. So their grandparents look after them at home. Mrs. Peterson has many toys for the twins. Bob likes toy cars, but Bill likes toy bears. They are happy every day. Mary _ . likes red clothes Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, swimming or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some forms - football, basketball, hockey, golf of tennis. It may be mountaineering. Those who have a _ for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked up with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure . Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man - made rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man - made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to any people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods, but the sport requires high mental and physical qualities. A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they certainly experience equal enjoyment. We know from the passage that _ . it is possible for an old man of fifty or sixty to climb the Alps. A high school in Hiroshima City has been the first to do something with DNA in the world. Its students have won praise not only for doing this research but also for presenting their findings to groups of expert scientists. The school is one of the Super Science High Schools allowed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, where students are given an opportunity to study science at an advanced level. Here, students use the same type of hitech experimental laboratories as those found at universities. In these labs, they conduct experiments and research in new fields of study not found in textbooks. As part of this science course, the students, with the help of Hiroshima University, used a machine called sequencer , and over the course of a year and a half they succeeded in decoding the DNA. They then presented their results to academic groups. Achieving a world first might sound very wonderful, but the process of decoding the DNA involved very hard work. The students were also responsible for maintaining the equipment, and they had to read difficult research papers and put in extra study beyond their regular schoolwork. "Researchers need to work hard. The work was tiring, but the students worked toward their ambitious goal of achieving a world first. They have a great sense of achievement, and the number of students who hope to become biologists has increased," said Taruma Akinori, who is in charge of the science course. In addition to the results being added to the scientific community, the students' research paper will be translated into English and made available overseas. Moreover, the students have decided to take on a new challenge in DNA decoding. Up to a point, their success is due to _ . hi-tech experimental facilities Dogs are prone to complex emotions such as jealousy and pride, according to scientific research that sheds new light on their relationship with humans. Dogs do not like seeing their owners offering affection to other creatures, especially other dogs, and react negatively when their owners bring home new partners, the research found. Psychologists previously believed most animals lack the "sense of self" needed to experience so-called secondary emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment or guilt. These emotions are more complex than feelings associated with instant reaction such as anger, lust or joy. Dr Friederike Range, of theprefix = st1 /UniversityofVienna's neurobiology department, has shown that dogs feel intensely jealous when they spot that they are unfairly treated compared with other dogs. The dog study is the latest into several species, including cows, horses, cats and sheep, which have shown that animals are far more self-aware than we thought. Dr Paul Morris, a psychologist at theUniversityofPortsmouthwho studies animal emotions, told The Sunday Times, "We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realised. They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience. " In research among dog owners, Dr Morris found almost all of them reported jealous behaviour by their pets. The dog often tried to keep their owner away from a new lover in the early days of a relationship. Behavioural experts recommend owners keeping their dogs' routine as much as possible when a new partner or child comes along in order to prevent jealous activities from the dog such as interruptions with barking. Which of the following is the best title? Dogs can be jealous In 1834, the clock tower in London was burned down. People planned to build a new clock which would be the biggest and best in the world. So the clock had to be big and keep very good time. The big clock was made in two years. Five more years later the tower was finished. Then people put the big clock in the tower, and made it ring out for the first time on July 11, 1859. In order to give the bigclock a good name, people held a meeting. Someone wanted to call it the Queen of Bells, and someone thought Victoria was good. At last, a man named Benjamin Hall stood up. He was a big man. Before he started to speak, someone shouted, "Why not call it Big Ben? "Everybody laughed and agreed with him. From then on, Big Ben became its name. And it also became a famous building of London. People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents--bottles of oil-to help keep Big Ben running. Big Ben is not only a clock but also a dear friend ofpeople. Which of the following is NOT true? People think Big Ben will reply their letters.
"Well, what did I say?Buck's a real fighter, all right," said Francois the next morning when he discovered that Spitz had disappeared and that Buck was covered in blood. "Spitz fought like a wolf," said Perrault, as he looked at the bites all over Buck. "And Buck fought like ten wolves," answered Francois. "And we'll travel faster now. No more Spitz,no more trouble." Francois started to harness the dogs. He needed a new lead-dog, and decided that Solleks was the best dog that he had. But Buck jumped at Solleks and took his place. "Look at Buck!" said Francois,laughing. "He's killed Spitz,and now he wants to be lead-dog.Go away, Buck!" He pulled Buck away and tried to harness Solleks again.Solleks was unhappy too. He was frightened of Buck, and when Francois turned his back,Buck took Solleks' place again. Now Francois was angry. "I'll show you! " he cried,and went to get a heavy club from the sledge. Buck remembered _ ,and moved away. This time,when Solleks was harnessed as lead-dog,Buck did not try to move in.He kept a few meters away and circled around Francois carefully. But when Francois called him to his old place in front of Dave, Buck refused.He had won his fight with Spitz and he wanted to be lead-dog. For an hour the two men tried to harness him.Buck did not run away,but he did not let them catch him.Finally,Francois sat down,and Perrault looked at his watch.It was getting late. The two men looked at one another and smiled. Francois walked up to Solleks,took off his harness, led him back and harnessed him in his old place.Then he called Buck. All the other dogs were harnessed and the only empty place was now the one at the front. But Buck did not move. "Put down the club," said Perrault. Francois dropped the club, and immediately Buck came up to the front of the team.Francois harnessed him, and in a minute the sledge was moving. Buck was an excellent leader. He moved and thought quickly and led the other dogs well. A new leader made no difference to Dave and Solleks; they continued to pull hard.But the other dogs had had an easy life when Spitz was leading.They were surprised when Buck made them work hard and punished them for their mistakes. Pike,the second dog,was usually lazy;but by the end of the first day he was pulling harder than he had ever pulled in his life. The first night in camp Buck fought Joe,another difficult dog,and after that there were no more problems with him.The team started to pull together,and to move faster and faster. "I've never seen a dog like Buck!" cried Francois, "Never! He's worth a thousand dollars. What do you think, Perrault? " Perrault agreed.They were moving quickly,and covering more ground every day. The snow was good and hard,and no new snow fell.The temperature dropped to 45degC below zero, and didn't change. This time there was more ice on the Thirty Mile River, and they crossed in a day.Some days they ran a hundred kilometers,or even more. They reached Skagway in fourteen days; the fastest time ever. According to the passage, which of the following is true about the other dogs? A Dave stood in the second position in the team. B Joe was always quite lazy in the team. C Pike was a trouble-maker in the team. D Solleks was hard-working in the team. Answer: D If your preschoolers turn up their noses at carrots or celery, a small reward like a sticker for taking even a taste may help get them to eat previously disliked foods, a UK study said. Though it might seem obvious that a reward could encourage young children to eat their vegetables, the idea is actually controversial, researchers wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. That's because some studies have shown that rewards can _ and cause children to lose interest in foods they already liked, said Jane Wardle, a researcher at University College London who worked on the study. Verbal praise, such as "Brilliant! You're a great vegetable taster," did not work as well. The study found t hat when parents gave their small children a sticker each time they took a "tiny taste" of a disliked vegetable, it gradually changed their attitudes. The children were also willing to eat more of the vegetables-either carrots, celery, cucumber, red pepper, cabbage or sugar snap peas-in laboratory taste tests, the study said. Researchers randomly assigned 173 families to one of these groups. In one, parents used stickers to reward their children each time they took a tiny sample of a disliked vegetable. A second group of parents used verbal praise. The third group, where parents used no special vegetable-promoting methods, served as a "control". Parents in the reward groups offered their children a taste of the "target" vegetable every day of 12 days, Soon after, children in the sticker group were giving higher ratings to the vegetables-and were willing to eat more in the research lab, going from an average of 5 grams at the start to about 10 grams after the 12-day experience. The turnaround also seemed to last, with preschoolers in the sticker group still willing to eat more of the once disliked vegetable three months later. Why didn't the verbal praise work? Wardle said the parents' words may have seemed "insincere" to their children. How did the researchers get their conclusion from the experiment? A By comparison. B By asking questions. C By giving examples, D By discussion. Answer: A Many parents try hard to protect their kids from TV and Internet advertising. But how can you protect a child from a large fast-food ad painted on her school locker ? Or a toy ad on the side of his school bus? As school budgets get smaller, a growing number of schools in the US are selling, advertising space on lockers and buses and in gyms or cafeterias. It is an easy way for schools to make money. And ads may provide relief for parents exhausted by making cash donations to support schools. While parents can always turn off the televisions or the computers, they can't keep advertising out of schools. This isn't the first time the issue has come up. For example, a news program for teens has been criticized for including ads in its 12-minute classroom broadcasts. And parents' groups successfully fought a plan by a company called Bus Radio to put music and ads into school buses. But now things are different. Just last month, Los Angeles approved a plan to allow companies to advertise in the district's schools. Officials say the plan could provide as much as $18 million for the schools. In St. Francis, Minn., schools recently agreed to cover 10% to 15% of their lockers with ads. Time says. Edward Saxton, a teacher in the school, says, "So far, parents are accepting this as a way to bring in needed money. The money pays for programs like arts, sports and music. Parents don't like to see programs getting cut. Neither do I. Besides, schools are thinking about the effects on kids all the time." However, Susan Linn, an educational expert, says, "Kids have already seen enough ads on TV, in magazines and the products they use daily. School is no place for advertisements at all." Readers, what about you? Would you rather help run yet another school fundraiser, or expose your child to ads on lockers and buses? Is keeping ads out of schools worth raising taxes, or increasing your own cash support for school through donations? Edward Saxton holds the view that _ . A schools choose ads carefully B ads in schools shouldn't be too many C schools should be a place free from ads D in-school ads do no harm to young kids Answer: A On the first day of the new term, I met my new headmaster at the school gate. "Follow me, please!" he said. He had a quiet, kind voice. He took me into my new classroom and left. In front of me, thirty pairs of eyes looked at me. I knew he had told the students that I was blind. I could almost feel the question behind their eyes: Blind? I felt the answer too: If she's blind, this should be good! I heard quiet voices in a corner of the classroom. For a moment, I felt afraid. I knew at once that I had to be strong. "Class," I said as loudly as I could. "I may be blind. But I am not foolish. Take those naughty smiles off your faces, and stop talking, please!" Of course, I could not see their faces; I just guessed that some of them were smiling. The class were quiet. They were very surprised. I knew that I had done the right thing. As the days went by, the students had more surprises. I could smell when the children were eating sweets. I could easily hear combs going through hair, students passing messages, and so on. Once I found a girl passing a message to a friend. I took the message to the teachers' room. A teacher read it to me. On one side it said, "Do you think she can see?" on the other it said, "I think so. She always knows what we're doing." Soon the students stopped being naughty, and started to work hard. Before long, they brought in photos of their families for me to look at; I knew then they were my friends. I also knew they had forgotten that I could not see. In the new teacher's class the students often _ . A exchanged sweets B combed their hair C wrote letters D read letters Answer: B Nigel is our new next-door neighbour. He's a pilot . He was in the R.F.A. He will fly to New York next month. The month after next he'll fly to Tokyo. At the moment, he's in Madrid. He flew to Spain a week ago. He'll return to London the week after next . He's only forty-one years old, and he has already been to nearly every country in the world. Nigel is a very lucky man. But his wife isn't very lucky. She usually stays at home! What does Nigel's wife usually do? A Goes to every country in the world with Nigel. B Goes to work C Flies to New York and London. D Stays at home. Answer: D
Computer games are more and more popular with teenagers. Games are fun. After hours of homework it's great to relax by playing a game. But do games ever do kidsany harm? And are there any ways parents can help kids stay away from bad games? US researches are trying to find answers to these questions. One problem found that parents are not taking enough notice of their kids'games -playinghabits. Many games sells output controls on the games to help parents make sure that children don't play things unsuitable for them, said David Walsh, president of the national Institute on media and the Family. Parents need to watch the games kids are playing and how much time they are spending playing them. The study found that playing games too long can affect kids' health as well as their schoolwork. Almost half of all " heavy games" are six to 17 years old. These kids are more likely to have weight and eyesight problems than other kids. Playing too many games also affects(v)how children do in school. Kids can ask their parents to set a time limit for playing games and remind them when the time is up. Don't forget to tell your parents about it. What problem did the researchers find with parents? _ . A Parents don't pay much attention to their kids' game--playing habits. B Parents care too much about kids' schoolwork. C Parents don't notice their kids' healthy habits. D All of the above. Answer: A. Parents don't pay much attention to their kids' game--playing habits. If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training.A recent survey shows that companies like graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training. That's especially true of booming fields that are challenging for workers.At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five job offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement.Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience. But in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off.Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval.The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, _ . As further evidence of the erosion of corporate faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices.Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management."They want someone who isn't constrained by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture, " says Scheetz. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have:writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems.David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, "I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things, " says Birch.Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two.With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize."A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace, " says Scheetz. What kinds of people are in high demand on the job market? A Students with a bachelor's degree in humanities. B People with an MBA degree from top universities. C People with formal schooling plus work experience D People with special training in engineering. Answer: C. People with formal schooling plus work experience The year 2006 was a busy one for space and technology workers. A planet lost its status and space flights caught the imagination of people around the world. The following is a short list of the major events of the year: _ IBM has built a chip that runs about 100 times faster than the ones we have now. The development could lead to faster computers. The chip was first made in June. It can run at a speed of 500 gigahertz . Pluto loses face The International Astronomical Union created the first scientific definition of the word "planet" in August. Under the new rules, Pluto is no longer called a planet but a "dwarf planet" . Pluto had been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930. For now, there are only the eight "classical" planets in the solar system : They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Woman space tourist The first woman space tourist was launched on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan on September 18. The flight carried a businesswoman, named Anousheh Ansari, along with a fresh crew for the International Space Station (ISS). Ansari is a 40-year-old American. She has paid at least US$20 million for the trip. She returned on September 28 after her eight-day stay at the International Space Station. Discovery sent up The US space shuttle Discovery took seven astronauts on a 12-day repair mission to the International Space Station on December 9. It was the first night launch by NASA in four years. The last one ended in the failure of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. The US space shuttle Discovery was sent up mainly to _ . A do some research B do some repairs C be in memory to Columbia shuttle. D build a space station. Answer: B. do some repairs Here is some news of the future. March 20, 2035 There was a lot of news around the life extension drugs that hit the market a decade ago. They didn't promise that you would like forever, but they gave you a chance to extend your life an extra five to ten years. Even though the life expectancy rate at birth has increased greatly, the life expectancy for seniors hasn't improved that much. Basically, you have a greater chance to become a senior, but you will not have a much longer lifespan, and this is where the anti-aging drugs intend to kick in. So, do the anti-aging drugs work? Well,it is too early to tell. But the sales so far are very good. April 19, 2035 Of the total US population of 378 million, people over 65 years of age now make up 20% for the first time. The senior ratio of only 4.1% by year 1900, and 12.4% 30 years ago. The number of people above 65 compared to those of what is considered working ages, between 15 and 64, is currently 33.7%. This is up from 18.5% since year 2005, which means that for every retired person there are now two workers, compared to four workers 30 years ago. The number of people above the age of 80 has grown to 23.8 million, making them 6.3% of the total population compared to 3.6% in 2005. April 12, 2040 Although introduced in the market only five years ago, 10% of all hydrogen fuel now sold in the US is of the environmentally friendly Re-Hydro label, produced through eletrolysis based on a source of 100% renewable energy. Several producers have turned to producing Re-Hydro, mainly because of lower tax, which also keeps the price of Re-Hydro on the same level as regular hydrogen. Most analysts believe that Re-Hydro will be the dominating fuel in the future. What can we learn from News 2? A Many Americans will find it hard to find a job. B It's very hard for seniors to pass the age of 80. C The US population has been increasing rapidly since 2005. D The US population has been aging rapidly since 2005. Answer: D. The US population has been aging rapidly since 2005. Love to sink into your chairs and relax when you get to school? Then you will not be happy to hear that schools all over the world are seriously considering exchanging traditional desks for ones with no seats at all -- Yes, that means you will be encouraged to stand through those already too long math and science lessons! Why would anyone even think of putting kids to such cruelty? Experts say it improves their health and helps fight obesity. While that may seem a little far-fetched , the officials at the few schools around the world seem to agree. Among them are educators from the College Station Independent School District in Texas, who recently completed a week-long experiment involving 480 students across three elementary schools. The 374 kids that agreed to participate in the study were provided with a device that helped record step count and calorie consumption over the entire period. All 25 teachers involved in the study reported that students appeared to be more alert and concentrate better, when allowed to stand. The one thing that did surprise the researchers was that younger kids were more willing to stay standing than kids in higher grades. They believe this may have something to do with the fact that after years of being asked to "sit still", older kids have a harder time adjusting to this unexpected freedom. American schools are not the only ones reporting success with stand-up desks. Four Catholic schools in Perth, Australia, which have been testing them since October 2013, have seen similar results. In May 2014, Grove House Primary School in Bradford, West Yorkshire, became Europe's first test one, with a seven-week trial that involved the use of desks made by Ergotron in their fifth-grade classrooms. While official results are not out yet, early reactions from both teachers and students, have been extremely encouraging. The findings of these studies and others done previously, all seem to mean that allowing kids to move around in classrooms is a win-win for students and teachers -- it helps kids get healthier and provides educators with a more engaged audience. What is most likely to be the result of the seven-week trial? A The standing desks can't be used at all. B It is good for students to use stand-up desks. C More tests should be done in other schools. D The students are different in personality. Answer: B. It is good for students to use stand-up desks.
The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending phone call "made" by US President George W Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Of course, neither of them could really do that for you-you would just "borrow" their voices. AT & T labs will start selling speech software that it says is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life. The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recordings of a person's voice to say things that the person never actually said. Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that reads digital files aloud, and makers of automated voice devices . The advances raise several problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person's voice? (Some experts even believe that new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses.) And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud , would the synthesized voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know? Even Mr Fruchterman, one of AT & T lab's possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. "Just like you can't trust a photograph anymore." He said, "you won't be able to trust a voice either." With the help of the speech software, it is most possible _ . A to improve a famous person's speech B to say what you want in another's voice C to make a speech much more easily D to help you to find a better job Answer: B Today's the day of a big test at school, and you feel awful. Your stomach hurts and you have a headache. Some people might feel their hearts beating quickly while they are waiting for the test paper. A student with really strong test _ may even feel like he or she might be sick or throw up . Sound familiar? You'll find that just about all people--adults and others--have some anxiety before a test. According to studies, proper anxiety can be helpful, keeping you sharp and focused and even helping you get good grades. But when you have so much anxiety or feel so sick that you can't do well in your studies or tests, that's bad for your studies or your body health. Of course, if you don't study for the test, you might be worried. That kind of anxiety isn't easy to deal with because even if you find a way to calm down, you still might not know what to do with it. When you are preparing for a test and you get a handle on your test, you will be able to let your knowledge work well and get good grades. For example, last Wednesday was the day of a big test at school. Jane felt awful. Her stomach hurt and she had a headache. She knew she hadn't caught a cold--but only a little nervous about the test. She really didn't know why. When you feel too nervous in a test, you may _ . A improve yourself B fail in the test C get good grades D feel very relaxed Answer: B In the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, nearly fifty out of every one hundred thousand people live to celebrate their hundredth birthday, and many don't stop at 100! By comparison, in America only three in one hundred thousand people reach 100. But these Russian old people aren't alone. The Pakistanis, who live in the Himalaya Mountains and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains , seem to share the secret of long life, too. These people remain healthy in body and spirit in spite of the passage of time. While many persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians, aged 110 to 140, work in the fields beside their great grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked, "at what age does youth end?" most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, "well perhaps at the age of 80," and the very youngest estimate was at the age of 60. What accounts for this ability to survive to such an old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all these long - lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. This reduced - oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger. Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. It is clear that isolation from urban pressures and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all contribute to the health and long life of all these people. The following factors except _ contribute to the health and long life of all these people. A clean mountain air B daily hard work C good genes D stress and pressure Answer: D Alan is an English boy. Now he studies in Shanghai Yucai Middle School. He is in Grade Seven. He has a dog. It's black and white. The dog's very smart. Alan likes it very much. Its favorite food is bone. Every day when Alan gets home, the dog meets him in front of the house. Alan's friend, Jenny is an American girl. She is in Shanghai too. They are in the same grade, but in different classes. She has a panda. It's also black and white, but it's not a real panda. It's a toy. The panda is very clean. Jenny often washes it in water. Where is the panda now? Oh, it's sleeping with jenny. Every night it sleeps with Jenny. What does the dog do when Alan gets home from school? A It sleeps with him. B It meets him in front of the house. C It runs with him. D It eats with him. Answer: B In the computer age, most of us take a broadband Internet connection for granted. Whether cable or mobile broadband, today's connections are many times faster than those in the early days. Videos play smoothly, complex websites load quickly, and files download much faster than ten years ago. And the files are much bigger too. There's _ , of course: You have to live near enough to a major city to get broadband Internet. If you don't, it's slow dial-up access for you. And for those living really far out, there may be no Internet access at all. Technology experts often talk about the "last mile" problem, which refers to the difficulty of bringing Internet access to remote locations. In cities and suburbs, it's relatively easy to provide access for everyone. It is much more difficult to deliver access to those living far from cities, especially in developing countries. Internet service providers, for their part, have been reluctant to provide access to sparsely populated areas. The handful of Internet users they would reach wouldn't cover the expense. But every year, technological advancements allow of more and more Internet users. Most broadband connections today run over existing cable TV and telephone lines although these technologies aren't available everywhere. Some companies have delivered the Internet over standard power lines. Advancements in cheaper, more efficient fiber optics cables promise to bring extremely fast Internet connections to more users. Still, the "last mile" problem remains hard to deal with. There will always be somewhere that doesn't have an affordable broadband connection. But someday that might not matter. If the rapid progress in cell phone technology is any indication , it may not be too long before an Internet connection simply follows you wherever you go. What may eventually settle the "last mile" problem? A The broadband connection's getting faster. B More and more Internet users. C more and more Internet connections. D The rapid progress in cell phone technology. Answer: D
Alejandra Pachecho:No. Why not?That is because in this world some people drive very crazily. So most people who use cell phones to talk in the car usually pay more attention to what they are talking about than to driving. One of the reasons that I feel this way is that my friend had a car accident while using a cell phone. He lost his life and his friends did, too. Rodrigo Cruz:That depends. The advantages of using a cell phone while driving are that you can call the police if there is a car accident, call for help when somebody's car breaks down, and call when somebody needs something before arriving home or at the office. The disadvantage is that people get distracted when they are driving at the same time they are talking on a cell phone. It can cause car accidents. Carl Khalid:No. I would recommend if you want to use a cell phone while you're driving, pull over and take your time. You will avoid a lot of trouble. There are many advantages of using cell phones in cars. In emergencies such as accidents, a flat tire or engine problem, the cell phone is useful for calling 911 for help. Using the cell phone while driving can save time, but using it while driving can also cause a lot of problems such as missing a red light or signs, not watching cars, or not paying attention to the speed limit. It causes a lot of problems. All these problems could cause loss of concentration. Mirna Hazim:Yes. A cell phone is helpful; it is one of the most important communication devices. For example, if you want to talk with somebody for an important reason, you can. One time when I was coming back from work at 10 o'clock at night, I had a problem in my car. It wouldn't move. I was scared to go into a store to call my brother because I didn't know the places there. I thought it could be dangerous. That night I found out that owning a cell phone is important. Mirna Hazim called her brother one night when _ . Answer: Dear Mum, I don't think you understand my life. You think I should be studying all the time. I know you want me to find a good job when I grow up, but I would like to have a wonderful time, too. You never think about fun things for me to do like music, sports. Two days ago, when I was watching a football game on TV, you asked me to stop and do my homework. After finishing my homework, still I wasn't allowed to read my football magazines. You said I had to go to bed early. That was bad enough, but yesterday was the worst day. I bought some computer games, and put them in my bag so that you wouldn't see them. I told you I had to do my homework first. I know it was wrong to lie to you, but you told me that Dad would talk to me later. Mum, I didn't quite like what you did to me! I really love you, mum, but I wish you could try not to be so hard on me. Love, Zhang Ning Zhang Ning's mother wants him _ when he grows up. Answer: Freda always hangs her wet swimsuit outdoors after getting out of the swimming pool. Which of the following is least likely to affect the rate at which Freda's swimsuit dries? Answer: The world has a fast growing population and people need more land for houses, factories, highways, and so on. The farmland is decreasing with each passing day. How to meet the need of feeding the growing population? One way is to introduce some high-output gene into a crop to enable it to produce more. Biologists over the years have discovered genes which can raise output of the crops, resist pests, improve taste, etc. However, in many western countries there is widespread concern over the safety of"Genetically Modified"(GM) foods, because they think there may be serious problems of environment, health, safety, morality and so on. As a scientist I must admit GM foods involve great risks to humans. In fact in Europe they're called "Frankenstein foods" by many. Frankenstein is a character in a novel. He was a very clever scientist. He created a monster , which eventually killed him. Soybeans can be made into many foods. However, it's hard to _ . Therefore, it's very important we have to make sure the soybean, if genetically modified, is free from any poisonous matter harmful to human beings. For this we need very good testing. We do have some testing on some animals, but no completely satisfactory testing has ever been made so far. They're entirely new, and their problems are entirely unknown. It takes time to develop persuasive tests to know whether they're harmful to us or not. We may not be able to tell what may happen if we take GM foods. Some of them may be resistant to antibiotics . Then many of the medicines we have today will have no effect on people eating GM foods. A more likely case is the GM foods may contain genes some people are allergic to. GM products have already come into our lives but most people even know nothing about it. At least we have to be clear about what we are eating. The China Consumers Association is calling for labeling on GM foods so that consumers will know before they buy them. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Learn To Speak French With Rocket French! Who Wants to Learn to Speak French Fluently in the Shortest Possible Time? If You Answered "I Do!" Then Please Read on to Try My FREE 6-Day French Course Why do you want to learn to speak French? Do you live in a French speaking country and want to communicate better? Are you traveling to a French speaking country? Are you a home-schooled student or a parent who wants their children to learn more quickly and easily? Are you a student who wants to get an A in French? Have you learned French before and want a fun refresher course ? Or, perhaps you just have an interest in learning the language of love! I've designed Rocket French Premium to be the easiest to follow, fastest system for learning how to speak French available. Rocket French Premium is an interactive course that makes you want to study. Also, it's practical. You are going to be able to speak at a restaurant, at an airport, and with new friends! It's a great experience to be able to speak with others in a different language. You will be able to enter into a different culture, a different world! Being bilingual is a very special ability, and it's a gift that we want to give to you. So are you ready to get to know the secret of learning a new language? You're looking right at it. Try our free six-day course. If you don't, you'll be missing a valuable opportunity to see just how much Rocket French Premium can improve your language level. Thousands of people worldwide have used our unique multimedia course to _ their French learning, while having piles of fun in the process. Will you be next? Your e-mail address is required for you to receive the FREE course. You can unsubscribe any time and your e-mail address will never be given to any third party. The ad claims learners of Rocket French Premium _ . Answer:
Elena jogged with her dad in some empty lots . These out-of-the-way lots were good places to jog. But the lots were full of rocks and rubbish. One day, Elena saw a sign on the lots. It said, "New City Park". Elena was excited. Maybe the park would have a jogging trail ! Elena told her parents about the sign. "I read about the park in the newspaper," said Elena's father. "The city wants volunteers to help clean the area. Then the city will build a soccer field and a playground. But the paper didn't mention a jogging trail." "Well, perhaps if I help clean up the lots, they'll put in a jogging trail," said Elena. On Saturday Elena went to the lots. Many adults were working there. Some were picking up rubbish. Some were moving rocks. Elena looked around. She could carry rubbish, and she could move rocks. So she went to the area every week to do volunteer work. She told everyone she was glad to help build the park. She explained that she hoped the park would have a jogging trail. Then everyone knew her and her jogging trail. Soon the volunteers cleared the lots. The city could start building. The mayor gave a speech. He showed a drawing of the new park. He told them about the soccer field. There would be picnic tables. There would be a playground. The park would even have basketball courts. But there was no sign of a jogging trail. The mayor thanked the volunteers. Then he asked if they had any suggestions. The volunteers said they wanted to build a jogging trail around the park. They told the mayor how helpful Elena had been and how she wanted a jogging trail. The mayor then said, "A jogging trail won't be hard to build. Let's do it!" Everyone clapped and cheered. Why did Elena want to help clean the lots? A. Because she wanted to play on the playground. B. Because she wanted her name in the newspaper. C. Because she wanted the city to build a jogging trail. D. Because she wanted to work with other volunteers. Answer: C What type of precipitation occurs when raindrops freeze as they fall? A. hail B. frost C. sleet D. snow Answer: C Before I stood on the ground of the largest island in the world I knew only a little about prefix = st1 /Australia. I came here in 2000, I had just heard of Sydney and Melbourne, and I knew koalas and kangaroos were Australian animals. To be frank, _ . When I was sitting on the plane traveling from Beijing to Melbourne, many questions were rolling around in my mind ceaselessly. Will, I a foreigner, be welcomed by the Australian or not? How long will it take me to get used to this wholly new life in this strange land? I stepped out the customs sections at Melbourneairport, aimlessly, like a day-dreamer. I really lacked any confidence. However, my start did not seem so bad. I made my way to find a taxi from the information desk. I found my friend, who lived inMelbourne, very easily. I felt that living inAustraliawas not so difficult, with the help of a taxi driver, as I had imagined. At the end of my first day here inAustraliathough, I had only spoken to a customs officer , a receptionist and a taxi driver. With the time passing day after day , I began to understand this country . The most impressive thing for me is the fresh air , the green grass , and the clear and clean water .Several months later , I realized Australiais a good place for entertainment . There are many sports , games , art exhibitions , music and various cultural festivals fill up everyday Australian life . One of these events attracted me so much that I went to see the international air show held in Laverton Melbourne, and my interest in aircraft was _ Australians are outgoing and friendly . Whenever I meet an Australian face to face , going along the same way as me , most people here will say hello to me . After the first few times this happened , I was affected by this custom , and started to say to people in advance , when I met them . In fact , Australiahas many charming points to me . The exotic animals , the tasty wine , the wonderful coastline , even the Australian English accent ! Every experience I undertake is a great discovery to me . All in all , Australiain my eyes is an ideal country for living . Peace , tranquility (quietness) and friendship are forever repeating themes of this country . I loveAustralia. Why did the writer say, "I was confused and did not know the name of or where the national capital was for a long time ."? A. Because the name of Australiacapital city is too difficult to remember . B. Because the writer didn't know where the Australian capital city is . C. Because the writer was to nervous when he got to Australiafirst . D. Because it was an example to show that he knew little about Australia. Answer: D John Milton, the most learned poet, is the greatest writer of the seventeenth century and one of the giants of English literature as a whole. He was greatly influenced by two historical movements of Renaissance and Reformation. Like Spenser and Shakespeare, he was also one of the Renaissance giants not only in England but also in the whole world. Almost all later poets in English literature respected Milton highly. Milton _ over his age as Shakespeare towers over the Elizabethan age, and as Chaucer towers over the medieval period. John Milton was born in London in 1608. His education began at St. Paul's School, where he was very hard-working, where he showed wonderful gifts as a student of languages mastering Greek, Latin, Hebrew and many modem European languages. He also received very good home education under the influence of his father who was a Puritan and a lover of music and literature. He attended Christ's College, Cambridge University, where he was very popular because of his handsomeness and talent, where he explained the true aim of knowledge as making the spirit of man "reach out far and wide, until it fills the whole world and the space far beyond with the expansion of its greatness", where he graduated with B.A. in 1962 and M. A. in 1963. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. John Milton was a most learned poet. B. John Milton was one of the giants of English literature. C. Spenser and Shakespeare were the Renaissance giants in England. D. Spenser, Shakespeare and John Milton had the friendly relationship between them. Answer: D It was Mother's Day. A man stopped his car at a flower shop to order some flowers. He wanted the shopper to send the flowers to his mother, who lived two hundred miles away. As he got out of his car, he found a young girl sitting on the road crying. He asked her what was wrong and she replied,"I want to buy a red rose for my mother, but I only have seventy-five cents. A rose costs two dollars." The man smiled and said, "Come into the shop with me, and I'll buy you a rose.' He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers. As they were leaving, he offered to drive the girl home. She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother." She brought him to a cemetery , where she placed the rose on the grave. The man was moved. He returned to the flower shop, picked up the flowers he ordered, and drove two hundred miles to his mother's house. Today is the day for your mother. Send a flower to your kind and beautiful mother. The man's mother lived _ away from him. A. 2 kilometers B. 75 miles C. 200 miles D. 200 kilometers Answer: C
FOR thousands of years, Stonehenge has confused visitors with a seemingly unanswerable question: Why would anyone carry so many huge stones across Britain and put them in a ring? It seems even stranger when you think of the fact that it was done by prehistoric people working without modern technology, not even a wheel. Stonehenge has started endless debates over the centuries. Experts have said at different times that it was a temple, a calendar or a graveyard . Yet "all the ideas to date could be mistaken," said Julian Spalding, a famous art critic and former director of some of the UK's leading museums. "We've been looking at Stonehenge the wrong way: from the earth, which is very much a 20th century viewpoint," he told The Guardian. Spalding has put forward a new theory about Stonehenge in his latest book, Realisation: From Seeing to Understanding. "The current theories about Stonehenge are based on looking across the ground, which is a modern idea," he writes in his new book. He told The Guardian that in ancient times, spiritual ceremonies didn't happen on the ground. Prehistoric people believed that in this way they could get closer to the heavens. So Spalding says that "rituals at Stonehenge were performed in the same way - not among the stones, but on top of them," reported The Washington Post. He re-imagines a scene in his book, explaining how the mysterious site was used: Stonehenge held up a large, circular platform . It was a raised altar reached by stairs, and thousands of people might have worshipped there. To support his theory, Spalding lists examples from ancient civilizations worldwide. In China, Peru and Turkey, such sacred monuments were built high up, whether on man-made or natural sites. In an interview with The Washington Post, Spalding said the wood that would have been used for the platform had long since rotted away , leaving only the stone pillars that supported it behind. So far scholars have had "a fair degree of skepticism " about these ideas, according to The Huffington Post. Sir Barry Cunliffe, prehistorian and Oxford University archaeology professor, said: "He could be right, but I know of no evidence to support it ... There are a large number of stone circles around the country which clearly didn't have a platform on top. So why should Stonehenge?" According to Spalding's theory, Stonehenge _ . Answer: was a raised altar for worship Rembrandt was an extraordinary Dutch painter. He was most well-known for his brushwork and the way in which he connected with the human soul. His life, however, was not happy. He was born on July 15,1606 in Leiden, the Netherlands. His father wanted him to have a real, learned profession but Rembrandt left the University of Leiden after becoming bored. He began studying art under a local teacher but soon left and studied in Amsterdam where he mastered all his lessons in six months! At the age of 22, he moved back to Leiden and began to get his own students. One of his students was the famous artist Gerrit Dou. In 1631 he returned to Amsterdam where he became the most popular portrait painter in Holland. Rembrandt met Saskia and married her in 1634. She was a cousin of a very successful art dealer and she helped him to meet wealhy people who commissioned many paintings from him. He used her as a model in many of his paintings. Rembrandt's private life, however, was very unfortunate. He had four children with Saskia but only one, Titus, survived. Saskia died in 1642 at the age of only 30. In 1649, his housekeeper became his second wife and was also a model for many of his paintings. Even though Rembrandt was very successful as an artist, art dealer and teacher, he lived in a careless way and had to declare bankruptcy in 1656. He even had to sell his whole art collection and his house to pay off his debts. His unfortunate life, however, didn't affect his art. He painted many great paintings during that time. His new love, Hendrickje, died in 1663 and his 27-year-old son, Titus, died in 1668. Eleven months later, on October 4, 1669, Rembrandt died in Amsterdam. He produced more than 600 paintings and over 2,000 drawings! Which of the following is the reason that made Rembrandt's business fail? Answer: Like other famous artists, he was thoughtless. When I was seven years old my mom was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told us my mom might be saved with surgery. But it could also kill her. She chose to have it. The day before the surgery I was off school, and my mom planned the best day of my life, everything I loved at seven and everything that would put a smile on my face. The day began with her waking me up saying, "Kate, I have a surprise for you. Come and see." The surprise was a doll I had wanted for the longest time. Throughout the day, she told me everything that she thought I would need to know to grow up and be a good person; she told me to be the best I could be and that I would always make her proud. We had a picnic in the park, and it was so cold that we moved to the car. The day was filled with laughter. For the first time in a long time I could see she was really happy. I would never forget her smile, or the way her eyes shone as if we were the same age. It was the best day of my life, and I will never forget the conversations we shared. My mother managed to live through the surgery. Now when I look back, I realize that the best day of my life could be her last and this could be the last day I would remember with her, the last one we shared. I also understand how unselfish a mother is. Which of the following words best describes the writer's mother? Answer: Great. 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 ? Dr. Ludke believes that foreign language learning can be supported by _ . Answer: using the listen-and-repeat singing method Do you suppose Darwin, one of the greatest scientists of all time, really did fools' experiments? Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish? Sometimes, people think they already know the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Sometimes, they really do know an answer or a solution, but without thinking they are important. Charles Darwin didn't settle for just thinking he knew something. And, he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be. Suppose you drop sheets of paper that are of exactly the same size and shape. If you drop them at the same time in the same place, they will fall in the same way. Now make one of the sheets of paper into a tight little ball and let it drop along with the other sheets. What happens? You have done an experiment that is so simple that you might think it couldn't be worth anything. But this simple experiment is important. It explains part of our present day understandings of physics ideas that were worked out long ago by Galileo and Newton. And these understandings set aside some of ancient Greek physics. Scientist sometimes stops to look at very simple things and to think very hard about them. Even the simplest idea, which we might think is foolish, can shake the foundations of science. Which one of the following is TRUE? Answer: According to some people Darwin did foolish experiments.
In America, when people say "man's best friend", they don't mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal:A dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give happiness to people's lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. A few even leave all their money to their pets when they die! Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to become the "eyes"for a blind person or "ears"for a deaf people. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, animals are brought into hospitals for "visit". Americans hold "Be---Kind-to-Animals Week"in the first week of May. Pets shows are held during the week. Even if you don't live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First, think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. Also, be sure to keep your pet from those unwanted babies. If you don't have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, don't kick it or throw things at it. Instead, just leave it alone, or beter yet, make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to an animal, try to shop them. As people, we must protect animals who can't speak for themselves. Why are dogs brought to hospitals? Is this your pen?Call Lydia at 224-3638. Lost: My computer game.My name is David.Call 44-2697. Mitchell, Is that your backpack in the lost and found case? Liza Found:ID card.Is this your ID card? Call Ely at 52993. I lost my ID card ,I should call With an overwhelming variety of educational toys and learning tools in the market, you really wonder if these educational products are really beneficial to children. There have been many educational DVDs in the market that promise to stimulate a child's learning and enhance his or her cognitive skills. Parents feel good about buying these products for their children. After all, these educational tools try to do a parent's job of participating in the child's education, especially when the parent can't be present due to his or her busy schedule. Moreover, children seem to love these DVDs that contain pictures, words, and loads of stories. Some DVDs contain fun, sing-along songs or read-aloud words to help the children learn different concepts and words. Although these are fun for the parents and the children, the question that needs to be asked is whether these DVDs are actually beneficial to the child, as they claim to be. Although parents expected "educational" products to give their child some educational advantage, research has shown otherwise. Researchers in a recent study concluded that there was indeed no difference between the language and cognitive ability of the infants who were repeatedly exposed to educational DVDs and those who were not exposed to the DVDs. In fact, contrary to expectations, it was found that babies who were exposed to the DVDs at an earlier age had lower overall language scores at a later age. This suggested a damaging effect of such DVDs on younger children. For several years the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that toddlers under age of 24 months or 2 years should not watch videos or television. However, there are many parents who believe these DVDs really help in stimulating the child and keep him or her entertained. While it may work as a great babysitter, it is important to limit activities like video games, computer games, DVDs or TV programs. To promote their children's development and cognitive skills, parents are advised to spend time with their children and increase interaction with them. For example, if you want to enhance language development, converse with the child, listen, and respond to whatever the child is trying to communicate. Children learn more by interacting with parents, rather than by watching DVDs. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? There was great excitement on the planet of Venus . Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan, named after the great Venusian astronomer Professor. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20000 light years ago. Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. "We have come to the conclusion, based on last week's satellite landing," Prof. Zog said, "that there is no life on Earth." "How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked. "For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is made up of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive." "What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?" "We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than originally planned." "Are there any other dangers that you discovered in your studies?" "Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have further tests before we send a Venus Being there." "Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicates it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer." "If all you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?" "Yes, but we shall continue as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds ." Profession. Zog replied. According to the passage, the Venusian scientists succeeded in getting important information about _ . Hello, I'm Frank. I'm twenty-four years old. I live in Shanghai now. There are many tall buildings, big houses and busy streets in this city. My flat is on the eighth floor of a ten-floor building. There is a nice park. In the morning, there are many people doing exercise in it. My flat is small. It has no kitchen. There is only one bedroom. It looks nice and tidy. My favorite place is the balcony . I often sit on the balcony to have a rest . I work in a restaurant on a busy street. It is a good place to meet friends and taste nice food. I'm always busy cooking food and making coffee for the customers . When I'm free, I'll help the waiters clean the chairs and tables. Sometimes I feel a little tired, but I'm happy here. Frank works as a _ .
Question: On Thursday October 3, Adam Harper decided to stop drinking coffee. Adam is a MBA student at Harvard University. He studies long hours, gets very little sleep and as a result, he drinks a lot of coffee---anywhere from five to six cups a day. Recently, Adam felt that drinking thus much coffee was making it hard for him to sleep at all. He also began having problems with his concentration , and complained of stomachaches. Adam's doctor made this suggestions: stop drinking coffee altogether. When Adam got up on October 3, he began his day without his morning coffee. By 11:00 a.m., Adam was in a terrible mood . He was tired and had a headache. At 11:30, he had a meeting with his student advisor. In the meeting, he found it almost impossible to continue. What was going on? Caffeine, a chemical found in coffee, was most likely the reason for how Adam felt. Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts energy levels and improves concentration- but only for a short time. Lowering caffeine consumption often causes a drop in blood pressure and the result is a "coffee headache", People who stop drinking coffee often say they feel tired and moody, and find it hard to focus. The good news is that these feeling usually pass after four and five days. During this time, doctors suggested taking some aspirin for the headache. So, if Adam can wait, in less than a week, he may be feeling much better. In fact, coffee can really help us _ . A. to go to sleep very fast B. to work for long hours C. not to get ill easily D. not to depend on medicine Answer: B Question: All the wisdom of the times, all the stories that have delighted mankind for centuries, are easily and cheaply available to all of us in books, but we must know how to make use of this treasure. The unluckiest people in the world are those who have never discovered how satisfying it is to read good books. I'm very interested in people and finding out about them. Some of the most amazing people I've met could only be found in a writer's imagination, then in his book, and then, again, in my imagination. I've found in books new friends and new worlds. Reading is fun, not because the writer is telling you something, but because it makes your mind work. Your own imagination works along with the writer's or even goes beyond his. Your experience, compared with his, brings you to the same or different conclusions, and your ideas develop as you understand his. Every book stands by itself, like a one-family house, but books in a library are like houses in a city. Although they are separate , in some way they are connected with each other. The same ideas, or related ones, appear in different places; the human problems that repeat themselves in life repeat themselves in books, but with different solutions according to different writings at different times. Books influence each other. They connect the past, the present and the future and have their own generations (age groups), like families. Wherever you start reading, you connect yourself with one of the families of ideas, and in the end, you not only find out about the world and the people in it, you find out about yourself, too. Reading can only be fun if you expect it to be. If you concentrate on books somebody tells you "ought" to read, you probably won' t have fun. But if you put down a book you don't like and try another till you find one that means something to you, and then relax with it, you will almost certainly have a good time -- and if you become, as a result of reading, better, wiser, kinder, or more gentle, you won't suffer during the process. What's the writer's purpose of writing this article? A. To advise us to enjoy ourselves by reading. B. To encourage us to make full use of libraries. C. To encourage us to find out solutions in books. D. To advise us to discuss books with other people. Answer: A Question: The UK's "hidden" debt mountain stands at an estimated PS5bn, according to a new research today which reveals that as many as one in three consumers are keeping the full scale of their financial problems from their family.The research, for the Post Office, shows that while the average personal debt in the UK is PS9,731.51, people only admit to owing half this when talking to a partner or member of their family. The new report exposes the serious emotional and physical consequences of covering up that debt, ranging from problems at work, sleepless nights and anxiety, to alcohol abuse.A recent report from the Commons public accounts committee said that in the UK, one person in 10 is struggling to manage their debts, while the total of all personal debt is some PS1,500bn.It warned that a government strategy to help consumers struggling with record levels of debt was "seriously deficient" because of poor management and a lack of leadership.The research was commissioned by the Post Office and carried out online by One Poll, which surveyed 2,258 UK consumers. Doug Strachan, director of financial services at the Post Office, said, " The recession has put a massive strain on many families and people may be, for the first time, experiencing levels of debt that they cannot control.The most important thing to remember is that if you do need to borrow money, make sure you are responsible about it and set out a clear repayment plan.Managing the debt effectively can mean there is no need to experience the terrible emotional and physical symptoms hiding debt can result in." Donna Dawson, psychologist specializing in personality, behavior and relationships, said the knock-on effects were enormous, " hiding the extent of debt from a partner or family member may give us a false sense of control or independence, but the reality is that our mental and physical health suffers--and once uncovered, the health of our loved ones suffers as well. The irony is that the very things we are trying to protect--our trustworthiness and our good self-image--are lost anyway, when all becomes revealed. This passage mainly tells the readers _ . A. the phenomenon of people's hiding debt in the UK B. the cause of people's hiding debt in the UK C. the measures of dealing with hiding debt D. the effect of hiding debt Answer: D Question: One day a poor man was cutting a big piece of wood near a river. Suddenly his old axe fell into the water. He felt very sad because he lost his only axe. Then all at once a beautiful fairy came out and asked the man what was the matter. "I have lost my axe, "he said. It fell into the water when I was cutting the wood. The fairy showed him a gold axe and asked, "Is this yours?". "No," said the man. The fairy then showed him a silver axe and asked again, "Is this yours?" "No," again answered the man. Then she showed him the old axe. "Yes, that is mine,"called out the happy man. "I know that well enough," said the fairy."I only wanted to see if you would tell me the truth, and now I'll give you the gold axe and the silver axe besides your own one." One day when the man was cutting something, _ . A. he fell into the water B. his axe dropped into the river C. his axe fell into a lake D. he saw a beautiful fairy Answer: B Question: The best example of something is often called the "gold standard." It sets the standard against which other things are measured. In economics, the term describes how major trading nations once used gold to set currency values and exchange rates. Many nations continued to use the gold standard until the last century. In the United States, people could exchange paper money for gold from the eighteen seventies until nineteen thirty-three. Then-President Richard Nixon finally disconnected the dollar from the value of gold in nineteen seventy-one. From time to time, some politicians call for a return to the gold standard. In 1978, the International Monetary Fund ended an official gold price. The IMF also ended the required use of gold in _ with its member countries. Since that time, gold prices have grown and continued to be high. But people keep buying. Some people are "gold bugs." These are investors who say people should buy gold to protect against inflation . People have valued gold for thousands of years. The soft, dense metal polishes to a bright yellow shine and resists most chemical reactions. It makes a good material for money, political power -- and, more recently, electrical power. If you own a device like a mobile phone or a computer, you might own a little gold in the wiring. The gold standard was the subject of one of the best-known speeches in American political history. William Bryan wanted the country to use both gold and silver as money. The idea was to devalue the dollar and make it easier for farmers to pay their debts. So he delivered a speech, which made him famous. He was a presidential candidate three times. But he never won. After the IMF ended the official gold price, the gold prices _ . A. stayed the same B. began to drop C. increased D. increased a little at first and kept drop Answer: C
Sam was an English student. He always stayed at home for his holidays. But last winter he thought, "I have never left the country. All my friends have been to Spain. They like it very much. So this year I'm going there for my holiday." First he went to Madrid and stayed in a small hotel for a few days. One morning he went out for a walk. In his country people drive on the left, but in Spain they drive on the right. Sam forgot about this, and while he came to a busy street, a bike knocked him down. Sam lay on the ground for a few seconds and then he sat up and said, "Where am I?" An old man was selling maps at the side of the street. He quickly came to Sam and said, "Maps of the city, sir?" In _ , people always drive on the left. A. Spain B. the street C. Madrid D. London Answer: D 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. Volunteers don't want to get _ when they help others. A. everything B. money C. some presents D. a job Answer: B Glaucoma is a major cause of blindness around the world, especially in developing countries. The World Health Organization says glaucoma is a greater public health challenge than cataracts , because the blindness caused by the latter can be cured after operations. Glaucoma is a disease that makes people around the world lose their sight, and they usually don't even know they have the disease until it has permanently destroyed at least 40 percent of their sight. The process is usually so painless and subtle , so people don't notice it. Actually, the simplest medical test can discover it. "It is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. In Hispanics and in African-Americans, it's the second leading cause of blindness and so is the case in the Chinese and Indians." said Dr. Alan Robin, a specialist in treating glaucoma. "The glaucoma we see in sub-Saharan Africa is a much more aggressive blinding disease than the glaucoma we see in Americans or even African- Americans in-the United States." he said. . Dr. Eric Fleischer also sees at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. "Pretty much anybody who has ancestors in Africa has an increased chance of developing glaucoma." Age is another thing that may lead to glaucoma, although people of all ages can get it. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that commonly produce pressure in the eye. An eye is sort of like a watch. And behind the face of the watch, liquid is made. It goes through your pupil and into the front of the watch between the face and the crystal.There's an area around the edge of the watch that drains the liquid. When that drain is blocked, the liquid can't leave the eye as fast as it is produced. The rising pressure within the eye damages and eventually kills the optic nerve. The result is blindness. Fortunately, if caught early, glaucoma can be controlled. Glaucoma is not curable. But as researchers worldwide lean more about it, they grow more hopeful that glaucoma can one day be cured or even prevented. From the passage, we can learn that, _ . A. It is hard for medical tests to discover glaucoma B. People in developed countries hardly develop glaucoma C. Glaucoma only causes blindness among old people D. The research on glaucoma is still going on worldwide Answer: D A Special Halloween Party Ever since its opening, "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" has been the center of attraction for thousands of Disney vacationers during Halloween in Orlando. Started as a special one night event in 1995, this Halloween event at Disney World has been transformed and developed into one of the most family-fun events today, and runs throughout selected nights in September, October and November. "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" guarantees a unique Halloween experience right in the middle of the most magical place on Earth. Whether it's you or the kids, "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" welcomes all with equal fun and entertainment opportunities. Visiting this special Halloween party once in your life is a dream that comes true. Even though it costs you a few extra dollars, there is every reason to visit it. It starts at 7 pm on every selected night and continues till midnight. During the show the entire Magic Kingdom Park is transformed into a heaven of Halloween adventures, including amazing fireworks, grand parade, and plenty of trick-or-treat opportunities. One of the most striking features of the event is--guests are allowed to visit in their favorite Halloween costumes . Unlike the usual party guidelines, there is no restriction for dresses at "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party". Both adults and kids are encouraged to choose their favourite Halloween costumes. The Party unfolds amazing Halloween activities. If you are a character lover, don't miss the various "Character Meet& Greet" opportunities. Let your child take photos with his or her famous Disney characters. Or you can have a magical trick-or-treat experience at the numerous candy locations all over the park with the kids. Also don't miss the unique "Mickey's Boo to You Halloween Parade", which is one of the rarest, must-see Disney shows. The parade also enables you to see all your favorite Disney characters in their own Halloween costumes. The skeleton dancers make the Parade a little scary too, but it's a great fun. The "Hallo Wishes Firework Display" is another grand show, which lasted for about 20 minutes and one should not miss at the party. Tourists to "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" need to _ . A. wear Halloween costumes B. prepare trick-or-treat candies C. go to the party with their families D. pay more for admission than regular days Answer: D One in five people carry a 'smart gene' variant linked to long lifespan, bigger forebrains and enhanced mental ability, researchers have found. 'We've known for a long time that people lose cognitive abilities as they age, but now we're beginning to understand that factors like KLOTHO can give people a boost in aging. Genetic variation in KLOTHO could help us predict brain health and find ways to protect people from the diseases that happen to us as we grow old, like Alzheimer's disease ," said senior author, Dena Dubal of University of California. The KLOTHO gene affects a protein found in the kidneys and the brain that regulates many different body processes. About one in five people carry a single copy of the varian, known as KL-VS,which boosts levels of the protein and is associated with a longer lifespan and improved heart and kidney function. A small minority, 3% of the population, has two copies, which is linked to a shorter lifespan. In the new study scientists scanned the brains of 422 men and women aged 53 and over who were also tested for the KLOTHO gene. They found that participants with a single copy of the gene variant also had a larger brain region known as RDLPFC, which is especially likely to shrink with age. Loss of neurons in this area may be one reason why older people are sometimes easily distracted and find it difficult to do more than one task at the same time. Researcher Dr Jennifer Yokoyama said, " The brain region enhanced by genetic variation in KLOTHO is vulnerable in aging and some mental disease. In this case, bigger size means better function. It will be important to determine whether the structure increase associated with carrying one copy of KL-VS can _ the cognitive shortage caused by disease."[:] People who have one copy of a variant KL-VS tend to live longer and have lower chances of suffering a stroke ,whereas people who have two copies may live shorter lives and have a higher risk of stroke. If a person carries two copies of the gene variant, he/she may _ A. have better kidney funtciton B. have a shorter lifespan C. have a higher level of the protein in his/her body D. suffer from some cognitive disease Answer: B
I had the unkindest mother in the whole world.While other kids ate candy for breakfast.I had to have cereal and eggs.When others had Cokes and candy for lunch,I had to eat a sandwich.But at least I wasn't alone.My sister and two brothers had the same unkind mother as I did. My mother knew where we were at all times.She knew who our friends were.We had to clean clothes and take a bath every day.We had to be in bed by 9:00 p.m.and up at 8:00 a.m. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends.So while they slept,our mother gave us work to do.We had to wash dishes,make our beds and learn to cook.I believe she lay awake at night thinking up unkind things for us to do. Through the years,things didn't improve a bit.We could not lie in bed "sick" like our friends did in order to miss school. My mother was the unkindest mother.Out of four children,a couple of us went on to higher education.None of us have ever done bad things.She forced us to grow up into educated and honest people.I am trying to raise my three children like this.I will feel proud when my children call me unkind.Because you see,I am thankful that I had the unkindest mother in the whole world. What is the writer's attitude toward her mother now? Thankful. Keeping fish as pets is a popular hobby. Fish take up little room, are inexpensive to feed, and provide an interesting and color1ful display in any room. A tank, or an aquarium , must be chosen carefully. Many new aquarium owners buy too many fish for their tanks. Fish cannot be crowded. Two fish can live comfortably in each gallon of water, only ten fish can live in a five-gallon tank. Can you see why a goldfish would not live long in a tiny , round bowl? If too many fish are kept together, they will not have enough oxygen or room to swim about freely. They will have more diseases. Also, some kinds of fish cannot be kept together. They will fight and may even kill one another. As your interest in fish grows, the number of fish you have may grow, too. Then you may want to _ in another tank. If you start with a ten-gallon aquarium, what kind of fish would be best? The two major groups of tropical fish are those that lay eggs and those that give birth to live young. If you want to raise young fish, guppies would be the best choice because they can produce many babies in a short time. You can buy fish and aquariums in most pet stores. Ask the owner to help you choose the right fish. You can also find many books about tropical fish in the library. Keeping fish is a good hobby for the following reasons EXCEPT _ . fish reproduce babies quickly The Children's Book-Show Competition is a chance for young readers to be writers. Reading, it seems, is coming back in fashion, if a survey by the famous National Literacy Trust (the NLT) is true. It shows that the percentage of children who admit enjoying reading has grown for the first time in the past 8 years. So it's a good time to launch a competition that includes a shed-load of new books for schools as prizes. The Children's Book-show Competition, _ by The Independent, is taking to the roads again from the start of next term, with a nation-wide tour of 15 big cities, featuring a line-up of a dozen children's writers and illustrators aiming to persuade pupils to follow their footsteps. The competition, launched by the children's writer and illustrator Jessica Souhami, has two categories: the under-nine's and nine to 13-year-olds. Children are asked to choose their favorite fairy or folk tale and set it in an extraordinary place. Then they are to retell it with the aid of drawings and writings-whether it is set at sea, on a distant planet, in the future or in the past. The closing date for the competition is 30th November. "Tell your tale in pictures and in words, "say the organizers of the competition. "It can be in a picture book or comic-book format." The winner of each competition will receive a signed copy of a book by each of the 12 authors involved in this year's tour, plus PS150 worth of books for their school. The runners-up will receive a signed copy of Souhami's new book. What will be offered as a prize to schools? _ Books worth PS150 in all. Which animal develops inside its mother before it is born alive? Cat Everyone has two personalities -- one is showed to the world and the other is secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control yourself, but when you're asleep, your sleeping _ shows the real you. And the important position that best shows your secret personality is when you go to sleep. If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You usually believe people and you are easily influenced by new ideas. You don't like to make people unhappy, so you never show your real feelings. You're quite shy and you aren't very confident . If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you're always easy to be sad. You never want to change your ideas, and you are pleased with your life. You usually live for today not for tomorrow. If you sleep on curled up ,you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and often don't want to be hurt, so you are very defensive . You're shy and you don't like meeting people. You like to be alone. If you sleep on your side, you usually have a well-balanced personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You're usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel worried, but you don't often get unhappy. You always say out what you think, even if it sometimes makes people angry. Tina hardly ever tells her secrets to her friends. She probably goes to sleep _ . on her stomach
Public schools in New York,America's biggest city, commonly have numbers for names.But this is unusual.In the United States,the process of naming a school often involves parents and the community as well as elected school leaders. Researchers say school names can show civic values and also shape them. For example,naming a school after a historic person becomes a way to teach students about that person's importance in history. A new study examines the naming of American public schools.The study is from the Manhattan Institute,an organization that does public policy research.The study shows that fewer and fewer schools are being named after people.Instead. more schools are being named after the local areas or natural features like hills.trees or animals.The researchers say these changes raise questions about the civic duty of public education. The looked at seven states with 20% of all public school students in the country. They found the similar result in every state: new school are less likely to be named after people. This is true especially with presidents. For example, in Arizona, public school in the past 20 years were almost fifty times more likely to be named after such things as landforms or plants . School officials say they try to choose names that will not offend anyone. For example, a few years ago the city of New Orleans banned the naming of any school after a person who owned slaves. Other school system have rules against naming new schools after any person, living or dead . The researchers say naming a school after a person can lead it important debates about democratic values. call for more research to identify the causes and effects of the changes in school names. The causes may include changes in American culture as well as in the political control of school systems. One area worth exploring , they say, is the link between trends in school names and weak results for public schools on measures of civic education. What's the best title for the passage ? A. Few Us Public School Now Are Named after people B. Public Schools In New York Have Numbers for Names C. The Various Origins of America Schools D. US Public Schools Value the Names of Great Persons Answer: A. Few Us Public School Now Are Named after people Have you ever heard about the Whale Inside Dark Restaurant? The restaurant is in eastern downtown Beijing. It's the first eat-in-the-dark restaurant in China, and also in Asia. The restaurant is so welcome, since it's open in January at jianwai SOHO in Chaoyang District. People going there will experience darkness both during the day and the night. The restaurant offers not only a wonderful choice for food, but also a special environment for friends or parties. Every day, Whale Inside receives at least 50 guests from everywhere around Beijing. About 10 per cent of them are foreigners. The customers will go to the light to see the menu, and then they have to hand in all mobile phones, watches and other things that can give off light. They then move to the dark world. Waiters will lead them to the dark dining area. Of course, the waiters are all wearing special glasses that can make them see in the dark. Customers cannot see anything including their food or friends. They have to look for their spoons, drinks, and anything else. Every table may get a "secret dish ". The guests will have one chance to guess what the dish is made of. Everyone who guesses it correctly can win a prize. "It is not easy," said the manager, "because without seeing it, only 30 per cent of the guests can get the answer." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Guests there will have a chance to get a prize--a secret dish. B. Every guest there will get a secret dish. C. It's not easy to guess the secret dish without seeing it. D. The manager said only 30 guests received the prize. Answer: C. It's not easy to guess the secret dish without seeing it. Motown songwriter-producer Deke Richards,who was behind songs including The Jackson 5's first three US number one hits,has died aged 68. Richards,who had oesophageal cancer,died in a Washington state hospice ,Universal Music said.The musician,whose real name was Dennis Lussier,Was leader of the Motown songwriting,arranging and producing team--The Corporation.Their hits include The Jackson 5'S I Want You Back and ABC. Richards also co-wrote Love Child for Diana Ross and The Supremes,as well as Ross's solo track I'm Still Waiting.He produced and wrote for Martha Reeves and the Vamlellas and Bobby Darin. The Corporation,which consisted of Motown label head Berry Gordy,Alphonzo Mizell,Freddie Perren and Richards,was set up in 1969 to create hit records for the label's new act,The Jackson 5. They also wrote,produced and arranged the band's singles and Maybe Tomorrow and Mama's Pearl. According to Michael Jackson biographer,J.Randy Taraborrelli,Mama's Pearl was originally called Guess Who'S Making Whoopie(With Your Girlfriend). But Richards had the lyrics changed to preserve the young frontman's innocent image. The Hollywood Reporter said Richards' "love of music" kept him involved with a variety of projects,including last year'S production of The Jackson 5's Come and Get It:The Rare Pearls.featuring rare and unreleased tracks. Richards' final work was the mixing of eight unreleased tracks by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas for the band's 50th anniversary box set,which is to be released on 5 April. It is implied in the passage that _ . A. Richards hardly co-wrote songs for singers B. the Jackson 5's Come and Get it Was left unfinished as Richards got i11. C. The corporation Was set up to earn money. D. Richards had deep love for music. Answer: D. Richards had deep love for music. After a very busy afternoon,as I walked into my house,I heard the phone ringing. It was my friend Lydia,upset over an argument with her husband. My usual approach is to offer advice,but this time,exhausted from chores,I simply sat down in a chair and listened to my friend's frustration and sadness. Without the disturbance of judgment or the desire to comfort her,I stayed totally quiet while she talked. Eventually Lydia's depression eased and we said our goodbyes. The next day she phoned to thank me. "I'm so grateful for the way you helped me through this,"she said. At first I was surprised. After all,I had done nothing except be there for her. But after I had my own venting experience with another friend later that evening,I realized that my focused silence had some value. In fact,most relationship experts agree that talk is cheap;it's listening that's rare and valuable It allows you not only to hear what the other person is saying,but also to have a clear understanding of her thoughts and feelings. And for the speaker,that level of understanding translates into concern and respect. Unfortunately,listening isn't as easy as it sounds. Thanks to schedules filled with family and work,multitasking has become a barrier to listening. My tiredness may have been the only thing stopping me from folding laundry or checking my email while Lydia talked that afternoon. Another barrier to listening is our listening system:Most of us take in only about half of what's being said during a conversation,according to the International Listening Association. Research shows that we speak at 125 to 150 words per minute,yet think at 500 words a minute. Therefore,because we think much more quickly than we speak,it is easy for us to lose our concentration when listening to speakers. While it can be hard to focus at times,it's a skill worth developing. With a little practice (employing some techniques),you can become a better listener. The author uses the result of the research in Paragraph 4 to mainly show that _ . A. we think much more quickly than we speak B. we can only understand about half of what we hear C. there is not much thinking time available while we are listening D. we lose our concentration easily while we are listening Answer: D. we lose our concentration easily while we are listening Taking a trip to Philadelphia can be rewarding experience or absolute disasters---it all depends on pre-trip homework. To make planning easier, Huffington Post Travel Series recommends attractions for those planning Philadelphia family vacations. The Philadelphia Museum of Art Located on 26thStreet and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Philadelphia Museum of Art features more than 225, 000 pieces in its vast collection, dating back to the first century A.D. Guests can discover modern art exhibits, clothing collections gathered throughout time and classic posters. Audio tours are also available. Price: adults, $ 16; children 12 to 17, $ 12; children 11 and under, free. The Please Touch Museum The Please Touch Museum on 4231 Avenue of the Republic offers kids the chance to explore, discover and learn in a fun environment. The museum features six interactive zones where kids and parents are encouraged to play and learn about science, the environment and more. Exhibits include Flight Fantasy, where kids learn about flying machines, and River Adventures, which teaches kids about science, nature and weather. Price: adults, $15; children under the age of 1, free The Philadelphia Zoo The Philadelphia Zoo sits on a 42-acre Victorian garden. The zoo features 1,300 animals, including a number of rare and endangered species. While visiting the zoo families can see big cats, zebras, giraffes, endangered turtle species and penguins. The zoo also includes rides for kids, such as a Rainforest Carousel and Camel Safari. Price: Adults, $ 18; children 2 to 12, $15; children younger than 2, free. The Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is Philadelphia's major science museum, and one of the oldest in the United States. The museum offers guests the chance to experience flight simulator and sky bikes. The first floor offers a large Kid Science exhibit, where children discover science through a fictional journey. The second floor features air shows. Price: Adults, $ 12; children 4 to 11, $12. Teenagers interested in aircraft will most likely to visit both _ . A. the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Please Touch Museum B. the Please Touch Museum and the Franklin Institute C. the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute D. the Philadelphia Zoo and the Please Touch Museum Answer: B. the Please Touch Museum and the Franklin Institute
Please do not leave your valuables in your room unattended. The hotel provides safe deposit boxes at the reception desk. When you leave the hotel, please put your key at the reception desk. PLEASE DO NOT TALK TO OR DISTRACT THE DRIVER WHEN THE BUS IS MOVING. PLEASE PAY EXACT FARE. The local government has advised skaters not to go out on the central pond today. There is a danger of the ice breaking. Skaters are advised to enjoy their sport at the local indoor ice rink instead SALE Sports fans Don't miss out! Tennis rackets - down to $15 Basketballs - down to $ 10 Aerobic wear - from just $ 10 Swimwear--from just $5 First five people in the store today will meet Yao Ming . Hotel Rendezvous 30 Kings Road Swindon UK 23/04/07 Mr. & Mrs. Biggs 80 Cuscaden Road London Dear Mr. & Mrs. Biggs, We are pleased to confirm your reservation as follows: Date:21-23 June (2 nights) Room: double Rate: $120 a night If you have some expensive things, where can you leave them when you live in the hotel? A Take them with you everywhere you go. B Leave them in the room you live in. C Put them in the safe deposit boxes. D Call friends for help. Answer: C. Put them in the safe deposit boxes. Everything has a name. All people, places and things have names.Cities and towns have names,too.Schools and office buildings also have names. Names are important. We use names every day.When we meet a new person, we usually ask"What's your name?" It's important to learn a person's name. Most people have two names. Some have more names. Names are different all over the world, so it is very difficult to remember all of them. In the USA, most people have a first name, a middle name and a last name. Parents choose the first name and middle names for their babies.There are names for boys and names for girls. For example, John, Peter, Tom and Mike are all names for boys, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Susan and Mary are all girls' names. The last name is the family name. Usually it is the father's family name. Usually the last name is _ family name. A the father's B the mother's C the parent's D the grandmother's Answer: A. the father's There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all. The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK. Then the professor asked about the cure for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right. "Good," said the professor, "and how much will you give the patient?" "A full spoon," answered the student. "Now you may go out and wait for what you can get," said the professor. At the same time the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. "A full spoon is too much," he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, "Mr Professor, I've made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for the patient. He can take only five drops." "I'm sorry, sir," said the professor coldly, "But it is too late. Your patient has died." The student's description of the illness was _ . A not correct B not satisfying C completely discouraging D accepted Answer: D. accepted Did you hear of the supercomputer? Recently, China's Tianhe-1 was ranked as the world's fastest supercomputer, according to a new list of world's TOP 500 supercomputers. It took 200 Chinese scientists two years to build the fastest supercomputer. It can do 2,507 trillion calculations in a second! That means it will take a personal computer 600 years to finish the work that a supercomputer does in a day! The US now leads the world in the area of supercomputers. It is home to more than half of the world's top 500 supercomputers. Japan also has advanced technology. China is developing its supercomputer technology quickly. But experts say it will take years before China's total computing power can catch up with that of the US. Supercomputers can work on many different things. They can solve problems in areas like national defense , energy and science. In business, you can also use supercomputers. Oil companies use them to find oil and gas. Banks use them for quick trades. Food companies even use supercomputers to make sure that they put potato chips into cans without breaking them. To make a supercomputer, scientists first need to link thousands of small computers together. Then they use software to turn them into one supercomputer. In fact, any person with enough knowledge about computers can make a supercomputer. But you need the top technology to make a supercomputer run fast. The world's fastest supercomputer _ . A was made in America B was made within two months C can do 2,507 trillion calculations in a minute D was made by 200 Chinese scientists Answer: D. was made by 200 Chinese scientists Under a written agreement Superpastries, Inc., promised to sell its entire output of baked buns at a specified unit price to Bonnie's Buns, Inc., a retailer, for one year. Bonnie's Buns promised not to sell any other supplier's baked buns. For this question only, assume the following facts. Shortly after making the contract, and before Superpastries had tendered any buns, Bonnie's Buns decided that the contract had become undesirable because of a sudden, sharp decline in its customers' demand for baked buns. It renounced the agreement, and Superpastries sues for breach of contract. Which of the following will the court probably decide? A Bonnie's Buns wins, because mutuality of obligation was lacking in that Bonnie's Buns made no express promise to buy any of Superpastries' baked buns. B Bonnie's Buns wins, because the agreement was void for indefiniteness of quantity and total price for the year involved. C Superpastries wins, because Bonnie's Buns' promise to sell at retail Superpastries' baked buns exclusively, if it sold any such buns at all, implied a promise to use its best efforts to sell Superpastries' one-year output of baked buns. D Superpastries wins, because under the applicable law both parties to a sale-ofgoods contract impliedly assume the risk of price and demand fluctuations. Answer: C. Superpastries wins, because Bonnie's Buns' promise to sell at retail Superpastries' baked buns exclusively, if it sold any such buns at all, implied a promise to use its best efforts to sell Superpastries' one-year output of baked buns.
The lce Bucket Challenge, in which people dump a bucket of ice water on their heads and challenge others to do the same, has brought in millions of dollars in donations for the ALS Association, and is among the biggest viral phenomena 2.4 million vides related to the ice bucket challenge have been shared on the social network, and more than 28 million people have posted, commented or liked a post relating to the challenge. "Marrying the Internet's love of challenges with donation and charity is _ ." Said Neetzan Zimmerman, a former editor at Gawaker who's widely considered as an expert in viral phenomena. "There is no other way to say this--it's absolutely pure brilliance ." The nature of the Ice Bucket Challenge is, in itself, quick in spread. "People want to look good to others, so it's hard to turn down a prosocial cause," said Jonah Berger, an author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. "ALS is a great cause, so when someone asks you directly to do this, it's hard to turn them down without seeming like a bad person." The Ice Bucket Challenge campaign has been great for the ALS Association, a non-profit organization that does research and provides help for patients with Lou Gehrig's disease. It has received $ 22.9 million since July 29 and the donations are coming not only from existing donors, but from nearly half a million new donors. Celebrities have been interested in the cause, which has undoubtedly accelerated the spread. At this point, it's almost difficult to find a celebrity who hasn't had ice water dumped on his or her head. Kobe and Lcbron have done it and Bieber has done it twice. "If you are doing, it's as if you could stand in for them," said Jennifer Cool, an anthropologist at USC who studies Internet culture and history. "You can be in the shoes of Lady Gaga or Bill Gates, too." And, of course, there's showing off factor, Internet is a place to show off and promote yourself, filled with incredible vacation photos, reminders to all that you're in love with challenges. You may have some friends who've seemed eager to show off their bikini or swim trunk bodies in their Ice Bucket Challenge videos. At this point, some celebrities seem to be trying to one-up each other. Bill Gates released a highly produced video of himself designing a method of dumping water on himself. Hockey player Paul Bissonnette, for some reason, had a helicopter drop glacier water on him. According to the text, the Ice Bucket Challenge gives celebrities _ . a sense of belonging. Smith entered Mr.Watson's office.The boss was a hard man.He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance. "Smith," said Mr.Watson,"this past year your department hasn't earned money.We're going to drop that department.It's finished.I'm sorry,--but you'll have to go." "But,sir--if I just had a little more time.For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School." "What's that!" said the boss."Riverside!I didn't know you had a boy there.That's an expensive school for a man with your salary." "I know,sir.But he likes it there so much!He's a star athlete and the best boxer in the school.The boys call him Champ there." The boss sat perfectly still for a long time--a faraway look in his eyes.Then,suddenly,he said,"We've got to close your department,Smith. But you'll take over a new job in another department.It means longer hours--maybe more pay.Now get out.You're here for life." Smith got out,with surprise on his face.Then the boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk.It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School--written a few days before he died.He had read it over and over again with sick pain.The letter read: I can't say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were.I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple .But don't worry about me,Dad.They've got a good chemistry department here.And there's one boy here who is really great.He's a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry.The boys call him Champ.He made them stop throwing my books around.And he knocked a boy down who hit me.He is the best friend I ever had.Dad,when I grow up,I want to do something for Champ.Something big--that he won't even know about. We can learn from the text that _ . Mr.Watson didn't know that Champ was Smith 's son at first I used to think of myself as a person learned in books, but my bookshelves told a different story. Apart from a few Indian novels and an Australian book, my literature collection only consisted of British and American titles. Worse still, I couldn't ever found anything in translation. My reading was limited to stories by English-speaking authors. So, at the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing. With no idea where to get those books, I was unlikely to find publications from nearly 200 nations on the shelves of my local bookshop, so I decided to ask the readers all over the world for help. I created a blog called A Year of Reading the World and put out an appeal for suggestions of titles that I could read in English. The response was amazing. People all over the world were getting in touch with me, offering ideas and book lists. Some posted me books from their home countries. In addition, several writers, like Turkmenistan's Ak Welsapar and Panama's Juan David Morgan, sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works unavailable in Britain. Even with such an extraordinary team of bibliophiles behind me, however, sourcing books was no easy task. With translations making up only around 4.5 per cent of literary works published in the UK, getting English versions of stories was tricky. One by one, the books from the countries on the list filled my heart with laughter, love, anger, hope and fear. Lands that had once seemed exotic and remote became close and familiar to me. At its best, I learned, reading makes the world real. It was not easy to find the books mainly because _ . there were too few translations in the UK Animals have the ability to make people understand them, especially when they are in serious danger and hope to get help from man. And they often go together to help one another. One day, I visited my friend Jack on a sheep farm in North America. Suddenly one sheep came to cry in front of us. She made the most painful cries. Jack said ,"Something must be wrong. Come on, Mike. Let's follow her." Together we followed the sheep back to where she was feeding on the farm. She rushed forward and kept on looking back to see if we were coming. She finally took us to an old well , and we heard the sad voice of her young baby that had fallen into the well. As the well had no water and was only six feet deep, we took a ladder and climbed down. After a few minutes, the baby sheep was saved. The mother sheep looked happy with the successful result of the _ . She came to tell us her trouble and got help. How amazing! When Mike and Jack went to the well, they found a _ in it. sheep What will you be doing when you are 26 years old? Studying at university or working for a living? Take a look at what Albert Einstein was doing at the age of 26. 100 years ago, Einstein was working in Switzerland. His hobby was physics. Without much money or help, he wrote five papers for a physics magazine. Three of these greatly changed the study of physics and our understanding of space, time, light and matter . His most famous work is on the Theory of Relativity . Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for his discoveries. Although he also did many other things later, the years 1905 has been called Einstein's "Year of Wonders". It has been 100 years since then. Because of this, the UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics. Today, over fifty years after Einstein's death, a question is asked, " Will there ever be another Einstein?" It may take a long time. After all, Einstein was born more than 200 years after Sir Isaac Newton, another great scientist. Besides, physics is a different field now, and education is different, too. Even if you can't be the next great scientist, it is still helpful to remember some of the things that made Einstein great. He thought independently and read widely. He left with us a formula for life: If A is a success in life, then A="X+Y+Z." X is work, Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut. The UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics because _ . it is the 100
The Channel is the name given to the stretch of water which separates England and France. Ferries operate all year round to carry people across the Channel, and they are busy most of the year. January is the only quiet month nowadays. As well as summer holiday-makers, there are day trippers and coach traffic, not to mention lorries and other commercial vehicles. Some ferries carry cars and their passengers, while others also connect train passengers with the Continental rail network. The biggest hazard for the ferry is the wind. The crew listens to BBC weather reports four times a day. Or they sometimes get gale warnings from local radio station. Crossing the Channel by ferry is a bit like trying to cross Oxford Street on a busy afternoon, according to one ferryboat captain. The ferries from Folkstone and Dover to Calais and Boulogne have to cross the main flow of traffic. This consists of ships traveling through the Channel to and from Northern Europe. There may be four hundred ships making the journey at any one time, and they all pass through a "choke point" which is only fifteen miles (twenty-five kilometers) wide. The cross-channel ferries have to sail right through the middle of all this traffic. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: if there is a gale warning from the BBC, the ferries will stop operating. Mrs Elise was my teacher in the fourth grade. One day at lunch time, I was getting ready to eat my tuna fish sandwich and suddenly Mrs Elise asked me if she could buy my sandwich from me. She explained that I could use the money to buy a hot hunch from the cafeteria . I was excited. I never bought my lunch at the cafeteria. It was too expensive for my family, and I always carried my lunch and took the bag back home to use it again the next day. So you could understand my happiness when I had the chance to buy a hot lunch. When we finished lunch that day, Mrs Elise took me aside and said she wanted to explain why she had bought my sandwich. I really didn't care why, but it gave me a few minutes of her special attention, so I was quiet as she explained. She told me that she was a Catholic and Catholics didn't eat red meat on Fridays, they ate fish on Fridays. Oh, I couldn't wait to get home and tell my mother that from then on I wanted a tuna fish sandwich on Fridays. After my mother understood why, she gladly made tuna fish sandwiches for me on Fridays. She even made it with brown bread because she knew Mrs Elise liked brown bread. From then on, every Friday I could get in line with other kids for a hot lunch. I didn't care how many of the kids complained about cafeteria food. It tasted _ to me! I realize now that Mrs Elise could have made herself tuna fish sandwiches on Fridays. But she bought mine because she saw a little girl who was excited at the simple act of having a hot lunch. I will never forget Mrs Elise for her pity for me and generosity and what I should do is to follow her example. From this passage we know _ . Answer: the writer came from a poor family Smog has affected Beijing for at least a week and the Great Hall of the People, where lawmakers will meet next week for the country's parliamentary session , is hardly visible. Much of north and central China, or one-seventh of the country, was covered in it over the weekend. Responses have included reduced industrial activities, a ban on fireworks and barbecues, raised pollution alerts and reduced vehicles travelling on the roads. Citizens are advised to stay indoors while schools have either stopped classes or suspended outdoor activities. And Chinese officials, after a long period of prioritizing economic development over environmental protection, are now likely to see their future career shaped by how effectively they handle the serious pollution. "Even as a foreigner, I know the pollution has a lot to do with too much focus on economic indicators in evaluating Chinese officials," said Florian Kessler, an executive director with German law firm WZR Consulting. The German executive speaks fluent Chinese, loves Beijing food and is a big fan of Beijing Guo'an Football Club, but after staying in the city for eight years, he now wants to leave. "Since I smoke, I'm okay with the pollution, but I can't let my kid breathe in the polluted air. That's why I'm leaving," Kessler explained. He also said that German companies operating in Beijing, such as BMW, Benz and Volkswagen, have all had a hard time finding staff willing to work here. China has repeated in the past that we would not follow the old path of industrialized nations to develop first and deal with pollution afterward. But the smog is an awkward reminder that our country is already on that path. Whether we can change route depends on the choice Chinese officials make between environment and growth in the years ahead. Florian Kessler considered the pollution had much to do with _ . Answer: Chinese government I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice. "Mom, come here! There's a lady here my size!" The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize. I smiled and told her, "It's okay." Then talked to the boy, "Hi, I'm Darry Kramer. How are you?" He studied me from head to toe, and asked, "Are you a little mommy?" "Yes, I have a son," I answered. "Why are you so little?" he asked. "It's the way I was born," I said. "Some people are little. Some are tall. I'm just not going to grow any bigger." After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy's hand and left. My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents. It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an achondroplasia dwarf . Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up. I didn't realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids joked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs. But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in personality. I'm 47 now, and the stares have not _ as I've grown older. People are amazed when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, "Look what else I have--a great family, nice friends." It's the children's questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions. My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers (a person of the same age, class, position, etc.), whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect. Why did the mother apologize to the author? Answer: Because the mother thought the boy's words had hurt the author. Nancy would like to take part in a fancy-dress party . She had to go to the party with her friends because her husband has been to another city to go on a business trip. Later that night, she was busy in dressing up herself as a ghost, including putting on masks and some special costumes. After finishing it, she went downstairs to look at herself in the mirror. Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door. She knew that it must be the baker . She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Nancy quickly hid in the storeroom under the stairs. To her surprise, it was her husband who changed his plan and came back home 2 days earlier. The husband called his wife's name happily and looked for her all around. Nancy was so excited that she ran to her husband without realizing she was a ghost at that moment. But it was too late. Her husband let out a cry and jumped back several steps. Then he lost his sense and lay on the ground. Nancy went to the storeroom under the stairs because she _ . Answer: did not want to make the baker feel scared
In the first programme,The Mexican Wave, the focus is on the Orange Monarch butterfly. Each autumn in the pine forests of central prefix = st1 /Mexico, one of the greatest natural phenomena appears, as tens of millions of beautiful orange Monarch butterflies pour into the trees to spend the winter months. Some of them have migrated several thousand kilometres from their breeding grounds in North America and Canada, but although they've never been here before, they travel south and find their way to an area not much bigger than the English county of Devon. Although they coat the trees and when they take flight, look like an orange snowstorm, these butterflies are under threat at both ends of their journey.The pine forest are being cut down illegally by gangs of loggers, despite protection from the Mexican government. Local people need timber and firewood to survive. Where the butterflies breed in North America, their foodplant, the milkweed, is being killed by herbicides and agricultural practices, and the Monarch's migration is in danger.With location reports from the Mexican forests, Brett Westwood explores how steps are being taken to develop sustainable forestry to help preserve this magnificent insect. Where is the article probably from?_. Answer: A radio programme "In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first." -- Harry S. Truman That is the quotation that had me thinking yesterday. Discipline , in particular self-discipline, is what will get us through most things in life, from writing this simple post to Achieving Greatness for You and I. You may ask, "Why is discipline important in writing this post?" For people who have tried writing, you would know how hard it might get sometimes to actually sit down and finish the whole article in one period without getting up every few minutes to get a drink, a snack or toilet break etc. Just with most things in life, often we lack the self-discipline to see us through what we are hoping to do or achieve. One area where self-discipline is clearly important is in losing weight. Some people are constantly looking for quick fix to their weight problem; they will jump at anything that is claimed to help them lose weight in the shortest time. They may lose weight fast, but they will find the result short-term especially if they do not change the way they live and the food they eat. A friend of mine shared his experience going through the journey from 115 kilograms to 56 kilograms in around one year. His journey of losing weight started from a trip with his daughter to the doctor for her check-up. He playfully weighed himself on the weighing machine while his daughter was having the check-up. The doctor saw his weight and made a remark, "If you maintain that balloon weight, you cannot see your grandchildren." That made him decide, "Enough is enough!" Not only that, he felt tired easily and his excessive weight made him feel like a walking balloon. In that moment of awakening, he made decisions to change his lifestyle and eating habits. What does the author mainly talk about in the passage? Answer: The importance of self-discipline. At noon the rush hour had passed. There were few guests in the snack bar. It was not crowded. When the boss was about to take a break to read a newspaper, in came an old lady and a little boy. "How much money is a bowl of beef soup?" the grandma sat down, counted the money in her purse and ordered a bowl of beef soup. The grandma pushed the bowl to the little boy, who swallowed his saliva , looking at his grandma and saying, "Grandma, did you really have lunch?" "Of course." His grandma chewed a piece of radish slowly. Very quickly, the little boy ate up the meal. Seeing this. the boss went over to them and said, "Old lady, congratulations, you are lucky to have the free food, for you are our 100th guest." Afterwards, over a month or more, one day, the small boy squatted across the snack bar, where he seemed to be counting something, which shocked the boss when he happened to look out office window. When the small boy saw a guest walk into the snack bar, he would put a small stone into the circle he drew, but the lunch time had almost passed, the small stones he put into the circle were hardly 50. The boss was quite worried and called up all his old guests. The guests started coming one after another. "81, 82, 83... " the small boy counted faster and faster. At last, when the 99th small stone was put into the circle, the little boy hurried to pull his grandma's hand and went into the snack bar. "Grandma, this time it's on me," the little boy said proudly. The grandma who had become the real 100th guest was served a bowl of beef soup by her grandson. As his grandma as before, the little boy chewed a piece of radish in his mouth. Grandma ordered only one bowl of beef soup because _ . Answer: Grandma loved her grandson more than herself The Growing Credit Crisis Forces Many Companies to Seek Government Help On September fifteenth, Lehman Brothers, a one hundred fifty-eight year-old investment bank, sought legal protection from its creditors. It had failed to find a buyer after months of searching. With over six hundred billion dollars in debt, Lehman's failure was the largest bankruptcv in United States history At the same time,the nation's biggest insurance company,American International Group, had gotten into trouble selling credit default swaps These are contracts Similar to insurance that protect the holder against credit risk. Credit rating agencies downgraded A.I.G because of concerns it could not honor its contracts. Unable to get new loans, A.I.G asked for government help The Federal Reserve agreed to loan A .I.G. eighty-five billion dollars in return for eighty percent of the company but it was not enough. By November, the government had extended a total of about one hundred fiftv billion doliars in aid to A .I.G--the most to any single company during the crisis. As banks refused to lend, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson proposed a plan to loosen credit markets by buylng risky assets. Congress approved the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of Two. Thousand eight on October third The bill provided seven hundred billion dollars to buy hard to-value securltles from banks. But within weeks, the government changed plans. The Treasury moved to invest two handred fifty billion dollars directly in banks to help them lend money again. Lack of credit not only hurt banks but manufacturers, too. Falling car sales threatened America's carmakers The big three automakers--General Motors, Ford and Chrysler--told Congress that they needed loans or they faced bankmptcy. In December, President Bush offered G.M and Chrysler over seventeen billion dollars in loans. As the year ended, the Federal Reserve tried to support economic growth by lowering its main interest rate to nearly zero for the first time. But there was one more bad surprise New York money manager Bernard Madoff admitted he had cheated investors out of fifty billion dollars. The news only added to the sense that two thousand eight was the worst economic year since the nineteen thirties. Which of the following is NOT the problem in the passage Lehman Brothers was faced with? Answer: lt is an Investment bank with more than one and a half centuries history. Success does not belong to a select group of individuals . Success belongs to those who are willing to go after it and try their best to do what they have to do. Here are some useful practical ways for you if you want to be a success. Desire. Desire is the strong wish to achieve a goal. Without desire you have nothing. Before you can run with desire, your goal must be plain, clear, and it must also be exciting. Show up. Seventy percent of success in life is showing up. You can't have a best seller, if you have never written a book. You can't get your dream job, if you're afraid to turn in an application. Showing up doesn't guarantee success, but if you don't show up, you won't succeed. Fail. Unless you're willing to have a try, fail unhappily, and have another try, success won't happen. To have success you have to do things the right way, but often the only way to do something right is to first fail at it. As Thomas J. Watson said, a simple formula for success is to double your rate of failure . So welcome failure, become a student of failure, learn from failure, and soon you will succeed. Work Harder. _ Success is not about doing what the common person can't do. It's about doing what the common person is unwilling to do. And on a deeper level, it's about creating habits that the common person is unwilling to create. It's the habit of doing things with excellence that causes success. Enjoy the Journey. Success is a journey, not a destination . Success is not a certain car or a certain house or a certain happy marriage. Success is the enjoyment of the journey. You have to enjoy the journey. Someone once said, "Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got." You have to change, you will change, and you will succeed. Which of the following is TRUE about success according to the passage? Answer: Success means the enjoyment of your gain or loss on the journey.
Hello! I'm Jim Green. Here is a photo of my family. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father. His first name is Steve. My telephone number is seven-six-o, nine-one-seven-six. My friend is Li Lei. His English name is Paul. He is in China. His telephone number is 281-5248. Who's that in the photo? It's my Chinese teacher. His name is Liu Yong. He is a good teacher. ,. My telephone number is _ . A. 760-9176 B. 687-9716 C. 281-5248 D. 706-9671 Answer: A. 760-9176 Many people love going on a trip by plane, because planes are fast. But an airport is usually far away from the city, and it usually takes hours to get out of the airport and into the city. You have to get there and wait for the plane to _ for hours. You can not open the window, and you can not have delicious food. I like travelling by train. I think trains are the safest . Train stations are usually in cities. When you are late for a train, you can catch another one. You can walk around in the train and look out of the window. You can see many interesting things on your way. I know it takes some time. I also like cars. You can start your trip when you want to, and you don't need to get to a station. You can carry many things with you, too. But sometimes there are many cars on the road. If you want to take many things with you, you can take _ . A. a bus B. a train C. a car D. a boat Answer: C. a car A bully is a person who enjoys hurting other people. A bully can hurt people with words or by hitting them. 85% of children in the UK have been bullied at least once. How can I tell if a person is a bully? He or she will... * try to find your weak point--perhaps you are shy, nervous or easily made worried. * make fun of you in front of your friends. * borrow money then won't pay you back. What can I do if a bully bothers me? * Tell the bully to leave you alone. * Do not be afraid to ask other people for help, even though the bully tells you not to. * Do not feel ashamed because you have been bullied. You have done nothing wrong! The bully should feel ashamed. * Do not believe the bad things a bully says about you. What should I do if I see a bully bothering someone? * Help people who are being bullied, even though you don' t know them. * Be a friend to people who are bullied. * Tell a teacher if you see bullying. * Tell bullies to stop, Sometimes bullies are afraid, too. Why do some people become bullies? Some bullies... * have never learnt to think about other people' s feelings. * don' t like themselves, so they are sad. They think they will be happy if they make another person sad. * have been bullied themselves by other bullies. Can bullies change? . Yes! Bullies can change when they learn to think about other people' s feelings. Sometimes bullies must be punished before they understand. Sometimes, bullies just need friends. A bully often _ . A. makes people think about themselves B. borrows money but doesn't return C. helps people when they are in trouble D. thinks about other people' s feelings Answer: B. borrows money but doesn't return There's always something deep in our soul that never dies. I moved to the small, busy town of Edison in New Jersey six years ago. It was during the second term of my fifth grade. My parents got new jobs and higher income, so they decided it was time to move from Woodbridge to a better, more educational town. In the US, it is unnecessary to take a test to get into a "good" middle or high school. You just attend the school close to where you live. So, many parents will think about the quality (,) of the local school when they decide to buy a new house. My parents did the same. We finally chose Edison mainly because of the high quality of its school. In New Jersey, an area with a good school usually means _ Asian people. There are about 300 students in our school. 55% are Asians and just under half of that are Chinese. There are so many Chinese people nearby that we even have our own Chinese school. Edison is an old town, just like thousands of others in the United States. However, I have treated it as my hometown. That's where I spend much of my youth, and the memories there can't be moved at all. Why did the writer's parents move to Edison? A. Because they were born there. B. Because it was a better educational town. C. Because the writer began his fifth grade. D. Because the writer didn't need to take a test. Answer: B. Because it was a better educational town. Tokyo is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time. In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast, but in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams . Tokyo is not different from London, Paris and New York in that. It is different when one wants to walk. At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London Oxford Street. But the streets near the Ginze in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot; and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite; there are just too many of them. The worst time to be in the street is at 11: 30 at night. That is when the night-clubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35,000 night-clubs in Tokyo, and you do not often see one that is empty. During the day, most people travel to and from work by train. Tokyo people buy six million train tickets every day. At most stations, trains arrive every two or three minutes, but at certain hours there do not seem to be enough trains. Although they are usually crowded, Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a London train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep, whether his journey is long or short. In Tokyo, I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fire-engines race past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now. Japanese trains _ . A. often leave and arrive on time B. are often crowded C. are the main means people use to travel to and from work D. all of the above Answer: D. all of the above
There are four forms about medicine. Every must know how to use the medicine. Because it is very important. Never take any by mistake. 1)Take the medicine with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours as required. For further night-time and early morning, take two tablets at bedtime. Do not take more than six tablets in 24 hours. For Children six to twelve years old, go to your doctor for advice. Reduce dosage if nervousness, restlessness or sleeplessness takes place. 2)Each pill of the medicine taken three times every day for fourteen years old. As usual, a pill 6:00 a. m. before breakfast, one before 11:00 and one before sleep. Not for children under six years old and old persons with heart attack. 3)The medicine for a person with a fever. Once two pills a day before sleep for adult. Not take the medicine without fever. Half for Children under 12 years old. Children with a high fever go to see a doctor. 4)The medicine taken three times a day. Once five pills for adult with a cold. Half of the pills for children 10 years old. Take the medicine before breakfast, lunch, supper or before sleep. How many kinds of medicine are used for the children six years old? Answer: Almost not any medicine. One of my main concerns when I am helping people achieve their goals is how they measure success. I see individuals getting frustrated as they struggle hard for success. One of the main reasons that cause this frustration is that people allow their definition of success to be determined by someone or something else. Another is that they become frustrated at their own apparent lack of success when comparing themselves to other people. We are individuals with individual wants, skills and experiences. We should look at our own skills to determine what is successful to us. We should look inwards to determine what it would mean for us to be successful in our own mind rather than someone else's. Evaluating a successful person needs to look at his pathway to success, his actions ,his determination and translate that into his own experience to see how he can improve himself. You must set your own course of action, and stay on your course. You alone must determine what success means to you. Do what you do to the best of your ability and the rest will take care of itself. For example, I believe that I am successful but I am not a millionaire! Others may not see me as successful in their eyes but that does not matter. It is how I see myself that is important to me and my life. Here is the truth. Being a success is doing your best, not being the best. Success is not something you become; it is something you continue being. When we get to that point, we will experience a lot more joy and a lot less frustration. And that sounds good to us! Remember the great quote from Napoleon Hill, "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." What's the best title of this passage? Answer: How to Measure Success Which is an example of water condensing? Answer: Dew forming on plants during a cold night When companies do business overseas, they come in contact with people from different cultures.These individuals often speak a different language and have their own particular custom and manners.These differences can create problems. For example, in France, business meetings begin promptly at the designated time and everyone is expected to be there.Foreign business people who are late are often left outside to cool their heels as a means of letting them know the importance of promptness.Unless one is aware of such expected behaviors, he may end up insulting the people with whom he hopes to establish trade relations. A second traditional problem is that of monetary conversions .For example, if a business deal is conducted with Russia, payment may be made in rubles.Of course, this currency is of little value to the American firm.It is, therefore, necessary to convert the foreign currency to American dollars.How much are these Russian rubles worth in terms of dollars? This conversion rate is determined by every market, where the currencies of countries are bought and sold.Thus there is an established rate.although it will often change from day to day.For example, the ruble may be worth 0.75 on Monday and 0.72 on Tuesday because of an announced wheat shortage in Russia.In addition, there is the dilemma associated with converting at 0.72.Some financial institutions may be unwilling to pay this price, feeling that the ruble will sink much lower over the next week.As a result, conversion may finally come at 0.69.These "losses" must be accepted by the company as one of the costs of doing business overseas. A third unique problem is trade barriers.For one reason or another, all countries impose trade barriers on certain goods crossing their borders.Some trade barriers are directly related to exports.For example, the United States permits strategic military material to be shipped abroad only after government permission has been obtained.Most trade barriers, however, are designed to restrict import.Two of the most common import barriers are quotas and tariffs . The intended audience of this passage are _ . Answer: beginners of business As a parent, you might never guess all the ways a good imagination benefits your child. It helps a preschooler. Develop social skills As children play pretend, they explore relationships between family members, friends and co-workers and learn more about how people interact. Playing doctor, they imagine how physicians care for their patients. Playing house, they learn more about how parents feel about their children. Imaginative play helps develop empathy for others. If children can imagine how it feels to be left out of a game or to lose a pet, they are better able to help those in need. They become more willing to play fair, to share, and to cooperate. Build self-confidence Young children have very little control over their lives. Imagining oneself as a builder of skyscrapers or a superhero defending the planet is empowering to a child. It helps them develop confidence in their abilities and their potential. Boost intellectual growth Using the imagination is the beginning of abstract thought. Children who can see a king's castle in a mound of sand or a delicious dinner in a mud pie are learning to think symbolically . This skill is important in school where a child will have to learn that numerals symbolize groups of objects, letters symbolize sounds, and so on. Practice language skills Kids who play pretend with their friends do a lot of talking. This helps boost their vocabulary, improve sentence structure and promote communication skills. Work out fears Playing pretend can help children work out their fears and worries. When children role-play about the big, bad monster under the bed, they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn't seem quite so big or so bad. Imaginative play also helps kids vent confusing feelings they might have, such as anger toward a parent or compete with a new sibling . To encourage your youngster's imagination, read to him every day. Books offer children the opportunity to visit other worlds and create new ones of their own. For generations children have enjoyed reading the story of Peter Pan because Peter takes them on fascinating adventures. Reader's Digest Young Families offers a beautiful typical Disney edition of Peter Pan, which is an iParenting Media Awards winner. Click here to find out how you can get this classic story along with 2 free books-Bambi and Pinochio. What's NOT the advantage of children having a good imagination? Answer: Helping them form a good habit of reading story.
Question: Love, success, happiness, family and freedom--how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life. Question: Could you introduce yourself first? Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I'm a web designer. Q: What are your great memories? A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb trees, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories. Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you? A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent. Q: What changes would you like to make in your life? A: If I could change something in my life, I'd change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn't matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe. Q: How do your get along with your parents? A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I've got. That's our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch. How would Misbah prefer to communicate with his parents? A. By chatting on the Internet. B. By calling them sometimes. C. By writing them letters. D. By paying weekly visits. Answer: D. By paying weekly visits. Question: During a vigorous workout which will need to increase? A. Balance B. Pulse C. Perspiration D. Strength Answer: B. Pulse Question: The State of Rhode Island has become a popular family seaside destination. In addition to beach activities and water sports, kids can participate in supervised activities at cultural centres and tourist attractions around the state. The Kayak Centre of Rhode Island The Kayak Centre of Rhode Island offers Oceanplay to kids, a program for children between 9 and 14 years old. The course teaches basic kayak skills and safety protocol on the waters around historic Wickford Village. The all-day program includes games and skill-building activities at all skill levels. The package includes equipment, instructions and lunch. The Courthouse Centre for the Arts The Courthouse Centre for the Arts offers summer camp educational workshops and fine arts programs to kids who want to learn about theatre, dance, classical music and different art mediums. Kids and families can also enjoy concerts, film screenings and theatre performances. The Providence Children's Museum The Providence Children's Museum hosts daily drop-in programs for kids between 5 and 11 years of age and museum adventure classes. Kids can learn how water moves in the Water Ways exhibit, listen to music and learn about plants in the Children's Garden exhibit. The RISD Museum The RISD Museum hosts family workshops and activities for kids between 5 and 12 years of age on alternating Sunday afternoons. Kids can learn different types of art techniques and work with different mediums in a supervised setting. Families taking a self-guided tour of the museum can see exhibits. What can families do at the Kayak Centre of Rhode Island? A. Join in skill-building activities. B. Take a self-guided tour. C. Learn theatre performances. D. Take adventure classes. Answer: A. Join in skill-building activities. Question: Robert Spring, a 19 century forger ,was so good at his profession that he was able to make his living for 15 years by selling false signatures of Americans. Spring was born in England in 1813 and arrived in Philadelphia in 1858 to open a bookstore. At first he became rich by selling his small but real collection of early U.S. autographs . Discovering his ability at copying handwriting, he began imitating signatures of George. Washington and Ben Franklin and writing them on the title pages of old books. To lessen the chance of detection , he sent his forgeries to England and Canada for sale. Forgers have a hard time selling their products. A forger can't deal with a respectable buyer but people who don't have much knowledge in the field. Forgers have many ways to make their work look real. For example, they buy old books to use the aged paper of the title page, and they can treat paper and ink with chemical. In Spring's time right after the Civil War, Britain was still fond of the Southern states, so Spring invented a respectable maiden lady known as Miss Fanny Jackson, the only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson. For several years Miss Fanny's financial problems forced her to sell a great number of letters and manuscripts . Spring had to work very hard to satisfy the demand. All this activity did not prevent Spring from dying in poverty, leaving sharp-eyed experts the difficult task of separating his forgeries from the originals. Why did Spring sell his false autographs in England and Canada? A. There is a greater demand there than in America. B. There was less chance of being detected there. C. Britain was Spring's birthplace. D. The price were higher in England and Canada. Answer: B. There was less chance of being detected there. Question: Heavy snow and low temperatures caused further damage across northern Europe on Monday--stranding travelers,snarling traffic and shutting schools. More than 1,000 flights at Germany's main airports in Frankfurt,Munich and Berlin were _ and many more delayed after up to 40 cm of fresh snow covering the country.Some 500 passengers slept at Frankfurt airport.Airlines advised passengers to take trains if possible. In the United Kingdom,British Airways said the severe weather continued to cause great damage to operations and further travel.Only one of two runways at London Heathrow,the world's busiest international airport,was operating after the snowstorm.Other UK airports were open,but many flights were canceled,and many passengers spent a second night at an airport terminal . Northern France was also covered by heavy snow.Air travel was reduced at Paris' two main airports,with Orly airport shutting down. In Poland,hard hit by the cold weather,six people froze to death on Sunday night,raising the death toll to 114 in the last month.Heavy snow stopped Warsaw traffic again on Monday.Warsaw airport was open but was receiving far fewer passengers than usual because of flight cancellations in western Europe. Which of the following was NOT related to heavy snow and low temperatures? A. That more travelers stayed in the airport. B. That workers were on strike for better public traffic. C. That many schools had to stop having classes. D. That traffic didn't run as usual. Answer: B. That workers were on strike for better public traffic.
You've heard the saying: if you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you get there. Thousands of successful people attribute (......) most of their success to goal setting. Knowing this, why don't the majority of people set goals? Goal setting starts within you. You have to believe it's possible to do a thing before you have a strong desire to write it down on paper and take steps to make it happen. How do you possibly bring yourself to believe in your own success? After all, so many of you have been at this success thing for a while and it still hasn't happened to you. Companies that you believed in and worked hard for have failed, your family and friends are waiting for you to "be realistic", and life just keeps giving you one blow after another. But there is a small fire burning inside you. You keep at it because all you know is you can't continue to get up every morning, go to work for someone else and allow them to determine how much you're worth each week which is far below your true value. So where do you go from here? Where do you start today? The road to inner belief in your success begins with you telling yourself every day, throughout the day, that you can do what you set out to do, you can have what you set out to get, and you can be that successful person you know that lives inside you. Yes, obstacles will come, doubters will be around, but don't you be one of them. Treat yourself like the person you love and care about most. If you had children who had a paper route and they wanted to accomplish a goal but they kept running into obstacles, what would happen? They would soon become discouraged with so many people telling them no. I'm not interested in what you have to offer. What would you say to your child? I'm sure it won't be the same thing you've been saying to yourself. Turn your words around. Speak those same words of encouragement you would speak to your discouraged child, to yourself. If you would never put a loved one down, especially when they are feeling discouraged, why would you do that to yourself? You have the power within to stop it right now and turn it around. Be committed from this point forward to speaking words of encouragement to yourself. The mind is an amazing thing. You can convince yourself of anything over time. If you repeatedly tell yourself every day, throughout the day, how successful you are, how capable you are, you will not only start to believe it, you will start to live it. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A. Thousands of successful people owe most of their success to goal setting. B. The majority of people set goals in order to succeed. C. We can bring ourselves to believe in our own success. D. We should say words of encouragement to ourselves. Answer: B For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets,and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider _ a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue,the elevator's role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk?the car and the elevator have been locked in a "secret war" for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally ,and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical columns. If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience^one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we're hanging from a cable in a long passage. In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. "After 150 years, we are still not used to it", Bernard said. "We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure." That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives. Today,as the world's urban population explodes,and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America's total number of elevators--900,000 at last count, according to Elevator World magazine's "2012 Vertical Transportation Industry"are a force that's becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are. According to Prof. Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences? A. Vertical direction. B. Lack of excitement. C. Little physical space. D. Uncomfortable conditions. Answer: C St paul's Cathedral Ludgate Hill, EC4 Underground: St Paul's; Bus: 6,7,11,15,22,25 Open: Daily 8:00-19:00(17:00 from Oct. to Mar.) Entrance free Designed by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul's Cathedral was built following the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed the gothic cathedral on the site at that time. It is crowned by a magnificent dome and its choir is internationally famous. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married here in 1981. Buckingham Palace South end of the Mall(SW1) Underground: St. James's Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Comer, Green Park Bus:2,11,14,16,19,22,24,29,30,38,52,73,74,137 Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the monarch for much of the year. (When the monarch is in residence, a flag flies over the palace.) The Mall is a very impressive wide street, leading from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square. Note: As the palace is the monarch's official residence, it is not open to the public during most of the year. The Tower of London Tower Hill, EC3 Underground: Tower Hill; Bus: 42, 78 Open: Mon. - Sat.9:00--18:00. 8:00--19:00 Parts of the Tower of London are over nine centuries old, as building began under William the Conqueror in 1078. Famous as a prison in the distant past, the Tower has also been a royal residence, a zoo and an observatory , among other things. It is now a museum and many thousands of people visit it every year in particular to see the Crown Jewels. Westminster Abbey Broad Sanctuary, SW1 Underground: Westminster, St James's Park; Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 39, 53, 59, 76, 77, 88, 109, 155, 168, 170, 172, 184, 503 Open: Daily 8:00--19:00(Mar.-DEC., Tuesday till 20:00) Entrance free A Benedictine abbey which already existed on the site was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor and consecrated in 1065. On the way to its present form, the abbey was extended in the 13th-16th centuries, with the two west towers being added in the 18th. There are many famous tombs in the abbey, including that of the unknown Warrior and those of many poets and writers. Where is the text most probably taken from? A. A history book about London. B. A guidebook for visitors to London C. A book describing London's development. D. A book about London's churches and cathedrals. Answer: B My name is Sally White. I am a school girl. My school is far from my home. Every day it is a lot of time to get there. The road is not flat , so I cannot go to school by bike. I often get there by bus or on foot. It takes me thirty minutes to get there by bus and an hour on foot. I must get up early every morning. I have no time for breakfast at home. I often have something for breakfast on the way or on the bus. I don' t want to be late for school, so sometimes I run to school. Is she late for school? A. Yes, she is. B. No, she isn't. C. Yes, she does. D. No, she doesn't Answer: B A predator eats other animals for what? A. food charts B. entertainment C. enrichment D. expectations Answer: C
Question: In ancient Egypt the pharaoh treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace if he brought good news.However if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off. Shades of that spirit spread over today's conversations.Once, a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing.As we walked light-heartedly out of the door picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, "Oh boy, bad day for a picnic.The weatherman says it's going to rain." I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches.Not for his stupid weather report, but for his smile. Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus.As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile, "Oh, that bus left five minutes ago." _ ! It's not the news that makes someone angry.It's the unsympathetic attitude with which it's delivered.Everyone must give bad news from time to time and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude.A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way.A boss informing an employee he didn't get the job takes on a sympathetic tone.Big winners know when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver. Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this.When you're tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn't ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter merrily told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you, as traveler or diner, want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces. Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning.Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said "Oh that's all right.I'll catch the next one." When they bear bad news, big winners deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded person is sure to have What is the main idea of the text? A. Learning ancient traditions can be useful. B. Receiving bad news requires great courage. C. Helping others sincerely is the key to business success. D. Delivering bad news properly is important in communication. Answer: D Question: Katie was in big trouble. She was such a sweet kid; a third-grade teacher always dreamed of having a classroom filled with Katies; she was never ever a discipline problem. I just couldn't imagine why she had made her parents so angry. It seemed that Katie had been running up sizable charges in the lunchroom. Her parents explained that Katie brought a great homemade lunch each day, and there was no reason for her to buy school lunch. They assumed a sit-down with Katie would solve the problem, but failed. So they asked me to help them get to the bottom of this situation. So the next day, I asked Katie to my office. "Why are you charging lunches, Katie? What happened to your homemade lunch?" I asked. "I lose it," she responded. I leaned back in my chair and said, "I don't believe you, Katie. " She didn't care. "Is someone stealing your lunch, Katie?" I took a new track. "No. I just lose it," she said. Well, there was nothing else I could do. The problem was still unsolved the next week when I noticed a boy who was new to the school sitting alone at a lunch table. He always looked sad. I thought I would go and sit with him for a while. As I walked towards him, I noticed the lunch bag on the table. The name on the bag said "Katie". Now I understood and I talked to Katie. It seemed that the new boy never brought a lunch, and he wouldn't go to the lunch line for a free lunch. He had told Katie his secret and asked her not to tell anyone that his parents wanted him to get a free lunch at school. Katie asked me not to tell her parents, but I drove to her house that evening after I was sure that she was in bed. I had never seen parents so proud of their child. Katie didn't care that her parents and teacher were disappointed in her. But she cared about a little boy who was hungry and scared. Katie still buys lunch every day at school. And every day, as she heads out of the door, her mom hands her a delicious homemade lunch. What can we learn from the passage? A. Katie was informed that her parents had known her secret. B. Katie told the author the truth of her lunch during their first talk. C. Katie's secret of lunch was discovered by the author by accident. D. Katie stopped buying lunch at school after her secret was discovered. Answer: C Question: Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner, Lester Young, Holiday was a great influence on jazz and pop singing. Her voiced style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of controlling tempo . Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and direct approach to singing. Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, Clarence Halliday (Holiday), a musician, did not marry or live with her mother. Her mother had moved to Philadelphia when thirteen, after being driven away from her parents' home in Sandtown-Winchester, Baltimore for becoming pregnant. With no support from her own parents, Holiday's mother arranged for the young Holiday to stay with her older married half sister, Eva Miller, who lived in Baltimore. During her final period of separation from her mother, Holiday began to perform the songs she learned while working in the brothel . By early 1929, Holiday joined her mother in Harlem. Their landlady was a sharply dressed woman named Florence Williams, who ran a brothel at 151 West 140th Street. In order to live, Holiday and her mother had to work there. Holiday had not yet turned fourteen at that time. On May 2, 1929, the house was raided , and Holiday and her mother were sent to prison. After spending some time in a workhouse, her mother was released in July, followed by Holiday in October, at the age of 14. She co-wrote a few songs, and several of them have become jazz standards, notably God Bless the Child, Don't Explain, and Lady Sings the Blues. She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including Easy Living and Strange Fruit. Her early career is hard to track down exactly. But, she later gained work singing in local jazz clubs before being spotted by a talent scout , John Hammond, in 1933, aged 18. Her voice and recordings are loved for the depth of emotion and intensity she could bring to classic standards. Her range of voice was not the greatest, but, her extraordinary gravelly voice was soon to become very famous and influential. She was an important icon of the jazz era and influential in the development of jazz singing. In the late 1930s she began singing a civil rights song called Strange Fruit--a song which told the tale of a lynching of a black man in the deep south. It was very controversial for that period and it was not played on radios. It was recorded for Commodore records and she performed it many times over the next 20 years. In early 1959 she found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver. The doctor told her to stop drinking, which she did for a short time, but soon returned to heavy drinking. By May she had lost twenty pounds, friends Leonard Feather, Joe Glaser, and Allan Morrison tried to get her to check into to a hospital, she put them off. On May 31, 1959, Holiday was taken to Metropolitan Hospital in New York suffering from liver and heart disease. She was arrested for drug possession as she lay dying, and her hospital room was raided by authorities. Police officers were stationed at the door to her room. Holiday remained under police guard at the hospital until she died from cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959.Billie Holiday had difficult life experiences which influenced her attitude towards life. She experienced many violent relationships. She also became increasingly dependent on various drugs which contributed to her early death in 1959, aged just 44. What would be the best title for the text? A. Billie Holiday B. A Queen of Jazz C. A Genius of Music D. Lady Day--Founder of Jazz Answer: A Question: The English are often described as unfriendly people who don't talk to strangers . But not London taxi drivers. I once asked one cabby to describe his life to me and he didn't stop talking until I arrived home half an hour later. He told me many interesting stories and this is one of them."Some strange things happen late at night. The other day I was taking a woman home from a party. She had her little dog with her. When we got to her house, she found that she'd lost her key. So, I waited in the cab with her dog while she climbed in through the window." "I waited and waited. After half an hour of ringing the bell I decided to find out what was going on. I tied the dog to a tree and started to climb in through the window. The next thing I knew was that the police came. They thought I was to rob the house! Luckily, the woman came downstairs. She'd gone to sleep and forgotten about me and the dog. I was in such a hurry to get away that I forgot to ask her for the fare." From the passage, we know _ . A. the writer is the taxi driver's friend B. the writer often travels by taxi C. the writer is a foreigner visiting London D. the writer lives in London Answer: D Question: Colors play an important role in our world. They have different meanings to people of different cultures. Here are some colors and what they _ to various people of the world. Red is the favorite color of brides in Vietnam. In this country, red represents fortune, success, and good luck. In China red is a symbol of luck and is used for many celebrations such as weddings and the beginning of the new year. In India red is a symbol of purity and commitment, and it is used in wedding clothing. In the United States red represents love and is used during Christmas and Valentine's Day. Red also represents speed and power in the west, which is why it is a popular color for race cars and toy rockets. In Paris, all garbage collectors are clothed in green. They drive green trucks and dispose of waste in green bins. In many parts of the world, green has become a symbol of kindness to the earth. In Ireland, green symbolizes Catholicism, and in India it is the color of Islam. Yellow is the color that symbolizes the sun. Yellow can make people feel happy and excited, but at the same time can make people feel angrier or more frustrated. In the United States, school buses and taxicabs are often yellow, because you can see this color ruore easily. In Japan, yellow is the color of bravery. To the Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Koreans, white symbolizes death. To people of India and in the west white is a color of purity. ,. Which of the flowing is true? A. Red symbolizes the sun in most countries. B. In the USA,school bus and taxis are often yellow. C. In Ireland,all garbage collectos were green clothes. D. Tothe Koreans,white is a color of purity. Answer: B
Bruce is an English boy. Now he lives in a big house in Beijing with his parents, but he can't speak Chinese, he can only speak English. He likes swimming very much, and his house is near a river. He often goes to swim with his friends in the river. There are three people in his family. His father is a bank clerk, his mother is a teacher. It's Sunday today, Bruce doesn't go to school. Their parents aren't at work. They go to the park by bus. Now they are in the park, they enjoy themselves very much. Where is Bruce's house? Answer: In front of a school. A lamb was on her way home. Suddenly a wolf came up and stopped her. The lamb said, "I know you are going to eat me. But before you eat me, I would like to hear you play the flute . You can play the flute better than anyone else, even the shepherd himself." The wolf was so happy. And he took out his flute and began to play. The wolf finished one piece. Then the lamb said some good words and asked him to play another piece again. The shepherd and the dogs heard the sound. Then _ ran to the lamb and the wolf. They caught the wolf and saved the lamb. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? Answer: The lamb wanted someone to hear the sound and save her. Mr and Mrs Davies had left their Christmas shopping very late. There were only a few days more before Christmas, and of course the shops and streets were terribly crowded, but they had to get presents for their family and friends, so they started out early one morning for the big city, and spent several tiring hours buying the things they wanted in the big shops. By lunch-time, Mr Davies was carrying parcels of all shaps and sizes. He could hardly see where he was going as he and his wife left the last shop on their way to the railway station and home. Outside the shop they had to cross a busy street, made even busier than usual by the thousands of people who had come by car to do their last-minute Christmas shopping. Mr and Mrs Davies had to wait for the traffic lights to turn green, but as Mr Davies could not see very well in front of him, he gradually moved forward into the road without realizing it. Mrs Davies saw this and became worried. Several times she told her husband to come back off the road, but without success. He could not hear her because of the noise of the traffic. Finally she shouted in a voice that could be heard clearly above all the noise, "Henry! If you want to stand in that dangerous position a moment longer, give me the parcels!" Mr and Mrs Davies, _ , had to buy presents before Christmas. Answer: like everyone else If humans were truly at home under the light of the moon and stars,we would go in darkness happily,the midnight world as visible to us as it is to the vast number of nocturnal species on this planet. Instead,we are diurnal creatures, with eyes adapted to living in the sun's light. This is a basic evolutionary fact, even though most of us don't think of ourselves as diurnal beings. Yet it's the only way to explain what we've done to the night: We've engineered it to receive us by filling _ with light. The benefits of this kind of engineering come with consequences called light pollution whose effects scientists are only now beginning to study. Light pollution is largely the result of bad lighting design,which allows artificial light to shine outward and upward into the sky. III-designed lighting washes out the darkness of night and completely changes the light levels and light rhythms -- to which many forms of life, including, ourselves, have adapted. Wherever human light spills into the natural world, some aspect or life is affected . In most cities the sky looks as though it has been emptied of stars, leaving behind a vacant haze that mirrors our fear of the dark. We've grown so used to this orange haze that the original glory of an unlit nigh, - dark enough for the planet Venus to throw shadow on Earth, is wholly beyond our experience, beyond memory almost. We've lit up the night as if it were an unoccupied country, when nothing could be further form the truth. Among mammals alone, the number of nocturnal species is astonishing, Light is a powerful biological force, and on many species it acts as a magnet . The effect is so powerful that scientists speak of songbirds and seabirds being "captured" by searchlights on land or by the light from gas flares on marine oil platforms. Migrating at night, birds tend to collide with brightly lit tall buildings. Frogs living near brightly lit highways suffer nocturnal light levels that are as much as a million times righter than normal, throwing nearly every aspect of their behavior out of joint including most other creatures ,we do need darkness .Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself. Living in a glare of our making,we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural heritage--the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night .In a very real sense light pollution causes us to lose sight of our true place in the universe, to forget the scale of our being, which is best measured against the dimensions of a deep night with the Milky Way--the edge of our galaxy arching overhead. What might be the best title for the passage? Answer: The Disappearing Night. A friend is better than fortune. A friend is worse than poison in some cases. The two sentences above have opposite meanings and seem to be unreasonable, but they can be explained as follows: the first refers to all good friends who drive us towards good while the second all bad ones who lead us into bad ways. My ideal friend is of course a good friend whose goodness is shown below -- he has no bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. He lives in frugality . He studies hard so as not to waste his golden time. At home he honors his parents and loves his brothers; at school he respects his teachers and shares the feelings of his classmates. He treats those truly who are true to him. In a word, he has all the good characteristics that I don't have. I can follow him as a model. With his help I can be free from all difficulties. Indeed, if I have such a person as my friend, I shall never fear difficulty and I shall never know the existence of the word "failure". From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: the writer has a lot to learn from his ideal friend
Question: Scientists have not come close to understanding all the different kinds of life on the planet, but US researcher Craig Venter is already working on creating the first artificial life. Venter and his researchers made a breakthrough this August. They successfully moved the DNA of one type of bacteria to a yeast cell, changed it, then put it into another bacterial cell. "Bacteria have systems that protect them from foreign DNA," Venter explained to the BBC. In the experiment, the team managed to block this system. The experiment was performed on a simple type of bacteria called Mycoplasma mycoides. The team took the bacteria's genes and put them into a yeast cell. Putting the DNA in a yeast cell allowed the team to change the genes----in this case, taking out a gene that was not necessary for the bacteria to live. They then put the gene into a host bacteria cell. The cell went on to divide normally, producing new healthy bacteria. In January, the team created artificial genes of a new type of bacteria. Their next goal is to put the artificial DNA into a host cell to create a new species, according to a report inSciencemagazine. "If we don't make any errors, I think it should work and we should have the first artificial species by the end of the year," Venter said in the report. The first artificial life from is likely to be a simple man-made bacteria, to prove that the technology can work. But that form will be followed by more complex bacteria that turn coal into cleaner natural gas, or algae that can take in carbon dioxide and change it into fuel. Many scientists think it's good news to have this artificial life, but others are worried that the technology to create new organisms might end up in the wrong hands, with dangerous results. According to the passage, complex artificial bacteria, which will follow the first simple man-made bacteria, are intended to _ . A. cure deadly diseases B. prepare the Earth for natural disasters C. prove that the technology can work D. improve the earth's environment Answer: D. improve the earth's environment Question: Sports, drama, and all kinds of organizations keep students busy during high school. Where do they get the money to do these things? Not everyone gets it from parents. Most have to work for at least some of the money to pay for these activities. Some adults question if high school students should have jobs. I say yes, they undoubtedly should. Some people worry that teens with after-school jobs will have difficulty finding time for schoolwork. Actually, having a job helps teens make better use of their time. Many jobs take only a couple of hours on weeknights. According to an article, 86 percent of high school students have an after-school, weekend or summer job and students who work between 10 and 20 hours per week during the school year get higher grades than those who do not work at all. Instead of considering working after school a , it should be looked at as real-world education. Other people think that work adds too much stress , which may be somewhat true, but whether having a job or not, there is always stress. Better to learn how to deal with busy schedules in a controlled environment like high school than to be out on your own and alone in the future, experiencing stress for the first time. I personally would be worried about the teenager who has to become independent without having any experience of working. The biggest reason teens should work is that it is a healthy way of making money. There are many things teens need to pay for and they cannot do it if they don't have a job. Not all parents can pay for these activities. My dad told me, "Having a job is a good way to save up for things you are going to need or want to do. You get a lot more out of things if you pay for them yourself." The sooner kids make money, the sooner they can learn how to use money wisely. If they are not allowed to work in high school, they may have a hard time in the future. Teens should, without a doubt, be allowed to work on school nights. What can we learn from Paragraph 3? A. Teens are too busy with study to work at high school. B. Teens experience stress for the first time at high school. C. Teens are worried about being independent in the future. D. Teens who work will deal with stress better in the future. Answer: D. Teens who work will deal with stress better in the future. Question: 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 is the main goal of One Minute on Earth? A. To raise money for children. B. To publish a photobook. C. To find the best picture. D. To take pictures of different places. Answer: A. To raise money for children. Question: Modern inventions have speeded up people's lives amazingly. Motor-cars cover a hundred miles in little more than an hour, aircraft cross the world a day, while computers operate at lightning speed. Indeed, this love of speed seems never-ending. Every year motor-cars are produced which go even faster each new computer boasts of saving precious seconds in handling tasks. All this saves time, but at a price. When we lose or gain half a day in speeding across the world in an airplane, our bodies tell us so. We get the uncomfortable feeling known as jet-lag; our bodies feel that they have been left behind in another time zone. Again, spending too long at computers results in painful wrists and fingers. Mobile phones also have then danger according to some scientists; too much use may transmit harmful radiation into our brains, a consequence we do not like to think about. However, what do we do with the time we have saved? Certainly not relax, or so it seems. We are so accustomed to constant activity that we find it difficult to sit and do nothing or even just one thing at a time. Perhaps the days are long gone when we might listen quietly to a story on the radio, letting imaginations take us into another world. There was a time when some people's lives were devoted simply to the cultivation of the land or the care of cattle. No multi-tasking there; their lives went on at a much gentler pace, and in a familiar pattern. There is much that we might envy about a way of life like this. Yet before we do so, we must think of the hard tasks our ancestors faced; they farmed with bare hands, often lived close to hunger, and had to fashion tools from wood and stone. Modern machinery has freed people from that primitive existence. What is the author's attitude towards the modern technology? A. Critical B. Objective C. Optimistic D. Negative Answer: B. Objective Question: Midas was a powerful king, both rich and greedy. Once he did a great favor for Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus offered Midas his choice of a reward. Midas answered at once. He asked that whatever he touched be turned into gold. Bacchus agreed, though he was sorry that Midas had not made a wiser choice. Midas was eager to put his newly gained power to the test. He pulled a branch from a tree. The branch became gold in his hand. He picked up a stone; it turned to gold. He touched the grass, it, too, turned to gold. Midas was overjoyed. Returning home, he ordered his servants to prepare a magnificent meal. But when he picked up some bread, it turned to gold. He lifted a glass of wine to his lips. But before he could taste it, it turned to gold. Midas wished to free himself of his power. He hated the gift he had so recently hoped for. He raised his arms and begged and prayed for Bacchus to take away his deadly gift. Bacchus showed pity. "Go," he said. "to the River Pactolus. There dip yourself in. Wash away your greed and its punishment. "Midas did so. Hardly had he touched the waters, before the gold-making powers passed into them. The river sands changed into gold. And they remain golden to this day. Today when we say that a person has the "Midas Touch", we mean that _ A. the person is very poor B. gold is the most important thing to that person C. everything that the person does makes money D. the person has the power to do everything Answer: C. everything that the person does makes money
Ask anyone what is the most difficult part of changing their lifestyle habits and they are most likely to say, "Staying motivated." But a 36-year-old professor from Carnegie Mellon University claims it may have the answer in the form of robot weight loss coach that dishes out daily health advice and encouragement. Autom is the work of Intuitive Automata, a company based in Sha Tin which claims to be a pioneer in commercial socially-interactive robots. The robot, which stands around 38 centimeters tall, has a head that swivels , blue eyes, and a touch screen which allows the user to input information daily about exercise and diet Its creators say Autom will have a daily conversation with its user lasting up to five minutes, giving feedback and encouragement.Over time, it will interact more with the user as it gathers more information about them. Cory Krdd, a research team manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency claims research has shown that people find robots a more reliable source of information than on-screen-based character. In a controlled study in Pittsburgh City Council, 15 dieters were given Autom for six weeks. Another 15 received a touch-screen computer with identical software and 15 were given a paper log.The study found, people using the robot are more likely to stick with their diets longer, in fact twice as long as those using just a paper log. "While not one person among the computer or paper groups continued past six weeks, most who had Autom did not want to give her back at the conclusion of the study," he said. The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen. Autom is expected to go on sale later this year in the United States for around $500.A robot which speaks and understands Cantonese and Mandarin in addition to English according to the demands is also being developed. What can we know about the controlled study? Answer: In a surprising result, the No. 69 Middle School girls' football team yesterday beat their school's boys' team. The boys' team often helped the girls with their training . They had never lost to the girls before, but this time the girls beat them 4 -- 3. After the game, Wu Nai, head of the boys' team, was very unhappy. "We all thought this would be an easy game," he said. "We never thought a team of girls could beat us. This is the saddest day of my life. " But Mr Hu, the boys' PE teacher, said he thought the girls should win. "The boys were too confident ," he said. "I told them before the match that they needed to play well. They all thought that girls' football was a joke. Now they know better. They didn't play carefully, and they lost." The match had started well for the boys. After 30 minutes, they were winning 2 - 0. Their best player, Lu Ming, scored in the thirtieth minute. Earlier, the mid-field player, Ma Zhengquan, had scored the first goal in only the second minute of the match. After the first half hour, the boys seemed to become too confident. At first, the girls had felt a bit nervous , but then they became more and more confident. Just before half time, Li Xiaolin made the score 2 - 1. In the second half, the boys were the first to score. It was from Lu Ming. After that the boys became lazy, but the girls kept on working hard. Hao Meiling scored in the 68th minute, to make the score 3 -- 2. Then Li Xiaolin scored twice in the last six minutes to make the last score 4-3. It was a surprising finish. The girls' PE teacher, Miss Wang, was very pleased with their work. "They were great!" She said. "I told them they could win. I told them that the most important thing was teamwork. The boys' team had some good players, but my girls were a better team!" Who scored the first goal in the match? Answer: surging commodity prices could worsen poverty in many poor countries, the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday. A new IMF study, seeing the effect of soaring oil and food costs, said many poor and developing countries would likely have to change their economic policies in response to soaring commodity prices. "Some countries are at a dangerous point," warned IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. "If food prices rise further and oil prices stay the same, some governments will no longer be able to feed their people and at the same time keep stability in their economies," Strauss-Kahn said. The IMF chief called for a "broad cooperative approach" to help handle higher oil and food prices, and said the IMF stood ready to assist countries in need. Strauss-Kahn said the international community would also have to play a role in helping to reduce the effect of commodity price shocks which have caused protests in some countries. European truckers have blockaded major roads to protest fuel prices in recent weeks and food riots have occurred in Cameroon, Bangladesh, and Somalia among other countries in recent months. "Poor countries that are highly dependent on food imports are particularly vulnerable to rising food prices," the IMF report said. Anti-poverty campaigners are concerned that rising commodity costs could roll back advances made through anti-poverty campaigns in recent years, particularly because poorer families tend to spend much more of their household income on food. The IMF report found that poor households are most affected by food price inflation and "warned that the share of undernourished people in developing countries could rise rapidly above the current 40 percent of total population". Energy and food values are still rising and the IMF said its research suggests "the problem is worsening". The Washington-based fund said it is working closely with its member countries to help reduce inflationary pressures taking into account countries' specific needs. The report said that global food markets "need to be kept open" and that "restrictive policies", such as export taxes and bans, should be removed. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: He was a hero that saved two children from the jaws of a cougar . Standing barely 1.7 meters, the 22-year-old with black-frame glasses might pass more for a Chinese Harry Potter. Yet Shen Huigang is now getting recognition for his bravery in fighting off a cougar on Vancouver Island, Canada, during a family outing. Shen, also known as Ian, was then an exchange student. With him was a friend, Myles Hagar, and Hagar's two grandchildren. Silently and suddenly a cougar appeared out of nowhere. By the time they spotted the cat, it already had the head of 18-month-old Julien in its mouth. "At first, my brain was nothing but blank," Shen recalled. "But I believed I could get the child back." He gestured as if he were ready for a fight, and tried to scare the beast off with his bag. Hearing the noise Shen made, the animal dropped the baby and Hagar rushed to grab his grandson. But the animal didn't run, instead turned toward 3-year-old Iris standing beside Shen. "Had Ian not been there, shouting at the cougar, remaining calm and standing firm, it would certainly have attacked Iris." Hagar recalled. They chased the animal back into the woods. "We moved slowly to our vehicle as we waved our fists and bags, pretending to wrestle it," Shen said. "The vehicle wasn't far away but it felt like it took us a century to travel the short journey." As Hagar drove for help, Shen held the heavily-bleeding boy in the passenger seat and calmly kept him awake by hugging and kissing him in case he would go into a coma . The boy was flown to a hospital nearby. Doctors later said his little skull had been punctured through to his brain in two places. Luckily, Julien made a full recovery. "Any hesitation, even a second delay, would have resulted in certain death for Julien, but Ian was there..." Hagar said. Following the incident, the story appeared on Canadian TV networks in every city, and in many small town newspapers---plus many US Internet news sites. The Royal Canadian Humane Association planned to give Shen a Canada Bravery Award, but it couldn't reach him because he had returned to China. Which of the following statements about Shen Huigang is TRUE? Answer: Sunshine For All The Beijing Sunshine Secondary School students are holding a charity show at the school hall of Beijing Sunshine Secondary School, Sunny Street, Sunshine Town. Date: 29 April Time: 7:30 p. m.9:00 p. m. We hope to raise money to help poor children go to school. Ticket price: $20 Donations are welcome. Programme: 7:30 p. m. Introduction 7:40 p. m. Songs 8:00 p. m. Break 8:15 p. m. Speech 8:30 p. m. Drama 9:00 p. m. End of the show Project Hope is an organization that raises money to build schools and buy books for poor students. We would like to thank the following for their help and support: The teachers at Beijing Sunshine Secondary School The Star Shopping Mall for the costumes Sunshine Advertisement Company for the posters Why do they want to raise money? Answer:
Question: The producers of instant coffee found their product strongly resisted in the market places despite their product's obvious advantages. Furthermore,the advertising expense for instant coffee was far greater than that for regular coffee. Efforts were made to find the cause of the users' seemingly unreasonable resistance to the product. The reason given by most people was dislike for the taste. The producers doubt that there might be deeper reasons,however. This was supported by one of motivation research's classic studies,one often cited in the trade. Mason Haire of the University of California constructed two shopping lists that were the same except for one item. There were six items common to both lists: hamburger,carrots,bread,baking powder,canned peaches,and potatoes,with the brands or amounts specified. The seventh item,in fifth place on both lists,read"lib. Maxwell House coffee"on one list and"Nescafe instant coffee"on the other. One list was given to each one in a group of fifty women,and the other list to those in another group of the same size. The women were asked to study their lists and then to describe,as far as they could,the kind of woman(personality and character)who would draw up that shopping list. Nearly half of those who had received the list including instant coffee described a housewife who was lazy and a poor planner. On the other hand,only one woman in the other group described the housewife,who had included regular coffee on,her list was lazy; only six of that group suggested that she was a poor planner. Eight women felt that the instant-coffee user was probably not a good wife!No one in the other group drew such a conclusion about the housewife who intended to buy regular coffee. Judging by the result of the study many women were not interested in instant coffee because _ . A. they didn't trust advertisements B. instant coffee was not suited to their taste C. they wanted to show that they were intelligent D. they had a sense of shame about using instant coffee Answer: D. they had a sense of shame about using instant coffee Question: Asia-Pacific consumers are the world's largest group of online shopping lovers and many rely on Internet reviews when making purchases, research firm Nielsen said this week. The firm said 35% of consumers in Asia-Pacific used over 11% of their monthly spending to make online purchases, compared to a global average of 27% of consumers. South Koreans were the heaviest online buyers in Asia, with 59% directing more than 11% of their monthly spending to online purchases, followed by 41% in China, Nielsen said in a report. A further 31% of Asian consumers use between 6% and 10% of their monthly shopping purchases to buy items online. More Asia-pacific consumers also intend to buy online in the next six months than those from other regions, with South Koreans and Chinese the most likely to make such purchases. Among the purchases consumers in the region are likely to make in the next six months are books, clothing, shoes, airline tickets, electronic equipment and hotel reservations. "Technology and the Internet will very likely basically change how and where shoppers spend their money and interact with sellers," said Pete Gale, a managing director at Nielsen's Retailer Services. "We are seeing a strong trend in markets like Korea, where a significant population of online shoppers buy essentials such as groceries, cosmetics and nutrition supplies over the Internet." Nielsen said opinions posted online were important in Asia-pacific customers' decisions to buy products such as cosmetics, cars, software and food. Asia-pacific consumers were also the most likely to share dissatisfaction at a product on the Internet compared with consumers elsewhere. "The increasing accessibility of the Internet and unbelievable popularity of social media and online discussion forums mean today's brands have nowhere to hide, " said Megan Clarken, Asia-Pacific managing director at Nielsen's online division. Nielsen said in June that social media such as Facebook and Twitter or blogging sites had become powerful tools influencing what people buy and urged businesses to embrace the trend. What is the passage mainly about? A. The trend of doing e-business is speeding up. B. Asians are most likely to shop with a "click." C. Online shopping is developing quickly worldwide. D. Asia-Pacific consumers are fans of online discussion forums. Answer: B. Asians are most likely to shop with a "click." Question: When I grew up, all the schools in the village demanded that girls cut their hair. The teachers would measure our hair and make sure it was not too long. I remember crying and begging as the scissors cut my hair. My dad told me that a girl who was in school needed to concentrate on books and that hair was a distraction . I cut my hair all the way through primary school and middle school. Then I went to a high school that allowed long hair but no styles or braids during class hours. Even then, still adhering to my dad's words, I never wore my hair long. When I graduated from high school, I started growing my hair. I spent hours looking in the mirror and shaping my hair. My sister complained, wondering why I had to have two styles in a day. In college I heard the word perm . Girls had some strong chemicals put on their heads and made the hair look beautiful. I quickly sat in a salon and changed my hair. I returned to the salon once every month. Even during the days when I had no money for food, I had to find money for my hair. After college, I was jobless and broke. I had to have my hair cut. At that time I saw a bald black model. Her style shocked me and I admired her so much that I began to follow her. Therefore, there I was. I wore some large earrings and walked around like a model. And many people admired my style. At this point the journey with my hair stopped completely. I decided to have natural hair. I soon found out natural hair is the cheapest, easiest and healthiest way to wear African hair. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Make your hairstyle fashionable B. Appearance is not the most important thing C. A journey to natural hair D. Black girls should be confident Answer: C. A journey to natural hair Question: In many ways, the earliest periods of photography are the most satisfying. Learning to use the controls is easy and comes quickly, and you can measure the results in terms of sharp and correctly developed pictures. Once you have mastered that, you can start on the second step of your photographic work. Using these basic skills in a wide variety of situations to give the pictures you want, noticing what you see through the viewfinder and turning that into the most effective picture becomes totally interesting. All good photographs have one thing in common; there is no doubt what the subject of the picture is meant to be. Every photographer must use those same standards to his or her work, not only to the finished results but to the subject before he or she takes it. Always work out quite clearly what the subject of the picture is to be and why you are taking the picture. For example,"I am going to take a picture of this street to show the different styles and ages of the buildings and that people have been living, working and shopping in them since time began."By doing this you have a better idea of what to include in the picture and what to leave out. How often have you been shown photographs taken by people away on a trip somewhere? The judgment is always similar, something about"the car park is out of the picture to the left", or"you can't quite see from this picture but if you go up the street". The photographs are usually collections of buildings, people, parked cars, possibly a distant look of an ancient church, and best of all, a figure which you are told is Aunt Henrietta, disappearing in the middle distance. When photographers show you their pictures, they have a clear idea of what they want to bring to your attention, but it often does not appear in the picture. If they had given just a little of their time to think about their future judgment before taking the picture, then the picture would relate its own story. Good pictures can show their subjects quickly and easily. What book is this passage most likely taken from? A. A book on photography for news reporters. B. A book on how to photograph people C. A book on choosing the right camera. D. A book on improving photographic techniques. Answer: D. A book on improving photographic techniques. Question: Different kinds of soil conservation methods are used by farmers to protect their land from damage by farming and the forces of nature. One important form of soil conservation is the use of windbreaks. Windbreaks are barriers formed by trees and other plants with many leaves. Farmers plant them in lines around their fields. Windbreaks stop the wind from blowing soil away. They also keep the wind from destroying or damaging crops. They are very important for growing grains, such as wheat. There have been studies done on windbreaks in parts of West Africa, for example. They found that grain harvests can be twenty percent higher in fields protected by windbreaks compared to fields without such protection. However, windbreaks seem to work best when they allow a little wind to pass through. If the wall of trees and plants stops wind completely, then violent air motions will take place close to the ground. These motions will lift soil into the air where it will be blown away. For this reason, a windbreak is best if it has only sixty to eighty percent of the trees and plants needed to make a solid line. There should be at least two lines in each windbreak. One line should be large trees. The second line, right next to it, can be shorter trees and other plants with leaves. Locally grown trees and plants are best for windbreaks. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. A windbreak is one of the best forms of soil conversation. B. A windbreak is very good for growing grains such as wheat. C. One line of trees is enough for soil protection. D. Locally grown trees and plants are the top choice for a windbreak. Answer: C. One line of trees is enough for soil protection.
Using what the surface of the Earth is made of, you could build Answer: The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial activity of the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea. As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land. And the highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Marine fossils found here are 225 feet above sea level indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier. The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of Maine keeps watch over nearly 2,000 islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to blooming communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands left behind by the glacier. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long. For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, has afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recently, though, Bar Harbor has become a new arts community as well. But the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both zones. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds. The establishment of Acadia National park in 1916 means that this natural monument will be preserved and that it will be available to all people, not just the wealthy. Visitors to Acadia may receive nature instruction from the park naturalists as well as enjoy camping, hiking, cycling, and boating. Or they may choose to spend time at the museum learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? Answer: After graduating from school, I didn't go directly to university. Instead, I spent a year travelling round the world. I started my trip in London, the UK. I saw theBig Ben and visited the amazing churches.From there, I flew to Paris, and went down to the south of France, which is famous for its lovely beaches. Next, I flew to India, and traveled round the country for about three months. Although the cities were crowded, the countryside was the beautiful. I stayed in a small fishing village by the sea and it was the happiest time of my life. I then came to China, a country I had always wanted to visit. I saw Beijing, of course, and climbed up the Great Wall. I also took a trip to see some villages where I learned a lot about Chinese local customs. Then, at last, I flew all the way home. It had been a great experience, but, yes, it was good to be home again! Which part of the trip did the writer enjoy most? Answer: Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practicing until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. An excellent sportsman practices until he can play quickly, correctly and without thinking. Educators call it "automaticity ". www.ks5u.com A child learns to read by sounding out the letters and finding the meaning of the words. With practice, he stumbles less and less, reading by the phrase . With automaticity, he doesn't have to think about the meaning of words, so he can give all his attention to the meaning of the text. It can begin as early as first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found that automatic readers in the first grade not only read almost three times as fast as the others, but also got better results in exams. According to Rossman, the key to automaticity is the amount of time a child spends reading , not his IQ. Any child who spends at least 3.5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will probably reach automaticity. It can happen if a child turns off TV just one night for reading at home. You can test yourself by reading something new which is suitable for your level. If you read aloud with expression, with a sense of the meaning of the sentences, you probably are an automatic reader. If you read brokenly, one word at a time, without expression or meaning, you need more practice. Reading is the key to school success means that reading_. Answer: BEIJING, Oct.14(Xinhua)----A total of 120 middle school students from 35 countries will attend the final of an international China language contest, to be held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from Oct.16 to 30. The candidates, aged from 15 to 20,must be from foreign countries and not native Chinese speakers, said a statement issued by the Chinese language Council (CLC),the contest's organizer, here Thursday. All of the candidates have passed the preliminary contests held in their own countries. According to the organizer, the competition will have a top prize, five second prizes,10 third prizes and a dozen prizes for special talents.The organizer will also launch an online vote for "the most liked candidate." It was the third year China has held the contest. "The competition not only tests the proficiency of Chinese language but also the candidates capability to communicate across different cultures."the statement said. All the candidates in the final will receive scholarships from the Chinese government.said Hu Hangyu, an official with the Education Bureau of the Chongqing Municipality, jointly organizing the contest. They will also meet local Chinese students and live with Chinese families, Hu said. "The competition is to meet the increasing demand for Chinese learning by foreign youngsters."said Xu Lin.the CLC director. The CLC has also hosted similar contest for foreign college students since 2002. China has been working to promote Chinese language learning abroad over the past few years.According to the CLC, the country had 282 Confucius Institutes and 272 "Confucius Classrooms" in 88 countries and regions as of 2009 since the first one was established in 2004. The candidates must be _ . Answer:
Question: Sue is a middle school student.Here are her holiday's diaries. Tuesday July 15 Sunny I can't believe my trip is over.I arrived in Egypt two weeks ago!I was with a group from a university .We went to the desert and learned a lot.I was tired,but I loved every minute of my trip. Saturday August 5 Windy My Hawaiian vacation just ended,and I was very relaxed!I spent five days on traveling there.Every day I took a walk,played basketball and ate good food.I also went swimming and snorkeling .I felt fantastic! Sunday August 14 Sunny Alaska is terrific!I was on a trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.There were six people on the trip.We hiked for six days.Then we took rafts to the Arctic Ocean.I saw a lot of wildlife .After ten days,I went home. How many people were there on the trip in Alaska? A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6. Answer: D. 6. Question: An unemployed man is desperate to support his family. His wife watches TV all day and his three teenage kids have dropped out of high school to hang around with the local toughs. He applies for a cleaner's job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test. The human resources manager tells him, "You will be hired at minimum wage, $5.15 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can contact you easily. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day." Greatly surprised, the man protests that he has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this, the manager replies, "You must understand that to a company like ours that means you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high tech firm. Good day." Unable to believe what he heard, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling beautiful tomatoes. He buys a crate , carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than two hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. From that day on, he repeats the tomato business and becomes increasingly successful as time goes on. By the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of nice trucks and a warehouse. The tomato company has put hundreds of homeless and jobless people to work and the business grossed a million dollars. Planning for the future, he decides to buy some life insurance. The insurance adviser asks him for his e-mail address in order to send the final documents electronically. When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess with a computer and has no e-mail address, the insurance salesman is surprised, " No computer? No Internet? Just think where you would be if you'd had all of that five years ago!" "Ha! If I'd had all of that five years ago, I would be sweeping floors at Microsoft and making $5.15 an hour!" the man replies. The man applies for a cleaner's job _ . A. but he can't accept it because the pay is too low B. and he gets it though the pay is only $5.15 an hour C. but he was turned down because he doesn't have an e-mail address D. but he misses the chance because they fail to contact him Answer: C. but he was turned down because he doesn't have an e-mail address Question: My grandpa is 93 years old this year. He is very healthy and looks young. Many people ask him why he is so healthy. Grandpa says good diet is very important to everyone. Grandpa has three meals a day regularly . He often eats lots of vegetables and fruit. He never drinks or smokes . He says they are bad for health. After he gets up in the morning, he often drinks a cup of water. And before he goes to bed in the evening, he has a cup of milk. He says everyone should drink some water before breakfast. Grandpa has a good lifestyle, too. He likes sports. He likes playing ping-pong and badminton. Sometimes he goes swimming. He goes running every day before breakfast, too. He says exercise can help a person keep healthy and strong. Grandpa likes watching TV. But he only watches TV in the afternoon. He doesn't watch too much TV. Many old people like playing Majon, but grandpa doesn't. He says sitting in the chair for long time is not good for health. How often does grandpa go running? A. Every day. B. Twice a week C. Every week D. Sometimes Answer: A. Every day. Question: A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man -- the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect in the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some sort. This attitude toward manual labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward, furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery. On the contrary, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education. Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage? A. A Respectable Self-made Family B. American Attitude toward Manual Labor C. Characteristics of American Culture D. The Development of Manual Labor Answer: B. American Attitude toward Manual Labor Question: Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a booklover or merely go there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon become totally unaware of your surroundings. The desire to pick up a book with an attractive _ is irresistible, although this method of selection ought not to be followed, as you might end up with a rather dull book. You soon become absorbed in some book or other, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent far too much time there and must dash off to keep some forgotten appointment--without buying a book, of course. This opportunity to escape the realities of everyday life is, I think, the main attraction of a bookshop. There are not many places where it is possible to do this. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can wander round such places to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will approach you with the unavoidable greeting: "Can I help you, sir?" You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished browsing. Then, and only then, are his services necessary. Of course, you may want to find out where a particular section is, but when he has led you there, the assistant should retire considerately and look as if he is not interested in selling a single book. You have to be careful not to be attracted by the variety of books in a bookshop. It is very easy to enter the shop looking for a book on, say ancient coins and to come out carrying a copy of the latest bestselling novel and perhaps a book about brass-rubbing--something which had only slightly interested you up till then. This volume on the subject, however, happened to be so well illustrated and the part of the text you read proved so interesting that you just had to buy it. This sort of thing can be very dangerous. Apart from running up a huge account, you can waste a great deal of time wandering from section to section. The author implies that it is very easy to enter a bookshop and buy _ . A. a book on ancient coins B. a best-selling novel on brass-rubbing C. a book that only vaguely interests you D. a book that unexpectedly fascinates you Answer: D. a book that unexpectedly fascinates you
A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWesl that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, are particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts than any before. Universitytuition fees are currently capped at PS3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to _ In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average PS 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just PS 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than PS 10.000. Average debts for graduates are PS 12,363. Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they are to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively." Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweather aged 15 from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money. Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project? A Students understand personal finances differently. B University tuition fees in England have been rising. C Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings. D The students' payback ability has become a major issue. Answer: C Anne Frank's life was short and tragic. Yet her brave spirit has survived in her diary. She wrote this diary while hiding from the Nazis during World WarII. Anne's father prepared a hiding place for his family. He sealed off several rooms at the back of his office building, and he covered the entrance with a movable bookcase. In July 1942, Anne, her mother and her father, her sister Margot, and four Jewish friends stepped behind the bookcase into the hidden rooms. The Frank family and their friends stayed shut away in secret for over two years. Brave friends risked their lives to bring them food. But constant fear and loss of freedom were hard to bear. For comfort, Anne started to write a diary. She was very good at expressing her thoughts and feelings in words. Anne was 13 when she stared to write. Her diary shows that, just like other teenagers, she looked forward to adult life. She hoped to have a career as a writer, and she longed to find love. She had high ideal and wished "to be useful or give pleasure to people around me." Throughout her time in hiding, Anne kept her faith in human nature. She wrote, "In spite of everything, I still believe that human beings are really good at heart." In 1944, the Frank family's hiding place was given away to the Gestapo(German secret police). Anne was sent to the Bergen-Belsen prison camp in Germany. She died at the camp in 1945 at the age of 15. Otto, Anne's father, was the only member of the Frank family to survive the war. He published her diary in 1947. Since then it has been published in more than 50 languages. Millions of people have visited the family's hiding place in Amsterdam. Anne Frank's story still inspires people to fight against all kinds of race discrimination. Anne wrote her diary mainly for the purpose of_. A practicing writing B expressing her fear C annoying the Nazis D relaxing herself Answer: D I'm a boy. My name is Bill. I'm thirteen. I'm in Class Two, Grade One. I have a good friend. His name is Jim. He is an English boy. He is in Class 3,Grade 1.Mr Wang is our English teacher. He is 27. Miss Zhang is our Chinese teacher. She is 30. We are good friends, too. Jim is _ . A Chinese B English C a girl D Japanese Answer: B John Coltrane was born in North Carolina in 1926 and raised in the small farm town of High Point. As a young boy, he spent a great deal of time listening to the music of the black Southern church. Coltrane's father sewed clothes and could also play several musical instruments for his own enjoyment. The young Coltrane grew up in such a musical environment. And he discovered jazz by listening to the recordings of such jazz greats as Count Basie and Lester Young. When John was thirteen, he asked his mother to buy him a saxophone. People realized almost immediately that the young man could play the instrument very well. John learned by listening to the recordings of the great jazz saxophone players, Johnny Hodges and Charlie Parker. In 1943 John and his family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied music for a short time at the Granoff Studios and at the Ornstein School of Music. He served for a year in a Navy band in Hawaii. When he returned, he began playing the saxophone in several small bands. In 1948, Coltrane joined trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie's band. Seven years later, Coltrane joined the jazz group of another trumpet player, Miles Davis.Then he began experimenting with new ways to write and perform jazz music, and explored many new ways of playing the saxophone.Some people did not like this new sound, while others said it was an expression of modern soul and represented an important change. By 1965, Coltrane became one of the most famous jazz musicians in the world. He was famous in Europe and Japan, as well as in the United States. He was always trying to produce a sound that no one had produced before. Some of the sounds he made were beautiful. Others were like loud screams. Miles Davis said Coltrane was the loudest, fastest saxophone player that ever rived. Many people could not understand his music. But they listened anyway. Coltrane never made his music simpler to become more popular. He continued to perform and record even as he suffered from liver cancer. He died in 1967 at the age of forty in Long Island, New York. _ play(s) the most important role in John Coltrane's love of music. A The musical environment in which he was brought up B His father's musical instruments C The church music he listened to D The recordings of jazz greats Answer: A It was not a good day today. 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. There was no juice, either. I just had a glass of water. When I was almost at the bus stop, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home and get it. Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next bus. I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on the schoolwork I had missed. After lunch, it was the 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. It was a horrible day. I hope tomorrow will be better. According to the passage, we can know _ . A the writer fell off from his bike B the writer went to school C the writer got up early in the morning D the writer doesn't like eating fish Answer: D
Suppose a man has a car accident. He is hurt badly and is _ , that is, he can't think, speak, or hear. His family takes him to the hospital. The doctors tell the family that his brain is dead. A machine can make him breathe . Now the patient's family must answer some difficult questions. Should they think he is dead? Should they ask the doctors to use the machine to make him breathe? Sometimes machines can make an unconscious person breathe for years. However if his brain is dead , he will never think, speak, or hear again. Then, should his family ask the doctors not to use the machine and let him die? Someone who is unconscious can't say he wants to die. Can his family say this for him? Some people think this is a good idea. Some think otherwise. Many people are hurt when machines keep a person alive. The unconscious person doesn't know it. Machines only make the family and friends hurt longer. According to the passage we know when someone's brain is dead, he _ . A. will perhaps wake up again B. will perhaps wake up again by using a machine C. may sometimes wake up D. has no chance to wake up Answer: D. has no chance to wake up 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 properly 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 at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don't use it, we 1ose 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: 1.If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing. 2.If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree--something easy to recognize.Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike.When you return, go back along the same route. 3.Simplify the way for 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 yon are. Now you will never get lost again! What is true about 7-year-old children according to the passage? A. Their sense of direction does not work without maps. B. They should be allowed indoors if they lack a sense of direction. C. They have the ability to find their way around D. They can develop a good sense of direction if they are driven around in a car. Answer: C. They have the ability to find their way around Riding School: You can start horse - riding at any age.Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9:00 a.m.and 8: 30 p.m.(3: 30 p.m.on Saturdays).There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country.You will need a riding hat. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.--8:30 p.m. Phone: (412) 396 -6754 Fax: (412) 396 -6752 . Sailing Club: Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage I Sailing qualification.You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid.Have fun with other course members, afterwards in the clubroom.There are 10 weekly two - hour lessons ( Tuesdays 6 p.m.-- 8 p.m.). Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.--8:00 p.m. Phone: (412) 396 -6644 Fax: (412) 396 -6644 Diving Centre: Our experienced instructors offer one - month courses in deep - sea diving for beginners.There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely.You only need swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples. Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6: 30 p.m.--8:30 p.m. Phone: (412) 396 -6312 Fax: (412) 396 -6706 Medical Center: The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems.Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores. Opening Hours: 24 hour from Monday to Sunday Phone: (412) 396 -6649 Fax:(412)396 -6648 Watersports Club: We use a two - kilometer length of river for speedboat racing, and water - skiing, a beginners course consists of ten 20 - minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently, but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4: 00 p.m., with lessons all through the day. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.--4:00 p.m. Phone:(412)396 -6899 Fax:(412)396 -6890 If you are planning to explore the ocean depths, you should attend your lessons at _ . A. 24 hour from Monday to Sunday B. Monday through Friday : 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. C. Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. D. Monday and Friday: 6: 30 p.m.- 8: 30 p.m. Answer: D. Monday and Friday: 6: 30 p.m.- 8: 30 p.m. We like to keep our distance from others and there are very specific social rules about how close we can go to others in particular situations. The social distances here are approximate, of course and will vary with people. But they are still a good general rule. Hall identified four zones that are common for Americans: Public Zone: >12 feet. The public zone is generally over 12 feet. That is, when we're walking around town, we'll try to keep at least 12 feet between us and other people. Of course there're many times when we cannot do this. We'll start to notice other people who are with in this distance. The closer they get, the more we become aware. Social Zone:4-12 feet. Within the social zone, we start to feel a connection with other people. When they're closer, then we can talk with them without having to shout, but still keep them at a safe distance. This is a comfortable distance for people who are standing in a group but maybe not talking directly with one another. Personal Zone: 1.5-4feet. In the personal zone, the conversation gets more direct, and this is a good distance for two people who are talking seriously about something. Intimate Zone: <1.5 feet. When a person is within arm's reach or closer, then we can touch them in intimate ways. Romance of all kinds happens in this space. Entering intimate zone of somebody else can be very threatening. The rules about social distances vary with different groups of people. People who live in towns spend more time close to one another. In a large and crowded city, the distances will be less than in a small town. Different countries also have different rules about social distances. Watch a Japanese person talking at a party with a person from a Western country. The Japanese will step in and the Westerner will step back. Speeded up, it's like a dance around the room. If eight people sit in a room and all of them don't talk directly with one another, they prefer _ . A. Public Zone B. Social Zone C. Personal Zone D. intimate Zone Answer: B. Social Zone Art museums are places where people can learn about various cultures. The increasingly popular "design museums" that are opening today, however, perform quite a different role. Unlike most art museums, the design museum shows objects that are easily found by the general public These museums sometimes even place things like fridges and washing machines in the center of the hall Pele have argued that design museums are often made use of as advertisements for new industrial technology. But their role is not simply a matter of sales-it is the honoring of excellently invented products. The difference between the window of a department store and the showcase in a design museum is that the first tries to sell you something, while the second tells you the success of a sale. One advantage of design museums is that they are places where people feel familiar with the exhihits. Unlike the average art museum visitors, design museum visitors seldom feel frightened or puzzled. This is partly because design museums clearly show how and why mass-produced products work and look as they do, and how design has improved the quality of our lives. Art museum exhibits, on the other hand, would most probably fill visitors with a feeling that there is something between their understanding. In recent years, several new design museums have opened their door. Each of these museums has tried to satisfy the public's growing interest in the field with new ideas. London's Design Museum, for example, shows a collection of mass-produced objects from Zippo lighters to electric typewriters to a group of Italian fish-tins. The choices open to design museums seem far less strict than those to art museums, and visitors may also sense the humorous part of our society while walking around such exhibits as interesting and unusually attractive toys collected in our everyday life. The author believes that most design museum visitors _ . A. do not admire mass-produced products B. are puzzled with technological exhibits C. dislike exhibits in art museums D. know the exhibits very well Answer: D. know the exhibits very well
Americans have taken over from the Indians many things besides their continent! Where did corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate and maple sugar come from? The Indians. Who invented moccasins, snowshoes and hammocks? The Indians! A list of the tools, plants, materials and designs we owe to the Indians would include hundreds of items. But there is something far more familiar, something that is always at hand. It is used daily by every American: a large vocabulary of Indian words. Potato, tomato, chocolate, moccasin and hammock came into English from Indian languages. So did cocoa, tobacco, maize (an Indian word for corn) and succotash. Some words have changed on the way. Potato, for example, comes from a word that sounds like "batata". Cocoa began as "cacahuatl". Some meanings have also changed. The long Indian word from which succotash comes means "something broken off in bits". Indian women often varied their dishes by mixing bits of one food with another. White men who ate an Indian dish of mixed lima beans and corn began using the Indian word to mean this particular mixture. Put on your moccasins and take a walk in the country. If it is a cold day and you wear a mackinaw, your jacket will be as Indian as your shoes. But mackinaw came from "michilimackinac", the Indian name of a place where a fort served as a trading post. Bright-color1ed blankets or jackets bought at the post soon became known as "mackinaws". Early white visitors to the continent found Indian words useful for the things new to them. But some Indian sounds, such as the "tl" at the end of many words, were hard to say. That is why "coyotl" became coyote and "tomatle" became tomato. Some words simply seemed too long. So, "musickwautash" became succotash and "rockahominy" became hominy. Some words have changed because _ . A. they are too long B. nobody can use them C. the things they refer to have disappeared D. they are too difficult for people to write Answer: A. they are too long If you have ever been rock climbing, you will know that it is not a very easy sport. In fact, you probably felt quite defeated when you first tried to do any serious climbing. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are both extremely demanding and require practice to get good at. It is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports. There are three basic types of rock climbing. Top roping is the most common type and the climber need to climb with a partner. The second type, which is very similar to top roping, is called lead climbing. In both of the types, the climber can sit off the wall and rest on the rope. The third type is called bouldering. Bouldering is a type of free climbing without any ropes. This is the most demanding of all climbing types. The climber must be able to complete the climbing without taking a rest on the rope. Believe it or not, climbing is said to be about 75% legs and only 25% arms. To climb efficiently and successfully, a person needs to have a wonderful technique. One of the major rules of rock climbing is to always have three points touching the wall, whether it is both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands, as it is much easier to have your weight cases will not do the climbing; they only hold you into the wall so that your legs are actually pushing you upward. Also, the closer you are to the wall, the easier it is to climb. Rock climbing may sound a bit too extreme for the everyday person, but it is really an amazing workout. Once you get into the sport, and learn how to position your body and rest your weight, then you can begin to deal with some difficult problems. The great thing about rock climbing is that it is mentally challenging as well. You are constantly analyzing the way your body moves and how to do certain moves on the wall. For anyone who wants to get into shape, rock climbing is a fun and effective way to exercise muscles. From the text we know that _ . A. indoor rock climbing is much easier than outdoor rock climbing B. while rock climbing, people depend mainly on their arms C. ordinary people can practise rock climbing D. during climbing, the climber can always stop for a rest Answer: C. ordinary people can practise rock climbing People from all over the world visit Disneyland to have fun, not to get sick. But last week, an outbreak of measles spread from the Southern California theme park. As of Monday, January 19, at least 52 people have got the easily spread illness. The majority of the reported cases of measles are from people who visited the park before. According to the California Department of Public Health, these people were exposed to the illness at Disneyland from December 17-20. Officials believe the cause is likely someone who caught measles abroad and visited Disneyland, but this has yet to be proved. However, in 2014, California had its highest measles infection rate in nearly twenty years. There were 66 cases of measles reported in the state--23 of them in Orange County, where Disneyland is located. Measles spreads very easily. It can be caught from coughing and sneezing. Crowded areas like theme parks are especially suitable for its spread. The illness starts with a fever and develops into symptoms including a cough, runny nose, red eyes and so on. About three out of ten people infected with measles will develop another health problem, including an ear infection or pneumonia . The best way to _ measles is to get vaccinated . An unvaccinated person is 35 times more likely to catch measles than someone who received a vaccination. After visiting Disneyland some people _ . A. had a lot of fun B. were found missing C. lost their lives D. became seriously ill Answer: D. became seriously ill We're so well educated - but we're useless students who have lost the ability to do anything practical. The only thing we've mastered is consumption . Large numbers of students have entered higher education in the past 10 years, but despite being the most educated generation in history, it seems that we've grown increasingly ignorant when it comes to basic life skills. Looking back on my first couple of weeks of living in student halls, I consider myself lucky to still be alive. Unfamiliar to fresher's, there are many hidden dangers in the dirty corners of students accommodation. I have survived a couple of serious boiling egg incidents and lots of cases of food - poisoning, probably from dirty kitchen counters. Although some of my clothes have fallen victim to ironing experimentation, I think I have now finally acquired all the domestic skills I missed out in my modem education. In 2006 and 2010, the charming educationist Sir Ken Robinson gave two very amusing talks in which he discussed the importance of creativity in education. Robinson's main viewpoint is that our current education system dislocates people from their natural talents. I would like to go a step further and propose that besides our talents, the system takes away what used to be passed from generation to generation - a working knowledge of basic life skills. Today's graduates may have earned themselves honor in history, law or economies, but when it comes to simple things like putting up a shelf to hold all their academic books, or fixing a hole in their on - trend clothes, they have to call for help from a professional handyman or tailor. Since the invention of the internet, it has never been easier for people to access information, but our highly specialized education has made us more one - sided than ever. I suggest that we start with the immediate reintroduction of some of the most vital aspects of "domestic science" education, before the current lack leads to serious accidents in student halls. Which is NOT the incidents the writer had during the first few weeks in student halls? A. He was seriously burnt by boiled eggs. B. He was accidentally poisoned by food. C. He damaged his clothes while ironing. D. He was severely beaten by fresher. Answer: D. He was severely beaten by fresher. Language students often think they have memory problems. They worry because they can't remember words. In fact, the problem usually isn't with their memory. The problem is with how they study. To remember words better, you need to understand how memory works. There are two kinds of memory: short-term and long-term. When you see, hear, or read something, it goes first into short-term memory. But short-term memory lasts for only a few seconds. You will only remember something longer if it goes into long-term memory. Y _ . How can you do this with vocabulary? The answer is to work with the word and think about the word in new ways. You can do this by writing new sentences that include it. Even better, you can invent a little story about the word, with people or places that you know. Another way is to make a picture in your mind with the word. For example, if the word is height, you can think of the tallest person you know and try to guess his or her height. All of these activities are good ways to think about words. They make the meaning of words stronger in your long-term memory. And they give a way to find a word when you need it. In the writer's opinion, students can't remember words because _ . A. they have memory problems B. they are too worried C. they don't use a proper way D. they don't like to study Answer: C. they don't use a proper way
When I was ten, my sisters and I were amazed at our neighbor's Christmas tree. We returned home from their house and decided that we must have one of our own. In our house we never had enough money for a Christmas tree. In fact, we insisted so much that my father had no choice but to agree. "Yes!" he finally said."This year we will have a Christmas tree." Our mouths dropped open at the thought of having our own tree. Then Dad said,"I'll do it myself." We followed him around the house as he gathered up the materials he would need, We all sat close to him, carefully watching everything he did. He passed the thread around the first nail on the corner of a box, then back down to the second nail on the box, and up again to the nail, until right there before our eyes a green Christmas tree began to take shape. He carefully did the same with all of the 50 nails in the box and when he had finished, he said,"Now you can decorate it." I don't remember where the _ came from, but they were red and small and to us they just looked so beautiful and perfect for our tree. When we finished decorating it, we proudly invited all our friends over to see our Christmas tree. We were so happy, not only because it looked so pretty, but because my father had made it himself. It truly was the most beautiful Christmas tree we had ever seen. Years later, things got better and Dad was able to buy a proper Christmas tree which we would happily decorate. However, my sisters and I will never forget the night when we got our first Christmas tree. Which would be the best title for the passage? A A brave act by a happy family B A father's love for his children C A picture of large families D An act of kindness Answer: B Some people have a very poor sense of direction. Unluckily, I am one of them. I have visited a place many times but I may still get lost there the next time. When I was a little girl, I never dared to ask strangers the way. And so I used to walk around in circles and hope that by chance I would get to the place I was going to. Now, I am no longer too shy to ask people for directions, but I often receive helpless or even wrong information. So I try to avoid giving people wrong directions. If anyone ever asks me the way somewhere, I would say, "Sorry, I am a stranger here." Once on my way to work I was stopped by a man. He asked me if I could tell him the way to the Friendship Building. I gave him my usual reply. But just as I walked on only a few steps. I realized that he had asked the way to my office building. However, I had no time to turn back and look for him. I was rushing to meet with someone at my office and I didn't want to keep him waiting. When I just got to my office, the secretary showed in the man who had asked me for directions. Imagine how _ I was and how surprised he was when we saw each other at the first sight. A man stopped the writer on the way to _ . A sell her something B ask her the time C make friends with her D ask for the direction Answer: D Every country has its own way of cooking.Ameri can people have their own way of cooking,don't they?Most people in the United states like fast food,but if you think that American people don't 1 ike cooking,you are wrong.It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch,but they also think cooking is interesting.Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook,and most Americans say that home--cooked meals are the best. Americans have their own way of cooking.For example,baking is the most popular way of cooking in America.Most American families have ovens .American cooks pay attention to the balance of food.When planning a big meal,they try to cook meat,a few vegetab]es,some bread and sweet food.They also like to make the meal look beautiful.There are so many kinds of colorful foods,so the meal is healthy and look beautiful,too. Most Americans _ . A don't like cooking B cook food in the morning C 1ike home-cooked meals D 1ike having a picnic Answer: C The plane landed with a gentle stop at the airport in Paris. I looked out of the window and noticed the boiling hot sun was shinning down on the city. I stepped down the stairs into the luggage room, and my family were practically busy. I walked down to the convey belt and waited for my suitcase to come along. I must wait there for about ten minutes before it actually came, by then my family had signed forms so we could be let into the country properly. I met up with my dad by the main entrance. My extremely annoying sister Talia was waving at us from the exit of the airport. My dad and I walked over and left the airport. We walked around for an hour before we actually found our hotel. The French taxi driver had dropped us off at the wrong hotel, and we found out the hotel he had dropped us off about an hour away from where our hotel was. We walked around different streets. We walked into different shops, but they all had the same answer "sorry". My mom was so annoyed that she took about several mouthfuls of her vodka she'd bought at this alcohol shop before. When we finally made it to the hotel, we checked in and made our way to our rooms. We were on the 17th floor, so the elevator ride up was rather long. I also had to share a room with Talia, which didn't really make my day. Ks5u I got into my room and sat on my bed. I took my shoes and socks off and rubbed my hurt feet. Could this day get any worse? Well it could. "Let's go," my mom said excitedly. "Go where?" I said unwillingly. "Outside of course, we're in France! I want to taste the snails, the frogs' legs, the ... French wine!" she said. We stepped out of the hotel entrance and lights came from everywhere. It looked wonderful and a bit like New York, but the building weren't as high and everyone looked so kind. We walked down to the Eiffel Tower which was amazing, it was beautiful. I know I had to see this again, but maybe when I wasn't so tired. I sat down on the grass, and looked up at the sky, Paris looked wonderful at night, and the stars in the sky added to the effect. I looked back down and someone caught my eye, his face was not very familiar... From the passage, what is the author's nationality? A America. . B France . C China . D Britain Answer: A I grew up in the south of Spain in a little community called Estepona. I was 16 when one morning, my father told me I could drive him into a remote village called Mijas, about 18 miles away, on the condition that I take the car in to be serviced(,) at a nearby garage. Having just learned to drive and hardly ever having the opportunity to use the car, I readily accepted. I drove Dad into Mijas and promised to pick him up at 4 p.m., then drove to a nearby garage and dropped off the car. Because I had a few hours to spare, I decided to catch a couple of movies at a theatre near the garage. However, I became so interested in the films that I didn't pay attention to the time. When the last movie had finished, I looked down at my watch. It was six o'clock. I was two hours late! I knew Dad would be angry if he found out I'd been watching movies. He'd never let me drive again. I decided to tell him that the car needed some repairs and that they had taken longer than had been expected. I drove up to the place where we had planned to meet and saw Dad waiting patiently on the corner. I apologized for being late and told him that I'd come as quickly as I could, but the car had needed some major repairs. I'll never forget the look he gave me. "I'm disappointed that you feel you have to lie to me, Jason." "What do you mean? I'm telling the truth." Dad looked at me again. "When you did not show up, I called the garage to ask if there were any problems, and they told me that you had not yet picked up the car. So you see, I know there were no problems with the car." A feeling of guilt ran through me as I weakly confessed to my trip to the movie theatre and the real reason for my being late. Dad listened intently as a sadness passed through him. "I'm angry, not with you but with myself. You see, I realize that I have failed as a father if after all these years you feel that you have to lie to me. I have failed because I have brought up a son who cannot even tell the truth to his own father. I'm going to walk home now and think seriously about where I have gone wrong all these years." "But Dad, it's 18 miles to home. It's dark. You can't walk home." My protests and my apologies were useless. I had let my father down and I was about to learn one of the most painful lessons of my life. Dad began walking along the dusty road. I quickly jumped in the car and followed behind, hoping he would weaken. I begged all the way, telling him how sorry I was, but he simply ignored me, continuing on silently, thoughtfully and painfully. For 18 miles I drove behind him, at a speed of about five miles per hour. Seeing my father in so much physical and emotional pain was the most distressing and painful experience that I have ever faced. However, it was also the most successful lesson. I have never lied to him since. How did the father react to his son's explanation? A He was very angry with his son for lying to him. B He decided to teach his son a lesson by ignoring him. C He scolded his son for going to the movies. D He was angry with himself for not bringing the boy up properly. Answer: D
Question: Surface Exploration. Robots make great explorers on planets,moons,and other landing areas. Aside from earth,just about every surface in the solar system is unsafe for humans to explore. The air on most other planets is insufficient for humans to breathe,making it necessary to wear a space suit and oxygen equipment. The temperatures on these surfaces are much too hot or much too cold for any humans to withstand .Plus there would be complications with radiation,weather,and a lack of gravity. Robots have much less limitation in these areas and can survive much longer under these conditions. Data Collection. Robots are designed for collecting scientific data. Robots are also able to perform many tasks at a time and can process information much quicker and more efficiently. Important scientific projects from detecting minerals,analyzing ground samples,and finding water are all performed much quicker and more accurately by robots. Cost Effective. The use of robots has made the cost of space exploration much less expensive than it would cost for humans to do the work. In order to successfully send humans into space we would need to build a vehicle that can not only carry humans,but also enough food and water to keep them alive for the duration of the trip. Moreover,robots have no problems working for hours on end. Robots never complain,they don't require food or water,and they never need a bathroom break. Space Travel. Over the past 30 years or so there have been many different types of robots used successfully in the exploration of space. Perhaps the most famous and successful robots are the Spirit and Opportunity who have both been exploring the surface of Mars. They have both been very successful with experiments on soil and rocks and have even found evidence of water in Mars' history. According to the passage,which of the following is NOT true? A. The use of robots in space exploration costs more than the use of humans. B. It may be dangerous for humans to explore the solar system except the earth. C. Both the Spirit and Opportunity have found the evidence of water in the Mars. D. Many different types of robots have explored the space successfully. Answer: A. The use of robots in space exploration costs more than the use of humans. Question: Several years ago, the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, visited Germany, a leader in green roof design. Later he decided to have vegetation planted on Chicago City Hall. Today, the tops of many other buildings also look like parks. In Canada, the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver has a forest on its roof. New York City has an unusual example farm for hydroponics. The farm is on a boat called the Science Barge. Rainwater and river water are used to grow lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. The farm shows the possibilities for designing rooftop systems. Green roofs are designed to save energy and capture rainwater. Rooftops covered with plants help keep buildings cool. They can extend the life of a roof. And they can reduce water running off into streets and storming water systems. Experts say green roofs usually do not get much above 27degC. So temperatures might not be a problem for growing. But rooftop gardeners have to be careful not to put too much weight on the roof. This is true whether plants are grown in soil or water. Earlier in 2008, researchers in Texas reported that green roofs can reduce a building's air conditioning costs by about onefifth compared to blacktop roofs. But they also reported that not all green roofs perform equally well. They found that designs differ in their ability to keep buildings cool and to capture rainwater. The researchers put experimental roofs on top of metal insulated boxes, to recreate green roof conditions. The study compared products from six companies to help businesses understand how to improve their designs. Each rooftop had sixteen different kinds of plants native to Texas. The researchers say the presence of native plants likely helped all the green roofs capture water better compared to sedums. Sedums are plants that need little water and often are used on green roofs. The native plants could take in more water and release more of it to the atmosphere. According to the passage, which conclusion is WRONG? A. Sometimes green roofs may break down the house. B. Not all the green roofs can reduce the building's air conditioning costs equally. C. Different designs of green roofs have different effects on buildings. D. Sedums are a kind of plants native to Texas. Answer: D. Sedums are a kind of plants native to Texas. Question: A man went to see a doctor."Open your mouth,"the doctor said.Then the man opened his mouth and the doctor looked in quickly. "It's clear what's wrong with you.You need more exercise,"the doctor said. "But,doctor,"the man said,"I don't think..." "Don't tell me what you think,"the doctor said."I am the doctor,not you.I know what you need.I see hundreds of people like you.None of them get any exercise.They sit in offices all day and in front of the television in the evening.What you need is to walk quickly for at least 20 minutes a day." "Doctor,you don't understand,"the man said."I..." "I don't want to hear any excuses,"the doctor said."You must find time for exercise.If you don't,you will get fat and have health problems when you are older." "But I walk every day,"the man said. "Oh,yes,and I know what kind of walking that is.You walk a few feet to the train station from your house,a few more feet from the station to your office,and a few more feet from your office to a restaurant for lunch and back.That's not real walking.I'm talking about walking in the park for twenty minutes every day." "Will you listen to me,doctor?"the man shouted,getting angry with this doctor who thought he knew everything."I'm a postman,"the man went on,"and I walk for seven hours every day." . The doctor thought many people had health problems only because they _ . A. did not have enough exercise B. did not eat healthy food C. spent much time watching TV D. were working in offices Answer: A. did not have enough exercise Question: Most parents of kids under age 8 don't worry about how much time they spend watching TV or using other media, from computers to smart phones to tablets PCs, according to a new survey that found a child's use of media often reflects how much time parents spend in the similar way. We generally found that media use is not a source of conflict in the home" for families with young children, Ellen Wartella, a researcher from Northwestem University, told USA Today. She led a survey of 2,326 parents who have children 8 and younger.It found that in 80 percent of families, children's media use was not a problem, with 55 percent "not too" or" not at all" concerned about it. It also showed parents have more positive than negative feelings about how media consumption affects a child's learning and the development of creativity.The exception is video games, which are viewed more negatively than TV, computers or mobile devices."Parents rated video games as more likely to have a negative effect on children's school performance, attention time, creativity, social skills, behavior and sleep than any other medium," the researchers said in a news conference about the survey. The findings exposes a generational shift in parental attitudes about technology's role in young children's lives," said Wartella."Today's parents grew up with technology as a central pact of their lives, so they think about it differently than earlier generations of parents, instead of a battle with kids on one side and parents on the other, the use of media and technology has become a family affair. " The researchers identified three media environments created by parents: media-centric (39 percent of families) , media-moderate (45%)and media-light (16%). Children in media-centric families spend at least three hours more each day watching TV or using computers, video games and tablet PCs don't make parenting easier.And 88 percent of parents say they are most likely to turn to toys or activities to keep their children occupied.Slightly fewer turn to books (79%) and TV(78%). The survey didn't look at how media affects children. That's a topic that the American Academy of Pediatrics has handled a number of times. The AAP says studies have found too much media use can lead to attention- problems, school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders and being fat. In addition, the Internet and cell phones can provide platforms for illegal and risky behaviors. By limiting screen time and offering educational media and non-electronic formats such as books, newspapers and board games, and watching television with their children, parents can help guide their children's media experience. Putting questionable content into context and teaching kids a700ut advertising contributes to their media literacy ," it says. The pediatricians' group says parents should have "screen-free zones" and TV should be turned off during dinner. At most, it recommends children and teens engage with entertainment media for no more than two hours a day and that should be high-quality content. It is important for kids to spend time on outdoor play, reading, hobbies and using their imaginations in free play." Kids under 2 should not use television and other entertainment media because their brains are developing quickly and they learn best from direct human interaction," the group says. An article on screen time by t.he Mayo Clinic also notes problems linked t.o over screen time, including being fat, irregular sleep , behavioral problems , weak school performance , violence and less time for active and creative play. Most parents don't worry about kid's media use because _ . A. they can limit the screen time B. they want their children happy C. they also grew up with technology D. they can teach their children themselves Answer: C. they also grew up with technology Question: I'm a speed reader. Have been since I was a teen. Mother worked for the continuing education department of a university, and they were offering a class on speed reading and needed one more person to fill out the class. I became that one person. The class met for only an hour or two for a few weeks, but when the goal of a class is speed, you don't need to meet for long. The instructor said to make our eyes go across the lines of words as fast as they could and not to be concerned about what the words meant. I read Animal Farm in 10 ten minutes. Cover to cover. The instructor asked what the book was about. I said I didn't know, but if I had to guess I'd say it was about animals on a farm. He looked displeased. I've been speed reading ever since. I can't stop and I can't slow down. Today, for example, I plan on reading Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples over lunch. I hope it's more memorable than Animal Farm. As a result of all this speed-reading, I often experience a delay between what I think I read and what something actually says. The other day I passed by a mall with a large sign that said "Auto Theft Sale". I thought how efficient it was for auto thieves to simply sell all the stole cars in a big tent at the mall. A half-mile later it dawned on me that the sign had said "Auto Tent Sale". Every time I drive through a construction zone, I gasp . The sign says: "Hit a Worker $10, 000 (about 62,000 yuan)." It reads like they're offering a reward. Of course, it's not an offer. It's just that my eyes rarely take in the last line that says, "Fine." It's a $10, 000 fine if you hit a worker. Someone really needs to rephrase that one. Speed reading has bitten me on the backside more than once. Especially as a writer. Just ask any of my editors. Which of the following best describes the author? A. Talented and productive. B. Proud and hot-headed. C. Careless and quick-tempered. D. Truthful and humorous. Answer: D. Truthful and humorous.
My father was, by nature, a cheerful, kindly man.Until he was thirty-four years old he worked as a farm-hand for Thomas Butterworth near the town of Bidwell, Ohio.On Saturday evenings he drove his horse into town to spend a few hours in social intercourse with other farm-hands.He was quite happy in his position in life. It was in his thirty-fifth year that father married my mother, a school teacher.Something happened to the two people.The American passion for getting up in the world took possession of them.Mother induced father to give up his place as a farm-hand, sell his horse and start an independent enterprise of his own.They rented ten acres of poor stony land and launched into chicken raising. One inexperienced in such matters can have no idea of the many and tragic things that can happen to a chicken.It is born out of an egg, lives for a few weeks as a tiny fluffy thing, then becomes naked, gets diseases, and dies.A few hens, and now and then a rooster, intended to serve God's mysterious ends, struggle through to maturity.The hens lay eggs out of which come other chickens and the awful cycle is thus made complete.It is all unbelievably complex. _ .One hopes for so much from a chicken and is so awfully disappointed.Small chickens, look so bright and in fact so awfully stupid.They are so much like people they mix one up in one's judgments of life.If disease does not kill them they wait until your expectations are thoroughly aroused and then walk under the wheels of a carriage. In later life I have seen how a literature has been built up on the subject of fortunes to be made out of the raising of chickens.It is intended to be read by the gods who have just eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.It is a hopeful literature and declares that much may be done by simple ambitious people who own a few hens.Do not be misguided by it.It was not written for you.Go hunt for gold on the frozen hills of Alaska, put your faith in the honesty of a politician, believe if you will that good will defeat evil, but do not read and believe the literature that is written concerning the hen. For ten years my father and mother struggled to make our chicken farm pay and then they gave up that struggle and began another.They moved into the town of Bidwell, Ohio and began the restaurant business, with the tiny hope of looking for a new place from which to start on our upward journey through life. What's the author's attitude towards parents' dream of rise to success? Answer: 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. Who are the text written for? Answer: Can trees talk? Yes, but not in words. Scientists have reasons to believe that trees do communicate with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree attacked in the woods by caterpillars changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that they got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. Then even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special smell---a signal causing its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty. Communication, of course, doesn't need to be in words. We can talk to each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar for honey. So why shouldn't trees have ways of sending messages? The author believes that the incident described in the passage _ . Answer: Are you a problem shopper? The answer is "Yes", if you or someone else thinks that you sometimes get carried away with shopping. In other words, do you or does someone else think you are occupied in extreme shopping? If people have regrets later about their shopping, or have an "out-of-control" feeling about the quantities of what they buy or the amount of credit they use, they may be considered to be problem shoppers. Extreme shopping can lead to a more serious problem - addictive shopping. Addictive shoppers feel driven by the desire to shop and spend money. They experience great tension which drives them to shop and spend money and they feel a "rush" during the time they are occupied with the shopping activity. Extreme or addictive shopping may result from long-time unpleasant feelings, of which anxiety, pain and shame are common ones. When we feel bad inside, we often do something to make ourselves feel better. In this case, we often go shopping. A few people shop to relieve their boredom or emptiness. For some people, the motivation is a desire for status, power, beauty or success. Some love to shop as it makes them feel valued in the eyes of the shop assistants. Others shop simply because it makes them forget, at least temporarily, tension, fear or unhappiness in their life. Besides, shopping malls are designed to encourage continual shopping. For instance, there are some malls where you can't see clocks displaying the time because they don't want you to become too aware of the time you spend there. What's more, food courts, coffee shops and restrooms are provided, so you don't have to leave the mall because of your physical needs. Therefore, once you become aware of how market forces work, you will certainly come to control your shopping behavior. For example, how much time you will spend and what areas you will visit can be decided before you enter the mall. Keep a written account of what items you will buy and how much money you will spend. Make a plan for what you are going to buy before you feel the urge to shop and then stick to it. That is vital for gaining self-control. According to the passage, what may not result in addictive shopping? Answer: An observer on Jupiter would encounter localized periods of Answer:
A pigeon is hungry so it snags a slice of pizza off a table using its A. wing B. teeth C. beak D. leg Answer: C It can be as simple or as complex as you want. Anybody who enjoys the cinema knows that when the final credits roll they include everyone who has contributed -- Director, Performers, Best Boy, Make Up, etc. It usually takes over a hundred people working a year to make a feature film, ten people to produce a pop promo and around twenty to film a documentary. The reason so many people are involved is because films need to be made quickly and on budget. Many famous directors started by making films completely on their own -- Orson Welles, George Lucas, Robert Rodrigues. You may not have the special effects and big budgets of Hollywood but you do have time on your side. Use it to experiment and make a few mistakes. It's the way to learn. And that's where the fun begins. Go on; make a film. Now, let's talk about how to prepare for the shoot . If you're making the film with other people, organize your cast and crew effectively. Make sure everybody knows their role and what day and time they're needed. Give people specific jobs so they can become experts in their field. For example, a sound recordist listens to the sound through headphones as it's being recorded, and holds an extra microphone if needed. A camera operator frames the picture, sets focus, checks the light and records the action. The editor "cuts" the picture together after it's shot. A producer is the contact point for the film. He or she makes sure crew and cast are there on time, talks to the press and organizes the budget. A director has to make sure their vision is communicated. To do this everyone needs to be clear about what the director expects from each scene and each shot. You may also need a make-up-artist, a choreographer, a driver, etc. However, you can quite easily make your first film on your own. Make a schedule that says which shots are to be taken where and when (this is called a shooting schedule) and when you've completed a take, cross it off the list. Remember that you may want to shoot "out of sequence", e.g. shoot the last scene first, and the first last. Similarly if the film begins and ends by a tree in the park, it may make sense to film both scenes while you're there. Continuity is particularly important in drama. Take a Polaroid camera and take photos to capture details. You may need to come back to a scene days later. When you decide your locations, consider whether you need permission to use the space, how noisy it will be and what the light will be like at the time of day you will need to use it. Is there power available? Are you likely to be interrupted? If you're making animation or any computer generated stuff, have a space that you can control. You may need extra lights and you may need to leave work in progress. Make sure people living with you are aware what's happening. Animation needs a lot of undisturbed concentration and patience. Keep at it and it'll pay off. Aardmann and Disney both started off at home experimenting with clay , pens and a camera. A director knows the purpose of each step of the work, but _ . A. he needn't tell others about that B. other members just follow his orders C. he must have it known and well understood by others D. others may have their own ideas and special ways of working Answer: C One should be moderate ( ) in all things. Moderation is always the safest way to do things, and a virtue we should have. Let's take the student life for example. There are some students who study too hard and play too little, while there are others who play too much and study too little. On the one hand, it is harmful to his health if he has too few physical exercises, and on the other hand, it is harmful to his mind if he plays too much. In the matter of eating, one also should be moderate. Do not eat too much or too little. Too much eating will make you sick, while too little eating will make you weak. The man of progress is he who neither has too high an opinion of himself nor thinks too poorly of himself. If he thinks too highly of himself, he is surely to become very proud, but if he has too poor an opinion of himself, he will have no courage to make an advance. Both the conditions above will make you lose your aim in life. A broadminded man is he who always moves within the orbit of reasonableness . In any activities in one's life, moderation is one of the best ways to enjoy real happiness. A man of progress should_himself. A. have a moderate opinion B. think highly of C. look down upon D. think both highly and poorly of Answer: A Not many years ago,a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave PS 12,000 to the village school to buy land and equipment for a children's playground. As a result of his kindness, many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman. During their talk,Johnson remarked that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy--five. Johnson had a sense of humor. He liked whisky and drank some each day. "I have an injection in my neck each evening." he told the newspaperman,thinking of his evening glass of whisky. The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and had a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain,asking him for the secret of his daily injection. When Johnson said he had an injection in his neck each evening, he really meant that _ . A. he liked drinking a glass of whisky in the evening. B. he needed an injection in the neck. C. a daily injection in the evening would make him sleep well. D. there was something wrong with his neck. Answer: A Last year in my high school child-development class,each student had to take the "Think-It-Over" baby home for a night to get a taste of parenthood. It was a Friday night when my turn came to take the 10-pound plastic doll home. The doll really did look like a live baby from a distance. It even had a pleasant baby powder smell. I took the baby home and named him Tyler. My friends and I went out for supper that night. As it was rather cold, I decided to wrap prefix = st1 /Tylerin a blanket and carry him in that way. When I walked into the restaurant, I noticed some very strange looks and quite a few raised eyebrows. My friends and I decided to make a game out of the whole situation. I stood in the Gorner pretending to rockTylerto while my friends kept looking into the blanket and said, "Oh, how lovely. " I could not but laugh. And although it was funny to my friends and me, some of the people did think it was so funny that I had a baby. I overheard one couple say,"Why would she g a baby here?" These people were giving me rude looks and forming judgments about because they thought I was a teenage mom. Others just smiled at me pathetically and felt sorry for me because I was only a child with a child. In our meal,my friends and I received strange looks from the others in the restaurant. S so glad to finally go home. I learned a lot through my experience with the "Think-It-Over" baby. The dollly strengthened my thinking I was not ready to be a parent, but it also made me e aware of the larger picture. It opened my eyes to the judgments people make about rs. People do not realize that some things are not the way they seem. I was only ying it around for a class project. The people in the restaurant were so quick to judge because they thought I was a teenage mom. I sometimes catch myself judging people I not know, just because of the first impression they give. In reality, I have no idea about real stories. We should all be slower to judge others,and realize that some things are as they seem. The child-development class is meant for students_. A. to take a doll home for fun B. to gain experience as a parent C. to learn to be a good baby-sitter D. to learn to better care for others Answer: B
Apologizing is both an Art and a Science. The Art lies in the manner in which the apology is delivered while the Science is the recipe that forms the apology itself. A proper apology should always include several ingredients. Now let's take a closer look at these ingredients. Give a detailed account of the offense, and make sure both you and the other person are talking about the same thing. Whether you make it in secret or public doesn't matter, but your apology should be focused on the particular event. Next, by acknowledging the hurt or damage done, you are making the recipient begin to sense that you understand the situation. It is important to rebuild your relationship because it makes them feel their anger is understandable. Don't try to defend yourself by offering any excuses, which is important to let them know that you understand the event and you actions do cause them harm. The apology is all about THEM and how they feel. It doesn't matter if the actions were intentional or not, the end result is the same and that is what needs to be focused on when learning how to say, "I'm sorry". Give a sincere statement of regret such as "I apologize" or "I'm sorry". Above all, tell them it won't happen again. After all, there is no value in apologizing for something that you will do again and again. Finally, asking for forgiveness at the end of the apology gives the power back to the recipient. It tells them, that you have done all that you can do by apologizing and providing whatever form of restitution you can. The next move is up to them. By including all these ingredients and applying them to your situation, you will know exactly how to say "I'm sorry" next time you need to. The passage mainly tells readers _ . Answer: Mike is an American. Now he's in No. 8 Junior High School in Tengzhou. He's in Class 5, Grade 7. Every day he gets up early. He always goes to school in his father's car. His classes begin at 8:00 a.m. He has four classes in the morning. He has lunch at school at about 12:00 a.m. He has two classes in the afternoon. After school, he goes home by car at 5:30 p.m. and has dinner at 6:30 p.m. After dinner, he does his homework with his sister and then he plays the guitar for a while. At about 9:00 p.m. he goes to bed. Where does Mike have lunch ? Answer: Where Virtual Reality Takes Us No matter how enlightened any one of us may be , we are fundamentally limited to our own points of view--but it is human nature to try to broaden our perspective . For me , that's where V.R. comes in . I have found that the medium has an extraordinary ability to convey the kinds of feelings of presence and place I've always desired to capture through photojournalism . As a young photographer , I was shocked by the wartime images of great photographers like Robert Capa and James Nachtwey . Their vision of the world is far better than my own . Hoping to imitate their effect , I trained myself to follow in their footsteps , covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as a photojournalist for The New York Times and Newsweek . But I found that my photographs were not having the impact that I had hoped . There was something too abstract and flat about them , a quality that allowed anyone viewing them to remain distant from images of suffering . Frustrated by the barriers , I built a camera that could shoot steady , cinematic video in a war zone , and I made a feature-length film in Afghanistan . While the film provided a glimpse into the cruel reality of war , it was only a small window into that world . I wanted to go further , to pull people through that window onto the front lines and let them witness it firsthand . I started the technology company Condition One in order to build a new camera to shoot in 3D , 360-degree video . We want to introduce a new generation of viewers tired of flat images into the emotions of being immersed in a whole new world . The power of virtual reality is its command of presence--its ability to transport the viewer into another world , and have him feel present in it . These experiences are technically difficult to create and require significant computing power , but once presence is achieved and maintained , it is breathtaking . In V.R., we instinctively feel empathy for those whose experiences we are immersed in . The suffering of people in war zones becomes our suffering , just as the killing of animals in the wild becomes a source of our pain as well . Mentioning his own limitations of perspective , Einstein once wrote with sadness , " Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of sympathy to hug all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty . " Through V.R., we now have a chance to do just that . We can learn from the passage that James Nachtwey is a photographer _ . Answer: Where might you find a live, breathing eagle? Answer: Ocean Park Hong Kong is a theme park in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island. The park was built with donations from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (now Hong Kong Jockey Club) and opened on 10 January 1977. Today it offers affordable marine animal education and entertainment and is a private organization for commercial purpose. In the early operation of the park, the main sources of income for the park were the ticket prices and the funding from the Jockey Club. Since the ticket price was low, most of the time Ocean Park was operating under deficit . In July 1987, the government established a 200 million trust from the funding of Jockey Club, under the Ocean Park Corporation Ordinance. This separated Ocean Park from Jockey Club and became a non-profit organization; it needs to be responsible for its own income and was allowed to use commercial means to operate the park. Since it was permitted to use commercial means to operate, it gradually raised its ticket price and the deficit turned into profit. In 1992, 3 million visitors visited the park. Since 1998, the East Asian financial crisis , aging attractions, and the passing away of the killer whale, the park recorded a deficit for a couple years. Although it was allowed to host 2 pandas in 1999, the number of visitors did not go up and Ocean Park was forced to close its water attractions and the "Old Village" attraction and turned to bring in more rides in an attempt to capture the youth demand. Together with the opening up of mainland visitors under the Individual Visit Scheme, Ocean Park recorded an astonishing 4 million visitors in the year 2004-2005, the highest since the park opened. In March 2005, Ocean Park made its redevelopment plan. On 23 November 2006, Ocean Park held a groundbreaking ceremony for its redevelopment. According to the passage, Ocean Park Corporation _ . Answer:
Mo Yan,the winner of 2012 Nobble Prize for Literature ,is very popular around the world. He is famous as one of the greatest writers in china. Mo Yan is fifty-nine years old in 2015,and his real name is Guan Moyue.The name of Mo Yan means"Don't speak".The writer said close the name to remember to close his mouth from getting himself in trouble. Mo Yan began to write in 1970s, and his first novel was"Falling rain on a Spring Night ",published in 1981.Then his second and more books were published.including "Red Sorghum"and "Big Breast and Wide Hips." CCTV reporter Dong Qian once said to him,"I always feel that a writer is like a hen,and his works are like eggs. We may not always wonder what the hen looks like while we eat eggs. But this time, it's a golden egg. So naturally, everybody wants to know this hen who laid a golden egg. That's why so many people pay much attention to you ." China was celebrating the success of this native son soon after he got the Prize, millions of Chinese expressed pleasure and pride for Mo Yan in their own ways. In Dong Qian's opinion,Mo Yan is like _ . A. a hen that had lots of chickens. B. a hen that laid lots of normal eggs. C. a hen that had no eggs. D. a hen that laid a golden egg. Answer: D. a hen that laid a golden egg. In 1809, Mary Kies received the first U.S. patent issued to a woman. Kies , a Connecticut native , invented a process for weaving straw with silk or thread. First Lady Dolley Madison praised her for improving the nation's het industry. Unfortunately , the patent file was destroyed in a big fire in 1836. Until about 1840, only 20 U.S. patents were issued to women. The inventions were related to clothes, tools ,cook stoves and fireplaces. Patent is the "ownership" of an invention and only the inventor(s) can apply for it. In the past , women were not allowed to have equal rights of property ownership and many women patented their inventions under their husbands' or fathers' name. Women were also prevented from receiving higher education necessary for inventing. Here are a few examples to be noticed, and from these examples, we know enough reasons for encouraging girls and women to pursue technology-based courses and careers. The women inventors took annually granted U.S. patents rising fro;m 2.6 percent in 1977 to 10.3 percent in 1998. The majority of the U.S. woman-inventor patents are in the chemical technologies. In 1996, every eleven U.S. patent grant included one woman inventor. In the past 20 years, about 83 percent of the U. S. patent grants to women were for utility patents , 16.5 percent for design patents, and 0.5 percent for plant patents. About 35 percent of the U.S woman-inventor patents granted during the 1977 to 1996 period originated form California , New York or New Jersey. Today, hundreds of thousands of women apply for and receive patents every year. About 20% of all inventors are currently female and that number will quickly rise to 50% over the next generation. In the past few women patented their own inventions because _ . A. the inventions were not allowed to have property ownership B. only inventors could apply for patents C. women were not allowed to have property ownership D. Women were prevented from receiving higher education Answer: C. women were not allowed to have property ownership Humans: It's time to give up the earth or face extinction . It could be the plot of a summer blockbuster , but this prediction isn't science fiction. It's a glimpse of the future, according to famous British scientist Stephen Hawking. "I see great dangers for the human race," he said in an interview with global forum Big Think. "There have been a number of times in the past when its survival has been a question of touch-and-go." Hawking, an award-winning physicist, says humans must evacuate our home planet within the next two centuries and expand into space to survive. "I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space," he said. "It will be difficult enough to avoid disasters on our planet in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million." Hawking, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, has recently voiced many concerns about the future of life on the earth. In April, he spoke about his fear of aliens in an interview for the Discovery Channel. "If aliens visited us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," he said. "Such advanced aliens would perhaps become wanders, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach." But Hawking says he is still hopeful for the future of humanity. "I'm an optimist," he told Big Think. "We have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space." Getting to another planet will prove a challenge, not to mention colonizing it for humanity. University of Michigan astrophysicist Katherine Freese told Big Think that "the nearest star to the earth is Proxima Centauri which is 4.2 light years away. That means, if you were travelling at the speed of light the whole time, it would take 4.2 years to get there--or about 50,000 years using current rocket science." Which of the following is NOT a reason why humans need to give up the earth according to the passage? A. Lots of great dangers for humans have been seen. B. It will be hard for humans to avoid disasters on the earth in the future. C. The earth will be destroyed by worldwide wars before long. D. Advanced aliens may conquer and colonize the earth some day. Answer: C. The earth will be destroyed by worldwide wars before long. A camera and a computer can "see" something that perhaps millions of pairs of eyes failed to see for 480 years: the Mona Lisa's necklace. The discovery about the famous painting was made by an American physicist. The Mona Lisa, painted by the Italian, Leonardo da Vinci, has been on show for many years in Paris. Now a row of white spots on the neck have been "seen". They are said to be the remains of a necklace which the artist later painted over. The painting will be examined further by using infrared scanning techniques. Laser technology can be used to show what lies directly under the surface of the finished work, too. This will help us to understand how the artist drew the picture: Did he begin with a quick-made drawing or have second thoughts as he painted the picture? This kind of knowledge will show us the famous artist at work. It may also help to explain Mona Lisa's smile, which has puzzled art lovers for centuries. This passage is mainly about _ . A. the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci B. an American physicist's discovery C. further researches on the Mona Lisa D. The uses of modern technology Answer: C. further researches on the Mona Lisa The 31st Summer Olympics will be held in Brazil in 2016. Before this global sporting event, we started thinking about sports that didn't exist any more and sports that were maybe a little strange. Read the following ones that have ever been included in the past Olympic Games. Live Pigeon Shooting (1900) This bloody event was only held once, at the 1900 Paris Games. Nearly 300 birds were killed during the competition, leaving a crime scene of feathers and blood. This is the only event in Olympic history that involved killing live animals. Kabaddi (1936) This sport is popular in South Asia. The object is for one member of a team to enter the other side's half of the field, and score points. The attacker then returns to his half of the field. 12 Hour Bicycle Race (1896) Seven riders got on their bikes at 5 a.m. and rode until 5 p.m. Four riders dropped out before noon, but the winner, Adolf Schmal of Austria, managed about 180 miles. Only Schmal and one other finished. Tug of War (1900--1920) This may seem like a basic PE class sport more than an Olympic event, but Tug of War was actually one of the first sports played at the Olympic games in 500 BC. There are two teams of eight; the winning team must pull the other team six feet forward. Swimming Obstacle Race (1900) The athletes had to climb over a pole and a row of boats, and then swim under another row of boats. All of this was done in the Seine River, so they also had to fight against the water. This event was only ever held in 1900, in Paris. What do you probably think of these events? A. Strange. B. Fantastic. C. Modern. D. Interesting. Answer: A. Strange.
Even people who don't understand English can enjoy Chaplin's films because they are mostly silent. It isn't what he says that makes us laugh. It depends upon actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world. He is _ of the art - a kind of world language. As a young man, he and his brother traveled to America in a small company of actors. Chaplin was then invited to join a new company that was making film comedies. Very soon he had made dozens of short films for this company. And it was in his second film that he wore the clothes which made his reputation - black hat, tight coat, baggy trousers, huge shoes, moustache and walking stick. He intended simply to make people laugh. But the odd make-up made him look both comic and sad. By the time he was thirty, Chaplin was the greatest, best known and best loved comedian in the world. He received thousands of dollars for each film he made. He had formed his own manner of acting. He was welcomed by excited crowds wherever he went. But he worked very hard and had few close friends. Perhaps that is why the sad side of the little tramp began to show more clearly in the films he made. The little man began to want more than food and a roof over his head. He began to want love. In one of his most famous films "The Gold Rush" a girl plays tricks on the little man. Then she begins to feel sorry for him and treats him kindly. He mistakes her pity for love. The girl in "City Lights" is blind. She thinks he is the most wonderful man she has ever met. But then she recovers her sight and sees what a foolish figure he is. This sadness gives Chaplin's films a depth of human experience which few comedians can equal. After living in America for forty years he moved to Switzerland. There he died on Christmas Day 1977. He once described himself as a citizen of famous pictures that were made during the 1920s and 1930s, the time of the silent films. But, to many people all over the world Chaplin will always be the king of comedy. In all Chaplin's films, the main character is _ . A a girl B a girl and little man C a little man D a wonderful man Answer: C. a little man A long time ago, there was a seed and because he was only a seed, nobody noticed him. Thus, feeling inferior , the seed gave no importance to his existence .Then one day, a wind picked him up and threw him on an open field under the sun. Later, he was given rain.Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side. "Thank God for this. I really need some rest," he heard the traveler say."What are you talking about?" the seed quickly asked. He thought the man was making fun of him. No one ever spoke to him like that. "Who just spoke?" the shocked man asked."It is me. A seed." "A seed?" The man looked at the big tree. "Are you joking? You are not a seed. You are a big tree!" "Really?" "Yes! Why do you think people come here?" What do they come here for?" "To feel your shade ! Don't tell me you didn't know you had grown over time." The traveler's words brought him pride. The seed thought and smiled for the first time in his life. The years of torture by the sun and the rain finally helped him grow up. "Oh! That means I'm not a little seed anymore! I was actually born to make people feel comfortable. Wow! That's great. The traveller sat by the seed's side to _ . A keep off the rain B take care of it C have a rest and enjoy the shade. D talk with the big tree Answer: C. have a rest and enjoy the shade. After extensive negotiations, Tune Corporation, a radio manufacturer, and Bill's Comex, Inc., a retailer, entered into a final written agreement in which Tune agreed to sell and Bill's agreed to buy all of its requirements of radios, estimated at 20 units per month, during the period January 1, 1988, through December 31, 1990, at a price of $50 per unit. A dispute arose in late December 1990, when Bill's returned 25 undefective radios to Tune for full credit after Tune had refused to extend the contract for a second three-year period. In an action by Tune against Bill's for damages due to return of the 25 radios, Tune introduces the written agreement, which expressly permitted the buyer to return defective radios for credit but was silent as to return of undefective radios for credit. Bill's seeks to introduce evidence that during the three years of the agreement it had returned, for various reasons, 125 undefective radios, for which Tune had granted full credit. Tune objects to the admissibility of this evidence. "The trial court will probably rule that the evidence proffered by Bill's is A inadmissible, because the evidence is barred by the parol evidence rule. B inadmissible, because the express terms of the agreement control when those terms are inconsistent with the course of performance. C admissible, because the evidence supports an agreement that is not within the relevant statute of frauds D admissible, because course-of-performance evidence, when available, is considered the best indication of what the parties intended the writing to mean. Answer: D. admissible, because course-of-performance evidence, when available, is considered the best indication of what the parties intended the writing to mean. I'm Tony. My best friends are Frank and Cindy. We often do many things together. Frank lives next to my home and we are in the same class. He is thirteen years old and tall and of medium build. He has curly hair and blue eyes. He's good-looking and very clever. He's good at math and often helps me with my homework. He likes wearing black pants and yellow T-shirts. Cindy doesn't go to my school. She's eleven years old. She is thin and of medium height. She has curly blonde hair and her eyes are brown. She is good-looking, too, but a little bit shy. She is good at playing the guitar. Her favorite subject at school is music. She often teaches Frank and me to play the guitar after class. The three of us have great fun together, and we help each other and sometimes play video games at my house. Where do they play video games? _ . A at school B at Frank's house C at Cindy's house D at Tony's house Answer: D. at Tony's house This is a picture of a classroom . You can see a teacher's desk, five desks and six chairs. You can see a girl and a boy, too. Four English books are on the teacher's desk. One pencil-case is on a desk. Two pens and two rulers are in the pencil-case. A schoolbag is behind a chair. A ball is on the floor. The girl is Lily. She is 12.The boy is Mike. He is 11.They are in Class 5.They are good friends. Their teacher is Mr. King. He is not here. What picture is it? A It is a picture of boys and girls. B It is a picture of desks and chairs. C It is a picture of pens and pencils. D It is a picture of a classroom. Answer: D. It is a picture of a classroom.
Question: Traveling to Cuba as an American is like jumping through hoops .To help you better prepare for your trip,here are what you need to know about traveling to Cuba. You wilI need to obtain a visa to travel to Cuba.You'11 need to apply for the visa associated with your travel purposes,such as religious or medical travel,family visits,or people-to-people travel,which is the most common type of visa attained by Americans. Because of the U.S.restriction,banks have not yet been able to establish a foothold in Cuba,meaning it's a cash--focused country.You can exchange currency at the Jose Marti International Airport or at your hotel.Keep in mind that there is a 10 percent fee to exchange U.S.currency for Cuban currency.You'11 also want to be sure to carry change for tips. You can reserve a hotel room in Cuba online.Then you can call to confirm your reservation.You can also book through a travel agency.However,payment can be tricky:Even if you pay for your room through your travel agent,the restriction may prevent your payment from reaching your hotel in time(another reason to book well in advance).Come prepared with enough cash to cover the cost,just in case. If you expect to find the blue waters,volcanic landscapes and beautiful villages of other nearby islands,you'11 be disappointed.But beauty is not hard to find here.Old Havana--a UNESCO World Heritage Site--is home to splendid architecture and a bit of paladars(privately owned res--taurants).Limited economic opportunities have led Cubans to be creative in other ways.You can't go two blocks without coming across street paintings,art studios and joyful ballet music. Which does the author think is worth seeing in Cuba? A. Fantastic buildings B. Blue waters C. Beautiful villages D. Volcanic landscapes Answer: A Question: The meal you eat after exercising matters! No matter what time of day you exercise, the key is to follow the exercise up with meals that supply enough nutrition . For the best results, eat within 30 to 60 minutes after exercising, when the muscles are at the best time to take in nutrients. Here are some ideas for meals after exercising. Home-made sports-recovery drink Mix banana, milk, and yogurt to make a fresh and satisfying sports-recovery drink. Dairy products like milk and yogurt work double duty, providing both protein and carbohydrates . A cup of coffee, on the other hand, is a poor choice. Protein-packed sandwich You can't go wrong with a sandwich after exercising --it's got everything in a hand-held package. Sandwiches provide the salt you need to replace what you lost by sweating , while the tomatoes in them supply plenty of Vitamin C. Try using whole-wheat bread to give yourself more fiber. The cheese and fresh vegetables in sandwiches are also great for helping tired muscles recover. Power breakfast An egg sandwich is a perfect post-exercise breakfast. There's protein in both the yolk and the white of the egg. This recipe increases your protein intake while keeping calories and fat under control. Eggs also contain zinc , which helps protect against disease. Plant-based protein Beans are an amazing source of plant-based protein and carbohydrates. Make a large bowl of bean salad in the beginning of a week, and you'll have a great post-exercise meal that's ready whenever you need it. What should you do when your muscles feel tired? A. Eat cheese and fresh vegetables. B. Drink as much milk and yogurt as possible. C. Eat whole-wheat bread instead of a sandwich. D. Eat and drink as soon as possible. Answer: A 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. Luke gives some suggestions about _ in his letter. A. hobby classes B. personal classes C. school uniform D. basketball playing Answer: C Question: A four-year study of 200 college students found that those who drink heavily and started drinking at an early age demonstrate poor decision-making skills, just like long-term, chronic alcoholics. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia believe early onset binge drinking negatively affects psychological development. The researches examined college students between the ages of 18 and 22. After three years, they tested them using the Iowa Gambling Test, which measures the tendency to make immediate (disadvantageous) or long-term (advantageous) choices. Based on the students' reported drinking habits, they were grouped into four categories: low binge drinkers, moderate binge drinkers, increasing binge drinkers and stable or high binge drinkers. "Students in the stable or high alcohol use category, who had longer histories of binge drinking, made riskier and less advantageous choices, which reflect problems associated with planning for the future," the researchers reported. The study also found that only students who started binge drinking when they were younger showed impairment on the task. "There is reason to think that heavy binge drinking during adolescence, when the brain is still rapidly developing, may have some negative legacy on psychological development," said Kenneth J. Sher of MU's Midwest Alcoholism Research Center in a news release. "The interesting thing is that if we were to just look at binge drinkers and how impaired they are in the decision-making process as juniors, we'd really be obscuring the important issue, which is how long they've been binge drinkers and / or how early they started." What does the passage mainly tell us? A. Four categories of heavy drinkers. B. Heavy drinking affects college students. C. Early onset binge drinkers are poor at decision-making. D. People drinking at an early age will develop into binge drinkers. Answer: C Question: Tragedy at the Circus In yesterday's circus show, a tiger suddenly attacked its trainer and had to be shot dead. As the circus packed up and left, circus officials said the show would go on, even without tigers. However, the officials cann't simply turn a blind eye to the ethical problems left behind. Even before this tragedy , animal rights activists protested against keeping wild animals in unnatural conditions and forcing them to suffer for the profit of circus organizers. It is now time for us to take effective steps to make sure that circus animals are treated properly. ******************************* Circus Safe for Animals Our circus recently suffered a most tragic event in its history. While we are thankful for the pity from the public, we are also astonished by the opinion expressed in "Tragedy at the Circus. " First, our performing animals are not taken from the wild. As to the ethical problems. we always believe humans and animals can--and should--live together nicely. To us, the performing animals are representatives of their species , and our circus is one of the only places left willing to support this special role of performing animals in the existence of the species. Those who argue that circus life is harmful to animals show little knowledge of these facts. Life in the "wild" is unsafe, but a continuous struggle for existence. To overlook these realities is the greatest fault against the animal kingdom. This circus has proven that animals are stronger and smarter than we could imagine. Within the circus is a joyful atmosphere for both animals and humans: people are educated, and species saved. What will the circus most probably do? A. Take no notice of the tragedy. B. Continue its performances. C. Use fewer wild animals. D. Limit its profit. Answer: B
A green house is a building made of glass which is used for keeping warm when the outside temperature is low. In a similar way there are several gases in the atmosphere (mixture of gases that surround the earth) which trap the heat produced by the sun and prevent it from escaping. These gases are known as "greenhouse gases". And the way in which they trap heat in the atmosphere is called the "greenhouse effect". This is not simply air pollution. Most of the main greenhouse gases exist naturally in small amounts in our atmosphere, and without them the earth would be 30 degrees colder and human life would not exist. In other words, the greenhouse effect is a natural course which is to some degree helpful to us. The problem is that in the last century and a half, we have been putting too many of these gases into the earth's atmosphere by burning large quantities of coal and oil and by cutting down forest. The rapid increase in greenhouse gases is making the world warmer. The world's temperature has already gone up by half a degree this century, and the sea level has risen by 10 centimetres. If the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere doubles, there will probably be a rise in the earth's temperature of between I and 4degC;. This may seem a small increase, but it would be enough to cause major changes in geography and agriculture. Large areas of the world would be flooded, and some areas would become dry and unable to produce crops. It is important, too, to consider that there may be a delay of about 30 years in the greenhouse effect. This means that we are probably experiencing only now the effect of the gases put into the atmosphere before the 1960s. Since then, our use of these gases has greatly increased. Which of the following is not true? A. Burning too much coal and oil produces lots of greenhouse gases. B. It has become warm on the earth now than in the past. C. Gases put into the atmosphere now will affect the earth years later. D. The temperature in a greenhouse is as high as that in the atmosphere. Answer: D A student is shown a slide of cells from a species of producer in a food web. The student observes that the cells have chloroplasts. What conclusion about the food web is best supported by these findings? A. The producers capture energy from sunlight. B. The food web is found in a terrestrial ecosystem. C. The producers in the web are single-celled organisms. D. The food web contains many herbivores and omnivores. Answer: A In the summer of 1999, a small town called Golcuk was shaken by a big earthquake in north-western Turkey. It destroyed the whole town and other nearby places. Soon enough, help from other countries flew there for one purpose, "saving lives". Nowadays wherever an earthquake strikes, other countries are ready to send help. That is really something that, as human beings, we should be proud of. When the earthquake struck, I was living in my hometown of Ankara, capital of the Turkey. Despite the 220-mile distance between the two locations, we still were able to feel the shakes. I had a chance to visit Golcuk a couple times when I was a kid. My uncle who lives in Germany has a summer house there, and every summer they stay in Golcuk for their yearly vacation. After the quake struck, we couldn't contact them, so we didn't know if they were in Golcuk or in Germany during the quake. Our unsuccessful attempts worried us, and the only thing we wanted to hear was that they were OK. Without wasting any more time, my brother, my sister's husband, and I decided to drive there to check on them by ourselves. When we were driving, the damage of the earthquake started to show itself right away. Big, wide, tall trees were laid down on the side of the road. Getting closer to Golcuk, we found the impact of the earthquake was getting worse. Inside the town was total destruction. It wasn't easy to figure out the streets among the ruins. Finally, we were able to find my uncle's apartment and thank God, it was still standing, but nobody was there. Later on we found that they hadn't yet visited Golcuk that year. What luck! Earthquakes are natural disasters and there is no way to avoid them, especially as earthquakes never give a warning in advance. They just strike mercilessly in the middle of the night when people are asleep in their beds. We cannot stop disasters but we can prepare ourselves for their consequences. From this passage, we can learn that _ . A. help from other countries will come to the quake-hit country B. people know how to get rid of earthquakes C. they went to Golcuk immediately the quake happened D. the author has never seen his uncle before Answer: A The Big Wedding Actor:Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, The Big Wedding is about a modern family holding a weekend wedding celebration. To make their adult children and friends happy, the long divorced couple Don and Ellie Griffin are once again forced to play the happy couple because of their son's wedding. With all guests looking on, the Griffins are forced to face their past, present and future. To come out on Oct26, 2012. Teddy Bear Director: Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy He brings his way of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Teddy. In the play, he tells the story of John Bennett, a grown man who must deal with the lovely teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish...and has refused to leave his side ever since. To be _ d on July13, 2012. The impossible Actor: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand.But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas party the night before, a scaring noise rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of water runs toward her. Based on a true story, The impossible is the unforgettable experience of a family caught in the worst natural disasters of our time, with tens of thousands of strangers. It is planned to be on on Dec21, 2012. Where can you read the passages in a newspaper? A. Science and Technology. B. News. C. Entertainment. D. Sports. Answer: C On october5,2011,around 3:00p.m., Steven P.Jobs,the co-founder of Apple, died at his home in Palo Alto, California, aged 56, six weeks after resigning as CEO of Apple. The death was announced by company that Mr.Jobs and his high school friend Stephen Wozniak started in 1976 in a suburban California garage. Jobs was born in San Francisco and adopted at birth by Paul Jobs and Clara Jobs. Paul Jobs taught his son basic electronics and how to work his hands. Asked in a 1995 interview what he wanted to pass on to his children, Jobs replied,"Just to try to be as good a father to them as my father was to me." Following high school graduation in 1972, Jobs was admitted to Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Although he dropped out after only one semester, he continued taking classes at Reed, sleeping on the floor in friend' rooms, returning Coke bottles for food money, and getting weekly free meals at the local temple. In the late 1970s, they designed, developed, and marketed one of the first commercially successful personal computers. The Apple II series. In 1985, after losing a power struggle, Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher-education and business markets. In 1986, he put money in and produced Toy Story (1995), making Jobs Disney's largest shareholder at seventy percent. Apple's 1996 buyout of NeXT brought Jobs back to the company. He became a permanent CEO from 2000, developing the iPod,iPhone and iPad products.From 2003,he fought an eight-year battle with cancer.He received a liver transplant in 2009.And he took three medical leaves of absence before stepping down in August and turning over the power to Cook. Jobs married Laurene Powell on March l8,1991,and the couple had a son and two daughters. According to the passage,the statements are TRUE except _ . A. Steve P.Jobs greatly appreciates his adoptive parents' love. B. Steve P. Jobs was once unemployed by the company he cofounded. C. With the help of his parents,he finished his college successfully. D. He did change the world by his hard work and his intelligence. Answer: C
China Youth says that more and more girl students have entered colleges to study in recent few years. As we know, once the number of boys was larger than that of girls, and the boys did much better than girls in our country for a long time. Now things have changed a lot. In recent years, the proportion of girl students is growing fast. In 1998, about 39.7% of college students were girls. In 2000, it was 41.07% and in 2001, the number was 42.14%. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, there is little difference between boys and girls in their intelligence . That's to say, girls are as clever as boys. And boys have more interests than girls, so they may not do well in their study. Secondly, girls are more careful and more sensible than boys. They work harder at school and they do better in all exams. Another reason is that with the development of society, people pay more and more attention to girls' education. Which of the following sentences is TRUE? A Boys may not do as well in their study as girls because they don't like studying. B Boys are much cleverer than girls because they're interested in many things. C Girls' intelligence is the same as boys'. D Girls study harder, but they couldn't get higher marks than boys. Answer: C. Girls' intelligence is the same as boys'. It is a Sunday morning. There are many children in the beautiful park. They are having a good time. Some are playing games under a big tree. Some are singing and dancing. Some boys and girls are running up the small hill. Others are boating on the lake. Where is Dick ? He is sitting by the lake. What's he doing? He is drawing. Look ! What is Jane doing? She is on the grass. She is running after a nice butterfly. She wants to get it. The children are boating _ . A on the lake B in the river C on the hill D under the tree Answer: A. on the lake This is not a diet. It's a simple way to lose weight. You don't have to give up the food you love or join a gym. You just follow some habits thin people have. Keep them, and you'll become thin. Wake-up When you wake up in the morning, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel sore in your back. It will use up 10 calories. Start with soup Order a clear soup, and have it before the main food. In this way, you'll feel fuller, so you'll eat less when the main food comes. An apple or more a day Apples are full of fiber and water, so your stomach will want less. Studies show that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day may lose weight. Talk it up Every time you use the cell phone, stand up and walk around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more each day than thin people. This skill is very important and standing up and walking around will burn up 50 or more calories. Use these skills, and you will have a big weight loss. How many skills are there in the text for people to lose weight? A Two B Three C Four D Five Answer: C. Four Once upon a time, a lion, a tiger, a bear, and a duck finished school. So, they moved out of their parents' houses and set out to get jobs. The lion flew on a red airplane. The tiger rode an orange train. The bear rode a yellow bus. And the duck sailed on a blue boat. The train went to Ohio. The bus went to Iowa. The boat sailed to Hawaii. And the airplane flew to Utah. The lion wanted to be a fireman. The tiger wanted to be a nurse. The bear wanted to be a doctor. And the duck wanted to be President. But none of them could find the job they wanted. So, they all became artists instead. The lion bought a crayon to draw with. The tiger bought a pen. The bear bought a pencil. And the duck bought a paintbrush. The crayon was red. The pen was yellow. The pencil was green. And the paintbrush was blue. What color was the train? A red B blue C orange D yellow Answer: C. orange An acre of arctic land, when compared to an acre of jungle land will have A more living things B more life forms C more organisms D fewer living things Answer: D. fewer living things
As every computer owner knows, when their machines run a complex program they get pretty hot. In fact, cooling the processors can be expensive, especially when you're dealing with huge banks of computer servers. But what if that energy could heat private homes? A Dutch energy firm aims to do just that. Data centers of large Internet firms, such as Google, Apple, Microsoft and others, contain thousands of computer servers. As they process information they generate enormous amounts of heat requiring cooling towers that dissipate it into the atmosphere. A Dutch firm thinks paying for electricity to run the servers and then paying again to cool them is a waste of energy. Boaz Leupe, CEO of the start-up Nerdalize, says it's actually quite simple."We don't actually have to build the data center, which saves a lot of costs in infrastructure and we don't have the cooling overhead, plus that you have the environmental benefit, that the kilowatt hour you are using is used twice, once to heat the home and once to compute the clients task without the cooling overhead," says Leupe. The company developed what it calls an e-Radiator, a computer server that also works as an alternative heating source. Leupe says that five Dutch homeowners are experimentally using them in their homes. "We reimburse the electricity the server uses, and that we can do because of the computer clients on the other side, and, in that way, home owners actually get heating for free, and computer users don't have to pay for the overhead of the data center," says Leupe. One of the participants in the year-long experiment, Jan Visser, says the amount of heat produced by e-Radiator depends on the work being done by the server's processors so it cannot be used as the primary source. But he is ready to try it. "If it gives good enough warmth, you can use less of your existing central heating, and there is the chance for a home owner to pay less bills." Nerdalize says e-Radiators generate temperature of up to 55 degrees Celsius and could save up to $440 in annual heating costs. What is NOT true about e-Radiator according to the passage? A It is a computer server used as an alternative heating source. B It has been launched onto the market. C It is environmentally friendly. D It can save users' money. Answer: B. It has been launched onto the market. The forest in Senegal, a country in western Africa, is full of the chimps' usual noises. Suddenly dogs bark. Larger male chimps drop from the trees to face the threat while the others climb to safety. Then the dogs' young human masters appear. One mother chimp with a tiny baby tries to run. The dogs attack and separate them. The two teenage boys quickly catch the baby chimp. But they don't act out of sympathy --- they save the baby so they can sell it. After the teenagers return to their hometown, they visit a man who is said to be very interested in chimps. When they ask the man, Johnny Kante, if he wants to buy the baby, he replies, "That's not what we do." Kante is a member of a scientific team. Although Kante is angry with the teens for capturing the chimp, he hides his anger and persuades them to take him to the baby chimp. Unsure of what to do next upon seeing the chimp, Kante calls Jill Pruetz, the head of the chimp research team. "I'm really worried," says Pruetz, doubtful that the mother is still alive. But knowing that wild chimps sometimes adopt orphans , Kante and pruetz decide they must try to return the baby chimp to its wild community. Kante pays another visit to the teenagers. After he explains how much trouble they are in, because chimps are an endangered species, he requests they should give him the frightened baby without payment. They agree. Kante takes the baby chimp to his home and feeds her milk from a bottle whenever she cries. The next morning, Pruetz and Kante leave the baby with another team member and begin their search for the wild chimps. Pruetz quickly finds the group in the woods. She recognizes the female that is without her child. Pruetz is so excited that she runs the entire mile back to bring the baby chimp to the tree where the chimps are hanging out. The researchers place the baby on the ground near the tree and back away. Almost immediately, a male chimp drops to the ground and stares at the baby curiously. He carries her back to where the mother is waiting. Pruetz still can't believe how fortunate they were to have reunited the mother and child. "Surprising is the only word I can think of," she says. When Kante sees the little chimp the first time, he's _ . A a bit at a loss B excited C angry D clear about how to save her Answer: A. a bit at a loss Stephen Hawking, one of the world's smartest physicists, once said: "I'm obsessed by time."Many of us are, and the popularity of time travel TV series has just proved that. After Palace and Startling by Each Step <<>> achieved startling ratings last year, Palace 2 aired on January 20, attracting time travel fans back to TV."It's fun to watch characters travel back in time and deal with the conflicts between modernity and ancient times," Xia Xiaoyan, who works for a foreign-owned enterprise in Shanghai, told China Daily. "Time travel series connect both today and the past, thus offering room for imagination," said Cai Yinong, the producer of Startling by Each Step. "I'm _ by the shows because they are characterized by dramatic and poetic love and have eye-pleasing actors," Xia explained her love for time travel TV series.Her comment echoes a 2011 survey by Great Marketing Research Co Ltd in China. When asked about what's so appealing about time travel TV series, 21 percent of respondents answered: "Those attractive characters." A bigger reason behind the popularity of time travel stories, however, is the relaxation they offer, according to the survey.Cai Yinong agrees. "Many people are facing tremendous pressures in their fast-paced lives, so this genre is more relaxing than other shows as it provides people with a terrific outlet to escape reality," Cai told China Daily. The love for time traveling is universal.Woody Allen's latest movie Midnight in Paris, which has been nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Art Direction for the 2012 Academy Awards, features modernity versus cultural nostalgia. Which might be the best title for this passage ? A Time travel is universal B Time travel TV series C A introduction to Startling by Each Step D Time travel wins fans Answer: D. Time travel wins fans One day, I had a bad toothache. I couldn't eat anything. So I went to see the dentist. " What's wrong with your teeth? " asked the dentist. " I have a toothache. " I told him. " Let me see your teeth ...... Um, there's a hole in one of the teeth. Do you eat a lot of sweet food? " The dentist asked me. " Yes, I do. I often eat ice cream, biscuits, chocolate and I often drink cola and milk with sugar, " I told him. " All these are bad for your teeth. You must eat less sweet food and brush your teeth at least twice every day. Now let me fill your bad tooth. " Eating less sweet food _ . A isn't good for our teeth B is only good for children's teeth C is good for our teeth D is bad for our teeth Answer: C. is good for our teeth Walking in the Regional Parks and Forests of Greater WellingtonFrom a walk to an adventure A walk in one of the regional parks and forests is a great way to explore the diverse landscape of greater Wellington. From coastal sands to historic paths,farmland to green native forest,the parks and forests offer a variety of countryside and scenery to suit all ages and levels of fitness. Most of the walks offer the chance to take a break and enjoy picnicking or swimming. What to take Many of the walks go through areas exposed to winds and changeable weather.Please take with you some water and sun hat especially on walks marked with hiking symbol.Always take some warm clothing and a rain jacket. All times stated are estimates for the return trip. Where indicated,mountain bikes and horses riders may use tracks. Opening hours The parks and forests are open daily from 8am till dusk.Parks or walks marked with a farm animal symbol may be closed for lambing Aug-Nov.Please check with the ranger or on our website www.gw.govt.nz. Caring for your pack Pack in and pack out.Take your rubbish home and recycle it when possible. Keep dogs under control and remove droppings. Do not remove,disturb or damage native plants or animals. Light no fires. *Poison may be laid in the parks and forests to control the field mouse.Do not remove notice or disturb baits,lures,trapping lines or the mousetraps. Which of the following can be inferred from the text? A Some native plants are poisonous to the visitors. B You can find recycling spots in the parks to deal with your trash. C Some sorts of pests are threatening the areas of the parks and forests. D Sighs marked with a farm animal indicate you can closely watch some lovable lambs. Answer: C. Some sorts of pests are threatening the areas of the parks and forests.
Besides news reports that tend to focus on war or election, Americans generally don't hear much about people in other countries. One reason may be that very little foreign-language literature is translated into English. In the United States, just a few of the titles, mainly translations of foreign novels, short stories, or poetry, make it into English. However, a number of efforts have taken root to try to bring more global literature to US audiences. Ks5u The online magazine of international literature, Words Without Borders, was founded by Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. The nonprofit site, now in its fifth year, offers modern writing from places such as Argentina, China and Italy, often for the first time in English. It gets about 200,000 page views per month and counts roughly 8,000 subscribers , more than one-quarter of whom live in the US. "There's a wave of interest right now," says Jill Schoolman, publisher of Archipelago Books, a small nonprofit press in Brooklyn, N.Y., opened in 2003 to publish world literature in translation only. "People are hungry for ideas from other countries." Rainmaker Translations, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, was formed two years ago to support the publication of more top-quality global writing here in the US. They put out their first three titles, translated from Arabic, Chinese and Russian, in the spring of 2006 and plan to aid up to four more in the coming year. In March, the Center for the Art of Translation, a nonprofit started in 1994 in San Francisco, will publish Two Lines World Library, focused on writing from some particular areas published over the last several decades. Dalkey Archive Press, a century-old nonprofit publisher in Champaign, Illinois, has upped the number of translations on its publication list since 2003, from 25 percent to nearly 80 percent. In recent years, more nonprofits have applied to the National Endowment for the Arts for help to publish literary translations. The agency is also trying to increase the availability of translated prose and poetry in the US, such as publishing partnerships with foreign governments. What do the publishers mentioned in the passage have in common? Answer: They don't aim at making money by publishing global writing. Life is filled with challenges. As we get older, we come to realize that those challenges are the very things that shape us and make us who we are. It is the same with the challenges that come with friendship. When we are faced with a challenge, we usually have two choices. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing presenting the challenge isn't worth the trouble and call it quits. Although there are certainly times when calling it quits is the right thing to do, in most cases all that is needed is commitment and communication. When we are committed to something, it means that no matter how painful or how uncomfortable something is, we will always choose to face it through instead of running away from it. Communication is making a space for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. If you can say to a friend, "I got my feelings hurt", rather than "You hurt my feelings", you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster. In dealing with many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for what they are: small hurdles you need to jump or get through on your way through life. Nothing is so big that it is impossible to get over, and hurt only serves to make us stronger. It is all part of growing up, it happens to everyone, and some day you will look back on all of this and say, "Hard as it was, it made me who I am today. And that is a good thing." The whole passage is centered on the relationship between _ . Answer: friendship and challenges Children are quick to ask "why" and "how'' when it comes to new things, but research suggests that they learn more when teachers turn the questions back on them. "When children explain events, they learn more than when just getting the results,'' said Cristine H. Legare, a professor at the University of Texas. Ms. Legare brought in 96 children aged 3 to 5 and set before them a complex toy made up of colorful, interlocking gears . With the first group, the researchers asked, "Can you explain this to me?" With the second one, they said, "Look, isn't this interesting?'' The two groups of children focused on different things, researchers found. Children who were asked to observe noticed the colors of the toy, while those asked to explain focused on the chain of gears working on each other. Children who had explained the toy were better at re-creating it and not being disturbed by decorative gears, and they were better able to use what they had learned who had observed the toy outperformed the children in the explanation group on a memory task focused on the toy's colors. Dedre Gentner, the director of the cognitive science program at Northwestern University, said that teachers introducing a concept can improve students' understanding by giving examples of close comparisons, and then asking children to explain how concepts are related. In a series of experiments with 3-to 7-year-olds, she focus children can be con be confused by comparisons that focus on a relationship rather than a direct-object match. For example, a 3-year-old shown a picture of two rabbits facing each other and told "this is a toma '' and then asked to find another "tome" will choose a picture of a rabbit over one of two cats facing each other 98 percent of the time. A 7-year-old is more likely to recognize the more abstract comparison of a relationship. However, Ms. Gentner found that 3-year-olds can think more like 7-yesr-olds if they are given more examples. When shown a "toma" with rabbits and another with cats, and then asked, "Can you say why both of these are tomas?" most of the children can give a good explanation. The author develops the text mainly _ . Answer: by examples Mara planted six pots of lettuce seeds. She placed three pots in a sunny area and three pots in a shaded area. She watered each pot the same and measured the growth of the lettuce. After Mara analyzes her data, what conclusion will it help her to make? Answer: Where to plant her lettuce In northern Scotland there is a long, deep lake called Loch Ness. More than 200 meters deep, it is the largest lake in the UK. People say a big monster lives in its dark, cold waters. It weighs more than 1,000 kilos and is at least ten meters long. Some people say it has a head like a horse. Others say it looks like a snake. Many people travel to Loch Ness to look for this strange monster, but only a few people have seen it. At least, they say they have seen it. The Loch Ness Monster is a famous legend . The first story about a monster in Loch Ness was told over 500 years ago, but the legend of the monster spread widely only in the twenties century. In 1933, a husband and wife reported that they saw a big monster in Loch Ness. Several people have taken photos, but at least one of them was a hoax . During the 1960s, a team was formed to look for the monster. They took many photos and made movies, but they were never able to find a monster. There is no real fact that a monster lives in Loch Ness, but there is also no fact that one doesn't live. One thing is true about Loch Ness: there are a lot of tourists there. What do people say about the monster in Loch Ness? Answer: It looks like a snake.
Question: Computers, Inc., contracted in writing with Bank to sell and deliver to Bank a mainframe computer using a new type of magnetic memory, then under development but not perfected by Computers, at a price substantially lower than that of a similar computer using current technology. The contract's delivery term was "F.O.B. Bank, on or before July 31." Assume that Computers tendered the computer to Bank on August 15, and that Bank rejected it because of the delay. If Computers sues Bank for breach of contract, which of the following facts, if proved, will best support a recovery by Computers? A. The delay did not materially harm Bank. B. Computers believed, on the assumption that Bank was getting a "super deal" for its money, that Bank would not reject because of the late tender of delivery. C. Computers' delay in tender was caused by a truckers' strike. D. A usage in the relevant trade allows computer sellers a 30-day leeway in a specified time of delivery, unless the usage is expressly negated by the contract. Answer: D. A usage in the relevant trade allows computer sellers a 30-day leeway in a specified time of delivery, unless the usage is expressly negated by the contract. Question: During all this time I never stopped thinking about escape. When I traveled across to the other side of the island, I could see the other islands, and I said to myself, "Perhaps I can get there with a boat. Perhaps I can get back to England one day." So I decided to make myself a boat. I cut down a big tree, and then began to make a long hole in it. It was hard work, but about six months later, I had a very fine canoe . Next, I had to get it down to the sea. How silly I was! Why didn't I think before I began work? Of course, the canoe was too heavy. I couldn't move it! I pulled and pushed and tried everything, but it didn't move. I was very unhappy for a long time after that. That happened in my fourth year on the island. In my sixth year I did make myself a smaller canoe, but I did not try to escape in it. The boat was too small for a long journey, and I did not want to die at sea. The island was my home now, not my prison, and I was just happy to be alive. A year or two later, I made myself a second canoe on the other side of the island. I also built myself a second house there, and so I had two homes. My life was still busy from morning to night. There were always things to do or to make. I learnt to make new clothes for myself from the skins of dead animals. They looked very strange, it is true, but they kept me dry in the rain. I kept food and tools at both my houses, and also wild goats. There were many goats on the island, and I made fields with high fences to keep them in. They learnt to take food from me, and soon I had goats' milk to drink every day. I also worked hard in my corn fields. And so many years went by. The purpose of making a canoe on the island was to _ . A. escape in it B. get to the other side of the island C. use it for food D. go around the island Answer: A. escape in it Question: Sue Starr, a minor both in fact and appearance, bought on credit and took delivery of a telescope from 30-year-old Paul Prism for an agreed price of $100. Upon reaching her majority soon thereafter, Starr encountered Prism and said, "I am sorry for not having paid you that $100 for the telescope when the money was due, but I found out it was only worth $75. So I now promise to pay you $75." Starr subsequently repudiated this promise and refused to pay Prism anything. For this question only, assume that Starr bought the telescope from Prism after reaching her majority and promised to pay $100 "as soon as I am able." What effect does this quoted language have on enforceability of the promise? A. None. B. It makes the promise illusory. C. It requires Starr to prove her inability to pay. D. It requires Prism to prove Starr's ability to pay. Answer: D. It requires Prism to prove Starr's ability to pay. Question: Which human activity is most harmful to the natural environment? A. swimming in a lake B. riding a bicycle C. cutting down a rain forest D. using solar energy Answer: C. cutting down a rain forest Question: When a handheld video game runs out of power,all you have to do is plug it in and charge it up.Within a few years,some of you might do the same thing with mom's car.Automobile companies are developing vehicles that will plugin to electric sockets ,just like many laptops,digital cameras,cellphones and small video game players do.Called "plugin hybrids ",these cars will get most of their power from electricity.Their drivers will rarely have to stop at gas stations. The technology is more than just cool.In our automobilefilled world,plugin vehicles could reduce the amount of gasoline we use.That gas is made from crude oil ,which keeps rising in cost.Plus,driving around in these hybrids may even help the environment.Gasburning cars produce a lot of carbon dioxide,a type of greenhouse gas.These gases stay in the atmosphere,where they trap heat and cause global warming. The first companyproduced plugin hybrids could hit the roads by 2010.But engineers still have a lot of work to do to make the technology practical and inexpensive. Batteries are the biggest challenge.In the pluginhybrid world,lithiumion (Liion) batteries are getting the most attention.These batteries can store a large amount of energy in a small package,and they last a ly long time between charges.Liion batteries are standard in laptops,cellphones,heart devices and other similar portable devices. But because cars are so big and heavy,it would still require a suitcasesized Liion battery to power about 12km of driving.What's more,the batteries are extremely expensive. "A car filled with batteries could go a long distance," says Ted Bohn,an electrical engineer in Chicago."But it couldn't haul any people,and it would cost $100,000." So researchers need to figure out how to make batteries smaller and cheaper,among other questions. "The answers don't exist yet," Bohn says."As a kid I thought someone someplace knows the answer to everything.All of these questions haven't been decided.That's what engineering is about--making a guess,running tests and finetuning results." Which is TRUE according to the passage? A. The plugin hybrids will use electricity completely as driving power. B. The new technology will contribute to the protection of our environment. C. The technology of using electricity as driving is quite mature now. D. The biggest challenge of the new technology is that it will cost us more money. Answer: B. The new technology will contribute to the protection of our environment.
Will it matter if you don't take your breakfast? A short time ago, a test was given in the United States. People of different ages, from 12 to 83, were asked to have a test. During the test, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts, and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Scientists wanted to see how well their bodies worked when they had eaten different kinds of breakfasts. The results show that if a person eats a right breakfast, he or she will work better than if he or she has no breakfast. If a student has fruit, egg, bread and milk before going to school, he will learn more quickly and listen more carefully. The result is opposite to what some people think. Having no breakfast will not help you lose weight. This is because people become so hungry at noon that they eat too much for lunch. They will gain weight instead of losing it. You will lose more weight if you your other meals. Which of the following is not right? The more breakfast you have, the more quickly you'll learn in class You go to a store. You see many new things. You know about them before you get to the store. How do you know? You saw these things on TV. You learned about them through advertising. People have been advertising for thousands of years. Long ago, men called "criers" walked up and down the street. They shouted about things that were being sold. Later, people met at one place. This place was a market. Some people came to sell. Other people came to buy. But only those people who were at the market knew what was being sold. When people learned about printing, things changed. Soon there were newspapers. Many people read the newspapers. They saw many ads in the papers. Later, more people saw and listened to the ads on TV. Are the people who sell to us "criers"? When you go to a store, you see _ . many new things Hello! Here is a UFO. And I am an alien .My name is Eric. Look!my jacket is nice. It's white. This is my pen. What color is it? It's red. And what's this in English? It's a ruler. It's a green ruler. What's that? It's an English CD. I like it. Do you like me? The ruler is _ . green Dear Daisy, Phew! I'm so glad that day is over. I was so worried all summer that my first day at my new school would be terrible. I'm really tired, but my first day at school went well and I feel much better now. First of all, we had to meet outside the school building. I was very nervous because my primary school only had 300 pupils but in the secondary school there are about 1,300. What a difference! The older pupils are really big. I felt so small waiting there in front of the school. The other problem was that I didn't know anyone. My family moved over the summer holidays, because of Dad's new job. So now I have to try to make some new friends. Standing in front of the school this morning, I wanted to be back at my old school with my old friends. The head teacher came out and told us to go into the school hall. Then he called our names out to tell us which class we were in. My class teacher is called Mrs. Black. She took us to our classroom. It's on the 5th floor and ... guess what? ... We aren't allowed to use the lift. I couldn't believe it. When we were walking up all the stairs I started talking to another boy who didn't know anyone. He said his family had moved from Hong Kong over the summer. He seemed really nice so we sat together when we got to our classroom, out of breath! He said his English was very poor but I thought it was really good. We spent all morning with Mrs. Black looking at our timetables. Everyone in the school has a different timetable--can you believe it? Half of the school is learning Spanish as a second language and the other half learns French. I'm in the Spanish group, which sounds like fun. I'm worried that I'll forget my timetable and go to the wrong room! How will anyone help me if nobody else has the same timetable as me? Lunchtime was OK. After lunch we started lessons. I had maths, which was complicated and difficult and then history, where we started to learn about ancient Greece. That looks interesting. I have to do some homework tonight to find out how the ancient Greek people lived. So far so good. I'm quite looking forward to tomorrow, even though I've got science. I hate science! Jason How did the author feel on the first day at his new school? Good. People give gifts on many occasions. At weddings ,people give gifts such as tea sets and tableware . When someone has a baby, people express their wishes by giving gifts of baby clothes and food. In western countries, food and drinks are the most traditional gifts for friends. For example, a bottle of champagne is perfect for Christmas. In some Asian countries like China and Japan, tea and wine are common gifts. Greeting cards are excellent gifts for friends and family around the world. Here are some popular gifts for Christmas and New Year. Let's have a look. A message in a bottle--If you want to send a birthday message or a thank- you note, why not write on a piece of paper and put it inside a glass bottle? The person who receives this special gift will remember the words forever. A Christmas stocking--People will look forward to seeing it each Christmas. It is a very traditional and useful Christmas gift. Many people hang the stocking up in their rooms as a decoration. A necklace with a name--This is a special and popular gift among mothers and young people. For example, a mother can put her child's name on the necklace. It seems that the necklace can bring her child close to her heart. Please choose the best title for this passage _ . Choose a perfect present
It's the worst event in human being's nautical history , six times more deadly than the Titanic . When the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff was hit by torpedoes fired from a Russian submarine in the final winter of World War II , more than 10,000 people - mostly women , children and old people fleeing the final Red Army push into Nazi Germany - were packed aboard . An ice storm had turned the decks into frozen sheets that sent hundreds of families sliding into the sea as the ship tilted and began to go down . Others desperately tried to put lifeboats down . Some who succeeded fought off those in the water who had the strength to try to claw their way aboard . Most people froze immediately . " I'll never forget the screams , " says Christa Ntitzmann , 87 , one of the 1,200 survivors . She recalls watching the ship , brightly lit , slipping into its dark grave-and into seeming nothingness , rarely mentioned for more than half a century . Now Germany's Nobel Prize-winning author Gtinter Grass has revived the memory of the 9,000 dead , including more than 4,000 children-with his latest novel Crab Walk , published last month . The book ,which will be out in English next year , doesn't dwell on the sinking : its heroine is a pregnant young woman who survives the catastrophe only to say later : " Nobody wanted to hear about it , not here in the West ( of Germany ) and not at all in the East . " The reason was obvious . As Grass put in a recent interview with the weekly Die Woche : " Because the crimes we Germans are responsible for were and are so dominant , we didn't have the energy left to tell of our own sufferings . " The long silence about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was probably unavoidable - and necessary . By unreservedly owning up to their country's monstrous crimes in the Second World War , Germans have managed to win acceptance abroad , _ the neo-Nazis at home and make peace with their neighbors . Today's unified Germany is more prosperous and stable than at any time in its long , troubled history . For that , a half century of willful forgetting about painful memories like the German Titanic was perhaps a reasonable price to pay . But even the most politically correct Germans believe that they've now earned the right to discuss the full historical record . Not to equate German suffering with that of its victims , but simply to acknowledge a terrible tragedy . It can be learned from the passage that Germans no longer think that Answer: they will be misunderstood if they talk about the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy Nathan Phillips, who will formally begin his freshman year at the University of San Diego(USD) on Aug. 31, will arrive on campus in an unusual and philanthropic manner. Phillips is expected to arrive between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday on his bicycle, having pedaled 1,450 miles from Astoria, Ore. Phillips combined his desire to complete a long bike ride before entering college with his interest in helping the children of Uganda. He is raising funds for Invisible Children, a San Diegobased organization seeking to end conflicts annoying northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic and stop the use of children as soldiers. Phillips had raised $1,540 before embarking Aug.11 and hopes to reach $2,000. Phillips, who is from Redmond, Washington, visited Uganda during high school and worked in an orphanage there. He was also inspired by a presentation by Invisible Children at his high school. "I have been to Uganda and personally gotten to know some of the kids affected by the war," Phillips said in a statement released by the university."I would do anything to help these kids." Phillips' new roommate, Kyle Sharp, has joined him for the last 600 miles of the trip. Students and other members of the USD community are expected to join him for the last 13 miles. "Nathan's passionate commitment to improving the lives of children more than 8,000 miles away resonates with USD's mission to prepare future leaders to change the world for the better," Pamela Gray Payton, assistant vice president of public affairs at USD, said in a prepared statement."We are delighted to have Nathan as a member of our campus community." Supporters from USD and Invisible Children will greet Phillips and his followers when they arrive in front of Founders Hall on campus. The public is invited as well. Why does Nathan Phillips finish riding a bike for a long way before going into college? Answer: He raises money to help the children of Uganda. Plan on traveling around the USA this summer. If you need help in arranging the trip, or want ideas about where to go and what to do, there are a number of outstanding websites that can make your American dream come true. http://byways. org The National Scenic Byways Program covers l50 memorable roads. Some are natural routes, such as Route l along the California coast. Others focus on history(such as Route 6) or man-made attractions (the Las Vegas Trip). For each, you are provided with a map, told the route's length and how long is allowed, and given detailed suggestions on sights and stop-offs. www. oyster. com This is the best website for reviews of hotels in US cities and resorts. The reviews are impressively thorough--covering locations, rooms, cleanliness, food and so on. Importantly, these are not promotional photos by the hotels, but more honest and revealing ones taken by inspectors. Search facilities are excellent. From the 243 hotels reviewed in the New York, you can narrow down what you are looking for by locations, facilities and styles, or just pick out a selection of the best. www. 101usaholidays. co. uk This is the latest offering that features l01 holiday ideas to the USA. It's an impressively diverse selection, ranging from touring in the footsteps of Martin Luther King to a golfing break in Arizona and a cycling and wine--tasting trip in California's Napa Valley. Narrow down what you are looking for--whether by price, region, theme and who will be traveling--and then just the photos of the relevant holidays remain on view. It's a really clever design. www. mousesavers. com Walt Disney World in California can make dreams come true, but the price is not affordable for the majority of people. So turn to long established Mousesavers. com, dedicated to giving big discounts on tickets, hotels and dining at Walt Disney World. The website also offers general money--saving tips, suggestions for cheap and free stuff and brief coverage of other Florida and California theme parks. If you are going to the USA for the man-made attractions, you can drive along _ . Answer: the Las Vegas Trip It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him. One day, over the phone, his mother told him that Mr. Belser died the night before and the funeral would be on Wednesday. "Oh, it's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said. "Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd recall about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him. "I love that old house he lived in. He's the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said. Busy as he was, he kept his word. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his s had passed away. The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Suddenly Jack stopped. "The box is gone," he said. "What box?" Mom asked. "There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most'", Jack said. "Now, I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said sadly. Returning to his office the next day, he found a package from Mr. Harold Belser on his desk. Jack tore open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it. Inside he found these words carved: "Jack, thanks for your time! Harold Belser." "Oh, My God! This is the thing he valued most..." Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" his assistant asked. "I need some time to spend with my son," he said. What would be the best title for this passage? Answer: What He Valued Most April 11, 2003 12:44 a. m. PST, Associated Press The respiratory virus known as SARS has appeared to spread in the United States only to family members of health workers with close contact to a sick person. On Thursday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there might be a case of severe acute respiratory syndrome spreading through the workplace. Dr. Julie Gerberding said a suspected SARS virus patient who became ill after traveling to Asia might have infected a co-worker in Florida, which made her "very worried". So far, a dozen people--nine family members and three health workers--were infected after coming into close contact with the person with SARS. The rest of the 166 suspected American cases have something to do with people who were infected while traveling in Asia. In the Gainesville, Fla. area, a 47-year-old woman was believed to have been infected at work by a 60-year-old woman who was the nation's first suspected SARS case, said Tom Belcuore, director of the Alachua County health department. Since the World Health Organization announced a worldwide warning last month about SARS, the United States has started infection control in hospitals and among families of suspected cases. Florida officials said a school in Okaloosa County went through a cleaning after a 6-year-old boy suspected of having SARS appeared at school with slight symptoms. "Health officials are watching the boys' contacts at school to make sure no one else is infected," said Rob Hayes, health department spokesman, "The boy may have been infected from a family member," Hayes said, "We immediately became aware of it and had the child sent home. He's staying at home with his family until 10 days after symptoms disappear." The researchers guessed that the virus might have come from animals. However, the scientists have not ruled out the possibility that some other microbe might also help make SARS more serious or easier to catch. The writer wrote this text mainly to _ . Answer: inform people of the spread of SARS
Tom, Jean, Jack and Lucy are talking about the movie theaters in the city. My name's Tom. I go to the Movie Palace twice a month. It's about two kilometers from my home. The service is good. But the price of a ticket is a little expensive. I never go to Moon Cinema. It's about 10 kilometers from my home. I'm Jean. I go to Moon Cinema more often. There are often new movies on show and the screens are big. Most importantly, the price is cheaper. It's always half price for students, about 30 yuan. I go there once a week. I'm Jack. I live about 5 kilometers from Moon Cinema and 8 kilometers from Movie Palace. I think the seats in Moon Cinema are hard and the music is too loud. So I prefer to go to Movie Palace. I go to Movie Palace once a month. I'm Lucy. I prefer to go to Movie Palace. It's in the center of the city and is very modern. I like shopping and there are some shopping centers around. I go there once a month. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: Most people go to a doctor in their own town or suburb . But people in the Australian _ can't get to a doctor quickly. The nearest doctor is sometimes hundreds of kilometers away so they have to call him on a two-way radio. This special doctor is called the "flying doctor". He visits sick people by plane. When someone is very sick, the doctor has to fly to the person's home. His plane lands on a flat piece of ground near the person's house. Sometimes the doctor has to take the patient to hospital. Flying doctors take about 8,600 people to hospital each year. However, most of the time the person isn't very sick, and the doctor doesn't have to visit. He can give advice on the radio from the office at the flying doctor center. He can tell the patient to use some medicine from a special medicine chest . There is one of these chests in every home in the outback. Each bottle, tube and packet in the chest has a number. The doctor often says something like this," take two tablets from bottle 5 every four hours." If the person isn't very sick, the doctor only _ . Answer: Sound will not travel in a Answer: A mother is six feet tall and the father is almost seven feet tall. When their son reaches maturation, he will likely Answer: Customs are social habits. They have been handed down through generations among groups, social classes, etc. Customs can be described as ways of doing things. They are particularly strong in social practices on the occasions of births, marriages and deaths. In China, these days, some people in cities are learning from Western customs. For example, some brides dress in the long white dress that is usual bridal wear in many Western countries. Every people has special customs for New Year. The Han people have many interesting Spring Festival customs. And now, quite a number of people living in the cities have followed the Western customs of sending New Year greeting cards for January 1st. One interesting custom in China is that mothers wrap up their babies tightly .This is not the custom in Western countries, where babies are usually dressed in loose garments. It is true that customs_. Answer:
When next year's crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall, they will be joined by a new face: Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost of Yale, who will become Oxford's vice-chancellor -- a position equal to university president in America. Hamilton isn't the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc. have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Yet the talent flow isn't universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: Outward from America. The chief reason is that American schools don't tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university's budget. "We didn't do any global consideration," says Patricia Hayes, the board's chair. The board finally picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a particularly American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity. Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student numbers. The decline in government support has made fund-raising an increasingly necessary ability among administrators , and has made hiring committees hungry for Americans. In the past few years, well-known schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2011, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen " a major strengthening of Yale's financial position". Of course, fund-raising isn't the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind to promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices. In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development? A. They can improve the university's image. B. They will bring with them more international personnel. C. They will view a lot of things from a new angle. D. They can set up new academic subjects. Answer: C. They will view a lot of things from a new angle. The forces that make Japan one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries could become part of its long-term energy solution. Water from deep below the ground at Japan's tens of thousands of hot springs could be used to produce electricity. Although Japanese high-tech companies are leaders in geothermal technology and export it, its use is limited in the nation. "Japan should no doubt make use of its resources of geothermal energy," said Yoshiyasu Takefuji, a leading researcher of thermal-electric power production. The disastrous earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 caused a reaction against atomic power, which previously made up 30 percent of Japan's energy needs, and increased interest in alternative energies, which account for only 8 percent. Artist Yoko Ono has called on Japan to explore its natural energy, following the example of Iceland which uses renewable energy for more than 80 percent of its needs. For now, geothermal energy makes up less than 1 percent of the energy needs in Japan, which has for decades relied heavily on fossil fuels and atomic power. The biggest problem to geothermal energy is the high initial cost of the exploration and constructing the factories.Another problem is that Japan's potentially best sites are already being developed for tourism or are located within national parks where construction is forbidden. "We can't even dig 10cm inside national parks." said Shigeto Yamada of Fuji Electric, adding that regulations protecting nature would need to be relaxed for geothermal energy to grow. Researcher Hideaki Matsui said, "Producing electricity using hot springs is a decades-long project.We also have to think about what to do for now as energy supplies will decline in the short term." The Earth Policy Institute in Washington, US, believed Japan could produce 80,000 megawatts and meet more than half its electricity needs with geothermal technology. Japanese giants such as Toshiba are already global leaders in geothermal technology, with a 70 percent market share.In 2010, Fuji Electric built the world's largest geothermal factory in New Zealand. Geothermal energy is considered as a long-term program by _ . A. Yoshiyasu Takefuji B. Hideaki Matsui C. Shigeto Yamada D. Yoko Ono Answer: B. Hideaki Matsui Sam likes eating fish very much. He often buys fish in the shop and takes them home. One day his wife sees the fish and thinks, "Good! Now, I can ask my friends to have lunch and we can eat the fish. They like fish very much." When Sam comes home from work in the evening, the fish is not there and his wife says, "Oh, your cat eats it." And then she gives him some bread for his supper. Sam is angry. He thinks his wife _ . He takes the cat and his wife to a shop near his house and weighs the cat. Then he turns to his wife and says, "My fish weighs one kilo. The cat weighs one kilo, too. My cat is here, you see, then, where is my fish?" How much does the cat weigh? A. One kilo. B. Two kilos. C. One and a half kilos. D. Half a kilo. Answer: A. One kilo. Snow-melting Agent A heavy snow can kill pests and this means a good harvest next year.This will bring as well as trouble to urbanites. On Nov.16,2003,a cold air current brought a heavy snow to Beijing.To prevent traffic jams,related government departments mobilized people to clear off snow on streets. One of the most effective ways to clear off snow on roads is to scatter snow-melting agent on the roads.The major component of the snow-melting agent is salt.The snow-melting agent can make snow stop from freezing,make it easier to clear off the road,and allow traffic to flow smoothly.But it also brings about some hidden dangers.In the spring of 2003,over 300 000 trees in Beijing urban districts died.After analyzing soil around these trees,experts discovered that the salt content of these soils was 392 times higher than normal.Where did the excessive salt come from?After investigating,forestry experts found that when clearing snow in the winter,people usually heap snow containing snow-melting agent at trees' roots,and that when the snow melts,this agent penetrates the soil and increases its salt content.The snow-melting agent indirectly killed the trees. Statistics show that during a heavy snow in 2002,over 1000 tons of snow-melting agent was scatterred on streets in Beijing.Snow water containing a large amount of snow-melting agent got into the soil through sewers. In addition,salt in the snow-melting agent can expedite the corrosion of steel bars in concrete buildings and cause the concrete to crack and peel,shortening the life of roads. Scientists and government officials are required to solve traffic problems caused by heavy snows as soon as possible and at the same time try to reduce the negative effects of the snow-melting agent.This is a difficult problem placed before them.Related authorities have framed some local criteria to regulate the production and use of snow-melting agents. Now,more harmless snow-melting agents are being developed.Now that even snow-melting agents that meet today's criteria must still be used carefully,we have to rely more on our manpower and machines to clear off snow. This year,in addition to using snow-melting agents,Beijing will use a large number of snow vehicles to clear snow on roads.In more places,citizens are mobilized to clear snow with their hands.This may be a test of a city's civilization level. Salt is a snow-melting agent while _ is a cleaning agent. A. water B. soap C. a washing-machine D. a housewife Answer: B. soap Many places in the world need more fresh water . Every country is trying to find ways to turn salt water into fresh. Why aren't there many factories like the Symi factory? In some places, the sun isn't hot enough, or it doesn't shine every day. In these places other ways to heating sea water can be used. These ways cost more money, but they work faster than the sun. By boiling sea water with high heat,a lot of fresh water can be made quickly. But heating is not the only way to get fresh water from salt water. Other ways are tried. One way is freezing . The fresh part of salt water freezes first. To get fresh water, the pieces of ice are taken out. Which way is best? The one that gives the most water for the least money. It may be a different way for each place. Symi's way seems very good for small, hot places. It doesn't make very much water at a time. But the factory is easy to build and cost little. The writer is mainly talking about . A. water making factories in different countries B. the ways of making fresh water from sea water C. hot places and dry places D. how to make good use of the sunlight Answer: D. how to make good use of the sunlight
Question: One day my dad was walking home and he had a big ice-cream cone. He had chocolate and vanilla and strawberry ice-cream on top of each other. He was moving his head back and forward to some music that he was playing when a spider dropped on his ice-cream for a little bite. My dad saw right away that a spider was on it and he brushed the spider off. After the spider was put on the floor, a fly flew into his ice-cream, right where the spider had been! Oh how terrible! My dad made the spider leave and right after that he saw an alligator come running up to him wanting a bite of his ice-cream too! My dad dropped his cone, ran away, and bought a yoghurt instead. He thought about buying a dingdong, but since dinner time was so close and he had such a big lunch, he thought a yoghurt would be better. It's a much safer and better dessert. 165 words. What animals dropped on his ice-cream cone? A. A spider and a fly B. Spider and a pig C. Fly and a bee D. Spider and a bee Answer: A. A spider and a fly Question: What would potentially be attracted to a magnet? A. a zipper B. a cat C. a lightbulb D. a bench Answer: A. a zipper Question: Albert Hofmann was a Swiss Scientist who was fascinated by nature. This led him to a career in chemistry in which he sought answers to his uncertainties. He worked at Sandoz Laboratories where he nurtured his research work, and there he made a lot of success by working with various plants and changing them into something useful. He became famous when he became the first person to produce lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) . In addition, he was also the first person to taste it and learn about its hallucinogenic effects. He was deeply connected to the nature and argued that LSD, besides being useful for psychiatry , could also be used to promote awareness of mankind's place in nature. However, he was disappointed that his discovery was being carelessly used as a drug for entertainment. Because of his discovery, LSD fans have fondly called him "The father of LSD". Besides carrying out his scientific experiments, he also authored numerous books and more than 100 scientific articles. In 2007, he featured in a list of the 100 greatest living geniuses , published by The Telegraph Newspaper. Childhood & Early Life Albert Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland, on January 11, 1906. He was the eldest of four children. His father was a poor toolmaker in a factory and they lived in a rented apartment. He spent much of his childhood outdoors, and grew up with a very deep connection with nature. He had mind-blowing experiences in childhood, wherein nature was changed in magical ways that he didn't understand. These experiences caused questions in his mind, and chemistry was the scientific field which allowed him to understand them. He studied chemistry at Zurich University, and his main interest is the chemistry of plants and animals. At 23, he earned his Ph. D with honors. What led Albert Hofmann to a career in chemistry? A. His nature. B. His father. C. His family. D. His interest. Answer: D. His interest. Question: An old farmer lived with his little grandson. Every day the farmer got up early to read books. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I want to read books just like you, but I don't understand them. What are the advantages of reading?" The grandfather said, "Take this litter basket to the river and bring me back a basket of water." he boy did, but all the water _ before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, " You'll have to walk faster next time." This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. The boy said, " See Grandpa, it's useless!" So you think it is useless?" the old man said. "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It was clean, inside and out. "That's what happens when you read books. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read them, you will be changed, inside and out." The basket was _ in the end. A. light B. clean C. useless D. dirty Answer: B. clean Question: The old shopkeeper led me through to the back of the shop. The room was filled with boxes and dusty photographs of people holding packages in their hands. Mr. Hopkins said, "We have a very wide choice of items for sale. Whenever I serve a new customer, I take his picture. " Mr. Hopkins pointed to an ancient camera on a table. I began to appreciate the lovely items on sale. I spent a very pleasant hour being shown the _ in the shop. Finally, I bought an antique jewelry box, a pair of riding boots and a sewing machine. I was very excited that I had found such a good little shop. "I will tell all my friends about your love-ly place. " I told the shopkeeper. "Please don't do that, sir. " said Mr. Hopkins. "This is a special place for special people. You must keep this shop a secret. " Then he took my photograph and handed me the picture straight away. " That was quick ! " I exclaimed. In the picture I looked proud and excited holding the presents I had bought there. On Christmas Day, my friends and relatives were delighted with the presents I had bought for them. For weeks, my brother begged me to take him to the wonderful little shop. I finally agreed. We walked along Oxford Street, past the department store and found---nothing. In its place was an empty space being used as a car park. I checked the area again. There was the music shop, and there was the department store. In between should have been Hopkins and Son, but it wasn't there. Just then, an old policeman came. "Are you looking for something, sir?" he asked. "I am looking for a little shop called Hopkins and Son. " "Oh yes, there was a shop here 'once called Hopkins and Son. But it was knocked down over 30 years ago. " I looked again at the place, then I reached into my pocket and took out the photograph that Mr. Hop-kins had taken of me holding my presents in the little shop. " How strange ! " I screamed. What did the author think of Hopkins and Son? A. Big and modem. B. Old and outdated. C. Little and dusty. D. Lovely and wonderful. Answer: D. Lovely and wonderful.
Some time ago I received a gift from both of my children. It had nothing to do with Father's Day. Yet, at the same time it had everything to do with Father's Day. My son was studying in a high school in Colorado. He lived in the school. While we were talking on the phone he shared some wonderful news with me. He said, "You know Dad, I am really happy with my life. I can't think of a thing that I would change about the way that I grew up, or the way that my life is now. " My daughter was living with her mother in Northern California at that time. She said almost the same thing to me just a few days later. Of course, I was delighted to hear this from both of them. And I told them both how happy I was, not only that they were happy ,but that they expressed it to me. And that was the gift that they were giving me ---with the heart to communicate. Certainly I hope for good news when I hear from them. But mostly I love that they will share their real feelings with me. Happy or sad, I love to be touched by their real thoughts and feelings. For a child, Father's Day isn't really about giving Dad a gift. It is about understanding the love that fathers express when they help put food on the table, teach their child to ride a bike, cheer at a soccer game, etc. For a father, Father's Day isn't so much about receiving gifts for a job well done. Remember, the greatest gift that we give our children is the real expression of our love. It isn't enough for them to feel love inside ourselves: we need to express that love. The writer's daughter _ . A loved her mother more than him B was studying in Colorado C told him she was happy with her life D once lived alone Answer: C. told him she was happy with her life In films, dads change from cruel men to loving souls. Here is a list of good and bad movies dads .Atticus Finch in To kill a Mockingbird GOOD DAD:A man whose wife has died with a young family and a busy job as a lawyer, Gregory Peck's character in the 1962 film is one of the great heroes of American cinema Firm but fair he teaches his children respect and human decency .Harper Lee's novel gets a respectable transposition to film, thanks to Gregory Peck's perfect performance. Jack Torrance in The Shining BAD DAD: When Jack Torrance ,his wife ,Wendy ,and son, Danny ,escaped from the cold winter to the Overlook Hotel we know that Jack has hardly been a model father But when Jack becomes extremely angry and tries to murder his family with an axe, Danny used his intelligence to defeat him and left him to freeze to death. George Bailey in It's a Wonderful life GOOD DAD: James Stewart's character is a father-of-four who is saved from the edge of suicide and realizes his positive effect on others lives.Much of the film is unpleasant, with George shouting at his children as he faces financial problems. But finally the lovable father realizes the worth of his own life, the value of friendship and the importance of being a loving dad Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back BAD DAD: When the unfriendly cyborg told Luke Skywalker that he was his father ,the son's reaction says it all: "No! No!" It's hardly a joyful welcome to the family. For most of his son's life, Darth Vader has been an absent dad--and he has just cut off Luke's hand You can understand why Father's Day cards might not be available. What happened to Luke? A He lost his hand in an accident B His father changed him into a cyborg. C He discovered that he had a cruel father: D His father lived with him for most of his life. Answer: C. He discovered that he had a cruel father: Camaraderie over Competence The importance of liking people is the subject of an article in the Harvard Business Review,which has carried out an experiment to find out who we'd rather work with.Hardly surprisingly,the people we want most as our workmates are both:brilliant at their jobs and delightful human beings.And the people we want least are both unpleasant and useless.More interestingly,the authors found that,given the choice between working with lovable fools and competent jerks ,we irresistibly choose the former.Anyway,who likes those stupid men who annoy or hurt other people?We might insist that competence matters more,but our behavior shows we stay close to the people we like and sharing information with them. What companies should therefore do is get people to like each other more.The trick here is apparently to make sure staffs come across each other as often as possible during the day.They also should be sent on bonding courses and so on to encourage friendliness and break down displeasure.However,more outdoor-activity weekends and shared coffee machines inspire no confidence at all. The reality is that people either like each other or they don't.You can't force it.Possibly you can make offices friendlier by tolerating a lot of chat,but there is a productivity cost to that.In my experience,the question of lovable fool against competent jerk may not be the right one.The two are interrelated:we tend not to like our workmates when they are completely hopeless.I was once quite friendly with a woman whom I later worked with.I found her to be so outstandingly bad at her job that I lost respect for her and ended up not really liking her at all.Then is there anything that companies should be doing about it? By far the most effective strategy would be to hire people who are all pretty much the same,given that similarity is one of the main determinants of whether we like each other.I think this is a pretty good idea,but no one dares recommend this anymore without offending the diversity lobby group.There is only one acceptable view on this subject:teams of similar people are bad because they stop creativity.This may be true,though I have never seen any conclusive proof of it. Not only do we like similar people,we like people who like us.So if companies want to promote more liking,they should encourage a culture where we are all nice to each other.The trouble is that this needs to be done with some skill. The author talks about her experience to show that . A people respect outstanding leaders B people tend to like optimistic workmates C a workmate's working ability is important D talkative workmates makes offices friendlier Answer: C. a workmate's working ability is important There was once a tiny pig who lived on a farm. He was a very cute animal, and he knew it. He liked to stay clean and soft and look as good as he could. When he had to go in the mud, he always wore black rain boots, a black rain hat, and a yellow rain coat. This helped keep the mud off. He didn't want it getting on his soft pink skin. This tiny pig lived with his aunt, who loved to get dirty. "You shouldn't stay so clean!" she told him. "We're pigs! We love the mud!" But the tiny pig kept wearing his boots, coat, and hat. One day, all the pigs were standing and eating their lunch. They had corn, oats, apples, and bread, and they all dug in. But the tiny pig wouldn't eat any of it. He had left his bib at home and didn't want to get his clothes dirty. He stood and looked sad as the other pigs ate their fill. They were getting brown mud all over them. "Come on," said his aunt. "You can get some bread crumbs on yourself. It's okay." But the tiny pig only stood there and looked blue. Suddenly, a car drove up. The driver was doing too fast and splashed some mud on the tiny pig. The tiny big was sad and mad. But then the people in the car got out. "Look at how cute that little muddy pig is!" said one. "He's so cute!" said the other. "Really?" said the tiny pig. "Yes!" said his aunt. "For the last time, everybody knows that pigs get muddy!" So the tiny pig went and dug in to the food with all the other pigs. He ate a big piece of bread. He got crumbs all over himself. What color rain boots did the tiny pig wear? A black B red C yellow D brown Answer: A. black After a heavy rain, a mudslide flows into a pond and mud mixes into the water. Which of the following is most likely to happen? A Fish will have more food. B Trees will be able to get more light. C Raccoons will not be able to find food. D Underwater plants will receive less light. Answer: D. Underwater plants will receive less light.
The death of languages is not a new phenomenon. Languages usually have a relatively short life span as well as a very high death rate. Only a few, including Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, Latin, have lasted more than 2,000 years. What is new, however, is the speed at which they are dying out. Europe's colonial conquests caused a sharp decline in linguistic diversity, eliminating at least 15 percent of all languages spoken at the time. Over the last 300 years, Europe has lost a dozen, and Australia has only 20 left of the 250 spoken at the end of the 18th century. The rise of nation-states has also been decisive in selecting and consolidating national languages and sidelining others. By making great efforts to establish an official language in education, the media and the civil service, national governments have deliberately tried to eliminate minority languages. This process of linguistic standardization has been boosted by industrialization and scientific progress, which have imposed new methods of communication that are swift, straightforward and practical. Language diversity came to be seen as an obstacle to trade and the spread of knowledge. Monolingualism became an ideal. More recently, the internationalization of financial markets, the spread of information by electronic media and other aspects of globalization have intensified the threat to "small" languages. A language not on the Internet is a language that "no longer exists" in the modern world. It is out of the game. The serious effects of the death of languages are evident. First of all, it is possible that if we all ended up speaking the same language, our brains would lose some of their natural capacity for linguistic inventiveness. We would never be able to figure out the origins of human language or resolve the mystery of "the first language". As each language dies, a chapter of human history closes. Multilingualism is the most accurate reflection of multiculturalism. The destruction of the first will inevitably lead to the loss of the second. Imposing a language without any links to a people's culture and way of life stifles the expression of their collective genius. A language is not only used for the main instrument of human communication. It also expresses the world vision of those who speak it, their ways of using knowledge. To safeguard languages is an urgent matter. What is the author's purpose of writing this passage? A person with a pet amphibian will likely feed it Windsurfing is a sport that combines sailing and surfing.In 1948,twenty-year-old Newman Darby first thought of using a handheld sail to contro1 a small boat.Darby did not apply for a patent for his design at first.However,he is recognized as the inventor of the first sailboard. Californians Jim Drake,a sailor and engineer,and Hoyle Schweitzer,a surfer and skier received the patent for a sailboard.They called their design a windsurfer.The early windsurfer boards measured 3.5 meters long and weighed 60 pounds.Later in the l980s,Newman Darby did apply for and receive a design patent for a one--person sailboat. In the late l940s,Newman Darby found he could control a 3-meter-long sailboat and make turns even without a rudder .In l964 he designed the first universal joint to go along with a flat bottom sailing boat.This sailboard was equipped with a universal joint,a board and a kite--shaped free sail and thus windsurfing was born. Naomi Darby,Newman's wife,was the first woman windsurfer and helped her husband build and design the first sailboard.She sailed while standing up,controlling the boat without the use of a rudder.She tilted the sail to change directions.This was something that had never been done before. Hoyle Schweitzer began producing sailboards in the early 1970s.The sport became very popular in Europe.By the late 1970s,windsurfing fever had Europe firmly in its grasp with one in every three families having a sailboard. The first windsurfing world championship was held in 1973.Windsurfing first became an Olympic sport for men in l984 and for women in l992. What is the main idea of the text? In the eyes of dog lovers, the dog is man's best friend. But for much wildlife, loose dogs may be a dangerous enemy, according to a study by a biologist from Utah State University in the US. Based on much existing research and their own case studies, Julie Young of Utah State University and four other scientists conclude that loose dogs may represent a huge danger to wildlife, especially endangered species, by hunting down or worrying them and by spreading diseases. They also found that dogs, their worldwide numbers around 500 million, can cause more damage to wildlife and livestock than wolves and other enemies of these animals. Young gave examples from the US state of Idaho, where research showed the presence of dogs reducing some deer populations. On the Navajo American Indians' reservation in northeastern Arizona, packs of loose dogs are chasing livestock. They have killed populations of small animals such as rabbits and act as a disease carrier for rabies among people and other animals, she said. Loose dogs also were to blame for distemper outbreak leading to a die-off of endangered black-footed ferrets in northwestern Wyoming in the 1980s. The phenomenon is not just limited to US; it's a global problen. Julie Young once studied three endangered species in central Asia: wild sheep, gazelles and antelope. The rate of injury and death to these animals by loose dogs was very high. In another case, Young found that dogs, not wolves, as originally suspected, were responsible for a large number of livestock killings in the mountainous Basque country between Spain and France. Authors of the new study said the problem is likely to worsen as communities expand. Then how to deal with it? Indeed, in many countries, leash laws permit punishment of dog owners whose pets chase wildlife. But lawbreakers are rarely punished because the police lack both people and money. Young has low-cost solutions to the problem for dog lovers, though. They include public dog-training programs and vaccinating dogs against rabies and other illnesses. . What is the main point of the article? New York,London,Paris and other big cities are exciting places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and to go to. You can go to different kinds of museums,plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world. But there are some problems in big cities too. It is expensive to live there and there are too many people in some places of big cities. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs,to study at good schools. But sometimes these people can't find work or a good place to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean. Some people enjoy living in big cities,others do not. Before moving to a big city,they should think about the problem of living there. Who likes living in big cities?
Question: The first Thanksgiving was in 1621. Each year, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. What do American children think of Thanksgiving? This is what some of them wrote. Thanksgiving is a holiday to say "Thank you". It means eating turkey and having a special party with your family. Thanksgiving is giving thanks to people that help you. I think it is a special holiday. You give thanks to your family and your friends. Annie Lots of people have done things for me that I like. Lots of people like to make me happy, like my mum. Many people have done things for me and make sure I am all right. I am pleased that people care about me. Most people I know give me money or presents at Thanksgiving. Sometimes people take me to visit places or ask me to their houses. I like to do nice things for other people. Also I hope people help me when I get old. Jeremy Once we were at my grandparents' house during Thanksgiving and we went to the store to buy a turkey, but they didn't have any, so we had to buy a live one. When we went out to kill it, it had gone! There was nothing left except feathers . That year we had to eat chicken instead of turkey. Eleanor I'm thankful for having a really good mum who looks after me so well and having good teachers and especially Ms. McMillan because she helps to try new things. I love all my family. I enjoy Thanksgiving because I eat turkey with all my family and I love it. Ryan Thanksgiving means _ to Annie. A. giving money to people B. doing things for others she likes C. eating turkey and having a special party with the family D. cooking dinner Answer: C. eating turkey and having a special party with the family Question: An American psychotherapist Glenn Doman wrote a best-selling book calledHow to Teach Your Baby to Readin 1963. Now translated into 17 languages, this book arose from his work with brain-damaged children in Pennsylvania. Doman and his team of specialists had wondered why brain-injured children didn't improve with treatment. Then they realized that orthodox methods of treatment only relieved the symptoms, not the problem, which of course was the brain itself. So they develop a new approach. "All we do for all the children here is to give them visual, auditory and tactile stimulation with increased frequency, intensity and duration, in recognition of the orderly way in which the brain grows," says Doman. "The result was that by 1960 we had hundreds of severely brain-injured two-year-olds who could read and understand." The team had discovered that even children who had half their brains removed could, by stimulation, achieve higher IQs than the average normal child. Then the team began to think if such amazing results could be achieved with brain-damaged children, what would happen if the same treatment were given to normal children? So eight years ago the Better Baby Institute was opened for the benefit of normal children. The same stimulating environment was provided, and by the time the children left, around seven years old, they could generally speak and read three foreign languages, play a musical instrument, read three full-length books a week and do all the other things that a so-called "normal" child could do. In Doman's view, the child's passion to learn during the years up to six must be fed. He believes that, like muscles, the brain develops with use, especially so in those first few years. Nowadays, parents come from all over the world to Pennsylvania to see and learn from the workof Doman and his team; they want to discover how they can fulfill their roles as nature's teachers, by using their love, understanding and instincts for the benefit of the children. For in the words of Doman, "every child born has a greater potential intelligence than Leonardo da Vinci used". Parents come to the Institute because they want _ . A. their children to become as intelligent as Leonardo da Vinci B. to learn how to teach their children about nature C. to develop their own abilities to help their children D. their children to develop instincts of love and understand Answer: C. to develop their own abilities to help their children Question: There are many theories about how drama came into being in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama developed gradually from ceremonies. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world as unpredictable, and they sought through various means to control these unknown powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then kept and repeated until they hardened into fixed ceremonies. Eventually stories arose which explained the mysteries of the ceremonies. As time passed, some of them were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths , provided materials for art and drama Those who believe that drama came out of ceremonies also argue that those ceremonies contained the seed of theater because music, dance, and masks were almost always used. In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the rules of ceremonies, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and performed the desired effect by gestures -- success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun -- as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities. Another theory finds out the theater came from the human Interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other events) are gradually formed, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a speaker and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person A closely related theory about drama _ those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds. The best title for the text would be _ . A. The Development of Drama B. The History of Drama C. The Origin of Drama D. The Popularity of Drama Answer: C. The Origin of Drama Question: First lady Michelle Obama urged students to visit China at the "100,000 Strong" China Study Abroad Forum at Howard University. President Barack Obama announced the "100,000 Strong" Initiative during his 2009 visit to China. The program aims to increase the number of American students studying in China by making study abroad more affordable. During the event at Howard, Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of studying abroad. "Studying in a country like China is about so much more than just improving your own prospects in the global market. The fact is that with every friendship you make and every bond of trust you establish you are shaping an image of America projected to the rest of the world and making America known better." she said. Mrs. Obama encouraged students to set aside the opinion that studying abroad is for "rich kids only" or for those attending "certain schools". The first lady also announced that the Chinese government is giving 10,000 "Bridge Scholarships" to cover costs for American students studying in China. Some students who had studied in China shared their experiences. David Marzban from Pepperdine University recalled a time when he formed a cross-cultural bond with a complete stranger at a restaurant near Fudan University in Shanghai. He noticed a young chef signaling him to come over. "He pressed the play button on his media player and started singing California Dreaming and wanted me to sing along with him," Marzban said. "At that time I knew a great friendship had started during my first two weeks in China." Nicole Baden from Howard University recalled how her time in China really helped her master the language. "You have to experience the culture while learning the language to really master it to understand why things are how they are compared to your own culture," Baden said. 12-year-old Sarah Davis, who studied in China last summer, said she was very excited to hear Michelle Obama talk about the country. "I love Chinese. Out of all the languages I've learned, Chinese is the most difficult and interesting." She said. According to Mrs. Obama, _ . A. American students used to be unable to study abroad B. Studying in China can make American students' future better C. the Chinese government will offer all the US students scholarships D. American students' studying in China helps improve the relationship between China and the US Answer: B. Studying in China can make American students' future better Question: One of the most famous scientists to study adaptations was Charles Darwin . He was born in England in 1809. He wasn't the best student in his school, but when he was 16, his father sent him to a medical school. Charles liked spending time outdoors observing nature more than having medical classes. He dropped out without graduating. Next, Charles' father sent him to school to become a minister . This time he made it to graduation, but he didn't want to do the work of a minister. His friends encouraged him to follow his interest in science. Luckily, Charles was invited to sail on the Beagle as an unpaid scientist after graduation. The Beagle was to travel to South America and then around the world. Their task was to make maps of the places they visited. On December 27th, 1831. Charles Darwin sailed from England on the Beagle. The trip was planned to last two years. In fact, it lasted five. During this time, he saw many amazing things. He collected lots of plants and animals and took them back to England to begin his scientific study. Twenty-three years later, Darwin published a scientific paper with another man named Wallace. Darwin described how some animals have adaptations that help them survive. _ are passed on to offspring . Darwin's ideas about adaptations are still very important to the study of living things. When Darwin published the scientific paper, he was _ years old. A. twenty B. twenty-three C. forty-five D. fifty Answer: D. fifty
Question: We do the shopping on Sundays . I often go to the supermarket with my mother on Sunday morning in a car . Father likes fruit very much. We buy some red apples for him. Mother likes yellow bananas , but they're green. "Look! The strawberries are very nice, mum. Do you like them?" I say to Mum. "Yes, I like strawberries very much . " Mother buys some for herself. The oranges are very nice. Mother buys some for me . I like orange very much. We need some vegetables . The vegetables in the supermarket are very good . We buy some tomatoes, carrots and broccoli . I don't like broccoli, but my parents like it . I like carrots very much. We buy lots of carrots. After shopping , mother and I have some French fries, milk and ice cream. And then we go back home with the fruit and vegetables . My parents like _ , but I don't like it . A. tomatoes B. strawberries C. carrots D. broccoli Answer: D. broccoli Question: The earth is not the only body that travels around the sun. With it are eight other planets, fellow members of the sun's family. Two of them, Mercury and Venus, are nearer while the other six, namely Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, also in their given order from the sun, are farther from the sun than the earth is. The farther they are, the longer trips they make around the sun. People noticed long ago that these traveling bodies moved around in the sky in definite paths. It is a force called gravity that holds them in their paths. We know that every little bit of matter in the universe pulls upon every other bit of matter. The pull between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses. Because the sun is so large the pull between the sun and the planets are thus great. If it were not for this pull, the planets would fly off into space. In the same way there exists a pull between the earth and the moon, which keeps the moon traveling in its orbit around our planet, the earth. Gravity holds you to its surface, and pulls back to it the ball which you throw into the air. Of course the ball also pulls on the larger earth but the earth is so much larger that the pull is not noticed. Now remember that large bodies exert a greater pull than smaller ones which contain less material. But each object in the universe, no matter how small, pulls on all other objects to some degree. From the passage we can see _ A. all the objects, big or small, must exert the same pull on one another B. large objects exert the same pull on anybody as small objects C. small objects exert the same on large ones D. each object in the universe exerts a pull on all other objects Answer: D. each object in the universe exerts a pull on all other objects Question: Dear Amy, My husband is a loving, creative and sensitive person who is 15 years my senior. (I am in my mid-30s.) Now I still struggle with my ups and downs, and he is still broke. I have continually asked my husband to get a job. I know he's trying, but even a part-time job at a convenience store would make ends meet. His former profession as a freelance producer dropped off with the economy, and while he tries hard to find work in his field, he is extremely unwilling to accept the fact that he may need to get a "regular"job. I love him very much, but I can't continue to keep my frustration bottled up. I tell myself I'm going to leave him if he doesn't find work, but I really want to stay together. How should I handle this? Round the Bend Dear Round, Having been a freelancer for many years, I assure you (and him) that the true meaning of freelancing is that you have the freedom to accept a variety of jobs, as well as the responsibility to make a living between jobs. Freelancers teach, tend bar, sell things door to door and do anything it takes to bring home the money. Volunteering is also a wonderful way to keep busy and meet new people. Amy Dear Amy, "Joan" was a 50-year-old reader who wants to spend her parents' gift (money) on a trip to India. Her retirement fund is less than half of what she will need for retirement. It's also clear that she hasn't budgeted monthly for car repairs and other out-of-pocket expenses. In your answer, you encourage her to go. She's 50 and the clock is ticking! How will she feel about the trip she took when she turns 70 when she can't afford to retire? Maybe there are other ways she can experience Indian food, culture, history and art without spending the entire sum of money. When her "health slows her down." she may wish she had kept a rainy-day fund. Realistic Reader Dear Realistic, Your argument is very logical and realistic, but there are also times when you have to go for it. I hope she does. Amy According to Realistic Reader, when Joan retires she would feel _ about her trip if she took it now. A. worthwhile B. regretful C. excited D. sad Answer: B. regretful Question: Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way. I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception . My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables. The place was simple, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me. In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk. She loved to tell how my playpen sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower". As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit the farm every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she _ . Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me. My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note. Then the radio announcer of this oldie station came on. "Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began. I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves. "Come down, come down from your Ivory Tower...". Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _ A. Cherish life B. My happy childhood C. Our small farmhouse D. Mom's music Answer: D. Mom's music Question: Mr. Peter Johnson, aged twenty-three, battled for half an hour to escape from his trapped car yesterday when it landed upside down in three feet of water. Mr. Johnson took the only escape route -- through the boot . Mr. Johnson's car had finished up in a ditch at Romney Marsin, Kent after skidding on ice and hitting a bank."Fortunately, the water began to come in only slowly", he said. "I couldn't force the doors because they were jammed against the walls of the ditch and dared not open the windows because I knew water would come flooding in." Mr. Johnson, a sweet salesman of Sitting Home, Kent, first tried to attract the attention of other drivers by sounding the horn and hammering on the roof and boot. Then he began his struggle to escape. Later he said, "It was really a half penny that saved my life. It was the only coin I had in my pocket and I used it to open the back seat to get into the boot. I hammered desperately trying to make someone hear, but no help came." It took ten minutes to open the seat, and a further five minutes to clear the sweet samples from the boot. Then Mr. Johnson found a tool and began to work on the boot lock. Fifteen minutes passed by."It was the only chance I had. _ , but as soon as I moved the boot lid, the water and mud poured in. I forced the lid down into the mud and climbed out of my car as it filled up." His hands and arm cut and bruised, Mr.Johnson got to Beckett Farm nearby, where he was looked after by the farmer's wife, Mrs.Lucy Bates. Covered with a blanket, he said,"That thirty minutes seemed like hours.""Only the tips of the car wheels were visible,"police said last night. The vehicle had sunk into two feet of mud at the bottom of the ditch." What would be the best title for this passage? A. The story of Mr. Johnson, a sweet salesman B. Car boot can serve as the best escape route C. The driver survived a terrible car accident D. The driver escaped through the car boot Answer: D. The driver escaped through the car boot
For all dinner tables, a glass of milk seems to be a must. At least it was when I was growing up. It is widely believed that milk is a must in building strong bones and teeth. There's no doubt that dairy products, especially milk, are high in protein and calcium, and Vitamin D and Vitamin A are added to most milk products. While it's well known that our bones need calcium, some studies suggest that high calcium intake doesn't necessarily lower a person's risk for fractures . A Harvard study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk had no greater protection from breaking a bone than those who drank a glass or less a week. There is no doubt that we need calcium. Some anti-dairy supporters claim dairy products can lead to heart disease. Much of this claim is based on high-fat dairy products, like cheese and cream, which may indeed lead to some health problems. Some studies have linked high milk intakes with a risk of prostate cancer; this seems also to be caused by high-fat dairy products, but not by dairy products in general. Although milk has always been regarded as the most important thing we need for our bones, one of the most important things in strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis is weight-bearing exercise, such as jogging, walking, and weight lifting. Perhaps we should think of dairy products as less like a nutrient and more like a food. If you like it, eat it. If not, find something else to eat. Some claims may not be completely true. When I eat cream, I'm not thinking about calcium, protein, or any such thing. I'm thinking it is delicious. What can we learn from the passage? Some dairy products may harm our health. The round trip will cost at least $4.800 in all. Some more fees may also need to be spent. I hope you will have a good trip. DAY 1 Leave the USA for China. Your flight will include meals. drinks. and in-flight entertainment for your journey. DAY 2 Arrive and check in at your hotel: Beijing Hotel. You will only need to payY=560 (70% "discounts off) per night for a single room. DAY 3 In the morning we will go by subway to the Olympic Green and see the Bird's Nest. In the afternoon. we will visit the Water Cube. DAY 4 Enjoy a full-day tour to the Forbidden City. the Temple of Heaven and the Confucius Temple. We will begin at Tiananmen Square and then walk to the Forbidden City. In the afternoon. we will visit the Temple of Heaven and the Confucius Temple: DAY 5 We will visit Beijing Zoo and the Summer Palace. First stop: Beijing Zoo. You have a chance to see China's most cherished native animal. panda. After lunch. we will take the bus to the Summer Palace. DAY 6 We will go to the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. DAY 7 Take off from Beijing Capital International Airport. Which will be the route on Day 3 and Day 4? The Olympic Green-- the Forbidden City-- the Temple of Heaven-- the Confucius Temple. Hello! I'm Sandy .I'm a Grade 8 students.I study at a secondy school .Now let me tell you about my school life. I get up at 6:15 a.m.Then I have my breakfast at six thirty. I go to school by bus .My home is about five kilometers away.from school.This often takes me 20 minutes.The first school begins at eight every morning.I usually have four classes in the morning and two in the afternoon.Each class lasts 45 minutes .I have lunch at school .I often eat rice ,meat and many vegetables.Then I can sleep about half an hour.After class, I play volleyball or football with my classmates.School is over and I go home.I spend an hour on my homework .I watch TV for half an hour . How far is her home from school? 5 kilometers. Imagine that the rules of volleyball forbid the use of hands or arms---that's sepaktakraw . It's a difficult sport, but that isn't stopping the world from picking it up. The court where sepaktakraw is played is the size of one used for badminton doubles. A net and a plastic ball a little larger than a baseball are used. Two teams of three players(left inside, right inside, and server) take their places on either side. A teammate passes the ball to the server who kicks it over the net. Points are scored when the ball touches the court surface on the other side. How sepaktakraw began has been a hot topic. Many Asian cultures once had their own names and rules for it. In Thailand the sport can be found on a famous mural . It was also played to celebrate the writing of the nations' first constitution in 1933. however, various nations discussed to decide the official name and rules in 1960, At last, sepak is a Malay word for "kick", and takraw is Thai for "woven ball". International tournaments have been held for many years, but sepaktakraw continues to improve. It was introduced as an exhibition event at the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. And though no other countries can b equal to Thailand in sepaktakraw, they will show improvement. Twenty-five continents on five continents now claim active teams that play internationally. Finally, a place in the Olympic Games is also being sought. If these changes continue, sepaktakraw may soon be familiar to all. How many players are on the court in the match? 6 Win a trip to the OREGON COAST----- Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean. Build the biggest sand castle on the beach. Search tide pools for sea life. Watch the bright orange sunset over the ocean. Whether you've been to the Pacific Ocean before or have only closed your eyes and imagined it, we want to know how you would explore the Oregon Coast if you had the chance to go this summer. JUDGING 1. Clear relationship between the Essay and the Drawing 40%. 2. Creativity and skill in design and form of the Drawing 40%. 3. Expression of the passion to draw and explore 10%. 4. Journalistic quality, uncluttered nature and overall quality of the Essay 10%. PRIZE By entering, you will have the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the OREGON COAST. Activities will include: Kite flying, studying beautiful sea creatures, searching for sea life on a boat, science exploration at a science center and roasting over a beach campfire. Who may enter: The competition is open to kids aged 6-14. TEAM: Entries must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2010. How to enter Surf traveloregon.com/kids to download and print out an entry form. Be sure to mark whether you have to or have not been to the Pacific Ocean in the form. Create a drawing of the Pacific Ocean on a piece of paper using a pen or paints. Write an article of 100 words or less to explain why you want to go, what you think you would see, and what you would explore if you have never been to the Pacific Ocean, or describe your favorite memories from your last visit. Send to Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean, NG1145 17th street NW, WashingtonD.C.20036. What is the most important for the judging? The article and the drawing should be closely related.
Question: Coal is solid rock that began as organic material that was deposited in a swamp. The formation of coal suggests that A. coal is made mostly of skeletal remains of animals. B. coal is formed from magma that has solidified over time. C. it quickly becomes petrified when water is removed. D. geologic processes continue over millions of years. Answer: D Question: Now, there is a growing movement to pay the students in American schools---in some cases, even just for coming to class. Students at one school in New Mexico can earn up to three hundred dollars a year for good attendance. In Baltimore, Maryland, high scores in state graduation tests can be worth more than one hundred dollars. And a New Jersey school system plans to pay students fifty dollars a week to attend after---school tutoring programs. Schools that pay students can be found in more than one---fourth of the fifty states. Other schools pay students with food or other rewards. Robert Schaefer is a public education director. He says paying students may improve performance in the short term, but students develop false expectations for the future. He sees a lack of long term planning in these programs because of the pressure on schools to raise test scores. Public schools need to show improvement under the education reform law. Low---performing schools may lose their federal money; teachers and administrators may lose their jobs. Often these schools are in poor neighborhoods where getting students to go to school can be a continual problem. Critics say paying students sends a message that money is the only valuable reward. But some students say it makes school more exciting. And some teachers have reported getting more requests for extra help. In two thousand four, the city schools in Coshocton, Ohio, launched a program. They wanted to see if paying elementary school students as much as one hundred dollars would help in passing the state exams. Now, Eric Bettinger of Case Western Reserve University (EUCWRU) has reported mixed results. Math scores increased, but only white students were able to get paid. And there was no evidence of higher scores in reading, social studies and science. Official will decide later this year whether to continue the program. Paying students who show improvement in tests _ . A. has been done in most American schools B. is becoming a growing practice in the USA C. is not very popular with teachers D. only aims at high scores at school Answer: B Question: UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best. On a UK course you will benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies. With such a good reputation for research and education, universities and colleges in the UK attract some of the world's leading academics and professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself. The attention to quality is reflected in the UK's excellent results: Four of the top six universities in the world are in the UK. The UK is a world-leading research nation. 54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as either "world-leading" or "internationally excellent". At the most recent inspection, 97% of further education colleges were judged satisfactory or better, for their overall effectiveness. In the recent BIS Tracking International Graduate Outcomes survey, more than 88% of international higher education graduates said they were satisfied with their UK learning experience. Likewise, in the Higher Education Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively. For English language students, you'll find the UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning the language through fun and participation: Instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills. The UK's boarding schools also offer excellent teaching, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), a teacher has just 9.4 pupils on average, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. This is reflected in the results: 91% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education. How many foreign students are said to be satisfied with their learning in the UK? A. About 97%. B. Below 54%. C. 93% or so. D. Over 88%. Answer: D Question: Oyster What is an Oyster card? Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus,Tube,tram,Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and National Rail journeys in London You can store your travel cards, Bus & Tram Pass, season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go. Where to get an Oyster card? There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card: * At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops * At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices * At some National Rail stations * At London Travel information Centres * Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster How to use an Oyster card? To pay the correct fare on the Tube , DLR, London Overground and National Rail services, you must always touch in on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey, and touch out at the end. If you don't, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be charged. When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey. What happens if I don't visit London very often? Don't worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire ,so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend. Fares Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6) Adult Oyster single fare PS 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 - 19:00 PS 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays Adult single cash fare PS 5.00 For further information,visit tfl.gov. uk /fares. You can get an Oyster card at the following places EXCEPT _ . A. on the website B. at an Oyster Ticket stop C. at a post office D. at a Tube station Answer: C Question: Just as some people think that certain numbers are lucky or unlucky, others believe that we can use numbers to understand our personalities, or predict what will happen to us in the future. Numerology is a way of using numbers to describe a person's character, and to make predictions about future life events. Numerologists use the numbers 1-9, 11 and 22 -- also known as the "master" numbers -- to help a person understand his or her personality, life goals, and destiny. Numerologists consider yourLife Path number to be the most significant because this number describes your character. To find this number, add together all the numbers in your date of birth. For example, a person born on April 25, 1985 would add the month (4), to the numbers of the date (2+5), plus the numbers of the birth year (1+9+8+5). In this case the total is 34, so this person's life path number is 7(3+4). Numerologists believe that people with this number are peaceful and affectionate but can also be very reserved. Your Expression numberdescribes your talents and predicts how you should use these to fulfill your destiny in life. Numerologists assign a number between 1 and 9 to each of the letters in your name. These numbers are then added together in the same way as before to find your Expression number. Numerologists can also do calculations to predict when the most challenging periods of your life will be. Numerologists also believe that the day a person is born is important. Each day of the month has a character description. People born on the fourth are said to be responsible, honest, and stubborn. People born on the fifteenth have very strong attachments to family and home. Those who celebrate their birthday on the thirtieth are artistic, creative, and imaginative, and often make good writers. If we calculate the numerical value of our name and birth date, numerologists believe that we can learn more about our personalities. They also believe that we can predict our destinies, how our lives will progress, and what challenges we may face along the way. To the numerologist, numbers can be used in many more ways than we think. To understand your abilities and how to use them in your life, you should calculate your _ . A. Life Path number B. Expression number C. birthday D. name and birth date Answer: B
The best swimmers tend to be tall and thin with long arms, long legs, long feet, and long hands. The size of their hands gives them great "water grasp", and only a very small hand movement keeps them afloat. They also have great strength, endurance, insulation against heat loss while in water below body temperature, thus better energy conservation, low resistance when in the water, and swimming stroke mechanics . Part of the reason why some people are better swimmers than others has to do with body density. The average person's body density is slightly less than that of water. Muscle has greater density than fat. Therefore, very muscular people tend to be poor at staying afloat. Bone has greater density than fat. Therefore, very skinny people tend to be poor at staying afloat. Good buoyancy is not necessarily the most important factor in good swimming, but it certainly helps. For example, great competitive swimmers--tall, thin, and usually more muscular than average--tend to have greater body density than average and less buoyancy. Many would not float very well if they remained motionless in the water. Their much greater "water grasp" makes up for it. www.ks5u.com The average woman contains a higher proportion of fat in her body than the average man, and the average man contains a higher proportion of muscle in his body than the average woman. Therefore, in general, women are better floaters than men. Compared with other competitive sports, the performance of women is closer to that of men in competitive swimming. What can we learn from the passage about body density? A Higher body density reduces swimming ability. B A person's body density decides one's swimming ability. C Fat people can always swim faster than thin people. D People with a lower proportion of muscle can hardly swim. Answer: A. Higher body density reduces swimming ability. Oscar purchased a large bottle of No-Flake dandruff shampoo, manufactured by Shampoo Company. The box containing the bottle stated in part: "CAUTION--Use only 1 capful at most once a day. Greater use may cause severe damage to the scalp." Oscar read the writing on the box, removed the bottle, and threw the box away. Oscar's roommate, bottle, and threw the box away. Oscar's roommate, Paul, asked to use the No-Flake, and Oscar said, "Be careful not to use too much." Paul thereafter used No-Flake twice a day, applying two or three capfuls each time, notwithstanding the label statement that read: "Use no more than one capful per day. See box instructions." The more he used No-Flake, the more inflamed his scalp became, the more it itched, and the more he used. After three weeks of such use, Paul finally consulted a doctor who diagnosed his problem as a serious and irreversible case of dermatitis caused by excessive exposure to the active ingredients in No-Flake. These ingredients are uniquely effective at controlling dandruff, but there is no way to remove a remote risk to a small percentage of persons who may contract dermatitis as the result of applying for prolonged periods of time amounts of No-Flake substantially in excess of the directions. This jurisdiction adheres to the traditional common-law rules pertaining to contributory negligence and assumption of risk. Based upon the foregoing facts, if Paul sues Shampoo Company to recover damages for his dermatitis, his most promising theory of liability will be that the No-Flake shampoo A had an unreasonably dangerous manufacturing defect. B had an unreasonably dangerous design defect. C was inherently dangerous. D was inadequately labeled to warn of its dangers. Answer: D. was inadequately labeled to warn of its dangers. One day ,a woman got on a bus with a child in her arms. The woman sat down next to _ The old woman took a look at the child and said in a low voice to her husband," Look at the child. He's so ugly ." The woman heard what the old woman said and began to cry. She cried and cried and no one could stop her. When the bus came to a stop, a young man got on the bus with some bananas and sat at the back of the bus. He saw the woman crying, so he went over and said to her," Oh, come, please don't cry any more. You look very ugly when you are crying." The woman didn't stop crying. Instead, she cried even harder. The young man didn't know what he could do. Suddenly he noticed the bananas in his hand and had a good idea. So he said again to the woman, "Well, if you stop crying, I will give your monkey some bananas to eat." What the young man said at the end of the story shows that _ . A the child became a monkey B the child was very ugly C the young man was very kind D the woman loved her child Answer: B. the child was very ugly By the age of almost four, Elijah Edney has never had a haircut in his life. But now he can ' t wait to visit the barber's - for two reasons: losing his two - foot - long golden hair will mean that strangers stop mistaking him for a girl; the hair will be donated to charity to provide a wig for a child with cancer. Mrs. Edney, who works in a restaurant, says, "Elijah has always had beautiful hair, so I let him grow it as he w8nted. It' s like silk. But now it is at a stage where people mistake him for a girl and he wants it cut into a boy's haircut. " Mrs. Edney and her husband want to collect enough money-PS350-to process Elijah's hair for a sick child. She says, "I couldn't bear to see all Elijah's beautiful hair go to waste and my mum mentioned charities that have human hair made into wigs. " Mrs. Edney says, "If we can raise the amount we want, it will mean a family will not have to pay for the wig and can receive it for free. When you've got children yourself, you hope that if they lost their hair someone would do the same for them by donating their hair. " The two-foot-long hair will be donated to the Little Princess Trust to make a wig for children suffering cancer. Elijah keeps telling people he is giving his hair to poor princesses and he is so excited about it. A spokesman for the Little Princess Trust says, "We're very grateful to anyone who decides to have their hair cut to donate it to the Little Princess Trust. As a result of hair donations like this, the charity receives real-hair wigs for free to pass on to families whose children have sadly lost their own hair through cancer treatment. " Who first thought of charities that use human hair? A Elijah's father. B Elijah's mother. C Elijah himself. D Elijah's grandmother. Answer: D. Elijah's grandmother. A recent report has suggested that air pollution in our big cities could be as damaging to our health. The report put forward practical tips that city people can take to reduce their exposure to city air pollution. Quite a lot, it turns out. * Watch where you walk Avoid walking along busy streets and thoroughfares , instead choosing side streets and parks. because pollution levels can fall by a factor of 10 just by moving a few metres away from the main source of the pollution - exhaust fumes. " Don't walk behind smokers, and walk on the windward, side of the street where exposure to pollutants can be 50% less than on the leewardside. * Pavement sense When you're crossing a road, stand well back from the kerb while you wait for the lights to change. Every metre really does count when you are close to traffic. As the traffic moves, the gases can disappear in just a few seconds, particularly if the wind is up, which means holding your breath during this period can make a difference, silly as that might sound. Besides, cross the road as quickly as possible. And once you're over, continue along the pavement as far away from the kerb as possible. * Where to sit on the bus Sitting on the driver's side of a bus can increase your exposure by 10% compared with sitting on the side nearest to the pavement. And sitting upstairs on a double-decker can reduce your exposure too. It's difficult to say whether travelling on an underground train is better or worse than taking the bus, but the air pollution on underground trains tends to be less toxic by weight than that found at street level. * Wear a mask Masks can be a good thing, but they only make a difference if they fit tightly and are cleaned regularly. Even the slightest gap to allow you to breathe more easily will _ any advantages. Worse, if you fail to clean or change the mask regularly, something dangerous can form on the mask. So the air you breathe is dirtier rather than cleaner. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage? A when you are close to traffic, it is not advisable to hold your breath a while B Cross the street as quickly as possible when waiting for the light to change C Travelling on an underground train is better than taking the bus. D Don't get close to traffic whenever it is possible. Answer: D. Don't get close to traffic whenever it is possible.
Question: There are four main areas when it comes to your dog's body language -- his ears and face, eyes, nose and tail. If you pay attention to those things, you'll find you are able to easily understand how your dog is feeling. Ears and face The head of a dog is more expressive than you think. If you say a word that he recognizes, like his name or something you say often, his ears will get up. His mouth is another good instruction. A mouth that is wide open to pant with some sound suggests that the dog is happy -- some people even say when a dog is panting, he is laughing as he cools himself. A tongue sticking out suggests that the dog is in a good mood. Eyes To a dog, purple and blue are both seen as shades of blue. Red is seen as black or dark grey. Orange, yellow and green are seen as various shades of yellow. This means that, to a dog, bright orange toys are the same yellow shade. If you want your dog to clearly see his toys in the green grass you'd better give the dog blue toys; if you have orange, yellow or green toys, the dog will be able to find them with his nose. Nose A dog can both sniff and breathe through his nose. Breathing is for air, but when dogs sniff with short breaths they are actually following some scents with his keen nose. When a dog is overheated, his sense of smell is reduced by as much as 40 percent and he uses the air to cool himself rather than for smelling. Puppies' noses can help find their mother when their eyes and ears are closed. The function will disappear by the time they are adults. Tail Lastly, you need to pay attention to your dog's tail, because it shows what he is thinking and feeling. A dog that is in a good mood will have a tail that seems to be going a mile a minute -- wagging, and excited. However, an angry or frightened dog will have his tail between his legs. Why does your dog use his nose when looking for orange, yellow or green toys in the grass? A. Because he wants to show how keen his nose is. B. Because his nose is keener than his eyes in the open air. C. Because he can't tell the difference between toys and grass. D. Because these colors are all shades of yellow in his eyes. Answer: D. Because these colors are all shades of yellow in his eyes. Question: A pair of giant pandas from southwest China's Sichuan Province arrived at their new home in Belgium's Pairi Daiza zoo, some 60km southwest of downtown Brussels, at around 15:00 local time (1400GMT) on February 23, 2014. About 2,500 people, many of them excited children waving national flags of China and Belgium as well as panda-decorated flags or wearing costume of Panda greeted the pandas along the road to the zoo. Visitors today can only observe the pandas through a closed-circuit television system in the reception. Officials said they wanted the pandas fully adapted to their new home before making public _ in April. The pandas, Xing Hui, the male and Hao Hao, the female, are both 4 years old and are on lease from a breeding center in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The lease term is 15 years, according to officials with the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, the world's largest research base for the species. "It's a good thing for Belgium." Nicole Duflot, a grandmother coming to the zoo with her husband and her grandson told Xinhua, "We can't see the Panda today but it's a great thing for us to come here." The Pandas will be living in a panda hall of 5,300 square meters within the zoo. "I hope Xing Hui and Hao Hao will enhance friendship between Belgium and China." Liao Liqiang, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium, said during an interview with Xinhua. What was the main purpose of China leasing pandas to Belgium? A. We were supposed to make money from Belgium. B. We meant to improve the relationship between China and Belgium. C. We expected to amuse the Belgian children. D. We wanted to make the pandas adapt to the environment abroad. Answer: B. We meant to improve the relationship between China and Belgium. Question: It turns out that nodding off in class may not be such a bad idea after all, as a new study has shown that going to sleep shortly after learning new material is the best way to remember it. According to US lead author Jessica Payne, a psychologist at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, nodding off after learning something new is like "telling" the sleeping brain what to remember. Along with colleagues, she studied 207 students who habitually slept for at least six hours per night.Participants were casually selected to study declarative , semantically related or unrelated word pairs at 9am or 9pm, and returned for testing 30 minutes, 12 hours or 24 ours later. Declarative memory refers to the ability to remember facts and events with awareness, and can be broken down into episodic memory (memory for events) and semantic memory (memory for facts about the world).People routinely use both types of memory every day--recalling where we parked today or learning how a colleague prefers to be addressed. At the 12-hour retest, memory overall was better following a night of sleep compared to a day of wakefulness. At the 24-hour retest, with all subjects having received both a full night of sleep and a full day of wakefulness, subjects' memories were better when sleep occurred shortly after learning, rather than following a full day of wakefulness. "Our study confirms that sleeping directly after learning something new is beneficial for memory.What's new about this study is that we tried to shine light on sleep's influence on both types of declarative memory by studying semantically unrelated and related word pairs," Payne said. "Since we found that sleeping soon after learning benefited both types of memory, this means that it would be a good thing to practise any information you need to remember just before going to bed.In some sense, you may be 'telling' the sleeping brain what to remember." The 24-hour retest shows that subjects' memories were better following _ . A. a full day of sleep B. a full day of wakefulness C. a sleep shortly after learning D. a night of sleep after learning Answer: C. a sleep shortly after learning Question: Miss Gogers taught physics in a New York school. Last month she explained to one of her classes about sound, and she decided to test them to see how successful she had been in her explanation. She said to them, "Now I have a brother in Los Angeles. If I was calling him on the phone and at the same time you were 75 feet away, listening to me from across the street, which of you would hear what I said earlier, my brother or you and for what reason?" Tom at once answered, "Your brother. Because electricity travels faster than sound waves." "That's every good," Miss Gogers answered; but then one of the girls raised her hand, and Miss Gogers said. "Yes, Kate." "I disagree," Kate said. "Your brother would hear you earlier because when it's 11 o'clock here it's only 8 o'clock in Los Angeles." Miss Gogers was teaching her class _ . A. how to telephone B. about electricity C. about time zone D. about sound Answer: D. about sound Question: Teeth are important.Strong,healthy teeth help you chew foods that help you grow.They help you speak clearly.And,they help you look your best.Here are some _ for you to take care of your teeth. 1.Brush your teeth in the right way. Brush your teeth at least twice a day--after breakfast and lunch or after sweet snacks,too. Brush all of your teeth,not just the front ones,Spend time brushing teeth along the sides and back of your mouth.Brush away from your gums,too. Spend at least three minutes each time you brush.Play a song you like to help pass the time.Get a new toothbrush every three months.When you buy your toothbrush,be sure it has soft bristles. 2.Learn how to floss your teeth. Flossing is a very important way to keep your teeth healthy.Food may hide in places where a toothbrush cannot get to,like the space between two teeth.Flossing can help get rid of it.Carefully move floss between two teeth.Up and down.You'll need to floss your teeth at least once a day. 3.Have good eating habits. You need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Eating sugar is a major of tooth decay.Eating sugar before you go to bed can make things even worse,eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink water instead of soda. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to this article? A. We should brush our teeth at least twice a day. B. Flossing can help to get rid of the food hidden between two teeth. C. One of the major causes of tooth decay is eating sugar. D. We don't have to brush our teeth if we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Answer: D. We don't have to brush our teeth if we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.
A snail's shell provides the snail with A food. B energy. C protection. D transportation. Answer: C If you are not comfortable with school learning, there is another option for you--cyberschool. Cyberschool can also provide a comprehensive teaching service that offers academic guidance and assistance. This is in order to promote the learning process and create a formal, wellstructured environment for learning to take place. The center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools" and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgment of cyberschools, they are getting more and more popular. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer, a printer, books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Even though cyberschools are therefore not technically a school, mostly they offer a fully complete and comprehensive program that covers a full school day to children up to Grade 9, after which schooling is no longer mandatory . What are educators' opinions about cyberschools? A They will take the place of traditional schools in the future. B They waste a lot of money and will do damage to the students. C They are the solution to the students who do not like to go to school. D They have brought great convenience to the students. Answer: D Criticism is judgement.A critic is a judge.A judgement study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it, or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard. Another word for criticism is appreciation.When I criticize or appreciate some objector another, I look for its good points and bad points.In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper.In other words, I always talk back to the writer. That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them.I mark the good passages to store them in my memory piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it? You might think that doing what I suggested is work.Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change. Reading exercises is a great influence on a person.If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time. Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person. Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading.It helps us to enlarge our minds.We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders.We learn to think and observe in new ways.We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading.All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously. The writer says a critic _ . A asks what he does not understand B talks back to the author C understand the background on which the works are based D looks for the good and bad points of the material he has read Answer: D More than two decades ago, a 10-year-old schoolgirl threw a bottle into the sea off the coast of Hull as she went on a ship on a family holiday, hoping to get a response from a stranger in a faraway land. Inside the bottle was a scrawled letter from Zoe Lemon, a youngster with a love of "ballet, playing the flute and the piano", who had just boarded a ship heading for a holiday in Germany. She told her expected recipients of her pet hamster and fish, both called Sparkle, and her parents who were both teachers. Miss Lemon, of Salford, Greater Manchester, soon forgot about her act of fantastic, eventually marrying and having a child herself. But this Christmas she was extremely surprised to receive a reply after 23 years. It turned out to be a reply to her letter from Piet and Jacqueline Lateur from near Rotterdam. Mr Lateur was walking his dog in the Oosterschelde dykes , near where he and his wife live in Serooskerke, when he found the bottle with Zoe's letter inside. Mrs Averianov, 33, who works in a jewellery shop, said: "It's been a bit crazy really. My parents came to visit on Christmas day and they had this letter from Europe addressed to my , Lemon. Since receiving the letter, Mrs Averianov has been in contact with Mr Lateur via email and asked to see photographs of where the bottle was found. He told her: "I am keeping your little letter on my piano. I know you are no longer a little girl but you asked me to write you so I have." Mrs Averianov's father, John Lemon, 68, had encouraged his daughter to throw the message into the sea on a family holiday and now she is considering doing the same for her five-year-old son Maksim. She said: "I'll probably wait until he's a bit older and can understand and write a letter, but maybe we'll do it by attaching it to a balloon." From , (Jan,2014) When did Zoe Lemon write the letter? A In 1990. B In 1991. C In 2013. D In 2014 Answer: A He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee. She was surprised, so as not to appear rude, she went along. As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter, "Could you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." They stared at him. He turned red, but when the salt came, he put it in his coffee and drank. Curious, she asked, "Why salt with coffee?" He explained, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing on the sea. I could feel it salty, like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are still there." She was deeply moved. A man who can admit that he's homesick must love his home and care about his family. He must be responsible. She talked too, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the start to their love story. They continued to date. She found that he met all her requirements. He was tolerant, kind, warm and careful. And to think she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee! So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said: My dearest, please forgive my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that I asked for salt instead of sugar. It was hard for me to ask for a change, so I just went ahead. I never thought that we would hit it off. Many times, I tried to tell you the truth, but I was afraid that it would ruin everything.Sweetheart, I don't exactly like salty coffee. But as it mattered so much to you, I've learnt to enjoy it. Having you with me was my greatest happiness. If I could live a second time, I hope we can be together again, even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life. What might be the women's feeling after she read the letter? A moved B cheated C hurt D angry Answer: A
A light bulb will turn on when what flows to it? Answer: zapping energy A HOLIDAY jet pilot said that he would land and call the police after a woman refused to stop smoking. He warned Maureen Harkavy, "Put that cigarette out, or I'll land the plane and have you arrested." Maureen, 47, was so shocked she wrote to the airline's chairman.But his reply was even ruder. "You seem to think you have a God-given right to pollute your neighbors' atmosphere," wrote John Ferriday of Paramount Airways. (a)Said Maureen, "I only found out about it when I was checking in.I'm a nervous flyer so I lit a cigarette during the flight.A stewardess asked me to put it out, but I said I wanted to carry on as there was no rule against smoking on the plane." She was just finishing her cigarette when the pilot arrived. (b) "I've never seen such an unpleasant letter." She said, "I don't think I'll ever fly again." But there was a funny side.Maureen explained, "We were offered duty-free cigarette from the stewardess on the plane!" (c) Mr.Ferriday went on: "Believe me, you haven't.Especially when you travel on my planes." Maureen and her husband Michael were moved to Paramount flight just before they left Portugal.But they were not told of the company's no smoking policy. (d) "He was loud and rude," said Maureen."He said if I lit another cigarette he would land the plane at Bordeaux and hand me to the French police." Later, from her home in Mosely, Birmingham, Maureen wrote to the company and received the rude reply. Maureen Harkavy _ on the plane. Answer: refused to do what she was told to Almost everyone likes dogs, and almost everyone likes to read about dogs. I have friend. He has a big police dog with the name Jack. Police dogs are very clever. Every Sunday afternoon my friend takes jack for along walk in the park. Jack likes these long walks very much. One Sunday afternoon a young man came to visit my friend. He stayed a long time. He talked and talked. Soon it was time for my friend to take Jack for walk. But the visitor still stayed. Jack became much worried. He walked around the room several times and then sat down in front of the visitor and looked at him. But the visitor paid no attention to Jack. He went on talking. At last Jack got angry. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down again in front of the visitor, but this time he took the visitor's cap in his mouth. The young visitor stayed a long time in my friend's house, didn't he? Answer: Yes, he did. Do you want to visit Disney World? However, will you worry about your pet if you go to Disney World? To meet the needs of these people, a pet hotel has been built near the Disney World Resort in Florida. The new pet hotel is named Best Friends Pet Care Resort and it is mainly open to dogs and cats. It has an area of 4,645m2. About 270 dogs and 30 cats can be kept there at the same time. Besides dogs and cats, it can also provide services for birds, pigs and rabbits. However, it can't take care of snakes and turtles now. Best Friend Pet Care Resort is a very expensive hotel. There are several types of dog rooms, such as rooms with air-conditioners and VIP rooms. There is even a "private dog park". Owners can have a high-quality vacation with their dogs there. The cats are kept in the "Kitty City". The "Kitty City" is very comfortable and clean. Workers there will clean it once a day. Apart from having good equipment, Best Friends Pet Care Resort also have other plans to meet the psychological needs of pets. Workers play music to the pets, walk with them, play with them and even read stories to them before they go to bed. "We aim to make sure that pets will have a fun vacation here, just like their owners at Disney World," said the manager of the resort. Workers from the pet care resort read stories to pets in order to_. Answer: meet the psychological needs of pets Having good etiquette at the workplace is very important to be a favorite in an office.However,it's observed that many people aren't aware of the workplace etiquette and this creates a very bad impression in the office.So it's important to know some workplace etiquette tips. Among all the workplace etiquette guidelines,the most important is to be punctual to your office.Though going late due to an emergency is okay,habitual late comers are never appreciated in any organization.By arriving at your office on time,you show that you're aware of your responsibilities and have respect for the organization.In case you feel that you would be late,call the concerned authority and report the matter to him or her. Also,a proper knowledge of the workplace email etiquette is a must.In the official emails,you need to mention the subject concisely,while at the same time include all the important details which are to be shared.You should use good and grammatically correct language while writing emails. A knowledge of telephone etiquette in the workplace is very important as well.While talking on the telephone,be polite and listen to what they're saying carefully.Only then should you say what you feel.Speak in a voice which would be heard clearly at the other end. The workplace guidelines are important even while you're dining or celebrating with your coworkers.If you get a call in between,receive it after you're permitted by the others by saying "excuse me".Don't talk loudly while eating.Greet people well and try to make them feel comfortable while being in your company. These guidelines will help you become the best employee of a company.All the best! Why should you try to be punctual? Answer: To show that you are a responsible worker.
On my first day of work at Moro Assurance, I arrived nervously, totally wet and nearly half an hour late. I had forgotten to take an umbrella, had missed the bus and was mow ready for a good scolding . It was then that I met Nicky Jonathan, the Managing Director. She was a small, birdlike woman. Her appearance gave others the impression of a nervous, easily-flustered person. I soon learnt, however, that her true character was calm, warm and kind, yet very professional. After reminding me that lateness would not be tolerated in the office, she laughingly admitted to me that she had been over an hour late in her first morning because she had lost her way, which was typical of her. After a wet, awful morning, this kind office manager led me to my seat; yet her kindness and super ability didn't stop surprising me there. During the years I worked with her, my admiration for Nicky steadily increased. Her ability to deal with several matters at once seemed almost miraculous . I remembered one occasion when nearly everyone in the office had gone down with the flu, yet Nicky managed to keep the office running smoothly without seeming stressed. The most striking thing about Nicky was her understanding towards others. _ If she sensed that something was wrong, she would call you into her office and encourage you to talk. Not only was she a good listener, but the advice she offered was always sound as well. All in all, Nicky is the most admirable person I've ever mer. I will always remember her as the "guiding light" in my working life. It can be inferred from the text that _ . A. it was winter when the author met Nicky B. Nicky may have given the author many useful suggestions C. when talking, Nicky liked listening rather than speaking D. Nicky was not respected by all the employees in the office Answer: B. Nicky may have given the author many useful suggestions While reading a book in English, every few lines of text, you run across a word or two that you don't know. You look up every new word in the dictionary. Bad move. All that does slow you down. Even electric or CD -ROM dictionaries can get in the way of your reading progress. A dictionary is like a road map. It can help you if you get lost and point you in the right direction. But if you stop to look at the "map" each time you take a step, you'll get nowhere fast. On your English learning "journey", a dictionary can be a helpful "travel companion "--if it is not overused. To help you start thinking in English, use an English-to-English dictionary. Otherwise, you will always depend on your native language and end up translating in your head. A good dictionary can help you do more than just find the meaning of a word. It can help you verify spelling, check word forms and grammar usage, find example sentence and learn pronunciation. Some dictionaries even provide exercises to teach you how to use their resources. Take time to get to know your dictionary. Learn the pronunciation symbols. Understand what the abbreviations mean. Try to master the important grammar rules. Look for charts, diagrams and lists might be useful in the future. You will discover how helpful it can be to make friends with your dictionary. And as they say, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Why do we need a good English-to-English dictionary? A. Because it is a good friend. B. Because it can help us to find the right direction if we get lost. C. Without it we'll always depend on our native language and end up translating in our head. D. Because it can help us to start thinking in English and in Chinese. Answer: C. Without it we'll always depend on our native language and end up translating in our head. The Museum of Fine Arts, located in Boston Massachusetts, was founded in 1870. The current buildings, the result of many additions and restructures of the original building, were completed in 1981. Today the museum is home to more than 25,000 square feet of exhibition space. The collection varies and includes Asian art, Egyptian Old Kingdom sculptures, and collections of silver, decorative arts, furniture drawings, costumes, and musical instruments. One special note is the Museum extensive Impressionistic collection. Work from such artists as Degas, Van Gogh, and Monet are included and available for viewing. Which of the following is NOT true about the Museum of Fine Arts? A. It is in Boston. B. It covers an area of 25,000 square feet. C. It includes art collections from different countries. D. It has a large collection of impressionistic art. Answer: B. It covers an area of 25,000 square feet. Which statement is the best description of the Milky Way galaxy? A. a collection of gases held together by inertia B. a group of planets revolving around a single star C. a collection of stars and gases with the Sun as its center D. a group of stars, dust, and planets held together by gravity Answer: D. a group of stars, dust, and planets held together by gravity Many years ago, when I was working as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Lisa. The poor little girl had a very serious disease and was dying. The doctor had done his best but no medicine really worked. The only chance to save her seemed to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother. The little boy had the same disease before and had developed the antibodies to fight the illness. The doctor talked to the little boy about what they planned to do, and asked him if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for a moment. He took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I'll do it if it can save Lisa." As the transfusion was going on, the little boy lay quietly in bed next to his sister. He looked at her and smiled all the time. When everything was done and the colour returned to his sister's face, his smile disappeared and he looked a little afraid. He looked up at the doctor and asked, " Will I start to die now?" He was too young to understand the doctor. He thought he would have to give all his blood to his sister, but he agreed. What did the boy feel when the doctor talked to him about the transfusion? A. He was unhappy to help his sister. B. He was so afraid that he refused to do anything. C. He was worried about his sister. D. He was willing to give his blood. Answer: D. He was willing to give his blood.
Will was playing his favorite song. The song was about a flower. Will stopped singing and went outside. A single star was out in the night sky. Will got hungry and went inside to get a biscuit. He also had jam with it. He didn't want chicken, gravy, or butter on his biscuit. Will sat and finished his dinner in the kitchen. Will walked over to the living room. On his way there, he put a napkin in the trashcan. When he was in the living room, it started to rain. It stopped raining and Will walked all the way to the store. When at the store, Will had a good laugh at a very silly looking dog. Will heard it start to thunder. Will looked outside to see if it was raining again, and it was not. Will was happy he didn't have to get wet walking home. He went outside smiling. What did Will put in the trashcan? Answer: In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the filmmaker Walt Disney. He had an unusual voice and he wanted to work in Disney's cartoon film for children. When Walt Disney heard Nash's voice, he said "Stop! That's our duck!" The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and wore his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audience liked him because he was lazy and greedy, and because he lost his temper very quickly. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey's eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn't a _ like Mickey. In the 1930s, 40s and 50s Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto made hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational films about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared---there were no more new cartoons. Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today's children can still see the old cartoons on television and hear that famous voice. Who made Donald Duck film? Answer: Anders conveyed her only parcel of land to Burton by a duly executed and delivered warranty deed, which provided: To have and to hold the described tract of land in fee simple, subject to the understanding that within one year from the date of the instrument said grantee shall construct and thereafter maintain and operate on said premises a public health center. The grantee, Burton, constructed a public health center on the tract within the time specified and operated it for five years. At the end of this period, Burton converted the structure into a senior citizens' recreational facility. It is conceded by all parties in interest that a senior citizens' recreational facility is not a public health center. In an appropriate action, Anders seeks a declaration that the change in the use of the facility has caused the land and structure to revert to her. In this action, Anders should Answer: A young shoemaker left his village. Along the way, he saw some ants who were very sad because a bear had destroyed their house. The shoemaker helped them rebuild it, and the ants offered to return the favor. The shoemaker followed his way and found some bees with the same problem as the ants. The young man also helped them, and the bees promised to help him in the future. Further along , the shoemaker learned that the king's daughter was in the castle of a witch . The young man decided to save her, But the witch threw him a bag of sand mixed with small seeds and told him that if he wasn't able to separate the two, she would cut off his head before the sun came out. The young man thought about his death. But his friends the ants came and helped him pass the test. The witch was very surprised. Then she took him to a room where there were thirteen girls with their faces covered. The shoemaker had to discover which one was the princess. The young man became _ but he saw a bee that landed on a girl's body. She is the true princess. When the shoemaker uncovered her face, the witch was changed into a crow. The young people fell in love and lived with animals happily. _ helped the shoemaker find the true princess. Answer: It's 8:00 a.m. and you are running out of the door. You walk outside and your handbag suddenly says, "Wait! You forgot your keys!" A talking handbag? Yes, it's true. This "smart bag" can "talk" to the things you often bring with. If you forget your keys or drop your purse, for example, the bag will tell you. How does it work? There is a "smart chip" in the bag. You put other chips on your phone, purse or keys. Then the bag and the others can "talk" to each other--and you! SMART CLOTHES These clothes change colors--while you are wearing them! Is it hot outside? Watch your jacket change from dark blue to a lighter color to protect you from the sun. Did you spill coffee on your white trousers or shirt? No problem. These smart clothes never get dirty! Which of the following sentences about a "talking handbag" is TRUE? Answer:
The human body has developed its millions of nerves to be highly aware of what goes on both inside and outside of it. This helps us to adjust to the outside world. Without our nerves and our brain, which is a system of nerves, we couldn't know what's happening. But we pay for our sensitivity. We can feel pain when the slightest thing is wrong with any part of our body. The history of torture is based on the human body being open to pain. But there is a way to handle pain. Look at the Indian fakir who sits on a bed of nails. Fakirs can put a needle right through an arm, and feel no pain. This ability that some humans have developed to handle pain should give us ideas about how the mind can deal with pain. The big thing in withstanding pain is our attitude toward it. If the dentist says, "This will hurt a little," it helps us to accept the pain. By staying relaxed, and by treating the pain as an interesting sensation , we can handle the pain without falling apart. After all, although pain is an unpleasant sensation, it is still a sensation, and sensations are the stuff of life. What is essential for people to stand pain according to the writer? Earth is a similar material as Once upon a time, there was an old man named John. John loved to eat peaches. In fact, John's whole family, including his mother Stephanie, his father Bob, and his brother James loved to eat peaches. John would eat peaches in the morning for breakfast, in the afternoon for lunch, and in the evening for dinner. John and his best friend, Rick, shared their love for peaches. One day John and Rick started a peach farm so that they would never run out of their favorite fruit. They planted hundreds of peach trees and waited for them to bear fruit. After 6 years of waiting, 1 lonely peach finally grew on one of the trees John and Rick planted. They picked the peach and brought it home. They waited until the weekend to eat it in case more peaches grew, but none did. John and Rick were sad and confused about their farm. They planted hundreds of trees and were sure that there would be thousands of peaches for them to eat in no time. Another peach never grew on their farm for 17 years. One day, a mighty crack of thunder led to a strong storm. Lightning hit the ground over and over, and John and Rick were scared their trees might be killed. The next morning, every tree on the farm had more than 10 peaches on it. John and Rick started shouting for joy. How many trees did John and Rick plant? A seismograph will be able to tell how much which thing is quivering? An international panel of experts will re-examine all data gathered in the nearly two-month hunt for the missing Malaysia jet to ensure search crews have been looking in the right place, officials said Monday. Senior officials from Malaysia, Australia and China met in the Australian capital to _ the details of the next steps in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which will center around an expanded patch of seafloor in a remote area of the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.The area became the focus of the hunt after a team of analysts calculated the plane's most likely flight path based on satellite and radar data.Starting Wednesday, that data will be re-analyzed and combined with all information gathered thus far in the search, which hasn't turned up a single piece of debris despite crews searching more than 4.6 million square kilometers of ocean. "We've got to this stage of the process where it's very sensible to go back and have a look at all of the data that has been gathered, all of the analysis that has been done and make sure there's no flaws in it, the assumptions are right, the analysis is right and conclusions are right," Angus Houston, head of the search operation, told reporters in Canberra. Investigators have been confused by a lack of hard data since the plane vanished on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.A weeks' long search for surface debris was called off last week after officials determined any debris that may have been floating has likely sunk. "Unfortunately, all of that effort has found nothing," Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss said."We've been confident on the basis of the information provided that the search area was the right one, but in practice, that confidence has not been converted into discovering any trace of the aircraft." Houston has warned the underwater search is likely to drag on for up to a year. Which of the statements is TRUE according to the two officials interviewed?
Grandmother's Favourite Doll A little girl had a doll. She loved it so much that she would treat it with great care, even though her friends would laugh at her for being so careful. As time passed, the girl grew up, moved houses, became an adult, married, had children, and finally became a lovely little old woman with many grandchildren. One day, she returned to her hometown, found her _ house, and went in. Among hundreds of old things, the now-old little girl found her doll. It was as well looked after as before. She took it home with her and gave it to her granddaughter. Her granddaughter loved it. Each time the old woman saw her granddaughter playing with the doll, tears of joy would roll down her cheeks . She was so glad to see now it was in the hands of her granddaughter. The little girl's friends laughed at her because she _ . Answer: treated her doll so carefully 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's the main idea of this passage? Answer: The advice column in the school newspaper is very popular. The forest in Senegal, a country in western Africa, is full of the chimps' usual noises. Suddenly dogs bark. Larger male chimps drop from the trees to face the threat while the others climb to safety. Then the dogs' young human masters appear. One mother chimp with a tiny baby tries to run. The dogs attack and separate them. The two teenage boys quickly catch the baby chimp. But they don't act out of sympathy --- they save the baby so they can sell it. After the teenagers return to their hometown, they visit a man who is said to be very interested in chimps. When they ask the man, Johnny Kante, if he wants to buy the baby, he replies, "That's not what we do." Kante is a member of a scientific team. Although Kante is angry with the teens for capturing the chimp, he hides his anger and persuades them to take him to the baby chimp. Unsure of what to do next upon seeing the chimp, Kante calls Jill Pruetz, the head of the chimp research team. "I'm really worried," says Pruetz, doubtful that the mother is still alive. But knowing that wild chimps sometimes adopt orphans , Kante and pruetz decide they must try to return the baby chimp to its wild community. Kante pays another visit to the teenagers. After he explains how much trouble they are in, because chimps are an endangered species, he requests they should give him the frightened baby without payment. They agree. Kante takes the baby chimp to his home and feeds her milk from a bottle whenever she cries. The next morning, Pruetz and Kante leave the baby with another team member and begin their search for the wild chimps. Pruetz quickly finds the group in the woods. She recognizes the female that is without her child. Pruetz is so excited that she runs the entire mile back to bring the baby chimp to the tree where the chimps are hanging out. The researchers place the baby on the ground near the tree and back away. Almost immediately, a male chimp drops to the ground and stares at the baby curiously. He carries her back to where the mother is waiting. Pruetz still can't believe how fortunate they were to have reunited the mother and child. "Surprising is the only word I can think of," she says. The dogs' master visit Johnny Kante to _ . Answer: sell the baby chimp 33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them. It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine. Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later. "We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said. Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. Which word can't be used to describe Urzua? Answer: Selfish Mr. Weeks is fifty years old. He's taught maths in a middle school for twenty years. He works and always comes to his office on time. He hopes his students will be honest and he is strict with them. Some of his students have become famous persons, but they still remember him and often write to him. Of course the man is proud of them. This term he began to teach Grade One. Some of the new students were told about him, but the others didn't know about him. On the first day of school he told the students how to be an honest person. He gave them some examples and said, "I don't like telling a lie." Before class was over, he told all his students to finish Exercise 8 in Lesson 1. The next morning, as soon as he came into the classroom, he asked. "Who's finished Exercise 8?" A few students raised their hands. He shook his head and said. "Open your workbooks and see if there's Exercise 8 in Lesson 1." The students had a look at their workbooks and their faces turned red at once. Some students' faces turned red because _ . Answer: they told a lie in class
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! " How many students were already dead when the father found them in the ruins? Answer: Nineteen. It's hard not to feel cheated and over-charged when you receive unexpected roaming charges while traveling abroad--whether they come from making phone calls or checking e-mails. Jeff Gardner received an $ 11,000 bill from Verizon after spending four days in Jamaica. Before the trip, Mr. Gardner, who runs a fly-fishing business in Grayling, Michigan, said he called Verizon to find out what it would cost to use his cellphone for calls and his wireless card to check e-mails while in Jamaica. He said he was told that calls would be about $ 2 a minute and that there would be no extra charges for data as he was on an unlimited plan. _ . "I don't mind paying a fair amount for fair service, but $11,000 for four days is ridiculous," said Mr. Gardner, who used his phone carefully and economically on the trip. He also tried to check and send e-mails using his wireless card, but quickly gave up after the e-mails didn't go through. Still, his Verizon bill said more than 500,000 kilobytes of data was delivered while he was in Jamaica, an amount Mr. Gardner said is 100 times what he normally uses in a month. As travelers increasingly use smart phones abroad in the same way they do at home--to check e-mails, update Facebook and Twitter and pull up online maps--many are facing costly roaming fees, which providers charge when customers use their phones outside their service area. In fact, roaming charges have gotten so out of hand that the Federal Communications Commission has proposed a plan that would require wireless companies to send their customers a voice or text message when they are approaching their plan's limit, when they have reached that limit and when they are starting to result in roaming fees. During the trip, Jeff Gardner _ . Answer: received quite poor e-mail services A shark is looking for a quick bite, so it Answer: eats an eel More than 700 years ago, Scotland was fighting with England. The King of England wanted to control Scotland. He had a strong army so it was difficult for the Scots to fight. They lost many times. King Robert of Scotland had to run from the English army. One rainy day, King Robert lay in a cave . He thought that he was not good enough to be a king. He was so worried that he didn't even see a spider near him. He looked up when he saw the spider climbing. It was trying to climb up to its web at the top of the cave but it fell down. "How sad!" thought King Robert. "The spider is like me. It's not strong enough." He watched while the spider tried again. It fell down a second time. "Be careful little spider, or you might die," he said. "Life is so hard. You'll never get back to your web." But the spider tried again and again. King Robert watched while it slowly climbed back to its web. After an hour, the spider got to the web. "You are such a great spider," he said. "If you can keep trying, I can too. I must carry on fighting. I won't let the English win." Then his army grew strong and they stopped the English army successfully. What did King Robert think of the spider at first? Answer: It was clever. "Everything happens for the best," my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment." Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way up to sports announcer. I hitchhiked to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station and got turned down every time. In one studio, a kind lady told me that big stations couldn't risk hiring an inexperienced person. "Go out in the sticks and find a small station that'll give you a chance," she said. I thumbed home to Dixon, Illinois. While there was no radio-announcing job in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I applied. The job sounded just right for me. But I wasn't hired. My disappointment must have shown. "Everything happens for the best," Mom reminded me. Dad offered me the car to job hunt. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer. As I left his office, my frustration boiled over. I asked aloud, "How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?" I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, "What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?" Then he put me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother's words: "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment." I often wonder what direction my life might have taken if I'd gotten the job at Montgomery Ward. The reason why author failed to find a job in Chicago may be that _ . Answer: he had no working experience
Air conditioning, watermelons, ice cream-we have all kinds of gadgets and food to get us through the summer. But what could be better during the hot months? The following are a few special and well-known water parks around the world. Take a good look, and know what the real water parks look like. Noah's Ark Location: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, US Noah's Ark offers many water slides. The most notable ride is the Black Anaconda. At more than 400 meters in length, it is the US' most thrilling water coaster and sends riders spiraling down at speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour. Plus, with 18 indoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells offers plenty of splashes for water lovers. Tropical Islands Resort Location: Brandenburg, Germany This resort offers the largest indoor water park in the world-at 65,961 square meters. And its indoor pool can hold 6,000 visitors at a time. As Europe's largest tropical holiday world, Tropical Islands is more than a water park. It's a fully functional resort, featuring a theme park, an artificial rainforest, a lagoon, a beach, steam baths, saunas and many shops and restaurants. There are also several water slides and other activities that people of all ages can enjoy. Las Cascada Water Park Location: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Las Cascada is well known for its unbelievable beauty. It is surrounded by tropical mountain forests and situated close to the ocean. The water ride, E1 Rio Pasivo, carries riders through the whole water park. They can see the mountains and waterfalls around it. Chimelong Water Park Location: Guangzhou, China It is one of the largest water parks in Asia. With its advanced technology, it also has many new aquatic facilities in the industry. One of the park's rides offers a tube conveyor that transports riders up a 19-meter-tall tower. The park has implemented a special water treatment system that ensures safe PH levels and removes harmful germs. Where is the article most likely to have been taken from? Answer: A travel magazine. One afternoon Peter and Jim went out for a bicycle ride. When they passed a place they saw a large area of grass and bushes on fire and a strong wind was blowing the flames towards a village. The firemen had already arrived and were trying to put out the fire. The boys left their bicycles and ran towards the village to see if they could help to fight the fire. On the way they met two firemen. "Quick, you boys," said one of the firemen. "Come and help us to pull a pump to the stream. We can't beat out the fire. The wind is too strong. The pump is our only hope." The two boys ran further until they came to a heavy pump. They helped to pull it to a stream not far from the village. Soon the pump was working well so the boys went to watch the fire. It had already reached the edge of the village. The boys saw that two houses were on fire, and the flames were attacking a third building. Suddenly there was a shout from one of the villagers. "Keep away!" a voice shouted. "There's paint stored in that building." The boys and villagers moved away quickly. With a loud explosion , the whole building burst into flames, sending clouds of thick black smoke into the sky. At this time Peter and Jim began to think that the whole village would be burnt to the ground. The firemen had left the burning buildings and were pouring water onto the neighboring houses, trying to stop the fire from spreading. Then the wind died down. A second pump was brought up to help, and the fire was gradually put out. "It's soon finished," Peter said to his friend. "We must go or we shall get home late." "Yes, come on," agreed Jim, and with a last look at the ruins, they walked back to their bicycles. The villagers were told to keep away from the fire mainly because _ . Answer: one of the buildings stored a lot of paint Tanzania is a country which has a lot of animals, such as gnus , lions, cheetahs(, elephants, giraffes, crocodiles and so on. Every year, many people in the world travel to this African country to watch the animals closely. But do you know how they travel? By bus--This is the most common way. When people get on a bus, they'll find that the bus is a little strange. It is different from the buses we often see. There are no big windows at all, but some small windows. And it looks like a cage. What are they used for? Oh, people can use it to watch animals, especially those dangerous animals, and take photos. We know that people are most interested in the lions. So when two buses meet , the drivers will stop and ask each other whether they have found lions. By boat--We can often see many people are in a boat, enjoying the beautiful scene along a river of a lake, and they can also enjoy hippos and crocodiles from a nearer distance. By hot balloon --In the early morning, when the sun is beginning to rise, a large hot balloon is also starting its journey. Taking a hot balloon makes most of the travelers excited. After some time, the balloon will land in a certain place, and the waiters will serve people a delicious and special breakfast. But the cost of taking a hot balloon is also very high. A person should pay 400 dollars for an hour's trip. Which is the most common way of traveling in Tanzania? Answer: By bus Yawning sends out certain messages -either "Oh,this movie is so boring" or "I probably need to get some sleep". But did you know that a yawn can also help your brain to cool down when it is overheated? A new study, led by a research team at Princeton University, has indicated that yawning could be the brain's natural way of regulating temperature. People yawn more often when the temperature outdoors is lower than their body temperature but are less likely to yawn when it is hotter outdoors, according to Sciencedaily. com. The research team did an experiment on 160 people, 80 in summer and 80 in winter, to examine how often they yawned at different air temperatures. The study found that people yawned more often in winter than in summer. Scientists say that when the air temperature is lower outside the body, there is heat exchange between the overheated brain and the cool air. But when the air temperature is higher than or equal to the body, people are less likely to yawn because the hot air they breathe in will make the brain even hotter. When people yawn, their jaw is also stretched,which increases blood flow and may also help cool the brain The study showed that the amount someone yawned could be related to the amount of time they spent outside. The longer they spent outside in summer, the less they yawned. Nearly 40 percent of participants yawned within their first five minutes outside, but after that the percentage was reduced to less than 10 percent. However, the result was the opposite in winter. The number of people who yawned increased when they spent more than five minutes outdoors. But the change was only slight compared to summertime. According to Gallup, this is the first report to show that yawning frequencies change depending on season. This could help us to understand better the way our brains work. It may also help us understand the reason why frequent yawning can sometimes be a sign of brain disease. Acorrding to the text,people yawn more often _ . Answer: when the air temperature is lower outside the body In many cultures white is often associated with something positive. A white-collar job, for instance, is the kind of job many people look for, working with your brain and not your hands. White has a clean and pure image. That is why doctors, dentists, and nurses usually wear white uniforms. Babies are dressed in white at baptisms and brides wear white wedding gowns at weddings. White in these cases is the symbol of innocence or purity. Sometimes white is used in expressions that are not good. "Whitewash" is one such expression. At first, "whitewash" meant to paint over something with white paint to make it look better. However, it means something different today: to hide or to cover up mistakes or failures. A "white elephant" is another example of white used in a negative way. In ancient Thailand, a white elephant was regarded as a sacred animal, but it was very expensive to keep. The kings of those days presented a white elephant to the people they wanted to ruin. Once they received this holy, royal animal as a gift, they were not allowed to sell or kill it. Today, a "white elephant" means something that is big, useless, and unwanted. In America, when people want to get rid of their furniture or clothes, they often have a "white elephant sale". From the text we can learn that _ . Answer: expressions with white have different meanings
Jerry Baldwin was 63 years old. He was manager of a pizza restaurant in America. He lived in an apartment about one mile north of the restaurant. He walked to and from the work. When it was rainy, he took the bus. Jerry loved gangster movies. When a new one came out, he would go to the theatre and watch the new movie three or four times. Jerry would also buy videos at Barney's Video Store. Jerry had a home collection of over 1,000 gangster videos. Old ones, new ones, color, black and white, English, Spanish, Japanese - he loved them all. He could tell you the names, the directors, the stars and all the details of the movies. And then he would invite you to his place to watch a gangster film some time. He was a nice man. Jerry finally decided that he would like to own a gun, just like the gangster. So he saved money for some months. Then he went to a gun store and bought a used revolver for $ 300. While there, he also bought a lot of bullets . The following Saturday morning, he went to the gun club for only ten minutes when the accident happened. The gun went off, and the bullet went into Jerry's right knee. Who was Jerry? A He was manager of a video shop. B He was gangster film lover. C He was a gangster. D He was a director. Answer: B After a day of work and play, the body needs to rest. Sleep is necessary for good health. During this time, the body recovers from the activities of the previous day. The rest that you get while sleeping enables your body to prepare itself for the next day. There are four levels of sleep, each being a little deeper than the one before. As you sleep, your muscles relax little by little. Your heart beats more slowly, and your brain slows down. After you reach the fourth level, your body shifts back and forth from one level of sleep to the other. Although your mind slows down, from time to time you will dream. Scientists who study sleep state that when dreaming occurs your eyeballs begin to move quickly (although your eyelids are closed). This stage of sleep is called REM, which stands for rapid eye movement. If you have trouble falling asleep, some people recommend breathing very slowly and very deeply. Other people believe that drinking warm milk will help make you drowsy. There is also an old suggestion that counting sheep will put you to sleep. This passage suggests that not getting enough sleep might make you _ . A dream more B have poor health C nervous D breathe quickly Answer: B Imagine that you are sitting in a park and suddenly remember that you need to send an urgent email. You have your laptop computer with you and you connect it to a wireless access point and access the Internet. Then you send your email. This wouldn't have been possible if there were no wireless Internet for laptops. Wireless Internet has come into our life in so many ways that we don't even realize what a necessary part it has become of our day-to-day lives. How do we connect to a wireless Internet service for laptop computers? There are two ways to do this. They are Wi-Fi connection and Bluetooth connection. Wireless networking is very easy. You just switch on the Wi-Fi button that has been provided in the laptop for Wi-Fi scanning. Once that is done, the computer will connect to the Internet. An interesting fact about Wi-Fi networking is that you can create a network between similar wireless equipment. Consider a situation where you and your friend both have Wi-Fi laptops, and there is some data you want to exchange. Traditional networking architecture demands that you have a wireless router . But the beauty of Wi-Fi networking technology is that you can set up a network between you and your friend's laptop, and share all the data you want. Broadband Internet connection is typically preferred by any user as it provides better speed for Internet surfing. Up until the invention of 3G mobile phones, Internet speed on mobile phones was very slow. 3G has the promise of changing the entire face of broadband technology. Just imagine browsing at speeds of more that 2MB per second. To give you a measure of the speed, 3G enables you to watch high quality live videos on the Internet. It is amazing to see how technology changes and the rate at which it changes. There may come a time when you may be able to browse using mobile wireless Internet for laptops anywhere in the world. People can enjoy a wireless Internet service for laptop computers by _ A connecting to another computer B switching off the Wi-Fi button C using bluetooth connection D connecting bluetooth to Wi-Fi Answer: C Many children use the Internet to get useful knowledge and information, and to relax in their free time. But some of them are not using it in a good way. Here are some rules to make sure you are safe and have fun on the Internet. Make rules for Internet use with your parents. For example, when you can go online, for how long and what activities you can do online. Don't give your password to anyone else, and never give out the following information: your real name ,home address, age, school, phone number or other personal information. Check with your parents before giving out a credit card number. Never send a photo of yourself to someone in e-mail unless your parents say it's OK. Check with your parents before going into a chat room. Different chat rooms have different rules and attract different kinds of people. You and your parents will want to make sure it's a right place for you. Never agree to meet someone you met on the Internet without your parent's permission. Never meet anyone you met online alone. Always remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Treat everyone online as if they were strangers. If something you see or read online makes you uncomfortable, leave the site. Tell a parent or a teacher right away. Treat other people as you'd like to be treated. Never use bad language. Remember that not everything you read on the Internet is true. If your parents don't agree, never _ . A read anything on the Internet. B have a face-to-face meeting with anyone you met online. C relax in your free time D treat other people as you'd like to be treated. Answer: B A famous teacher was speaking to the students at our school. He began his lesson by holding up a PS100 bill. Then he said to the three hundred students, "Who would like to have this PS100 bill?" The students began to put up their hands at once. Then he said, "I am going to give this bill to one of you, but first, let me do this." He then made this bill into a ball. Then he said, "Who wants it?" Hands went into the air. "Well," he said, "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. He picked up the dirty, crumpled bill and said, "Who still wants it?" _ "My friends," he said, "You've learned a valued lesson today. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it didn't go down in value. It was still worth PS100. Many times in our lives, we're dropped, crumpled, and stepped on by the chances we take and the things that happen to us. We feel as if we are worth nothing. But remember, no matter what has happened to you, you will never lose your value. You are always valuable to those who love you. Your value doesn't come from what you drop or whom you know,but WHO YOU ARE . You are special and valuable. Don't ever forget it! Even though the money was dirty, it _ . A went up in value B was worth much C didn't reduce in value D was still ours Answer: C
When we look at the moon through a telescope , we can see lines and circles . People used to think that this was the moon's face and that there was a man in the moon! This is not true. There is no man in the moon. What do we know about the moon? First of all, the moon is much smaller than the earth. Days and nights on the moon are very long. One day on the moon is as long as two weeks on the earth. One night is also as long as two weeks on the earth. In the daytime the moon is very hot and at night is very cold. The moon is very hot _ . A. all the time B. during the night C. in the daytime D. at night and in the daytime Answer: C. in the daytime You may have seen a lot of frogs, but if you haven't, you must have heard about frogs. However, have you heard about a frog that can kill a person? These small brightly colored amphibians live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. They are best known for their ability to kill persons even though they are no more than 2 inches long. If we touch their poisonous skin without proper protection (such as gloves), we may die! For animals of this size that can be so deadly, they are certainly one of the world's most poisonous animals! Who are they? They are poison arrow frogs or, simply, poison frogs. Poison frogs acquired their name from the Indians. The Indians catch and kill many of these frogs before hanging them upside down over a campfire. As the frogs get hot, the poison drips out of their skin. The Indians collect the poisonous liquid in a bottle and dip the tips of their arrows into the bottle. Once the tips are dried, they are ready to be used for their arrows for hunting. There are about 170 different types of poison arrow frogs in the world. Though most species have bright markings, either in stripes or patches, on their black bodies, some just wear noticeable single-colored coats. Their shocking skin colors-usually in yellow, red, green, blue or orange-serve as a warning sign to other animals. The sign simply says," Stay away or pay with your life!" They certainly do not bluff. Which of the following best explains the last sentence of the passage? A. Poison frogs don't want to kill others. B. Poison frogs do not just scare others. C. Poison frogs want to stop others from coming near. D. Poison frogs just pretend to be dangerous animals. Answer: B. Poison frogs do not just scare others. Once an Englishman named Larry Belmont went to Russia for a holiday. After he got back, some of his friends came. "I had a very dangerous trip while I was in Russia," Larry said. "I went to see a friend in the country when the sun went down, I was still travelling through a forest in a sleigh . It was a long way from my friend's house when about twenty wolves began to follow my sleigh." www.ks5u.com "It was very dark in the forest. There was thick snow on the ground. First I heard the wolves. The noise was terrible! Then I saw long, grey forms among the trees, and soon the wolves were near me. They were running very fast, and they didn't seem to get tired like the horses." "What did you do?" one of Larry's friends asked. "When the wolves got very near," Larry answered, "I put up my gun and shot the first wolf dead. Then all the other wolves stopped and ate it, so my sleigh got away from them for a few minutes. Then they finished their meal, and I heard them coming again. The moon was shining brightly on the snow now, and after a few minutes I saw them running among the trees once more. They came nearer again, and then I shot another one of them, and the others stopped once more to eat it. The same thing happened again, and my horses became more and more tired and ran slower and slower until, after two hours, only one wolf was still alive and following me." "Wasn't it too fat to run?" one of Larry's friends asked. According to what Larry said, the last wolf _ . A. was the strongest of all B. had eaten up all the other wolves C. ran much faster than the other wolves D. was very fat and couldn't run fast enough Answer: B. had eaten up all the other wolves The global population is living longer,and getting older,which presents new challenges. "The question becomes:who will take care of everyone? While people will always be the best caregivers for people,there just aren't enough people. That's where robotic technology can really make a difference," says Professor Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California. Her group is developing robots to work with stroke patients and elderly people. The research team has found that people react well to a robot gym instructor,and seem to get less frustrated with it than with instructions given on a computer screen. The robot can act as a perfect trainer,with infinite patience. "People say things like 'I prefer this robot to my husband!Can I take it home?'" according to Professor Mataric. "In fact there's a really important point here. As we create these care giving technologies,we're helping not only the people that need the care,but also the people caring for them. We can give them a break,and help them avoid _ ." People are going to have to like,and importantly trust robots before they welcome them into their homes,and several groups around the world are working on making it easier to communicate with them. Much of human communication takes place through body language. Gestures, eye contact , and concepts of personal space are all things that robots are being taught. In learning about how people interact with machines,researchers are also discovering new roles for robots in our lives. Robots can communicate with humans in ways that other technologies can not. "If someone finds the robot to be more persuasive and more reliable,that's going to affect how they interact with it," says Dr Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "We can now start to think about fields where it's the social interaction,which is the main means by which a robot helps someone." Dr Breazeal says that means robots could be used in education,learning,and health care,where social support is important. The scientists are presently working hard to help robots _ . A. to use less electricity B. to communicate better C. to react more quickly D. to have more functions Answer: B. to communicate better Behind the traffic noise and modernday confusion on Stoney Creek Road in Bexley lies a small but amazing piece of history.Just a century ago,Mr Harold Chapman Snr.founded Sydney's Famous Original Doll Hospital and,although the Hospital has relocated several times,you cannot help but get a sense of days gone by when you walk through the doors. In 1913 Sydney's first Doll Hospital was opened in Beamish Street.Campsie by Mr Harold Chapman Snr as part of his General Store,all beginning from a simple shipping accident.Harold's brother was in the business of importing dolls from Japan and during the shipping process the rubber bands holding the dolls together would go rotten and it was Harold who found a way to repair them.From such a small beginning grew quite a successful business as demand for doll repairs increased. The business was taken over in the 1930's by Harold's son,also Harold Chapman who relocated the Doll Hospital to Her Majesty's Arcade in Sydney where the business expanded.The real boom came in 1939 with World War II and the extreme restrictions on production and import.Suddenly new dolls were no longer an option so little children had to have their "best friends" lovingly repaired. In 1968 the Doll Hospital moved to its present location.It is now run by Mr Geoff Chapman,Harold Jnr's son.The Hospital is not only in its third generation of owners,but also its third generation of "doctors",the skills and knowledge being passed down through the family of repairers. Flipping through the "Before and After" photo album,you can see just how many wonderful repairs have been carried out and you can just imagine the stories behind them.It is estimated that the Doll Hospital has treated over 2.5 million "patients" so far--that's a lot of childhood memories revived! The Doll Hospital gives visitors a sense of days gone by possibly because _ . A. the buildings are of ageold appearance B. the design of the doors suggests old times C. they have already known the Hospital's story D. what they see reminds them of their childhood Answer: D. what they see reminds them of their childhood
One of the secrets of successful people is that they have good habits. The good habits help them to be successful. What are good habits? How can you get into good habits? Here is some advice for you. First, everyone has his merits . You should always look for the good points in people and learn from them. Second, you should try to learn new things and new skills every day. Reading a few pages of a book or a newspaper every day also helps you. Third, start the day the right way. When you get up in the morning, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you must keep your good habits today. I think the last one is the most important. No matter what good habits you decide to have, you should try to keep them. Then you can live a successful and happy life. ,. What's the main idea of the passage Upset by reading bad news daily,Neil Pasricha decided to try to focus on the positive and come up with l,000 simple,free,good things,posting one each day on a blog . Pasricha,aged 30,said his blog aimed to focus on life's simple pleasures,such as finding forgotten money in a pocket, or fixing a TV set with a heavy blow.Little did he realize his blog would attract 40,000 people a day to join his discussions.He was amazed to win two Webby awards.known as "the Oscars of the Internet,'' something positive at a time when his marriage broke up and one of his closest friends killed himself. "I turned the worst year of my life into my best year by focusing on the positive," Pasricha told reporters in a telephone interview."Every day I try to find something that is happy,free and universal to share, 1ike the smell of a bakery or when a cashier opens up a new line at a store*" Pasricha said when he began his blog in June 2008 he thought he might have trouble finding out l,000 simple, happy moments in life but now he is more than halfway through and ideas keep crowding in,from himself and from followers of his blog. "These moments can start a huge conversation.Most of our life is really about hitting green lights on the way home from work,or waking up before your alarm clock rings and realizing you have more time in bed. But it is those small moments we forget about." Although his blog got a great success.Pasrieha does not want to change his daily life."I travel regularly for an hour a day to work.I like work because I like the people in my office.I'm not a writer and I don't know the writing skills either.I just like observing the world and putting it down." he said. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? In the desert, a hawk may enjoy an occasional In the Central Valley of California, famers are reducing crop size because they do not have enough water. Last year, California had the least amount of rain since officials began keeping records. And it may be just as bad this year. Reservoirs are areas where water is stored. In California, some reservoirs are empty. The amount of snow in the Sierra Mountains is 75 percent below normal. This mountain snow melts in the spring and fills rivers. The water is used by farmers. But now, farmers are warning of the possibility of another "Dust Bowl", like the one of 1930s. Severe droughts and dust storms covered American farmlands and few crops grew. Dan Errotabere is a third generation California farmer. He grows tomatoes, walnuts, garlic and other crops in Fresno County. He says the federal agency that controls the amount of water released from dams and rivers has stopped giving him water. He and other farmers say officials are not correctly administering the water system. "The last couple of years-dry years, along with severe environmental restrictions--has now presented us with a zero allocation year", said he. Farmer may not be able to plant crops on more than 200,000 hectares of farmland in the Central Valley this spring. Mr. Errotabere will plant crops on just 80 percent of this farmland. He has enough work for only 15 of his 25 workers. Federal and state officials sometimes reduce the amount of water to farmers even in years with normal rainfall levels. The officials must supply water to the Sacramento River Delta which is home to several endangered species. Long-term solutions include conservation, recycling waste water and, building "desalinization enters". These center remove salt from seawater so _ can be used on farms. Farmers say better administration of the state's water system could also help solve the crisis. What's the main idea of the text? One day when some government officials were building a barn , they found a mouse hole in a corner and used smoke to make the mice inside the hole come out. A while later they indeed saw mice running out, one after another. Then, everyone thought that all the mice had escaped. But just as they began to clean up, they saw two mice squeezing out at the mouth of the hole. With some efforts, the mice finally got out. However, it was strange that after they came out of the hole, they didn't run away immediately. Instead, one chased after the other near the mouth of the hole. It seemed that one was trying to bite the tail of the other. Everyone was puzzled , so they stepped near to take a look. They realized that one of the mice was blind and couldn't see anything, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite on his tail so that he could pull the blind one with him to escape. After seeing what happened, everyone was speechless and lost in thought. During the meal time, the group of people sat down in a circle and started to chat about what happened to the two mice. One serious American official said, "I think the relationship between those mice was that of king and guard ." The other thought for a while and said, "That is why!" A smart Frenchman said, "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of husband and wife." Again the others thought for a while, and all felt it made sense. A Japanese said, "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of mother and son." Once again the others thought for a while, and felt this was more reasonable. So they expressed agreement another time. At that moment, one Chinese asked, "Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship?" Suddenly, the group looked back at the Chinese and stayed speechless. The American official, the French and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in shame , and did not dare to answer. In fact, the true love is not built on friendship, loyalty or blood relationship. Instead, it is based on no relationship. Why did the officials lower their heads in shame according to the passage?
Two good friends, Sam and Jason, met with a car accident on their way home one night. The next morning, Sam woke up blind. His legs were broken. The doctor, Mr Lee was standing by his bed, looking at him with a thoughtful expression. When he saw Sam awake, he asked, "How are you feeling, Sam?" Sam smiled and said, "Not bad, Doctor. Thank you for doing the operation ." Mr Lee was moved by Sam. When he was leaving, Sam said, "Please don't tell Jason about it." "... OK." Mr Lee replied. Months later when Jason's wounds _ , Sam was still very sick. Neither could he see or walk. What he could do was just stay in his wheelchair all day long. At first, Jason stayed with him for a few days. But days later, Jason felt very discouraged and embarrassed to spend time staying with a disabled man like Sam. So he went to see Sam less and less. He made new friends. From then on, he didn't go to visit Sam any more. Sam didn't have any family or friends other than Jason. He felt very sad. Things went from bad to worse. Sam died a year later. When Jason came, Mr Lee gave a letter to him. It was from Sam. In the letter Sam said, "Dear Jason, I am disabled. But I want you to be a healthy man. So I gave my eyes to you so that you can enjoy life as a healthy man. Now you have new friends. I'm glad to see that you are as healthy and happy as usual. I'm glad you live a happy life. You are always my best friend ... ... Sam". When he finished reading the letter Mr Lee said, "I have promised that I will keep this a secret until Sam is gone. Now you know it." Jason stood there. Tears ran down his face. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: it was Jason that was made blind in the car accident There are many thoughts on the origins of civilization. One of the major factors involved was the increase in population. The development of techniques, primarily irrigation and flood control, which permitted agriculture in special areas such as the flood plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, made possible the support of large population. Once populations reach a certain number, the older pattern of social organization breaks down and new ones develop. Specifically the older system, whereby each individual participated in food production and maintained a similar standard of living and whereby kinship served as the basic method of social organization, was replaced by the occupational division of labor, political and religious hierarchies , public works such as road and public building construction, class systems, codes of law, markets, new forms of warfare, and urban centres. Allied with these important sociological traits are material traits, such as monumental architecture and the development of science and, in many cases, metallurgy and writing systems. The earliest civilization, Sumer, developed in the Middle East. This was the Bronze Age of the Old World, during which people first developed the art of metallurgy, civilization also arose in other parts of the Old World, first in Egypt, China, and India, and later in Europe and Africa. At this time, civilization also developed independently in the New World, in the Mexican area and in Peru and its adjacent areas. In the Old World the Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age, which saw the rise and fall of great empires and the shift of power from the Middle East to Greece and Rome and then to Western Europe. In the 1700s the Industrial Age began, leading directly to the modern civilization of today. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: The Industrial Age started in the Middle East. Imagine that you are on a jury and you hear the testimony of an eyewitness who says that the accused person is guilty. You would probably vote to _ don't you think? Well, more often than not, you'd be wrong. A few years ago, an experiment was done on an evening news show on WNBC in prefix = st1 /New York. Viewers were shown a film of what seemed to be a mugging. In this simulation, a man snatched a woman's purse. He then knocked her down and ran face forward at the camera so that the viewers got a good look at him. Viewers were then shown a lineup of six men. They were asked to decide if the mugger was in the lineup and, if so, to tell which one he was. In effect, then, they had seven choices. The suspect was either one of the six or he wasn't even in the lineup. Of the 2,145 people who called up to respond, 1,843 were wrong. That means about one in seven was right. This is what you'd expect from random choice. Eyewitness accounts can be the most convincing evidence presented to a jury. Yet we are finding out that such accounts can be faulty. Something is just wrong. Why is this so? Recent findings have removed doubts on whether memory can last long. We also know that it can be changed by things such as leading questions. Mistaken eyewitness accounts are common. They are also the major cause of innocent persons being convicted in the United States. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Eyewitness accounts can be wrong. TAIBEI - Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island's "China rush", seeking education on the Chinese mainland. According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available," Netbig.com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year. The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland colleges and universities. "Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net.com vice-president Ingrid Huang said."I believe _ will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people," said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master's degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies. A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since "there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there". "They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations," said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine. At present, Chinese Taibei doesn't recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates from selected universities. The author wrote the article to tell us _ . Answer: more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland In the summer of 1978 an English man named Steven was driving his tractor through a field of wheat when he discovered something strange. Some of his wheat was lying on the ground. The flattened wheat formed a circle about six meters across . Around this circle were four smaller circles of flattened wheat. Three years later a farmer who lived nearby discovered almost the same circles in one of his fields. These circles were larger--nearly 15 meters across . That same year , another English farmer discovered three circles of flattened wheat on his land--one large circle between two small circles. During the following years, farmers in England found circles in their fields more and more often. The circles are called "crop circles" because they usually appear in fields of wheat or corn. The wheat in the circles lies on the ground but is never broken; it keeps on growing, and the farmers can later harvest it. Farmers always discover the crop circles in the morning, so the circles probably form at night. They appear only in the months from May to September. What causes the crop circles? At first, people thought that some kids were making them as a joke, or that farmers were making them to attract tourists.(In fact, in 1991, two men said they made the circles themselves, but many scientists don't believe them.) People tried to copy them: They tried to make circles exactly like the ones the farmers had found. They couldn't do it. They couldn't enter a field of wheat without leaving tracks, and they couldn't flatten the wheat without breaking it. Several times people reported seeing stranger objects near the fields where crop circles later appeared. Many people believe that these crop circles are the messages sent by living things from outer space or the marks left by their spaceships. Scientists who have studied the crop circles try to find out what causes them. In the summer of 1990 some scientists spent three weeks in the part of England where many circles have appeared. They had all the latest high-tech equipment . The equipment--worth 1.8 million dollars--got nothing. But one night, as the scientists were watching a field, crop circles formed in the field behind them, which were quite different from the others. The scientists had neither seen nor heard anything. When Steven discovered the crop circles on his land in 1978, he said, "It was just like something that had landed in the field from the air and gone back up again. I don't know what to make of these things." Crop circles have appeared in England, Japan, the United States and Russia. Experts from all over the world have studied them, and they say what Steven said: They don't know what to make of these things. The passage is mainly about something _ . Answer: that cannot be made clear or understood
A star usually is someone who has become famous in sports, film, or pop music, someone like singer Michael Jackson. In the middle nineteen eighties, Michael Jackson successfully made a famous record, which quickly became the most popular recording in the history of music. This made Michael Jackson a bright star. One of the famous sports bright stars in the United States is Mohammed Ali. When he was a young man, he won a gold medal in the Olympic Games as a boxer. Then, he won first place in the world heavy weight boxing match. Before long, he was known as one of the greatest and most famous boxers in sports history. Everyone knows his name. Like the stars in the sky, a bright star will lose his brightness as time passes. He is loved by millions of people today, but will be forgotten tomorrow. Michael Jackson is famous for _ . Answer: his songs We always celebrated Dad's birthday on Thanksgiving Day. even afier he stayed in a nursing home . When we knew it might be his last birthday, the whole family decided to have a big birthday celebration at the nursing home. Dad was a good storyteller. But this time I told Dad to listen to some stories for a change. One after another, people told stories from their hearts , while Dad listened with tears in eyes. People thought of kinds of stories-stories about when they were little, stories about when Dad was young. Everyone seemed to have more than one story. Even the little grandchildren couldn't wait to tell Dad why they loved him. For a man who was kind to so many hundreds of people in his life, here was a change to tell him how much we love him. A few months later, at Dad's memorial service , we fully knew what we gave to Dad that night. Those are the stories people usually tell at a funeral after his or her death . They tell stories, full of tears. But we gave those memories to Dad in his life, and we told them through laughter with hugs and joy. He had them to hold and enjoyed them from time to time in his heart during his last days and months. That's the ways to give back love and that's our chance to celebrate a person in his or her life. We can know from the passage that _ . Answer: we should show love to our loved one in his or her life John works in a market. It's near a secondary school. Every day, students come to buy things there. In the morning , John gets up at six and then has breakfast. He goes to work by bike. He gets to the shop at about six thirty. The market opens at seven. They sell things like food and drinks. They have school things, too. So there are often many people in their market from morning to evening. John has supper there. At seven in the evening the market is closed. John has supper _ . Answer: in the shop I believe that it is important to be brought up with a firm belief in the good. I was fortunate in this respect. My parents not only gave me a happy home, but they had me study half a dozen foreign languages and made it possible for me to travel in other countries. This made me more tolerant and helped me to bridge many difficulties in later life. Soon after I got married, my husband and I left our native Czechoslovakia and went to live in Shanghai, China. Here was a really international city. People of all races and beliefs lived and worked together. In Shanghai, in 1941, when I was only twenty years old, the doctors discovered that I had diabetes. It was a terrible shock, because diabetes is incurable. But it can be controlled by insulin . Although this drug was not manufactured in China, there were enough stocks of imported insulin available. This enabled me to continue a normal, happy life. Then bombs fell on Pearl Harbor and the Japanese occupied Shanghai. The import of insulin was cut off. Before long, there was not enough for the diabetics. I was on a starvation diet to keep my insulin requirements as low as possible. Many diabetics had already died, and the situation became desperate. In spite of all this, I never stopped believing that with the help of my husband's love and care, I would survive. I continued to teach in Chinese schools. My faith and my husband's never-ending efforts to get the manufacture of insulin started gave me courage. In his small laboratory the production of insulin was attempted. I served as the human guinea pig on which was tested. I'll never forget the day when my husband gave me the first injection of the new insulin, which had worked on rabbits. It helped! Can you imagine our happiness and relief? I received the greatest strength from the deep love and complete understanding between my husband and me. And next to that was the kindness and help of many, many friends of many nationalities. To me, the experience of living in Shanghai during the special times was unforgettable. After the Second World War, my husband and I sailed to the Untied States, which is also known as a melt pot. Wherever we live, I believe, with faith and love, love between families and friends from different nationalities, we can make it our cherished home. How does the author feel about her stay in China? Answer: Unforgettable. A Chinese tourist has died in Hong Kong a day after being beaten up during a so-called "forced shopping" tour. Businessmen try to make money by forcing tourists to buy goods at some stores. Police said the dead, 54, tried to quiet a tourist and a tour guide after the tourist decided not to buy anything at a shop. At least four people have been arrested. The dead, from north-east China, was found lying cold outside the shop in Kowloon on Monday morning. He tried to make peace in a fight between two women -- believed to be the tour leader and one of the tourists, but a group of men pulled them onto the street and beat them, police said. The two women, aged 32 and 53, have been arrested, along with two men, one a 44-year-old Hong Kong and the other a 32-year-old mainlander. Police say they are still searching for two other suspects. On the mainland the man's death cause a boycott of travel to Hong Kong. The HongKong local people hate mainlanders because they think mainlanders push up prices. They say mainlanders are always eating on the underground and making loud noises. China's National Tourism Administration has asked Hong Kong to protect mainland tourists' rights. A Chinese _ has died in Hong Kong during a so-called "forced shopping" tour. Answer: tourist
High-tech gadget shows draw throngs of excited consumers each year in the United States, Japan, Europe and the Arabian peninsula. Though many people are already surrounded with all kinds of smart electronic devices, some always need one more -- better and smarter than the previous one. At electronic shows, visitors flock around the newest tablet computers, cameras, 3D television screens, even small robots, dreaming of taking one home. Consumers spend hours waiting in lines and spend hundreds of dollars to be among the first to get the latest smart phone. The modern world seems to _ shiny expensive objects that keep us connected, help us navigate, record our thoughts and memorable events, and even talk to us. So infatuated, we no longer merely "own" our gadgets -- we have relationships with them, according to clinical psychologist and life transition therapist Francine Lederer. "It's a lot easier to have, right, a one-sided relationship with your computer, your phone, than it is with a live person. So that at the end of the day, you don't need to worry about somebody being angry with you, you don't need to worry about getting blamed for anything," she said. Magical devices Although having a thousand Facebook friends may be perceived as equivalent to having a thousand real, authentic friendships, Lederer said in reality it is not so. "It comes down to a lot of the internal stuff. How we feel about ourselves, our own sense of self-esteem, our self-worth, a lot of those things," she said. But gadgets are magical. They fascinate us the same way we are intrigued by a magician's trick, said psychology professor at the University of the South Pacific, Robert Epstein. "If you don't know how they're doing it, that's very fascinating and intriguing. But if they do it 10 times or 20 times or 100 times, it gets boring and you want something else. That's why magicians do not repeat the same trick over and over again," he said. Plugged in, isolated Epstein, former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today magazine, said he is concerned that gadgets will take on a life of their own. "All we're seeing so far is a little bit of the so-called wearable technology that you might wear on your wrist or in your glasses, but we're moving very rapidly, whether the public knows it or not, toward real biological interfaces so that the gadgets will be built into us to some extent," he said. Lederer said the danger is that our dependence on electronic gadgets is increasingly being perceived as normal. "I think our society in a way, and the media, often times normalizes the extent to which we use these gadgets and phones, but the reality is, it's really not healthy for us," she said. Scientists predict that gadgets with biological interfaces may be available within the next 20 years and, coupled with strong artificial intelligence, will be much smarter than today. What's the similarity between gadgets and magicians according to the passage? A They both make people happy. B We will be bored with them. C They both cheat people. D They both don't use the same trick repeatedly. Answer: D. They both don't use the same trick repeatedly. Eighth-grader Victoria Bills is talking about money with her classmates. She is worried that a company's stock price could fall. It may be an unusual topic of conversation for a 13-year-old. But at Bills' school in Chicago, US, you hear it all the time. The Chicago school's 420 students learn about economic . They also get a chance to make money. Each 1stgrade and 5thgrade, students learn the basics of economics and investing . Then in 6thgrade, they put what they've learned to work. Students join a junior group that manages the $20,000. The group, made up of 12 to 14 students, decides which stocks to buy. After graduating, students pass on $20,000 to the next 1stgrade class. They keep half of the rest of the money; the other half goes toward improving the school. They can choose to put their money in a college-savings program or take the cash. In 2007, Bills suggested that her class buy the stock of the Apple computer company. This was just before the iPhone came out. "We bought stock just at the right time," she says. The kids bought Google stock as it reached $400 a share. It is now worth over $500. "It was a good buy," says Myles Gate, 13. He hopes to be a banker one day. The school's two graduating classes of 2005 and 2006 have each earned about $10,000 in profits . Who manages the $20,000 in the class? A The teachers. B The school. C The students. D The parents. Answer: C. The students. A rock is boring, so a person wants to make it look different. A person could have it weathered by A putting it in a bag B putting it in a yard C putting it in a dish D putting it in a tumbler Answer: D. putting it in a tumbler Geneva Tourist Guide Universal compact app for iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPhone 5 / iPhone / iPod / iPad GENEVA TOURIST GUIDE with attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, hotels, theatres and shops with traveler reviews and ratings, pictures, rich travel information, prices and opening hours. Discover what's on and places to visit in Geneva with our new cool app. It will guide you to top attractions and shopping malls, and tell you directions to hotels, bars, and restaurants. This is an all-in-one app for all the local attractions. Our travel guide to Geneva features up-to-date information on attractions, hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, travel tips and more. Highlights: * Geneva Information -- Overview, climate, geography, history and travel * Attractions -- Ancient sites, beaches, botanical gardens, coffee farms, museums, scenic drives, towns, waterfalls, religious and historical sites, etc. * Hotels -- From luxury hotels to budget accommodations, including reviews, price comparison, address and more. * Map -- It is an interactive map and get turn-by-turn driving directions. Find traffic details, road conditions, street maps, multi map, satellite photos, and aerial maps. Allow you to easily search and find local businesses with directions. * Gallery -- Picture galleries of Geneva's most beautiful sights, interesting events, unusual occasions and more. * POI Search -- Search everything at Geneva. Enter any keyword or name to search. Find Name, address, distance, route map, call, and directions to every business location. * Translator -- Supports 52 languages, Large text Translation. * World Clock -- All major cities of the world (1000 Cities). What is Geneva Tourist Guide? A An app B A book C A map D An advertisement Answer: A. An app Technology today has stolen away our voices and robbed our children of memories. I've been keeping count of how often people sing around the house these days. The fact is, they don't. My earliest memories are of my mother crooning lullabies in a gentle low voice as she rocked each infant in turn. She said she "didn't have a singing voice," but her low, wavering alto will always mean comfort to me. Every time I have sat through the night with a feverish body or held a pre - schooler through a nightmare, the melodies returned, words appearing and disappearing like fragments of a dream but held together by the hum of love. Today, young mothers are routinely presented with lullaby tapes at the baby shower. When baby cries, the idea goes, they will be able to switch on the high-tech audio system and _ with the voices of strangers in his ears, perfectly on pitch. If I had my way, new parents would learn the songs themselves, throw out their stereos, and give their child the gift of their own sleepy voices through the midnight hours. These days, when we go on a trip, my daughters take along tiny personal stereos and headphones. They are lost in their private worlds, and I can't help wishing that at least here, in the car my girls would be forced to listen to their mother's voice again, sure I'm out-of-tune songs that they might then pass down to another generation. Those sophisticated earphones have robbed them of something I think every kid should carry from childhood car trips into adulthood. I drove away from that party humming, and all the way home the good old songs kept tumbling out. Damm it , I thought, why did I ever stop singing in the car and start turning on the radio ? Why don't I sing anymore while I'm doing the dishes? I'm going to pull those stereo wires right out of the wall when I get home. We're going to sing grace before meals, sing carols around the piano, sing in the shower instead of switching on that waterproof radio that stole away our voices and our souls. To the author, the voices of strangers _ . A are not familiar to the baby B lack the motherly love the baby needs C work better to stop the baby's cry D surely sound more pleasant Answer: B. lack the motherly love the baby needs
University is generally regarded as one of the most important times in a person's life, yet the function of this institution continues to arouse debate. Many believe that arts subjects are too easy, that practical skills are more useful and that a chosen subject for study should be clearly linked to a career. However, this view is far too simplistic. Arts subjects are very difficult. They can prepare students for any number of careers as well as allowing the student to take time to make a decision. The function of the modern university is to cater to different types of student. Arts subjects are not easy. For example, a degree in Literature is not an easy option. No question in a Literature class has a single, simple answer. Debate is conducted in a spirit of openness, texts are very closely analyzed and skills in close reading are developed. Literature is about language, our primary means of communication. Arts subjects require the same concentrated study as any other subject. Arts subjects can prepare students for any number of careers. A degree in an arts subject teaches skills in well organized debates and defence of a position through the provision of evidence. These are applicable to many types of career. Law, for example. The point is that an undergraduate degree in any Arts subject trains the student in analysis and structure. Therefore, Arts graduates can pursue any number of careers. Arts subjects allow the student to take time to choose a career. Love of the subject for its own sake may well be the initial motivation for the Arts undergraduate but because the subject they have chosen is not so clearly linked to a career they have time to reflect, making a decision only when they are absolutely certain. Students who pursue Arts subjects therefore have the leisure to make a carefully considered choice. In conclusion, it is clear that Arts subjects are not a waste of time. They are flexible when it comes to relating them to a career and they allow the student to discover an appropriate career path. Many industries now acknowledge that a degree in Literature can be just as valuable as any other subject, especially when it is evident that Arts graduates tend to think more creatively. Not all undergraduates have clearly defined goals and not all subjects can be simply matched to a career. Acknowledging this difference should be the main function of a modern university What does the author imply about universities' attitude to students? A. They need to be more understanding of students' needs. B. They need to keep out arts students. C. They need to link courses to careers. D. They need to offer more arts courses. Answer: A. They need to be more understanding of students' needs. A few minutes later she got up and went to the phone. She knew the number of the police station, and when the man at the other end answered, she cried to him. "Quick! Come quick! Patrick's dead!" "Who's speaking?" "Mrs Maloney. Mrs Patrick Maloney." "You mean Patrick Maloney's dead?" "I think so," she sobbed. "He's lying on the floor and I think he's dead." "Be right over," the man said. The car came very quickly, and when she opened the front door, two policemen walked in. She knew them both--she knew nearly all the men at that precinct. Briefly, she told her story about going out to the grocer and coming back to find him on the floor. While she was talking, crying and talking, Noonan discovered a small patch of congealed blood on the dead man's head. He showed it to O'Malley who got up at once and hurried to the phone. Later, one of the detectives came up and sat beside her. Did she know, he asked, of anything in the house that could've been used as the weapon? Would she mind having a look around to see if anything was missing--a very big spanner, for example, or a heavy metal vase. They didn't have any heavy metal vases, she said. "Or a big spanner ?" She didn't think they had a big spanner. But there might be some things like that in the garage. The search went on. She knew that there were other policemen in the garden all around the house. She could hear their footsteps on the gravel outside, and sometimes she saw the flash of a torchlight through a chink in the curtains. Then one by one they came in and were persuaded to take a little nip of whisky. They stood around rather awkwardly with the drinks in their hands, uncomfortable in her presence, trying to say consoling things to her. Sergeant Noonan wandered into the kitchen, came out quickly and said. "Look, Mrs Maloney. You know that oven of yours is still on, and the meat still inside...I better turn it off for you, hadn't I?" "Will you do that, Jack. Thank you so much." When the sergeant returned the second time, she looked at him with her large, dark, tearful eyes. "Would you do me a small favour--you and these others?" She said. "We can try, Mrs Maloney." "Well," she said. "You must be terribly hungry by now because it's long past your supper time. Why don't you eat up that lamb that's in the oven? It'll be cooked just right by now." "Wouldn't dream of it," Sergeant Noonan said. "Please," she begged. "Please eat it." The four policemen _ , but they were clearly hungry, and in the end they were persuaded to go into the kitchen and help themselves. The woman stayed where she was, listening to them through the open door, and she could hear them speaking among themselves, their voices thick and sloppy because their mouths were full of meat. "The guy must've used a big thing to hit Patrick," one of them was saying. "The doctor says his skull was smashed all to pieces." "That's why it ought to be easy to find." "Exactly what I say." "The murderer's not going to carrying a thing like that around with him longer than he needs." One of them belched. "Personally, I think it's right here on the premises." "Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?" And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle. What could you learn about Mrs Maloney from the passage? A. She is a careless person who may not notice subtle sound. B. She was in the kitchen when the officers enjoyed the lamb. C. She was very familiar with the policemen and the officers. D. She put the lamb into the oven before her husband died. Answer: C. She was very familiar with the policemen and the officers. Many people think the camel stores only water in its hump ,but it does not,Instead,the camel stores something else there----food.The camel's hump is really a hump of fat.When the camel,often called"a ship of the desert",is not travelling and is in a place where there is plenty of food and water,it eats and drinks a lot. As it does so, its hump rises from the fat its body makes. Then when the camel is travelling through the desert and when there is little food,it can live off the stored fat. A camel can go on for days or weeks with little feed or water.However its hunger reaches the point starvation ,its hump shrinks and may even slip off its back and hang down its side. Camels are not fussy about what they eat.Thorny plants don't hurt their mouths,grasses of any kinds will do and so will hay,dry grain,cactuses.(,,) There are one--humpcamels and two--hump camels. Camels with one hump are calledArabian camels,mainly coming from North Africa. Camels with two humps are mainly from Asia. Reading this passage,we know _ . A. camels can live without food and water B. camels need more but pay less C. there is much food and water in camels' humps all the time D. camels make food and water into fat and store it in their humps Answer: D. camels make food and water into fat and store it in their humps In this adventure tour .you will visit the China's four Taoism Mountains!. Including: Guangzhou, Chengdu . Wuhan & Nanchang Day l : Guangzhou Take a bus to Mt. Luofu and visit the mountain. including the Chong Xu Guan. the Zhu Ming Cave. the Huang Long Guan. Jiu Tian Guan and Shu Miu Guan. -Mt. Luofu: Luofu Mountain, one of the top ten most famous mountains of China ,is situated to the northwest of Boluo County . Guangdong Province. The mountain is actually part of a range of 432 peaks .and with over 900 waterfalls. 18 caves.and 72 cliffs. Day 2 : Chengdu . Take a morning flight from Guangzhou to Chengdu .and visit Mt. Qingcheng . including the Jian Fu Gong. Chauy; Dao Guan . Tian Shi Cave . Shang qin Gong. etc. in the late afternoon, drive back to Chengdu. -Mt. Qingcheng : Located east to Chengdu and Dujiangyan, Mt. Qingcheng is one of the most famous Taoist holy lands in China and listed together with the neighboring; Dujiangyan as the World Heritage site. Mt. Qingcheng abounds with historic sites and cultural relics as well as natural beauties. Day 3 : Wuhan Take a morning flight from Chengdu to Wuhan to visit Mt. Wudang , including Zi Xia. Gong .Tai He Gong ,and the Colden Temple. -Mt. Wudang : The Wudang Mountains are a small mountain range in Hubei Province of China .just to the south of the manufacturing; city of Shiyan. in years past ,the mountains of Wu- dang .were known as an academic centre for the research, teaching and practice of meditation. Chinese martial arts .traditional Chinese medicine .Taoist agriculture practices and related arts. Day 4 : Yingtan Take a morning flight from Wuhan to Nanchang to visit Yingtan. Visit Mt. Longhu .including the Tian Shi Fu.Shang Qin Gong and take a bamboo raft down the Luxi river to enjoy thepretty scenery of the Xian Shui Yan. -Mt. Longhu: Originally called" Yunjin Mountain" . Longhushan Mountain is located in Yingtan City of Jiangxi Province. It is the birthplace of Chinese Taoism. A person who is interested in Kongfu will prefer _ . A. Mt. Luofu B. Mt. Qingcheng C. Mt. Wudang D. Mt. Longhu Answer: C. Mt. Wudang Topic: "Enjoy Worldwide privileges with BOC cards" 5% cash rebate from UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China Time: April 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 Customer: Personal credit cards with card number starting with "62" and with the UnionPay logo on the card Details: Payments with business cards, corporate cards or transactions through third-party platform (PAYPAL, Alipay and the internet banking payment and Kuai payment supported by Alipay) are not eligible for the promotion. The promotion is applicable to online shopping payments to appointed business partners only, and all the transactions need to be completed via UnionPay online. Amazon (U.S.) personal credit cards with card number starting with "62" and with the UnionPay logo on the card are eligible for the promotion. As the promotion has no pre-defined upper limit on the number of transactions, all transactions meeting the criteria above will enjoy the cash rebate. The value of eligible transactions will be the settlement amount in RMB according to the UnionPay system. All single transactions of RMB 500 or more with payment made by UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China (card number starting with '62') via UnionPay online platform will enjoy a 5% cash rebate, capped at RMB 100 per card per month. Cardholders will receive the cash rebate within 90 calendar days after every promotion period. If the cardholder has any questions on the amount of rebate, please contact Bank of China Credit Card Customer Care Hotline(4006695566)within 30 calendar days since receiving the rebate; if no question is raised within 30 calendar days, the bank with deem the client agreeable to the amount of rebate. The date of cash rebate arriving in client's account could be later than the date described above due to force majeure that is not unforeseeable. Only transactions made with specified credit cards to appointed business partners will be eligible for the cash rebate promotion; in case of refund, no cash rebate will be made. At the same time, Bank of China reserve the right to recall any unqualified cash rebate already made. Cardholders will need to ensure no late payment, card freeze or other abnormal occasions during the promotion period, otherwise the cardholder will not be eligible for the promotion. Income tax associated with the cash rebate will be taken care of by the cardholder. Cardholders hold the responsibility to declare the income and settle the tax payment. In which of the following payment can we get the cash rebate? A. $60 for a sweater on Amazon. B. $100 for a souvenir bought in the duty-free shop of LAX. C. $200 for a child safety seat on Amazon. D. $80 for a bottle of wine from a shop in Paris. Answer: C. $200 for a child safety seat on Amazon.
Which is least likely to make a tasty meal for a predator? Answer: a skunk Two sculptures of life-size lions, each weighing about 5 tons in ancient times, have been discovered in what is now Turkey. The discovery of the massive lions, along with other pieces such as a large stone basin about 7 feet in diameter, left the archaeologists with a mystery ----what were they intended for? A search of the surrounding area revealed no evidence of a Hittite settlement dating back to the time of the statues. Also, the steep size of the sculptures meant that the sculptors likely did not intend to move them very far. Summers assumes that, rather than being meant for a palace or a great city, the lions were being created for a monument to mark something else- water "I think it's highly likely that that monument was going to be associated with one of the very abundant springs that are quite close," he said in the interview, "There are good parallels for association of Hittite sculptural traditions with water sources" Indeed one well-known monument site, known as Eflatun Pnar, holds a sacred pool that "is fed by a spring beneath the pool itself," write Yiit Erbil and Alice Mouton in an article that was published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies. The two researchers were writing about water religions in ancient Anatolia (Turkey). "According to the Hittite cuneiform texts, water was seen as an effective purifying element," Erbil and Mouton write, "used in the form of cleaning or even full baths during ritual performances, its cleaning power is self-evident." To the Hittites the natural world, springs included, was a place of great religious importance, one worthy of monuments with giant lions. "These things (water sources) were sacred, just as their mountains were sacred," Summers said. According to the text ,how did the two life-size lions impress the archaeologists? Answer: Mysterious On Christmas Eve, the night before Christmas Day, children are very happy. They put their stockings at the end of their beds before they go to bed. They want Father Christmas to give some presents. Father Christmas is a very kind man. He comes on Christmas Eve. He lands on top of each house and comes down the chimney into the fireplace and brings children a lot of presents. Christmas Day always begins before breakfast. Children wake up very early. They can't wait to open the presents in their stockings. Then they wake up their parents and shout 'Merry Christmas!' Do you know what Christmas means? Christmas Day is the birthday of Jesus Christ. When Christ was born, many people gave him presents. So today, people still do the same thing to children. Father Christmas comes into the house through the _ . Answer: chimney Some Chinese shops have stopped selling Japanese goods in protest against Tokyo's approval of a school history book they say _ Japan's militaristic past. It was not clear how many Chinese stores had stopped selling Japanese products, but one association official told Renters that the boycott had begun in Shanghai, the country's business center, and the northeast city of Shenyang. Chinese protests against Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council. Millions of Chinese have already signed an online demand against giving Japan a permanent seat. South Korea also has criticized the Japanese text book decision. The Korean English-language newspaper Korea Times ran an article on Monday criticizing that action. It said: "A civic education text even has a picture of Tokto( ) as Japanese district on its cover. We cannot help but wonder how many countries in the world would be teaching their children in such wrong words." It went on to say: "The country is already a global power and should show regional leadership, not by force but by moral superiority. Tokyo doesn't appear to be reaching forward in this direction." How many cities which led a boycott of the goods are listed in the passage? Answer: Two. Your chair is your enemy. That is the conclusion of several recent studies. Among people who sit in front of the television for more than three hours each day, those who exercise are as fat as those who don't. So what's wrong with sitting? The answer seems to have two parts. The first is that sitting is one of the most passive things you can do. Compared to sitting, standing in one place is hard work. To stand, you have to tense your leg muscles, and engage the muscles of your back and shoulders; while standing, you often shift from leg to leg. All of this burns energy. You may think you have no choice about how much you sit. But this isn't true. Suppose you sleep for eight hours each day, and exercise for one. That still leaves 15 hours of activities. Even if you exercise, most of the energy you burn will be burnt during these 15 hours, so weight gain is often the cumulative effect of a series of small decisions: Do you take the stairs or the elevator? Do you walk to the corner store, or drive? But it looks as though there's a more sinister aspect to sitting. Some evidence suggests that when you spend long periods sitting, your body actually does things that are bad for you. Lipoprotein lipase is a molecule that plays a central role in how the body processes fats. Low levels of lipoprotein lipase are associated with a variety of health problems. Studies in rats show that leg muscles only produce this molecule when they are actively being moved. The result is that when you sit, an important part of your metabolism slows down. You may also have a higher risk of suffering from diabetes . Some people have advanced radical solutions to the sitting syndrome : replace your sit-down desk with a stand-up desk, or watch television in a rocking chair. But whatever you choose, know this. The data is clear; look out for your chair. What would be the best title of this passage? Answer: Stand Up While You Read This.
Many years ago a kind farmer bought a tank of gas for a mom with two children. He didn't accept any money but just smiled and said, "Pass it on to someone else." The mom was my mother. After many years, I had a similar experience. A few weeks ago as my husband and I were filling up our car with a coupon for 99 cents a gallon, I got into a long line to pay. I could see that the young man before me was having some kind of problem; I quickly realized that he had misunderstood the coupon and thought it was 99 cents to fill his small truck. Everyone was saying, "99 cents a gallon is so cheap - they can't give the gas away." He was embarrassed and was just calling his wife when I got to the counter . He said to his wife, "Just come here because I don't have enough money on me." I asked the cashier how much his was, and she told me. I told her I would pay for it and touched the man on the arm and told him to tell his wife it had been paid for. He nodded and turned back to the phone, then stopped and looked at me. "What?" I told him again, and I was so surprised to see everyone stop what they were doing to watch me as if I had just grown another head. When he asked how he could give the money back to me, I just said, "Pass it on to someone else in need!" Why did the author help the young man pay for the gas? Answer: The South Korean Ministry of education is investing $ 2.4 billion into making the country's school system completely digital. The plan is to get rid of textbooks and replace them with digital learning materials stored in a central database, which students would get into with PCs. Though some digital education programs have been tried in the U.S. and other countries, few can match the South Korean plan. While it will certainly be interesting to spread out, a completely paperless school system will surely stand for other countries to follow. Perhaps the digital learning revolution will have its start in Seoul. The digital developments have improved our personal lives. It was a matter of time before they would finally have an effect on other fields. It's an exciting time in education--whether you're a CEO setting plans for growth, an IT expert making new technology decisions or an educator giving lively courses. All of us are connected by the movement of a more digital campus. Today's generation has integrated web-based technology into their daily lives. Expectations are forming: lively content-anytime, anywhere and on any equipment. And those expectations aren't just for fun--they're spreading into the educational space as well. Expanding our digital footprint isn't just an excitement-it's a necessity. And CEOs and IT experts aren't the only ones feeling the pressure to improve--educators are as well. More and more studies report a change from teaching to learning--moving away from giving lectures of facts to encouraging skills of self-study, analysis and learning paths ; from courses built using a single textbook to numbers of available publisher materials ; and from dull content to lively digital advantages that connect the learners, providing real-time response. Students aren't the only ones benefiting from this change. Educators can now easily build lively online courses while increasing student outcomes. Why does the author take the South Korean's decision for example? Answer: We have to accept the truth: Sometimes, we just want to shout out loud. For example, we all have days like this: our dog has made a mess on the floor we just cleaned, or our friend called to tell us he or she couldn't come at the last minute when we had cooked dinner for him or her. We may be really angry but we tried to bear things like those. According to ancient Chinese wisdom, we should shout in a loud voice instead of keeping silent. In fact, it's good for our health. "Chinese people have passed on the practice from ancient times to now as a part of traditional medicine," said Mrs. Li, a 60-year-old woman from Hangzhou. "My parents taught me to do this. It's a part of our folk culture. " Mrs. Li is a member of a group of people who love shouting. Each morning, she and some of her friends climb to the top of a hill and let out loud shouts before starting their daily exercise. They believe that shouting is good exercise for their lungs and it brings them a lot of fun. "Sometimes I shout out and other shout back," said Mrs. Gu, another shouting lover. "It makes you happy. You laugh and then you feel very comfortable. " Dr. Peter Calafiura, an American doctor, agrees that shouting can have a positive influence on people's health. So, next time you start your morning run, why not try to shout out first? It will make you healthier. Mrs. Li learnt to shout to make herself feel better from _ . Answer: We are learning English, but how can we learn English well ? A student can know a lot about English, but maybe he can't speak English. If you want to know how to swim, you must get into the river. And if you want to be a football player, you must play football. So, you see, you can learn by using it. You must listen to your teacher in class. You must speak English to your classmates every day and also you must write something in English. Then one day you may find your English very good . You must get into the water _ . Answer: Shopping is easy with Safe-Buyer, a UK online shopping directory. All the online shopping sites listed on Safe-Buyer have been checked for security, delivery, range of goods and prices. We've reviewed the online shopping sites and awarded them a tick rating that's totally independent. So you can shop on the Internet without worrying. 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Question: Nick and his friends were talking about things that can bring them luck . "I have a lucky red pen," said Andrea. "I have a lucky penny ," said Manuel. Every time I want to do really well in tests, I carry my lucky penny." Nick thought for a moment, and answered, "My blue socks." "Blue socks?" the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark. The next day Nick would have a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn't find his blue socks to wear to school. "Mom!" shouted Nick. "Where are my blue socks? I will have a Chinese test, and I need to wear them." "Don't be silly," Nick's mom said. "They need to be washed." "When I wear them, I get a good grade," Nick said. "Did you prepare for your test?" asked Mom. "Yes." "Then don't worry about it. Just do your best," Mom encouraged. Nick was worried about his test because his lucky socks would not help him. A few days later, Nick's teacher told him that he got 95 in his test. Nick was so excited that he couldn't wait to tell Mom how well he did in his test. Mom said, "It wasn't the blue socks that made you successful. It was made by yourself." Why didn't Nick wear his blue socks? A. The socks needed to be washed. B. The socks were worn out. C. One of the socks was missing. D. The socks were too old. Answer: A. The socks needed to be washed. Question: He was an old man who fished alone in a boat in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky, and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week. It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff and harpoon and the sail that was furled around the mast . The sail was patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat. The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert. Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color1 as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated. "Santiago," the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the skiff was pulled up. "I could go with you again. We've made some money." The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him. "No," the old man said. "You're with a lucky boat. Stay with them." "But remember how you went eighty-seven days without fish and then we caught big ones every day for three weeks." "I remember," the old man said. "I know you did not leave me because you doubted." "It was papa who made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him." "I know," the old man said. "It is quite normal." "He hasn't much faith." "No," the old man said. "But we have. Haven't we?" "Yes," the boy said. "Can I offer you a beer on the Terrace and then we'll take the stuff home." "Why not?" the old man said. "Between fishermen." After reading this passage, we may safely conclude that _ . A. the old man was insistent and not afraid of failure[ B. the boy's papa had confidence in everything C. the old man caught big fishes during eighty-seven days D. the boy obeyed his father because he had some doubts about the old man Answer: A. the old man was insistent and not afraid of failure[ Question: Speaking and Reading In learning a foreign language, one should first pay attention to speaking. It is the groundwork of reading and writing. You'd better try your best to speak. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. While you are doing this, a good exercise is to write --keep a diary, write notes or letters and so on. Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write. Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning a language. If you are slow in speaking, don't worry. One of the helpful ways is to improve your English by reading, either aloud or low to yourself. The important thing is to choose something interesting to read. It mustn't be too difficult for. When you are reading in this way, don't stop to look up the words if you can guess their meaning of if they are not important to the sentence. You can do that some other time. When you write, you will _ . A. learn how to speak B. do better in your pronunciation C. remember what you have said D. easily find the mistakes in your speaking Answer: D. easily find the mistakes in your speaking Question: We talk every day. When we have good news, we like to share it with our good friends and when something terrible happens, we tell it to others soon. But can you imagine that a tree can talk and share news too ? Of course, no tree moves _ and says words just as people do. Strange as it may sound, though, some trees do manage to communicate with each other. Willow trees are the best-known of these trees. When insects begin nibbling a willow tree, the tree sends out a special smell at once. This smell tells the other willows that harmful insects are coming near. All of them quickly make a chemical in their leaves. This chemical is bad to the insects. The insects do not like it and they fly away soon. In this way, the willow trees protect themselves from the insects. The next time when you take a walk in the woods, maybe the trees are "talking" to each other quietly. And when someone says that trees cannot "talk", please tell them that even trees give messages to each other, too. Willow trees send messages with _ . A. words B. movements C. smells D. sounds Answer: C. smells Question: One day in Australia I decided to try hang gliding . I went up with an instructor, floated and flew above the waves for about 20 minutes, then landed on the sand. His wife was there to meet us so she could drive us back. Their son, about 8 years old, was with her. As the four of us were standing there a woman named Sue came up with a big smile. She gave a warm hello to the couple, and then asked the boy, "How's school, mate ?"With a troubled look on his young face, the boy quietly said, "Not good." In response Sue exclaimed ,sounding surprised , "Not good ?I bet it is fun." Then she turned her attention back to the boy's parents. They started talking about some of their friends, smiling and laughing . Meanwhile, all three of them completely ignored the boy . But I watched his head drop.I watched him turn away from the group, take a few steps ,and just stand there ,alone. I still find it hard to believe that anyone could miss a child's reaction that completely. I wondered how the three adults could stand there and laugh while that boy stood there alone, troubled not only about school but also that no one was interested in his troubles. Maybe his father tried to distract his son with risky sports. As long as you are active, you can't feel your emotional pain. But what if his son is not interested in sports? These were what most people would say are "good parents" . But I say that what they did was child abuse. It was total emotional neglect at that moment . And that is why I am writing this story. To remind everyone that it is little interactions with children that make a difference in their lives and in society. How did the boy probably feel after the woman talked to him? A. Lonely and sad . B. Sad and angry. C. Surprised and angry . D. . Comfortable and peaceful. Answer: A. Lonely and sad .
Raeann Sleith began making bracelets when she was six. Family and friends loved her designs and asked for more. When admirers suggested that Raeann sell her bracelets, she realized she wanted to do just that -- and donate the money to help kids with special needs, like her brother Derek. Raeann's older brother, Derek, has cri du chat syndrome. Children with cri du chat usually have problems understanding ideas and might have a hard time learning to talk. Many also have weak muscles that can cause problems with walking or using their fingers to pick things up. The term cri du chat means "cry of the cat" in French. Babies with cri du chat often have a high-pitched cry that sounds like that of a little cat. Over the years, Derek's teachers helped him learn sign language and gestures. They also taught him skills such as recognizing letters, cutting with scissors, and understanding basic math. Raeann wanted to donate money to Derek's school. "I just wanted to help my brother," she says, "and the people who help him." At first, Raeann focused on creating jewelry that would raise awareness for cri du chat. But people started requesting bracelets to wear as a symbol of support and awareness for a variety of other diseases and disorders. To create those symbols, Raeann researched the color most often associated with raising awareness for the disease or disorder, such as pink for breast cancer or orange for leukemia. In the end, it turned out to be a great idea. In only a few years, Raeann has donated more than $30,000 to local charities. Raeann's mom says that working on the bracelets has developed the generosity and kindness that already existed in her daughter. Raeann plans to keep making bracelets and raising dollars for charities. "I just want to keep going on with it," she says, "to help my brother more." The main purpose of the text is to _ . A tell us the story of a loving girl B show us how to make bracelets C introduce a kind of rare disease D ask us to donate to local charities Answer: A. tell us the story of a loving girl Fashion always keeps at least one eye on the future. Now scientists are lending a hand, developing tomorrow's super-powered clothing such as coats that can recharge your MP3 player and make you stronger. For example, electronics could get recharged in the future simply by plugging them into your outer wear, because Australian researchers are designing clothing that can collect energy from a person. The coats would include small things that change vibration energy from a person's movements into electricity. High-tech fabrics would carry this energy to batteries . "It will look like an ordinary(common)coat but have super energy," said Adam Best, an Australian head research scientist. " _ has important uses for soldiers in the field and could mean they no longer need to carry heavy batteries,'' Best added. "Above all, they'd be wearing the battery, not carrying it." Besides helping soldiers, these coats could also have common uses for common people, such as powering radios, mobile phones, MP3 players or medical things. Solar-powered handbags could do the same thing. Thanks to self-cleaning fabrics developed by scientists working for the U. S. Air Force, underwear and sports clothing could go weeks without washing. The general idea of clothes that never get dirty can be found in the 1951 film The Man in the White Suit. The new technology helps keep off water, oil and bacteria . High-tech fabrics could also help serve as protection. For example, future fabrics could lead to soft helmets that turn hard in an accident. Not all the possible fabrics of tomorrow are necessarily high-tech. For example, chicken feathers and other things of the farming industry could get changed into wool-like fabrics or cotton-like ones, helping use fewer fabrics made from oil. Scientific development is also creating wool that doesn't become bigger or smaller after washing. And future clothing could help soldiers shoulder heavy bags and help people walk. But not all electronic coats have such uses--some might serve as video game players with high technology and the latest fashion joined together perfectly. The world of fashion is set to be taken by high-tech clothing that works as you wear! What would be the best title of the passage? A Fashion Changes with Technology B Tomorrow's High-tech Clothing C New Technologies Change the World D What We Will Wear in the Future Answer: B. Tomorrow's High-tech Clothing When I was about 10 one day, I was walking down the street with my mother. She stopped to speak to Mr. Lee. I knew I could see Mr. Lee anytime around the neighborhood, so I just stood there. After we passed him, my mother stopped and said something unforgettable, "You let that be the last time you ever walk by somebody you know without opening your mouth to speak, because even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street." That sentence sounds simple but it made me become who I am. At work, I used to say hello to the president of the company and ask him how our business was doing. But I also spoke to the people in the cafe and people who cleaned the buildings, and asked them how their children were doing, for every single person deserves to be accepted, no matter how humble they are. I remember that after a few years of passing by the president, I had the courage to ask him for a chat. We had a great talk. At some point, when I asked him how far he thought I could go in his company, he said that if I wanted to, I could get all the way to his seat. I've become vice-president, but that hasn't changed how I treat people. I speak to people wherever I am. Speaking to people creates a pathway into their world, and it lets them come into mine, too. The day you speak to someone who has his head down and then see him lift it up and smile, you will realize how powerful it is just to open your mouth and say hello. What is the best title for this passage? A The Power of Being Talkative B My Mother's Influence on Me C The Power of Saying hello D My Way to Become Vice-President Answer: C. The Power of Saying hello One Thursday morning, John's dad was making him breakfast. John came downstairs in his favorite blue shirt and fed his dog Bentley. After washing his hands, John sat down to a hot plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. John's baby sister Emily began to cry in her high chair. John gave Emily her pink pacifier to calm her down. After breakfast, John took Bentley out to the backyard to play fetch in the green grass. John only threw the ball a few times before it started to rain and they had to come back inside. Bentley shook himself to get the water off him and splashed John. John's dad asked John, "Do you want to play a game?" John said that he did and ran to get his favorite board game, Trouble. When they sat on the living room floor to play, Emily crawled over to sit in John's lap. Bentley lay next to John's dad with his head on his paws. John thought this rainy day was perfect. Where did John take Bentley to play fetch? A Front yard B Living Room C Backyard D Kitchen Answer: C. Backyard Have you pulled your car up to the gas pump lately and been shocked by the high price of gas? As the pump clicked past $50, $60, $70 or even $80, maybe you thought about trading in your car for something that gets better mileage . Or maybe you're worried that your car is contributing to the greenhouse effect. The car industry has the technology to address these concerns. It's the hybrid car. There are a lot of hybrid models on the market these days, and most automobile factories have announced plans to produce their own versions. To be useful to you, a car must meet certain requirements. The ear should be able to drive at least 300 miles (482 km) between refueling, be refueled quickly and easily, and keep up with the other traffic on the road. A gasoline car meets these requirements, but produces a ly large amount of pollution and generally gets poor gas mileage. An electric car, however, produces almost no pollution, but it can only go 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 km) between charges, and the problem has been that the electric car is very slow and inconvenient to recharge. The hybrid is a _ . It significantly increases the mileage and reduce the emissions of a gas-powered car while overcoming the shortcomings of an electric car. Most hybrid cars on the road right now are gasoline-electric hybrids, although French car maker Citroen has two diesel-electric hybrid cars in the works. In fact, hybrid vehicles are all around us, For example, an electric bike is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of electricity with the pedal power of its rider. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses---these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Submarines are also hybrid vehicles---some are nuclear-electric and some are diesel-electric. Any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power is a hybrid. What may be the best title for the passage? A Hybrid Car---Best Seller in the Car Market B Hybrid Car---Reputation in the Car Industry C Hybrid Car---A Better Choice for the Future D Hybrid Car---A New Technical Invention Answer: C. Hybrid Car---A Better Choice for the Future
Say you forgot about Valentine's Day, and it's too late to send someone some roses. Someday, you'll at least be able to send their odors . A Paris lab under the direction of David Edwards, Michigan Technological University alumnus, has created the oPhone, which will allow odors to be sent, by Bluetooth and smart phone attachments, to oPhones across the state, country or ocean, where the person who receive it can enjoy American Beauties or any other kinds of rose. It can be sent by email, tweet, or text. Edwards says the idea started with student designers in his class at Harvard, where he is a professor. Normally, he says, there's a clear end in sight, but with their project no one had a clue who was going to pay for the research or if there was even a market. With the early major buzz produced -- Wired Magazine, National Public Radio, and the British press -- Edwards is sure the market will come. "We create odor profiles ," says Blake Armstrong, director of business communications at Vapor Communications, an organization operating out of Le Lab in Paris. "We put that into the oChip that gives away that smell." Edwards said that the original four chips that will come with the first oPhones can be combined into thousands of different odors -- produced for 20 to 30 seconds. In fact, Le Lab is working with Cafe Coutume, the premier coffee shop in Paris, using oPhones to create nice experiences. "Imagine you are online and want to know what a particular brand of coffee would smell like," Edwards says. "Or, you are in an actual long line waiting to order. You just tap on the oPhone and get the experience." And there are other benefits. "Fragrance houses, of course, culinary, travel, but also healthcare. "A patient with brain damage had lost memory, and the oPhone can help bring that memory back. Improvements are already planned at the end of year--give phone to audience in 2015. "The oPhone will finally be smaller. " according to Armstrong. Why can an oPhone send odors according to the passage? A. Because it gives away odors. B. Because odors are stored in oPhone in advance. C. Because the chips are made of special materials. D. Because its chips can combines odors stored in the oPhone. Answer: D Newspapers are not nearly as popular today as they were in the past. There are not very many people who seriously read a newspaper every day. Most people read only the sports pages, the advice or the gossip columns, the comics, and perhaps the classified advertisements. Most people don't take the time to read the real news. They attempt to catch the reader's interest with pictures and exciting headlines. These techniques are used on the front page because it is the first thing you see when you pick up the paper. The first page attracts attention and encourages the reader to look through the rest of the paper. This is why editors always look for a good first page story and headline to make them stop and look. If the headline is horrible enough or frightening enough or wild enough, perhaps they will go on to read the front page anymore. They may read the headlines, but that is all, then they turn to the sports page, or comics, or advertisements. It seems that people do not want the news from a newspaper anymore. They say they get the news on the television now. More people watch television news because it is easier and more interesting than reading a newspaper. What about you? Do you read news from a newspaper? Do you think it is easier to get the news from television? Or do you care about news at all? Would you mind if there were no news? The author's attitude toward newspaper is _ . A. sympathetic B. critical C. negative D. undetermined Answer: A Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs. AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival(19 Oct.) cost PS169. 15 at Booking.com. A week later, the same room costPS 118.15 If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid--or you're looking for a big event to pass your time--check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category. STAYAWAY FROM THE STATIONIf traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday. Don't be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge's Central Euston hotel inLondonfor Saturday 22 September was PS95.95. A room just a tube journey away at itsCovent Gardenhotel was PS75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just PS62.95. LOOK AFTER YOURSELFReally central hotels in cities such asLondon,EdinburghandCardiffcan cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As an alternative consider checking into a self-catering flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O'Neill Flat onEdinburgh's Royal Mile, available for PS420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults. GET ON A BIKELondon's 'Boris bikes' have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs. Among the smaller cities with their own programmes areNewcastle(casual members pay around PS1.50 for two hours) andCardiff(free for up to 30 minutes, or PS5 per day). TheBrightonComedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may _ . A. help travelers pass time B. attract lots of travelers to theUK C. allow travelers to make flexible plans D. cause travelers to pay more for accommodation Answer: D Once upon a time there was a baby eagle living in a nest on a cliff . The baby eagle liked the nest. It was the only world he had ever known. It was warm and comfortable. Many times each day the mother would _ down from the sky and land in the nest and feed the baby eagle delicious food. She was like a god to him he had no idea where she came from or how she worked her magic. The baby eagle was hungry all the time, but the mother eagle would always come just in time with the food. The baby eagle grew strong. The mother wanted him to try flying and getting the food out of the nest. But the baby eagle was afraid to do it. The mother eagle flew away and stopped coming to the nest. The baby eagle cried and cried. But there was no one there to hear him. Two days later, the mother eagle appeared at the top of the mountain cliff with a big bowl of delicious food and she looked down at her baby. The mother said, "Here is some very delicious food, all you have to do is come to get it." "Come to get it!" said the baby, with much anger. "How?" The mother pushed him out of the nest. The ground rushed closer, faster and faster. Something strange happens. He looked down and saw the sky. He wasn't moving towards the ground anymore, his eyes were pointed up at the sun. "Hug?" he said. "What's going on here!" " You're flying," his mother said. "This is fun!" laughed the baby eagle. What does the writer want to tell us? A. The baby eagle can not live without food. B. The baby eagle can not fly without his mother. C. Don't be overcome by the fear in your heart. D. Don't try to do the things you have never done. Answer: C The search for life in the universe took a step forward last month with the opening of the Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, California. The telescopes were partly made possible by a gift of twenty-five million dollars from Paul Allen. The total cost of the project is already fifty million dollars. At present, there are 42 radio telescopes working at the Hat Creek observatory. The signals they receive are combined to create what is equal to a single, very large telescope. The telescope will be used to observe objects like exploding stars, black holes and other objects that are predicted but have not yet been observed. Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute says this is the first telescope whose main purpose is to search for signals from intelligent life in space. The SETI Institute is based in Mountain View, California. The organization supports the search for other life forms in the universe. What makes the Allen Telescope Array unusual is that it can collect and study information from a wide area of the sky. In addition, the 42 telescopes can study information about several projects at the same time. That means studies of large areas of the sky can be made faster than ever before. Some officials think the Allen Telescope Array will be completed in three more years. 350 individual radio telescopes are planned. The new abilities of the Allen Telescope Array will make searching for stars similar to the sun much faster. An earlier search by SETI, Project Phoenix, studied about 800 stars to a distance of 240 light years. The project ended in 2004. With the Allen Telescope Array, astronomers hope to gather thousands of times more information in the search for life beyond our planet. Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage? A. The Allen Telescope Array takes much more room than former telescopes. B. The Allen Telescope Array is still being built at present in the United States. C. Another 42 radio telescopes will be fixed in the Allen Telescope Array. D. The SETI Institute is against the search for other life forms in the universes. Answer: B
Which of the following is a similarity 20 between x-ray waves and sound waves? Answer: Fun Day To celebrate the Year of the snake Organised by Lam Tin Youth Centre and Kwun Tong High School Date: 2 February 2013 Time: 10 am--5 pm Place: Kwun Tong Playground Fee: $20 (buy three get one free) Programmes: drama, lion dance, magic show and ballet performance Highlights: 1) enter the lucky draw to win a digital camera 2) learn to make festival food Join us on the Fun Day! All are welcome! Free Soft Drinks Note: * Tickets are available at the General Office of Lam Tin Youth Center * For those who would like to be a volunteer, please contact Miss Olivia Wong one week before the activity. How much do you have to pay in total if four of you go together? Answer: Jean is a bright young woman from a rich and famous family. She goes to a good university and has almost everything that money can buy. But the people in Jean's family are so busy that they can hardly find time to be with her. In fact, Jean is quite lonely. So Jean spends a lot of her time on QQ. She likes being anonymous talking to people who do not know about her famous family and her rich life. She uses the name Linda on QQ and made a lot of friends. Last year Jean made a very special friend on QQ. His name was David and he lived in San Francisco. David was full of stories and jokes. He and Jean had the same interests in rock music and modern dance. So it always took them many hours to talk happily on QQ and sometimes they even forgot the time. Of course, they wanted to know more about each other. David sent a picture of himself: he was a tall, good-looking young man with big, happy smile. As time went by, they became good friends and often sent cards and small things to each other. When Jean's father told her that he was going on a business trip to San Francisco, she asked him to let her go with him, so that she could give David a surprise for his birthday. She would take him the latest DVD of the rock singer they liked most. But when Jean knocked in David's door in San Francisco, she found that the special friend she had written to was a twelve-year-old boy named Jim! The real name of the special friend she made on QQ is _ . Answer: Lots of people get money from ATMs. If you don't know how to use an ATM, read the instructions carefully. Put your card into the machine. Look at the screen. Input your _ into the machine. Input how much money you want on the screen of the machine. Then press "OK". Get the money from the machine. If you want, you can also get a receipt . Take back your card. Remember these rules: Don't write your password on your card. Don't let other people see your password. If you lose your card, tell the bank at once. When you use an ATM, _ maybe is not necessary to you. Answer: At least once each winter I manage to get a good flight in the middle of a snowstorm. Last Sunday was that flight. My gliding partners had looked at the weather reports of showers and decided to stay at home. People say that you shouldn't fly by yourself, but on that day I felt the urge to go flying and so headed for my favorite gliding site. I had the mountain ridge to myself. After a smooth lift-off, I floated stably in the breeze, feeling at peace with myself and the world. I looked across the valley to Bedford and a moment later saw the town disappear in a band of snow that was moving towards me. The breeze remained strong enough for flying and I knew that as long as the _ was good, it was OK for me to stay in the air. The snow moved in and swirled around me. It was a light dry snow. The day was already very quiet but, somehow, the light snow made it even more silent. I felt like a snowflake. Two bald eagles joined me. They didn't pay me any attention and spent a few minutes flying around the ridge before disappearing. I flew through another band of snow. I had been flying for about 45 minutes when I next looked across the valley. I could see there were more bands of snow to come and the breeze was dying too. It was time to go home, get in a hot bath and warm up. I couldn't wait to tell my gliding partners that they had missed out on a perfect flight. What could be the best title for the article? Answer:
London has always been known for its "black fogs". In the winter of 1952, a milky white fog rolled into the city. As the smoke poured into the air, it was so hard to see that people had to walk in front of the buses to guide them. In this way, the most serious air pollution disaster in history began. When it was over, more than 4,000 people had been killed by the thick black smog. New York City has had several London-type smogs since 1950. Each time, 100 to 400 deaths were caused by the smog. Although these smogs were not as deadly as London's, New York City has the worst air pollution problem in the United States. In all the killer smogs, factories and homes poured smoke and fumes into the air from the furnaces. The chemical fumes combined with the water droplets in the fog to form harmful substances. These substances caused the illness of those who breathed the polluted air. Usually, such harmful fumes rise into the upper air and are blown away by the wind. But sometimes there is an unusual weather condition called a temperature inversion. A layer of cold air remains near the ground as smoke and fumes pour into it. This is covered by an upper layer of warm air that acts like a lid. It prevents the polluted cooler air from rising. The harmful fumes pile up and make people ill. The smog may be so thick that airports are closed and chains of collisions occur on the highways. Another type of smog occurs in Los Angeles. Here the weather may be clear and sunny. But stinging eyes and dry coughs show that harmful chemicals fill the air. The smog is due to invisible gases, mostly from automobile exhaust. Because these chemicals are changed by the sun high up in the air, it is called photochemical smog. It contains automobile exhaust fumes and nitrogen oxides changed by the sun's rays. Added to these are sulfur dioxide and other fumes from factories and oil refineries. Photochemical smog is found in many large cities all over the world. Killer smogs don't happen very often, fortunately. But in Beijing, a combination of automobile exhaust fumes, home furnace smoke, and factory waste gases pours into the air. This may also happen in the suburbs, or out in the country, where large factories have been built. A number of harmful substances have been found in the air there. When these substances are breathed in day after day, the health of the population is affected. From the passage we know that the most serious black smog disaster took place in _ . London As a teenager in 1972, Bill Gates boasted that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 20. While he did not quite achieve that goal, only 15 years later, he was a millionaire. And by 1992, as head of the Microsoft company, he became the richest man in America with assets of nearly US $ 6.3 billion. Born in Seattle, Washington on 28, October, 1956, Gates was named William Henry after his father and grandfather. From the beginning, he was an extremely energetic and intelligent child. He had read the entire world book encyclopedia by the age of nine. His favorite subjects at school were science and math and his favorite pastime was "thinking". Gates first started to play with computers at the age of 13. Before long he became an expert at working the school's computer. After his graduation from secondary school, Gates was accepted by the three top universities in the USA-Princeton, Harvard and Yale. He chose Harvard and began classes there the next autunm, majoring maths. But he was still obsessed with computers and spent as much time in the computer laboratories as he did in the lecture halls. By 1975, Gates and a partner, Paul Allen, had developed a software program called BASIC. This was not the first program ever created, but its inventors were the first to decide that people who wanted to use it should pay for it. BASIC was a success because until it came along, there had been no efficient way of getting computers to carry out instructions. Although he had not completed his degree, Gates left university and went to work full time for the new company he had formed called Microsoft. His next project was the software program that made him famous and very rich. It was called DOS, short for Disk Operating System, and it was purchased by IBM in 1980. Today it is the operating system used in more than 14 million personal computers around the world. As chief executive officer of Microsoft, Gates is known as a bright man, but one who is not easily satisfied. He is quick to criticize his staff and hates to be questioned about decisions he has made. He was regarded as a loner and unfashionable boring computer nut until his marriage to Microsoft manager Melinda French on New Year's Day 1994. Yet to many people now, Gates, is a person who is, in spite of his great wealth, humble and ordinary. He spends his money carefully. He eats in fast food restaurants and flies economy class. And when praised for Microsoft's great success, he has been heard to say, "All we do is put software in a box and if people see it in the stores and like it, they buy it." When the writer says "He was regarded as a loner and unfashionable boring computer nut", he means _ . The only thing that could interest Bill in his life was computer My name is Mike. I'm a student of No. 14 Middle School. Our school is on Guangming Street. It's next to the People's Library. There is a big park across from our school. The pay phone is between our school and the post office. I live near the school. I often walk to school. It takes me five minutes. There are three buildings in our school, the students' building, the teachers' building and a library building. The teachers in our school are very good and friendly. Our school is very beautiful. If you come to our school from the airport , you can take a taxi. It takes about thirty minutes to get to our school by taxi. Now let me tell you the way to our school. First, go along Bridge Street and turn left when you see Guangming Street. Go along Guangming Street, you can see the People's Library on your left. Our school is next to it. If you can't find it, you can call me at 010-89864578. How many buildings are there in No. 14 Middle School? Three. 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 ... QIUCKEST...WHITEST WASH! DON'T DELAY ... BUY A PACKET TODAY! Splash is _ . a certain kind of material used for washing in high quality A graded reader is a book containing simplified languages used to help learners master the language. Readers come in different levels, from beginners to advanced. English learners need to choose a reader that is suitable for their level. Why use readers? Lots of research shows that extensive reading improves all aspects of language learning, including vocabulary, speaking skills, fluency ,writing skills and reading comprehension. prefix = st1 /Reading is a way of learning English without classes or a teacher. It helps develop learner independence. And while reading graded readers, learners don't have to run to a dictionary because the language is at their level. How do I get started? The entire class can read the same book or different books at different times. How do I know the right level? If your class is all reading the same book, choose one that is appropriate for their level. If your students are reading different books, you can have a selection of books at different levels. In this case, don't worry too much about the level. A learner who is interested in detective stories might read a higher level book if the motivation is there. How to read the book depends on students' age, motivation and class time available. Some classes like to read silently, others like to read aloud in small groups and some enjoy being read to by the teacher. Be sensitive to the class and ask for their opinions. Some pre-reading activities are needed. Before students open a book, it is important to spark interest in the story and in the whole process of reading. For example, ask them to guess what the story is from cover, chapter titles and let students put them in the best order, or discuss the author. During reading, choose a suitable chapter or chapters that can be broken down to make a comic strip . Or students select a part of the book to make into a radio play. Students can also become journalists and report on parts of the story. Choose a piece of action and have students write it up. Besides, students can role-play an interview with a character. Who do you think the passage is written mainly for? Teachers.
Food, Drink & Refreshment Relax and unwind in our new state of the Loch Ness Eatery. Whether you are looking for a snack or a full meal we can provide almost anything to suit everyone. We will be ready for helping you at all times. Fresh Tea. Coffee, Hot Chocolate etc. Good choice of Home Baking and Cake Home Made Soup and Sandwiches. Sweets and Soft Drinks Packed to aches for those who prefer a picnic. Seating for over 150 visitors. Tel: +44(0)1456 450321 Web: www.lochness.com The reading also tells us _ . Answer: the way of getting in touch with the Eatery Too much eating. Too many unhealthy foods. Too many ads for food. Too few activities. Different reasons are given for America's weight problem---a problem increasingly shared by other countries. Almost one-fifth of American children and teenagers are overweight. Schools have been asked to increase physical education, an important tool for public health. However, a recent study has shown an increase in the number of injuries in P.E. classes. Researchers say one possible reason for this is a decrease in the number of school nurses. Schools without a nurse on duty may be more likely to send an injured child to a hospital. Another possible reason for more injuries is a change in the traditional idea of physical education. This "New P.E." expands the kinds of sports that are taught. But activities that some schools offer now, like rock climbing and skateboarding, can also increase the risks, says Cheryl Richardson, who is with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education(NASPE). She also says not all states require P.E. teachers to be specially trained. Untrained teachers could be less likely to recognize unsafe conditions. Cheryl Richardson points to one of the study's findings -that injuries are often the result of contact with a person or a structure. This tells her that the teachers were not giving each student enough space to move around safely. Six activities produced seventy percent of all injuries: running, basketball, football, volleyball, rugby and gymnastics. The researchers say larger class sizes are another possible reason for the increase in injuries. Larger classes can mean less supervision . The National Association for Sport and Physical Education says twenty to thirty students in a P.E. class should be the limit. What does the passage mainly discuss? Answer: Why there have been more injuries in P.E. classes. When you walk into the small Australian town of Coober Pedy, you may be surprised by what you can see. It's just barren land there! So why even call it a town? There are more than 4,000 people of 48 nationalities. However, all of the people live underground! Coober Pedy was established in 1915, following the discovery of opals . The town is sometimes called the "opal capital of the world," because it is the largest opal mining area in the world. Due to a desert climate , people came to realize that while working under the ground was easy, living above it was not. The solution was to move underground, by changing old mines into homes and establishing the world's first and most likely, only underground town. As years have gone by, the homes have become bigger. There are now also some hotels for tourists. They come from all over the world just to see this unusual town. Coober Pedy is probably best known for its unique style of underground living. While the structures may be located underground, they are in no way worse than those that lie above. Not only do their walls have the color of beautiful red, but also the structures have all the modern equipment like walk-in closets, modern kitchens and televisions. And the town also has gift shops selling opal jewelry, a couple of museums and even a church! Besides, Coober Pedy is also a favourite among filmmakers. And it has appeared in a series of movies such as Pitch Black, Red Planet and Opal Dream. The best title for this passage might be _ . Answer: World's First Underground Town Every day I go into the same coffee shop on the way to work. It's part of a large chain here in the UK. I am new to the anonymous act of kindness concept. I came across it recently. A few weeks ago I worked up the courage to ask the barista if I could pay for a coffee for someone later that day. He looked at me kind of strangely and said "okay" and then put the money into the drawer where some change was put. I walked out feeling doubtful whether this would happen and privately thinking he might just add the money to his tips. This chain stamps a card every time you buy a coffee and when you get 9 stamps, the 10th coffee is free. I had just completed my card today and was due a free cup of coffee next time, so I cheered up as I headed out of the coffee shop. I believe that giving the card to people on the street is better than giving them cash so I forgot about the barista and passed the card on to a homeless guy I met later. A week later I was in the same store and I ordered my usual coffee and a new barista said to me, "Your coffee is on us." I was surprised and asked why he would give me a free coffee. He said that the staff were allowed to give out one free coffee a day to anyone they chose. And that today I was the lucky one. He said they knew that I was a regular and that I was always so cheerful with the staff. By the way, I was not sure I had been the first lucky person in the morning! This put a big smile on my face but I decided to ask if I could choose to pay it forward to someone else instead. Finally, he gave me the power to make a decision. After the author paid for someone who would drink coffee there, he_. Answer: worried that the barista wouldn't do as he hoped Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese, back in the eleventh century B.C. To use it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against rain. It was first used as a shade against the sun. We know it was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use; it became a symbol of honor and _ . In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royal people or by those in high office. In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrellas as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans. During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late 16thcentury. And again it became a symbol of power and authority. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France, and later on in England. By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn't until the twentieth century that women's umbrellas began to be made in a variety of color1s. In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain _ . Answer: in Rome
A teacher showed three toys to his students and asked them to find out the differences. All the three toys seemed to have the same shape, size and material. After looking at them carefully, the students discovered holes in the toys. The first toy had holes in the ears. The second toy had holes in its ear and mouth. The third toy had only one hole in one of its ears. Then the teacher put a needle in one ear hole of the first toy. The needle came out of the other ear. For the second toy, when the needle was put in its ear , it came out of its mouth. And for the third toy, when the needle was put in, it did not come out. So the teacher explained to his students," The first toy represent those people who seem to be listening to you and caring for you. But they are just pretending to do so. After listening, as the needle comes out from the next ear, the things you said to them are gone. In fact, they don't care for you at all." "The second toy represents those people who listen to you and care for you. But as in the toy, the needle comes out from mouth, these people will use what you tell them to fight against you. They tell others what you said and tell your secrets for their purposes." "As for the third toy, the needle does not come out. It represents those people who will keep the trust you put in them. They are the ones that you can believe." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: The third toy represents the people who you can believe. Diamonds may be forever. But what's a girl to do when she gets dumped or divorced and those rings, necklace and love gifts lose their emotional sense? Help is just a click away on new Web sites that provide an outlet for selling jewelry from past relationships, sharing break-up stories and helping broken hearts heal . "You go through a divorce. What do you do with that ring? Maybe you have a child you can pass it on to. Maybe you don't. It just sits there, " said Megahn Perry, who with her stepmother Marie Perry runswww.exboyfriendjewelry.com. Three months after its start with the slogan "You Don't Want It. He Can't Have It Back," the web site has 3,000 registered users and more than 600 postings of rings, bracelets and earrings for sale--all with a personal tale attached. As one woman posting a diamond ring for $3,500 wrote: "Beautiful ring came with a wrong man. Decided to sell to regain the money that I spent finishing payments on the ring that my ex didn't." The idea was born when Megahn Perry, a Los Angeles actress and writer, was looking for a safe place to sell a wedding set after a divorce and realized others might have former boyfriends' jewelry with memories that make them too painful to wear. The local pawn shop proved an unattractive choice. So she teamed up with her stepmother Marie, researched the market and found a _ in it. Who set up this website? Answer: Megahn and her stepmother. Juanito Estrella has been a housekeeping manager on the US-based large passenger ship Carnival Spirit for 18 months and feels he has found the suitable position in his career .He has always wanted to travel. "I guess I am a really restless spirit. I like traveling, so when the chance came, I jumped at it," he says. The chance came in the form of a newspaper advertisement for work on cruise ships .At the time Estrella was the housekeeping manager at a Melbourne hotel. He applied and, after two interviews, a medical check and police clearance, the job was his. Estrella is responsible for the cleanliness of the ship, making sure that 160 crew work properly. "I enjoy it because there is no other work-you wake up each day in a different place and a different culture. It's exciting when you go to the next country and you don't understand the language," he says. Estrella likes being busy and getting to know people from all over the world. The 1,000 crew come from 94 countries, and Estrella has learnt Spanish and a little Croatian. But there is a downside ."You cannot get really drunk...because you have safety responsibilities to yourself and others," he says. "You don't really think about home. You start to think about home only when you get closer to your vacation and wonder what you'll be doing." Life on the ship is anything but cruising. Estrella and his fellows work at least 10 hours a day, seven days a week. He warns the job is not for everybody. "You have to love being busy and be prepared to work every day-and to give up drinking too much alcohol." In his spare time, if the ship sails into a port, Estrella explores it, otherwise he works out in the crew's gym, goes on the internet or calls home. Which of the following is true? Answer: Estrella doesn't often feel homesick because of his work. Most Chinese people don't understand why some westerners don't eat meat. In China, to eat meat is a sign of wealth. If a westerner doesn't take a bite of their Peking duck, there is something wrong. But many people in Europe and America choose not to eat meat or fish -- they are known as vegetarians. In the US alone there are 12 million vegetarians and 19,000 more people stop eating meat every week. People often become vegetarians in order to lose weight or eat more healthily. A lot of research has shown that vegetarian diets are healthier than the average western diet. Fried chicken may be delicious to eat, but all that extra fat can damage your heart. There are many other reasons for "turning veggie". It could be that you cannot afford to buy meat. Or maybe you just don't like the taste of it. A large number of vegetarians choose to give up meat because they believe it is cruel to kill animals for food. They believe many animals are not allowed to live in comfort and, when they are killed, it is carried out in a very painful way. While some vegetarians are happy not to eat animals, others take it one step further and refuse to eat any animal product. They are known as vegans and will not eat cheese, yoghurt and eggs, or drink milk. Neither will they wear clothes or shoes made from animal skin, such as leather. They say that if it is wrong to kill an animal for food, it is worse to kill it for clothing. But there are some groups that go even further. Fruitarians believe it is wrong to kill any living plant or animal. Besides refusing to eat meat, they will only eat fruit and vegetables that have not been killed when harvested. This means they cannot take an apple from a tree: they must wait until the apple falls to the ground. Only then can it be considered dead. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: Meat and health There was a king who gave his daughter a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. So the king asked to search for it and put a reward for$50,000 for anyone who found it. One day, a clerk was walking home along a river when he saw something shinning in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it to get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the river and tried to catch the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling sad. Just then, an old man walking by saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with him, thinking he might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell him anything. The old man could see this man was troubled. He again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The old man then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was hanging on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to take a reflection of the real necklace all this time. Before the old man asked the clerk what was the matter, the clerk _ . Answer: was not feeling good
Thousands of jobs come into our Job Centre every week, but they get snapped up quickly. So although we shall do all we can to help you, it's important for you to do all you can to help yourself. This passage tells you how. Registered for work Once you have registered for work we will match you will available vacancies. If you want to claim unemployment benefit , you also have to get registered at our Job Centre. But you actually apply for and claim it at the local Unemployment Office. Getting a job through self- service Jobs that come in are put on self- service show as soon as possible. Half the people who find jobs through our Job Centre find them through self- service. You can call in at any time to look at the jobs shown. Come to our Employment Advisers If you want more help or advice, don't forgot that's what we're here for. Our Employment Advisers can help you with things like: thinking about the different sorts of jobs you could do and which are best for you. jobs available locally or elsewhere. whether you are suitable for a TOPS training course. funds to help you look for, and move to, work in other parts. Even though you have a clear idea of the sort of job and pay you want, you may find that something different will suit you quite well. Keep this in mind when you are talking with Employment Advisers. If you don't find a job on your fast visit Go into self- service as often as you can to look at the jobs on show there. Good vacancies are coming in all the time just because you've been registered for work. The unemployed people can claim unemployment benefit from_. With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters. The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still _ , the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job. After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective , consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas. Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup , and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s. Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility hit during a multi-month lockout , where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (.) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand. Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down. The passage is mainly about _ The air hostess was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, "Could you please tell me," she asked, "where is the ladies' lavatory in the plane?" "Yes, madam," said the air hostess and smiled. "It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front." The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess. "Oh, didn't you find it, madam?" the girl asked her. "Yes, I did," said the little lady. "But there are four men in the ladies' lavatory watching television." The story happened _ . Tony Wheeler was born to travel. His father worked for an airline. For the first 16 years of his life, Wheeler and his family lived in many different countries. In the early 1970s,Tony met a young woman named Maureen. They soon married. Before getting jobs, Tony and Maureen wanted to travel. They took a year long trip from England, through Asia, to Australia. On the trip,they visited places like Iran ,India, and so on. When Tony and Maureen arrived in Australia, people asked many questions about their trip. To answer these questions, Wheeler wrote a book called Across Asia on the Cheap. The book told people about different countries' weather, customs , and places to see. But unlike other travel books then,Tony Wheeler's book also talked about places most tourists did not go. He also wrote about unusual things to see and do. The book was very popular. Tony and Maureen started a company called Lonely Planet. They continued travelling. They wrote books for each place they visited. Today,800 people work {or Lonely Planet. The company has over 650 books. Tony Wheeler,the great traveller, still writes about travels to many places and will bring us more surprises. The passage mainly talks about _ . It's Really a Miracle Mr. Clarke works in New York and he brought his family to China last summer. They visited many places of interest and had a good time here. Before they left for New York, the Clarkes climbed the Great Wall. It was the greatest project over two thousand years ago. They took a lot of photos there and then they had a picnic under a big tree. Suddenly it began to rain and they hurried to the car. And when they returned to the hotel, they couldn't find the bag in which their expensive camera was. They were all sorry for it. They could buy another camera but had no time to go to the Great Wall again. They could not miss the plane! That evening they didn't have supper. Mr. Clarke hoped to make them happy, so he said, "Well, let me tell you a story. An old man lived in a sixty-storey building. One day he fell down from it when he was cleaning the window. But he didn't hurt himself." "It was a miracle!" called out his children, "Why?" "Because he lived on the first floor!" They all began to laugh while two policemen with a bag came in. They said a Chinese boy found it under a big tree and he asked them to find out who lost it. "It's really a miracle!" the Clarkes said happily. Why didn't they have anything that evening?
Suppose you are reading a book. Suppose, too, you suddenly close your eyes. Can you still see the book? "Of course not," you will say. But can you tell why? You would probably say, "When I close my eyes my eyesight cannot get out of my eyes to get to the book. " But this explanation is wrong. You cannot see any object unless light from that object gets into your eyes. Some of the things you see give off light of their own. The sun, the stars, a lighted lamp are examples of that can be seen by their own light. Such things are luminous. Most of the things you see are not giving off light of their own. They are simply reflecting light that falls on them from the sun or some other luminous body. The moon, for example, does not give off any light of its own. It is non-luminous. You see it because sunlight falls on it and some of it reflects in your direction. So moonlight is only second-hand sunlight. When you look at a book, it sends to your eyes some of the light which falls on it, and you see the book. If light could be kept out from where you are so that there would be no light for the book to reflect, then you could not see the book even with your eyes wide open. Light travels so fast that the time in which it travels from the book you are reading to your eyes is so short as if there were no time at all. Light reaches us from the moon, which is about 380,000 kilometres away, in only a little more than a second. _ have light of their own. The surprising experiment I am about to describe proves that air is all around you and that it presses down upon you. Air pressure is a powerful force. When you swim underwater, you can feel water pushing on your body. The air all around you does the same. However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this. The pressure is caused by a layer of air called the atmosphere. This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth's surface. The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home. But make sure that you are supervised , because you will need to use matches. Now for the experiment. What you need * hard-boiled egg without the shell * A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg * A piece of paper * A match Method 1) Check that the egg will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle. 2) Tear the paper into pieces and put them into the bottle. 3) Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle. 4) Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle. Result Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle. Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment. But be careful when you handle matches. Why it happened? As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen (air) in the bottle. The egg acts as a scale in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside. This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle. The outside air presses against the egg, and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! This proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on us. The experiment is carried out to prove _ .. The sediments found in a riverbed are most likely a result of which action on nearby rock? The 30-mile road that runs through the mountains of Willie Valley makes most drivers' hands sweat. But Andersen, a 46-year-old father of four, wasn't expecting any trouble on the road last New Year's Eve, when he set off for a ski trip to the Bear Mountains with nine-year-old daughter Mia, four-old son Baylor, and nine-year-old neighbor Kenya. Andersen had driven through the Valley hundreds of times over the years. The weather was fine. But the higher they drove, the more slippery the road became. Rounding a sharp U-turn, Andersen saw a heavy truck off the road and immediately hit his brakes. In a minute, the car was going at 25 miles per hour down the mountain before falling down from a ten-foot dam into the extremely cold Logan River. The crash had broken a few windows, and within seconds, the car was filled with water. "It was frightening that we were going fast into deep water," remembers Andersen, a soft-spoken manager. Having lost all sense of direction, Andersen began to search the freezing water for the kids. Mia had been right next to him in the front seat; now, in the blackness, he couldn't find her. "I thought, if I don't get out, maybe none of us are going to get out." Andersen got out of his seat belt, swam through a broken window, and, deeply and quickly, breathed air at the surface. That's when he saw a group of men, about ten in all, appear at the top of the dam. One after another, they rushed down into the water. Helping onto safety all the three children, they began to shout at the father, "Who else is in the car?" Andersen says respectfully, " _ ." Which of the following can be the best title of the text? If a sitcom that lasts for l0 years is considered popular, then surely one that still arouses emotions after 20 must be considered a classic. Friends first aired in the US in 1994, telling about six young men and women in New York.Since then, it's become one of the most famous titles in the sitcom style, aired in over 100 countries and regions in the world. The show is typical among those who grew up in the 1990s because it explores basic yet important themes like friendship, struggling to survive in a big city, and finding independence and identity, all of which are still relevant to young audiences today. Against the background of the Internet age, IT staff who were once marginalized and laughed at have been brought back to life due to the popularity of hit show The Big Bang Theory, in which four talents lacking normal social skills make an attempt at living on a college campus. At the same time, Gossip Girl, describing a young cast of New Yorkers born with silver spoons in their mouths, showing the difficulties upper-class adolescents experience. The play's fashion and mature subject matter allowed it to draw the interest of both teenagers and adults. Although these typical TV shows cover a wide timeline and a variety of themes, they all have a universal topic. Why are they still appealing? It remains to be found out. According to the passage, Gossip Girl _ .
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell thanks to 300million smell receptors in their noses, compared to only five million in the human nose. Medical dogs are trained by smelling samples of people already diagnosed with cancer and those of people without the disease so they can learn to tell the difference. Dr Claire Guest began training her dog Daisy to smell out the killer disease in urine and breath samples when she was young. So far Daisy has found cancer in 551 patients, of which 93 per cent were accurate. And she discovered Dr Guest's breast cancer before it was diagnosed- the first time she has discovered the disease actually growing in someone's body, rather than by smelling a sample. Dr Guest, 50, chief executive of charity Medical Detection Dogs, said: "She pushed against my body with her nose repeatedly - I pushed her away, but she pushed against me again, clearly upset. She pushed me so hard that it hurt me. "Her behaviour was totally out of character - she was normally such a happy dog ... I felt the tender area where she'd pushed me, and over the next few days I discovered the tiniest lump . "If it wasn't for Daisy it would have gone hidden for much longer and could have been more serious," Dr Guest added. "My own pet labrador saved my life." Animal rescue charity Blue Cross presented Daisy with a medal for her achievements. She faced tough competition, including JJ, a bomb detection dog who has saved soldiers' lives in Afghanistan. Steve Goody, the charity's deputy chief executive, said: "Cancer affects the lives of thousands of people and Daisy has made a huge contribution to the diagnosis and early treatment of cancers - she's a very deserving medal _ t." Daisy is now helping to train a team of 12 dogs at Medical Detection Dogs and is a 'senior consultant' for the UK's first ever trial using dogs to discover breast cancer. Why was Daisy awarded a medal? Answer: Because she can help discover cancer early. "I Went Skydiving at 84!" As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of for a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2001,when my husband arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time, I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream. In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn't believe it. Inspired by this, I decided to realize my dream, even though some of my family members and my doctor were against it. On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My _ , Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn't frightened--I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?" But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute , then we just floated downward for about five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt--much better than the hot air balloon. I was just enjoying it. Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don't stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there's something you want to experience, look into it. If it's something that is possible, make it happen. How did the author feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane? Answer: Regretful One dollar a week The doorway of the house where Chandler has a room. He is dressed in his best clothes, ready for his evening out. He is going out as his friend, Jeff 'White, comes in. WHITE What are you doing this evening, Towers? CHANDLER (Smiling) Tonight I'm going to live like a man with a million dollars! WHITE What are you talking about? You haven't got a million dollars! CHANDLER How much money are you and I paid each week, Jeff? WHITE Eighteen dollars. Why? CHANDLER And how much of that eighteen dollars do you spend each week? WHITE All of it, of course. CHANDLER Well, I don't. Each week I save one dollar out of my eighteen. Then, every ten weeks, I can buy myself an evening to remember. WHITE What do you do? CHANDLER I put on my finest clothes, go to one of the best restaurants in New York, eat the most expensive food on the menu, drink the best wine, and then take a taxi home! WHITE ( _ ) Why? CHANDLER Why? Because it makes me feel wonderful to sit with some of 'the richest people in America, and to make them think that I'm rich, too. WHITE You're crazy! CHANDLER (Laughing) Perhaps I am! Mrs Black comes in. MRS BLACK Ah, Mr Chandler. I wanted to see you. CHANDLER Good evening, Mrs Black. What a lovely evening! MRS BLACK Lovely evening perhaps, but you haven't paid me for your room this month. When am I going to get the money? CHANDLER Soon, Mrs Black. Very soon. Mrs Black looks at Chandler s clothes. MRS BLACK You can spend money on expensive clothes, but you can't pay for your room. Is that right? CHANDLER (Hurrying away) Good night, Mrs Black! What can we learn about Chandler? Answer: He is not very practical. Recently we've observed an increasing request from disadvantaged and regional schools for attending one of our zoo areas at no cost or partly paid some organizations. Zoos Victoria believes that all children should have the opportunity to have an early memory of visiting the zoo, and gain an understanding of the wild and natural world that humans share with animals. Zoos Victoria wins the support of the Ian Potter Foundation to help achieve this goal. Funding available for schools to enter an educational program at Zoos Victoria in 2012 Applications are open from November 23, 2011 to February 12, 2012. Children from disadvantaged and originally isolated schools are provided with the opportunity to visit the zoo and attend an interactive education experience at no charge. The program objectives are: To start developing "environmentalists" within low social and economic groups. To support the youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to have greater awareness of wildlife and have ongoing opportunities to get relevant information about animals and the environment through the zoos' website. What is covered under the program? Travel to the zoo -- transport costs will be partly or fully paid back to the school on the basis of the number of children applying for the program. Student entry to one area of Zoos Victoria and an educational experience. Which schools are able to take part in the program? Open to schools in Victoria. Consideration will be given to schools that have not previously been able to enter one of our zoo areas, list as "disadvantaged" ones or come from regionally isolated areas. Able to visit an area of Zoos Victoria within the 2012 school year. Applications must be supported by the school principal . Able to complete a short evaluation of the program. How to apply for the program? Download the application forms. Complete all the details, including a signature from your principal and attaching a quote for transport costs. Return the application forms to Margaret Harwood at Zoos Victoria by email to mharwood@zoo.org.au or by post to PO Box 74, Parkville, VIC 3052. *Please contact Margaret Harwood at 03 9285 9462, if there are any further questions. To be qualified for the program, you have to _ . Answer: make a short comment on the program DALLAS - A suburban Dallas woman accused of killing her two young children told a 911 operator that she first tried to poison them because they were autistic and she wanted "normal kids," then choked them with a wire until they stopped moving, according to the recorded call. Irving police on Wednesday released recordings of the 911 call after Saiqa Akhter was charged with capital murder in the death of her 5-year-old son, Zain Akhter and her 2-year-old daughter, Faryaal Akhter. Police said the children were attacked at the family's apartment Monday night. In the recording released Wednesday, the woman identified herself as Saiqa Akhter and repeatedly told the operator she killed her two children. At one point, the woman hung up and the dispatcher called her back. "I killed both of them. I told you," she told the operator. Later, she explained that both children were lying motionless on the bed in the master bedroom. "They are not doing anything. They are just blue and they are not taking any breaths and ... their heart is not beating," she said. She told the operator she initially tried to poison the children with bathroom cleaner but they refused to drink it. When that didn't work, "I used a wire on their necks," she said. When the operator asked the woman why she attacked her children, she said, "They're both not normal, not normal. They're autistic. Both are autistic." Pressed further, she said, "I don't want my children to be like that. ... I want normal kids." Later, the dispatcher asked the woman what she was feeling. "Nothing," she responded. At one point, water could be heard running in the background and the dispatcher asked what the woman what she was doing. She told the operator she was trying to wash the smell of cleaner off of her hands. The dispatcher then told the woman to go sit on a couch in the living room and wait for police. At the end of the recording, police can be heard arriving at the home. What can be inferred from the passage? Answer: The woman did not take the killing seriously.
Jerry Morris died on 28 October 2009. He was 99 years old. You have probably never heard of him. He was a professor of public health. More than 50 years ago he produced one of the most famous epidemiological papers of the 20th century. His study showed that bus conductors were much less likely to die of heart disease than bus drivers. Why? Because the conductors spent their working day walking. It seems obvious now but in the middle of the last century doctors were puzzled by the rising numbers of people who got heart diseases. Jerry Morris found one of the main causes: a sedentary lifestyle. He started exercising for a few minutes each day and lived until his 100th year. If you wish to protect your heart, you have to do more than wander in the garden. The exercise needs to be reasonable. Jogging is not for everyone and a round trip to the gym takes a couple of hours, plus the monthly membership fee is only good value if you visit regularly. The answer is simple: walk. A half-hour purposeful walk five times a week will lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Older people sometimes feel they have left it too late. But it is never too late to start and there are no upper age limits. Start gently. Take your time: a 15-minute flat walk in the nearest park, four or five times a week. Within a month or so, you are already beginning to protect your heart. Build the walks up. When you can comfortably walk for half an hour in the park, go further: try following rivers and canals. Regular walkers have their own natural gymnasium. There is no membership fee, just some of the finest scenery in the world. Great Britain is the walker's gym. When you have followed the rivers and canals, and are enjoying walking for a couple of hours, head for the coast. Once again, build it up slowly. When you are comfortable with long coastal walks, you can think of our national parks. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day visit at four of America's greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that you will not want to miss, listed below. Boston Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Chairs February 11-May 8, 2012 Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum's collection and "chair photographs" from around the world presented in a Venetian-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces. For more information:www. gardnermuseum. org New York The Noguchi Museum Noguehi and Graham December 1, 2011-May 1, 2012 Noguchi's long-term collaboration with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as a high point in the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration. For more information:www. noguchi. org Philadelphia Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts In Full View:American Painting(1720--2012) January 11--April 10, 2012 Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America's artists for more than 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the works of famous American artists, and is well-known for training fine artists. 2012 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of Academy's distinguished American collection in the institution's history. For more information:www. pafa. org Seattle Seattle Museum of Glass Murano:Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection Through November 7, 2011 This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice, Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the Hot Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions. For more information:www. museumofglass. org If you want to know the history of American painting, you may visit _ . Answer: Watson entered Mr. Smith's office. The Boss was a hard man. He fired people who didn't do well without giving them a second chance. "Watson," said Mr. Smith, "this past year your department hasn't earned money. We're going to _ that department. It's finished. I' m sorry, --but you'll have to go." "But, sir--if I just had a little more time. For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School." "What's that!" said the Boss. "Riverside! I didn't know you had a boy there. That's an expensive school for a man with your salary." "I know, sir. But he likes it there so much! He's a star trackman and the best boxer in the school. The boys call him Champ there." The Boss sat perfectly still for a long time--a faraway look in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he said, "We've got to close your department, Watson. But you'll take over a new job in another department. It means longer hours--maybe more pay. Now get out. You're here for life." Watson got out, with surprise in his face. Then the Boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk. It was Herbie's last letter from Riverside School --written a few days before he died. He had read it over and over again with sick pain. The letter read: I can't say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were. I guess it's the same everywhere when you're a cripple . But don't worry about me, Dad. They've got a good chemistry department here. And there's one boy here who is really great. He's a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry. The boys call him Champ. He made them stop throwing my books around. And he knocked a boy down who hit me. He is the best friend I ever had. Dad, when I grow up, I want to do something for Champ. Something big--that he won't even know about. Your son, Herbie Watson was given a second chance because _ . Answer: Social customs differ from country to country. Does a man walk on the left or the right of a woman in your country? Or doesn't it matter? What about table manners? Should you use both hands when you are eating? Should you leave one in your lap, or on the table? The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs. For example, in both America and England people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time. Also, most Englishmen will open a door for a woman or offer their seat to a woman, and so will most Americans. Promptness is important both in England and in America. That is, if a dinner invitation is for 7 o'clock, the dinner guest either arrives close to that time or calls up to explain his delay. The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable - especially if they are your guests. There is an old story about a man who gave a formal dinner party. When the food was served, one of the guests started to eat his peas with a knife. The other guests were amused or shocked, but the host calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way. It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable. The author of this article may agree with which of the following? Answer: Last summer I went to India with my family. We spent 10 days traveling around Rajasthan and I will never forget it. We saw lots of things like the Taj Mahal and we went to a tiger reserve . Our guide was called Krishna and he was really nice especially when I didn't always understand things he would explain it to me and answer all my stupid questions. Also when I got ill with a fever, he was really kind and gave me medicine and got a priest to give me a _ in a Hindu temple we visited, and then I got well again very quickly. There were lots of amazing parts of the holiday. One was when we got to ride on elephants in Jaipur. My sister and I rode an elephant called Lucky. We were in a camel cart but Krishna talked to the camel's owner and we were allowed to ride on them, which was really cool. I also really liked the Taj Mahal because it was even prettier than I imagined. My sister lost her shoes. But the people in India are really kind, so we found them again. The weather was really hot which was nice because Krishna gave us lots of time to spend in the pool and relax in-between going to see all the amazing places. This was the best holiday that I have ever been on. I wish I could come back another year. What happened to the writer's sister during the trip? Answer:
August 14, 2002 #The biggest shopping center KRF will open on August 18. Everyone with Today's newspaper will get a small gift. You are welcome. Address: No. 6 Bridge Street #English Newspaper, is looking for good English speakers as editors. He should study news in college. He will get $8,000 a year. Please send you application form in 10 days. Tel: 3898766 Address: No 5 Longway Street Email: englishnewspaper@yahoo.com #Traditional Chinese doctor treatment. RMB 200/hourI'll go to your home. Mobile: 137629390 #New York VS Chinese Dragon Team Time: 7 PM Sunday, August 17 Place: Star Stadium Price: RMB 300, RMB 280, RMB 180, RMB 80, Bob comes from UK and studies news. He wants to work for the English newspaper. He should send his application form before _ . A. August 23 B. August 24 C. August 25 D. August 26 Answer: B. August 24 Chrysanthemum Exhibition Name: Yichun the Second Chrysanthemum Exhibition Date: Oct. 26th -- Nov. 25th, 2015 Place: Yichun Fengcheng Square Show: Over 300,000 basins and nearly 200 kinds of chrysanthemums Parts: Watching chrysanthemums, praising chrysanthemums and tasting chrysanthemum tea Transportation: No.2 bus Time: At any time in the day It is free for everyone. If you like, you can take photos. But do not pick or damage the chrysanthemums. Come to the chrysanthemum exhibition with your family or friends and have fun. Which is the proper behavior in the exhibition? A. Go there at night. B. Take photos. C. Taste the chrysanthemums. D. Damage the chrysanthemums. Answer: B. Take photos. In 1809, Mary Kies received the first U.S. patent issued to a woman. Kies , a Connecticut native , invented a process for weaving straw with silk or thread. First Lady Dolley Madison praised her for improving the nation's het industry. Unfortunately , the patent file was destroyed in a big fire in 1836. Until about 1840, only 20 U.S. patents were issued to women. The inventions were related to clothes, tools ,cook stoves and fireplaces. Patent is the "ownership" of an invention and only the inventor(s) can apply for it. In the past , women were not allowed to have equal rights of property ownership and many women patented their inventions under their husbands' or fathers' name. Women were also prevented from receiving higher education necessary for inventing. Here are a few examples to be noticed, and from these examples, we know enough reasons for encouraging girls and women to pursue technology-based courses and careers. The women inventors took annually granted U.S. patents rising fro;m 2.6 percent in 1977 to 10.3 percent in 1998. The majority of the U.S. woman-inventor patents are in the chemical technologies. In 1996, every eleven U.S. patent grant included one woman inventor. In the past 20 years, about 83 percent of the U. S. patent grants to women were for utility patents , 16.5 percent for design patents, and 0.5 percent for plant patents. About 35 percent of the U.S woman-inventor patents granted during the 1977 to 1996 period originated form California , New York or New Jersey. Today, hundreds of thousands of women apply for and receive patents every year. About 20% of all inventors are currently female and that number will quickly rise to 50% over the next generation. Mary Kies's patent was _ . A. a Connecticut native B. about a process of weaving silk C. useful in hat industry D. issued in 1836 Answer: C. useful in hat industry Jose, a young musician, is a rising star in Bolivia. He has already performed in some of the countries' top venues including the Legislative Palace. What's so great about that? Jose is just seven years old and he is blind! Jose is musically talented. At the age of 4, he picked up the drums and showed surprising talent. Later he moved on to the piano and his musical talent became undeniable . By the age of 5, Jose had formed his own jazz trio . The young boy knows every jazz song in his book and can play _ all with great confidence. And it is not the only kind of music he enjoys. He also loves listening to blues, heavy metal, etc. Roberto Montano is clearly a proud father when speaking of his son Jose. He said that he had nothing to do with his son's unusual talent. In fact he didn't even know much about jazz until Jose started to play. He believes the young boy is just born with a "music chip" inside him. Although Jose is a rising superstar, he lives a life like other children do. Just like his classmates, he goes to school, does homework and even does chores at home. Jose showed his talent for music when he was _ years old. A. four B. five C. six D. seven Answer: A. four In America, when people say"man's best friend", they don't mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal--a dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give joy to people's lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. Some people even leave all their money to their pets when they die! Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to be the"eyes"for a blind person or"ears"for a deaf person. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, they bring animals into hospitals for"visits". Americans hold"Be Kind to Animals Week"in the first week of May. Pet shows are held during the week. Even if you don't live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. If you don't have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, just leave it alone, or make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to animals, try to speak up. As people, we must protect animals who can't speak for themselves. Some people even leave all their money to their pets when they die!is used to prove that _ . A. pets have the right to inherit money B. money can make pets happy C. it's the best way to spend money D. some pets are as important to their owners as their children Answer: D. some pets are as important to their owners as their children
It is time to go home now. I am on a bus on a rainy day, and a woman with a dog gets on the bus. It is a big dog and its feet are not clean. I don't want the dog to sit next to me. But the woman says to the conductor, "oh, I pay for my dog. Can he sit here like the other people?" The conductor looks at the dog and says, "yes, madam. But like other people , he must put his feet under the chair." I am going home _ . A. by bike B. by bus C. by car D. by jeep Answer: B In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, and do not make mistakes. And they are honest. Many banks say that their business is "untouched by human hands" and therefore safe. But they have no thought that the growing number of computer crimes show they can be used to steal. Computer criminals don't use guns. And even if they are caught, it is hard to punish them because there is often no proof. A computer cannot remember who used it. It simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York City bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half billion dollars in just four years. No one noticed this because he moved the money from one account to another. Each time a customer whose money he had stolen questioned the balance in his account, the teller said it was a computer mistake, then replaced the missing money from someone else's account. This man was caught at last. Some workers use the computer's power to punish their bosses they consider unfair. Recently, a large company fired its computer record assistant for reasons that were connected with her personal life rather than her job. She was given thirty days notice. In those thirty days, she stole all the company's computerized records. Most computer criminals have been common workers. Now police wonder if this is "the tip of iceberg". As one official says, "I have the feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing--the ones who really know a computer works." The assistant stole all the computerized records _ . A. by chance B. after she was dismissed C. because she had been done wrong D. because the company decided to dismiss her Answer: D Which change would most likely cause deer to die or leave a woodland? A. a forest fire B. a rainstorm C. a snow storm D. a sinkhole Answer: A While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruiningg their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, certainly share their disappointment : my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our 40s, and we two are burdened by student loans . But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers? Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet. I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury , not a _ requirement. A 26-year-old in the story is disappointed that he can't afford to get a Ph. D in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years. Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations grew up at a time when everyone's wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. "So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner. This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful---for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day---than on longing for some kind of luxury life. What is the best title for this passage? A. Young people afford to continue their study B. Young people can't afford to buy a house C. Young people's high hopes create despair D. The 20-somethings' high expectations Answer: C We've all heard the old saying,"Sticks and stones can break my bones,but words can never hurt me." Don't you believe it?Words are powerful,and they can hurt--a lot. In fact,if you're not careful,you can even hurt yourself,by using the wrong word in your writing. Recently a friend sent me a copy of an email she received from the customer service department of her credit card company,after she contacted them with a question about her account. She was happy with their positive response. But as I read the email,one line jumped out at me:"In lieu of good customer service..." Did they really mean they were offering her a few extra reward points instead of good customer service?I doubt it. More likely,what the customer service department meant to say was,"Because good customer service is important to us..." followed by the details of what they were doing to make sure she remained a happy customer. So why didn't the writer say that?I can only guess that perhaps the writer liked the phrase "in lieu of",thought it sounded more interesting than saying "because",and so used it--without bothering to check the true meaning. Have you ever done that?Try to impress others with a big word,only to find out you've used the word incorrectly?It's just the opposite effect,isn't it?You may impress people all right,but it's not the impression you were going for. When you write,remember to choose your words carefully. People may still disagree with what you say,but they won't be able to dismiss you because you made careless mistakes in how you said it. What's the writer's purpose in giving the saying? A. To amuse the reader. B. To persuade the reader. C. To support a conclusion. D. To lead to the topic. Answer: D
Question: A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty jar and started to fill it with rocks. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of _ and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with "Yes." "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, and give a dinner party. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities . The rest is just sand." What is the best title for the passage? A. Take Care of the Rocks B. An Important Lesson C. A Jar Full of Happiness D. The Important Things In Life Answer: D Question: It's Sunday morning. My parents, my uncle, my sisters and I are all at home.My father is sitting near the window. What is he doing? He is reading a newspaper. He wants to know what happens all over the world. My mother is watering the flowers in the small garden. There are some beautiful flowers in it. Some are red, and the others are yellow. They look nice. My uncle is my mother's brother. He is a worker. He is watching TV now. He is a basketball fan . And he is good at playing basketball. Now he is watching NBA on TV. Where are my sisters? Lily is over there, and she is listening to the radio . She likes popular music very much. Lucy is in her room. She has a computer. Now she is surfing the Internet. She is writing an e-mail to her friend. What am I doing? I am doing my homework. There are _ people in the family. . A. four B. five C. six D. seven Answer: C Question: How much time is required for a bicycle to travel a distance of 100 m at an average speed of 2 m/s? A. 0.0 B. s B 50 s C. 100 s D. 200 s Answer: B Question: It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and Maggie and I were returning from our walk through the woods.We were only a couple of blocks from home when I spotted a cell phone and a credit card sitting on the road.We took them home.We always find amazing things on the street and she looks upon them as a movable feast-a chicken wing here or a barbecue rib there. I found another cell phone a few years back, too, and called a number in its phone book.I explained the situation to the guy who answered.He said it was his sister's and that he'd come to pick it up, which he did. And that was that.No verbal thank-you, no written thank-you, no "here's a box of chocolates" thank-you. I didn't have time to call anyone on my latest found cell phone.I was pouring myself coffee when it started to shake and dance across the kitchen counter. "Who's this?" someone asked when I picked up. "Who's this?" I countered ."Sarah?" She was surprised at my knowing her name until she realized her name was on the credit card."Could you send them to me?" she asked. She lives in Arlington, which is 2 miles from my house. "Hmm, no, "I replied, adding that I thought she could come to get them, and that if I wasn't at home, they would be in my mailbox. A day later, when I was out for a run, someone got them back.There wasn't even a piece of paper put in the mailbox with "Thanks" on it.In this age of e-mail and cell phone, there's really no excuse.Years ago, I found something more precious than a $100 bill on the street:a driver's license.I saw that its owner lived a couple of blocks from me, so I called him up.He asked whether I could slip the license through his front door. "I guess I could, "I replied. And that was that. What is the relationship between Maggie and the writer? A. Wife and husband B. Daughter and father C. Teacher and student D. Master and pet dog Answer: D Question: On November 8,all flags in Finland were flown at half-mast .People were showing their respect to the victims of a high school tragedy.The day before,an 18-year-old boy opened fire at his high school, killing seven other students and the principal before ending his own life. The first school shooting in Finland since 1989 _ the nation where gun crime is rare and people enjoy a high standard of living.While the police are busy searching for the killer's motives,another issue is creating debate in the North European country----the right to carry a gun. Finland is one of a few developed Western countries that allow private possession of guns.The right to bear arms is deeply rooted in Finnish culture.Anyone older than 15 can buy a gun from certain shops,and gun clubs are popular places to hang out. The high school shooter was a member of the Helsinki Shooting Club,which has 1,500 members Descendants of hunters,Finns have survived by hunting and fishing for thousands of years.But today hunting is just done for entertainment.And its land,half of which is covered by forest,provides an ideal site for hunting. In Finland,there are about 56 guns for every 100 people.That figure is higher than any other country in the world except for the United States and Yemen.In comparison with those two nations,however,Finland has largely avoided bloodshed caused by firearms,at least until last week.However,the recent event proved the need for stricter gun laws. Petri Oinonen,a gun dealer,said the shooting did not surprise him."It was only a question of when this was going to happen,not if it was going to happen." What would be the best title for the text? A. School shooting:a disaster! B. Finns,think again about gun possession! C. Finland,a danger to the world! D. Finns,protect yourselves! Answer: B
In many English homes people eat four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner.People have breakfast at any time from seven to nine in the morning.They eat porridge,eggs or bread.English people drink tea or coffee at breakfast.Lunch comes at one o'clock.Afternoon tea is from four to five in the afternoon and dinner is about half past seven.First they have soups, and then they have meat or fish with vegetables.After that they eat some other things, like bananas,apples or oranges.But not all English people eat like that.Some of them have their dinner in the middle of the day.Their meals are breakfast, dinner, tea and supper and all these meals are very necessary. People may have _ for their breakfast. Answer: porridge,eggs,bread,tea or coffee It is often said that politeness costs nothing. In fact, it seems that a little more could save businesses PS5 billion every year. Frequently hearing the phrase "thank you" or "well done" means the same to staff as a modest pay rise, researchers say. Praise and encouragement also makes employees more likely to work hard and stay in their jobs, saving on the cost of finding replacements. A third of 1,000 workers surveyed by the famous firm White Water Strategies said they did not get thanked at all when they did well----and a further third said they were not thanked enough, meaning they were less likely to put themselves into work and were more likely to look for employment elsewhere. The final result is around PS5.2 billion in lost productivity from employees who would raise their interests in work if they felt more appreciated, White Water claimed. According to the company, praising staff has the same motivational kick as a 1 per cent pay rise - and works out much cheaper for bosses. Three out of four employees said that regular acknowledgement by their bosses was important to them, but only a quarter said they were actually given as much praise as they felt they needed. The survey found that those blue-collar and manual workers were less likely to be given any recognition for doing well. In regional terms, Scottish staff felt most undervalued. Four out of ten workers said they were never thanked and eight out of ten said they would like more praise. However, workers in the North-East are less impressed by being praised by the boss, as only 69 per cent said they felt the need to be told "well done" regularly. Older employees and women need the most praise, according to psychologist Averill Lemmon. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: The words "well done" are useful as a pay rise My younger sister Sandy was born on May 30 in Hum t County California. She grew up there in her early years and together we moved to Southern California, and then my parents moved back to Hum t County and this was where Sandy finished primary school and high school. She took her art classes at College of the Redwoods and she became an artist, along with our mother Bea East. I lived with her. She painted paintings of the Pacific Ocean and the forest. Their paintings were hung in the art galleries and in the banks and they were sold to people as far as Los Angeles. We called our business Wood Creations. We would go out to the forest and cut down the trees to make wood planters out of them. They were very creative and very beautiful with the plants growing out of them. Our business lasted for two years, and I moved away to Santa Rosa and time moved on very fast. Sandy came to live with us in Santa Rosa and together we were going to school to become grocery clerks. She soon moved back to the country and she married and had two children, first Johnny and then Cheri, who was born from another marriage and they moved to Queen City, Missouri. Last year, I was able to go and visit with Sandy, when I first heard that she had cancer. My oldest sister and came to be with Sandy. Also my sister Judi and her two daughters came to be with us. We all rented a room in Kirksville, Missouri at the Days Inn. We all prayed together, and the time we spent together was priceless. This is the precious memories that I keep in my heart. Sandy is now unconscious. She will no longer be in all the pain and she will be in heaven watching over us. God bless you Sandy, rest in the arms of, Jesus. We can learn from this passage that _ . Answer: the author has a deep feeling for Sandy Where would you find the most sunlight? Answer: Morocco While I was running slowly one morning, I saw my friend's father sitting alone on the roadside bench. So I crossed the road to wish him a good morning. As I came over to him, he was very happy to see me. He said it was nice of me to come and chat with him. Then he said to me in a low and sad voice: "At this stage of my life, it feels very lonely here. Anybody sharing a few heartfelt moments would mean a lot to me. " I was completely shocked by what he said, and I wondered: What could be that little thing that I can do to make his life different? I knew he was a painter, so I started to ask him about his latest painting experiences. Painting is a passionate topic for him, and he started to talk with me about it. I asked him, "Can you teach me to paint?" He was surprised at first and then agreed instantly. Now, every other day, I go to learn how to paint from him. We paint a lot and talk a lot. He says he feels better, and he waits for me. I say I feel better. After all, I am the one getting so much wisdom from a man who is nearing the horizon of his life with so much experience! From the passage we can know _ Answer: the writer is kind-hearted
How often do you sit still and do absolutely nothing.The usual answer these days is"never".or"hardly ever".As the pace of life continues to increase,we are fast losing the art of relaxation.Once you are in the habit of rushing through life,being on the go from morning till night,it is hard to slow down.But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body. Stress is fl natural part of everyday life.There is no way to avoid it, since it takes many and varied forms-driving in traffic,problems with personal relationships are all different forms of stress. _ .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life.It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health. The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual.Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities.Others lose heart at the first sight of unusual difficulties.When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically.In fact we make a choice between "fight" or "fright" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life and death.The crisis we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response.All the energy is shifted to cope with the stress.It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Stress in some people produces stomach disorders,while others experience tension headaches.Since we cannot remove stress from our 1ires,We need to find ways to cope with it. What is the writer's attitude to stress according to the passage? Answer: What requires energy to move? Answer: London's transport services offer you a special experience of the city. Here's a round-up of the transport choices available to you. * London Underground There are 11 colour-coded Underground lines. Services run regularly from around 5:00 to 00:30 (Sunday 07:30 to 23:30). Visit tfl.gov.uk/tube for more information. Tip: Always stand on the right when using the escalators at Tube stations. It can get hot and busy on the Tube during peak travel times, so you may prefer to travel outside these hours. * Buses A cheap and easy way to travel around London. They generally run from 5:00 to 00:30. Night buses operate on many major routes from around midnight to 05:00, and some operate a 24-hour service. It is not possible to pay for your London bus fare in cash. Instead you can pay with a Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card, Travelcard or UK-issued contactless payment card. A single bus journey is PS1.50 with an Oyster card or UK-issued contactless payment card. To help you get home, if you don't have enough credit on your Oyster card, you will be able to make one more bus journey. After this you will need to add the credit on your card before you use it again. If your contactless payment card has been issued outside the UK, please check tfl.gov.uk/contactless before you use your card to travel on our bus services. For more information visit tfl.gov.uk/buses. Tip: Some bus routes are especially good for sightseeing --- try routes 9, 14, 15 and 22. The New Routemaster bus featured in the James Bond film Skyfall and runs on routes 9, 11, 24, 38 and 390. What type of writing is this text? Answer: Parents should send their children to preschools which combine learning with entertainment and fun. It's important that parents educate their children right from their early childhood days. Preschool education is always important for children since it prepares them with patience and dedication for accepting their high school education later. Many growing children become dissatisfied with school. They only enjoy playing all day at home before their parents. Modern preschools provide quality training to children where learning goes along with fun and entertainment. The days have gone by when students received education only through school texts, with little attention paid to what was being taught. In recent times, numerous preschools have come up with wonderful methods that help attract students to learn. Do not expect your children to give up playing for learning, as children will never do so. Rather, you should ensure that your children will be educated while having fun by admitting them to a modern preschool. Before you send your children to any preschool, the first thing you should do is find out much information on the school. Quality education in any preschool is necessary for growing children. Only preschools of a good reputation attach importance to entertainment in education. Preschool teachers have to be friendly with children. They need to make your children feel at home and completely relaxed while they're receiving education. It is an equally good idea to check if the preschool takes care of children's health needs. Teachers need to be like second parents to children. According to the text, preschool education is important mainly because _ . Answer: 1 On Friday, January 14, 2005, my cousin, Kara Rose, came into the world. 2 She looked perfectly healthy from the outside, but on the inside, the doctors had failed to discover a serious problem. 3 She often had trouble breathing and then turned blue. 4 The doctors found that Kara had been born without part of her heart. 5 They didn't think she would live long enough to leave the hospital. 6 When she was four days old, she had her first operation. 7 My family stayed together during this hard time, hoping everything would turn out for the best. Kara's strength and determination to live were strong. Eventually, she could go home. We all waited patiently for new technology that could give Kara a new heart. When she was eighteen months old, her parents took her to a famous surgeon who performed a series of operations. There was no guarantee she would make it through the operation, but she succeeded. Kara grew stronger every day, and it was not long before she was well enough to be around people. She had an amazing character and always wore a sweet smile. When she fell asleep against my body, happy and content, I realized how valuable life really is. As I took her in my arms with her warm breath against my neck, I decided to live every day of my life to the fullest. This child, who is 15 years younger than I, has gone through more suffering and pain than I ever have. I admire her strength and determination. Kara has taught me that no matter how bad things seem, they can work out in the end. Knowing this small, beautiful child has made me a stronger person, I now believe that difficulty can be beaten. When did Kara have the first operation? Answer:
A green house is a building made of glass which is used for keeping warm when the outside temperature is low. In a similar way there are several gases in the atmosphere (mixture of gases that surround the earth) which trap the heat produced by the sun and prevent it from escaping. These gases are known as "greenhouse gases". And the way in which they trap heat in the atmosphere is called the "greenhouse effect". This is not simply air pollution. Most of the main greenhouse gases exist naturally in small amounts in our atmosphere, and without them the earth would be 30 degrees colder and human life would not exist. In other words, the greenhouse effect is a natural course which is to some degree helpful to us. The problem is that in the last century and a half, we have been putting too many of these gases into the earth's atmosphere by burning large quantities of coal and oil and by cutting down forest. The rapid increase in greenhouse gases is making the world warmer. The world's temperature has already gone up by half a degree this century, and the sea level has risen by 10 centimetres. If the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere doubles, there will probably be a rise in the earth's temperature of between I and 4degC;. This may seem a small increase, but it would be enough to cause major changes in geography and agriculture. Large areas of the world would be flooded, and some areas would become dry and unable to produce crops. It is important, too, to consider that there may be a delay of about 30 years in the greenhouse effect. This means that we are probably experiencing only now the effect of the gases put into the atmosphere before the 1960s. Since then, our use of these gases has greatly increased. This passage mainly deals with _ . Answer: Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying. Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improvedautopilot device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely. Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon'scapsule that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon's capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea. Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather. Steve Fossett's hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them. What can we learn about Steve's flight in 2002? Answer: There are many wetlands in China and some of them have become the world's important wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are among them. They are in Yancheng,Jiangsu Province. They are home of many different kinds of birds and animals. The world's largest Milu Deer Nature Reserve is in them. More than 700 milu deer live freely there. The temperature in the wetlands is usually neither too high nor too low. There is a lot of rain and sunshine,too. They are really good places for wildlife. Offering food and home for some special kinds of animals and birds is not the only reason why we need to protect wetlands. Wetlands are important because they also prevent flood. But some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife. Luckily, more and more people are beginning to realize the important of wetlands and wildlife. Every year, on February 2nd many activities are held to tell people more about wetlands around the world. Usually the weather in the wetlands is _ . Answer: GOLDEN, British Columbia (AP)---A 3-year-old girl found alive in the upside down wreckage of an airplane survived because she was _ in a car seat, rescuers said. They said they knew she was OK when she cried for her teddy bear. Sunday's crash killed Kate Williams' pilot-grandfather, Allen D. Williams, 65, and another passenger, authorities said. The plane was found nose down and turned over in the icy water at the edge of a riverbank in the mountains of southeast prefix = st1 /British Columbia. "What saved her life was being strapped into that car seat," said Mike Plonka, a member of the search-and-rescue team. "You could see that she was very frightened. Her big concern at the time was her little teddy bear. She didn't want to leave without it. . . " "She was just pointing at it and calling it 'Baby'. " he said Monday. The girl suffered head injuries but was reported as stable, hospital officials in Golden said. She was reunited with her parents. Police said the Cessna 172 was on its way to Edmontonwhen it took off from Golden around 1 pm Sunday into low clouds and snow. Visibility was poor. An hour later, the Search and Rescue Centre in Victoria picked up the plane's emergency signal from somewhere near the BlaeberryRiver. A team using a hand-held beacon locator found the wreckage, and two military search and rescue technicians--Sgt. Scott Elliston and Master Cpl. Bruno Lapointe---landed nearby in a helicopter. As they checked for survivors, they discovered the girl alive but surrounded by debris in the back of the plane. The two soldiers tried to remove her from the wreckage, but she made it clear she didn't want to leave without her teddy bear. "I got her out and I handed her to Bruno. She was calling out for her teddy bear. I picked up the teddy bear to give it to her but it was covered with snow. She wasn't too happy that it was covered with snow so I brushed it off. "Elliston said. Williams was CEO and founder of Edmonton-based A. D. Williams Engineering Inc. The passenger who was killed, Steven T. Sutton, was chief financial officer. The two had been attending a business meeting in Golden. The cause of the accident was under investigation. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: Nowadays, the increase in the prices of agricultural products is one of the greatest concerns of the people and the government. The government has announced a series of policies to prevent the prices from rising further. Rising housing prices is still a big concern for the people, but since farm products are needed every day, the increase in their prices has made life very difficult for them. Many people may think the increase will help farmers. But have higher prices of farm products really benefited the farmers? Take the increase in vegetable prices in the first half of this year for example. Though natural disasters such as droughts and spring frost did not cause the prices of farm products to increase greatly--in fact, prices of some products did not increase at all--vegetables have become dearer by as much as 20 percent compared to that of last year. This means only a small part (or even none) of the extra money that city people have paid to buy farm products has gone to the farmers. The extra cost actually has gone to middlemen. As the fact shows, just increasing prices of farm products will have negative influence on the entire economy. On one hand, the price increase has created some abnormal phenomena, which hurts farmers' interests. On the other hand, resources will enter the agriculture because of the high price of farm products, which would finally create negative effect on the whole economy. In such a case, it would be better to leave the market to decide the prices instead of raising farm products' prices to protect the interests of farmers. Actually, such a way will be better for farmers in the long run. What is probably the author's attitude to raising the farm products' prices? Answer:
On Saturday, February 12 two thousand, two things happened that changed everything in my life. The first was that on this day my baby sister was married. She was twenty-six this day, and yet to me she was still my baby sister. I suppose that I pictured her as a little girl, and treated her like one in order to hold onto and preserve my own youth. Until I saw her in her wedding dress I still had a vision of her with chubby little cheeks and long, dark-brown pigtails blowing in the wind, perhaps even a permanent smudge of chocolate around her pink lips. I guess it's true that you see only what you want to see. Where did this beautiful woman with the glowing complexion and gentle curves come from? I was happy that day, and also sad. Gone were the days of me bossingher around and telling her what she should do with her life. My bossy behavior had earned me the nickname Lucy. If you are a Peanuts fan then you can clearly imagine my behavior as an older sister. To me it wasn't an insult; I rather like the nickname Lucy. I happen to think that Lucy is strong and has incredible self-confidence, although she is a little overbearing at times. I did my best to live up to the standards set forth by this dynamic cartoon character. I left the reception to get some air because suddenly I was overcome with grief at the realization that I was no longer a child. I went outside and walked to a nearby playground where there were children playing on the slide, the swings and digging in the dirt. There was a little girl twirlingaround on a bar, one knee wrapped tightly around the bar and fashioned behind her knee. It was all I could do to sit there and just watch, for I too wanted to get on that bar with her and see if I could still hold the all-timetwirlingrecord (ninety-nine times in fifth grade). Somewhere inside I knew that I would break my neck, and I was wearing abridesmaiddress. Not exactly playground material. And so I sat watching the children play. I'm not sure how long I sat there before my sister came and joined me. We talked about how we are grown up now and shed a few tears for our childhood days gone by. As she wiped a tear from my eye she lovingly said, "you'll always be Lucy to me." We hugged. My cousin Mike walked over and told my sister that it was time to cut the cake. And then he dropped bomb number two on me. "Hey, did you guys hear that Charles Schultz died today?" He said it like it was no big deal. He took my sister's arm and turned to head back for the reception hall. "Coming?" They asked. "In a minute." I replied, and sat back down on the bench, dizzy from what he had just told me. Dead? How could Charles Schultz be dead? He was my creator! And though I have never met the man personally, he has always been like an invisible father to me. He did, after all, fashion a famous character after me. I lost so many things on this day. Innocence slipped away from me like a thief in the night: come and gone before I could do anything about it, taking with it all the treasures that I held most valuable in my heart. I felt myself grow up, all in one moment. Reality rushed in around me like a hurricanetide. There was nowhere to run to. All I could do was sit there and watch it destroy and reshape what had existed only a moment before. I was no longer a child. I was no longer Lucy who knew what was best for everyone else. I saw, for the first time, what I really was--a thirty-year old woman with a husband of my own, and soon, a child of my own. I allowed the tide to carry my sadness out with it. Take it out to sea, for it serves no purpose in my life. I stood up from the bench; a little taller than I was when I sat down. I turned and headed back to the hall, hoping I didn't miss the cutting of the cake. It was the day my sister grew wings of her own and left the nest. _ The author liked the nickname Lucy for the reason that _ . Answer: Jayne Fisher watched anxiously as her 17-year-old daughter Katie pulled her lamb into the Madison County Junior Livestock for sale. Katie was battling cancer. This was her first chance in months to be outdoors having fun, away from hospitals and treatments, and she had come with high hopes for earning some money for her treatment. She had _ a little on her decision to part with the lamb, but with lamb averaging two dollars a pound, Katie was looking forward to it. So the bidding(began. That's when Roger Wilson, the auctioneer , had a sudden inspiration that brought some unexpected results. "We sort of let everybody here know that Katie had a situation that wasn't too pleasant," is how he tells it. He hoped that his introduction would push the bidding up, at least a little bit. Well, the lamb sold for $11.50 a pound, but things didn't stop there. The buyer paid up, then decided to give the lamb back so that it could be sold again. That started a chain reaction, with families buying the animal and giving it back, over and over again. When local businesses started buying and returning, the earnings really began to pile up. The first sale is the only one Katie's mom remembers. After that, she was crying too hard as the crowd kept shouting, "Resell! Resell! " Katie's lamb was sold 36 times that day, and the last buyer gave it back for good. Katie ended up with more than $16,000 to pay her medical expenses----and she still got to keep her famous lamb. Katie sold her lamb in order to _ . Answer: Amazing Rafting Adventures White water rafting is one of the classic, wild, activities in the outdoors. It is also an opportunity for an unbelievable family adventure. Around the country, there are several rivers--and rafting outfitters--that are perfectly suited to the entire family. Here are three of the best: New River Gorge, West Virginia Rafting in West Virginia is renowned for its established infrastructure, reliability, and easy access. These things make it an obvious choice for a family vacation. Famous areas, including the New River Gorge, offer everything from lazy floats to intense Class IV runs. READ MORE: Water Water Rafting: Top 5 U.S. Locations Jackson Hole, Wyoming Jackson Hole provides a full range of opportunities in the outdoors--and white water rafting is certainly one of them. Popular trips include the rough rapids of the Snake River and gentle floats in nearby Yellowstone National Park. READ MORE: What You Need to Know Before Visiting Yellowstone National Park Grand Canyon, Arizona For really bold families, a multi-day trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is the penultimate adventure. Guided trips typically pack in boats-worth of supplies so the overnight adventures are far from "roughing it." Instead, evenings are catered in a rugged luxury style, allowing everyone to rest up for the next day's activities. Whether looking for a casual float or a challenging adventure, white water rafting is a great option for any active family vacation. Which of the following about Grand Canyon, Arizona is NOT true? Answer: A new research shows that in Britain more and more people are returning to the old tradition that the whole family have a meal at table. Worrying about the obesity and breakdown of a family, people change their eating habits so greatly, according to analysis. They find the number of the family having a meal together increases by 5% from 2002 to 2004, and most people who have meals with their family come from the rich social class. The new discovery makes doctors and the people struggling against obesity extremely excited. Giving up the tradition that the whole family have a meal together is exactly one of the reasons for a series of problems including children's overweight. If a child has a meal in front of the television or the computer alone, he will often eat some fast food. Jason Collins is one of the persons returning to the old tradition. Collins is a manager of a bake house. He finds after he gets used to having a meal at home with his child, the child becomes much more obedient . Dr. Jin is a child psychologist, and she expresses welcome to this result of the study. She says it can make parents have a very good chance to chat with the child when the whole family have a meal together. What makes people change their eating habit back to the old tradition in Britain? Answer: Some people learn a second language easily. Others have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting. The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. In other words, do not worry about taking risks. The second step is to practice your English. For example, write a diary every day. You will get used to writing it in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. Several weeks later, you will see that your writing is improving. In addition, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English. The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your _ . After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it. You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will feel more confident in yourself. What is the main idea of this passage? Answer:
Jay Chou is a well-known name both in Taiwan and mainland. He is now one of Asia's hottest pop stars. His catchy tunes have main-streamed rap and R&B in the Mando-pop world. In the past his teacher thought he was dumb . Talent spotters thought he was ugly. But his success proves that the music still _ than looks and image. His musical talent is recognized by fans, fellow-singers and producers. Now, a singing contest was held in Taiwan Chou appeared at the contest with band "Nan Quan Mama", which was discovered by Chou. Their first album the Summer of Nan Quan Mama, composed and produced by Chou was a great success. Chou started his career at a singing contest, attracting the attention of record producers. But the successful singer does not believe in luck. He says it's his passion for music and hard work that are keys to his success. He said, "I didn't know how to sing at the beginning, so I lost the first time. But I was so determined that I never stopped trying. My advice to these young singers is never to give up, and always believe in yourself. " Chou's confidence has strengthened his music. He is a great source of inspiration to youngsters who share his determination to become a superstar. The best title for this passage can be _ . Answer: Jay Chou's way to success Found:A black watch Is this your watch?It is found in the classroom. Please call Jessica at 36206018. Lost:My school card My name is David Hand. The number of my school card is 20070107. Please call me at 33429703 or my friend Judy. Her phone number is 33073061. Thank you. _ finds a watch. Answer: Jessica The first day of school we were interested to get to know a new classmate.I looked around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.I found a little old lady with a warm smile. She said,"Hi ! I'm Rose.I'm 87 years old.Can I give you a hug?"I laughed and I heartily responded,"Of course!" "Why are you in college at such a young,innocent age?"I asked. She jokingly replied,"I'm here to meet a rich husband,get married,have children, and then travel around." "Not seriously,"I asked.I was curious why she took on this challenge at this age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!"she told me.We became instant friends. Over the year,Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went.She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other students. At the end of the semester,we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.Here are the secrets to staying young.You have to laugh and find humor every day.You've got to have a dream.When you lose your dreams,you die.Unfortunately we have many people like this walking around?"she said. "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.Anybody can grow older.That doesn't take any talent or ability,"she added."But growing up requires finding the opportunity in change.Have no regrets.The elederly usually don't regret what they did,but rather things they did not do." One week after graduation that year,Rose died peacefully in her sleep.She taught us by example that _ . Why was Rose in college at 87? Because _ . Answer: she dreamed of having a college education Philip is a school boy. On his twelfth birthday, he decided to give up eating meat. "I don't think it's right to eat animals," he said. "They live on the Earth just like us and they are our friends." Philip's parents were not happy about that. "You are a growing boy," his mother said. "You need meat. Do you want to stay short and be weak?" His mother put some beef, rice and carrots in front of him. "I want you to eat all your food now," she said. "Don't leave anything." Philip didn't want to make his mother sad. But he ate only the rice and the carrots. "You're a silly boy!" said his father. "I'm getting very angry at you." "I'm sorry, Mum and Dad," answered Philip. "I don't want you to be sad or angry. But I really don't want to eat any meat." "Then have some fish, dear," said his mother. "Oh no, I can't!" cried Philip. "Fish are living things too." "Well, you can't have anything to eat at all if you don't eat any meat or fish," said his father. The next morning Philip got up hungry. His father walked to the school with him and asked to see the teacher. "Is this what you teach the students at school?" he asked the teacher. "Philip refuses to eat meat at home. He doesn't listen to what I say." "I don't agree with Philip," replied the teacher. "But I think he's brave to do what he thinks is right. We teach the students to do that." Philip's mother thought that Philip would _ if he didn't eat any meat. Answer: stay short Rescue workers and volunteers in prefix = st1 /Floridaworked non-stop to help as many dolphins as they could to return to deep water. Some dolphins made it. About 24 died. For 35 dolphins in danger there was only one chance for survival--to be sent to the Marine Mammals Care Centre. The dolphins were placed in a water pool where they have been given care _ by hundreds of volunteers who signed up for four-hour shifts . By the second week in April, only 11 of the original 35 were still alive. Each year thousands of dolphins, the lovely marine mammals, are found beached or stranded along coastlines around the world. They can't get back to the sea and will die if they don't get help, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's website. Nobody knows what caused the dolphins to strand themselves, but the US Navy and marine wildlife experts are investigating whether the dolphin stranding was caused by sonar exercises of ships. And some scientists suggest disease, or human interference . The reason for stranding isn't completely understood. In the pool, volunteers hold the dolphins and keep their blowholes out of the water so they can breathe. A vet injects the mammals with vitamin E to help with muscle cramping . Unable to eat on their own, they are fitted with a feeding tube to get them the needed nutrition. "Today we made the first steps in getting them to eat dead fish and to eat them out of our hands," Banick said. It's a race against time and feeding times must be strictly kept to. The dolphins stranded on the beach were sent to the Marine Mammals Care Centre, where _ . Answer: they were taken care of and cured
The smallest animal with a backbone known to science, a fish from the carp family, has been discovered in the peat swamps of Indonesia. Mature females of the fish species Paedocypris reach just 7.9mm in length. The species was discovered in the highly acidic peat swamps of the Indonesian island of Sumatra by a team led by Ralf Britz, a zoologist at the Natural History Museum in London. "This is one of the strangest fish that I've seen in my whole career," Dr Britz said. "It's tiny, and it lives in acid. I hope that we'll have time to find out more about them before their habitat disappears completely." The species lives in dark tea-colored swamp waters, which are 100 times more acidic than rainwater. Although these swamps were once thought to be inhabited by very few animals, recent research has shown that they are home to a highly different range of species that occur nowhere else. The peat swamps were damaged by forest fires in 1997, and are also threatened by agriculture. The scientists behind the discovery said that several populations of Paedocypris had already been lost. "Many of the peat swamps we surveyed throughout South-East Asia no longer exist," Dr Britz said. "Populations of all the miniature fish of peat swamps have decreased or disappeared." Details of the discovery are published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B. 65.Where does the smallest backbone animal live? A. It lives in highly acidic rainwater. B. The species lives in the acidic waters of dark tea-coloured swamps. C. It was put in the Natural History Museum in London. D. Its habitat disappears completely. Answer: B. The species lives in the acidic waters of dark tea-coloured swamps. Imagine this: You're working on a school paper on your laptop. Your screen is full of open programs, including documents, Web pages and MSN chat. Suddenly, a friend sends you a link to a video and demands that you watch it. He says it's about cats, it's funny and you're going to love it. But you can't help thinking, "I don't have time for this right now." You start to feel even more stressed out than you already did about your paper. While you don't want to disappoint your friend, you need to keep working. This is a common dilemma in an age of multitasking. I often find that my focus is so easily distracted that when I need to work I become quite annoyed in response to these types of links. At the same time, when they're from good friends, I can't just ignore them. Usually, I say something like "Cool, I'll look at it later." But this often disappoints the other person, _ Other times, I'll just say "OK", wait a while and then send a second message saying "That was great!" While this approach is simpler that ignoring the other person, it seems ridiculous to life to avoid making a social faux pas . The problem is that new technologies offer a good many new possibilities, both positive and negative. On the one hand, the Internet connects you to millions of people whom you can make friends with and learn from. On the other hand, it offers just as many ways to waste time. When you're signed on to MSN chat, the other person can't see that you have three papers to finish before the end of the week---so you better believe they're going to send you a video of monkeys dancing to music. Online chat is convenient, but the advantage of face-to-face communication is that you can see exactly what other people are doing. If they are really good friends, you should feel blessed to give them your full attention without worrying about what's going on in that other window or program. Which of the following statements does the author probably agree with? A. Share an interesting video with your friend whether he/she is busy or not. B. Neglect the links sent by your friend while working. C. New technologies always bring us pressure rather than convenience. D. It is a dilemma whether to disappoint your friend or stop working. Answer: D. It is a dilemma whether to disappoint your friend or stop working. 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. The story tells about _ . A. people living in Indian B. how Indians communicate between different tribes C. the Indians who didn't use their languages D. the Indians who had many kinds of languages Answer: B. how Indians communicate between different tribes Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Roy Darby, and this is my show. This is a television show for all the families and I know you're going to enjoy it. Let's start with a story I heard the other day about a very proud pig. This pig lived on a farm with a lot of other animals. And of all the animals on the farm, he thought he was the most important. But it was not enough that he himself thought this way. He had to be sure that the other animals thought so, too. So he went up to one of the chickens and asked, "Who is the most important animal on the farm?" Straight away, the chicken answered, "You're, Master." Then he asked one of the farm dogs and he got the same reply. Next, he asked a cow. When the cow seemed uncertain of the right answer, the pig looked angry and showed his teeth. "Oh, you are, of course, Master Pig," said the cow. "Of course," the pig said. "There is no doubt about it." At last, the pig asked a big horse, "Who is the most important animal on the farm?" The horse lifted one foot, rolled the pig over, and placed his foot on the pig's head. "All right," said the pig, "you don't have to do that just because you don't know the answer." Roy Darby's show is _ . A. a funny story about a pig B. for ladies and gentlemen only C. about life on the farm D. a family show on the television Answer: D. a family show on the television 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." 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.(272) Which of the following can be used as the best title of the passage? A. A New Weapon on the Way B. The Fight against Smoking C. Pictures to Shock Smokers D. Warnings on the Packets of Cigarettes Answer: C. Pictures to Shock Smokers
Ammie Reddick from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, was only 18 months old when she had the accident that had scarred her for life. The child reached up to get a hot bottle in the family kitchen and poured boiling water over her body. Her mother Ruby turned round and, seeing Ammie badly burnt, rushed her daughter to a nearby hospital. Twenty percent of Ammie's body had been burned and all of her burns were third-degree. There, doctors performed an operation that took about six hours to control her injuries. Over the next 16 years, Ammie received 12 more operations to repair her body. When she started school at Maxwelton Primary at age 4, other pupils said cruel words or simply wouldn't play with her. "I was the only burned child in the street, the class and the school," she said, "some children refused to become friends because of that." Today, aged 17, Ammie can only ever remember being a burned person with scars; pain is a _ part of her body. She still has to have two further operations. Yet she is a confident, outgoing teenager who offers hope to other young burns victims . She is a member of the Scottish Burned Children's Club. This month, Ammie will be joining the younger children at the Graffham Water Center in Cambridge for the first summer camp. "I'll show them how to get rid of unkind looking from others," she says. Ammie loves wearing fashionable clothes, and she plans to show the youngsters at the summer camp that they can too. "I do not hide my burns scars," she says, "I gave up wondering how other people would say years ago." What can be the best title of the passage? Answer: the Earth rotating on its axis causes stars to appear to move across the sky when? Answer: Argentina in the late nineteenth century was an exciting place. Around 1870,it was experiencing an economic boom, and the capital, Buenos Aires, attracted many people. Farmers, as well as a flood of foreigners from Spain and Italy, came to Buenos Aires seeking jobs. These jobs didn't pay well, and the people felt lonely and disappointed with their new life in the city. As the unhappy newcomers mixed together in the poor parts of the city, the dance known an the tango came into being. At the beginning the tango was a dance of the lower classes. It was danced in the bars and streets. At that time there many fewer women the men, so if a man didn't want to be left out, his only choice was to dance with another man so that he could attract the attention of the few available women. Gradually, the dance spread into the upper classes of Argentinean society and became more respectable. In Europe at this time, strong interest in dance from around the world was beginning. This interest in international dance was especially evident in Paris. Every kind of dance from ballet to belly dancing could be found on the stages of the Paris theaters of the Paris theaters. After tango dances from Argentina arrive in Europe, they began to draw the interest of the public as they performed their exciting dance in cafes. Though not everyone approved of the new dance, saying it was a little too shocking, the dance did find enough supporters to make it popular. The popularity of the tango continued to grow in many other parts of the world. Soldiers who returned to the United States from World War I brought the tango to North America. It reached Japan in 1926, and in 2003 the Argentinean embassy in Seoul hired a local tango dancer to act an a kind of dance ambassador, and promote tango dancing throughout South Korea. Before World War I, the tango spread to _ . Answer: Films in Beijing Theater This Week HARRY POTTER (III) American film Director: Alfonso Cuaron Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson Time: From Monday to Wednesday, at 6:00 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=50 KUNGFU HUSTLE Chinese film Director: Zhou Xingchi Starring: Zhou Xingchi, Liang Xiaolong, Yuan Hua Time: From Wednesday to Friday, at 9:00 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=40 A WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES Chinese film Director: Feng Xiaogang Starring: Liu Dehua, Liu Ruoying, Ge You, Li Bingbing Time: From Friday to Sunday, at 6:30 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=40 (Half on Sunday for children) TROY American film Director: Wolfgang Peterson Starring: Julian Glover, Brian Cox, Nathan Jones, Adoni Maropis Time: From Tuesday to Saturday, at 9:30 a.m. Ticket Price:Y=30 From the poster , we know _ is both a director and actor. Answer: Sam was an English student. He always stayed at home for his holidays. But last winter he thought, "I have never left the country. All my friends have been to Spain. They like it very much. So this year I'm going there for my holiday." First he went to Madrid and stayed in a small hotel for a few days. One morning he went out for a walk. In his country people drive on the left, but in Spain they drive on the right. Sam forgot about this, and while he came to a busy street, a bike knocked him down. Sam lay on the ground for a few seconds and then he sat up and said, "Where am I?" An old man was selling maps at the side of the street. He quickly came to Sam and said, "Maps of the city, sir?" Sam went to Spain _ . Answer:

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