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Sometimes the best advice doesn't come from a book, a microphone, from behind a desk in Washington or even from the people who are the leaders in their fields. Sometimes the best life lessons are found deep in the roots of where we came from. My father passed away years ago, but I always remember the lessons he taught me. Three of them particularly shape my perspective day after day. The first one is that little things make big things happen. To the best of my memory, when I was young, we needed to build a new shed. Those were the days when stores like Home Depot and Lowes didn't exist. Brand-new timber was expensive, so folks often reused the materials that others in the community didn't need. That summer, Dad and I used the boards from an old abandoned barn. We pulled them down one by one, drew the nails out and took off the tin and straightened it in order to reuse it. We got our supplies back to our yard and got to work. I don't know how much of a help I really was, but I chose to stay beside Dad the entire period, working along with him. The sun was hot that day, and sweat formed and ran down our faces. I stood there and handed him the nails one by one, which were hammered into that shed. Dad made me feel proud of my work. Even though I just handed him the nails, he repeatedly emphasized how we built the new shed "together". He taught me that when you're willing to do hard work, even in little things, big things come together. The second one is that we should honor our promises. As a young man, my father always carried a pocket-sized Bible in his chest pocket. Shortly before the invasion of Normandy in 1944, he prayed for God's protection and promised God that if he made it home, he would make sure his family attended church every Sunday. Well, he made it home and he kept that promise. I cannot remember a Sunday when Dad did not take my mother, my siblings and me to church -- even when we were away on vacation. I now have my Dad's pocket Bible. It is one of my most treasured possessions, and it serves as a constant reminder of my dad's service to his country. However, it also serves as a visual representation of my dad's firm determination to keep his promises. Today, I place great value on my family and my faith, undoubtedly because of my dad's example. This lesson of promise has been introduced into all areas of my life. The third one is that listening is a way to acquire wisdom. My dad and I kept ourselves busy doing a lot of things together. During the nights of late summer, after dinner, the whole family would gather on our small porch to talk as the sun went down. Sometimes an aunt or uncle would drop by, and at other times my grandparents would be there. They would talk about the neighborhood news, the goings-on in modern Western society and politics -- mostly ordinary things, but it was good to sit there listening and to be together. Moreover, sitting there on the porch as dusk faded into night, I learned the value of listening and observing. Sometimes taking a moment to pause gives us the best perspective and sometimes we find the best answers simply by listening. Life in America becomes more complex. However, I like to think back to the simple lessons I learned from my father. They were the building blocks of my character and the values that still guide me today. Perhaps someone who has influence on your life taught you life lessons that helped form your character. I'm convinced that our nation could gain a lot by applying these lessons today. If we did, I think we would be reminded that the reason why our nation has become great is not merely that we have had wise leaders or well-spoken elected officials. Our nation has become great because of those ordinary Americans like my father, who have pride in their work, place great value on honesty, character and commitments, and pass those lessons on to their children and grandchildren. And that is the reason why we are still great today. It can be inferred from the passage that_. A. wise leaders determine a country's status B. ordinary people have an effect on a country's future C. the author's father was greater than anyone else in his heart D. the author dislikes the well-spoken officials Answer: B Welcome to the National Museum of Mathematics(MoMath).it is in New York City.It is America's first math museum.It's also a fun place for both children and their parents. Open the door ,you will open a new world of numbers,shapes and colours,and you will find math is interesting.You can take part in many games and activities.They help you better understand math." We want to give people fun ways to learn math,"MoMath founder Glen Whitney said."Here you can try riding a tricycle with square wheels .You can hop from one point to another and join lines to get pictures." The museum is at 11 East 26th Street in Manhattan and is open from 1 0:00 a.m.to 5:00 P.m.,seven days a week,364 days a year(It is closed on Thanksgiving Day).MoMath closes early on the first Wednesday of every month,at 2:30 p.m.The ticket prices are$1 5 per adult and$9 per child,student,or the old people. MoMath also has a traveling museum-Math Midway.It runs around the country to schools and community centres .So you still can enjoy the fun of math even you live far from New York City. One can't _ in the museum. A. 1earn colours B. play games C. ride a tricycle D. take exercise Answer: D With golden sunshine and a gentle breeze , autumn is the most beautiful seasons in the year. This is a great time to go outside and have fun. Go to a valley to see red maple trees , go and pick fruit in an orchard or find an open field to fly your kite in. However, for many high school students, these great activities may be just a dream. With plenty of work to do, they spend all their hours indoors, struggling for a high mark in their exams. Of course, study is one of the most important things for teenagers. But life is definitely much more than that. Sometimes we spend so much time studying that we forget how to make life wonderful. In doing so, we lose the real purpose of life --to be a valuable and happy person. To enjoy just how great it is to be alive, we have to put down our books and pens and look around us. Students, take some exercise to improve your health, talk with your parents and friends for understanding and walk around outside to refresh your body and mind. Going out and enjoying the beautiful countryside often helps our creativity in our work. Chinese craftsman, Lu Ban created a saw to help woodworkers. But if he hadn't walked outside, he would not have been inspired by a kind of toothed grass. We could also suppose if Newton hadn't rested under that apple tree, then he wouldn't have been hit by an apple, and his classic theories would not have come out. Going out is not only a break from hard work, but a chance to add to life experience. So come on, give your brain a good rest. Step out of the books and get your bag ready for an autumn outing. We are sure you will get much more than knowledge from the exciting journey. The passage is developed mainly by _ . A. describing the beautiful scenery in Autumn B. pointing out the present situation of high school students C. making predictions D. reasoning and giving examples Answer: D This is VOA. The National Cryptologic Museum is on Fort George G. Meade, a military base near Washington, DC. The method of hiding exact meanings is called coding. People have used secret codes throughout history to protect important information. The National Cryptologic Museum celebrated 60 years of cryptologic excellence in 2012. One event there marked the sixtieth anniversary of the National Security Agency. Two former NSA workers shared their memories of operating a code machine called Sigaba. In 1940, an American woman named Genevieve Grotjan found some information being repeated in Japanese coded messages. Her discovery helped the United States understand secret Japanese diplomatic messages. After the United States understood the code, it was possible to study messages from the Japanese ambassador to Germany and to his supervisors in Japan. Understanding these messages helped the United States prepare for a possible war in the Pacific with Japan. After the attack on Pearl Harbor. the American naval commander in the Pacific Ocean was Chester Nimitz. His forces were much smaller than the Japanese Naval forces. And the Japanese had been winning many victories. Joseph Rochefort had worked for several months to read the secret Japanese Naval code called JN-25. If he could understand enough of the code, he would be able to give Admiral Nimitz very valuable information. From the beginning of 1942, the Japanese code discussed a place called "AF." Joseph Rochefort felt the Japanese were planning an important battle aimed at "AF." After several weeks, he and other naval experts told Admiral Nimitz that their best idea was that the "AF" in the Japanese code was the American-held island of Midway. Admiral Nimitz said he must have more information to prepare for such an attack. The Navy experts decided to trick Japan. They told the American military force on Midway to broadcast a false message. The message would say the island was having problems with its water-processing equipment. The message asked that fresh water be sent to the island immediately. This message was not sent in code. Several days later, a Japanese radio broadcast in the JN-25 code said that "AF" had little water. Joseph Rochefort had the evidence he needed. "AF" was now known to be the island of Midway. He also told Admiral Nimitz the Japanese would attack Midway on June 13.The battle that followed was a huge American victory. That victory was possible because Joseph Rochefort learned to read enough of the Japanese code to discover the meaning of the letters "AF." One American code has never been broken. Perhaps it never will. It was used in the Pacific during World War Two. For many years the government would not discuss this secret code. Listen for a moment to this very unusual code. Then you may understand why the Japanese military forces were never able to understand any of it. The code is in the voice of a Native American. The man you just heard is singing a simple song in the Navajo language. Very few people outside the Navajo nation are able to speak any of their very difficult language. At the beginning of World War Two, the United States Marine Corps asked members of the Navajo tribe to train as Code Talkers. The Cryptologic Museum says the Marine Corps Code Talkers could take a sentence in English and change it into their language in about 20 seconds. A code machine needed about 30 minutes to do the same work. The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every battle the Marines entered in the Pacific during World War Two. The Japanese were very skilled at breaking codes. But they were never able to understand any of what they called "The Marine Code." The Cryptologic Museum has many pieces of mechanical and electric equipment used to change words into code. It also has almost as many examples of machines used to try to change code back into useful words. According to the passage, which one is not right? A. "Cryptologic'' implies containing some hidden information B. The US decoded "AF" and won the victory in Midway Islands C. Both Rchefort and Nimitz were American navy commanders D. The US Marine Corps was fallen for in Midway Islands battle Answer: D Betty and I are best friends. Our birthdays are on the same day, so every year we have a birthday party together. But this year we had a costume party instead. While we were writing the invitations, my mom came in and asked, "Nancy, what about inviting John?" John had been in our class for only a few months, but he was already getting better grades in math than anyone else in our class. "Mom, he wears the same pants to school every day. How could he even afford a costume?" Mom said nothing. The next day, mom gave me an envelope with a shopping card in it. "I thought it would be nice for you to give this to John." Mom said. But how? We didn't want to make John embarrassed. We discussed it for a long time. Finally, Betty and I had a good idea. On the day of our party, John arrived, in an old sheet ,but still in the same brown pants as usual. Before eating the birthday cake, Betty said in a loud voice, "Now it's time for the great prize game." It was a math game. None of us were surprised when John gave the right answer first and walked off with the envelope. Everything went well as we planned. John wore a new pair of pants and a new shirt the next week. He felt happy. So did we. _ had the idea of playing a math game. A. Nancy's mother B. Nancy C. Betty D. Betty and Nancy Answer: D
Humans may not have landed on Mars just yet, but that isn't stopping a European company from devising a plan to send four people to the Red Planet within the next few years. This project, called Mars One, aims to send a small group of people to Mars in 2022 and eventually establish a permanent colony on the planet. "Everything we need to go to Mars exists," said Mars One co-founder Bas Lansdorp in March 2014. "We have the rockets to send people to Mars, the equipment to land on Mars, the robots to prepare the settlement for humans. For a one-way mission, all the technology exists." Yet the four astronauts chosen for the trip will be stuck on Mars--forever. And despite Mars One's thorough planning, there are a number of challenges that may prevent the mission from ever taking place. The biggest road block could be the mission's huge cost ($6 billion). However, Lansdorp is confident that Mars One will be able to fund the project by selling the broadcast rights for the mission and subsequent experiences living on the planet. Those broadcast rights will also play a part in helping to select the people who will be sent to Mars. Lansdorp said the company will hold a selection process similar to a reality show. Lansdorp is expecting at least 1 million applications from people around the world. In addition to the cost, several other potential problems could inhibit the mission to Mars. "It's even more challenging to send people there with life support, with food, with air, with all the other things like books, entertainment, means of communication and of providing for their own resources for a long stay on Mars," said Adam Baker, senior lecturer in space engineering at Kingston University in London. "The size of the rockets you'd need to do this would be absolutely _ " According to Bas Lansdorp, which of the following is NOT TRUE? Answer: The sea horse is a magical animal, which has puzzled people for thousands of years. In ancient Rome sea horses were believed to be the babies of Neptune's horses. And Neptune was the god of the ocean. Now we know they are not horses at all -- they are a kind of fish. They still seem as magical as ever, especially to divers who have watched them horsing around in the sea. But today, sea horse populations face an uncertain future. Fishermen are catching too many of them, and their undersea habitats are being destroyed. At least 20 million sea horses are taken from the ocean each year. More than 95% are used for traditional medicines in Asian countries. The sea horses are usually dried and then made into powder which is used to treat such problems as asthma , throat infections, skin diseases and cuts. How well the medicines work is unclear. Sea horses are also bought and sold in large numbers as pets. Sea horse expert Amanda Vincent warns against buying pet sea horses. "A lot of people treat them as if they're goldfish," she says. But sea horses require very special care and live food. Most captive sea horses _ diseases and die. Sea horse experts are trying to teach fishermen to become sea horse farmers. Instead of pulling nets of sea horses from the ocean, fishermen could learn to raise them in specially designed saltwater "farms". That way, fishermen would have sea horses to sell, but ocean populations would not be hurt. Vincent and her team have only discovered the 35 different species of sea horses, and they still have plenty of sea horse secrets left to unlock. That is why, Vincent told TFK, protecting future sea horse populations is especially important: "I promise your readers that by the time they grow up to be marine biologists, we'll still have a lot to learn." In the past, Romans thought the sea horse to be _ . Answer: For thousands of years, people have lived with dogs. Ancient paintings on the walls of caves show people living with dogs. Almost a third of the homes in the United States and England have dogs, and these dogs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The largest dog in the world was a dog named Zorba. When Zorba, a _ , was seven years old in 1989, he was 94 centimeters (37 inches) tall. In other words, Zorba was more than half as tall as an adult man. At his largest, Zorba weighed more than a heavy weight boxer at 156 kilograms(343 pounds). In comparison, the smallest bog was a Yorkshire terrier from England. This dog was only the size of a matchbox, measuring 7.1 centimeters(2.8 inches) tall and 9.5 centimeters (3.75 inches) from nose to tail. It weighed about half as much as a common book, and even a young child could easily pick it up with one hand. It passed away in 1945 when it was only two years old. Some dogs are wonderful, not for their sizes, but for their brains. One incredible dog is Endal, the companion of a man named Allen Parton who has used a wheelchair since a car accident in 1991. In 2001, Parton was hit by a car while crossing a road with Endal, and thrown out of his chair. Endal quickly moved Parton into the recovery place, covered him with a blanket , and pushed his mobile phone close enough for him to reach. Then, once he saw that Parton was all right, Endal ran back and forth to a nearby hotel, barking until people came out to help. Endal was rewarded for his bravery by being awarded a medal, and he has been the subject of a number of TV documentaries. Which of the followings do you think can describe Endal best according to the passage? Answer: 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. From the text we can infer that _ . Answer: British singer Sarah Brightman began training for a 2015 flight to the International Space Station where she hopes to become the first professional musician to sing from space, the company arranging the trip said on Tuesday. Brightman, a famed soprano who starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber' s "Phantom of the Opera" , will pay about $ 52 million for a 10-day stay aboard the orbital outpost, Tom Shelley, president of privately owned Space Adventures, said. Brightman, who will become the eighth privately funded space tourist, is scheduled to fly in September 2015. Her training to fly on a Russian Soyuz capsule began last fall. Brightman has planned to be the first professional musician to sing from space. But she faces competition from Lady Gaga, who, according to media reports late last year, intends to be the first when _ performs one song in space in early 2015 on a Virgin Galactic flight. Virgin Galactic, part of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, plans to offer suborbital space flights. Brightman said in 2012 that she would travel to the space station, but her plans haven't been confirmed until now. So far. Space Adventures has arranged for nine private missions to the space station, a $ 100 billion research laboratory that flies about 260 miles above the earth. Microsoft co-founder Charles Simonyi made two trips. Brightman will be the first private citizen to visit the station since Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Lalibarte paid about $ 35 million for an 11-day stay in September 2009. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has an option to fly on the next available Soyuz seat after Brightman, which most likely will be in 2017, Shelley told Reuters. What is the purpose of the passage? Answer:
The government of prefix = st1 /Norwayis planning to build an unusual storage center on an island in the Arctic Ocean. The place would be large enough to hold about two million seeds. The goal is to present all crops known to scientists. The British magazine New Scientist published details of the plan last month. The structure will be designed to protect the world's food supply against nuclear war, climate change and other possible threats. It will be built in a mountain on the NorwegianislandofSpitsbergen. The mountain is less than one thousand kilometers from the North Pole, the northernmost position on earth. An international group called the Global Crop Diversity Trust is working on the project. The director of the group, Cary Fowler, spoke to New Scientist. He said the project would let the world rebuild agriculture if, in his word, "the worst came to the worst". Norwayis expected to start work next year. The project is expected to cost three million dollars. Workers will drill deep in the side of a sandstone mountain. Temperatures in the area never rise above 0oC. The seeds will be protected behind concrete walls a meter thick and high-security door. The magazine report says the collection will represent the products of ten thousand years of farming. Most of the seeds at first will come from collections at seed banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America. To last a long time, seeds need to be kept in very low temperatures. Workers will not be present all the time. But they plan to replace the air inside the storage space each winter. Winter temperatures on the island are about eighteen degrees below 0oC. The cold weather would protect the seeds even if the air could not be replaced. Mr. Fowler says the proposed structure will be the world's most secure gene bank. He says the plant seeds would only be used when all other seeds are gone for some reason. Norwayfirst proposed the idea in the 1980s. But security concerns delayed the plan. At that time, the Soviet Union was meeting inRomeof the Food and Agriculture Organization. What is probably the best title of the passage? A The Best Place to Store Seeds B Noah's Ark of Plant Seeds in Plan C Concerns of World Food Supply D A New Way to Feed the World Answer: B. Noah's Ark of Plant Seeds in Plan Babies love chocolate and sometimes they also eat the paper around it. My cat enjoys a meal of goods, thick paper and letters, for example. She doesn't like newspapers very much. Of course, the best paper comes from wood. Wood comes from trees, and trees are plants. Vegetables and fruit are plants too, and we eat a lot of them. So can we also eat wood and paper? Scientists say, "All food comes in some way from plants." Well, is that true? Animals eat grass and grow fat. Then we eat their meat. Little fish eat little sea plants; then bigger fish swim along and eat them. Chickens eat bits of grass and give us meat. Think for a minute. What food does not come from plants in some way? Scientists can do wonderful things with plants. They can make food just like meat and cheese. And they can make it without the help of animals. Now they have begun to say, "We make our paper from wood. We can also make food from wood. The next thing is not very difficult." What is the next thing? Perhaps it is food from paper. Scientists say, "We can turn paper into food. It will be good, cheap food too; cheaper than meat or fish or eggs." So please keep your old books and letters. Don't feed them to your cat. One day, soon they will be on your plate. _ . According to the passage, such animals as fish and chickens can turn into _ . A plants B wood C paper D meat Answer: D. meat CHICAGO ---Call it a reward, or just "bribery ". Whichever it is, many parents today readily admit to buying off their children, who getgoodies for anything from behaving in a restaurant to sleeping all night in their own beds. That's what worries parenting experts. "I think that reward systems have a time and a place and work really well in certain situations," says Marcy Safyer, director of the Adelphi University Institute for Parenting. "But what often gets lost for people is being able to figure out how to communicate to their kids that doing the thing is rewarding enough," Safyer says. Parents and experts alike agree that thedynamic is partly a reflection of the world we live in. It's unrealistic to think a parent wouldn't reward their children with material things sometimes, says Robin Lanzi, a clinical psychologist and mother of four who's the research director at the Center on Health and Education at Georgetown University. "But you want to make sure that they match the behavior, so it's not something huge for something small," Lanzi says. She recalls hearing about a father who offered his child a Nintendo Wii game system for scoring a couple goals in a soccer game. Elizabeth Powell, a mother of two young daughters in Austin, Texas, knows what she means. "You want to raise them in a way that they're respectful and appreciate things," Powell says of her children. "But sometimes, you wonder now if kids appreciate even a new pair of shoes. " What can we learn from what Robin Lanzi says? A She holds a different opinion from other parenting experts. B She thinks children can't behave well without being rewarded. C She holds a similar belief to Safyer and gives further explanation. D She doesn't believe in rewarding children for good behavior. Answer: C. She holds a similar belief to Safyer and gives further explanation. Bill has a sister, Amy. Next Friday is Amy's birthday. Bill wants to buy a present for her. However, he doesn't have much money. Now he is in shopping mall. He spends a lot of time choosing a good and cheap present in a toy shop, but he can't find anything. He goes to the next shop. There are some beautiful hair clips in it. Bill likes them very much. He knows Amy wants to have one all the time. He chooses a blue one. It's not expensive. It costs 7 yuan. He goes back home happily. Bill buys a _ hair clip for his sister. A white B blue C yellow D red Answer: B. blue Visit Dongqian Lake Zoo Come and see big elephants from Yunnan and tigers from the northeast. The African giraffes are waiting for you. Clever monkeys are going to make you laugh. A lot of other animals you have never seen are waiting to meet you. Tickets: Grown-ups: Y=80 Children: Y=40 Under Six: Free Opening Hours From Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m.---4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 a.m.---5:30 p.m. Keep the zoo clean. Do not feed or go near to the animals. We can _ in the zoo. A throw dirty things B not go close to the animals C not laugh D give food to the animals Answer: B. not go close to the animals
Shanghai is a nice city. The weather here is mild , that is, it is neither too hot nor too cold. It changes from season to season. Now many tall buildings have been set up one after another. But at the same time, the city is full of people. As a result, the traffic is terrible. Traffic jams happen during the rush hours. If you want to go to a place far away, the fastest way is neither driving, nor riding a bike. It is often walking! The policemen in Shanghai are very helpful. Visitors can ask them for help if they lose their way or lose something. But when you disobey the traffic rules, they will be very strict with you. A lot of people in Shanghai can speak English. Travellers from English speaking countries feel at home here. Welcome to Shanghai. The traffic in Shanghai is terrible because the city is full of _ . Answer: which of these would more likely survive? Answer: Walt Whitman was born in 1819 in Long Island, New York. Whitman received most of his education outside of the classroom. At the age of eleven, he worked in a law office as an office boy where he became interested in reading. He was soon reading the works of famous authors like William Shakespeare and Homer, and was well on his way to becoming one of America's most well-known poets. By the time Whitman was seventeen years old, he had already worked as a printer's learner, a worker, and a learning games to help his students with spelling and maths. In his early twenties, however, he gave up teaching to pursue a full-time career as a journalist and poet. When Walt Whitman first appeared as a poet, his arrival onto the American literary scene was met with controversy. His first collection of poems, Leaves of Grass, was so unusual that no commercial publisher would print the work. In 1855 Whitman published, at his own expense, the first edition of his collection of twelve poems. Whitman's poetic style was uncommon I the sense that he wrote poems in a form called parallelism , in which his goal was to copy the flow of the sea and the quickly-passing nature of human emotion. A common theme in Whitman's poetry is self-realization. In his work, Whitman moves from conventional patterns of rhyme to create a unique rhythm and a multi-layered, but truly American voice. "Although Whitman was considered a revolutionary by many, there is little doubt he loved his country deeply." In his writing, he used slang and various images, or voices, to create a sense of national unity. For Whitman, the "proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it." Whitman has undoubtedly become a part of the cultural history and image of America. What was Whitman's greatest literary contribution? Answer: Studies have shown that the fewer medicines a person has to take the more likely he or she will take them. Last week, a study was released about a new treatment that combines 5 medicines for heart disease in one pill. Salim Yusuf of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada was the lead investigator. He presented the findings at the American College of Cardiology Conference in Orlando, Florida. The experimental drug is known as Polycap. It contains aspirin, a drug to lower cholesterol and three medicines to lower blood pressure. The study was carried out at 50 health centers across India. More than two thousand people between the ages of 45 and 80 took part in the study. All had at least one risk factor for heart disease. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or being severely overweight. The people were divided into 9 groups of about 200 people each. One group took Polycap. The other groups took either a single drug or different combinations of the medicines in the Polycap pill. The study showed that Polycap lowered blood pressure and cholesterol without many side effects. Doctor Yusuf said the single pill, taken once a day, could reduce the average person's risk of heart disease and stroke by about half. The maker of Polycap, Cadila Pharmaceuticals of India, paid for the study. Cardiovascular diseases of the heart and blood vessels are the number one cause of death around the world. These diseases kill more than seventeen million people every year. 80 percent of them are in low and middle income countries. Doctor Yusuf said the single pill treatment could revolutionize heart disease prevention. People would be more likely to take one pill a day than many pills. And one pill would cost less than several pills. Other heart doctors say heart disease prevention is important but not necessarily with pills. They say patients might be able to get the same results with changes in diet and exercise. Doctors say that more research on Polycap is needed. They say the drug should be tested on thousands more people, including those in different risk, age and ethnic groups. What would be the best tide for the passage? Answer: Name: Julia Rosetti Email: n1950215@droid.fit.qut.edu.au Location: Brisbane, Australia Age: 18 Sex: Female Drugs: No Alcohol: No Sports/ Activities: I used to do a lot of ballet and stage work, my ambition was to be a professional dancer before I got sick. Nowadays I love to read, and other stuff like that, as well as spending a lot of time with my family and friends. Grades: I finished high school last year, and I haven't started college because I've been sick. But I got subject prizes in three subjects and high as in the rest. Favorite Subject: I loved Music, English, History and Biology. Hard to pick a favorite - they're all so different. Volunteer Work: It all depends on what you call "volunteer". Nothing really official, but I spend a lot of my time working and playing with really sick kids, and they come to me for advice a lot. What My Future Goals Are: I'd either like to go on to do stage work, or work with kids with serious illnesses. I haven't decided which, yet. What I do in My Spare Time: Talk to my friends and my family. Hang around with my hospital friends. Watch TV. Go to the movies when I can. I love going on picnics and other outdoorsy stuff. How I'd Change the World: No question. Cure cancer. _ it forever. Largest Problem: Sometimes, I think it's having too many choices, and having too many expectations and others having too many expectations of _ . And all the implications of this. Why Would I Make a Good Counselor : I really want to help other people. I've made that my life's ambition, to help as many people as I can. Qualifications: I spend a lot of time doing this sort of stuff "unofficially" - I am the Discussion Manager on a discussion list for seriously ill young people. People also write to me because of my homepage, often wanting advice, which I try to give them. Which of the following statements is true about Julia Rosetti? Answer:
New Zealand will create one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, spanning an area of 620,000 sq km. The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will be one of the world's most significant fully protected ecosystems, the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, told the UN General Assembly in New York. The sanctuary is in the South Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 km north-east of New Zealand, and expands a marine reserve that surrounds some small islands. The area is considered important in terms of biodiversity, featuring nearly 35 species of whales and dolphins, 150 types of fish and three of the world's seven sea turtle species. It is also geologically significant, including the world's longest chain of underwater volcanoes and the second deepest ocean trench, into 10 km underwater -- deeper than Mount Everest's height. The scale of the sanctuary will dwarf any previous New Zealand's protected area, spanning twice the size of the country's mainland. It will cover 15% of New Zealand's economic zone. Commercial and recreational fishing will be completely banned, as will oil, gas and mineral prospecting , exploration and mining. Key's government aims to pass legislation establishing the sanctuary next year. "The sanctuary is a world-class, unspoiled marine environment and New Zealand is proud to protect it for future generations,"Key said."New Zealanders value our coasts and oceans, which are an important part of our culture, economy and environment and we are committed to managing them sustainably. Creating protected areas will support not only our own fisheries, but those of our Pacific neighbors, adding to New Zealand's efforts to help grow Pacific economies through the responsible management of their ocean resources." Nick Smith, New Zealand's environment minister, said the sanctuary might impose a cost upon the mining industry but that it is important to protect the ocean before exploration takes place."New Zealand needs to use its vast ocean resources for jobs and exports in industries like fishing, aquaculture, minerals and energy, but we also need to set aside special areas where nature comes first and marine life is fully protected," Smith said. New Zealand will monitor the area via its navy and satellite technology. The Kermadec region will join three other key areas in the Pacific protected by the US, the UK and Australia. Matt Rand, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts' Global Ocean Legacy campaign, welcomed Key's announcement."New Zealand will create the gold standard of conservation areas in the sanctuary, preserving one of the few relatively unspoiled areas of ocean on Earth," he said. "This commitment is an exciting step toward meeting global goals to safeguard at least 30% of the ocean through fully protected marine reserves." What can we infer from what Nick Smith said? A New Zealand should develop its marine industry in special areas. B The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary may affect New Zealand's mining industry. C New Zealand hasn't figured out how to make full use of its ocean resources. D Measures should be taken immediately to protect the ocean after explorations. Answer: B. The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary may affect New Zealand's mining industry. Kate is an English girl. She lives in a tall building in the city of London. There are sixteen floors in the building, and she lives on the tenth floor. She uses a lift to go up and down. Kate studies in a middle school near her house and she works hard. She goes to school early. Every day she leaves her home at half past six. She walks to the lift, and it takes her down to the first floor. There is a bus stop near the building. Usually she takes No.7 bus to her school, but sometimes she goes on foot. It is only four kilometers to her school from the building. She gets to school at about seven twenty. Classes begin at eight. She goes to play games at three forty. She gets home at a quarter past five. She begins to do her homework at eight and finishes it at half past nine. She goes up and down the building _ . A in lift B by a lift C by lift D use a lift Answer: C. by lift Read the suggestions for making an English speech. a. Looking at and talking to one person in the audience helps keep you natural, but it feels foolish talking to only one person. Speak to that person as long as 15 seconds and then change another one. b. The audience have a hard time understanding what they hear. They need your help. Slow down, pause and guide the audience through your talk. Remember that you should help the audience understand what you are saying. c. Make your voice a little lower than normal. Listeners like to listen to a relatively deep voice. d. When you talk, try to be as natural as possible. Don't try to memorize your words and read or recite them to your audience. You can use short notes to help you remember the important points. e. You should know you and most of the people you talk to are different in many ways. Some of them may not know what you are talking about. Then speak to them on their terms and in their languages. f. Concentrate on what you want to say. If you are always paying attention to gestures ,you will feel uncomfortable. g. It's true that there are some differences between American English and British English, but they'll not cause much difficulty for listeners, so just speak the way you're used to. Choose a suggestion for each of the following students according to their problems. Betty: I know that it's not right to speak fast. But I am afraid that I can't finish my talk in the given time if I speak slowly. A b B d C f D g Answer: A. b Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the Internet last year, according to figures made in public yesterday. Special sites offer introductions to smokers, to Roman Catholics, tall people, beautiful people, frequent flyers and vegans . Technology has brought about a great change in the dating game. A survey by Parship, a British branch of Europe's largest dating service with more than 1.5 million members, says that 65 percent of the 5.4 million Britons looking for a relationship used online dating services last year. A spokeswoman for Relate, the relationship advisor, confirmed that a figure of two third feel it all right. "Doing it online allows people quite a lot of privacy, because they can do a bit of quiet research and look around from the comfort of their own home. You don't have to meet a middleman or go to an actual dating agency office, which takes a lot of courage," she said. There are more than 100 independent online dating agencies in Britain. Parship says that 50 percent of single people believe they will meet a suitable partner through the Internet, up from 35 percent six months ago. Mary Balfour, the founder, says that the Internet has changed the dating industry completely. "It's like a return to old-fashioned love letters," she said. "You don't base your initial judgment on how someone looks or what his or her figure is like. You e-mail or talk before you actually see each other. Everybody you know who is single these days has at least had a good look at a dating website, introduction agency or personal ad. They have to, because all the old matchmaking institutions have gone. People work harder, settle down later and live more isolated lives. They're much more likely to end the day with a DVD and a can of beer than by going to a village dance." Singles in Britain can look for love online mainly because of _ . A Parship B the help of go-betweens C technology D the revolution of dating game Answer: C. technology Hello,everyone! My name is Emily.I'm 38 years old and live in a small city near New York now.Three years ago.I started to learn Russian.I once had a Russian friend.We used to meet twice a month and have some coffee and a talk together.However, she went to China later, so nobody can help me with my Russian.I hope to find an outgoing Russian girl to help me learn more about Russian culture.I can help you with your English or Spanish.I can also speak a little Chinese.I have many friends in this city and they think I'm friendly.I think we'll be good friends and have much good time. If you like to be my friend, you can email me at emily@163.com.I'm sorry for writing in English but it would take me too long to express myself in Russian. Hope to hear from you soon. Emily Why does Emily write the email? A To find a job in Russia. B To teach others English. C To find a Russian teacher. D To make a Russian friend. Answer: D. To make a Russian friend.
Have you ever heard the song called "Is there anyone who told you"? It may be impossible for you not to know the song and its singer.It is sung by the famous "Happy Boy" Chen Chusheng, who appeared on Hunan Satellite TV.He caught everyone's attention. Before the competition he was just a farmer's son who had never got professional trainings of any kind. As a child, Chusheng wasn't a good student, but he was very interested in music. He liked to listen to and sing his favorite songs again and again. Like many other parents, his parents also wanted him to go to college,but he failed.Chusheng had no choice but to help his brother repair bicycles and motorbikes.In Sanya, a small city in Hainan Province, Chen worked during the daytime while singing in different bars in the evening. He lived like that until the year 2000. In 2000, Chen went to Shenzhen.He never expected that his first job in this new place would be _ food.He went on working in the daytime while singing in the evenings.His life was hard at that time.In the bar called Star-making Factories he met many famous local musicians.In the following several years, Chen, with his musical dream, attended many music contests throughout the country, winning prizes many times. Today,when we think about his success, we cannot help thinking that if one wants to be successful, he should work harder than others. What was Chen Chusheng's life in Shenzhen like? Min Sun, with another name of Ziqian, was a famous man in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a student of Confucius. Among all students of Confucius, he was compared with Yan Yuan. Min Sun's mother died very early, later his father took another wife, who gave birth to two sons. The stepmother _ Min Sun--in winter, while two younger brothers wore warm clothes made of cotton. Min Sun only wore clothes made of reed catkins . One day, he followed his father to go out. When pulling the chariot , Min Sun felt so cold that he dropped the rope onto the ground. Then his father beat him. Just then, the reed catkins flew out from the broken clothes and his father knew that Min Sun was mistreated, he was very angry. After the father returned home, he wanted to divorce his wife. Min Sun fell on his knees and begged his father to forgive his stepmother. He said, " if Mother stays at home, only I myself have to stand cold. But if you divorce Mother, all three children have to suffer from cold." His father was deeply moved and took Min Sun's advice. The stepmother heard of this, felt sorry and knew her mistakes. From then on, she treated Min Sun as her own son. According to the story, Min Sun is a _ person. A busy public square in the Chinese city of Nanjing is home to an unusual experiment. For almost two months, the country's first "honesty bookshop" has occupied a sidewalk on HanZhong Road in the city's Gulou District. With no cashier or other staff, the store relies on trust for payment. Making money isn't the company's main goal and they don't punish those who take books without paying. "If they can really finish the books, it doesn't matter if they took the books for free," Zhu Yu, the marketing director of the company says. "In fact, we are really happy to witness so many people taking books from the honesty bookshop." After browsing the four wooden bookshelves, customers must drop their money in a locked box. Prices are set at 30% of the usual cover price. Zhu hopes that his sidewalk store, which sells, on average, 60 books a day, will make more people interested in reading. Like elsewhere, e-books are affecting sales of traditional books, and traditional books and many independent booksellers are struggling. Zhu got permission from the city government to use the sidewalk and says he's determined to make it a long-term project. He says the store is open every day, except when it rains, and it's locked up each night. In September last year, the company laid out 1,000 books and reading lamps on the ground and encouraged people "to go on a date" with a book. "Independent bookshops represent the well-being of the city." Zhu told CNN in 2013, "when a city is losing its bookshops, it's actually losing something in its soul." If the success of the Honesty Bookstore is any guide, Nanjing's soul is in pretty good shape. What can we learn from the text? There is no excuse for not doing yourassignments . If you can't come to school, you should call your teacher or your classmate and ask about homework. It is yourresponsibility to find out what homework you have missed. It is not the teacher's job to remind you of the missed assignments. You must not be absent on a test day. If you are seriously ill, call and let the teacher know you will not be there for the test. If your teacher allows amake-up test ,you should take the test within one or two days after you return to class. Serious illness is the only reason for missing a test. Be on time! It is impolite to be late. Also, it bothers other students. If you must come in late, be sure to do it quietly. Have your books and papers out of your bag before you come into the room. Then go to your seat and sit down quietly. In the USA, it is not necessary to knock before you enter the classroom. Most teachers will give you a low grade if you are often late. In America, you should call your teacher by his or her last name instead of " teacher". Also you should use Mr, Miss, Ms or Mrs before the last name ( such as Mrs Smith or Mr Jones). This is polite. The teacher will tell you the title that he or she likes. It is impolite in the USA to eat, drink or chew gum during class. Don't do these until the break. Also, removing your shoes in the classroom is not polite. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A turtle eating worms is an example of
When standing miles away from Mount Rushmore Answer: the mountains seem smaller than in photographs Comfortable family home with a large garden on north side of town.Three bedrooms, Living-room,kitchens,dining-room,bathroom.Offers over$35,000. 2.ASSISTANT WANTED FOR BUSH RESTAURANT Some evening and weekend work.All meals free.Ring 33201 78. 3.JOIN OUR FOOTBALL TEAM Boys and girls wanted to play in local football team.Aged 9-1 3.Meet in Green Park on Friday at 3P.m. 4.ROOM TO RENT Small room to rent in city centre flat above restaurant.Newly painted with modern furniture.Near main railway station.Buses pass front door.Phone 3322108. Mr.Brown wants to Live near his workplace.Mrs.Brown wants a house with four bedrooms.The Brown children don't care what the house is like.They just want a big garden.Ann,their daughter, has always wanted to work in a restaurant.She thinks it is an exciting place.It's hard work but she is n't lazy.You have to work on Saturdays and Sundays,but you get other days off.It's not very well paid.But who cares about money? Tom is a middle school student.He is twelve years old.He stops school at half past three,so he has plenty of time to finish his homework. Jack.Mr.Brown's brother ,is looking for a room to rent.He doesn't care what colour the walls are or how old the furniture is.He is getting ready for his drawing.So the house must be quiet. Why did n't the Browns buy the house in Advertisement 1 ? Answer: There weren't enough bedrooms. Liah Kaminer remembers hearing the shock from the audience when two seniors rapped the words "raise your hand like a Nazi" at a school assembly during her sophomore year. It wasn't the only instance of anti-Semitism that Kaminer, 17, of Hall High School in Connecticut, says she witnessed at her school. There were other comments, like a boy asking two other students in her class if they were Jewish. When they replied that they weren't, he said, "Oh, good." Kaminer recalled. He patted them on their backs and said, "You're one of us." Kaminer, who is Jewish, said she was hurt by the remark, and after a while she got tired of seeing such comments swept under the rug . So she decided to take action. After reaching out to the administration and connecting with social studies department supervisor Stephen Armstrong, Kaminer and Armstrong put together a class on anti-Semitism. They presented it to every ninth-grade social studies class during the last week of school this year. In the class, Kaminer and Armstrong showed a clip from the ABC show, What Would You Do? where actors portrayed a Jewish couple and a bakery employee who yelled at them with anti-Semitic comments. They had class discussions about what stereotypes students had heard. "I was a little surprised and confused by how much of this still goes on at Hall." Armstrong said. "That's why we're doing this. Although students are taught about the Holocaust in history classes, it's a pity that kids are seldom asked to think about this topic in a present-day situation." "The fact that a teenager was teaching her fellow students made the class more effective." Armstrong said. "I could have done it - a couple of classes I did it myself - but it was a lot more effective when a kid was with me. It wasn't just some teacher talking. It was a kid who had experienced some of the stuff very personally." According to Stephen Armstrong, Liah Kaminer _ in the class on anti-Semitism. Answer: used her personal experience to correct people's stereotypes My school stood in a big square playground in southeastern South Dakota. One teacher taught all grades, first through eighth. Most grades had only two or three students. Our school day started with the flag pledge . Then the teacher called one grade at a time to the recitation bench beside her desk. She'd check our work, explain the new lesson, and dismiss us to go back to our own desks and do our new work, all in less than ten minutes per grade. At noon we ate lunches we had brought. Our lunches consisted of homemade sandwiches and if we were lucky, dessert. My favorite dessert was a fresh pear, and a piece of Mom's delicious sour cream chocolate cake. The annual Christmas program was the most exciting part of the year. We hurried through our lessons during December to allow time to practise poems, songs, and plays. A few days before the performance, the school board members borrowed equipment from the town and set up a stage across one side of the classroom. We hung bed sheets for curtains. On the evening of the performance, petrol lanterns hanging along the walls cast a warm, though not very bright, light over the gathering crowd. We could hardly contain our excitement as we looked from behind the curtains to wave at our parents. On a spring Sunday in a new term, just before the last day of the school term, everyone in the neighborhood gathered for a picnic. Our moms set fried chicken, bowls of salads, and desserts on the teacher's desk and the library table. After the dinner, we played games. One of the school board members brought big buckets of ice cream in the afternoon to top off the picnic. How we looked forward to that treat! I was just nineteen years old when I started my first teaching position in a country school with thirteen students. I felt excited, nervous and happy as I prepared my lunch bucket the first morning of the term. I can't remember what kind of sandwiches I packed, but I do remember I put in a fresh pear and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert! According to the text, the school the author once attended _ . Answer: had a small number of students In Germany , more than 70% of people like reading. They often read. They read in their homes. They read in libraries. They read in parks. They even read in hospitals. Parents often read books for kids . It is easy to buy books in Germany. There are many bookshops in Germany. They are in big cities and small towns . A bookshop can sell many books every day. Germans also like to buy books on the Internet. More and more people buy books on the Internet. In Germany, people often have reading parties. They are happy at the parties. What is the best title of the passage ? Answer: Germans like reading books
This might not sound so extraordinary, but I didn't just read a book in print, on an e-reader or even on a mobile phone. Instead, I read a book on dozens of devices . I was not trying to set a Guinness world record. I wanted to answer a question I often hear: which e-reader or tablet is the best for reading books? So I set out to try them all, reading a chapter on each: the Amazon Kindle, the first and second generation Apple iPads and mobile phones. To be fair, I also read a chapter in that old-fashioned form -- an old print paperback. The book I chose was The Alienist. For the first chapter, I turned to an Amazon Kindle. Shopping on Amazon for the Kindle is simple; you go to Amazon's Web site and buy the book, which is then sent to any devices with Kindle software installed . Reading on the Amazon Kindle is a joy in many aspects. The Kindle is light.Its six-inch screen is the perfect size for reading, and reading on its black and white E Ink display doesn't harm your eyes. Battery life is outstanding; on average you charge the device only once a month. My only complaint with the Kindle design is the placement of the keyboard at the bottom of the device. Amazon's CEO has noted during past product announcements that the keyboard is there to help people take notes or search. But to me,it seems like a waste of space. Despite the small screen on a mobile phone, I find reading on one to be simple and satisfactory. All of the mobile phones on which I read chapters felt somewhat similar; although screen brightness and the size of the phone's screen did vary. If I had wanted to, I could have bought my book through dozens of e-book apps in the Apple App Store. Most are free and offer access to thousands of free e-books or paid versions. But the big downside for many is that you can read them only on Apple devices. Both iPads 1&2 offer an immersive reading experience. I found myself jumping back and forth between my book and the Web, looking up old facts and pictures of New York City. I also found myself being sucked into the wormhole of the Internet and a few games of Angry Birds rather than reading my book. For the last chapters of the book, I read the paperback, which is still my favourite choice. Since we are comparing devices so I guess I need to choose one. In the end it might come down to Kindle. But if money is tight, go for print. My used paperback cost only$4 from Amazon. According to the passage, which of the following statements on the Amazon Kindle is NOT TRUE? Its keyboard is kept in the proper position. The 2014 Nobel Prize in Literature went to the French novelist "for the art of memory" with which he has "uncovered the lifeworld of the occupation". Although the 69yearold writer is a very popular literary figure in France, he is little known elsewhere. So who is this Patrick Modiano, why does his memory have such an influence upon him, and what exactly has he uncovered? Modiano was born in a suburb of Paris right after World War IIended in Europe in July 1945.His father was a JewishItalian businessman who met his Belgian actress mother during the Nazi occupation of Paris. As The New Yorker magazine put it, Europeans born in 1945 share a condition--They escaped the war, but "not the taint of the war". Modiano's life has been influenced by Nazi Germany's occupation during the war, and his family's connections to it.According to New Yorkbased newspaper Forward, his father survived the war dishonorably.When Paris' Jews were brought together to be sent to concentration camps, the businessman did not join them but spent the time making money from deals with Nazis on the black market. "The novelist has a duty to record the lives of the people who have disappeared, the people who were made to disappear," French writer Clemence Boulouque, also an expert in Jewish studies, told The New Yorker magazine. In his more than three dozen novels, Modiano has returned again and again to the same themes:Jewishness, the Nazi occupation, and loss of identity.His characters collect pieces of old evidence, handwriting, photographs, police files, and newspaper cuttings. His most admired novel,Missing Person, is a good example.It's the story about a detective who has lost his memory.He tries to find out who he really is by following his own steps through history. Although Modiano's win is a surprise outside France, people are celebrating in his home country.Modiano is the 15th French literature winner.After Le Clezio's 2008 win, it seemed unlikely that there would be another so soon. Which of the following statements about Patrick Modiano is TRUE according to the passage? World War II has an impact on his life. John was an old man who lived in New York City. John used to work at the Post Office before he quit. John has a grandson named Timmy. Timmy came to visit John and brought his friends David, Roger, and Bill. John gave them each a glass of lemonade to drink. Timmy wanted his friends to try his grandfather's meat soup. John was known to be a good cook. He enjoyed cooking burgers, fish, pizza, and soup. John's meat soup was his favorite recipe. John asked his grandson to go to the store to buy the food. He wanted Timmy to buy some meat. Timmy took some money from John and went to Kroger. Timmy thought of buying ground beef, chicken, turkey, and sausage. He bought three pounds of ground beef. He took it back to John, who had started making the soup in his kitchen. John cooked the ground beef and added it to the soup. They let the soup cook for two hours and then John tested it to see if it was ready to eat. The soup tasted delicious. Timmy and his friends loved it and told John they would be back for more. What did Timmy and his friends love? soup You get anxious if there's no wi-fi in the hotel or mobile phone signal up the mountain. You feel upset if your phone is getting low on power, and you secretly worry things will go wrong at work if you're not there. All these can be called "always on" stress caused by smart phone addiction. For some people, smart phones have liberated them from the nine-to-five work. Flexible working has given them more autonomy in their working lives and enabled them to spend more time with their friends and families. For many others though, smart phones have become tyrants in their pockets, never allowing them to turn them off, relax and recharge their batteries. Pittsburgh-based developer Kevin Holesh was worried about how much he was ignoring his family and friends in favour of his iPhone. So he developed an app -- Moment -- to monitor his usage. The app enables users to see how much time they're spending on the device and set up warnings if the usage limits are breached . "Moment's goal is to promote balance in your life," his website explains. "Some time on your phone, some time off it enjoying your loving family and friends around you." Dr Christine Grant, an occupational psychologist at Coventry University, said, "The effects of this 'always on' culture are that your mind is never resting, and you're not giving your body time to recover, so you're always stressed. And the more tired and stressed we get, the more mistakes we make. Physical and mental health can suffer." And as the number of connected smart phones is increasing, so is the amount of data. This is leading to a sort of decision paralysis and is creating more stress in the workplace because people have to receive a broader range of data and communications which are often difficult to manage. "It actually makes it more difficult to make decisions and many do less because they're controlled by it all and feel they can never escape the office," said Dr Christine Grant. Kevin Holesh developed Moment to _ . help people control their use of mobile phones Jim wanted to go eat some pizza. He was a giant. He had eaten a hot dog and some carrots earlier that day, but it had been a long time. He was very hungry after a hard day of playing with his kitty. But Jim had a problem, he did know where he was. While playing with his kitten, he had left his yard and wandered into the deep woods that were near his house. It was getting dark outside, and Jim the giant was scared. He was also hungry. It had been a long time since Jim had eaten. Also, it was becoming cold, and Jim had left his jacket on the ground. There was some joy from the fact that he had his kitty. His name was Bob, and was riding around on his shoulder. Still, Jim needed to find his way out of the woods fast. It was at this time that Jim remembered that he had a flashlight in his pocket. With his flashlight, Jim could see the woods, and spot his house off in this distance. He ran home fast. Once he was home, Jim put down his kitty, and ordered a pizza. He was safe. He called his friends Steve and Adam to tell them about his big adventure, and sat down to play with his kitty Bob. What was the name of the giant? Jim
Question: People communicate in many different ways. The most common way is by talking with others. Except for talking, we can also use body languages. When we use body languages, we need to use body to show what we mean. Sign language is a kind of body language. Let's see more about it. Sign language is popular among _ people who are unable to speak or don't want to speak. If you want to communicate with a foreigner ,but you can't speak his language and he can't speak Chinese, what can you do ? Maybe you can communicate by making signs. Now let's learn some signs Indians often use. When they are hungry, they move their right hands back and forth in front of their stomachs. When they mean " Let's eat", they put their right hands and move them up and down in front of their mouths. When they have had enough, they part their thumbs and first fingers, and move their hands from their chests to chins. If they have a stomach ache, they put both hands on their stomachs, and move them back and forth. The most common way to communicate is _ . A. by calling others B. by talking with others C. by using body language D. by using signs Answer: B Question: In a society where lung and breast cancers are leading causes of cancer death worldwide, early detection of the disease is highly desirable. In a new scientific study, researchers present astonishing new evidence that man's best friend, the dog, may have the ability to contribute to early cancer detection. Researchers show scientific evidence that a dog's extraordinary smelling ability can distinguish people with both early and late stage lung and breast cancers from healthy people. Researchers first discovered this in the case report of a dog warning its owner to the presence of a melanoma by constantly sniffing the skin lesion . Later studies published in major medical magazines proved the ability of trained dogs to detect both melanomas and bladder cancers. The new study is the first to test whether dogs can detect cancers only by sniffing the breath of cancer patients. In this study, five household dogs were trained within a short 3-week period to detect lung or breast cancer by sniffing the breath of cancer patients. The experiment consisted of 86 cancer patients (55 with lung cancer and 31 with breast cancer) and 83 healthy people. All cancer patients had recently been diagnosed with cancer and had not yet undergone any chemotherapy treatment . The dogs were presented with breath samples from the cancer patients and the healthy ones, captured in a special tube. Dogs were trained to give a positive identification of a cancer patient by sitting or lying down directly in front of a test station containing a cancer patient sample, while ignoring healthy samples. The results of the study showed that dogs can detect breast and lung cancer between 88% and 97%. Moreover, the study also proved that the trained dogs could even detect the early stages of lung cancer, as well as early breast cancer. The researchers concluded that breath analysis might become a potential of cancer diagnosis. What's the best title of the passage? A. Can dogs smell cancer? B. Dogs and treatment C. A new research on breast cancer D. An interesting experiment on lung cancer Answer: A Question: Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets. "Technology is moving very fast," Rault told ABC News, "The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot." This may not _ pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: "You don't have to feed it, you don't have to walk it, it won't make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty." The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals. It's not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It's the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals. As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. "If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings," he said. So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn't have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo. B. People can develop strong bond(, ) with their robot pets. C. Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go. D. Robot toys may help people care more about living beings. Answer: B Question: Today only one person in five in the United States lives within 50 miles of his birthplace. Since the country was first settled, Americans have moved around a great deal, and are often far away from their parents. Because they have broken ties with their past at a young age, chosen their own occupations, established their own homes and developed their own lifestyles, few American children grow up closely surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins as they do in Italy, Nigeria, or India, for example. This along with the fact that modern American families do not have servants has made the "baby-sitter" a vital part of the American scene. A "sitter" is someone who is hired to care for children for a specific length of time--usually relatively short--while the parents are out for an evening, going to a party or a course of study for example. Sometimes the baby-sitter is also hired for longer period, perhaps when the parents are away for a weekend. In such cases the "sitter" is likely to be a mature and motherly woman. For short periods, teen-agers, college students, nursing students, and others are commonly employed on an hourly basis. From the point of view of convenience, the best sitters are often young people who live in your apartment building or close by in the neighborhood. This gives you a chance to meet the parents and see what they are like. If an emergency occurs, young sitters can call upon their parents quickly for help; you do not have to take them far to see them home at night or pay expensive taxi fares. Another advantage is that young people living close by can usually fill in quite readily on short notice or for short periods of time. In an apartment house you can ask the superintendent for permission to post a notice for a baby-sitter by the mailboxes. This is often the best way to find out if there is anyone in the building who is interested in baby-sitting. Retired people as well as students are often glad to earn a little money in this way and can be found by such a note. A baby-sitter is a person who _ . A. helps to do housework B. is a cleaning woman C. looks after children while their parents are out D. takes care of babies and cooks for the family Answer: C Question: With rising food prices, growing population and environmental problems, many people are worrying about how we will feed ourselves in the future. Don't worry. Scientists are trying to find some answers. Some scientists believe insects will become a staple of our diet. Insects provide as many nutrients as ordinary meat and a great source of protein , they also cost less to raise than cows and use less water. About 1,400 species are suitable as food for humans. Many people have already eaten insects as a part of their diet. Locusts are popular in Africa, wasps are a dish in Japan, and crickets are eaten in Thailand. The Dutch government is preparing for insect farms and has invested one million euros into research. In the future, land and fresh water will be in short supply. It is possible that people need to find a reliable food source in the ocean. Scientists have already found one at the bottom of the food chain---seaweed. It has long been a staple in Asia, and countries including Japan have huge seaweed farms. Such farms can easily work in other countries and be very successful. The great thing about seaweed is that it grows at an amazing rate. It's the fastest growing plant on earth. Scientists are also working in the lab to solve the problem of food shortage. A few years ago, European scientists successfully produced lab meat, also known as cultured meat. They grew muscle tissue using stem cells taken from cows. The experiment was funded by NASA to see if lab meat was a food astronauts could eat in space. In 20 years' time , lab meat is likely to become a popular dish of our diet. According to research, growing meat in a lab rather than slaughtering animals can greatly reduce greenhouse gases, along with energy and water use. People can also reduce fat from the meat and add nutrients. Why did NASA fund the experiment of creating lab meat? A. Because they wanted to make extra money. B. Because astronauts didn't like the taste of beef and pork. C. Because they wanted to solve the problem of food shortage. D. Because they wanted to see if lab meat was a suitable food for astronauts. Answer: C
There once was a wolf that liked to scare the other forest animals. By daylight he pretended to be a kind, nice wolf. By night, he would circle the forest and hunt down his food. When he was very hungry, he would find humans and woof like a dog in hopes that someone would feed him. The wolf's favorite food was meat seasoned with lemon. The wolf liked to watch his food run in circles like a hamster until he felt like eating it. Sometimes the wolf would stay in the sand and lay in the sun until he would crawl back to his home and fall asleep with a full stomach. On other days, he goes home hungry. Sometimes there would be a knock on his door, and the wolf would be pleased because it meant his dinner had come to him and he would not have to hunt that day. Those days were the best for the wolf, by far. What is the wolf's favorite food? Answer: Meat seasoned with lemon. About a year ago, if you had asked who Dinara Safina was the answer would have been: "She is Marat. Safin's younger sister." Back then she was overshadowed by her wonder brother. But now she has made a name for herself: the world No. 1 player in women's tennis. The 22-year-old Russian. will overtake Serena Williams of the prefix = st1 /USfor top ranking on April 20. "Before, every place I go, I am Marat's sister. Nothing else," she told New York Times. "I always wanted to be myself, and now finally the results are coming, and people can know me as Dinara Satina." Safina has made it to two great event finals, in the 2008 French and in this year's Australian Open, and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly; family isn't the only connection Safina's and her brother share. Both of their DNA burns with competitive fire. Satin has held the distinction for years of being a hot tempered player on Court. When he lost his temper, he would break a racket . Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother. A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake". The Sydney Morning Herald, during the Australian Open, summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline: "Satina goes from basket case to top of the world." It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players. Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach. "I had no choice but to become a tennis player, but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court, her size. She is 1.82 meters tall and Weighs 70 kg. But it is hard work that led her to her recent Success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No. 1," she said. Which of the following doesn't contribute to Satina's success? Answer: Her emotional explosion and volatile emotional state. Some time people call each other "scared-cat",but have you ever thought about this expression? When a cat is frightened,its heart starts beating faster,its muscles get tense,and there are changes in the chemicals in its bloodstream.Although the cat doesn't realize this,its body is getting ready for action.If the danger continues,the animal will do one of two things:It will defend itself,or it will run away as fast as it can. Something like this also happens to people.When we are excited,angry,scared,or aroused by other emotions (feelings),our bodied go through many physical changes.Out hearts beat faster,and our muscled get tense.All of these changes make us more alert and ready to react.We,too get ready to defend ourselves or run. Human beings,however,have a problem that animals never face.If we give way to our feelings and let them take over,we can get into trouble.Have you ever said something in anger--or hit somebody--and regretted it later? Have you ever shouted at a teacher,told somebody you were lonely,or said you were in love,and then wished later you had kept your mouth shut? It isn't always wise to express your feelings freely. Does this mean that it's smarter always to hide our feelings? No! If you keep feelings of anger,sadness,and bitterness hidden away or bottled up inside,your body stays tense.Physical illness can develop,and you can feel _ inside.It can actually be bad for your health.(It isn't good to keep pleasant feelings inside either;all feelings need to be expressed.) Feelings that you keep all bottled up inside don't just go away.It's as if you bought some bananas and stuck them in a cupboard.You might not be able to see them,but before long you'd smell them.And if you opened the cupboard,chances are you'd see little fruit flies hovering all over them.They'd be rotten. You can try to treat emotions as if they were bananas in the cupboard.You can hide them and you can pretend they don't exist,but they'll still be around.And at last you'll have to deal with them,just like those bananas. The author wrote this article in order to _ . Answer: make us face the problem that we have to deal with feelings Do you ever fight with your little brother or sister? How would you like to travel around the world with them in a musical group? Sisters Johanna and Klara Soderburg are doing just that in their band, First Aid Kit! The two sisters are sweeping the world with a perfect mix of pop and folk music. The Soderburg sisters come from Sweden. Their music sounds like music from the 1960s. They both play several instruments. And, since they are sisters, their voices fit together perfectly! Like many other teen stars before them, the two girls got their start on the website, YouTube. Their singing caught the attention of a Swedish musician. It wasn't long before people all over the world discovered their music! The sisters don't just sing or play instruments; they also write their own music and design all of their album art!They have worked very hard, and they _ four new songs at the beginning of 2011! If you want to hear the songs, check out their music in YouTube for yourself! Listen to see why First Aid Kit is your new favorite band! Johanna and Klara Soderburg are famous for _ . Answer: a perfect mix of music Born in the State of New York on May 14th, 1984, Mark Zuckerberg was an instant success. In his high school years, he was considered one of top students in the classics, before moving into the arts, sciences, and literature, again picking up high marks and receiving academic praise. It earned him admission to Harvard University. As a rebellious yet relatively quiet student, he created a website called Facemash in the university- an instantly controversial website that encouraged students to rate each other based on appearance. The site was controversial for several reasons. The first was its illegal use of photographs, which the university and students took issue with. The second was its controversial nature - not every student like being ranked based on their appearance. The third was its huge resource use - while it was hosted on Harvard servers, it was the most popular page in the university's entire network. Zuckerberg was soon forced to shut the site down, but its popularity and controversy had made him consider its future potential. He soon turned the simple site into a personal one for Harvard students, encouraging them to network with their peers at the college. It was then, together with his two friends, that they launched "The Facebook", which immediately spread to other colleges and grew into a public service that anyone could access in the United States, whether to network with friends and family, or to play games. The company has been criticized frequently, nevertheless, Zuckerberg has remained true to his initial vision - to create a website that the entire world can use to communicate openly and easily with one another and to keep the user experience clean and pure. The end result is one of the world's biggest online businesses. Although its true value is debatable, it's safe to say that Facebook, and its creator Mark Zuckerberg, are two of the twenty-first century's most influential, controversial, and potentially powerful figures. When Mark Zuckerberg was a student, he _ . Answer: had good academic performance
If you know exactly what you want, the best way to get 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, but . As further evidence of companies gradually losing faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz mentions a pattern in 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 details to look at the big picture," says Scheetz. This sounds like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduates. 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, manager of the Boston Red Sox, 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. For a liberal-arts degree, students focus on some basic courses that include literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior--plus a computer course or two. With these useful and important courses, 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. Which of the following statements does the author support? Answer: Generalists will do better than specialists in management. Because earthquakes happen without warning, it's important to take steps now to prepare.Because you don't know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car. 1.Water. A person need at least 1/2 gallon of water daily just for drinking.Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period.It is suggested that you buy bottled water.Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it.Also, do check the "use by" date. 2.Food. It's always a practical idea to keep a supply of nonperishable food on hand.Have an enough supply of canned food, powdered milk, dried fruits, nonsalted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours. 3.Flashlights and spare batteries. Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car.Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks. Prepare a battery-powered radio and spare batteries.Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information. 4.Clothes. If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth.You might not have heat after an earthquake.Think about your clothing and bedding supplies. According to the article we know that _ . Answer: flashlights but not matches are first used after earthquakes. What would you likely notice the taste of? Answer: tropical twist Mother's Day is coming up. Maybe your gift is wrapped and your dinner plans booked for mom, step-mom, grandmother - whoever the person is who fed, cared for, taught and loved you. But there are other people who said their most special Mother's Day memories rarely dealt with beautifully wrapped objects, but rather, the ways people showed they cared. Mother's Day 2012 was the last one Jannet Walsh was able to celebrate with her mother, Margaret, who had a stroke in 2009. In her last few years, Walsh always shot photos and videos of their visits together, and with Walsh's West Highland White Terrier, Andrew. "My mother had a dog just like him, so I would tell her it was her dog, and she would hold onto his leash, even in bed up to the last few weeks before she passed away," Walsh said. As Mother's Day approached, Walsh wanted a way to remember her mother and "best friend". She decided to build the memories she captured during those last few years into a video memorial - images of her mother with Andrew or quiet moments at her gravesite. "I thought it good to tell the story with few words, just show my mother as she was - happy, and loved till the end," Walsh said. Mother's Day was not a light-hearted subject for Wendy Bowers in the past. Her mom had walked out when she was 18, and Bowers had tried for years to become pregnant without success. She had almost convinced herself she wasn't meant to be a parent. But three years after she gave up on having a baby, Bowers discovered that she was pregnant. Six weeks earlier than expected, little Nathan arrived. That first year, Nathan, only 10 months old, was sick with a stomach bug. Bowers said she spent the day holding him between loads of laundry. "I would not have been anywhere else in the world that day," she said. "I wouldn't trade that first Mother's Day for anything, and I'm pretty sure Mother's Day will always be a reminder to me of just how lucky I am to even be a mom." What is the text mainly about? Answer: Special ideas for Mother's Day. As an English teacher, one of the most common problems I've found with my students is their lack of confidence with speaking, and difficulty in understanding native speakers. Another problem could be that a foreign language taught in schools can sound quite different to what native speakers actually use. There are a few English words and expressions that I'd never heard until I came to China. The most common one in my experience is "How are you? I'm fine, thank you, and you?" I appreciate that although this greeting is much too formal for everyday use - it's easy to learn and helps build confidence. However, it can be a hard habit to break. I've seen many parents correct their kids if they don't use that exact phrase, as if simply replying "I'm fine" would somehow be rude. In fact I'm banning my students from saying that in the classroom, insisting a simple "I'm fine, thanks" is good enough. "Seldom" is another one that I find interesting. The first time a student told me "I seldom watch TV", my initial reaction was a stupefied look, followed by "Huh?" I then realized the student used "seldom" when it's more common for us to use "rarely." I was just as confused when I first heard a toilet referred to as a WC (water closet), another English term I'd never heard of back in Australia. Of course, my students know the other names for it like bathroom, toilet, washroom etc. so to prefer that name is an interesting choice. I don't mind that my students have substituted familiar English words with their own, far from it. It reminds me how creative they can be with not only their language, but with mine as well. It's healthy for English to evolve and change and I'm happy to add these new words to my vocabulary. One important lesson I've learnt is that textbooks can only help you so much. For further improvement you'd better practice with native speakers. The problem with the reply "I'm fine, thank you, and you?" is that it is _ . Answer: not popular with native speakers
Question: Scientists warn today that the Atlantic bluefin tuna faces disappearance unless certain action is taken. They used electronic ways to track the movement of the powerful fish from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mediterranean, and report today in the journal Nature that meals of sushi and sandwiches with tuna worldwide are more dangerous than anyone has imagined. The bluefin tuna can live for 30 years, grow to three metres in length and weigh as much as 700kg. A good one can fetch as much as PS 52,000 in the Tokyo fish markets. "In my lifetime, we've brought this big fish to the doorstep of death in the western Atlantic Ocean," said Barbara Block of Stanford University in California. "The electronic way of tracks provides the best scientific information we've ever had to manage these tuna and we must, as an international community, start to act actively to make sure of the future of this fish. " Scientists have repeatedly said that the harvest of the seas cannot be as good as before. There are fewer and fewer fish in around Newfoundland, North Sea and Iceland, so fishermen have pushed further offshore in search of deep ocean fish. Tuna--in the Mediterranean and Japan--have been under increasing pressure for years. The International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna has tried to manage the fish since 1969.There are two populations: a western one that has dropped by 80% in the past 30 years, and a larger, eastern population. Although catches are controlled by 3,000 tons a year in the western fishery, and 32,000 in the east, no one knew whether the limits worked. So Professor Block and her team placed tracks on hundreds of the fish and tracked them to depths of more than 900 metres and on journeys of thousands of miles, measuring the movement, body and water temperatures. "There are two ways to save the Atlantic bluefin tuna--protect them in their production grounds and in their feeding grounds," Prof. Block said. "This will need immediate action in both the central Atlantic, to reduce the loss of the big fish while hunting, and in the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean, where tuna produce as separate populations. " According to Professor Block, tuna can be saved by _ . A. finding a new way to protect them B. controlling the catches of them C. reducing the population to eat them D. protecting them in their production and feeding grounds Answer: D. protecting them in their production and feeding grounds 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 best title for this passage may be _ . A. The Attraction of Bookshops B. How to Spend Your Time C. Bookshops and Their Assistants D. How to Select Books Answer: A. The Attraction of Bookshops Question: If you want to watch and know something about birds, you must find a good place near the bird nest . Birds sit on eggs and take care of their babies from April to June. Because the baby birds are too young to leave the nest, parents often go to look for food and come back in several minutes. So it is good to watch birds. When we watch birds, we'd better hide ourselves in a close place to the nest, and it's better to use binoculars . But how to make a bird nest? A good bird nest must be very fine, strong, thick and comfortable. If you want to make one, please follow these: a) Each nest must have six boards . Don't make the boards too slippery . b) Dig a small hole in the front of the nest as a "door". The "door" is big enough so birds can fly in or out easily. c) Make sure the rainwater can't go into the nest. d) One piece of the board should be easy to open. e) Don't forget to color the nest. The most important thing in watching birds is to _ A. look for a place near the bird nest B. climb up to the trees C. catch a bird D. kill a bird Answer: A. look for a place near the bird nest Question: Lying in the sun on a rock, the cougar saw Jeb and his son, Tom, before they saw it. Jeb put his bag down quickly and pulled his jacket open with both hands, making himself look big to the cougar. It worked. The cougar hesitated, ready to attack Jeb, but ready to forget the whole thing, too. Jeb let go of his jacket, grasped Tom and held him across his body, making a cross. Now the cougar's enemy looked even bigger, and it rose up, ready to move away, but unfortunately Tom got scared and struggled free of Jeb. "Tom, no!" shouted his father. But Tom broke and ran and that's the last thing you do with a cougar. The second Tom broke free, Jeb threw himself on the cougar, just as it jumped from the rock. They hit each other in mid-air and both fell. The cougar was on Jeb in a flash, forgetting about Tom, which was what Jeb wanted. Cougars are not as big as most people think and a determined man stands a chance, even with just his fists. As the cougar's claws got into his left shoulder, Jeb swung his fist at its eyes and hit hard. The animal howled and put its head back. Jeb followed up with his other fist. Then out of the corner of his eye, Jeb saw Tom. The boy was running back to help his father. "Knife, Tom" shouted Jeb. The boy ran to his father's bag, while Jeb stated shouting as well as hitting, to keep the cougar's attention away from Tom. Tom got the knife and ran over to Jeb. The cougar was moving its head in and out, trying to find a way through the wall Jeb was making out of his arms. Tom swung with the knife, into the cougar's back. It howled horribly and ran off into the mountains. The whole fight had taken about thirty seconds. Why did Jeb pull his jacket open when he saw the cougar? A. To get ready to fight B. To frighten it away C. To protect the boy D. To cool down Answer: B. To frighten it away Question: We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book.Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down.While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold.She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop .She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors." "Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them," the nurse answered.She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?" Mum just pushed harder, each swipe of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall.I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book.After a long time Mum came back.Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand.As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you." Outside, Mum told me "Grandma is fine.No fever." "You saw her, Mum?" "Of course.I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow.Dad will stop worrying as well.It's a fine hospital.But such floors! A mop is not good.You need a brush." After reading the story what can we infer about the hospital? _ A. The nurses and doctors there don't work hard. B. It has strict rules about visiting hours. C. The conditions there aren't very good. D. It is a children's hospital. Answer: B. It has strict rules about visiting hours.
What is a good education? The question is far from being answered. Once more, colleges and universities are changing their programs: they _ "fun courses" and restart some of the traditional subjects neglected since the 1960s. Many great schools are again requiring the students to take a number of classes in English, history, literature, the social sciences, philosophy, the natural sciences, and art if they want to get a degree. Meanwhile, the experts are trying to describe the good education of our time. Obviously the purely vocational training once favored is not enough. But neither is the gentleman's education of the nineteenth century. Educational programs must meet the demands of a modern world where men and women have to work and to deal with big problems. What, then, is a good education of this century? Some educators suggest that it should include foreign languages and the study of foreign cultures; a mastery of English, including the ability to write and speak well, because communications have become all-important in the modern world, and also because "a person who doesn't speak and write clearly doesn't reason clearly either"; some knowledge of the social sciences (sociology, psychology) that deal with human relations and human problems; some basic knowledge of modern science, which would enable future voters to be better informed about current problems like nuclear. Finally, many educators insist that all college graduates should be familiar with computers and modern information system since the educated professionals of tomorrow will have to understand their machines. Is that all? "No, of course not." answer the educators. "We have not mentioned the two great building blocks of education: history and literature!" The best title for this passage might be _ . Answer: When 19-year-old Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation ,nobody understood what she was talking about. But Sophia knew just how important Make - A -Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one her best friends. We were interested in finding out more, so we went along to meet Sophia listen to what she had to say. Sophia told us that Make - A -Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980. " It's a charity that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. Make - A -Wish help children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true, " Sophia explained. We asked Sophia how Make - A -Wish had first started. She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris, who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman. Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris's dream come true ----so, with everybody's help, Chris, only seven years old at the time, had been a "policeman" for a day. " when people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too , and that was the beginning of Make - A -Wish, " explained Sophia. Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A Make-A-Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can. Which of the following is true about Make-A-Wish volunteers? Answer: A teenager realized her dream of becoming a professional model three years after a serious car accident. Marita Davies was on her way home from a party when the crash happened. The car that Marita took as a passenger was going the wrong way and crashed into another car driven by a drunken driver named David Hudson, which left her with a broken leg and back. It took the firefighters more than two hours to free the teenager from the damaged car before she was taken to hospital. Marita was in a wheelchair for a year after being bed-ridden for nine months. Marita feared her dream of a modeling career was over. She said, "I was extremely upset and shocked when I knew about my terrible injuries. I thought my dream of becoming a model was over. My leg and back were broken. The crash had broken my confidence and I became quiet and spent less time with other people. I was 16, and at that age all I wanted to do was to go out with my friends." But as her health took a turn for the better, Marita finally came out of the wheelchair and learned to walk. She decided she would still try to follow her dreams, and sent some photos off to some modeling agencies. She did a few unpaid jobs while studying at college. Soon, paid commercial modeling jobs started coming in. Marita was a bit doubtful at first, because the crash had left her with huge scars on her leg and back. She was worried that people wouldn't want her to model for them, but this didn't stop her. Marita had done amazingly well to overcome everything that had been thrown at her in the three years. Finally, Marita became a professional model in 2013. She was signed up for advertising campaigns and appeared in TV ads. When did the accident happen? Answer: Mark Black is my good friend. He is English. He has a yellow bike. His bike number is 9075. His mother has a black car. The number is CA3566. His father has a black car, too. The number is CA3567. Mr Black's car number is _ . Answer: It must have been around nine o'clock when I drove back home from work because it was already dark. As I came near to the gates I turned off the head lights of the car so as to prevent the beam from swinging through the window and waking Jack, who shared the house with me. But I needn't have done so. I noticed that his light was still on, so he was awake anyway--unless he had fallen asleep while reading. I put the car away and went up the steps. Then I opened the door quietly and went to Jack's room. He was in bed awake, but he didn't even turn towards me. "What's up, Jack?" I asked. "For God's sake, don't make a noise," he said. The way he spoke reminded me of someone in pain who is afraid to talk in case he does himself serious injury. "Take your shoes off, Neville," Jack said. I thought that he must be ill and that I had better give way to him to keep him happy. "There is a snake here," he explained. "It's asleep between the sheets. I was lying on my back reading when I saw it.I knew that moving was _ . I could not have moved even I'd wanted to." I realized that he was serious. "I was depending on you to call a doctor as soon as you came home," Jack went on. "It has not bitten me yet but I dare not do anything to upset it. It might wake up. I'm sick of this," he said."I took it for granted that you would have come home an hour ago." There was no time to argue or apologize for being late.I looked at him as encouraging as I could and went to telephone the doctor. According to the passage, Neville should have been home at _ . Answer:
About a year ago, if you had asked who Dinara Safina was the answer would have been: "She is Marat. Safin's younger sister." Back then she was overshadowed by her wonder brother. But now she has made a name for herself: the world No. 1 player in women's tennis. The 22-year-old Russian. will overtake Serena Williams of the prefix = st1 /USfor top ranking on April 20. "Before, every place I go, I am Marat's sister. Nothing else," she told New York Times. "I always wanted to be myself, and now finally the results are coming, and people can know me as Dinara Satina." Safina has made it to two great event finals, in the 2008 French and in this year's Australian Open, and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly; family isn't the only connection Safina's and her brother share. Both of their DNA burns with competitive fire. Satin has held the distinction for years of being a hot tempered player on Court. When he lost his temper, he would break a racket . Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother. A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake". The Sydney Morning Herald, during the Australian Open, summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline: "Satina goes from basket case to top of the world." It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players. Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach. "I had no choice but to become a tennis player, but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court, her size. She is 1.82 meters tall and Weighs 70 kg. But it is hard work that led her to her recent Success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No. 1," she said. What can we infer from the headline "Safina goes from basket case to top of the world."? A Safina wanted to top the world in tennis when she was a baby in a basket. B After she won this year's Australian Open, Dinara Safina cried. C Too nervous at first, but Safina finally gained confidence and won. D Safina learnt from the basket case and finally became top of the world. Answer: C. Too nervous at first, but Safina finally gained confidence and won. Peter is a student. He usually goes to school on a bus. This morning, He takes a taxi with his father because he may be late for school. His mother gives him a banana when they go out. On the way, he eats the banana and then throw the banana skin out of the taxi. At that time, an old man passes there. The old man just steps on the skin and then _ . His father and he get off the car. They find the old man lying near the taxi. The banana skin is near him. The old man looks at them and says, "Teach your child to throw the banana skin to the right place!""I am sorry," says his father."Sorry, I won't do that." Peter says. How does Peter feel after old man says to them? A Sorry B Happy C Excited D Relaxed Answer: A. Sorry What requires sunlight to grow? A lakes B deep sea fish C rose bushes D mountains Answer: C. rose bushes A person needs to use a raw material to cool an engine, so they might use A H2O in a jug B fire in a house C salt in a shaker D corn in a stove Answer: A. H2O in a jug Strange things happen when you travel, because the earth is divided into twenty-four zones. The time difference between two zones is one hour. You can have days with more than twenty-four hours and days with fewer than twenty- four hours. You can have weeks with more than seven days and weeks with fewer than seven days. If you make a five-trip across the Atlantic Ocean , your ship come into a different time zone every day. As you come into each zone, the time changes one hour. If you travel west, you set your watch back. If you travel east, you set it ahead. Each day of your trip has either twenty-five or twenty-three hours. If you make a trip by ship across the Pacific Ocean , you cross the International Date Line. This is the point where a new day begins when you cross the line, you change one full day. If you travel east, today becomes yesterday, if you travel west it is tomorrow. Which of the following sentences is true? A If we travel around the world, we will get into trouble in telling the time. B If we travel west across the Atlantic Ocean, we will have twenty-three hours. C If we travel by ship across the Atlantic Ocean, we will cross the International Date Line. D If we travel across the Pacific Ocean, today becomes tomorrow. Answer: A. If we travel around the world, we will get into trouble in telling the time.
Question: Looking back on my childhood,I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made.Although we were all brought up in the same way,my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects.Unlike them,I had no ear for music and languages.I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic. Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary.I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in,of my room and my toys.Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents,aunts,uncles and cousins who gathered next door.But I do have a clear memory of the dogs,the farm animals,the local birds,and above all,the insects. I am a naturalist,not a scientist.I have a strong love of the natural world and my enthusiasm led me into varied investigations.I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil while reading about other people's observations and discoveries.Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle,because it all seems to fit together.This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books,which some might honor with the title of scientific research. But curiosity,a keen eye,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist:one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline,a quality I lack.A scientist requires not only self-discipline,but hard training,determination and a goal.A scientist,up to a certain point,can be made.A naturalist is born.If you can combine the two,you get the best of both worlds. The author can't remember his relatives clearly because _ . A. he didn't live very long with them B. the family was extremely large C. he was too young when he lived with them D. he was fully occupied with observing nature Answer: D Question: Andy Steele lives just a few blocks from the campus of Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., so commuting to class isn't the problem. But he doesn't like lectures much, isn't a morning person, and wants time during the day to restore motorcycles. So Steele, a full-time senior business major, has been taking as many classes as he can from the South Dakota State system's online offerings. He gets better grades and learns more, he says, and insists he isn't missing out on the college experience. "I still know a lot of people from my first two years living on campus, and I still meet a lot of people," he says. But now, he sets his own schedule. At least 2.3 million people took some kind of online courses, according to a recent survey by The Sloan Consortium, an online education group, and two-thirds of colleges offering "face-to-face" courses also offer online ones. But what were once two different types of classes are looking more and more alike and often falling into the same pool of students. At some schools, online courses originally intended for non-traditional students living far from campus have proved surprisingly popular with on-campus students. A recent study found 42 percent of the students enrolled in its distance education courses were located on campus at the university that was hosting the online courses. Numbers vary depending on the policies of particular colleges, but other schools also have students mixing and matching online and "face-to-face" credits. Motives range from lifestyle to adapting a job schedule to getting into high--demand courses. Washington State had about 325 on-campus undergraduates taking one or more distance courses last year. As many as 9,000 students took both distance and in-person classes at Arizona State last year. "Business is really about providing choices to their customers, and that's really what we want to do," said Sheila Aaker, extended services coordinator at Black Hills State. Many schools, such as Washington State and Arizona State, let departments and academic units decide who can take an online course. They say students with legitimate academic needs a conflict with another class, a course they need to graduate that isfull--oftenget permission, though they still must take some key classes in person. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. The undergraduates attend the online courses for different purposes. B. It is expected that distance education is popular with on- campus students. C. About 325 on-campus undergraduates took online courses in Washington last year. D. Different colleges have different policies about online courses. Answer: B Question: Many people are so busy these days that they have no time to cook at home. This becomes a problem because most families love home cooking! The food tastes good and a family meal can bring everyone together. In some families, meals are often the only chance everyone gets to see each other at the same time during the day. Another reason people enjoy home cooking is that it is a way of showing love. A parent who makes some cookies is not just satisfying a child's sweet tooth. He or she is sending a message . The message says, "I care about you enough to spend an hour making cookies that you will eat up in 15 minutes if I let you." There is also something about the smell of home cooking. The smell of cooking makes people happy. It makes most of us feel good and loved--even if we're the ones doing the cooking! Next time you smell a cake making, stop for a moment and pay attention to your mood (,). What's the main idea of the passage? A. Home cooking is important. B. Home cooking feels good and loved. C. People are too busy to cook. D. Home cooking cookies taste better. Answer: A Question: The journey two naval officers made some time ago to the very deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be explored.The two men went down 7 miles to the bottoms of the Pacific Ocean inside a small steel ball called a "bathyscaphe" to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life.Above the ball there was a special tank full of petrol which was slowly emptied into the water to make the bathyscaphe heavy enough to complete its journey. It was necessary to set out early, so that the bathyscaphe would come to the surface in daylight, and so be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it.The divers began preparations at dawn and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water. The divers felt as if they were going down steps as they passed through warm and cold layers of water.In time, the temperature dropped to freezing point and the men shivered inside the ball.They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone describing how they felt.Then , at a depth of 3,000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world.All went well until some four hours later at 30,000 feet, the men were startled by a loud, cracking noise; even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death.Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that badly broken.Soon afterwards, the bathyscaphe touched the soft ocean floor raising a big cloud of "dust" made up of small, dead sea-creatures.Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by the enormous pressure.But they didn't dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from the lights made the water boil.Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the faint but clear voices of the officers were heard on the mother ship 7 miles away.After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none the worse for their experience. After they got to the bottom of the ocean , _ . A. they could get in touch with the mother ship seven miles away B. they were cut off from the outside world C. one of the outer windows broke Ks5u D. they found the water boil Answer: A Question: Recently I spoke to some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had. Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised to find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without "outside help". "What kind of help is that?" I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a relative or family friend to help them out. "Surgery ", one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job. One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. "They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it regrows, you can get at least 5cm taller!" At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can't deny that, but I don't think I would put myself through months of agony just to be a few centimeters taller. I don't even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I'm not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall! It seems to me that there is a trend toward wanting "perfection", and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality. No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that "perfection" is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his chosen career. Many graduates today turn to cosmetic surgery to _ . A. marry a better man\woman B. become a model C. get an advantage over others in job-hunt D. attract more admirers Answer: C
In the Caucasus region , nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100thbirthday, and many don't stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Caucasus people aren't alone. The Pakistani Hunzas, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Vilcabambans of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador seem to share the secret of long life too. These peoples remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasus people aged 110-140, work in the fields beside their great-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 age 80." The very youngest estimate was age 60. What accounts for this ability to survive (live) to such old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived peoples. They began their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam is 142 years of age. He remembers his life experience: the Crimean War of 1854; the Turkish War of 1878; the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Rustam has no plan of retiring from his life as a farmer. "Why? What else would I do?" he asks. Oh, he's slowed down a bit. Now he might quit (stop working) for the day after 6 hours in the field instead of 10. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations of 5,000 to 12, 000 feet(1,660 to 4,000meters) above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger. Another factor that may lead to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressure and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old age. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer. Finally, although these three groups don't eat exactly the same foods, their diets are similar. All of them eat little animal meat. Their diets are full of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese and milk. They never eat more food than their bodies need. It is clear that isolation from urban pressure and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all lead to the health and remarkable long life of all these people. What is the main idea of this article? Factors leading to the health and long life of people. Reading is very important. World Book Day falls on April 23 every year. It encourages people, especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor great writers. Many countries celebrate World Book Day. On that day, millions of school children can buy books at a much lower price than usual in any bookstore in England. It has been done every year since 1998. World Book Day is also celebrated in China. Wen Jiabao, Premier of China, is an avid reader. He does lots of reading every day though he is very busy. On World Book Day 2009, he called on people to do more reading. Wen suggested that young people should spend more time reading. "Books can not change the world, but people can change the world by changing themselves through reading," he said. Reading helps us become more knowledgeable and smarter. Reading helps us to follow the latest developments of science and technology . Reading gives us information about other cultures and places in the world. Reading is also one of the most important ways to learn a foreign language like English. We all know that it is difficult to learn everything in the classroom, for example, the ways English people are living and working today can be learnt by reading. Books, magazines, newspapers and other kinds of reading materials can help us to know more about the outside world. Therefore, it is necessary for us to spend time reading every day. According to the passage, reading can help people in many ways EXCEPT _ . improving your health Stanley Yelnats was given a choice. The judge said,"You may go to prison,or you may go to Camp Green Lake."Stanley was from a poor family. He had never been to camp before. So, Stanley Yelnats seems set to serve an easy sentence,which is only fair because he is as innocent as you or me. But Stanley is not going where he thinks he is. Camp Green Lake is like no other camp anywhere. It is a place that has no lake and nothing green. Nor is it a camp,at least not the kind of camp kids look forward to in the summertime. It is only a desert wasteland,dotted with countless holes dug by the boys who live at the camp. At Camp Green Lake,the warden makes the boys" build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes:five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is searching for something,and before long Stanley begins his own search--for the truth. Fate is to find a solution to it all--the family curse,the mystery of the holes. The great wheel of justice has ground slowly for generations,but now it is about to reveal its verdict . We can learn from the passage that Stanley _ . got the shoes by accident The pomegranate is one of the oldest known fruits. Pomegranates are found in ancient writings and pictured in the ancient art of many cultures and religions. The pomegranate is also a symbol of health, fertility and long life. Experts think the pomegranate is native to northern India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Today it also grows in Southeast Asia, the western U.S., Armenia and parts of Africa, among other places. The skin of a pomegranate is strong. It can be red, purple or orange-yellow. The inside is filled with beautiful dark red seeds that shine like rubies. It is not easy to get them out. But the reward is great. Health benefits The pomegranate grows on trees. Parts of the pomegranate tree and fruit are used to make medicine. The pomegranate is used for many conditions. However, the U.S National Institutes of Health says there is not enough scientific evidence to rate pomegranates as effective for any of them. Still, in traditional medicine, the pomegranate is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and "hardening of the arteries." The jewel-like seeds of the pomegranate are loaded with many nutrients and chemicals called antioxidants . These antioxidants remove poisons from the body. The antioxidants found in pomegranates may help remove build-up of damage in blood vessels. So, it is a very heart-healthy fruit. Antioxidants slow the progression of age-related sickness and may slow the growth of cancer cells. Men who have prostate cancer may benefit from a daily serving of pomegranate juice. Pomegranates are used for weight loss and used as a treatment for sore throat. Pomegranates are also high in vitamin K, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron. Let's just say pomegranates are loaded with great things for the inside of your body. Beauty benefits But let's not forget the outside, too! Pomegranates are great for the skin. They protect the skin by encouraging new skin growth, healing wounds and repairing tissue. Pomegranates protect the skin against sun damage as well. They may help skin look younger by providing moisture and elasticity. Recipes for pomegranates But how does one eat a pomegranate? Pomegranates seeds are both sweet and tart. A thick liquid, or syrup, from the pomegranate tastes great with lamb, pork or chicken dishes. Pomegranate seeds provide extra flavor to salads and other vegetable dishes. The seeds are also delicious in rice and grain dishes. And, of course pomegranates make great desserts. In the U.S., pomegranate juice is often added to sparkling drinks, drinks called smoothies and alcoholic drinks. Fresh pomegranates are only available in the United States from September to January. They can keep, or remain good to eat, in the refrigerator for about two months if kept in a plastic bag. According to Health benefits, we can learn _ . Eating pomegranates may help remove build-up of damage in blood vessels. Tigers are strong and dangerous animals. But now they are in danger. In the past, there were eight kinds of tigers in the world. But during the 20th century, only five were left. The number of Siberian tigers was about 300, but now it is less than 22. They're in danger of dying out. If the government does nothing, we won't be able to see them in ten to twenty years. In order to stop people from hunting and killing wild tigers, and in order to make wild tigers more, the World Wildlife Fund has started a program recently . China and twelve other countries joined it. However, it's not enough. Remember that nature is a food chain . If we hurt and kill too many wild deer and pigs, wild tigers will die out because of hunger . So the most important thing is to save the animals that tigers eat. In order to protect the wild tigers, we need call on more people to stop eating, hunting and killing wild animals. ,. Wild tigers will be in danger of dying out without _ . A and B
Materials that react with other substances to delivery energy, and derived from the remains of living organisms are A. excellent for the environment B. a resource being depleted C. never going to run out D. hardly used anywhere by anyone Answer: B Starting in l972,the National Park Service established a policy for forest fires calle Natural Burn.It was acknowledged that some forest fires,such as those caused by lightning were necessary for forests to maintain balanced ecosystems,so the fire should be allowed to burn.However, a big fire in Yellowstone National Park in l988 caused this policy to be abandoned since the fire was initially allowed to burn yet soon out of control.As a result,the fire of l988 destroyed much of Yellowstone,which is America's oldest and most beloved national park.Massive areas of plants were destroyed,and large empty spaces and acres of burned and blackened trees greeted visitors.The rivers and streams were choked with ash,and the ecosystem of the park was changed beyond repair. In addition,great numbers of animals were killed by the fires that bumed out of control. The fires were driven by high winds,moving as many as ten miles a day.Many small animals died in the flames.The fires' rapid advances gave the wildlife little chance to escape. Even today,few of these small forest animals have returned to live in the park. In the years immediately following the fires,the numbers of visitors declined rapidly.No one was interested in seeing a blackened and treeless park on vacation.Yellowstone had previously been famous for its amazing views and unique geological formations such as the geyser Old Faithful. But now its reputation as America's wonder is damaged permanently. Why were so many animals killed in the big fire? A. Because winds were blown from high places. B. Because the animals moved only ten miles a day. C. Because the animals lived in lower places. D. Because strong winds contributed to the fire a lot. Answer: D According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days.Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem. The homeless population represents all of us Americans.It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants.Its members are from all ethnic groups.What they have in common is poverty. Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty.When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice.Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can't pay the rent with food stamps. With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative. Although men constitute the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them.In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S.are teenagers and young children. People may become homeless for numerous reasons.However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common.They include a lack of adequate education and job skills.A majority of the teenagers and adults have not completed high school. The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor.One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol.While one quarter of the same group uses drugs. Some members of this population suffer mental health problems.Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent "home".Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves. Job loss in today's economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people's homes.The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce are also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved.The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads. The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may _ . A. lose his or her job in today's economy B. be unable to look after the kids C. not have enough income D. find residence at a homeless shelter Answer: C Five people are at our table, including myself. I've already learnt a great deal about them in the short time we've been at sea, although we rarely meet except at mealtimes. First of all, there is Dr. Stone. He is a man of about sixty-five, with gray hair and a friendly face. He gave up his work a short while ago and is now traveling round the world before he retires to some quite country village. As a young man, he served for many years as a doctor in the army and visited many countries. He's told us a great deal about the city to which they are going. Then there is "Grandmother". I call her that because her name escapes me. In spite of being a grandmother, she looks remarkable young, no more than fifty. She is on her way to visit a daughter who went to Australia some years ago. Naturally she is very excited at the thought of seeing her again, and her three grandchildren, whom she has never seen. Then there is a man I don't care for very much, the engineer by the name of Barlow. He has been _ in England and is now returning to his work in Singapore. The other person who sits at our table is Mrs. Hunt. I've found out hardly anything about her. She's extremely quiet and rarely talks, except to consult the doctor about children's various illnesses. She is on her way to join her husband in India. Who live in India? A. Mrs. Hunt B. Grandmother C. Mr. Hunt D. The doctor Answer: C To Whom It May Concern, My husband Jim and I got married in 1965. For the first ten years of our marriage, I was very happy to stay home and raise our three children. Then about four years ago, our youngest child went to school, and I thought I might go back to work. Jim was very supportive and helped me to make my decision. He started to do all the things I used to do around the house, and said he thought I could be a great success in business. After several weeks of job hunting, I found my present job, which is working for a small public relation firm. At first, my husband was proud of me and would tell his friends, "My clever little wife can run that company she's working for." But, as his joking words were becoming reality, Jim stopped talking to me about my job. I have received several promotions and pay increases, and I am now making more money than he is. I can buy my own clothes and a new car. Because of our combined incomes, Jim can do things that we had always dreamed of doing, but we don't do these things because he is unhappy. We fought about little things, and Jim is very critical of me in front of our friends. For the first time in our marriage, I think there is a possibility that our marriage may come to an end. I love Jim very much, and I don't want him to feel inferior , but I also love my job. I think I can be a good wife and a working woman, but I don't know how. Can you give me some advice? Will I have to choose one or the other or can I keep both my husband and my new career? Please help. Yours, Mary Jim stopped talking about her job when _ . A. Jim failed to do what he liked B. she made more money than he C. she received her boss' praise D. Jim had to do housework Answer: B
A daughter's duty? Adult daughters are often expected to caregiver for older parents. In 2007, Jorjan Sarich and her dad moved from California to Idaho. It was where he wanted to live his rest time. "I left my occupation, I left my friends; he did the same thing," said Sarich, who bought a house with her father, George Snyder, in the China Gardens neighborhood of Hailey after his health began to decline. Though a graduate student struggling to finish her dissertation , Sarich chose to be her dad's full-time caregiver. "It's only now, several years later, that I'm realizing how much work it was. It's the kind of exhaustion that sleep doesn't cure," she said. About 6 million Americans provide care to elderly relatives or friends living outside of nursing homes. Laurel Kennedy, author of "The Daughter Trap" (Thomas Dunne Books, $25.95), says that women bear a disproportionate share of the burden -- about 70 percent of hands-on care giving such as bathing. "I want to be clear: Women don't hate this," Kennedy said. "What they hate is that everyone just assumes they'll do it." Kennedy is calling for _ equal to the rise of affordable child care and day care: Employers should help working caregivers by offering accommodations. Men should step up more often. It's unfair that women are always chosen to provide care for an elderly family member. Despite the hard work it took on Sarich -- interrupted sleep and the knowledge that his 2009 death was the end game, she would do it again. Since about half a century had gone by, she wasn't the person he remembered, and he wasn't the person she remembered either. Caring for her father changed how each saw the other. In her care giving, Jorjan Sarich _ . Answer: Welcome you aboard the Finnair Flight and we will do our best to make your trip comfortable and enjoyable. For your safety and convenience To begin the trip,we would like to draw your attention to some safety-related details.These are also explained on the instruction card in the seat pocket in front of you.Seat belts must remain while the"Fasten seatbelts"sign is on.It is advisable to keep them fastened at all times while seated.All flights are no smoking.The use of mobile telephones is now allowed when the airplane is on the ground and the"Fasten seatbelts"sign is turned off.During the flight the use of CD and DVD players is now allowed. For your entertainment To help you enjoy your trip,we provide a range of newspapers on international flights.On our MD-11 and Boeing aircraft,we are also pleased to provide music and video programmes.On Airbus A321/320/319,aircraft route maps and short videos are shown.Details of entertainment programmes available on MD-11 aircraft are shown on the separate"on the Air"brochure located in your seat pocket. For your children Special reading material is provided for children and on longer flights there are also audio and video programs for them.On long-distance flights,first-time flyers between the ages of 2 and 15 can join our Finnair Junior Plus Club. Meals and drinks During most flights we serve you a tasty meal with drinks to accompany it, Beer,wine and other drinks are served free of charge.Coffee,tea and juice are served free of charge on all domestic flights of over 35 minutes.On domestic flights leaving before nine and on all flights to northern Finland,a snack is served. We value your opinion In this magazine you'11 find a special form for your comments about our service.Kindly return the form to our crew or Finnair office.It will be forwarded directly to the appropriate department.You can also fax it(+358-(0)89819-7729)or send your comments by email to _ .Our crew is pleased to answer your questions during the flight whenever possible. If you find the"Fasten seatbelts"sign is off,you _ . Answer: Small talks A small talk is a good way to kill time and make friends. When you are in other countries, do you know how to have small talks with people? In England, people like to talk about the weather, because the weather there _ very often. In the morning, it is sunny, but in can be cloudy or rainy in the afternoon. It often rains, but sometimes it's sunny. And the winter isn't very cold and the summer isn't very hot. English people are kind of quiet. They don't often talk to others first, but when you ask them about the weather, they are usually happy and want to talk with you, so you can start a small talk by saying, " It's a fine day, isn't it?" They also like to talk about their pets, so it's nice to say "A lovely dog! What's its name?" to them. But American people like to talk about sports like football and basketball. They also talk about clothes. The weather is a great talk in America, too. A good small talk can make you feel great, so when you are in England or America, please follow these rules. From the passage, we can know _ . Answer: Honeybees Honeybees can do three kinds of jobs. It is one of the most unusual insects in the world. Bees are special because they divide up their honeybee work. Each bee has a certain job to do. The busiest bee is the worker. Workers build the nest, called a hive. Inside the hive, workers make a honeycomb from wax . They store honey there for food. Workers are always cleaning and fixing the hive. They even stand at the opening and fan their wings to cool the hive. Worker bees will attack anything--even people--to keep their hive safe. Another kind of bee is the drone . Drones are male bees, and their job is to fly with the queen bee and mate with her. After the queen mates, the worker bees drive the drones away. The drones then starve to death. The third kind of bee is the queen. Each hive needs only one queen, and her job is laying eggs. She can lay as many as 2, 000 eggs a day. Which jobs do workers do? Answer: A dead giant sequoia Answer:
Making friend is a skill. Like most skills, it improves with practice. If you want to meet people and make friends, you must be willing to take some action. You must first go where there are people. You won't make friends staying home alone. Join a club or group, talking with those who like the same things you do is much easier. Or join someone in some activity. Many people are nervous when talking to new people. After all, meeting strangers means facing the unknown. And it's human nature to feel a bit uncomfortable about the unknown. Most of our fears about dealing with new people come from doubts about ourselves. We imagine other people are giving an opinion about us-finding us too tall or too short, too this or too that. But don't forget that they must be feeling the same away. Try to accept yourself as you are, and try to put the other person at ease . You'll both feel more comfortable. Try to keep self-confident even when you don't feel that way when you enter a room full of strangers, such as a new classroom, walk tall and straight, look directly at other people and smile. If you see someone you'd like to speak to, say something. Don't wait for the other person to start a conversation. Just meeting someone new does not mean that you will make friends with that person-friendship is based on each other's liking and "give and take". They take time and efforts to develop. And there are things that keep a new friendship from growing. If you'd like to speak to someone, what should you do? A few days ago, prefix = st1 /Adrianbought six packages of ink for his printer at a $1 Store. Then he found a deal on better ink at the local computer store. SoAdrianwent back to the $1 Store to exchange the ink for some other items. He put the ink into a plastic bag and tied it up. When he entered the store, he immediately showed the bag to a clerk and told her that he was returning some items. She looked at him but said nothing, soAdrianput the bag into a push-cart and started shopping. He was midway through shopping when a female employee suddenly stopped him. "Sir," she said sternly , "you are not allowed to carry a plastic bag of items around in this store." Adrianwas taken back. There was no need for her to yell. He opened the bag and showed her the six packages of ink. "I'm exchanging these for some other items,"Adriansaid. "You should have left the bag with the clerk when you entered the store. Let me see your receipt!" the employee demanded.Adrianwas embarrassed. He felt like a shoplifter while he showed her the receipt. By the time Adrianhad finished shopping and exchanged the items, he was angry and asked what her name was. She mumbled something and he heard "Ursula." WhenAdriangot home, he called the store's corporate headquarters. Two days later,Adrianreceived a phone call from a representative. "I'm sorry," she said, "but there's no one at that store named Ursula. Can you describe her? I'll find out who she is. I assure you, we do not tolerate rude behavior, nor do we tolerate lying to customers." By this time,Adrianhad calmed down. He didn't really want the employee to lose her job. He told the representative to forget about it. The purpose of this passage is to _ . When two nuclei are combined into one nucleus, there is a slight change in mass and the release of a large amount of energy. What is this process called? A friend of mine was fond of drawing horse. He drew the horses very well, but he always began the tail. Now it is the Western rule to begin at the head of the horse, that is why I was surprised. It struck me that it could not really make any difference whether the artist begins at the head or the tail or the belly or the foot of the horse, if he really knows his business. And most great artists who really know their business do not follow other people's rule. They make their own rules. Every one of them does his work in a way peculiar( ) to himself; and the peculiarity means only that he finds it more easy to work in that way. Now the very same thing is true to literature. And the question, "How shall I begin?" only means that you want to begin at the head instead of beginning at the tail or somewhere else. That is, you are not yet experienced enough to trust to your own powers. When you become more experienced you will never ask the question, and I think that you will often begin at the tail -- that is to say, you will write the end of the story before you have even thought of the beginning. The writer was surprised because _ . In the world of fairy tales, great and powerful men are often helped to victory by the small and weak. But in the prefix = st1 /USit has happened for real. Nine - year - old Noah McCullough from Texas, has taken on the role of speaking to the public in support of President George W. Bush's social security reforms. On February 25 he signed an agreement with the American Congress to work for the White House as a volunteer. "What I want to tell people about social security is not to be afraid of the new plan," Noah said. "It may be a change, but it's a good change." Besides this task, he already has a higher goal. He plans to run for the White House in 2032. So far, Noah seems to have a very bright future. Despite his age, Noah already has his firm opinion on running the US. "I firmly believe that the combination of large business and small governments creates a peaceful and present society because industry can stimulate economic growth," he said. Noah's politics do not come from his parents. "He is very patriotic and very republican," said Noah's mother, Donna McCullough. "It's the way he was born." Noah's interest began after a mock election in the kindergarten when he was five years old. Now he has read more than 3,000 books on presidential history. He can recite the names of all 43 American presidents. He can also describe the achievements and events that took place during a president's term of office. His unusual experiences in the presidential campaign last year made him a famous figure. He was a member of Bush's presidential campaign team. He gave speeches at the Republican convention and followed Bush around on his tour of 27 states. President Bush thinks highly of the boy, saying that he is "the miracle kid of the White House". Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
Question: A beggar followed a lady and asked her for some money. She refused, so he turned away sadly and said he must do what he had made up his mind to do. At this word, the lady was greatly frightened for she was afraid for his life. So she called him back and gave him a dollar. The beggar took the money, put it into his pocket, and thanked her a great deal. "You have saved me from a terrible fate," he said. The lady asked him what he meant. The beggar replied, "Madame, I have been begging all day, but only you have taken pity on me. Without this dollar you gave to me, I should have had to go to work now. In the story, "a horrible fate" means _ A. to beg B. to go to work C. to die D. to live a hard life Answer: B Question: Annalisee Brasil, a 14-year-old girl, is one of the brightest kids of her generation. When Annalisee was 3, her mother Angi noticed that she was stringing together word cards into correct sentences. After the girl turned 6, her mother took her for an IQ text. Her IQ is above 145, placing the girl in the top 0.1% of the population. Annalisee should be the star pupil at school. She is witty and pretty, and it's easy to imagine she would get along well at school. But Annalisee's parents couldn't find a school willing to take their daughter. So her mother homeschooled Annalisee. But Angi felt something was missing in her daughter's life. Annalisee didn't have a rich social network of other kids. She had trouble getting along with others. She described herself as a " _ " and said other students sometimes were jealous of her. What's needed is a new model for gifted education. That's the idea behind the Davidson Academy of Nevada. At the academy, all the kids are skipping ahead quickly. However, the academy's most important gift to its students is social, not academic. One of the main functions of the school is to provide a good social setting for the highly gifted. Last year the school enrolled Annalisee, which has been good for her. She has made friends at the academy. She has also developed an interest in calculus and biochemistry . Socially, Annalisee is finally learning to get along with others. "It's been interesting having to deal with that and getting used to the judgments of other kinds," she said. "We get into arguments a lot, because we're all really smart people with opinions, and it doesn't always turn out that great. Sometimes I take things a little too personally." What is the passage mainly about? Annalisee Brasil----the star pupil at school. A smart girl who entered a proper school and benefited from gifted education. A smart girl who had trouble getting along with others. A girl who was too smart to find a suitable school. What can you infer from the passage? A. Annalisee has realized her problem and is gradually changing her attitude towards others. B. One of the main functions of the gifted education is to provide a good social setting for the highly gifted. C. Without the academy, Annalisee couldn't have learnt so much. D. Like Annalisee, many other smart kids also have the similar trouble. Answer: A Question: The arrival of autumn starts the traditional fall festivals which aim to welcome the new season. Here's a guide to several fall festivals that are held in the Roanoke region each year. Boones Mill Apple Festival It is held the third Saturday in September every year.The festival is hosted by the Boones Mill Lions Club and attracts people from all over Virginia. The most important things of the festival include art shows, fried apple pies,and a high school band. There are lots of food,crafts,music,and games for every age group. Admission is free. For more information, call 540-334-5975. Blue Ridge Folklife Festival Ferrum College hosts the festival as an October celebration of the harvest every year.The festival shows some farm fresh produce and the farming practices of the last year.Children can enjoy playing many of the games.The festival begins at 10:00 a.m.Admission is $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for children and senior citizens.You can call 540-365-4412 or visit the website:http://www,blueridgeinstitute.org. Mountain Magic Fall Festival The town of Buchanan on the outskirts of Roanoke is the place where the Mountain Magic Fall Festival is held.The festival is held in October and has two to four groups of crafters,antique dealers,and food vendors.Live Bluegrass music plays all day and children enjoy visiting the pet zoo. The auto show and farmers' market are also big attractions. Call 540-357-2509 for more information. Vinton Fall Festival A 5K walk, a truck ride, and a civil war group are just some of the exciting parts of the Vinton Fall Festival.The festival is held in October under the golden shade trees in downtown Vinton.Other attractions include hayrides,agriculture judging, health education,and children's activities.Phone: 540-343-1364. Which would be the BEST title for this passage? A. Autumn--the Season of Harvest in America B. Traditional Fall Festivals in the Roanoke Region C. Interesting History of Some Traditional Festivals D. The Differences Between the Traditional Festivals Answer: B Question: One day, a teacher was giving a speech to his students. He held up a glass of water and asked the class, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20 g to 500 g. "It does not matter on the weight itself. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance . It is exactly the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. " If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. " "What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again. " We have to put down the burden sometimes, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. According to the teacher, you may feel _ if you put down the burden sometimes. A. more stressed B. much heavier C. more relaxed D. much happier Answer: C Question: A tuna is an ocean fish that is well adapted to catching small, fast-moving prey. Which of the following adaptations most helps a tuna swim fast to catch its prey? A. large fins B. sharp teeth C. small gills D. tough scales Answer: A
Question: To the mom I used to be: Two years ago, you were happy and whole. You had a plan for life -- start a new business, get involved in the Parent-teacher Association, teach your sons how to ride bicycles, spend as much time with your friends and parents as possible, watch your children mature and grow old with your husband. You were a " _ " person who often felt so much joy. You always looked forward, smiled and danced. Two years ago, on December 14, 2012, the world changed and you changed with it. Disturbed young men with access to high-powered guns went to your sons' school and killed six educators and twenty first-graders. Your eldest son Jake survived, but was changed by the day he discovered some monsters are real. He describes it as the day "when evils came to my school." Your youngest son, Dylan, whom you thought of as a pure love, with his charming eyes and infectious giggle ,was killed. Shot multiple times, he died instantly in the arms of his special-education assistant who also died while trying to protect him. The tragedy changed all your life, not only because of losing your child, but because of the hole inside you that can never be filled. Your eldest son has been forced to grow up too fast because of the loss of his brother. The pain has altered the lines on your husband's face. The way you look at the world has changed. Your interactions with friends and family seem foreign. ... ... But the things have moved on with hopefulness. You are now someone far more realistic. You control your feelings because you fear if you really let it out, you would never recover. It would destroy you. You know what you should do is try everything to protect more children. You're fighting a good fight, what the whole society really needs. With love, Nicole Hockley, Dylan's mom The author writes the letter mainly to _ . A. tell herself not to forget the bitterly painful past B. praise the educators' brave deeds in time of danger C. tell the readers how the shooting has changed her family D. describe the bad effects of school violence on students Answer: C Question: Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes . Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education. The word "critical" here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen--beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning . Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker; if you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker. Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today's world, fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn _ from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banish Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, "Please go slowly, I don't understand things quickly." What would be the best title for the passage? A. Understanding Critical Thinking B. Thinking and Critical Thinking C. Thinking Natural and Human D. Thinking Fast Means Intelligence Answer: A Question: The new bookHarry Potter and the Half-Bloodis warmly welcomed by the children in China. It sells well across China. You can see and hear the advertisements about the book here and there. Why is the book so attractive to children? After reading it, I was attracted by the magic world. I can not help asking: where is our ownHarry Potter? China has a long history and colorful culture. With a large market of teenagers, China published many popular books among children. However, why are the present books not as good as those foreign ones? Firstly, quiet a number of children's are of strong sense of teaching, and they have little interest. Reading them, children often have a feeling of being "educated". Certainly, they don't like them. Secondly, fewer children like the same stories, but most Chinese books are usually much the same. One knows the ending as early as in the beginning. Finally, the writers seldom think about children's needs. _ for children should be interesting, and written in their language. Which is the best title of the passage? A. Ways to read books. B. A magic boy, Harry Potter. C. Books and advertisements. D. Our children need better books. Answer: D Question: The passages below discuss the retirement age. Passage 1: In the United States,the financial crisis has left the country with 11 million fewer jobs than Americans need now.No matter how tough the policy ,we are not going to find 11 million new jobs soon.So common sense suggests we should make some decisions about who should come first:older people,who have already worked three or four decades at hard jobs? Or younger people,many just out of school,with fresh skills and ambitions? The answer is obvious.Older people who would like to retire and would do so if they could afford it should get some help.The right step is to reduce,not increase,the retirement age.As a rough cut,why not make it a law to set a three--year window during which the age for receiving full Social Security benefits would drop to 62----providing a voluntary ,one--time,grab-it-now bonus for leaving work? Let them go home! With a secure pension and medical care,they will be happier.Young people who need work will be happier.And there will also be more jobs.With pension security, older people will consume services until the end of their lives.They will become.each and every one,an employer. Passage 2: Too many people see longer working lives as a worry rather than an opportunity--and not just because they are going to be chained to their desks.Some worry that there will not be enough jobs to go around.This misunderstanding,known to economists as the"lump of labour fallacy ",was once used to argue that women should stay at home and leave all the jobs for breadwinning males.Now lump-of-labourites say that keeping the old at work would deprive the young of employment.The idea that society can become better-off by paying more of its citizens to be idle is clearly ridiculous.On that reasoning,if the retirement age came down to 25 we would all be as rich as Bill Gates. In Passage 1,one reason for suggesting earlier retirement in the US is the _ A. tough policy B. stable pension C. high unemployment D. free medical care Answer: C Question: Full of beauty, happiness and a healthy love of life, the Bulgarian festivals and customs date back to old time when man tried to live in peace with nature. The merriest and richest festivals are Christmas and the New Year, when the socalled "sourvakari" makes the round of house with wishes for health and wealth. Other main festivals include "ladouvane" -- a holiday for young girls on New Year's Day or Midsummer Day (24th June), Shrovetide and Mummers' Games which mark the start of spring, and "lazrouvane" -- a traditional festival for love and family, health and richness.And among them, the widely popular and typical Bulgarian customs and festivals are "martenitsas" and rosepicking. Every year on March 1st, the Bulgarians give each other "martenitsas" -- a small doll made of white and red strings, a symbol of the beginning of spring, health and happiness. In late May and early June every year, the rosepicking season starts in the Valley of Roses which is between the Balkan Range and the Sredna Gora Mountains. Rosepicking starts at dawn, before sunrise and before the pleasant smell of the rose has disappeared. The Bulgarian rose produces 70 percent of the world's rose oil which is used by the very wellknown perfume company as a basic element of its products. This is the time of the Festival of Roses, celebrated with carnivals, happy activities, folk songs and dances in Karlovo and Kazanluk on the first Sunday in June. The passage is mainly about _ . A. Christmas and the New Year in Bulgaria B. the origin of Bulgarian festivals and customs C. rosepicking and perfume industry in Bulgaria D. typical customs and festivals of Bulgaria Answer: D
Primary teachers are responsible for guiding children through the formation of many important life skills, and also watching over their students' social development. Primary teachers come into contact with about 30 students every day, and teach them a variety of subjects. Many hours are spent before and after class on planning, preparation and correction. One should be a very patient, caring, yet firm person to be able to deal with the demands of children in the four to twelve-year-old age group. Secondary teachers teach specific subjects to various groups of students. Just like primary teachers, they spend an amount of time planning and preparing lessons and correcting homework--their duties are not restricted to face-to-face teaching. Dealing with twelve to eighteen-year-olds requires a wide range of skills. If you become a primary teacher, you will need to decided whether to be a "generalist ", teaching a wide range of subjects, or a "specialist", teaching only one or two. Most primary teachers are specialists. Generalist teachers spend the greatest part of their day with one class, which means that they spend more time with the same children. Specialist teachers have more time away from their students. It is therefore very important for generalist teachers to develop a strong working relationship with their students. The unique rapport you can develop with a particular set of students is one of teaching's greatest pleasures. However, the disadvantage of primary teaching is that if you have a difficult student, you will be forced to deal with him or her, all day, every day, throughout the school year. Teachers need to work ot strategies to get themselves and their students through such difficulties. Primary teachers today are generally four-year trained. They usually do a three or four-year under-graduate degree, and if this degree does not include teacher training, they will have to undertake postgraduate study in education as well. After class primary teachers usually_. make planning, preparation and correction Being in an unfamiliar school can be frightening. If you start a new school, you'll have to worry about making friends. Here are some simple tips which help you make new friends more easily. Try speaking to the students you're sitting next to in class. As they're close by, it is easy to chat to them first. Try to speak to everyone in your class. You will study here for three years, so it helps if you get along well with them. If you don't have many friends in your class, try and make new friends in your neighbor classes. You can also chat to them at lunchtimes and after school. Join a lunchtime or afterschool club. You'll get to meet kids of all years that way. Ask your teacher to pair you With another student. Use your "celebrity status" ! Since you're the new person, you'll have got celebrity status, which you can use for a couple of weeks. Talk to classmates, remember to smile, and be open and friendly. Don't break in while your classmates are speaking. When your classmates talk to you, you should listen carefully and look at them in the eye to make them feel important. As you grow older, it's natural to make new friends and sometimes that means you begin to grow apart from your old friends. So try and make time for all your friends. But what if a friendship group is pushing you out? If this is happening to you, ask someone you're friendly with what has happened .If the friendship is hopeless, try to find new friends. If a friendship group is leaving you out, you should try to know the reason from a close friend In the suburban district of a city lived an old woman quite alone. Her husband died thirty years ago and two years later, her only son went away with lung cancer. So she had no family still living and her only friend was a little white dog who went everywhere with her - with one exception. The dog loved the fireplace in winter, and after the old woman went to bed he would sometimes go and lie in front of the warm coals. Usually though, the dog lay on a rug right next to the bed. Deeply as the old woman loved her dog, she wouldn't allow the dog on the bed with her. However, if she became frightened or had a nightmare, she would put her hand down to her little white dog and he would lick it to calm her down. One night she was reading the newspaper just before going to sleep. She trembled and pulled the duvet up around her as she read that a mental patient had wandered out from a nearby hospital. No one knew if the patient was dangerous or not, but he was a suspect in the murders of several women who lived alone. The woman turned off the lights and tried to sleep, but she was frightened, and turned over continually. Finally, she reached down to where her little white dog slept. Sure enough, a warm, wet tongue began to lick her hand. The woman felt reassured and safe, and left her hand hanging off the side of the bed. As she turned to settle in comfortably she opened her eyes for a moment and looked through the open door into the living room. There in front of the fireplace, sat her little white dog, gazing at the coals and wagging his tail. And down beside her bed, something was still licking her hand. Seeing the dog still sitting by the fireplace, _ . the old woman would be frightened to half death Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him talk because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time. One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes in the town and told him that he'd better not go there. Mark Twain waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don't think they will come to visit me." After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town." One of them said to him. Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, "The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn't come into the wrong room." What he said made all the people present laugh heartily. But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night. From the story we know _ . no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night On Sundays my father always wore that dull gray apron - the one with the race cars all over it. The ritual began after breakfast when Dad always announced: "Go ahead everyone. I'll take care of the dishes!" With that my mother disappeared into the folds of the Sunday paper. Off came the suit coat he had worn to church that morning. Up went the shirtsleeves. On went that apron. For the next hour Dad did the dishes, singing ballads like "I Had a Hat When I Came In" and "Who Put the Chow in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?" I suppose it was strange for a boy's father to wear an apron - even one with race cars - but I never thought much of it until the day that Dad broke with tradition. It was the last Sunday in August. My father seemed in an expansive mood as we walked home from church together. "Tommy," he said letting my name roll off his tongue. My mind raced ahead of his words: The birds and the bees? A new bike? A part-time job? "There comes a time in every boy's life when he must take on responsibilities." This was important. I might even get to back the car out of the driveway. "Responsibilities?" I asked. "Yes. It's time you took a greater role in the household." Power tools? Boss my baby brother? "Starting today, I want you to do the dishes on Sunday morning so your mother and I can work the crossword puzzle together." "The dishes!?" "Anything wrong with taking over the dishes, son?" I started to say something about a man's job or woman's work, but I knew immediately that my protests would fall on deaf ears. I didn't taste a bit of breakfast that morning. Dad seemed in a jovial mood as he described an exceptional Yankee game seen through the eyes of Mel Allen on the radio last night. "Mickey Mantle drove the ball right over the center field wall," he said. "Just a straight line climb in right out of the stadium." He looked out the window as if trying to pick the ball out of the cloud formations. I tried to imagine Mickey Mantle wearing an apron. Suddenly, everything grew quiet. My sister began to clear the table. My brother was scraping the last of the egg from his plate. And then that ancient family ritual that had filled so many Sunday mornings came to an end. My father announced: "Let's go read the paper, Hon." "Aren't you doing the dishes?" my mother asked in puzzlement. "Your oldest son has generously offered to fill the position." My brother and sister stopped cold. So this was what my life had come to. A dark angel sat on my left shoulder and reminded me that I could hit a baseball farther than anyone in my class. I could bench-press my weight. I knew three declensions in Latin, the language of Caesar. Ask me to run through a rainstorm. Command me to ride the roller coaster - backward. These things I would do. But I could never do those dishes. There was nothing left but to refuse. People often say there is a special chemistry between a father and a son. He came back into the kitchen just as I was about to storm out. He had loosened his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt - ready to relax. In his right hand was the old apron. "I want you to have this, Tommy. It'll keep your clothes from getting wet." And before I could mount a protest, he had put the thing on me. "Thanks, Son. Your mother and I appreciate this." With that he disappeared into the Sunday paper. I looked down at the plastic. It had seen better days. I could see my dad reaching for the dishes. The dark angel flew off. Soon I was singing about Mrs. Murphy's chowder. The words came out of nowhere. And out of nowhere I knew the kind of man I wanted to be. Which of the following words can best decribe the author's father? responsible
A friend asks you to be a volunteer. Your husband asks you to glance over an e-mail he is writing to his boss. You say you'd love to. Really! But..."I don't have time". It seems plausible( ). We're all busy these days, right? But there are reasons not to use these four words, at least with yourself. Here's the big one: _ is not true. You tell yourself "I don't have time" to exercise, but we all have 168 hours a week. If someone offered to pay you $100,000 a week to go to the gym for 5 of those 168 hours, you would probably find the time to do it. Since that isn't going to happen, this is a more exact description: " It's not a priority ." There are a million things we could be doing with our time; some are priorities and some are not, even if it's wrong to say so. Try it. "I'm not going to read to you tonight, sweetie, because it's not a priority. Daddy's present priority is to check my e-mails." Using the words "I don't have time" keeps us from admitting to the fact that how we spend our time is a choice. It puts the responsibility for our lives on someone else: a boss, a client or a family member. Better to be truthful: "I have another volunteer job on which I am focusing my energy right now. It is the cause that is most important to me." Or, to your husband "I wish you had mentioned this earlier. Right now, my priority is to get our children dressed and out of the door for school. I will be available around lunch time if you would like to talk". You can find this text in the _ section of a newspaper. Answer: Young people and older people do not always agree with each other. They sometimes have different ideas about living, working and playing. But in one special program in New York State, adults and teenagers live together in a friendly way. Each summer 200 teenagers and 50 adults live together for eight weeks as members of a special work group. Everyone works several hours each day. They do so not just to keep busy but to find meaning and enjoyment in work. Some teenagers work in the woods or on the farms near the village. Some learn to make things like tables and chairs and to build houses. The adults teach them these skills. There are several free hours each day. Weekends are free, too. During the free hours some of the teenagers learn photo-taking or painting. Others sit around and talk to sing. Each teenager chooses his own way to spend his free time. When people live together, rules are necessary. In this program the teenagers and the adults make the rules together. If someone breaks a rule, the problem goes before the whole group. They talk about it and ask, "Why did it happen? What should we do about it?" One of the teenagers has this to say about the experience: "You stop thinking only about yourself. You learn how to think about the group." The best title for the passage is _ . Answer: Ad No.90374 Posted July 12, 2015 by Amanda Expire Date August 12, 2015 Tag:Beijing Language Teaching Part Time We are looking for Teachers, whose Native Language is English, willing to teach in China. Mostly schools are in South of China. The Benefit package for ESL Teachers includes: One-year Contract:1st September 2015 to 1st August 2016 Salary 4,000 RMB to 5,000 RMB/Month Teaching load & schedule:20 teaching hours per week A rent-free, fully furnished apartment with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom Kitchen facilities provided, other electric appliances will be supplied, water, heater, microwave etc.[:ZXXK] If you are interested, please read the information above and kindly send your application to attach the following documents (in doc or JPEG format).The subject to be mentioned, as "teach in China" 1).CV/Resume 2).A copy of academic degree/diploma/certificate/or college transcript 3).A photocopy of the data page of valid passport 4).A recent color photo 5).A letter of recommendation or release letter from your previous Chinese school (Only if you worked in China previously) 6).Any other relevant information that you think might help your application This advertisement is about _ . Answer: Dear Mom, I'm sorry that I can't go back home for Mother's Day next week. On that day, I'll have to go to an important meeting for my boss, who helps me a lot with my work and life here. But I'll find time to see you at home soon. Mom, thank you for everything you've done for Tim and me. After Dad died of a heart attack at home ten years ago in a road accident, you had to work in a supermarket in the daytime and in a restaurant at night. But you always gave us two your love and care. Though you don't have to work now, I still remember your coming home and feeling tired many evenings. Tim is going to finish his studies next month. He said he would move back from school and look for a job near home. I'm glad you won't live by yourself any more. Let's plan to take a trip in the near future. It's been years since the three of us took a trip together. Happy Mother's Day. I love you, Mom. Best wishes, David Which of the following is mentioned in the letter? Answer: Not everyone has a chance to be a detective , but I got one when I was 13 years old. It happened in 1994. One afternoon, I was walking down the street when I saw my father's new car. I expected to see my father in the driver's seat. But to my surprise, I saw a young woman driving instead, "She has stolen my father's car," I thought. So I quickly stopped a taxi and got in. I said to the driver, "Follow that new car in front," I told him why. The taxi driver had a car phone, so I asked him to call the police. Soon we heard the sound of a police car. The police told the woman to stop the car using a loudspeaker. The taxi came to a stop, too. I got out right then and said to the woman, "This is not your car. It's my father's car." The woman smiled and said, "Oh. You're Mr. Johnson's son, right? I've seen your photo in your father's office." Before I could say one word, the woman explained that she was my father's new assistant . My father had asked her to take his computer to the shop to have it repaired. He lent her his car. After hearing this, I called my father and he told us what the woman said was right. The police and the taxi driver laughed. I felt very sorry. It was both the first time and the last time I worked as a detective. When did the story take place? Answer:
Perhaps the most extraordinary building put up in the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of goods were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, traveling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936. The Crystal Palace was built up _ . Answer: shortly before 1851 What is a six-letter word that immediately comes to mind when you need some information on the Internet? You probably thought of Google. But Google wasn't always the name of the famous search engine. In fact, the original name was BackRub! BackRub was the name two graduate students gave to the new search engine they developed in 1996. They called it BackRub because the engine used backlinks to measure the popularity of Web sites. Later, they wanted a better name -- a name that suggests huge quantities of data. They thought of the word googol. (A googol is a number followed by 100 zeros.) When they checked the Internet registry of names to see if googol was already taken, one of the students misspelled the word by mistake, and that's how Google was born. Google is just one example of a name change in the business world. Many other companies have decided to change their names or the names of their products. Here are some more examples: Jerry Yang and David Filo, two young computer specialists, developed a guide to Internet content in 1994. They called it "Jerry and David's Guide to World Wide Web." But they soon realized that this wasn't a very catchy name, so they searched through a dictionary and found a better one: "Yahoo." Sometimes companies change their names because of the popularity of one of their products. In 1962, a young runner named Phil Knight started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, Knight decided to design and manufacture his own brand of shoes. He named the shoes after the Greek goddess of victory -- Nike. Nike shoes became so well known that Knight changed the name of the whole company to Nike. According to the text, Google _ . Answer: is a result of a spelling mistake I was fortunate enough to discover my love for flying when I was very young. Lucky that some things went my way: my eyesight, for example, was good enough to allow me to become a fighter pilot. And lucky that when I left the army, I found work as an airline pilot, when such jobs weren't plentiful. I still feel lucky, after all these years, to be able to follow my passion. The airline industry has its problems, and a lot of them can be troubling, but I still find purpose and satisfaction in flying. There's some freedom you feel when you're flying above the surface of the earth, no longer limited by gravity. Even at a thousand feet, you get a wider perspective. Problems that seem large down below feel smaller from that height, and smaller still by the time you reach thirty-five thousand feet. I love that flying is an intellectual challenge. If you change the angle of the nose by even one degree while traveling at a typical commercial airliner speed of seven miles a minute, it's enough to increase or decrease your rate of climb or descent by seven hundred feet per minute. I enjoy keeping track of all the calculations, staying aware of the weather conditions, working with a team while knowing closely what the plane can and cannot do. I like the challenge of that. I also like sharing my passion for flying. It's a disappointment to me that a lot of kids today aren't fascinated by flight. I've watched countless children walk past the plane without paying much attention; they're too focused on their video games or their iPods. When there are children who eagerly want a look inside "my office" at the front of the plane, it's so rewarding to see their excitement about something I care deeply about. If we aren't busy during boarding, the first officer and I enjoy inviting curious children to sit in our seats in the cockpit , ask questions, and let their parents take photos of them wearing a captain's hat. Being a pilot has a tangible end result that is beneficial to society. It feels good to take a planeload of 183 people where they need or want to go. My job is to reunite people with family and friends, to send them on vacations, to bring them to loved ones' funerals, to get them to their job interviews. By the end of a day, I feel as if I've accomplished something. All of them have their own stories, motivations, needs -- and helping them brings a rewarding feeling. This is what gets me ready for work, and one of the things I look forward to. The genre of the passage can best be described as a _ . Answer: personal account Topping the class academically was certainly an advantage. For Nigel, studying was a piece of cake. The reward was certainly much bigger compared to the little effort Nigel had made. It all began when he was selected to help the teachers in the computer laboratories. And the peak of his school career came not when he topped the class but when he was selected for the nationwide competition. Unlike everyone else, Nigel wanted to join in the contest because he liked playing with the Lego sets and making something out of them. Nigel spent two months building his robot. It was during the time that Nigel found out about the big prize for the competition as well as a competitive rival , Alicia, from a neighboring school. His early intentions were forgotten. Getting the thousand-dollar prize was more important than anything else. Nigel decided to make friends with Alicia. Unaware of his intentions, she told him all about the robot that she had been building for the competition. He even helped her to put the finishing touches to her robot. He was glad with the way things had progressed. His robot looked even better than Alicia's and it was able to play a ball with its arm, something Alicia had failed to do. On the day of the competition, he saw Alicia. Everything became clear the minute she saw him among the competitors. She stared at him, puzzled at first, then angry and finally a look of helplessness came over her. The flashbulbs of the camera exploded in Nigel's face. The robot had performed actions so unique and different that the specialists' judgments were the same. Nigel was so pleased with himself that he did not even notice the girl standing a few feet away from him. Without her, he would never have won the competition. Nigel's original intention of joining the contest was to _ . Answer: build a robot with the Lego sets Samuel investigated the effect of temperature on the growth of snapdragons. He recorded the results from the investigation and found that snapdragons do not grow well in low temperatures. What is the purpose of this conclusion in the scientific process? Answer: It helps to evaluate the hypothesis.
My neighbor Mrs. Gargan first told me about it. "Have you seen the tree?" She asked as I was sitting in the backyard enjoying the autumn twilight . "The one down at the corner," she explained. "It's a beautiful tree--all kinds of colors. All the passers-by stop to have a look. You ought to see it." I told her I would, but I soon forgot about the tree. Three days later, I was jogging down the street when a splash of bright orange caught my eyes. For an instant, I thought someone's house had caught fire. Then I remembered the tree. I approached the tree to look at it closely. There was nothing remarkable about the shape of the tree. It was a medium-sized maple. But Mrs. Gargan had been right about its colors. Like the mess of an artist's palette , the tree blazed a bright crimson on its lower branches and burned with vivid yellows and oranges in its center, and deep red at its top. Through these colors were light green leaves as yet untouched by autumn. Walking closer I noticed several bare branches near the top, their small black branches scratching the air like claws. The fallen leaves lay like a red carpet around the trunk. As I was amazed at this beauty, I thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson's comments about the stars. "If the constellations appeared only once in a thousand years, imagine what an exciting event it would be. But because they're up there every night, we barely give them a look," he made a remark in Nature. I felt the same way about the tree. Because its beauty will last only a week, it should be especially precious to us. And I had almost missed it. Once in the 19th century when a man noticed a brilliant display of northern lights in the sky over Massachusetts, he rang a church bell to alert the whole town's people. That's what I felt like doing about the tree. I wanted to awake the countryside to its wonder. I didn't have a church bell, but as I walked home, I did ask each neighbor I passed the same simple but important question Mrs. Gargan had asked me: "Have you seen the tree?". From the passage we know _ . Answer: As Amy Hagadorn rounded the corner across the hall from her classroom, she crashed with a tall boy from the fifth grade running in the opposite direction. "Watch it, Squirt," the boy yelled, as he dodged around the little third grader. Then, with an unfriendly smile on his face, the boy took hold of his right leg and mimicked the way Amy limped when she walked. Amy closed her eyes for a moment. --Ignore him, she told herself as she headed for her classroom. But at the end of the day, Amy was still thinking about the tall boy's mean teasing. It wasn't as if he were the only one. Amy was tired of it. Sometimes, even in a classroom full of other students, the teasing about her speech or her limping made her feel all alone. Back home at the dinner table that evening Amy was quiet. That's why Patti Hagdorn was happy to havesome exciting news to share with her daughter. "There's a Christmas Wish Contest on the radio station," she announced. "Write a letter to Santa and you might win a prize. I think someone at this table with blond curly hair should enter." Amy giggled. The contest sounded like fun. She started thinking about what she wanted most for Christmas. A smile took hold of Amy when the idea first came to her. Out came pencil and paper and Amy went to work on her letter. --Dear Santa Claus, she began. While Amy worked away at her best printing, the rest of the family tried to guess what she might ask from Santa. Amy's sister, Jamie, and Amy's mom both thought a 3-foot Barbie Doll would top Amy's wish list. Amy's dad guessed a picture book. But Amy wasn't ready to reveal her secret Christmas wish just then. Here is Amy's letter to Santa, just as she wrote it that night: Dear Santa Clause, My name is Amy. I am 9 years old. I have a problem at school. Can you help me, Santa? Kids laugh at me because of the way I walk and run and talk. I have cerebral palsy . I just want one day where no one laughs at me or makes fun of me. Love, Amy At radio station WJLT in Fort Wayne, Indiana, letters poured in for the Christmas Wish Contest. The workers had fun reading about all the different presents that boys and girls from across the city wanted for Christmas. When Amy's letter arrived at the radio station, manager Lee Tobin read it carefully. He knew cerebral palsy was a muscle disorder that might confuse the schoolmates of Amy who didn't understand her disability. He thought it would be good for the people in Fort Wayne to hear about this special third grader and her unusual wish. Mr. Tobin called up the local newspaper. The next day, a picture of Amy and her letter to Santa made the front page of the News Sentinel. The story spread quickly. All across the country, newspapers and radio and television station reported the story of the little girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who asked for such a simple, yet remarkable Christmas gift - just one day without teasing. Suddenly the postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house. Envelopes of all sizes addressed to Amy arrived daily from children and adults all across the nation. They came filled with holiday greetings and words of encouragement. During that unforgettable Christmas season, over two thousand people from all over the world sent Amy letters of friendship and support. Amy and her family read every single one. Some of the writers had disabilities; some had been teased as children. Many people thanked Amy for being brave enough to speak up. Others encouraged her to ignore teasing and to carry her head high. Each writer had a special message for Amy. Through the cards and letters from strangers, Amy glimpsed a world full of people who truly cared about each other. She realized that no amount or form of teasing could ever make her feel lonely again. Amy did get her wish of a special day without teasing at South Wayne Elementary School. Additionally, everyone at school got an added bonus. Teachers and students talked together about how bad teasing can make others feel. That year, the Fort Wayne mayor officially proclaimed December 21st as Amy Jo Hagadorn Day throughout the city. The mayor explained that by daring to make such a simple wish, Amy taught a universal lesson. "Everyone," said the mayor, "wants and deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and warmth." The postman suddenly became a regular because _ . Answer: All schools have their own rules. The rules change from one school to another. Some schools are much stricter than others. There are also some rules that are strange or funny to us. Here are some funny school rules: Strict Japanese rules Most schools ask students to wear uniforms, such as sports suits or skirts. But Japanese schools even have rules about the colour of underwear ! They also require that girls' socks should be folded in a certain way and boys' heads should be shaved . Other Japanese schools tell students that they can't go to the movies after sunset. Different shoes in the USA At some American schools, students have to change their shoes when they go into the schools every day. This makes sure students won't fall over on the floors and keeps the schools clean. No strange hair in the UK Strange hairstyles are not allowed in some British schools. But they might allow students to wear certain hairstyles during the World Cup years. There were two students who had special hairstyles during the 2002 World Cup. After the World Cup, their teachers asked them to go to the barber's at once. Why do students in the USA have to wear indoor shoes? Answer: Men have long been puzzled by the amount women pack, when they go on holiday. They despair when they watch their beloved spend much money on extra baggage charge. Nearly half of these women admitted to lying about the weight of their case to their partner before leaving for the airport, in fear of being made to unload some unnecessary items. But it's a fact that women pack more than they need. On average, a woman needs around 57 items in suitcase for a two-week holiday, yet most women pack nearer to 150 items, ranging from skirts, tops, underwear and high heels. In addition, women pack more sun cream, make-up and hair appliances than they were likely to need. They all take up space in the suitcase, only a third of them will see the light of day once at the holiday place. 79 percent of women admitted to taking extra items with them, with the reason for this being "just in case". Women plan their holiday wardrobe months in advance. Packing enough clothes and other items to last a month is not enough for some women. They'd take a chance to shop for new items while holidaying abroad. So they'll return with even more luggage in their cases. Professor Karen Pine said: "Women are tempted to take familiar items with them on holiday, often everything except the kitchen sink. Some people find traveling stressful, particularly when they're unsure about the home comforts available at their holiday place. They over-pack to help cope with those feelings of stress and reduce the uncertainty." This will come as no surprise to some men, who are used to trying to squeeze their partner's luggage into the boot of the car with their own, smaller case. On the other hand, men pack very lightly, with only an average of 40 items for a two-week holiday. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: In one of the steps of the carbon cycle, a person exhales a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Which of the following is most likely to happen next to the atom of carbon in this molecule? Answer:
Which is an example of substances reacting chemically? A. iron and oxygen forming rust B. paper being cut into small pieces C. chocolate melting in a pan D. flour and sugar mixed together in a bowl Answer: A In the 13th century , the famous Italian traveller, Marco Polo, travelled a long way to China.During his stay in China, he saw many wonderful things. One of the things he discovered was that the Chinese used paper money. In western countries, people did not use paper money until the 15th century. However, people in China began to use paper money in the 7th century . A Chinese man called Cai Lun invented paper almost 2,000 years ago. He made it from wood. He took the wood from trees and made it into paper. He then put these pieces of paper together and made them into a book. Now paper still comes from trees. We use a lot of paper every day. If we keep on wasting so much paper, there will not be any trees left on the earth. If there are no trees, there will be no paper. Every day, people throw away about 2,800 tons of paper in our city. It takes 17 trees to make one ton of paper.This means that we are cutting nearly 48,000 trees every day. Since it takes more than 10 years for a tree to grow, we must start using less paper now. If we don't, we will not have enough time to grow more trees to take the place of those we use for paper. So how can we save paper? We can use both sides of every piece of paper, especially when we are making notes. We can choose drinks in bottles instead of those in paper packets. We can also use cotton handkerchiefs and not paper ones. When we go shopping, we can use fewer paper bags. If the shop assistant gives us a paper bag, we can save it and reuse it later. Everyone can help to save paper. If we all think carefully, we can help protect trees. But we should do it now , before it is too late. People in western countries first used paper money in the _ century. A. 17th B. 15th C. 13th D. 7th Answer: B In the sea there are many islands. In its warm waters there are some little ones. We call them coral islands. A coral island is very nice to look at. It looks like a ring of land with trees, grass, and flowers on it. One part of the ring is open to the water. There is a little round lake inside the island. If you look into this lake, you will see beautiful coral. You may think they are flowers. If you look at a piece of coral, you will see many little holes in it. In each of these holes a very small sea animal has lived. These sea animals make the coral. They began to build under the water. Year after year, the coral grew higher and higher. At last it grew out of the water. Then the sea brought to it small trees and something else. After some years, these things changed into earth. Sometimes the wind brought seeds to this earth. Sometimes birds flew over it and brought seeds to the island. The little seeds grew. In a few years there were plants all over the island. In a few more years there were trees growing there. So you see, these islands were built little by little. The workers were very small. Don't they teach us a lesson? Can you think what the lesson is? From the story we learn that _ . A. small workers can't do big things B. only big workers can do big things C. small workers can do big things if they work hard and work a long time D. all small things can do things Answer: C The greater of number of inhabited buildings in a space A. the brighter the stars B. the fewer visible stars C. the more boring the stars D. the more stars in the sky Answer: B One day, a teacher was giving a speech to his students. He held up a glass of water and asked the class, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20 g to 500 g. "It does not matter on the weight itself. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance . It is exactly the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. " If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. " "What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again. " We have to put down the burden sometimes, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. This was a lesson about _ . A. how to relax oneself in life B. how to solve a physics problem C. how to keep fit by drinking water D. how to study well Answer: A
Austin Children's Museum This 7,000-square-foot museum aims to entertain and educate children up to age 9. In its Global City exhibit, they can go grocery shopping, order lunch at a diner, pretend that they are doctors, or construction workers, and more. In other fun exhibits, they learn about Austin's history, explore the world of water, experience life on a large prefix = st1 /Texasfarm.(Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm) Address: 210 Colorado St,Austin,Texas78701 Phone:(512)472-2499 Brooklyn Children's Museum Founded in 1899, this is the world's oldest children's museum, featuring interactive exhibits, workshops, and special events. "The Mystery of Things" teaches children about cultural and scientific objects, and "Music Mix" welcomes young people.(Wed-Fri-2-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm) Address: 145 Brooklyn Ave,Brooklyn,New York11213 Phone:(718)735-4400 Children's Discovery Museum This museum's hand-on exhibits explore the relationships between the natural and the created worlds, and among people of different cultures and times. Exhibits include "Streets", a 5/8-scale copy of an actual city, with street lights, and "waterworks" which allows an operation of pumps to move water through a reservoir system.(Mon-Sat 10 am-5 pm; closed on holidays) Address: 180 Woz Way, Guadalupe River Park,San Jose,California95110 Phone:(408)298-5437 Children's Museum of Indianapolis This museum is the largest of its kind. Exhibits cover science, culture, space, history and exploration. Among them are the Space Quest Planetarium(additional fee), the 33-foot-high Water Clock, the Playscape gallery for preschoolers, and the Dinosphere exhibit, along with hands-on science exhibits. The largest gallery, the Center for Exploration, is designed for ages 12 and up.(Tues-Sun 10 am-5 pm; closed on Thanksgiving, Dec25) Address: 3000N Meridian St,Indianapolis,Indiana46208 Phone:(317)334-3322 Suppose that Dec 25 is Tuesday, which of the following museums can you visit? Answer: If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, you must know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your humor must be relevant to the audience and should help to show them that you are one of them or that you understand their situation and are in sympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you are addressing, the problems will be different. If you are talking to a group of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, you may want to comment on their disorganized bosses. Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of a story which works well because the audience all shared the same view of doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St. Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunny weather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendly until, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenly pushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of the line, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. "Who is that?" the new arrival asked St. Peter. "Oh, that's God." came the reply, "but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor." If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will be in a position to know the experiences and problems which are common to all of you and it'll be appropriate for you to make a passing remark about the inedible canteen food or the chairman's notorious bad taste in ties. With other audiences you mustn't attempt to cut in with humor as they will resent an outsider making disparaging remarks about their canteen or their chairman. You will be on safer ground if you stick to scapegoats like the Post Office or the telephone system. If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that it becomes more natural. Include a few casual and apparently off-the-cuff remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced manner. Often it's the delivery which causes the audience to smile, so speak slowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving look may help to show that you are making a light-hearted remark. Look for the humor. It often comes from the unexpected. A twist on a familiar quote "If at first you don't succeed, give up" or a play on words or on a situation. Search for exaggeration and understatements. Look at your talk and pick out a few words or sentences which you can turn about and inject with humor. The joke about doctors implies that, in the eyes of nurses, they are _ . Answer: About 1 in 15 households drink bottled water today, spending about $ 4 billion a year on it. Although the reasons for the trend are many, bottled water's health benefits fall near the top of the list. Surveys have found that about 25 percent of bottled water drinkers choose the beverage for health and safety reasons; another quarter believe it is pure and free of contaminants . Regardless of its pristine image, bottled water is not necessarily any purer or more healthful than what flows right out of the tap. Consider that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the bottled water industry watchdog, does not require that bottled water meet higher standards for quality, such as the maximum level of contaminants, than public water supplies regulated by the EPA. For the most part, the FDA simply follows EPA's regulatory lead. Granted, bottled water is often filtered to remove chemicals such as chlorine that may impart a certain taste. But that doesn't make it any safer. In fact, about 25 to 40 percent of bottled water comes from the same municipal water supplies as tap water. Furthermore, some bottled waters do not contain any or enough of the fluoride needed to fight cavities. The only way to determine whether a certain water contains the mineral is to check with the company that bottles it. This is not to say that bottled water is necessarily any better or worse, from a health standpoint, than tap water. It's certainly preferable to tap water for those who like its taste. The problem is that many consumers pay 300 to 1,200 times more per gallon for bottled water than for tap water because they think bottled water is the more healthful of the two. Bottlers add to the confusion by sprinkling terms such as "pure", "crystal pure" and "premium" on labels illustrated with pictures of glaciers, mountain streams, and waterfalls, even when the water inside comes from a public reservoir. However, the FDA has set forth regulations requiring clear labeling of bottled waters. The mini glossary of bottled waters explains what some of the terms used on bottles really mean. What conclusion can we draw from the passage? Answer: BEIJING, prefix = st1 /China(CNN) ---China's economic growth dropped to 9 percent for 2008, according to numbers released by the government Thursday --- in line with expectations, but still the slowest rate the nation has seen in seven years. Economists are concerned about what the slowdown means for investment in the future, whether new projects will be undertaken in manufacturing companies and in factories. If not, it will translate into more job losses and erase any optimism about a rebound in 2009. Since 2001, Chinahas been used to double-digit growth as consumers buy Chinese goods. However, the export sector was hit hard in late 2008, with December exports down 2.8 percent. Consumer spending has mostly held up in China, as people there do not carry as much debt as their American counterparts and can continue to spend. Consumer confidence, however, is a problem, said Dong Tao, Asia chief economist for Credit Suisse. Infrastructure is the only thing driving the Chinese economy, Dong said. Tens of thousands of Chinese factories have closed, millions of people are looking for jobs and an untold number of migrants who can't find work may be leaving cities for good because of the slowdown, which would have been unheard of six months ago. Fourth quarter numbers showed growth at 6.8 percent. Goldman Sachs predicted 6.5 percent, down from 9 percent in the third quarter. For all of 2008, Goldman Sachs had predicted 8.8 percent, down from 11.9 percent in 2007. Which of the following is NOT the difficulty Chinais facing? Answer: Some novels simply entertain and others contain a powerful message in the story line and characters. In his first novel, A Wind In Montana, Mitch Davies tells a story about young adults and how they accept responsibility for their lives. A Wind in Montana is a great tale of two teenagers, Rory Coleman and Victoria Beach, high school students at the same school, who struggle to make the right decision for themselves. As each of them nears adulthood, they become more concerned with the future and set goals that will bring them happiness and a sense of achievement. Without any advice from his parents, Rory chooses to pursue a profession in chemistry, applies for a chemistry scholarship, and determines to do everything he can to achieve it. Along the path, Rory finds that even though he has a plan, there are obstacles that could prevent him from realizing his goals. Victoria's struggles are different from Rory's. Although her father has decided that she should become a professional musician, Victoria has other plans for her life. Together, Rory and Victoria attempt to follow their dreams, despite the obstacles in their paths. A Wind In Montana contains a lesson for all teens about to enter adulthood -- that disappointment and setbacks are going to occur no matter how determined they are and that they need to develop skills along the way that will help them deal with them effectively. Mitch Davies' book stands out among today's teen books that deal with imaginary situations. A Wind In Montana is a real story about real people facing real-life situations. It's entertaining and also helps readers think about their own lives and offers various ways to handle situations that may arise. Unlike other teen books, A Wind In Montana _ . Answer:
Every year seals would crowd ashore in Farne Island and give birth to their pups. Between early October and early December, 1,500 seal pups will be born. Almost half of them will not make it past the first three weeks of life. "The pups have to stay out of the water for the first three weeks, when they have their white coat, which is not very waterproof," explains the warden ,who spends nine months on the Island. "But when you're born in November on a rock in the North Sea, it's a tough start to life," he said. Storms often wash young pups into the water. And occasionally, young, inexperienced mothers abandon their pups and head out to sea. "We lost 41% last year," said David Steel, the National Trust's head warden on the Farne Islands. "Mother Nature certainly keeps them in check." Despite the early challenges for every newborn seal, the population is healthily and slowly and steadily growing. There are almost 4,000 seals on a set of islands, which is named a Special Area of Conservation(SAC), meaning it is protected under EU regulations. This successful human safeguarding of the seals' habitat is huge turnaround . Just a few decades ago, the seal population was deliberately _ The animals used to be thought of as a threat to local fish stocks. During the late 1960s and 1970s, thousands of seals were shot in a cull that aimed to protect the local fishing industry. According to the National Trust, between 1962 and 1983 approximately 2,000 adult females and 3,000 pups were shot. But, as the fishing industry collapsed, it was gradually replaced by tourism. Today, several companies use fishing boats to take groups of people to visit the islands and admire the scenery, seabirds and, of course, the seals that make their homes in this bleakly beautiful place. What's the best title for the passage? A The Beautiful Farne Island B A Tough Beginning C How to Protect Grey Seals D Tourism or Fishing Industry Answer: B. A Tough Beginning If you've been joining in chat room conversation, or trading e-mail with your e-pals, you have become one of the millions who write in a special short form of English. And you've got a sense of humor about short forms like SOHF(="sense" of humor failure) to describe Internet newcomers who understand you. Across the globe, every night teenagers and their elders are "talking" online -- many of them all talking at the same time. It's fast: try talking to six people at once. It's brief: three or four words per exchange. It takes wit , and quick fingers. Want to enter a conversation? Just type PMFJI(="pardon" me for jumping in). Interested in whom you're talking to? A/S/L, the nearly universal request to know your pal's age, sex and location. You may get 15/M/NY as a response from your pal. If something makes you laugh, say you're OTF(="on" the floor), or LOL(="laughing" out loud), or combine the two into ROTFL(="rolling" on the floor laughing). And when it's time to get back to work or go to bed, you type GTG(got to go) or TTYL(="talk" to you later).People want to write as fast as possible, and they want to get their ideas across as quickly as they can. Capital letters are left in the dust, except when expressing strong feelings, as it takes more time to hold down the "shift" key and use capitals. Punctuation is going, too. If you get 17/F/NY as an answer to your A/S/L, it means _ . A you are talking to a girl who is 17 and lives in New York B the person who is talking to you is a 17-foot-tall New York girl C you are talking to 17 girls who are from New York D the person on the other end is 17 from New York and he is fine Answer: A. you are talking to a girl who is 17 and lives in New York The big screen is never short of films about World WarII. When Nazi Germany is featured in these films, cruel Nazi officers and brutal concentration camps most often represent it. But the new Hollywood movie Valkyrie tells a different story, "a chapter of German history which is little known abroad", according to the German Cultural Minister Bernd Neumann. Valkyrie is based on a true incident that took place in 1944. Colonel Stauffenberg had been a loyal soldier for his entire military career. However, after losing an eye, a hand, and three fingers in an Allied bombing, _ . The destruction that his country had brought to its European neighbors had become too terrible for the colonel to bear in silence. He hoped that someone would find a way to stop Adolf Hitler, one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Realizing that time was running out, he decided that he must take action himself and joined the German resistance. These men drew up Operation Valkyrie, a plot to assassinate Hitler and to overthrow his Nazi government from the inside. This plot is what the film is named after and focuses on. The Hollywood star Tom Cruise plays the lead role. "This was a very challenging film to make. We carried a huge responsibility to correctly portray history," Cruise said. However, the production has drawn criticism for lacking depth and for simplifying the motives behind the plot. The following passage will probably talk about _ . A the reason why the film is named after Valkyrie B the comments from the movie critics on Valkyrie C the praises from audience after watching Valkyrie D the importance of the role Cruise plays in Valkyrie Answer: B. the comments from the movie critics on Valkyrie The shocking collapse of one of the West Coast's biggest wild salmon runs has prompted even cash-trapped fishermen to call for an unprecedented shutdown of salmon fishing off the coasts of California and Oregon. The Sacramento River salmon run is usually one of the most productive on the Pacific Coast,providing the bulk of the salmon caught by sport and commercial trollers off California and Oregon. But only about 90,000 adult salmon returned to the Central Valley last fall--the second lowest number on record and well below the number needed to maintain a healthy fishery.That number is projected to fall to a record low of58.000 this year. The council,which regulates Pacific Coast fisheries,will choose between three management options:a total ban on salmon fishing off the coast of California and Oregon;extremely limited fishing in select areas;or catch-and-release fishing for scientific research. For consumers,it will be hard to find any Chinook,also known as king salmon.which are prized by trollers,seafood critics and upscale restaurants.There should still be abundant supplies of farm-raised salmon.but prices could be higher. Biologists and others are trying to figure out what caused the salmon collapse so they can make sure California's Chinook populations rebound. There are many potential factors,because wild salmon are born in streams and rivers, migrate to the ocean when they're juveniles and spend two to four years there before returning to spawn in the areas where they were born.In between they have to navigate the often dangerous waters of the Sacramento Delta and San Francisco Bay. The council has asked state and federal scientists to research possible causes, including water diversions,habitat destruction,dam operations,agricultural pollution,and ocean conditions.Many scientists point out that unusual weather patterns disrupted the marine food chain along the Pacific Coast in 2005,when thousands of seabirds washed up dead or starving because they couldn't find enough to eat. Researchers believe those poor ocean conditions also devastated the juvenile salmon that would have returned to the Central Valley last year.Young Chinook couldn't find the tiny shrimp and fish they depend onto survive. The passage is mainly about----. A the agricultural pollution soils the coast , B the declining number of salmon could bring fishing ban C the disrupted food chain in the Pacific Coast D the fishermen could make little profit of salmon Answer: B. the declining number of salmon could bring fishing ban One of the most difficulties in learning a language is learning the idiomatic phrases, slang and common usage of native speakers. These four books focus on giving students a hand when learning North American idiomatic language. Ya Gotta Know It by Hania Hassan It provides an excellent mixture of materials for classroom lessons and American slang reference. Its unique feature is that students are provided with ongoing context reminding learners of idioms learned while improving their understanding by using the same characters and a developing story line. Exercises provide a chance for students to practice in proper situations. Price: $11.66 ISBN: 9780074560167 Common American Phrases by Richard A. Spears It has a wide variety of resources on American English. It contains more than 2,000 phrases and idioms. Excellent for classroom use as this reference guide focuses on standard phrases that can be found in everyday standard usage. Price: $ 7.06 ISBN: 978007405607 American Idioms and Some Phrases Just for Fun by Edward Swick The book's strength is its translation of more formal English of a number of idioms. These phrases are then repeated in a number of different contexts giving students a good idea of common usage. There are also a number of exercises designed to help students put their newfound idiomatic understanding into use. Price: $ 5.49 ISBN: 9780764108075 American Slang by Robert L. Chapman It provides a guide for advanced level English students. This references guide to slang is best used by those interested in the very latest and up-to-date slang and slang you might hear in the laterst films from Hollywood. Price: $ 1.99 ISBN: 9780062731722 If you want to learn the slang from the latest Hollywood films, you can choose _ . A American Slang B Ya Gotta Know It C American Idioms and Some Phrases Just for Fun D Common American Phrases Answer: A. American Slang
One advantage of the Internet is shopping conveniently online for clothes; one disadvantage of the Internet is also shopping conveniently online for clothes. "Nothing fits," said Lam Yuk Wong, a senior in electrical and computer engineering at Rice University. "Everyone says this. They order clothes and they don't fit. People get very unhappy." Wong and her design partner, Xuaner "Cecilia" Zhang, are Team White Mirror, creators of what they call a "virtual fitting room". Their goal is simple and consumer-friendly: to let online clothing shoppers have a perfect fit and a perfect look when shopping every time. Both women are from China, Wong from Hong Kong and Zhang from Beijing. They both order most of their clothing online. They got the idea from their own experience as consumers and from listening to the complaints of friends and relatives. "They say, 'The color is wrong' or 'I got the right size but it still does not fit.' We want to make it like you're in the store trying on the clothes," Zhang said. Using a Kinect developed by Microsoft for use with its Xbox 360 video game player, Zhang scans Wong and turns her image into, in effect, a virtual model, keeping Wong's dimensions , and even her skin and hair color. "We put the clothes on the shopper's 3-D body models and show how they look when they are dressed," Wong said. So far, Wong and Zhang have adapted the software to show dresses and shirts, and they are now working on shorts. Asked if she thought men as well as women might be interested in using their virtual fitting room, Wong said, "I think their wives will care about this, so it will also be important to men." Which of the following shows the process of using the virtual fitting room? A scanning -- trying on clothes -- getting images B trying on clothes -- getting models -- scanning C scanning -- getting models --trying on clothes D trying on clothes -- getting images -- scanning Answer: C The young man arrived on the Massachusetts beach early carrying a radio, a shovel , and a strange set of tools: a brick layer's trowel, a palette knife, spatulas, spoons, and a spray bottle. He walked down near the water -- the tide was out -- and switched on the radio to listen to soft rock. Then he shoveled wet sand into a pile nearly four feet high and as many feet across. Then he created a square shape. After that, he set to work with palette knife, spatulas, and spoons. He shaped a splendid tower, topped walls, fashioned beautiful bay windows, and carved out a big front gate. The man knew his sand. He smoothly finished some surfaces and carved artistic designs on others. As the shapes began to dry, he gently kept them slightly wet with water from the spray bottle, in case they might break in the wind. All this took hours. People gathered. At last he stood back, obviously satisfied with a castle worthy of the Austrian countryside or Disneyland. Then he gathered his tools and radio and moved them up to drier sand. He had known for a while what many in the crowd still ignored: the tide was coming in. Not only had he practiced his art with confidence and style, he also had done so against a powerful, irresistible deadline. As the crowd looked on, water came at the base of the castle. In minutes it was surrounded. Then the rising flood began to eat into the base, walls fell, the tower fell, and finally the gate fell. More minutes passed, and small waves erased bay windows -- soon no more than a small part was left. Many in the crowd looked terribly sad; some voiced fear and discouragement. But the man remained calm. He had, after all, had a wonderful day, making beauty out of nothing, and watching it return to nothing as time and tide moved on. How did the lookers-on react when the tide began to come in? A They were disappointed to see the art ruined. B They tried their best to save the sand castle. C They were nervous about their own belongings. D They helped the artist finish the castle. Answer: A I have a big family. My name is Tony Brown. I'm English. My father and mother are teachers. They teach English in No.1 Middle School. I have a sister. Her name is Mona. We are students in N0.1 Middle School. My grandfather's name is David, My grandmother's name is Sue. They are retired , they are at home. Paul is my uncle. He is a worker . Paul's wife --Jane, is a doctor . They have ason. His name is Jeff. He's only three. Tony's parents are _ . A teachers B workers C doctors D office workers Answer: A A group of graduates, successful in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Before offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of cups--porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking and cheap, some exquisite and expensive--telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided for us." God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee! "The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. "[Z Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. According to the professor, the happiest people are the ones who _ . A get the best type of coffee cups B make the best of what they have C have a wide range of coffee cups D care about social status and wealth Answer: B We all need a vacation, whether with the entire family or your significant other. Unfortunately, many of us will not be able to follow through with vacation plans. But now, there is an alternative that is catching on rather quickly and it is called a "Staycation". A staycation is just what it sounds like, a vacation but you stay at home. It might not sound interesting, but you can turn it into a fun and relaxing getaway. Tell family and friends your plans. In their eyes you are truly on vacation and they only need to contact you in case of an emergency. Go outside; don't let the kids sleep all day. Go out and birdwatch, go fishing, explore the parks and nature, take in all you can of the outside world. You can even have a relaxing day at the beach, soak in some sun, and let the kids go swimming. Go on a picnic; have the kids fly kites. Bring some bubbles, and have a nice day with the wind blowing in your hair. Watch as the kids run and play and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Camping is another fun way to have a staycation. If you have a camping ground in your area, you can go camping for a day or two and show the kids how it is to live right in the heart of Mother Nature. Just remember, it really doesn't matter where you decide to go, whether home or away. As long as you create quality time with your family you can strengthen the _ that may have been pushed aside during all the long stressful work hours. Time is the most important thing you can give to your husband, wife and kids, enjoying every moment together, and you will have lasting memories in your hearts. You should tell family and friends your plans so that _ . A they will fully support you B they will take care of your house C they will contact you only when necessary D they can help you make preparations Answer: C
On Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, which honors Patron Saint(a main religious figure)of Ireland. Communities across the United States will host parades , parties, and other festivities to mark the occasion. This year, cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have organized big events celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. In New York City, hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch the Saint Patrick's Day parade-the nation's largest. It is one of the most watched parades in the world. Last year, almost 2 million watched it , more than 150,000 took part in it and they filled the streets. The parade, first held in 1776, is also one of the oldest. Chicago also throws a big celebration. Every year, the Chicago River, which crosses the city, shines green as event organizers pour about 40 pounds of fluorescence, a powerful dye , into the water. Boston keeps its parade rolling for three hours or more. It is the nation's second-largest parade. The city will also show respect to one of its most famous former residents, President John F. Kennedy, by opening the exhibit "A Journey Home:John F. Kennedy and Ireland", at his official library. Patron Saint lived in Britain in the early fifth century, when it was still part of the Roman Empire. He was caught and sold into slavery in Ireland when he was only 16. He finally escaped slavery and turned to a life of religious devotion. He trained to become a minister and set out to spread Christianity throughout Ireland. After 30 years as a religious leader, Patrick died on March 17, 1461. Saint Patrick's Day is always celebrated on March 17. In Ireland, it is an official holiday. What's the best title of the passage? Answer: Saint Patrick's Day At a primary school in a small town in the east of South Carolina, second-grade teachers Garneau and Lynne are convinced that separating elementary-age boys and girls produces immediate academic improvement in both genders . David Chadwell, South Carolina's expert of single gender education says, "Boys and girls learn, hear and respond to their surroundings differently.We can teach boys and girls based on what we now know." Male and female eyes are not organized in the same way, he explains.The organization of the male eye makes it sensitive to motion and direction."Boys understand the world as objects moving through space," he says. The male eye is also drawn to cooler colors like silver and black.It's no accident that boys tend to create pictures of moving objects instead of drawing the happy colorful family, like girls do in their class. The female eye, on the other hand, is drawn to warmer colors like red, yellow and orange.To attract girls, Chadwell says, the teacher doesn't need to move as much as in boy's class.Using descriptive phrases and lots of colors in presentations or on the blackboard gets their attention. Boys and girls also hear differently."When someone speaks in a loud tone, girls understand it as yelling," Chadwell says."They think you're mad and can shut down." Girls are more sensitive to sounds.He advises girls' teachers to watch the tone of their voices.Boys' teachers should sound more forceful, even excited. A boy's nervous system causes him to be more cautious when he is standing, moving, and the room temperature is around 69 degrees Fahrenheit.Stress in boys, he says, tends to increase blood flow to their brains, a process that helps them stay focused.Girls are more focused when seated in a warmer room around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.Girls also respond to stress differently.When exposed to threat and conflict, blood goes to their guts , leaving them feeling nervous or anxious. These differences can be applied in the classroom, Chadwell adds."Single gender programs are about making the best use of the learning." What is David Chadwell's attitude toward separating elementary-age boys and girls while learning? Answer: Supportive A metal ball has a constant velocity of zero. Which other quantity must also be zero? Answer: acceleration of the ball One day , a young man goes to an old man. The old man is _ and he knows everything. He looks up into the old man's eyes and says, "I know you're a very wise man. I'd like to know the secret of life." The old man looks at the young man and answers, "I am thinking about that all my life. The secret is four words. The first word is think .Think about what you want to get from life. The second is believe. Believe in yourself, and don't care too much about what other people say. Just do your best. The third is dream. Dream about the things you love. Hold on to your dream, and never give up when you meet difficulties. The last is dare. Dare to make your dream come true. " The young man nods his head and leaves happily. The old man tells the young man that he should hold on to his dream. That means _ . Answer: he should never give up. Beijing (Xinhua): When she appeared on stage, singing a Japanese song, hundreds of excited teenagers crowded around shouting, "Curarpikt !Its Curarpikt!" At the Beijing Comic and Animation Expo last week, that's exactly who Shi Jia was. The Senior 1 girl was cosplaying "Curarpikt", a character from the popular Japanese comic book Hunter X Hunter (<<>> ) by Yoshihiro Togashi. "I cosplay Curarpikt because I like him," said the pretty 15-year-old girl. "I'm moved by his sad story and I'm attracted by his courage and personality." In the adventure comic story, Curarpikt, a handsome and kind-hearted boy, struggles to become a hunter so he can capture the people who killed his tribe. Shi has read all the comic books and is a big fan of the animated series of Hunter X Hunter. Then last year she saw a real "Curarpikt" in a cosplay show. "I had watched cosplay shows before but only for fun," she explained. "It's really exciting to see young people wearing the make up and costumes of characters that you've read about and are familiar with." "But that time I just fell in love with cosplaying, probably because I like Curarpikt so much. I thought I could play the character better, so I decided to have a go." Shi bought some cloth and asked a tailor to make a Curarpikt costume for her. She was delighted to find out there was a cosplay show in Beijing in October. "It's a great way to spend the national holiday. Posing on the stage for all the comic book fans, I knew I was doing something I had always wanted to do," she said. But she never talks about her hobby with her parents. "They think it will distract me from my studies. I don't want to upset them, that's my secret hobby," she said. "It's also why I don't dye my hair for cosplaying like all the others." Which of the following is WRONG? Answer: Shi Jia's parents were in favor of her performance.
Question: On October 12, 1987, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots( )crossing the computers' screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror , they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of( ) by computer viruses! Obviously all these computers had been infected( ) by computer viruses. It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young man fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence. These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem( )Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the function , damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information. We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading to a list of computers. Among the countries that suffering computer viruses are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But till now, how to get rid of the terrible remains a problem. The group of young men created the viruses to _ . A. damage the computers B. test their ability C. play a trick on operators of the computers D. tell the world that they were intelligent Answer: D Question: Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch.But he is in for an unwelcome surprise.The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer, and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again. The idea goes like this.A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver.If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle's engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted. In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves." ," says Martyn Randall, a security expert.He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools.But only if the car is more than 10 years old. Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won't allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code sent out by the ignition key.In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997. But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner's keys.And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system. If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen.The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal. Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle's movements via the car's GPS unit. By saying "The pattern of vehicle crime has changed", Martyn Randall suggests that _ . A. it takes a longer time for the car thief to do the stealing B. self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theft[:&&] C. the thief has to make use of computer technology D. the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old Answer: B Question: Are you looking for something fun? Would you like to help other people in your free time? Then join us and be a volunteer . We have volunteer jobs for people of all ages. Anyone, between the age of 12 and 80, can become a volunteer. You can help people in many ways. Nursing homes need volunteers to take care of old people. Hospitals need volunteers to look after children while their parents see a doctor. Animal lovers can help take care of those dogs and cats without homes. There is something that out volunteers want to tell you. "As a volunteer, I don't want to get anything. Seeing the children's happy faces, I am happy, too." said Carlos, an old woman of 62. " I often played computer games in my free time before. Now I help middle-aged people learn how to use computers." said another volunteer at the age of 18. If everyone gives a hand, we'll have a better world to live in. Interested? Call us on 1-800-555-5756 or visit our website: www.active.com. What kind of person can become a volunteer? A. A 10-year-old boy B. A 46-year-old woman C. An 11-year-old girl D. All babies Answer: B Question: In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one. In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls. In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully . In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus. In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to _ square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan. In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you. In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan , your new crush and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed. In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had forgotten to do. In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears. In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party held by a senior so you wouldn't end up being the only freshman there. The main idea of the passage is that _ . A. Everyone needs friends in his life B. Friends are important in our daily life C. We need the same friends no matter how old we are D. We need different friends in our different life stages Answer: D Question: At midnight at New Year's Eve people in Rome and Italy throw ( ) all the things they no longer want .The streets are filled with old chairs ,beds ,clothes and dishes .... In Madrid, Spain, new year comes in more quietly ( ) . People go to the main square, each holding a bag of grapes .As the clock strikes ( ) twelve ,the people eat grapes . In Tokyo people eat noodles at New Year's Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning , some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise ( ) of the new year. In China , New Year's food include ( ) a whole fish and a chicken . The chicken must be presented ( ) with a head ,a tail and two feet to symbolize ( ) completeness ( ) . This story is about New Year's Eve in _ . A. Italy and Spain B. England C. Japan and China D. Both A and C Answer: D
A fox grows thicker fur as a season changes. This adaptation helps the fox to A. find food B. keep warmer C. grow stronger D. escape from predators Answer: B. keep warmer Moving heavy objects A. requires more might B. requires little strength C. should be easy D. should be avoided Answer: A. requires more might One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City, California, to New Orleans. In the middle of the desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time in the country when you'd be considered a stupid person if you passed by somebody in need. Now you are a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, thieves everywhere, "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto. Several states later I was still thinking about the hitch-hiker . Leaving him standing in the desert did not bother me so much. What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator . Does anyone stop any more? I wondered. I recalled Blanche DuBois's family line: "I have always depended on the kindness of the strangers". Could anyone rely on the kindness of the strangers these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money, relying only on the good will of his fellow Americans. What kind of Americans would he find? Who would feed him, shelter him, and carry him down the road? The idea interested me. So I decided to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny. It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar. I would only accept offers of rides, food and a place to rest my head. My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina, a symbol of all the fears I'd have to conquer during the trip. I rose early on September 6, 1994, and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50-pound pack on my back and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles: "America". For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4,223 miles across 14 states. As I traveled, folks were always warning me about someplace else. In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming; in Nebraska they said people would not be as nice as in Iowa. Yet I was amazed by people's readiness to help a stranger, even when it seemed against their own best interests. What is the structure of the text? A. 1--234--5--67 B. 12--34--567 C. 12--3456--7 D. 123--4--567 Answer: B. 12--34--567 When many people are worried that there are no more heroes in the modern era two university students who lost their lives to rescue drowning children have shown that heroes still exist . According to the Inner Mongolia Morning Post, the tragedy occurred on the afternoon of December 14, 2002 when three school students skating on a frozen lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot fell through the ice into the freezing water. More than 20 university students who happened to be near the spot immediately went to the rescue of the children. Two children were quickly rescued, but the third died. The child's body was not found for three hours. Two of the rescuers, Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao, also died of cold and exhaustion . The body of Hao and who took the lead in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day. A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake. When they heard the children's cries for help, they went to the ice hole hand in hand to rescue the children. But the ice kept breaking, causing most of then to fall into the icy water. Local residents held mourning ceremonies at the lake. Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation, but their lives were no longer in danger. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Three students died on the same day in all. B. Hao Longbiao's body was found on December 14,2002. C. The university students didn't think it dangerous to save the drowning children in the lake. D. Local residents were not brave in face of danger. Answer: A. Three students died on the same day in all. As a teen, you're going through big changes physically and mentally. Your interests are expanding. And your desire to take control of your own life is growing. Here is the challenge: Kids need to explore the world in new ways, and parents need to protect them from the dangers that are out in that world. These conflicts can easily set off fireworks in otherwise calm houses. Sometimes conflicts can't be avoided. But by paying attention to the building blocks of successful relationships, you can work towards making home a happy and healthy place for you and your parents. For instance, try to find a time to talk when your parents are not angry, tired, distracted, or hungry. A good time to talk is when you're all relaxed . Timing is everything. If the conversation begins to turn into an argument, you'd better calmly and coolly ask to stop the conversation for now. You can pick it up again when everyone's more relaxed. Listen to what your parents are saying, and repeat it back to them. This shows them that you're listening. It also gives them a chance to clear things up if you're not on the same page. Respect is the building block of good communication. People who respect each other and care about each others' feelings can disagree without things getting ugly. You are more likely to get along with your parents and have more independence if your parents believe in you. How do you build trust? Trust comes by actually doing what you say you're going to do. Some teens find that doing fun activities with their parents can improve their relationships. Sometimes we forget that parents are more than rule-makers---they're interesting people who like to watch movies, and go shopping ---just like their teenagers! What do you do if you are trying your best, but your relationship with your parents continues to be rocky ? You may consider seeking outside help. You can find supportive adults, such as a teacher or a coach, who can r. Remember you can only change your own behavior; your parents are the only ones who can change theirs. What's NOT the proper way to improve relationship between you and your parents? A. Listen to your parents. B. Work for your family. C. Build their trust. D. Change your parents' behaviors. Answer: D. Change your parents' behaviors.
Most people watching Jeremy Lin these past two months saw Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks star; but I, watching him, saw someone else. That was my elder brother, Bob, who is athletic and energetic. He could never sit still when he was in second grade; he had to get up every now and then and run around the room. And sure enough, he grew up to be a starting player for an N.C.A.A. championship lacrosse team. He was a Nike-endorsed marathoner, too, and reached the top of Mt. Everest, unguided, in his 50s. And yet my family never watched his lacrosse games. We did watch some of his marathons, but that wasn't until he was in his 20s. When Bob was in his glory days, our Shanghainese-born parents were bent on getting him into medical school. There was a loving aspect to it: I can remember my father working through math books with him, lesson by lesson, at the big blackboard in the attic. Bob never did become a doctor, though; and neither did I. It wasn't until my younger sister came along that someone in the family finally wore a white coat. Bob today could be the fittest 58-year-old on the planet. His doctor estimates his biological age at 35; he's still climbing big mountains in the Himalayas. And, like Jeremy Lin, he's charming. No one sees Bob without leaving with a laugh. He sometimes jokes he could be mayor of his building, and it's true. To know him is to cheer for him. And yet my parents did not cheer for him. What if my mother had sat on the sidelines with her statistics, like Jeremy Lin's mother? What if my father had played videos of athletes for my brother to watch and imitate? It's hard not to wonder. And how did Jeremy Lin's parents manage to do these remarkable things? Amy Chua, the tiger mother, recalls her immigrant father beating the kids whenever they mispronounced a Chinese word. How is it that Jeremy Lin's immigrant father in particular, Gie-Ming Lin, encouraged his son to follow such an untraditional path? Bob's glory days were those _ . when he showed his talents in sports The purpose of keeping fit is to avoid illness ,resist the mental and physical fatigue that make us more likely to contract infections ,and above all to feel more pleasure in being alive. Research has shown the value of a balanced diet ,fresh air, sunshine ,enough rest and some forms of regular exercise for everyone .If everyone followed this plan ,the number of people visiting the doctor and going to hospital would be considerably reduced. Unfortunately ,although most people acknowledge the importance of physical fitness ,not enough of us put this into practice .We spend too much time watching others from the comfort of an armchair or a seat in the stand at a sports stadium. One reason why people who are physically fit to live longer is that they do not put the heart under excessive strain and so they reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases .They also avoid suffering the consequences of weakened muscles ,which are the cause of a great deal of back and abdominal trouble. About 640 muscles for about 45% of our body's weight ,they must have the ability to store energy and be continually supplied with fuel by the blood .Sensible exercise ,suited to each individual and preferably undertaken on the advice of a doctor ,is the best insurance of meeting these requirements. Why do people want to prevent illness? Because they want to feel happier and live longer. Mr Smith gave his wife money every Friday evening. His wife always spent it all the next Wednesday, so that for the next three days she had no money to spend at all. One day Mr Smith asked her," But how did you spend all that money?" She answered, "I don't know . "So one Friday evening, Mr Smith gave her money together with an exercise book and a pencil. He said to his wife ,"Please write down how you spend the money . "Next Tuesday, his wife had no money again. Mr Smith took the exercise book to see how she had spent it. "I have done what you told me ,"she said gladly. She had written "Friday, I got 18 pounds from Mr Smith. "on the first page, and on the second page, she wrote ,"Tuesday, I have spent it all. " Mr Smith gave his wife money _ a week. once Not too long ago, our teacher, being a "tree-hugger"(as the kids call her), had us write an essay on an environmental issue. I was eager to start, but something made me stop. "What is an environmental issue?" one kid asked. "What if we don't care about the environment?" another complained. "It's not like it affects me." These comments _ me. I have always cared about the environment and assumed that others did too. From the surprised look on my teacher's face, I could tell she felt the same way. In no time, I finished my essay. In my essay I wrote about logging , which is an important industry, but if we continue to cut down trees without replacing, it will damage the environment. There are so many things that we can do to save our world. Recycling, of course, is always a good thing, but not everyone has a recycling plant nearby (I don't). There are other ways to help the environment. Plant a tree. Don't waste water. I can't stand it when a person's excuse for not caring is "Nothing is going to happen in my lifetime, so why should I care?" Sure, the chances of something terrible happening are slim, but I want people to realize that if we don't deal with it, someone will have to eventually. Do you want that to be your children? Or your children's children? When my teacher told me to read my essay to my class, I was a little embarrassed because I didn't want everyone to call me "tree-hugger". I realize now that if being a tree-hugger means you care about the environment, I'm a tree-hugger 100 percent. I just wish more people were. Why do the students call their teacher "tree-hugger"? She cares a lot about the environment. It was a beautiful day. In the morning Tommy and I went to the park to play. We rode our bikes around and went down to the lake. We swam around in the lake and splashed water on other kids. We got back on our bikes and rode back home. Mommy made lunch. It was yummy, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and milk. Then it was time for our nap. We woke up and watched some TV. Mommy gave us some money for candy later. Tommy and I went back to the park to play. Tommy and I played with a baseball with some other kids. Then we played with the football. We went to the store across the street. We bought some candy with the money Mommy gave us. We went back to the park and watched the other kids play as we ate our candy. It was hot, so we went swimming again. It was fun! We like swimming so we go swimming almost every day. We swam all afternoon until Mommy came down to the park at told us to come home. Mommy was very upset because we were gone so long. Mommy was worried that something might have happened to us. Mommy was not paying attention to her kids and what they were doing for hours. Tommy and I told Mommy she needs to pay more attention to us. Mommy started crying, then Tommy and I started crying. Mommy said from now on, I must pay more attention to you two. Daddy came home from work and playing softball for his company team. Daddy wanted to know what was going on. Daddy saw that we were all crying. Daddy started to cry too. We all said that we would pay more attention to each other. We all said that we would do more things together like going to the park. We all said we would eat together more often. What happened when daddy came home? crying, everyone said they would do things together
Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient custom which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always evil and usually foolish, but in the past the human race managed to live with it. Modern skill has changed this. Either man will stop war, or war will stop man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the greatest danger, but bacteriological( ) or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in stopping war, there would be no danger for us. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look upon international questions in a new way, not by contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in massacre ( ),but by judging in accordance with agreed rules of law. It is not easy to change old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted. There are those who say that the adoption of this or that ideology would prevent war. I believe this to be a complete error. All ideologies are based upon beliefs without proof which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Those people who believe them are willing to go to war in support of them. The movement of world opinion during the past two years has changed very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common belief that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course, very difficult problems remain in the international world, but the spirit in which they are being approached is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that agreements should be reached even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important conflict nowadays is not between East and West, but between Man and the bomb. Which of the following words can best describe the author's feeling in writing this passage? Answer: WHEN he was 11 years old, he loved fishing in the lake near his family's house in New Hampshire. On the day before bass season began, he and his father went fishing in the evening. He tied a small silver lure on his fishing rod and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused ripples in the black water. When his rod bent over, he knew something huge was on the other end. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully pulled the fish in. Finally, he lifted it from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass. The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10pm --two hours before bass season began. The father looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son." he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around. He looked again at his father's stern face. Even though no one had seen them, the boy knew that the decision was not negotiable .He slowly lowered the fish back into the water. The creature swam away. The boy thought that he would never again see such a great fish. That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's house is still there by the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing there. He has never again caught such a large fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish again and again---every time he faces a question of right and wrong. His father taught him it is the practice of doing right that is difficult. Do we do right when no one is looking? The story mainly conveys the idea that _ . Answer: Frankensteinis one of the world's most famous horror stories. It's about a doctor who creates a new man from the body parts of dead people and brings it to life. But the experiment goes wrong and the monster kills the doctor and many others. The story has been read by millions since it was first published and in the last hundred years it has been made into dozens of movies. Many people are surprised to learn its writer was a 19-year-old woman, called Mary Shelley. Mary was born into a rich London family in August 1797. She was educated by her parents and when she was 13 she decided to become a writer. In 1812, she met the famous writer Percy Shelley and they soon got married. Sadly for Mary, their first child died soon after birth in Italy. In her diary, Mary wrote about a dream:"I dreamt that my little baby came to life again---that it had only been cold and that we rubbed it before the fire and it lived." In 1816, Percy Shelley and 19-year-old Mary visited the poet Lord Byron at his home in Switzerland. Because of the bad weather they stayed indoors reading horror stories. On night, Byron asked everyone to write their own story. Mary thought of her dream and wrote the story ofFrankenstein Frankensteinwas published when Mary was 21, and became a huge success. Many people didn't think a 19-year-old woman could write so well and believed her husband was the real writer. Although famous, Shelley's life was full of sadness. Only one of her four children lived and in 1822 her husband died in a swimming accident. Mary was broken-hearted and decided not to marry again. She devoted herself to her child and continued to write until her death in 1851. How old was Mary Shelley when she died? Answer: Great Wall Xmas BBQ Beijing Hikers is organizing a three-hour hike on a rarely-visited part of the Great Wall and will celebrate Christmas afterwards with a Christmas barbecue dinner in a small hotel at the foot of the Great Wall.Meet at 8:30 am.Dec 25 in front ofStarbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu.Please write to _ or 139-100-25516.Pingyao tour High Club will guide a weekend trip to Pingyao, an ancient-walled town near Taiyuan, capital city of Shanxi Province.The town is among one of the best-preserved featuring a number of courtyard buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368-1911).Among them is the Qiao family courtyard house, the shooting location of Zhang Yimou's " Raise the Red Lantern (')".Leave on Friday (December 23) night by train and back to Beijing on Sunday morning.For sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at _ or 8580-5080, 130-11171326. New year Harbin trip The Chinese Culture Club is running a new year trip to Harbin, to catch a fresh view of its yearly ice and snow lantern festival. As the temperature is expected to fall between minus 20 degC to 30 degC, visitors are warned to prepare well with down jackets, masks, fur gloves and boots.The trip sets out by train at night on December 31 and gets back on the morning January 2.The cost is 2,300 yuan (US $284).Reservation is required at 8457-2772 or 138-101-33998. The term "BBQ" in the topic Great WallXmas BBQ should mean a kind of _ . Answer: A mother, who wished to encourage her son's progress in playing the piano, bought tickets for a performance by the great Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski.When the evening arrived, they found their seats near the front of the concert hall and eyed the impressive Steinway waiting on the stage.Not long after they arrived, the mother came across a friend in the hall and they began to talk with each other.Meanwhile the boy slipped away and could be found nowhere. At eight o'clock, the lights in the concert hall began to fail, and then the spotlights came on.Only then did they notice the boy who was up on the piano bench, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".Seeing this, his mother was shocked and embarrassed.But before she could bring her son back, the master appeared on the stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered gently to the boy, "Don't quit.Keep playing." Learning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part.Soon his right arm reached around the other side and performed a delightful accompaniment .Together, the old master and the young boy performed so wonderfully and harmoniously on the stage and they held the attention of the crowd with their beautiful music. In all our lives, we receive helping hands from time to time--some we notice; some we don't.Equally we ourselves have countless opportunities to offer helping hands--sometimes we want our assistance to be noticed, sometimes we don't.Little of what we all achieve is without learning from others and without support from others.We are supposed to hand out what we have received. We can learn from the text that the mother _ . Answer:
In learning English, one should first pay attention to listening and speaking.It is the groundwork of reading and writing.You'd better try your best to speak while you do much listening.Don't be afraid of making mistakes.But be careful not to let them stop you from improving your English.While you are doing this, a good way is to write---keep a diary, write notes or letters, and then if you can, ask someone else to go through what you have written and tell you what is wrong.Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write.Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning English. If you are slow in speaking, don't worry.One of the helpful ways is reading, either aloud or to yourself.The important thing is to choose something interesting to read.It mustn't be too difficult for you.When you are reading in this way, don't stop to look up the words if you can guess their meanings, or they have nothing important to do with the sentence.You can look them up later. In reading, if you meet a new word which has something important to do with the sentence, you'd better _ . A. stop to look it up B. not look it up and just go on reading C. stop reading at once D. not stop to look it up Answer: A. stop to look it up "As sure as you're alive now, Peter Rabbit, some day I will catch you," shouted Reddy Fox, as he put his black nose in the hole between the roots of the Big Hickory-tree which grows close to the Smiling Pool. "It is lucky for you that you were not one jump farther away from this hole." Peter, safe inside that hole, didn't have a word to say, or, if he did, he didn't have breath enough to say it. It was quite true that if he had been one jump farther from that hole, Reddy Fox would have caught him. As it was, the hairs on Peter's funny white tail actually had tickled Reddy's back as Peter ran wildly through the root-bound entrance to that hole. It had been the narrowest escape Peter had had for a long, long time. You see, Reddy Fox had surprised Peter eating sweet clover on the bank of the Smiling Pond, and it had been a lucky thing for Peter that hole, dug long ago by Johnny Chuck's grandfather, had been right where it was. Also, it was a lucky thing that old Mr. Chuck had been wise enough to make the entrance between the roots of that tree in such a way that it could not be dug any larger. Reddy Fox was too shrewd to waste any time trying to dig it larger. He knew there wasn't room enough for him to get between those roots. So, after trying to make Peter as uncomfortable as possible by telling him what he, Reddy, would do to him when he did catch him, Reddy walked across the Green Meadows. Peter remained where he was for a long time. When he was quite sure that it was safe to do so, he crawled out and hurried to the Old Orchard. He felt that that would be the safest place for him, because there were ever so many hiding places in the old stone wall along the edge of it. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the story? A. Reddy Fox might find rabbit hairs on him. B. Old Mr. Chuck took advantage of the roots to dig the hole. C. The hole could be made larger. D. Reddy almost caught Peter this time. Answer: C. The hole could be made larger. 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 coworkers 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 selfconfidence 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 _ 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 roleplay 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 Award winner. Click here to find out how you can get this classic story along with 2 free books-Bambi and Pinocchio. What's the purpose of writing the article? A. To tell readers the benefits of encouraging children's imagination. B. To introduce some wonderful Disney stories to readers. C. To provide ways of helping make kids more imaginative. D. To persuade parents to buy the Disney edition of Peter Pan. Answer: A. To tell readers the benefits of encouraging children's imagination. Every year, we celebrate many special days-Mother's Day, Father's Day, and New Year's Day. In some countries, there is a special day for playing tricks on others. In North America and parts of Europe, this day is known as April Fool's Day, and is celebrated on April 1. Many people believe that the French started April Fool's Day. Centuries ago, New Year's Day in Europe was April 1. In 1582, the calendar changed and King Charles IX of France moved it to January 1. Some people did not like this, and chose to keep April 1 as New Year's Day. Many called these people 'April fools' and played jokes and tricks on them. Over time, April 1 became a day to have fun in France. It then spread to England and Scotland, and later, to North America. On April Fool's Day, jokes are common. In the United States, for example, a person may move a friend's clock ahead one hour, or change the sugar and salt. In Scotland, April Fool's Day lasts for two days. The second day is called 'Taily Day'-for one's 'tail'. On this day, people might secretly put a sign saying 'kick me' on a person's back or behind. Other countries have their own 'Fool's Day'. In Spain and Mexico, people play tricks on each other on December 28. In India, it happens on March 31. In many countries around the world, April 1 is a day of fun. Jokes bring about a lot of laughter, and many shouts of 'April Fool'! Which country is NOT mentioned in the passage as celebrating 'Fool's Day'? A. England. B. India. C. Mexico. D. Japan. Answer: D. Japan. The stages in the life cycle of an organism are shown below. birth -> growth -> development -> reproduction -> death In which life cycle stage will a new organism be made? A. growth B. development C. reproduction D. death Answer: C. reproduction
The concept of Emotional Intelligence(EQ or EI)was first given by Peter Salovey and John Mayer.but it became widely popular after the publication of Daniel Coleman's best seller"Emotional Intelligence"in 1995.The meaning of emotional intelligence is"Knowing how you and others feel and what to do about it." The control center of our emotions is a small part of oily brain called the amygdala,,which scans incoming signals from our sensory organs(eyes,ears...)and acts as the emotional alarm center of our bed.When it detects a condition that we hate,that we fear,or that could hurt us,it sends an immediate signal to the other parts of our brain that controls our actions. The amygdala's widespread web of neural connections allows it,during an emotional emergency.to take control of much of the rest of the brain including the mind.This explains why we sometimes do things "without thinking'' like closing our eyes just before a flying insect hits our face or losing control during the course of a heated argument. Emotions are important for good decision-making and to keep friendly relationships with others around us.We admire people with determination when have the ability to control their emotions when they face pressure,arguments or aggression(attack).We also enjoy being with people who can express co-operation and forgiveness.We need these emotions to be happy in our professional life as much as we need them in our private life. The majority of problems at work are caused by unmet emotional needs.The emotional-intelligent manager knows bow to make out and manage the emotional needs of both the customers and his team.He or she.wants to help others feel respected,supported,helped,trusted,important,special,useful,needed and valued. When our emotional needs are satisfled, we feel better,and when we feel better,we are more productive,patient,creative,open-minded,and caring. Emotional intelligence requires that we develop our abilities in four main areas: 1) self-awareness being aware of our emotions as they happen; 2) managing emotions keeping a healthy balance of emotion and thinking; 3) recognizing emotions in others it's a great communicating skill; 4) handling relationships managing emotions in others increases our popularity.our leadership ability and our communication effectiveness. when did EQ become popular? The snowshoe hare was once common in Maryland. In 1986, researchers in the state noted that the snowshoe hare was no longer found in Maryland. Which statement best explains why the snowshoe hare is no longer found in Maryland? Frank Brown doesn' t have a soccer ball, but his brother Alan does. They go to the same school and they love soccer. They play it at school with their friends. They think it's relaxing. Gina Smith has two soccer balls, three volleyballs, four basketballs and five baseballs and bats. She loves sports, but she doesn't play them--she only watches them on TV! Wang Wei doesn't have a soccer. He thinks soccer is difficult. He likes ping-pong. It's not difficult for him. He has three ping-pong balls and two ping-pong bats. After class, he plays ping-pong with his classmates. Wang Wei has _ , but he doesn't have _ . Believe it or not, if you do not use your arms or your legs for a long time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can't read or write but they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. Give the best title for this passage. My color1 television has given me nothing but a headache.I was able to buy it a little over a year ago because I had my s give me money for my birthday instead of a lot of clothes that wouldn't fit.I let a salesclerk fool me into buying a discontinued model.I realized this a day later,when I saw newspaper advertisements for the set at seventy-five dollars lessthan I had paid. The set worked so beautifully when I first got it home that I would keep it on until stations signed off for the night. Fortunately, I didn't get any channels showing all-night movies or I would never have gotten to bed. Then I started developing a problem with the set that involved static noise. For some reason,when certain shows switched into a commercial, a loud noise would sound for a few seconds. Gradually,this noise began to appear during a show, and to get rid of it,I had to change to another channel and then change it back.Sometimes this technique would not work,and I had to pick up the set and shake it to remove the sound. I actually began to build up my arm muscles shaking my set. When neither of these methods removed the static noise,I would sit helplessly and wait for the noise to go away.At last I ended up hitting the set with my fist,and it stopped working altogether .My trip to the repair shop cost me $62, and the set is working well now,but I keep expecting more trouble. Why did the author say he was fooled into buying the TV set?
Question: 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 best title for this text is _ . A. A Worldwide Warning B. Suspected SARS Cases C. What Is SARS D. Possible Spread of SARS in the USA Answer: D. Possible Spread of SARS in the USA Question: Not long ago, I asked large mid-aged persons a question. I asked, "How many of you had a hobby when you were children?" Nearly everyone raised a hand. I then asked them to keep their hands in the air if they knew at least one of their children had a hobby. Most of the hands went down. I felt sad. It's terrible if the children don't have a hobby. How I wish all the parents can care their children's hobbies! Thirty years ago, almost every child in my neighborhood had some kinds of hobbies. Collecting and trading baseball cards was a popular hobby. Others, like coin collecting and stamp collecting, are also popular. One of my friends was collecting photos, another was collecting radios. In fact, hobbies can benefit children in several ways. _ are expressions of personal success and self-discovery . Hobbies also help build self- respect . Hobbies are educational tools, as well. For example, a child who becomes interested in rocketry --one of the most popular hobbies, can explore those skills in many ways. By working on hobbies, children learn to set goals, make decisions, and solve all sorts of problems. ,. What's the age the persons I questioned? A. 3--10. B. 15--25. C. 30--40. D. 50--60. Answer: C. 30--40. Question: My grandfather is 70 years old this year. He is in good condition but he lost his hearing at the age of 65. Then it became difficult for me to communicate with him. My mother bought a hearing aid for him, but he often forgot where he had put it. So my mother advised me to communicate with him by gesture. Good idea! And then I began to use gesture. When I wanted to have an apple, firstly, I pointed to my mouth; later I made my hands form a round shape. Then he gave me an apple. When I was hungry, I pointed to my stomach. He would go into the kitchen and cook for me. When I wanted to use, the computer, I pointed to it. If he nodded , I could play computer games from 8 pm to 10 pm; if he disagreed, he always touched my head and pointed to the desk -- that meant that I should do my homework first. It was an easy way for us to communicate with each other! How long has Grandfather been deaf? A. For 70 years. B. For 65 years. C. For 10 years. D. For 5 years. Answer: D. For 5 years. Question: Most people go to school or go to work by car or by bus. They think it's convenient . But I usually ride a bike to go to school. Here are some reasons : It's healthy. Riding a bike is good exercise for us. It makes us feel good. It's green. Riding a bike is green. It causes very _ , so if more people ride bikes, the open air will be cleaner. It's cheap. After spending 60 yuan on an old bike, you can ride and go to interesting places. It's interesting. It's very interesting to ride a bike if you want to have a trip with friends. You can stop if you like to see the beautiful things. You can also talk and sing happily and feel relaxed . What's the best title for the passage? A. Cheap bikes B. Different jobs C. Reasons for riding bikes D. How to ride bikes Answer: C. Reasons for riding bikes Question: Do you like to eat sushi ? Many people are afraid to eat it, because they think the bacteria in it might make them sick. However, a new study shows that sea bacteria are good for people. The study finds that a special enzyme from sea bacteria is helpful to humans. It helps people to get more energy from food. To people's surprise, the enzyme is present only in the Japanese. The Japanese traditionally like to eat food rich in seaweed . And the seaweed is rich in this kind of enzyme. However, the enzyme isn't present in all the Japanese. During the study, just 5 out of 14 Japanese had the enzyme. All the Americans studied didn't have the enzyme. "The number is small," said researcher Mirjam Czjzek. "But we can say that this enzyme is present only in the Japanese and not in the North Americans." Then some people think that maybe other people are able to get the enzyme if they eat a lot of seaweed. The study suggests that they collect uncooked seaweed to make their sushi. Restaurant sushi is often cooked, which will destroy the enzyme. So, if you want to get that enzyme, you can travel to Japan to have a taste of the real sushi. Which of the following is FALSE? A. The Japanese have a diet rich in seaweed. B. All the Japanese studied have the special enzyme. C. All the North Americans studied don't have the enzyme. D. The enzyme helps people to get more energy. Answer: B. All the Japanese studied have the special enzyme.
In the mid-1950s, I was a somewhat bored early-adolescent male student who believed that _ . One day, this approach threw me into embarrassment In Mrs. Totten's eighth-grade math class at Central Avenue School in Anderson, Indiana, we were learning to add and subtract decimals . Our teacher typically assigned daily homework, which would be recited in class the following day. On most days, our grades were based on our oral answer to homework questions. Mrs. Totten usually walked up and down the rows of desks requesting answers from student after student in the order the questions had appeared on our homework sheets. She would start either at the front or the back of the classroom and work toward the other end. Since I was seated near the middle of about 35 students, it was easy to figure out which questions I might have to answer. This particular time, I had completed my usual two or three problems according to my calculations. What I failed to expect was that several students were absent, which threw off my estimate. As Mrs. Totten made her way from the beginning of the class,I desperately tried to determine which math problem I would get. I tried to work it out before she got to me, but I had brain freeze and couldn't function. When Mrs. Totten reached my desk,she asked what answer I'd got for problem No. 14. "I...I didn't get anything," I answered,and my face felt warm. "Correct," she said. It turned out that the correct answer was zero. What did I learn that day? First, always do all your homework. Second, in real life it isn't always what you say but how you say it that matters. Third,I would never make it as a mathematician. If I could choose one school day that taught me the most, it would be that one. Usually, Mrs. Totten asked her students to _ . Answer: When doctors urge overweight kids to pick up more activities,reading probably isn't what they have in mind. Yet a new study by fatness researchers at Duke University finds that the simple act of reading--depending on the choice of material--can cause weight loss in teenage girls. The study's experimental group included 31 fat girls aged 9 to 13,who took part in the Healthy Lifestyles Program at Duke Children's Hospital. The girls read a novel called Lake Rescue,whose protagonist is an overweight teenager who struggles with low selfesteem,feelings of loneliness and teasing because of her size. A group of 33 girls read a different book called Charlotte in Paris,which did not have an overweight character,and another group of 17 girls read neither book. At the end of the sixmonth experiment,all the girls who read books had lost weight,but the girls who read Lake Rescue lost more. They lowered their body mass index (BMI) by 0.71,compared with 0.33 in the Charlotte group,an average 0.05 increase among the nonreaders. The idea behind the study,says Dr Sarah Armstrong,director of Healthy Lifestyles,was to find a way to encourage the girls without adopting the restrictive and often authoritative voice of so many other nutrition and diet programs. Lake Rescue was the perfect instrument,says Armstrong;it presents a likable character to whom the girls could relate and whom they could learn from. As the book progresses,its protagonist learns to make healthier lifestyle choices and finds an adviser to help keep her on track. Armstrong says," _ learns that she can become healthier,and the 'I can do it' feeling resonates with the teenage girls." What's the main idea of the passage? Answer: Failure is probably the most exhausting experience a person ever has. There is nothing more tiring than not succeeding. We experience this tiredness in two ways: as start-up fatigue and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task because it has either too boring or too difficult. And the longer we delay it, the more tired we feel. Such start-up fatigue is very real, even if not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The solution is obvious though perhaps not easy to apply: always handle the most difficult job first. Years ago, I was asked to write 102 essays on the great ideas of some famous authors. Applying my own rule, I determined to write them in alphabetical , never letting myself leave out a tough idea. And I always started the day's work with the difficult task of essay-writing. Experience proved that the rule works. Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Though willing to get started, we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear so great that, however hard we work, we fail again and again. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can-then let the unconscious take over. When planning Encyclopaedia Britannica (<<>> ), I had to create a table of contents based on the topics of its articles. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and day after dat I kept coming up with solutions, but none of them worked. My fatigue became almost unbearable. One day, mentally exhausted, I wrote down all the reasons why this problem could not be solved. I tried to convince myself that the trouble was with the problem itself, not with me. Relived, I sat back in an easy chair and fell asleep. An hour later, I woke up suddenly with the solution clearly in mind. In the weeks that followed, the solution which had come up in my unconscious mind provided correct at every step. Though I worked as hard as before, I felt no fatigue. Success was now as exciting as failure had been depressing. Human beings, I believe must try to succeed. Success, then, means never feeling tired. What could be the best title for the passage? Answer: A new word is becoming more and more popular on the Internet in China - but no one knows quite what it means.The word "duang" is so new that you can't even find it in the Chinese dictionary. But it has already spread like fire on the Chinese Internet , appearing more than 8,000,000 times on Weibo, where 15,000 users had more than 312,000 discussions. On Baidu, it has been looked up almost 600,000 times. But what does it mean? "Everyone's duang-ing and I still don't know what it means! Looks like I'd better go back to school now," said Weibo user Fahmida. Another user asked: "Have you duang-ed today? My mind is full of duang duang duang." "To duang or not to duang, that is the question," wrote user Beatrice. "Duang" seems to be imitating a sound. It all seems to have started with Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, who in 2004 appeared in a shampoo ad where he used the sound "duang" to describe his soft and black hair. The word came to people again recently after Chan posted it on his Weibo page. Thousands of users then began to visit Chan's Weibo page with comments . The word seems to have many different meanings, and there's no perfect Chinese meaning for it, but you could use it to give emphasis to the word that follows it. A kid might be "duang cute", for example. The best title of this passage may be " _ ". Answer: For many years scientists have said that the earth is getting warmer. Now they have found something new-hot cities! In the southern US, they have found that cities become very hot in summer. For example, the city of Atlanta in Georgia has roof temperature of up to 50oC while it is 27degC in the streets! At night, the outside of buildings stays so hot that the heat of the city causes storms over the city! China also has the same kind of problems. Every year more farmland is used for factories or offices. More housing is needed, too. As people become richer, they buy more cars. New roads are needed and new car parks are built in the city centers. This all makes cities hotter. It isn't easy to change the situation. City planners say that we should plant more trees in the middle of cities. Every new street should have trees on both sides, they say. Trees make the temperature lower, so we should have more trees in our parks and squares. We should also paint our roofs white. If we do this, they do not become so hot. Every roof in a hot and sunny country should have solar roof panels. The electricity from these can be used to run the air conditioners in the buildings. People continue to cut down forests around the cities. This makes the problem worse. Cities are growing faster and faster. By the year 2025, four fifths of the population will be living in cities. If we go on like this, there will not be enough farmland to feed everyone in the world What is the best title for the passage? Answer:
Sunlight is important for Dear Grace, How are you? Thank you for your last e-mail. You want to know about my school clubs, right ? Well, it's time for us to join the school clubs now. There are many clubs in my school, like the English club, the art club, the music club and the sports club. I have two good friends, Jack and Lisa. We all want to join the school clubs. I want to join the music club, because I can play the guitar. I can't speak English well, but I also want to join the English club. Jack likes sports. He can play soccer and basketball. He is in the school soccer team . He wants to join the sports club. He can play the guitar, too. But he doesn't want to join the music club. Lisa likes drawing. She wants to join the art club. She also speaks English very well. I think she can be in the English club. But she can't be in the music club. She can't play any instruments . Are there any clubs in your school? What club are you in? Please write an e--mail and tell me about your school clubs. Yours, Jane Jane wants to join the _ club. Dear editor, My English teacher is very strict with us. Several days ago, when we were in class, Tom asked me a question. But my English teacher thought we were speaking in class. She asked us to stand at the back of the classroom for a few minutes. This made me unfair. After that, I feel nervous in her class, so I don't like her class. However, I really want to learn English well. What should I do? Yours, Mike Dear Mike, I am sorry you are having difficulty with your English class. Every teacher wants his or her students to study hard. So I think you should have a talk with your English teacher and tell her what you were doing with Tom that day. If she knows your worries, maybe she will help you with your English. And she will be pleased to hear you want to learn English well. Of course, you should know that what your teacher did was good for you. When you are not trying as hard as you can, she has to stop it and try to help you. Wish you have a better life! Yours, Editor In the editor's opinion, the English teacher asked Mike to stand for a while because _ . Helen Keller lived in the U.S.A. She was a great woman. When Helen Keller was a baby, she got very sick. After many weeks, the doctor said, "She is better, but now she can't see and she can't hear." Her mother and father were very sad. After a few years, things got worse. There was no way for Helen to speak to other people. She heard nothing. She saw nothing. She didn't understand anything. Then one day a teacher came to live with Helen and her family. The teacher helped Helen learn about words. Helen was a bright child and soon she learned to spell her first word. When she was older, she went to college. Helen was very famous. She helped many blind and deaf people. She traveled around the world and helped many people. Helen was a very old woman when she died. The world remembers her today as a brave and wonderful person. She was blind and deaf, but she found a way to see and hear. ,. Helen Keller was blind and deaf, but _ . BERLIN (Reuters)--Germany's postal service has announced plans to explore improved service and help protect the environment by getting "fetch friends"--ordinary people traveling across cities--to deliver parcels on their way. It is hoped that the move, which will be tested in the coming months, might lessen traffic in inner cities and reduce CO2emissions . This should help DHL, a division of the German postal service, reach its target of improving the company's carbon efficiency by 30 percent before 2020. "As the world's biggest logistics provider, we recognize a special responsibility to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible," said Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL, in a statement referring to a variety of measures being considered. The "fetch friends" find out online about parcels that need delivering to people who live or work along the way that they are planning to travel through the city. They then select the ones that they want to take. Codes sent to their mobile phones tell the volunteers where to pick the packages up. Parcels can be taken part of the way or passed on to another volunteer but all volunteers need to have the right code on their mobile phone so the track and trace system can be updated. Logistics companies will be responsible for looking after the operation to make sure that the privacy of post is respected. It's hoped that this could be done using mobile phones but DHL says it recognizes that some security issues remain to be worked out. According to the passage, the "fetch friend" program _ .
As I made my way to my office last Thursday, I noticed an A4 poster stuck to the lift door. Then I noticed one on the wall, one on the noticeboard, and then one on my classroom door. In fact, they were stuck to nearly every available surface along the corridor. And they all had the same statement:"All I'm asking for is a little respect seeing I pay you PS9,000 a year." I still don't know what led to this flyer campaign -- it is said that it's linked to a group of students who were not given extra assignment grade for their examination -- but I could not help but become annoyed at the impolite language. I started to think about the ways that my students act and speak, and the way I acted and spoke during my time at university. I will admit that I didn't do all of the readings, and yes, I may have missed a couple of lectures throughout the year, but I completed all assignments and followed the guidelines presented to me, without expecting my lecturers to chase after me. I wish I could say the same for my students. As I walked through the car park with a colleague at the end of the day, we discussed the unrest that the posters had caused:"If you ask me,"he said,"all universities are going to need a customer services department before long."And there it was, plain and simple, the issue that I hadn't been able to explain: these young people weren't behaving like university students, they were behaving like customers. I recalled the student who told me he was disappointed with his low grade because he had"paid so much money". My colleague topped it: when one of his students was asked to leave a seminar for not completing the reading, he responded:"I pay you to teach me what's in the article, not the other way around." Last week I sent out the first round of grades for a module and had 12 emails of complaint within an hour. One in particular stood out for its misunderstanding of what it means to be a scholar. The student said the grade must be incorrect because he had turned up to all the lectures -- as if simply hoping what I had taught him deserved a 70+ grade. As I attempted to make a polite and supportive response, I considered a few things. When did it become an expectation that turning up to lectures is worthy of reward in itself? Moreover, when I was studying would I have ever had theballsto contact my lecturers and not only question their ability to grade my work appropriately but imply that my low grade was their fault? I find that as time goes by, my students become increasingly reluctant to engage in any academic behavior that does not have a direct effect on their assignment grade. That is, after all, what they are paying for. And so I am not regarded as an academic. I am not an expert in my field, a person with 10 years' worth of industry knowledge. I am a service provider. I wish I'd had the gusto to reply to those posters."Hey student -- all I'm asking for is a little respect, seeing how much you pay makes no difference to my wages, yet the level of support I am forced to offer you takes up 80% of my time in spite of the fact that teaching is still only equal to 33% of my workload. But I'll be in the office until 9 pm anyway because if I don't publish two papers by the end of the year, I'll be fired." What the author's colleague said actually implies that . A university students have gone too far B he faces a lot of challenges from his students C university students think little of their teachers D university teachers face more pressure nowadays Answer: A The last five pounds. The vanity pounds. The dream weight. The fantasy weight. The high school weight. Yes, many names are given to the weight - the five pounds - that seems just out of reach no matter how much we exercise and improve our eating habits. But why is it out of reach? Is it all in our heads? Or is it because the body has a set-point or ideal weight - a weight to which it doesn't want to give in? "There is no such thing as ideal body weight," says James, author of "Weight Loss That Lasts." "But your body does resist you when you are trying to lose weight. It gets used to a certain weight over a long period of time and then will defend that weight." In other words, the body's "set point" can be lowered - or raised, he says, but it takes time to reset that new weight. That period of time is at least six months. "I often ask patients, 'What is the lowest stable weight of your adult life?' to get an idea of what is realistic" in terms of weight loss and maintenance , James says. He refers to the body's refusal to change, weight-wise, as an "biological control system that prevents us from going hungry and dying - part of our primitive biology." Some people might get down to their dream weight for a short period but then can't keep it long because the calorie limits are too strict once the body starts defending itself against weight loss. "That's why it's important to set realistic goals," he says. "The idea of the 'ideal weight' or 'dream weight' is really just a useless exercise." But let's say your goal is realistic and has been set by a nutritionist or other weight-loss professionals and _ . What could be going on? The reason is that you need fewer calories the less you weigh. So if you want to continue to drop weight, you have to drop calories and increase calorie-burn. James encourages people to tell the difference between weight loss goals for health reasons and those to do with vanity. "They are different issues," James says. "One is where important health benefits are seen and the other is about vanity - wanting to look good in a bathing suit." What does it mean by saying "you are still plateauing" ? A Your weight keeps increasing. B Your weight remains unchanged. C You are still worrying. D You are still dreaming. Answer: B Coal might start out as A a mean fairy-godmother B pinecones C happiness D a troll Answer: B Tom and Joseph are best friends. They spent their summer vacation in Africa. When they were walking through the desert , they started to argue about something. Tom became very angry and slapped Joseph in the face. Joseph felt hurt, but he didn't say anything to Tom. Then Joseph wrote in the sand : "Today my best friend slapped me in the face." They kept on walking until they found a small lake. They decided to have a bath . But when Joseph got in the water, he started to sink . Tom jumped in after him and pulled him out. His friend saved his life. After he became well again, Joseph wrote on a stone : "Today my best friend saved my life." Tom couldn't understand it. "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand. Now you write on a stone. Why?" he asked. _ " Joseph answered. "But when someone does something good for us, we must write it on stones so that no wind can ever take it away." The most suitable title of this article may be _ . A Tom saved Joseph B Tom slapped Joseph C A friendship saved in stone D Travel in Africa Answer: C If blue whales have trouble finding any mates A they could become overpopulated B their population could drop to the sum of negative two and two C they could all become sharks D they could mate with killer whales Answer: B
I am peter Hodes ,a volunteer stem courier. Since March 2012, I've done 89 trips of those , 51 have been abroad, I have 42 hours to carry stem cells in my little box because I've got two ice packs and that's how long they last, in all, from the time the stem cells are harvested from a donor to the time they can be implanted in the patient, we've got 72 hours at most, So I am always conscious of time. & I had one trip last year where I was caught by a hurricane in America. I picked up the stem cells in Providence, Rhode Island, and was meant to fly to Washington then back to London. But when I arrived at the check-in desk at Providence, the lady on the desk said:"Well, I'm really sorry, I've got some bad news for you-there are no fights from Washington."So I took my box and put it on the desk and I said:"In this box are some stem cells that are urgently needed for a patient-please, please, you've got to get me back to the United Kingdom."She just dropped everything. She arranged for a flight on a small plance to be held for me.re-routed me through Newark and got me back to the UK even earlier than originally scheduled. For this courier job, you're consciously aware than that box you're got something that is potentially going to save somebody's life. Which flight did the woman put Peter on first? A To London B To Newark C To Providence D To Washington Answer: B. To Newark Obama has made history by becoming the first African-American in American history. Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. His parents didn't live together when he was two years old and later divorced. Obama grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983. Obama met his wife, Robinson, in June, 1989 and married her on October 3rd, 1992. The couple's first daughter was born in 1998, followed by a second daughter in 2001. Obama _ in January 20, 2009. However, just when he became the president, he had to face many serious challenges ---- two foreign wars, the climate change and what he had described as "the worst financial crisis in a century". But Obama said that he himself had been ready to face these challenges. Obama's success is a true milestone. It speaks to the fact that in America you really do get a chance to do anything, if you have the talent and abilities and you work hard enough. How old was Obama when he became the American president? A 48. B 40. C 37. D 31. Answer: A. 48. Bad news travels fast--when you watch the evening news or read the morning papers, it seems that things that get the most coverage are all tragedies like wars, earthquakes, floods, fires and murders. This is the classic rule for mass media. "They want your eyeballs and don't care how you're feeling," Jonah Berger, a psychologist at University of Pennsylvania told The New York Times. But with social media getting increasingly popular, information is now being spread in different ways, and researchers are discovering new rules--good news can actually spread faster and farther than disasters and other sad stories. Berger and his colleague Katherine Milkman looked at thousands of articles on The New York Times' website and analyzed the "most e-mailed" list for six months. One of his findings was that articles in the science section were much more likely to make the list. Those stories aroused feelings of awe and made the readers want to share this positive emotion with others. Besides science stories, readers were also found to be likely to share articles that were exciting or funny. "The more positive an article was, the more likely it was to be shared," Berger wrote in his new book. "For example, stories about newcomers falling in love with New York City," he writes, "tended to be shared more than the death of a popular zookeeper." But does all this good news actually make the audience feel better? Not necessarily. According to a study by researchers at Harvard University, people tend to say more positive things about themselves when they're talking to a bigger audience, rather than just one person, which helps explain all the perfect vacations that keep showing up on microblogs. This, researchers found, makes people think that life is unfair and that they're less happy than their friends. But no worries. There's a quick and easy way to relieve the depression you get from viewing other people's seemingly perfect lives--turn on the television and watch the news. There is always someone doing worse than you are. We can infer from the passage that _ . A bad news always makes people sad B people prefer to share bad news with a bigger audience C people can relieve the depression by reading good news D good news sometimes has negative influence Answer: D. good news sometimes has negative influence John woke up. It was Tuesday, and he was at home. He was still sleepy, but his alarm clock was ringing and he knew he had to be on time for school. He wished it were Saturday or Sunday. He yawned, got out of bed, and put on his slippers. Then, he walked to the bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and washed his face. Still in his pajamas, he went down to the kitchen. His mother, Sylvia, greeted him with a glass of orange juice and a big bowl of cereal. He was still kind of sleepy, but he drank his juice and ate his cereal. When John was done with his breakfast, he went upstairs and got his school clothes on. Then it was time to catch the bus to school. John hated the bus, because he was quiet and the bus was always loud. Plus there was always some kid who thought it was funny to make gross jokes or say bad words. Today, John was ready for the bus. With the sandwich and potato chips in his lunchbox, he had some cake he had made yesterday. He had used salt to make the cake instead of sugar. He knew it tasted horrible, and he was going to give a piece of cake to the first person who was bad on the bus, and he didn't even care if he got in trouble. His friends Anne, Margaret, and Charlotte were in on it, too. He sat in the house, a little excited, eating an apple and waiting until it was time to leave the house. It was time! He put on his shoes and left. What is the name of John's mother? A Margaret B Anne C Charlotte D Sylvia Answer: D. Sylvia Homes & Gardens 12mths: PS27.04 Established for over 80 years, Homes & Gardens has always been engaging and accessible. Delivering inspirational decorating through real-life stories and beautiful photography, it is the ultimate sourcebook of beautiful ideas and detailed information, and inspires its readers to become their own interior designers. Delicious 12mths: PS29.99 Whether you are passionate about cooking and entertaining, or simply love food, Delicious is the magazine for you. Every month it's packed with mouth-watering recipes, including menus from Jamie Oliver, tasty mid-week suppers and children's meal ideas. Mother & Baby 12mths: PS19.50 Mother & Baby is the UK's best selling parenting magazine, and is full of information on pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. Mother & Baby has over 40 years of experience on advising mothers how to care for their babies and is a well loved and trusted brand. TIME 12mths: PS34.99 TIME brings you the pick of the most interesting and relevant new stories, delivering accurate knowledge at all times on all topics, which allows you to anticipate trends. With more than 30 million eager readers every week, can you afford not to take TIME? ON THE WHEEL 12mths: PS55.00 The perfect read for anyone interested in classic cars, as it has the best buying advice, road tests and features. Features on restorations, road tests, reader models, keep the car fan entertained every month. The classified section and buyers guide provide a rich source of valuable information on price and makes and models. Mrs Smith has a baby of only three and she likes to make her home unique, so she may be interested in _ . A TIME and Delicious B Delicious and Mother& Baby C TIME and ON THE WHEEL D Homes & Gardens and Mother & Baby Answer: D. Homes & Gardens and Mother & Baby
My father and I were very close. I loved pleasing him, and he was always proud of my success. If I won a spelling contest at school, he was on top of the world. Later in life whenever I got a promotion , I'd call my father right away and he'd rush out to tell all his friends. In 1970,when I was named president of the Ford Motor Company, I don't know which of us was more excited. Like many native Italians, my parents were very open with their feelings and their loves not only at home, but also in public. Most of my friends would never hug their fathers. But I hugged and kissed my dad at every opportunity for nothing could have felt more natural. He was a curious man who was always trying new things. He was the first person in Allentown to buy a motorcycle. Unfortunately, my father and his motorcycle didn't get along too well. He fell off it so often that he got rid of it just a month after buying it. As a result, he never again trusted any vehicle with less than four wheels. Because of that motorcycle, I wasn't allowed to have a bicycle when I was growing up. Whenever I wanted to ride a bike, I had to borrow one from a friend. On the other hand, my father let me drive a car as soon as I turned sixteen. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: My father loved his motorcycle. He rode through the dirty streets of Allentown every day. What characteristic of DNA results in cell differentiation in developing embryos? Answer: which genes are active When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner? The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer. When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot. A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents' likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week. Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children. Which would be the best title of the passage? Answer: Why should the family eat together? Geography is the study of Earth and its climates. Scientists use it to study global warming and track the weather. Governments use it to learn where people live and work and to plan what to do with the land. It is now easier than ever to use geography because of a science called space technology. The United States launched its first satellite in 1958. Some space missions that followed were geographical studies. In fact, earth science is a big part of the work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Astronauts looked out of the space shuttle. They decided to take photographs of Earth from their vantage point. Over the years, picture quality improved. Shuttle photography now shows land features, such as rivers. It can even show the streets of large cities. Photos of the same places at different times show how the land is changing. NASA does not use just photographs, though. In 1958 it launched TIROS (the Television Infrared Observation Satellite). This first use of a satellite to study Earth was effective in giving weather forecasts. It led to the creation of new space tools to use in geography. The Landsat Program began in 1972. This satellite sent detailed views of Earth from space. The pictures were so precise that scientists could count the number and kinds of crops in a field. Landsat showed where Earth's surface had faults along which earthquakes might happen. This information helped in the planning of new cities and factories. Landsat also made discoveries. In Antarctica it located ranges of unknown mountains. It pinpointed small lakes in Virginia that were no ton maps. Landsat, now more advanced, still flies today. Another space tool is Earth Observing-1 (EO-1). This spacecraft flies right behind Landsat. It takes pictures of the same sites. The two sets of pictures, viewed together, show how cities grow and how other places, such as rain forests, become smaller over time. This helps scientists learn how people affect geography. One of the newest space tools is the Geographical Information Systems (GIS). GIS is computer software that helps scientists to study Earth. GIS is different from earlier space tools. Businesses, schools, and even average people -- not just the government --can use it to show them how changes in the planet might affect them. From the passage, we can infer that _ . Answer: satellite pictures can give more detailed information When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation . Thinking about the matter gave me more chargrin than the whistle gave me pleasure. This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the whistle, " and I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who "gave too much for the whistle." When I saw some men too eager for court favor, wasting his time at court gatherings, giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favor, I said to myself---"This man gives too much for the whistle." When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, "He says, indeed," said I, "too dear for his whistle." If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth--- "Poor man," said I, " you pay too dear for your whistle." When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, perhaps neglecting his health, " Mistaken man, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle." If I saw someone fond of appearance who has fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, and ends his career in a prison. "Alas," said I, "he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle." In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their puffing a false value on things --- to giving "too much for their whistle." Which situation would not the author say " too dear for the whistle?" Answer: People were devoted to a career he loved so much.
Rose and Lily were best friends. They had met when they were little and grew up together. Lily and Rose got a house to live in and painted the walls blue. Then they went to buy a couch. Jerry worked at the couch store. Lily found a green couch that she liked. But the couch was too hard. Rose found a soft red couch. She showed it to Lilly and they both thought it was very soft. Jerry said he would help them move it and let them buy the couch. Rose and Lily went to another store to buy extra cushions. Tom worked at the store that had a lot of pillows to buy. Rose and Lily did not think Tom was nice. Tom did not help them. Rose found red pillows but Tom would not give them to her. Lily found pretty green pillows but Tom said they cost a lot of money. Rose and Lily went to another store where they met Steve and Megan. Steve and Megan showed them a lot of pillows that were nice. Rose and Lily showed Megan and Steve the couch they had. Megan and Steve helped find pretty blue pillows for the red couch. Rose and Lily were so happy they threw a party. Megan and Steve went to the party. Jerry went too. Jerry went to the party and gave Megan and Lily a rug. It was blue. The rug matched the pillows. What did Jerry give Lily and Rose at the Party? Answer: A person may source warmth from Answer: Life in the future will be different from life today. The population is growing fast. There will be more people in the world and most of them will live longer. Computer will be much smaller and more useful, and there will be at least one in each home. And computer science will be one of the most important subjects in school then. People will work fewer hours than they do now, and they will have more free time for sports, watching TV and travel. Our food will be different, too. More land will be used for building new towns and houses for people. So there will be less land for cows and sheep, and meat will be more expensive. Maybe no one will eat it one day. They will eat more fruits and vegetables. Work in the future will also be different. Robots will do dangerous and hard work. Because of this, many people will have no jobs to do. This will be a big problem in the future. ,. In the future people don't have to _ . Answer: It is unlawful for an employer to publish a discriminatory advertisement. How to identify a discriminatory advertisement: * It must be read as a whole, and account must be taken not only of the words, but also of the pictures that it uses. * Job titles that have sexual connotations mean an intention to discriminate on the grounds of sex. Example 1 A notice in a restaurant window states: "Waiters required". The word "waiters" has a male, not a female, connotation. The advertisement does not contain an equal opportunities statement and does not specify that the jobs are open to men and women. Example2 A medical clinic places an advertisement for a nurse with a photograph of a female nurse. Nursing is an occupation that is traditionally associated with women. The advertisement does not contain an equal opportunities statement. Good practice checklist: * Advertise widely so that as many suitably qualified people as possible have an opportunity to apply. * Do not publish job advertisements in locations or publications where they are likely to be read wholly or mainly by people who share a particular community background, sex, race, disability, or age. * Use language which is clear and simple and do not use abstract words. For example, when describing the working environment or the characteristics of desirable employees, do not use words like young, mature or energetic. * Where possible, do not use job titles which have a male or female connotation. For example, do not use the following words--- waiter/waitress salesman/ salesgirl postman manageress foreman storeman matron chairman/ chairwoman head master/ mistress Instead, where possible, use job titles that have gender-neutral connotation, For example, the following words are appropriate--- waiting staff sales assistant postal worker manager stores person supervisor chairperson nurse manager head teacher If you want to place an advertisement for a designer, you should publish it in _ . Answer: iPhone 6, which many people have been thirsty for, will be unveiled on September 9. It could go on sale to the public from Friday, September 19. Apple has launched a new iPhone every year since it unveiled the range in 2007, selling more than 500 million units since then, and has traditionally launched key products in September. The iPhone 6, Apple's ninth iPhone model, is expected to be released in two different sizes:4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. The smaller of the two will be available first. Like iPhone5, the new model will come in silver , gold and space grey. The iPhone 6 will be powered by new operating system iOS 8. Through iOS8, users will be able to monitor their health and fitness via HealthKit. HealthKit puts together numerous healthcare and fitness apps, such as blood pressure and heart rate monitors through partners including Nike, and allows them to communicate with each other. Users will be able to control home appliances and other connected devices through HomeKit, Apple's connected home framework. Similar to HealthKit, this app will organize your smart devices to control them in one place. One method of control will be via Siri-for example, you could tell Siri you were "going to bed", and it could dim the lights, lock your doors, close the garage door and set the room temperature. With the introduction of both of these key features, it's likely the iPhone 6 will take on even more of a lifestyle device role. It is designed to organize our lives and make everyday tasks easier and more efficiently completed. Suppliers are believed to be preparing to produce up to 80m of the new handsets by the end of December, according to the Wall Street Journal. In July, Apple announced strong financial results for its third quarter, with significant sales growth in China and profits ahead of expectations at $7.7bn. What is mainly talked about in the passage? Answer:
Most humans expect to receive fair treatment. A recent study shows that monkeys may feel the same way. This is the first time scientists have seen this kind of behavior in animals. Scientists chose monkeys for the research because monkeys have close relationship with each other and they also have good teamwork. Sarah Brosnan, the leader of the research, put female monkeys in pairs. The researchers trained the monkeys to exchange a small rock with them. "That may sound simple, but not very many animals are willing to give things away." Says Brosnan. When a monkey exchanged a rock with the researcher within 60 seconds, she received a reward. Usually, the reward was a piece of cucumber. The partner of each monkey who made an exchange also received a reward. Sometimes the partner got the same reward (a piece of cucumber), but other times the partner received a better reward (a grape). The researchers were surprised at how the monkey _ to the unfair treatment. When a monkey saw her partner get better treatment, she was unhappy. The monkeys did not want to continue the test or eat the cucumbers they received. Some monkeys even threw their food at the researchers. Bronson's research suggests that monkeys do not like unfair treatment. However, as Brosnan explains, "We don't know how monkeys learn to dislike being treated unfairly. But that opens up a whole new research field." Scientists will continue their research. How did the monkey feel when her partner received a better reward? A Happy B Angry C Anxious D Calm Answer: B. Angry Garden Route, South Africa Take in this fresh sea air in this beautiful coastal setting as you cruise the famous Garden Route in the Western Cape in South Africa. A wild life break is a must, as is enjoying great meal stops along the route. There are wild life reserves throughout the Garden Route National Park you can swing into and spend a sleepy morning in a car looking for giraffes and lions. And just over your shoulder in the big blue there are whales to be watched (if the season is right). Top tip: Add a trip to the Eastern Cape to your Garden Route trip. It is much less known than the Western Cape and full of landscapes. The gas station is occasionally seen. Great Ocean Road, Australia Sweep along this dramatic coastal road in Australia with views of the Sourthern Ocean from Geelong to Portland, in Victoria, and you won't regret it. Anyone who has driven it just can't stop talking about it, and with good reason. There're loads to see and plenty of great stops. There's whale-watching here too, and other natural life. And to top it all, there'll be plenty of good old Aussie kindness and welcome when you pull in for lunch or a coffee stop. Top tip: Rent an open-top car so you can really drink in that sea air. Stelvio Pass, Italy If you like snake-like paths and mountain passes, you'll love this. Stelvio in Italy. The mountain slopes stretch away on either side of the road, with snow-topped peaks within sight. There's a great view down the pass. And from the top, it's just a short sweep away from the Swiss border, so if you are gripped by mountain road driving, you can drive from here down to Swiss ski resort Davos. Stelvio has 48 hairpins on the north side and 12 on the decent to Bormio, so this route is not recommended for new drivers, or those with a fear of heights. This decent is is often featured in the Giro d'Italia, the Italian version of the Tour de France, so you may have glimpsed it on the television. Top tip: Take some Swiss Francs as well as some Euros, so you can make the trip a cross-border experience. Compared with the other two routes, Stelvio Pass is special in that _ . A it's more winding and challenging B it's safe and more suitable for new drivers C it has lots of wild animals on either side of the road D it's often featured in Tour de France and thus more famous Answer: A. it's more winding and challenging "Depend on yourself" is what nature says to every man. Parents can help you. Teachers can help you. But all these only help you to help yourself. There have been many men in history. But many of them were very poor in childhood, and no uncles, aunts or friends to help them. Schools were few. They could not depend upon themselves for an education. They saw how it was and set to work with all their strength to know something. They worked their own way till they became well known. One of the most famous teachers in England used to tell his pupils, "I can not make worthy men of you, but I can help make men of yourself." Some young men don't try their best to make themselves valuable to the human beings. They can never gain achievement unless they see their weak points and change their course. They are nothing now, and will be nothing as long as they live, unless they accept the advice of their parents and teachers, and depend on their own efforts. According to the famous teacher in England, a teacher can _ . A make his pupils worthy men B help his pupils find a way to be famous C help his pupils make themselves useful men D make his pupils men of strength and courage Answer: C. help his pupils make themselves useful men What do you do when you need to look something up? Go to the library? Open an encyclopedia ? Click onto the Internet? These days, most people go straight to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. But how reliable is it? There is no denying the popularity and usefulness of Wikipedia. It attracts as many as 78 million visitors every month, and the site is available in more than 270 different languages. It's one of the most comprehensive resources available, which includes almost all details, facts and information that maybe concerned. It's got much more information than an ordinary encyclopedia. The site is updated on a daily basis by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with an Internet connection can log on and edit the contents or add a new page. And you don't need any formal training. Of course, there are some controls. Wikipedia has a team of more than 1,500 administrators who check for false information. And main targets for harmful comments(such as politicians) are _ to public editing. But with more than 16 million articles to keep an eye on, it isn't easy. So, while Wikipedia benefits from being constantly updated with information from all over the world, it's also open to "vandals" . Some of the damage is easy to notice. One person drew devil horns and a moustache on Microsoft chairman Bill Gates' photo, while another edited Greek philosopher Plato's biography to say he was a "Hawaiian weather man who is wildly believed to have been a student of'Barney the purple Dinosaur' and to have been deeply influenced by his dog, Cutie". But other things are harder to spot. The most common form of vandalism involves adding tiny items of false information into the biography of a famous person. Unbelievably, some of this misinformation has appeared in newspapers, with The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Independent all having fallen victim to the dirty tricks. For example, in an article about British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one newspaper claimed that he co-wrote Dame Vera Lynn's wartime hit There'll be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover. He did no such thing. And in another article, it was reported that TV Theme tune composer Ronnie Hazlehurst had written the S Club 7's hit Reach. Once again, not true. So, if you are going to use any information from Wikipedia, make sure you double-check it first. What's the writer's attitude to Wikipedia? A Negative B Worried C Indifferent D Objective Answer: D. Objective The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. "I have been honored to be your teacher this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall," he said to them. "I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic "B" to anyone who would prefer not to take the final." In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, "Any other takers? This is your last chance." One more student decided to go. There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: "Congratulations, you have just received an "A" in this class. Keep believing in yourself." I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading a lot of exams, but it's a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don't have confidence in what they've learned are "B" students at best. The same is true for students of real life. The "A" students are those who believe in what they're doing because they've learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life's lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people. Take your cue from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: "It's not the mountain we conquer , but ourselves." Don't let the biggest limit be yourself. According to the writer, the test given by the professor was _ . A funny B meaningful C difficult D harmful Answer: B. meaningful
Good evening,ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this of the Box Bill Tennis Club. It's good to see so many of you here this evening. I'm sure you're all enjoyed the fine food,and that you are ready to hear our guest speaker. Ladies and gentlemen,we're pleased to welcome our most famous club champion,Billy Rogers,to our meeting. Billy needs no introduction because he is one of the most well-known tennis players in our country. However,I must mention a few things about him. Billy has won the US Open three times,and Wimbledon twice. He has won more tennis tournaments than any player from this country. He has been ranked number one in the world in both singles and doubles. He has played in the Davis Cup and the Hopman Cup for his country. His Wimbledon victory two years ago has been called one of the bravest in the modern time. Had he not been injured,he would undoubtedly have won a third Wimbledon Championship. Billy is regarded by many as perhaps the finest player ever in international tennis. But of course Billy is much more than a tennis champion. He is like an ambassador for the sport and for his country. He has done great work to help children around the world,and his generosity to children's charity funds is well known. And of course,Billy is the most successful graduate of our club. He won the club championships when he was twelve--yes,at only twelve. And Billy has not forgotten where it all started. That's why he accepted our invitation to speak to us tonight. We're proud to have played a small part in Billy's success. Won't you please give a big hand to our own Billy Rogers? Why did Billy Rogers not win the third Wimbledon? Answer: Because he got himself hurt. Today is Saturday. It's sunny and warm. Many children from No. 1 Middle School are at the Old People's Home. Now, they're helping the old people. Look! Li Min and Zhan Ran are cleaning the windows. Ma Lan and Liu Qian are washing clothes. What's Li Na doing over there? Many old people are clapping their hands for her. Oh, she's singing for them. Her song is really beautiful. And where's the American boy, Tom? He likes helping others and he often comes here. Listen! Who's speaking English? It's Tom. He's teaching two old people to speak English. All the children and the old people are very happy. "We are happy when we help others, " says Tom. The old people are clapping hands, because Li Na sings _ . Answer: very well Chokwe Selassie, aged 13, is working hard to help drivers avoid potholes . The eighth-grader was inspired to kick off his creation on a recent morning, when his mother was driving him to school. Their car was damaged as it went over a huge pothole in the middle of the street in their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. He decided to do something about the pothole problem in his city. Chokwe developed the app with his friends Rodriguez Ratliff and Emmanuel Brooks. When the app detects a pothole, it is highlighted in red. And if you get close to the pothole, your phone will warn you with a beep. Drivers can also use the app to report any potholes and look for other routes they can take to avoid roads that have them. The app relies on current available information about the streets of Jackson, already stored in a database of the city's 311 call system. Through the call system, citizens dial 3-1-1 to report non-emergency problems which include potholes. Chokwe and his friends determined that focusing on the 10 busiest streets in Jackson would give them a large enough sample size to test the prototype. While developing the app, the boys took part in a Minority Male Makers Program sponsored by Verizon and held at Jackson State University. They learned 3D printing and design, and how to create apps. Through the program Chokwe and his friends received encouragement and guidance. Although the app isn't yet available for sale, Chokwe is already looking for ways to improve the app. He hopes to add more to it until it spreads all over the country. What is the app used to do? Answer: Warn drivers about potholes. Lucy is a nice girl. She is twenty-six. She opens a clothes store. Its name is Lovely Clothes Store. The store is for girls, not for boys. The store has clothes in many colors. Do you want to have a look at the store? Clothes Colors Price T-shirts blue, green and white Y=25 Skirts red, green, yellow and black Y=45 \ Y=65 Sweaters yellow, blue and red Y=35 \ Y=55 Trousers orange, white and green Y=54 \ Y=84 \ Y=104 ,. What can we know from the passage? Answer: We can buy two pairs ( ) of trousers for 104 yuan in Lucy's store. If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about reading _ : * Knowing why you are reading or what you are reading to find out will often help you to know whether to read rapidly or slowly. * Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing something, arithmetic problems, science and history books, which are full of important information. You must read such things slowly to remember each important step and understand each important ideas. * Some things should be read rapidly throughout. Examples are simple stories meant for enjoyment, news letters from friends, pieces of news from local, or home-town, papers, telling what is happening to friends and neighbors. * In some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as you go along. You will need to read certain pages rapidly and then slow down and do more careful reading when you come to important ideas which must be remembered. Which should be read slowly according to the passage? Answer: Arithmetic problems
In 1971, a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast. After eating his first good meal in weeks, he lied to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. This waiter, who was also the owner of the restaurant, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor and said, "You must have dropped this," the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck. He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the money, and went to the West. On the way out of town, he began to understand what that man did. Maybe nobody dropped the money. "Maybe that man knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't hurt me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can." Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now, he lives in Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the "Secret Santa " because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. The best title for this text may be_. A Never Give Up B The Key to Success C A Kind Waiter in the Restaurant D Secret Santa of Kansas City Answer: D. Secret Santa of Kansas City We can see them every day, on every street corner, on every construction site in cities. They work day and night in the terrible working conditions and weather. They build the roads, the theaters, the cinemas, and the supermarkets. They're China's _ . More than 140 million workers have left their homes to look for job in cities. They hope to be rich, but they realize they have many problems making money. And one of the problems is the pride and discrimination from the people in cities. When night falls, I can see the sad faces of the migrant workers everywhere. You can see them playing cards along the streets. Many are living far away from where they are. I can sometimes feel their pain, knowing exactly what it feels like to live so far away from home in a city where I walk a different walk and talk a different talk. Yes, they dress differently and speak differently. Different habits, but they work hard. The people in cities regard them as outsiders, and most governments refuse to give them medical care and public schooling for their children. So many things need to be changed. The first is discrimination! They may not make as much money as some people in cities, they may not have everything we have, but they are honest. They are very important and necessary to China's economic development and have become an important force for the change of Chinese society. They're building the new China. So we should help them with our hands. Which one is WRONG about China's migrant workers? A They should be helped by us. B More than 1.4 billion migrant workers have been in cities. C They are not welcomed by the people in cities. D They are refused to give medical care by the governments. Answer: B. More than 1.4 billion migrant workers have been in cities. On July 1 at exactly 7:59:59, Bejing time, the world' s atomic clocks will pause for a single second, or, more precisely, change to the unusual time of 7:59:60. The addition of a leap second , is to keep our clocks in time with the slowing of Earth' s rotation and astronomical time as measured by the sun. Just one extra second could affect the way computers and websites work, however. When the last leap second was added back in 2012, the community website Reddit crashed. For Reddit, the problem was that a Linux system got confused when it checked the network time and found an extra second. Speaking to Wired about the problem back in 2012, Linux creator Linus Torvalds commented:"Almost every time we have a leap second, we find something. It' s really annoying, because it' s code that is almost never used, and thus not tested by users under their normal conditions. " Companies have thought of their own solutions, and Google' s"leap smear"may be the best- known example. As company engineer Christopher Pascoe explains in a blog post, companies usually try to turn back the clocks by one second at the end of the day so that they play that second again. However, Pascoe believes this creates problems. He asked:"Does email that comes in during that second get stored correctly?"Google has a solution: Cut the extra second into milliseconds and then put these tiny amounts of time into the system throughout the day."This means that when it became time to add an extra second at midnight."Says Pascoe."Our clocks have already taken this into account over the course of the day." For many companies without Google' s money, however, the leap second will likely still cause some crashes. What happened to the website Reddit when the leap second was added in 2012? A It crashed because of a virus attack. B Its network time added two extra seconds. C All of the code in its Linux system went wrong. D One of its software systems got confused and the site broke down. Answer: D. One of its software systems got confused and the site broke down. What's delicious to eat and comes in a variety of colors? Eggplant! And no, it has nothing to do with chickens! This strangely named vegetable is, however, as versatile as an egg.It can be steamed, fried, and baked.It can be eaten by itself or combined with meats and other vegetables. Eggplant was first grown in India in the 5th century BC.Its popularity soon spread to China and then throughout Asia.Finally, during the Middle Ages the vegetable made its way to Europe.At that time, eggplant was not the shiny purple vegetable most people know today.Instead, it's like a white egg.Due to this egg - like appearance, eggplant got its name.In its early days, the vegetable was so bitter that people often called it a "mad apple." This nickname started because people believed its bitterness was bad for one' s health.People actually thought eggplant could cause madness and cancer. Fortunately today people know that eggplant doesn't cause insanity or cancer.In fact eggplant is so healthy that it may prevent cancer.In addition, the brain and the heart benefit from this super vegetable.Since it's high in fibre, eggplant can improve digestion. Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant in the world today.Depending on its location, eggplant may be purple, green, orange or yellow - white.And it can be as small as a tomato or as large as a cucumber.Dish varieties range from simple to complex, with all of them being delicious. Today, thousands of people gather in Loomis, Calif, for the annual Loomis Eggplant Festival.The main activity at the festival is eating delicious eggplant dishes.There is plenty more to do and see, though.Recipe contests, arts and crafts, performers, races and children's activities all "egg - cite" festival - goers.Most people at the festival would agree--eggplant is an "egg--cellent" vegetable. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A Eggplant can be eaten to cure cancer B Eggplant used to taste bitter. C India produce the most eggplant in the world today. D Eggplant has a history of nearly 1,000 years. Answer: B. Eggplant used to taste bitter. During subduction, one tectonic plate is forced below another. The subducting plate is forced into the A asthenosphere. B lithosphere. C outer core. D inner core. Answer: A. asthenosphere.
Hu Li's heart sank due to the color of the air.Driving 140 kilometers from Tianjin City to Beijing last week,she held her breath as the air became a charcoal grey haze .The 39yearold businesswoman has lived in Beijing for a decade,and this past month,she said,brought the worst air pollution she has ever seen.It gave her husband a cough and left her sevenyearold daughter housebound ."My husband as well as I is working here,so we have no choice," she said."But if we had a choice,we'd like to escape from Beijing." The extended heavy pollution over the last month,which caused punishment in return for a day last week-called the "airpocalypse" by internet users- has largely changed the way that Chinese think about the country's air.On one day,pollution levels were 30 times higher than levels considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO).Flights were cancelled.Roads were closed.One hospital in east Beijing reported they had treated more than 900 children for breathing issues.Bloomberg found that for most of January,Beijing's air was worse than that of an airport smoking area. The smog's most threatening aspect is its high concentration of PM 2.5 - particulate matter that is small enough to breathe deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream,causing breathing infections,lung cancer and possibly damaging children's development.The WHO has estimated that outdoor air pollution accounts for two million deaths per year,65% of them in Asia. The haze affected people mainly in _ . Answer: prefix = st1 /China Coal mines claim more lives. A COAl mine blast in Jixi, Heilongjiang, left more than 100 miners dead on Thursday. Ten mines in Jixiwere ordered to stop production. The government has tried to shut down thousands of small, illegal mines in the country that do not meet safety standards. MIDDLE EAST Bombers continue to kill. PALESTINISANS killed 32 Israeli in three major attacks between Tuesday and Thursday. There were two suicide bombings and a militant attack on a Jewish settlement. They yielded one of the highest Israeli death tolls in such a short period over the last two years. CHINA Young people stand tall. THE average height of Chinese young people has risen by 6 centimeters compared to that of 20 years ago. This far exceeds the word's average growth speed. A survey on health conducted by a panel of Chinese students found the results. According to the world average level, youths get taller by 1 cm every 10 years. CANADA Talking about world issues. The Group if Eight(G8)--the US, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada and Russia - will hold a summit on June 26 and 27 in Kananaskis, Canada. The G8 are the richest and most powerful countries in the world. G8 leaders and some African presidents will discuss strengthening global economic growth and helping Africa. United Nations Secretary - General, will also attend. What's the purpose of the Summit? Answer: Lemuel Gulliver enjoyed travelling. He was a ship's doctor. On May 4, 1699, they were going to the Far East in the ship called the Antelope. One night, his ship crashed against the rocks, Gulliver was washed to the land. He found himself a prisoner of tiny people. They were less than 6 inches tall and lived in the island country of Lilliput. After he promised to behave well, they set him free and he could visit the city. The people of Blefuscu wanted to attack Lilliput. The king of Lilliput turned to Gulliver. He stopped Blefuscu attacking Lilliput by pulling its ships to Lilliput. The king was happy. _ wanted to make the people of Blefuscu his slaves , so he asked Gulliver to bring some more ships. Gulliver did not like this plan. The king got angry. Some bad men in Lilliput wanted to kill Gulliver. Gulliver had to run away from Lilliput to Blefuscu. He was welcomed by the king of Blefuscu. They soon became good friends. Three days after that , he asked king to send him twenty of his largest ships and two thousand men to pull the boat to the shore. In this boat, he set sail for England. On the third day he saw a big ship to the southeast. He called out to the ship. The ship was moving very slowly. They raised a flag .His heart was full of happiness when he saw the English flag . How did Gulliver help the Lilliputians? Answer: If a plant is going to photosynthesize, it can have all aside from Answer: Museum of Transport at Boylet St , Cheetham, Manchester Enjoy a trip to the Museum of Transport, a working museum showing the development of road public transport in Manchester. There are over 80 buses from 1890 to 1980. Over 100 shows, from hours-bus to modern train. The museum has small shows describing the history of bus, coach and train. If you are interested in it, welcome to click here and you can see some pictures of them on the screen and get more information about them. Opening hours and ticket prices Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 9:00 a.m. ~ 4:00 p.m. (Nov. ~ Feb. ) 10:00 a.m. ~ 5:00 p.m. (Mar. ~ Oct.) Adults $3. 00, Students $1.75, Children under 5 free. Family ticket ( up to two adults and three children) $ 9.00 E-mail : www. gmts. co. uk If you and your elder brother are both middle school students, your parents take both of you to visit the museum, you should pay at least _ in all. Answer:
Question: How to improve our life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my destiny .I cannot change it." Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your life depends on you, not on any other external factor. I know a woman who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, and then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows. Huh! Is this what she calls "doing her best"? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that has been intended for her and that her luck can only change if God wills it. She hasn't realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams. Remember that you harvest what you sow. You have to get off the sofa, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone(unless it contributes to your success),and get your mind and body to work! Don't expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; instead, learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It's not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively. If someone's life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand(or sit)there, do something to improve your life. According to the woman mentioned in Para. 3, her life _ . A. doesn't need improving B. couldn't be improved C. will be better some day D. will be worse in the future Answer: C Question: Aria Ricardo was a beautiful, slim young woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin.She used to work as a model and earn as much as $ 2 000 in one day in front of the camera.She modeled for top magazines in Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and throughout the United States. Aria's father, now retired because of a disability, was a police officer who really loved his work.Aria would rather follow in her father's footsteps than pursue her modeling career.She remembered listening to her father tell stories when he came home after a day on the beat.The excitement, tensions and risks of police work appealed to her. Aria got started in the modeling business quite by accident.She accompanied a friend to an interview at a modeling agency.Her friend wanted the job, while Aria didn't.The people at the agency were impressed with Aria's appearance and poise.They knew she'd be brilliant in front of the camera.So they sent her on her first modeling job--for Seventeen Magazine--right away. Despite her success as a model, Aria never gave up her dream of being a police officer.She passed the written exam for the New York Police Department.She planned to enter the Police Academy as quickly as possible.Her family and friends thought she was out of her mind even to consider such a thing.Police work was dangerous and the pay couldn't compare to a top model's income.But Aria knew what she wanted, and she went for it.She had never really intended to be a model anyway.Finally she hooked her fish. Aria's family would like her to _ . A. remain a model B. do whatever she liked C. find something challenging D. follow her father's footsteps Answer: A Question: Where various seasons currently take place depends upon A. the globe's size B. the world's view C. the earth's consideration D. the globe's turning Answer: D Question: A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people rarely visited. The house was very old and the owner hardly ever came out. When he did, he would not say hello to neighbors or passers-by, but simply glare at them. The boy knocked on the door and waited, sweating from fear of the old man. As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. "What do you want?" the old man said. "Uh, sir, I uh am selling these magazines and, uh, I was wondering if you would like to buy one." The old man just stared at the boy. The boy could see inside the old man's house and saw that he had dog figurines on the fireplace. "Do you collect dogs?" the little boy asked. "Yes, I have many collectibles in my house. They are my family here. They are all I have." The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul. "Well, I do have a magazine here for collectors. It is perfect for you. I also have one about dogs since you like dogs so much." The old man was ready to close the door and said: "No, boy, I don't need any magazines of any kind, now goodbye." The little boy was sad for the old man because he was alone in the big house. Then he thought of a little dog figurine that he had got some years earlier from an aunt. The boy headed back down to the old man's house with it. He knocked on the door again and this time the old man came right to the door. "Boy, I thought I told you no magazines." "No, sir. I know that. I wanted to bring you a gift." The boy handed him the figurine and the old man's face lit up. The old man was surprised and said: "Boy, you have a big heart. Why are you doing this?" The boy smiled at the man and said: "Because you like dogs." From that day on, the old man started coming out of the house and greeting people. He and the boy became friends. This simple nice act changed both of their lives forever. When the boy knocked on the door again, _ . A. the old man was impatient with him B. the old man refused to open the door C. he didn't think the old man would open it D. he wanted to sell a magazine to the old man Answer: A Question: Probably you have seen photographs of the Grand Canyon , the great valley in the desert country of Arizona. But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. Tie Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over mil lions of years. Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock. At the same time. the land was rising. Today. the canyon is one and a half kilometres deep and 445 kilometres long. The el dest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than 1 billion years old. The width varies from about 200 metres to 29 kilo metres across. The rim or top of the canyon is about 2, 300 metres above sea level tin the South Rim, and about 3,000 metres on the other side, the North Rink As a result, there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon. The South Run is dry desert country. The North Rim has tall forests. The canyon looks different at different times of day. and in different seasons and weather. At sunrise anti sunset the red. gold, brown, and orange colours of the rocks are especially dear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow. The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best. Most visitors come to the South Rim and stay in camp- grounds or hotels. Every point along the canyon' s edge offers a different view. The North Rim of the Canyon is quieter, h takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River. On the way, you go through Navado Indian lands, and a colourful pink desert called "The Painted Desert". You can walk clown into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down oil the back of a mule . You can also lake a boat trip down the Colorado River, and camp on the bea ches at night. But whether you see the Grand Canyon from the top or the honom, it will be an experience that you will never forget. The sea level on both sides of the Grand Canyou is _ . A. the same B. changing with time C. various D. very low Answer: C
Question: The University of South Carolina has developed a sociology course dedicated to the life, work and rise to fame of pop star Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame is to be taught by Professor Mathieu Deflem, a fan of the singer. The course, which has its own blog, is due to start in spring 2011. The Belgian born sociologist, whose research interests also include counter-terrorism, international policing, crime control and internet technology, says he has seen Lady Gaga in concert 30 times. "We're going to look at Lady Gaga as a social event," Prof Deflem told the USC student newspaper, the Daily Gamecock. "So it's not the person, and it's not the music. It's more this thing out there in society that has 10 million followers on Facebook and six million on Twitter. I mean, that's a social phenomenon.". It will look at business and marketing strategies, the role of old and new media, fans and live concerts, gay culture, religious and political themes, sex and sexuality, and the cities of New York and Hollywood, it says. Prof Deflem said he initially planned to call the course the Sociology of Fame or the Sociology of Celebrity, and to use Lady Gaga as an example. Also a fan of Frank Zappa, Prince, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Status Quo and Ritchie Blackmore, Prof Deflem says his interest in Lady Gaga began when he first saw her perform on television on 9 January 2009. "They don't have to be hardcore fans. The better fan will not necessarily be the better student. But you have to have some interest in the topic. So if you really don't like her, you probably shouldn't take the course." What course will the University of South Carolina develop in spring 2011? A. Lady Gaga and the Economy of the Fame. B. Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame. C. Biochemistry and the Sociology of the Fame. D. Internet Trade and Lady Gaga. Answer: B. Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame. Question: I went to Arizona earlier this month to see what the college of the future might look like. What I found is an exciting new era of higher education that will help more students get a great, personalized education at an affordable price. This future may not always include the lecture halls, dormitories, and other features of the traditional college experience. Instead, the colleges I visited are experimenting with ways for students to get their degrees online, allowing them to take courses any place and at any time. These " _ ," as they are sometimes called, are at the forefront of the effort to broaden access to higher education, especially for low-income students with full-time jobs and families. During my visit, I heard encouraging stories of students who were taking advantage of these flexible learning models to pursue degrees that could put them on paths to new careers. One of those students was Shawn Lee. He had a compelling story: After dropping out of college decades ago, he found himself in a series of low-paying, often back-breaking jobs. He recently decided to get his degree when he had his first child and wanted to start building a better life. Tucked away in an industrial park in Tempe, Rio Salado didn't look much like a traditional institute of higher education. There were no students running to class. Just a couple of glass-faced office buildings. The college had just 22 full-time faculty serving 60,000 students, with more than half of them attending classes online. Several students I met during my visit said they liked learning online. "I've taken college classes in a big auditorium with herds of people. There was no personal connection," one student said. "Now I can reach my teacher with the click of a mouse." After several days' visit, I left Arizona feeling quite optimistic about what the future holds for higher education. What made Shawn Lee return to attend college again? A. That he has nothing to do. B. That he couldn't find a job. C. That the cost of the college is low. D. That he wanted to find a better job. Answer: D. That he wanted to find a better job. Question: In fact, at the time they seemed to be ordinary events, but now everything seems different. I had spent 10 years away from the place where I was born. Even though I made the decision to leave my country by myself, I miss a lot of things now. The person that brought me the happiest memories is my best friend. She is the greatest person in the world, and I am not exaggerating . She is kind, funny,polite,and always willing to listen,and has been a great friend. I always recall events from our childhood. I think about the school where we met in the first grade and went on until the 5thgrade. I think about the talks we had and the things we did together. If someone wants me to describe our friendship, I'd say we have been close friends for 17 years and we never got angry with each other. It's amazing, isn't it? I haven't been able to do that with anybody else. Sometimes I even feel guilty . I miss her more than my own brothers and sisters. And of course besides those memories, my kids are number one in my life. I have plenty of beautiful memories with them, especially when they were born, which also turned out to be a sad moment for both of them, because they were premature babies . Anyone, who has had an experience with a premature baby, can _ what I mean. Which of the following words has the same meaning of "figure out"? A. Guess B. Look for C. Understand D. Point out Answer: C. Understand Question: Clay is 13 years old, and he lives in Miami, the United States. On the morning of Feb.23, when Clay is waiting for school bus, a man kidnaps him.The man takes him to a tree. He puts a stock in Clay's mouth. Then he asks for money from Clay's family. Clay is very scared . But he remembers there is a safety pin in his pocket. He takes out the pin and cuts through the rope . Finally he gets free. Clay calls his mother with a farmer's cell phone. Soon the police comes and Clay is safe. The police thinks highly of Clay. "This man kidnaps the wrong boy," Charly Wells, a policeman says. "This boy notices things. And he's very brave ." Clay uses _ to help him run away. A. a rope B. a safety pin C. a gun D. a knife Answer: A. a rope Question: Health, Wellness and the Politics of Food 9:00--9:45 a.m. Blue Tent Panelists :Jami Bernard, David Kamp, Marion Nestle and Peter Singer. Hosted by Denise Grady, science writer for the New York Times. How does what we eat not only affect our bodies, but also the world?The food and nutrition experts debate the role that the diet plays in both personal and global health, and present a look at food politics. Sports Writing:For the Love of the Game 9:50--10:35 a.m. Blue Tent Panelists:Christine Brennan, Ira Rosen, Joe Wallace and Joe Drape. Hosted by William C. Rhoden, sports writer for the New York Times. Whether catching that key moment of victory or defeat, or covering breaking news, sports writers are anything but audience. Listen as some professionals discuss the special experience in reporting of sports news. The Art of the Review 11:15--12:00 a.m. Green Tent Panelists: John Freeman, Barry Gewen, David Orr, Celia McGee and Jennifer Schuessler. Hosted by Sam Tanenhaus, editor for the New York Times Book Review. How much of an effect does the book review have on book sales?Join this group of critics as they discuss the reality of book review and bestseller lists, and how they choose books for review. New York Writers, New York Stories 3:00--3:45 p.m. Green Tent Panelists: Cindy Adams, Richard Cohen, RicKlass and Lauren Redness. Hosted by Clyde Haberman, columnist for the City Section of the New York Times. Join this inspiring group of New Yorkcentric writers as they talk about why New York is a gold mine of ideas for their work. All the four activities above _ . A. are about writing B. will last 45 minutes each C. can be attended freely D. will attract many readers Answer: B. will last 45 minutes each
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 does Bruce live? "Does my smile look big in this?" Future fitting-room mirrors in clothing stores could subtly adjust your reflection to make you look - and hence feel - happier, encouraging you to like what you see. That's the idea behind the Emotion Evoking System developed by Shigeo Yoshida and colleagues at the University of Tokyo in Japan. The system can manipulate, or in other word, control your emotions and personal preferences by presenting you with an image of your own smiling or frowning face. The principle that physiological changes can drive emotional ones - that laughter comes before happiness, rather than the other way around - is a well-established idea. The researchers wanted to see if this idea could be used to build a computer system that manipulates how you feel. The system works by presenting the user with a web-camera image of his or her face - as if they were looking in a mirror. The image is then subtly altered with software, turning the corners of the mouth up or down and changing the area around the eyes, so that the person appears to smile or frown . Without telling them the aim of the study, the team recruited 21 volunteers and asked them to sit in front of the screen while performing an unrelated task. When the task was complete the participants rated how they felt. When the faces on screen appeared to smile, people reported that they felt happier. On the other hand, when the image was given a sad expression, they reported feeling less happy. Yoshida and his colleagues tested whether manipulating the volunteers' emotional state would influence their preferences. Each person was given a scarf to wear and again presented with the altered webcam image. The volunteers that saw themselves smiling while wearing the scarf were more likely to report that they liked it, and those that saw themselves not smiling were less likely. The system could be used to manipulate consumers' impressions of products, say the researchers. For example, mirrors in clothing-store fitting rooms could be replaced with screens showing altered reflections. They also suggest people may be more likely to find clothes attractive if they see themselves looking happy while trying them on. "It's certainly an interesting area," says Chris Creed at the University of Birmingham, UK. But he notes that using such technology in a shop would be harder than in the lab, because people will use a wide range of expressions. "Attempting to make slight differences to these and ensuring that the reflected image looks believable would be much more challenging," he says. Of course, there are also important moral questions surrounding such subtly manipulative technology. "You could argue that if it makes people happy what harm is it doing?" says Creed. "But I can imagine that many people may feel manipulated, uncomfortable and cheated if they found out." What does Creed's comment on the moral issues with this technology imply? One day, Jane and Mike went to the zoo with their mother. As soon as they arrived, Jane said she wanted to go see the bears and the lions. Mike didn't want to see them at all, he wanted to see the monkeys. Their mother told them that they can see all of the animals, but they have to start with the sneaky snakes. After going around to some of the animals, Mike was happy to finally see the monkeys. As soon as they started to watch the monkeys, they started dancing by the window in front of Mike, Jane, and their mother. "Look! Mike," their mother said, "those monkeys are dancing for you!" and Mike watched them happily dance and dance! When they stopped dancing, their mother told Jane it was time to see some scary lions and bears. Jane wasn't scared at all, she knew they weren't going to get her. Jane bravely went to the section with the lions and watched them roaring at her and Mike. Mike got scared and hid behind his mom. Jane was happy watching the lions. Next was the bears, but they were all asleep by the time they got to see them. At the end of the day, Mike said he loved the monkeys the best, Jane said she loved the lions. Both, Jane and Mike, said they loved the zoo. What were the monkeys and the lions doing when Jane and Mike watched them? Driving a car at high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You need only to follow the bright traffic signs beside the highways and it will take you to where you wish. But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver has to have not only good driving skills but also a good knowledge of the city of a London, from the smallest lane to the most popular bar around. He has to be at the service of all kinds of passengers at all times. A certain London taxi driver told of his job as follows. During the night it is quite usual for him to stop two or three times for some refreshments . He said. "I never drink when I'm working ---- I would lose my licence ." He normally goes home between 2 and 3 O'clock in the night, There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, "That's the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don't make the money , no one is going to give it to you." London taxi drivers not only 'take' but also 'give' , Every summer hundreds of children from London will go for a day at the sea--- by taxi! Their rides are paid by the taxi drivers, and these fares all go to the 'London Taxi Fund for Underprivileged Children.' At the sea. they are met by the mayor, and a lunch party is also held in honour of the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day running around the sea beaches and visiting the market, the children go home again-- by taxi, and free of charge, of course! London taxi driver _ . Security guard, truck driver, salesperson--year after year, these jobs appear on lists of the unhappiest careers. Although many factors can make a job unhappy, unusual hours, low pay, nochance for advancement -- these three gigs stand out for another reason: a lack of small talk. Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is central to well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under investigation. In one study, researchers eavesdropped on undergraduates for four days, then cataloged each overheard conversation as either small talk (What do you have there? Popcorn?(Yummy!) or serious (So did they get divorced soon after?). They found that the second type related with happiness--the happiest students had roughly twice as many serious talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talk, meanwhile, made up only 10 percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of conversation among the least content students. However, don't just consider chat worthless yet. Scientists believe that small talk could promote linking. Chatting with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists gave Chicago travelers varying directions about whether to talk with fellow train passengers something they typically avoided. Those told to chat with others reported a more pleasant journey than those told to enjoy your being alone or to do whatever they normally would. None of the chatters reported being rejected. And the results held for introverts and extroverts alike which makes sense, since acting extroverted has a positive effect on introverts. Small talk can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at, made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the business. Similarly, one not yet published paper found that when volunteers broke the silence of the Tate Modern to chat with gallery goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who were not approached. So go ahead, pry. Chitchat needn't be idle. And nosiness isn't all bad. The author used the Tate Modern example to demonstrate that _ .
In junior high school in America, kids study English, writing, math, physics, biology, music and art. At 12 o'clock, the students eat lunch at school. They have meat, vegetables, fruit, bread and a drink, but they like hot dogs and hamburgers best. American kids like sugar, and after the meal they can have a small piece of cake. Students sleep for a short time after lunch. They begin classes at 1:30 in the afternoon. They go to school on weekdays and have classes for six hours every day and then return home. Parents let their kids play or watch TV until dinner at 6:00 p. m. After dinner, they do their homework. Sometimes kids and their parents have a family activity after dinner. The American kids usually have dinner _ in the evening. Answer: A young man returns to his hometown of Aractataca, Colombia. He visits the house where he lived as a child. Here, he remembers the most important memories of his childhood. Standing in front of his old house, the young man makes an important decision. He says to himself, "I will start my life over again. I will become a writer." This man is the world famous writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born on March 6, 1928. During his early life, Garcia Marquez's grandmother and grandfather told him many stories. His grandmother would tell him legends as if they were real. Garcia Marquez says that his grandmother's way of storytelling later influenced his own methods. When Garcia Marquez was about 20 years old, he left Aractataca and attended university in Bogota. He began studying law because this was what his father wanted him to study. However, Garcia Marquez was not happy. During this time Garcia Marquez returned to Aractataca. It was on this visit that he realized he must stop studying law. And he recognized that he must return to the dream of his childhood-writing. For the next few years, Garcia Marquez wrote for many different newspapers. And in 1955, he published his first book called "Leaf Storm". For many years, Garcia Marquez knew he wanted to write about his grandfather's house in Aractataca. To write this book, Garcia Marquez and his wife had to sell almost all of their possessions to survive. But their act was worth it. The book, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was immediately successful. And this book created a path for Garcia Marquez's future success. In 1982, Gabriel Garcia Marquez was given the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book "One Hundred Years of Solitude", making him the first Colombian and the fourth Latin American to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. Garcia decided to take up writing _ . Answer: I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate's Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability. I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in "the mind". I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor's degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc. I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life. According to the passage, the author _ . Answer: Amy Pankratz spent a few nights in the hospital with her daughter, Isabella, who caught a bad flu. "Lying in bed beside Isabella, I could hear the cries of children in pain, "says Amy. "It completely broke my heart." When Isabella was getting well and could leave her room, she wore her prized possession--a "superhero cape " Amy had sewn to encourage her--and walked into the hallway. The pink cape was an instant hit with the other young patients, who were doing exercise around the nursing station. "Then, all the kidswere taking turns wearing the cape, giggling, "Amy says. "These were some of the same children I had heard crying the night before, and here they were playing and having fun--kids just being kids!" From that moment on, Amy began making Comfort Capes for little ones battling with serious illnesses. "I felt God presenting an opportunity, "she says. "I hoped Comfort Capes can help these kids feel brave, to lift some of the fear away. " Since then, Amy has made and donated more than 5, 000 capes in the United States. Amy usually pays for materials herself, although she accepts donations. The capes she makes for kids in treatment are different from those her own children have. Before Amy starts to sew she learns what image or character the little boy or girl connects with. "I choose the pattern, color and theme specially for each child," explains Amy. When she is not sewing, Amy is raising awareness of childhood cancers and looking into ways to get Comfort Capes to more kids who need them, "If a cape can help a child, even only for a moment, forget his illness, it's worth the time spent sewing," she says. What purpose did Amy have when she began making Comfort Capes for sick children? Answer: We may know that there are four basic stages that human beings pass through when they enter and live in a new culture. This process, which helps us to deal with culture shock , is the way our head and our personality react to(...) the strange new things we meet with when we move from one culture to another. Culture begins with the "honeymoon stage". This is the time when we first arrive in which everything about the new culture is strange and exciting. We see new things, hear new sounds and language, eat new kinds of food. This stage can last for quite a long time because we feel we are very excited. Unluckily, the second stage can be more difficult. After we have got used to our new life, we can become very tired and begin to miss our homeland and our family, friends, pets. All the little problems in life seem to be much bigger and more disturbing when you face them in a foreign culture. This time of cultural adjustment can be very difficult and lead to pulling away from the new culture. The third stage is called the "adjustment stage". This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture. Your sense of humor usually becomes stronger and you realize that you are becoming stronger by learning to take care of yourself in the new place. Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor! The fourth stage can be called "at ease at last". Now you feel quite comfortable in your new place. You can deal with most problems that you have. You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to deal with them. There is a fifth stage of culture shock which many people don't know about. This is called "reverse culture shock". Surprisingly, this happens when you go back to your own culture and find that you have changed and that things there have changed while you have been away. Now you feel a little uncomfortable back home. Life is a struggle! How do you feel during the first stage of culture shock? Answer:
Question: Paris is the capial of France. Its subway is very special. You can enjoy its culture when you are in this city. First you see many people reading books in the subway. Whenever they are in the subway or at the station, there is always a book in the hand. The subway station in Paris is not big , but each of them has its special facts. Some stations looks ships. Some have clothes, caps and shoes. And every station has a big advertisement picture. But many of them are for selling clothes and cosmetics . You can meet some beggars in the subway. But the beggars in the Paris subway are also very special. They often play the violin or guitar in the train. They don't feel shy at all. Instead they think it is natural. After playing, they will go around the train and ask you to give them some money. If you want to learn more about Paris, go to the subway and enjoy its culture by yourself. What's the main idea of this passage? A. Reading in the Paris subway. B. The subway is the window of the Paris culture. C. The beggars in the Paris subway station usually have some skills D. Each of the subway station in the Paris has its special facts. Answer: B Question: As we grow old, we realize that we have so little time to read and there are so many great books that we've yet to get around to. Yet re-readers are everywhere around us. For certain fans, re-reading The Lord of the Rings is a conventional practice annually. One friend told me that Jane Austen's Emma can still surprise him, despite his having read it over 50 times. New sudden clear understandings can be gained from the process of re-reading. Journalist Rebacca Mead, a long-time Englishwoman in New York, first came across George Eliot's Middlemarch at 17. Since then, she has read it again every five years. With each re-reading, it has opened up further; in each chapter of her life, it has resonated differently. Mead evidenced the large number of ways in which really good books not only stand the test of repeat reads, but also offer fresh gifts each time we _ . These kinds of books grow with us. Scientists have also recognized the mental health benefits of re-reading. Research conducted with readers in the US found that on our first reading, we are concerned with the "what" and the "why". Second time round, we're able to better appreciate the emotions that the plot continues to express. As researcher Cristel Russell of the American University explained, returning to a book "brings new or renewed appreciation of both the great book and its readers." It's true that we often find former selves on the pages of old books (if we're fond of making notes on the pages). These texts can carry us back to a time and place, and remind us of the kind of person that we were then. We're changed not only by lived experience but also by read experience - by the books that we've discovered since last reading the one in our hand. More so than the movie director or the musician, the writer calls upon our imaginations, using words to lead us to picture this declaration of love or that unfaithfulness in life. A book is a joint project between writers and readers, and we must pour so much of ourselves into reading that our own life story can become connected with the story in the book. Perhaps what's really strange is that we don't re-read more often. After all, we watch our favorite films again and we wouldn't think of listening to an album only once. We treasure messy old paintings as objects, yet of all art forms, literature alone is a largely one-time delight. A book, of course, takes up more time, but as Mead confirms, the rewards make it adequately worthwhile. The purpose of the passage is to _ . A. call on different understandings of old books B. focus on the mental health benefits of reading C. bring awareness to the significance of re-reading D. introduce the effective ways of re-reading old books Answer: C Question: This week, 46-year-old Randy Pausch said goodbye to his students at Carnegie Mellon University with the last lecture called "How to Live Your Childhood Dreams" on his life's journey and the lessons he's learned. In the lecture, he showed the audience how serious his illness was and admitted it was "an elephant in the room", but he was not that discouraged and he made jokes in his lecture. Randy is not just another story on Good Morning America or even on the local news here in Pittsburgh. He is a man I worked for, a Professor of Liam's and a friend of the family. Randy is dying of Pancreatic cancer and in his words only has "3 to 6 months of quality life". We met Randy about 5 years ago when Liam and I went to a Building Virtual Worlds show. Liam was hooked and applied to get his master under Randy at the Entertainment and Technology Center or ETC. Randy even came to our home for Liam's graduation party and earlier that year we saw the Flying Karamazov Brothers with him and his wife Jaye. Liam got to know Randy as a professional over the course of two years as a graduate student and then as a faculty member. Randy has three children all under the age of 6. Dillon, his oldest, Ross is younger and the youngest is only 9 months old, Lily. I believe Randy is a good man for a few simple reasons. He gave my husband a future doing something he loves, and he was a kind boss, but the thing I admire most about Randy is that you always know where you stand with him. He may be blunt and harsh at times but you know he is honest. He will be greatly missed at Carnegie Mellon. I wish Jaye and the children the best that life has to offer. Please click on the above underlined link and watch his inspiring lecture. It will be worth your time. Which of the following is NOT right? A. Randy's children are still young. B. Randy is a visiting professor in Carnegie Mellon. C. Randy is probably known in Pittsburgh. D. Randy is optimistic though he is in a poor state of health. Answer: B Question: Unless we spend money to spot(,) and prevent asteroids now, one might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it, say some scientists. Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids that race across the night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don't threaten us. But there are also thousands of asteroids whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth. But $500 million worth of new telescopes right now, then spend $10 million a year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a fatal one, the scientists say, we'll have a way to change its course. Is it worth it? Two things experts consider when judging any risk are (i) How likely the event is; (2) How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every 500,000 years. Sounds pretty rare but if one did fall. It would be the end of the world. "If we don't take care of these bid asteroids, they'll take care of us," says one scientist. "it's that simple." The cure, though, might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets(,) of nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth? "the world has less fear from doomsday rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them." Said a New York Times article. What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the course of asteroids? A. It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem. B. It may create more problems than it might solve. C. It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely. D. Further research should be done before it is proved applicable. Answer: B Question: Today is Saturday. It's sunny and warm. Many children from No. 1 Middle School are at the Old People's Home. Now, they're helping the old people. Look! Li Min and Zhan Ran are cleaning the windows. Ma Lan and Liu Qian are washing clothes. What's Li Na doing over there? Many old people are clapping their hands for her. Oh, she's singing for them. Her song is really beautiful. And where's the American boy, Tom? He likes helping others and he often comes here. Listen! Who's speaking English? It's Tom. He's teaching two old people to speak English. All the children and the old people are very happy. "We are happy when we help others, " says Tom. What is Tom doing? A. He is singing English songs. B. He is teaching English. C. He is washing clothes. D. He is cleaning the windows. Answer: B
After a while, Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a meeting on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other. Tommy, an only child, had always been a happy, cooperative and top student. How could I make his father and mother believe that his recent failing grades meant a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and divorce ? Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were enough to be here in time. They ignored each other. As I gave a detailed introduction of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I waited for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers? I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the exercises, but a single sentence scribbled over and over. Silently I gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened. At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped with her coat and they left together. In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain outpouring of a small boy's troubled heart. The words are "Dear Mom... Dear Daddy... I love..." This passage is most probably written by _ . A. a reporter B. a teacher C. a lawyer D. a doctor Answer: B. a teacher Time for Kids (TFK) gets the great news on the coolest toys for 2014 at the 111th American International Toy Fair. What's four days long, bigger than seven football fields, and filled with thousands of toys? It's Toy Fair 2014! Each year, hundreds of toy companies from across the country come together in New York City. All kinds of products are shown as a way to know what's to come in the new year. This year's trends include oversize toys. "In 2014, everything is really big and really out there," says Adrienne Appell, a toy-trends expert. Toy Fair is the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere . Toy-store buyers go to the event to decide which toys they may want to sell during the holiday season. Members of the media, like TFK, go to the fair to report back on all the cool trends. Unfortunately, Toy Fair is not open to the public. This year's Toy Fair was the biggest in its 111-year history. More than 1,000 toy companies showed products from simple card games to high-tech robots. "Larger Than Life" was a Toy Fair favorite. This trend is all about big toys with a big play value. Though it is all fun and games at Toy Fair, we saw lots of products making a push towards education, with STEAM. That stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. This trend includes word games. And of course, we saw some super cool, high-tech games. "Technology is always going to influence toys," says Appell. "This year we saw lots of 3D games, and robots."[:ZXXK] To know more information about the event, click here to watch the video. What's special about Toy Fair 2014? A. It is the largest. B. It is the longest. C. It sells all of its toys. D. It's held in New York City. Answer: A. It is the largest. During the last century we have moved from the Industrial Age through the Information Age to the Knowledge Age. The ability to obtain and apply the right knowledge effectively will become a key skill in the next century. Our ability will no longer be judged only by knowledge gained in the past, but will also be measured by our ability to learn and adapt in the future. Learning isn't just about economic success, however. It is the key to achieving our full potential(,). Human beings are particularly adapted to learn and we have the ability to do so throughout our lives. Learning has the power to change us. Specifically, we can become more successful. Learning can enable us to solve problems and change our attitudes. It makes us more interesting to be with. It can be enormous fun. It can also be very challenging. We all have the ability, at any age, to change our lives through learning. Our survival in the twenty-first century as individuals, organizations and nations, will depend on our ability to learn. A learning population is healthier, more tolerant(,), independent and fulfilled. Learning can take place in a range of styles: anytime, anywhere, anyhow. None of us learn in isolation(,). There are a whole range of factors that can affect us in learning. The key factors affecting people's learning include: their resources their image of learning the rewards associated with any learning activity the availability of information about learning opportunities *the climate created by government and employers in which learning takes place In many ways learning has the power to transform us, so which of the following does NOT belong to the ways? A. We can have a longer life. B. We can become more successful through learning. C. We can be more open-minded. D. We can be more agreeable. Answer: A. We can have a longer life. The story of "Who Moved My Cheese?"was created by Dr. Spencer Johnson to help him deal with a difficult change in his life. It showed him how to take his changing situation seriously but not take himself so seriously. When his friends noticed how much better life had become for him, and asked why, Dr.Johnson shared his "Cheese" story. Many later said how greatly the story had helped them to keep their sense of humor, to change, and to gain something better, too. Twenty years after the story was created, "Who Moved My Cheese?" was finally published. It soon became a No.1 international best seller, with one million hardcover copies in print within the first sixteen months and over ten million copies within the next two years. Some critics do not understand why so many people find the book so valuable. They say the story is simple enough for a child to understand, and it insults their intelligence. Some even fear it suggests that people should mindlessly accept unnecessary changes forced upon them by others, although that is not in the story. The author said that both the fans and the critics are "right" in their own way. It is not what is in the story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" but how you understand it and apply it to your own situation that gives it value. Hopefully the way you understand the story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" and the way you put it into action in your life will help you find and enjoy the "New Cheese" you deserve . (278words) Which of the following is NOT true about the book? A. The author's friends were interested to know why life became better for Spencer. B. The author agreed with both the fans and the critics of his book. C. Some people worry the book may have a bad effect on readers. D. The "New Cheese" in the last paragraph refers to a kind of freshly-made milk food. Answer: D. The "New Cheese" in the last paragraph refers to a kind of freshly-made milk food. A friend asks me "Why don't Chinese go Dutch?" So I want to regard this question as the topic and write an article.As everyone knows,westerners will go Dutch while having a meal in the restaurant.But Chinese don't go Dutch.Chinese will pay the bill and check out generously.Westerners don't often entertain guests;but Chinese often invite friends to dinner.A lot of westerners feel puzzled to this question. Why does there exist such a difference? First of all,food systems between China and West are different.Chinese put into practice Gather Dining System;westerners put into practice Individual Dining System.Everybody can share the delicious food of all over the table when eating Chinese food.Please note it is sharing,but westerners just eat the food in one's own plate.If you eat beef and he eats chicken,it is impossible that you taste the flavor of his chicken.The result of the Individual Dining System is that you can only eat the food in your plate. So to eat Chinese food is happier than to eat Western-style food.And I want to ask you a question.Do you like the free thing? I think nobody doesn't like the free thing.Ok! Suppose I invite you to eat the delicious Chinese food,then I pay the bill.This is equivalent to that you have enjoyed a delicious Chinese food free.So you will be very glad.It will strengthen the relation between us in the happy atmosphere. Secondly,westerners eat for the health;Chinese eat for the friendship.Westerners advocate individualism and independence is strong.So westerners express that respect for each other's independence through the way go Dutch.Chinese like making friends and solidarity.Chinese value the interpersonal relationships and the friendship very much. Third,it is only simple "Have a meal!" for westerners to entertain guests.Unlike the purpose and the _ that Chinese entertain guests,in Americans' idea,"Have a meal" definition is to add fuel to the body for keeping health and normal life activity.That is to say,there is not any additional value.In the Chinese idea,"Have a meal" not only is a kind of life enjoyment,but also is the means to promote friendship between the friends.After enjoying the sumptuous delicious food,you are glad,and I am glad too.The friendship between the friends has been strengthened in this kind of atmosphere. The passage mainly analyzes the cause of_. A. the different cultures between the West and prefix = st1 /China B. the various styles of food between the West and China C. the ways of paying the bill between westerners and Chinese D. all kinds of tastes of food from different countries Answer: C. the ways of paying the bill between westerners and Chinese
The Price of a Dream I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics. By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction . One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket -- cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn't be playing. I was dreading this, but my mother said: " _ " When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. "Your playing days are limited. You can't afford to waste them," he said. I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house. "How much are you going to make at this job, son?" he demanded. "Three twenty-five an hour," I replied. "Well," he asked, "is $3.25 an hour the price of a dream?" That question laid bare for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20,000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother the house of my dream. The end of the story was that the writer _ . Sam hated doing chores. And he had many chores. For example,on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays he took out the rubbish. And on weekends he always washed his father's car. He also cleaned his own room once a week. What a chore that was! Sometimes he even had to look after his little sister and brother. Sam had a foreign friend at school. His name was Kumar. Doing chores in Kumar's family was very different. In the house only the girls did chores. His sisters made all the beds and cleaned all the rooms too, even his bedroom.His mother always cooked the meals, and his sisters helped her to go shopping, and prepare the food. They worked hard at home,doing all the chores with their mother. So when Kumar talked to his friend Sam about chores, he felt very lucky. One day, Sam had an idea. He asked Kumar,"Could I borrow your sisters? " He wanted them to help him clean his room,but they said " no " Instead, they asked Sam to teach their brother how to do chores, so he could make his own bed. Sam and Kumar are very good at science. They are going to be scientists after university. They want to make a robot to do the chores. Then everyone-mothers and fathers, sons and daughters-will be happy! Which of the following is right? Mental and health experts believe personality plays an important part in how we experience stress. Personality is the way a person acts, feels and thinks. Some people are aggressive and always in a hurry. They often become angry when things do not happen the way they planned. They are called "Type A" personalities. Studies suggest that these people often get stress-related disorders. The "Type B" personality is calmer. These people are able to deal with all kinds of situations more easily. As a result, they are less affected by stress. Studies have also shown that men and women deal with stress differently. Women seem to be better able to deal with stress than men are. However, experts say women are three times more likely to develop depression in reaction to the stress in their lives. American writer John Gray became famous for his book, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." He notes that men and women have opposite ways of dealing with stress. For a man, the best way is to rest and forget about daily problems. But a woman suffering from stress needs to talk about her problems. Experts say there are several ways to deal with stress, including deep breathing, exercise, eating healthy foods, getting enough rest and balancing the time spent working and playing. Exercise is one of the most effective stress-reduction measures, as physical changes from exercise make you feel better. In addition, exercise can also improve the body's defense system against disease. Keeping stress to yourself can make problems worse. Experts say that expressing emotions to friends or family members or writing down your feelings can help reduce stress. And they also suggest that people should attempt to accept or change stressful situations whenever possible. According to the experts, _ . Do you know that November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)? You can find the NaNoWriMo Young Writer's programme at ywp.nanowrimo.org. It is a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in one month. The programmebagan in 1999 in San Francisco with only 21 members. Last year, more than 400,000 took up the challenge. The writers can choose what they want to write about. On November 1st, writers visit the website and start to update their word count. They can communicate with other writers there as well. All the writers have to stop writing on November 30th. Itis okay if you have never written a book before. The website provides lesson plans and workbooks for beginners. You can use them to improve writing skills in your novel. Then you can start planning what your novel will be about. Are there any books published from the NaNoWriMoprogramme? Here are a few: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Water for Elephants by SaraGruen Entrychats by Cecile Duquenne Are there any young readers who want to join in this programme? If you want, we hope you can write the best novel. If you have not heard of NaNoWriMo, but you have a good story in mind, join us! This passage is most probably written to _ . Have you ever had travel problems because your airplane was late? It is a common problem and it is getting worse. Airport delays make people angry and cost the country billions in lost work time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency that oversees air travel. They studied the problem of airline delays. They found eleven major problems and suggested eleven ways to fix them. Some of the problems are caused because different regions of the country do things differently. The regions don't talk to each other enough. Some of them need new computers. Also, more planes are flying. A strong economy has more people using airplanes to get around. Airplanes are a form of mass transportation now, like trains and buses were in the past. More planes in the airport cause delays. The airport in San Francisco is a good example. It is growing fast. Many people go through San Francisco to get to other places around the world. Ron Wilson of the San Francisco International Airport says, "If you've got 18 flights that all want to take off at 8:00 am and you're on the 18thplane in line, you're going to be 40 minutes late." Weather is another main reason for delays. Weather causes about 70% of delays. Fog or freezing rain can cause delays. The first thing the FAA wants to do is take control away from the regions during heavy traffic times and bad weather. A national center would make decisions on things that affect the whole country. The FAA also wants to put more distance between planes in the sky when the weather is bad. This rule could cause even more delays. The FAA knows that their solutions will not solve the problems with airport delays. But, they hope to make things better. There are just too many planes, too few traffic controllers, and not enough new technology. FAA found that some of the delay problems are caused by _ between two regions.
There are more than 100 million cars in the United States. An ordinary car gets less than 15 miles from each gallon of gas. It travels about 10,000 miles each year. In that time, it uses about 650 gallons of gas. In all , automobiles use up some 70 billion gallons of gas a year. That comes out to be four-and-a-half million barrels a day. The importance of saving gas, then, cannot be stressed too much. Let's say, the fuel used by each car could be cut back just 15 percent. This could be done by making fewer trips each day. It could be done by keeping the automobiles in good shape. It could be done through better driving habits. If these were done, the nation's use of fuel would fall by close to two-thirds of a million barrels per day. Everyone can help to save gas. One way is to ride buses. Some could walk to work. Others could ride their bikes. Another way is to share a ride. People could share cars. About one-third of all cars are used for going to and from work. You can go shopping with a friend from time to time. If two people use a car instead of two, they all save. Driving stress would be less, too, with fewer cars on the road. The savings on gas around the nation would come to more than one-half million barrels a day. Still another way to save is by cutting out trips one does not need to take. Can you find one car trip per week that could be done by telephone? Can you combine trips? If each car travelled 10 miles less each week, they could save three-and-a-half billion gallons of gas a year. This comes to nearly 5 percent of the total passenger cars demand for gas. The way people drive decides how much fuel they save. Careful drivers may get 20 percent more miles per gallon than ordinary drivers. They obey the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. If just one gallon of gas were saved each week for each car in the country, a total of five-and-a-half billion gallons could be saved a year. The passage mentions all of the following facts except that _ . driving stress can be greatly relieved by using less gas I'm glad to find this comment which has some sort of support in this quest I have to eat raw foods. I'm an unhealthy 49 years old and have come to the conclusion that it's now or never, so I am taking a dive into the raw eating lifestyle. I have to cook for my family and prepare what they want to eat. I'm trying to plan out this better so I have some of these unusual foods ready for myself. I've read several books written by Ann Wigmore and like her approach to the living foods. Last week I attempted fasting and failed. I lasted five days by having carrots, spinach, apples and other vegetarian diets I could get my hands on. I was doing fine until I drank some coffee. I kind of proved it in my mind to have the coffee but it only made me excited and then I couldn't sleep well and felt hungry and weak. So I stopped and went back to the old way of eating with the family. This week I started to make a drink called rejuvelac made of sprouted wheat . This is fairly new to do for me and the drink smelled sort of musty and tasted kind of like a musty lemon. The kids tasted it and almost threw up but surprisingly it tasted good to me. It is supposed to help in digestion . I've made some attempts to grow wheat grass. I think I have figured that out as long as I keep it away from birds and our horses. I have two habits to get rid of, drinking coffee and smoking. I quit smoking last month but something happened, so I started up again. I'm very frustrated with the smoking and really have a desire to quit for good. Anyhow I will keep this updated on my progress. We can learn from the passage that _ smoking. it's hard for the author to quit Last July, my 12-year-old car died on California's Santa Freeway.It was an hour before sunset, and I was 25 miles from home.I couldn't reach anyone to pick me up, so I decided to take a bus.Not knowing the routes, I thought I should just go east. A bus stopped.I got on and asked the driver how far she was going."Ten more miles,"she said.There was another bus I could take from here.This clearly was going to be a long night. I got off at the end of the route and she told me which bus to look for.After waiting 30 minutes, I began to think about a very expensive taxi ride home.Then a bus came up.There was no light number above its windshield .It was out of service, but the door opened.It was the same driver."I just can't leave you here,"she said."This isn't the nicest place.I will give you a ride home." "You will drive me home on the bus?"I asked, astonished. "No, I will take you in my car, "she said. "It's a long way, "I insisted. "Come on, " she said."I have nothing else to do." As we drove from, the station in the car, she began telling me a story.A few days earlier, her brother had run out of gas.A good man picked him up, took him to a service station and then back to his car."I'm just passing the favour on,"she said. When I offered her money as a thank-you, she wouldn't accept."Just do something nice for somebody.Pass it on."she said. Why did the writer say that he would have a long night? He wondered how long he had to wait for the next bus. The question this week comes from our listener Herve Acard, who asks about the American word "OK", which means "all right" or "acceptable". It expresses agreement or approval. The word is used more often than any other word in the world. Language expert Allen Walker Read said the word began as a short way of writing a different spelling of the words "all correct". Old stories say some foreign-born people would write "all correct" as o-l-l k-o-r-r-e-c-t and spoke it as "OK". Some people say it came from the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaws. The Choctaw word "okeh" means the same as the American word "OK". Experts say early explorers in the Western America spoke the Choctaw language in the nineteenth century. The language spread across the country. According to some people, "OK" was a way to shorten Greek words that mean everything is fine. It is also said that a railroad worker named Obadiah Kelly invented the word. He is said to have put the first letters of his names -- O and K -- on each object people gave him to place on the train. Another explanation is that "OK" was invented by a political organization that supported Martin Van Buren for president in the 1800s. They called their organization the OK Club. The letters O and K were taken from the name of the town where Martin Van Buren was born -- Old Kinderhook, New York. Not everyone agrees with these explanations, but experts do agree that the word is purely American and has spread to almost every country on Earth. Yet in the United States, it is used mostly in speech. Serious writers prefer using words, such as "agree", "approve" or "confirm" instead. Where does the passage probably come from? A radio program. Based on their locations in the periodic table, which element has chemical properties most similar to those of calcium, Ca? beryllium, Be
Energy is very important in modern life. People use energy to run machines, heat and cool their homes, cook, give light, and transport people and products from place to place. Most energy comes from fossil fuels--petroleum, coal, and natural gas. However, burning fuels causes pollution. Also, if we don't find new kinds of energy, we will use up all the fossil fuels in the twenty-first century. Scientists are working hard to find other kinds of energy for the future. What might these sources of energy be? Energy from the wind All over the world, people use the power of the wind. It turns windmills and moves sailboats. It is a clean source of energy, and there is lots of it. Unfortunately, if the wind does not blow, there is no wind energy. Energy from water When water moves from a high place to a lower place, it makes energy. This energy is used to create electricity. In Brittany, France, for example, waterpower produces enough energy to light a town of 40,000people. Waterpower gives energy without pollution. However, people have to build dams to use this energy. Dams cost a lot of money, so water energy is expensive. Energy from the earth There is heat in rocks under the earth. Scientists use this heat to make geothermal energy. San Francisco gets half of the energy it needs from geothermal power. This kind of energy is cheap, but it is possible only in a few places in the world. Energy from the sun Solar panels on the roofs of houses can turn energy from the sun into electricity. These panels can create enough energy to heat an entire house. Solar power is clean and there is a lot of it in sunny places. But when the weather is bad, there is no sunlight for energy. What is the writer's opinion about the energy? A Try to use water energy more though it costs a lot. B Each natural energy has its own advantages and disadvantages. C Solar power is environmental. D Wind power is the cheapest but we can't get. Answer: B. Each natural energy has its own advantages and disadvantages. Brighton: It is a seaside resort on the English Channel. Only 50 miles from London, it offers a good variety of lively entertainment. It is a cheerful place, busy and crowded in the summer, but alive in every season of the year. Its royal pavilion is a masterpiece of English architecture. Durham: Whatever travelers see or don't see in England, they must see this city, in the northeast, just south of NewcastleuponTyne. No one will forget the sight of its cathedral and castle rising together on a steep hill overlooking a loop in the River Wear, which almost surrounds them. The cathedral itself is one of the great medieval(,476~1500)buildings in Europe. Liverpool: A port in the northwest of England which possesses a quality that is not found in quite the same way anywhere else in England: the quality of grandeur . Liverpool has this grandeur in its site on the broad River Mersey (more than half a mile wide) with the houses rising near it; in its great dock buildings, its broad streets, and its two enormous cathedrals. Edinburgh: It has long been the capital of Scotland. Edinburgh Castle is Edinburgh's important building, controlling the city from its perch on a rock over a hundred meters above sea level. Another important building is the Palace of Holyrood House, begun by James III around 1500. Between the castle and the palace is the Royal Mile, which was the center of Edinburgh life before the 17th century and is fascinating to visit now. From this article, which of the following statements is WRONG? A Around the broad River Mersey you can enjoy the unique quality of Liverpool . B The sight of Durham's cathedral and castle is probably best seen from the banks of the Riverwear . C The Palace of Holyrood House is much older than the cathedral in Durham. D Edinburgh Castle was built over a hundred meters above sea level. Answer: C. The Palace of Holyrood House is much older than the cathedral in Durham. Vitamins are stored in foods we eat. The kids are udner great need of vitamins for growth. As they use their energy in playing, they need lots of vitamins. Children usually choose certain foods above the others and often do not eat those with important nutrients . Sothough the food they are eating is nutritious, it may not always provide all the nutrients the child needs. One nutrient can not balance the shortage of another. Foods like grains, vegetables, fruits and meats should be eaten daily, because different foods in the child's diet can balance against taking too much or too little of any nutrient. Kids grow slower in their childhood than when they were babies or when they develop into adults. Energy output is high, with hard paly perids that include plenty of running, jumping, and testing of new physical skills. So they need a lot of vitamins. Here are some important vitamins and their functions Vitamin D in milk helps your bones. Vitamin A in carrots helps you see at night. Vitamin C in oranges helps your body heal if you get a cut. B vitamins in leafy vegetables helps your body make protein . The children, who are suffering from a sickness called cystic fibrosis, lose vitamin A, D and E. These are main body-building vitamins. Therefore, vitamin supplements may be necessary. Blood tests will telll you whether a child needs vitamin supplements. If babies over nine months of age are receiving whole cow's milk, they'll need a daily vitamin C supplement till their diet provide enough vitamin C. Vitamin D is added to all milks so babies drinking them need no extra vitamin D. Children are greatly in need of vitamin C. If you are 18 years of age or younger, you should get 115 millgrams of vitamin C per day. Those over 19 should get 120 milligrams per day. We can learn from the passage that _ . A it is necessary for kids to eat different foods for all nutrients B it is necessary for one to exercise if he needs more vitamins C is it unnecesssay for babies to take a vitamin D supplement D it is unnecessary for elderly people to take in any vitamins. Answer: A. it is necessary for kids to eat different foods for all nutrients David and Sue went to their Auntie's house to visit on Saturday morning. She had some new ducklings in the pond that they wanted to see. They went out to the pond and on the way they saw a frog. They also saw a boat in the water. They saw a water lily. They looked in the water until they saw the mother duck and her ducklings. They were different colors. Six of them were brown and yellow. Four of them were only yellow. Two ducklings were brown. There was one that was white. They were all very fuzzy. They went back to the house to tell Auntie Beth about the ducklings. She was cooking on the stove. She asked Sue to get some eggs. She asked David to get some butter. Auntie Beth poured some milk into a bowl of flour. She made them a cake. "I'm so glad you've come to visit me," Auntie Beth said. Sue told her about the things they saw at the pond. David said, "We saw a frog. Don't forget the frog. It was my favorite." It was a good visit. What did the children come to see? A frog B ducklings C cake D boat Answer: B. ducklings Hi Hongbo, I'm so glad to read about the changes talking place in your city. It's really good news that you can travel by subway in Xi'an, though there's only one line there. Here in London we have twelve lines. By the way, we don't use the word "subway" here. It's American English. We call it "the Underground", instead. The London Underground is very famous. It's famous for several reasons. First of all, part of the underground railway today is the oldest in the world, which opened in 1863. Secondly, the London Underground is also the first line to have electric trains, in 1890. Thirdly but not the last, the London Underground is the second largest metro system in the world, after the Shanghai Metro. There are 270 stations in the Underground and it has 402 kilometres oftracks . What's more, the city of London itself helps make the transportation system famous! I've got a few photos to help you build a clear picture of the Underground in my city. They are together with this mail. In your email, you also said workers were building more lines. I'm sure your city is developing fast. Maybe you can send me a few photos of your city today. I really want to see the changes taking place there. I'm happy for you to live there in an ancient city with such a new look! So much for now. I'll write soon again. Best wishes! What does the writer want Hongbo to do? A To buy a good book about Xi'an for him. B To send him a few photos of Xi'an. C To post him some postcards of Xi'an. D To tell him more about Xi'an subway. Answer: B. To send him a few photos of Xi'an.
Some people would go through anything just to achieve their dream. Kasia Siwosz is proof. For the final year student on the university women's tennis team, the road to Berkeley, University of California was met with poor advice and misinformation from her home country and _ along the way that fell short of expectations. Born in Poland, Siwosz began playing tennis at seven years old and developed the skills that helped her earn a top-50 ranking among the ITF Junior division . Siwosz wanted to do more with her life than just play tennis, which led her to seek chances that would also allow her to obtain a top education. While most who grow up in the U.S. are naturally accustomed to the American tradition of collegiate sports, such a custom is not as familiar in a country like Poland. "There's no collegiate sports in Poland and no culture of sports and academic study there. You can only do one, not both," Siwosz said. Her desire to have a quality education led her to America to follow her dream. While Siwosz was talented enough to begin her collegiate tennis career, she could only attend community college because she missed the deadline to apply to four-year schools, mainly due to misinformation provided in her home country of Poland. When she had earned all her credits and was able to transfer , Siwosz made the decision to attend Baylor in Texas. Her friends from Poland put in a good word for the university, saying that it was a good fit because there were many international players at Baylor. "I thought it would be a good idea, but it really wasn't what I thought it would be," Siwosz said. "I wasn't happy at Baylor. The level of tennis was high, but the academic standards were no match and I just wanted more." After one year at Baylor, Siwosz's luck finally began to change when she made the decision to transfer to Berkeley, which was due in large part to Lee, a former Berkeley student. Lee, who is a keen tennis player himself, met Siwosz four years ago in Texas. "I knew she was unhappy there," he said. "I saw the opportunity for her to come here." Siwosz visited Lee in Berkeley. "I ended up loving this place and this school," Siwosz said. "I came here a lot over the summer, I _ and I ended up with a Berkeley education and a spot on one of the best college tennis teams in the country." Why did Siwosz want to leave her homeland for America? Answer: Outlook Outlook is back with a new series of reports to keep you up to date with all that's new in the world of entertainment. Stories go all the way from the technical to the romantic, from stage to screen. There will be reports of the stars of the moment, the stars of the future and the stars of the past. The director with his new film, the designer with the latest fashion, and the musician with the popular song are part of the new Outlook. The program is introduced by Fran Levine. 9:00 PM Discovery When a 10 -year -old boy gets a first class degree in mathematics or an 8-year- old plays chess like a future grand master, they are considered as geniuses. Where does the quality of genius come from? Is it all in the genes or can any child be turned into a genius? And if parents do have a child who might become a genius in the future, what should they do ? In this 30-minute film, Barry Johnson, the professor at School of Medicine, New York University will help you discover the answer. 10:00 PM Science/Health Is it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs? The answer is "yes", according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers. After a study of 800 persons with high blood pressure, they found that after 6 months, those devoted to weight-loss exercise and eating a low-salt, low-fat food lost about 13 pounds and became fitter. Plus, 35% of them dropped into the "normal" category. This week, Dr. Alan Duckworth will tell you how these people reduce their blood pressure to a level similar to what's achieved with Hypertension drugs. According to the third text, which of the following has almost the same effect as Hypertension drug? Answer: A bike tour and race will be held on August 26 and 27(Sat. & Sum. ). At 5:30am, the riders will leave Tian'anmen Square and ride the first 35 kilometers as a training _ . Then the next 55 kilometres leg, from Yanjiao to Jixian, will be the first competitive part of the tour. The riders and their bikes will then be taken from Jixian to Changli. The second racing leg of the tour will be from Changli to the seaside of Nandaibe, covering a distance of 20 kilometres. Saturday night includes the stay at Nandaihe and supper. Sunday morning is free for play at the seaside. At noon all the people and their bikes will be taken back to Beijing. Cost:200 yuan Telephone:4675027 _ The Brazilian Football Club will play Beijing Guo'an Team at the Workers Stadium on August 26. The club has four national team players . Also coming is 1994 US World Cup star Romario who has promised to play for at least 45 minutes. Ticket prices:60,100,150 yuan Time/Date:4:30 pm, August 26(Sat. ) Telephone:5012372 _ The Third National Rock Climbing Competition will be held on August 26-27 at the Huairou Mountain-climbing Training Base. More than 10 teams from Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, Jilin and other places will take part in it. A Japanese team will give an exhibition climbing. Free for spectators . Take a long-distance bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou. Time/Dates:9-12 am, August 26 and 27 Telephone:7143177, 7144850, Wang Zhenghua If you want to find something to do for Saturday afternoon, which telephone number will you call? Answer: 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. According to the teachers, older students may not like stand-up desks because _ . Answer: In high school, "cool" is the rule, so teenagers will do anything to avoid possibly embarrassing situations. But not Samantha Elton, 15. She seeks them out. And if she can make a fool of herself as in the process, well, that's even better. For the past two years, Elton, has been a practitioner of improvisation, doing things that others would be embarrassed to consider. Elton is a member of High School Jesters, a group that teaches improvisation techniques to students. The group was founded two years ago by Nicholas Kopatich, himself a keen improviser. "I was sitting in my dorm room and some friends were having chats about comedy and improvisation," Kopatich recalls. They asked for lessons after Kopatich told them he had improvisation experience. The small group turned out to be pretty good at it, so they did a show for the dorm. And things snowballed. While even her mother marvels at Elton's ability to get up in front of audience without a script to fall back on, the teen enjoys such opportunities. Performing improvisation comes with a certain freedom that theater doesn't provide. "What I like about it the most is that I don't have to be a certain character or a certain way, and because of that I can't get anything wrong," Elton says, "I get to write the story while I'm doing it." Monica Elton, Samantha's mom, thinks the workshops are a valuable outlet that a lot of students may not get in their schools. High school kids don't usually like to act silly or look uncool, she says, but improvisation teaches them that it's OK to have flaws. "I like to think we give kids positively that allows them to gain confidence," says Brent Mukai, a High School Jesters instructor. The great thing about improvisation is that it is an art form that is open to anyone. But there's more to it than getting up in front of audience and telling jokes or acting silly. "You don't need to be the most amazing actress to be an improviser," Samantha Elton says, "It's really a place where I can show people my creativity. I can paint pictures for people and entertain others." It's really free. It can be inferred that Kopatich formed High School Jesters _ . Answer:
My father's reaction to the bank building at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York city was immediate and definite: "You won't catch me putting my money in there!" he declared, "Not in that glass box!" Of course, my father is a gentleman of the old school, a member of the generation to whom a good deal of modern architecture is upsetting, but I am convinced that his negative response was not so much to the architecture as to a violation of his concept of the nature of money. In his generation money was thought of as a real commodity that could be carried, or stolen. Consequently, to attract the custom of a sensible man, a bank had to have heavy walls, barred windows, and bronze doors, to affirm the fact, however untrue, that money would be safe inside. If a building's design made it appear impenetrable , the institution was necessarily reliable, and the meaning of the heavy wall as an architecture symbol reflected people's prevailing attitude toward money. But the attitude toward money has, of course, changed. Excepting pocket money, cash of any kind is now rarely used; money as a has largely been replaced by credit. A deficit economy, accompanied by huge expansion, has led us to think of money as product of the creative imagination. The banker no longer offers us a safe: he offers us a service in which the most valuable element is the creativity for the invention of large numbers. It is in no way surprising, in view of this change in attitude, that we are witnessing the disappearance of the heavy-walled bank. Just as the older bank emphasized its strength, this bank by its architecture boasts of imaginative powers. From this point of view it is hard to say where architecture ends and human assertion begins. 40. It can be inferred from the passage that the author's attitude towards the new trend in banking is _ . A. cautious B. regretful C. positive D. hostile Answer: C One day I got in a taxi, and we left for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when, suddenly, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver stopped his car at once. The tire made a very loud noise, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the black of the other car. I was _ . But then I couldn't believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, turned his head and started yelling at us. I couldn't believe it! But my taxi driver just smiled at the guy. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost sent us to hospital. " This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call "The Law of the Rubbish Truck . " He explained that many people are like rubbish trucks. They run around full of rubbish, full of anger and full of bad feelings. As their rubbish piles up, they look for a place to throw it away and sometimes they'll throw it at you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their rubbish and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets. Successful people never let rubbish trucks change their moods . Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love those who love you and pray for those who don't. A car accident nearly happened on the writer's way to the _ . A. bus station B. his home C. t rain station D. airport Answer: D The idea of sailing west to reach the riches of the East Indies and the Asian mainland was much in fashion with cultured Europeans during the late fifteenth century. Learned people agreed that the earth was round: their only questions were how long and how dangerous would be a trip to reach the Orient. Christopher Columbus, the son of an unknown weaver, and himself a weaver of ambitious dreams, made his historic voyage to the New World in 1492. He didn't go to school very much, but be learned to read and write Spanish during his travels. He also taught himself Latin because all the geography books were written in Latin. Sailing with a tiny fleet of three ships, the Santa Maria and two smaller ships, the Pinta and the Nina and a crew of ninety sailors, be found the thirty-three-day crossing easier than his nearly-decade-long effort to find royal sponsors willing to support it. The trip drew not only on his own skills as an expert ship's captain, but also on his ability to plan such an expedition, obtain governmental approval and financing, and finally, demonstrate its success so that such explorations could continue. He tried for years to get King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to supply him with ships and money. Finally they agreed, but he made more demands. He wanted to be made a knight, admiral of the Ocean Sea. He wanted to be the viceroy and governor general of all lands he would discover. Also he wanted one-tenth of everything he found of value in the new lands. The explorations that followed Columbus-those of Cabot, Verrazano, Cartier, and many others-benefited from a new maritime technology borrowed from Arab sailors and from a variety of new vessels (,) such as the light-weight caravels employed by Columbus. Sailors also perfected sails and various types of riggings that gave ships added stability and greater maneuverability on the open seas. And when leaving sight of the coast, new navigational aids-charts, compasses, and astrolabes-permitted them to determine their position with some, though not perfect, accuracy. Columbus himself made a total of four voyages to the New World but he did not become rich as he had hoped. At the end of his life he only had a pension the king and queen had given him because he was the first to reach the New World. He spent the last few months of his life in bed because of the pain of arthritis . Columbus not only discovered a New World, but led the way for other explorers. What was the dream destination of Europeans in the late fifteenth century? A. The oriental countries. B. The East Indonesia. C. The Old World. D. The African mainland. . Answer: A Betty is not traditional American beauty. She is unfashionable, has thick red glasses, untidy hair and large metal braces on her teeth. But this hasn't stopped her from becoming one of American's favorite TV characters. So how did she manage to do it? The answer is that charm can be more attractive than beauty. Betty is the main character in a TV show Ugly Betty. The show is about her life as a n office worker at a fashion magazine in New York. The TV show has just started. Betty has many exciting experiences and romantic stories. Betty is often looked down on and laughed at by the people around. But she manages to do better than others with her hard work, charm and wisdom. The show tells us about how a girl goes from an ugly young duck into a beautiful swan. Though you may know the ending of the show from the beginning and the story is familiar to many of us, it has still been a big success in the USA. It has attracted a large number of viewers and won two Golden Globes awards, one of the highest honors for a television program in the USA." I think you can see a bit of Betty in all of us, and I mean men as well, because it's about the underdog ",says Ashley Jensen, who plays one of the characters on the show. The program is so popular because of the performance of the 23-year-old actress America Ferrera who plays the role of Betty. She brings the character alive on the screen. Which is the reason for the success of the show? A. A large number of viewers. B. Her life as an office worker. C. The wonderful performance. D. Two Golden Globes awards. Answer: C Kalle Lasn was in a supermarket parking lot one afternoon when he had an experience that changed his life.In order to shop at the store, he needed to put money into the shopping cart to use it.Annoyed that he had to "pay to shop," Lasn jammed the coin into the cart so that it wouldn't work.It was an act of _ --the first of many--for Lasn. Born in Estonia, Kalle Lasn moved to Australia as a young man and then later to Japan, where he founded a marketing research firm in Tokyo.Eventually, Lasn moved to Canada and for several years produced documentaries for public television.In the late 1980s, Lasn made an advertisement that spoke out against the logging industry and the deforestation going on in the Pacific Northwest.When he tried to show his ad on TV, though, no station in this area would give him airtime.In response, Lasn and a colleague founded Adbusters Media Foundation, a company for the "Human right to communicate. Adbusters produces magazine, newspaper, and TV ads with a social message.Many use humor and irony to make their points: In one, for example, a man chain smokes a brand of cigarettes called "Hope".In another, a child is dressed in an outfit used in fast-food ads.Next to the child is a note from its mother telling the restaurant to leave her child alone. Adbusters also has a magazine and a web site, the Culture Jammers Network, whose members include students, artists, and activists as well as educators and businesspeople interested in social change.Many of these "culture jammers" are working to raise awareness about different social issues by hosting events like "Buy Nothing Day" , " No Car Day" and "TV Turnoff Week" .Lasn and his partners hope these events will encourage people to think about questions such as; What kinds of things are we being encouraged to buy by the media? Should cars be our primary means of transportation? *How are television and radio being used now? How could we be using them? Some culture jammers are using other methods to challenge how people think.Some pretend to be shoppers.They move items in stores from one shelf to another making it difficult for people to find things easily.Other culture jammers break into large company well sites and jam them so that they become unusable.The goal in both cases ia to prevent "Business as usual" and to gel people to ask themselves questions such as "Why am I shopping here?" or "Why should I buy this product?" Lasn and members of the Culture Jammers Network want to make people aware of social issues, but they also believe it's important to think of solutions, too."A lot of people tell you everything that's wrong but they never say much about how to fix these problems," says Lasn."But there is plenty we can do.If you start despairing, you have lost everything." Though many TV stations still won't show Adbusters' " uncommercials" , some cable TV stations have started to.People all over the world have joined the Culture Jammers Network and are doing their part to promote social change. It can be inferred from the passage _ . A. Adbusters Media Foundation was founded to fight against deforestation B. More and more people will know about and even become culture jammers C. The Culture Jammers Network is made up of annoying trouble makers D. People can see some of Adbusters ads on TV stations Answer: B
In the north of Scotland there is a lake called Loch Ness. It is the biggest lake in Britain. It is over thirty kilometres long and in places nearly 300 meters deep. It is cold and dark and not many people went there until after 1930. Then a road was made around the lake. Holiday makers began to use the road, and this was when the stories began. Someone said that he had seen a monster in the lake. He said it was twelve meters long. It had a long neck and a small head. Then someone else said he had seen it. Others said the same thing and in 1933 a London doctor took a photo. It looked like a monster with a long neck and a thick body but the photo was not dear. The newspapers printed the picture and called it the Loch Ness monster, or "Nessie". Then the argument began. Some people, however, were certain there was something living in the lake. Others said there was nothing there. In 1961, a lot of people joined together to make a real effort to see and photograph the monster if there was one! Several times people thought they saw something but after ten years there was still no real proof. Later underwater television cameras were used, but no one found any real proof. However, they did find something interesting: a huge underwater cave. It was big enough to be home of a monster, but of course, this was not a proof. In 1975, however, some American scientists formed a search group. They used an underwater camera. It took pictures every seventy seconds. Some of the pictures seemed to show a red-brown creature. Its body was about four meters long and had a very ugly head on the end of a four meter neck. Many people then began to believe in the monster. But even today we can not be certain. What did the monster look like? A It looked like a horse. B It was a creature with a long neck and a small head. C It looked beautiful. D It was tiny and pretty. Answer: B. It was a creature with a long neck and a small head. American sign language has an interesting history. Although there have always been deaf individuals in America, the history really begins in 1817. Before 1817 deaf people communicated by using "home signs". Gestures were individually created and used within the home for simple communication. There were no schools or formal sign language training for the deaf. So, why was 1817 an important date? Well, the story begins with Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. Gallaudet met his neighbor's daughter Alice Cogswell. Alice was the young deaf daughter of Dr. Mason Cogswell from Hartford, Connecticut. Gallaudet began teaching Alice to read and write a few simple words. Excited by the success Dr. Cogswell encouraged Gallaudet to establish a school for the deaf. Cogswell raised the money and Gallaudet traveled to Britain to learn the methods used there. However, the schools refused to share their instructional techniques and methods. While in London, there happened to be a demonstration of the French method of deaf education. Britain was using an oral method of instruction; however, the French method used signs. Gallaudet was fascinated with the method and was able to meet with the instructor, Sicard, and his two deaf pupils, Jean Massieu and Laurent Clerc. Sicard agreed to teach Gallaudet his method and Gallaudet went to Paris to learn French signs. After a while, Gallaudet wished to return home and convinced Clerc to go with him and help him establish the school. The trip home was a 52-day voyage during which Clerc taught Gallaudet French signs and Gallaudet taught Clerc English. On April 15, 1817, Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet established what is currently known as the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. The opening of the first school for the deaf can be viewed as one of the most important events in current deaf culture. What is the text mainly about? A How Gallaudet set up the first school for the deaf in America. B What contributions Gallaudet made to the education of the deaf in America. C Different methods of teaching the deaf in the world. D Who invented American sign language. Answer: A. How Gallaudet set up the first school for the deaf in America. Arnold decided to destroy an old warehouse that he owned because the taxes on the structure exceeded the income that he could receive from it. He crept into the building in the middle of the night with a can of gasoline and a fuse and set the fuse timer for 30 minutes. He then left the building. The fuse failed to ignite, and the building was not harmed. Arson is defined in this jurisdiction as "The intentional burning of any building or structure of another, without the consent of the owner." Arnold believed, however, that burning one's own building was arson, having been so advised by his lawyer. Has Arnold committed attempted arson? A Yes, because factual impossibility is no defense. B Yes, because a mistake of law even on the advice of an attorney is no defense. C No, because his mistake negated a necessary mental state. D No, because even if his actions had every consequence he intended, they would not have constituted arson. Answer: D. No, because even if his actions had every consequence he intended, they would not have constituted arson. Many cities in the world are benefiting from the night activities of a group of people who call themselves guerrilla gardeners. Armed with trowels, spades and a van full of flowers and plants, guerrilla gardeners turn abandoned urban land into a blaze of color. In city centre locations where there was mud, weeds and empty plastic bottles, residents often wake up to find that the wasted area has been transformed overnight with brightly-colored bedding plants. In most British cities, local governments and police turn a blind eye to the effort of the gardeners, whose activities are always carried out under cover of nightfall. And so far, there has been nothing but praise from the astonished and delighted local residents when they find their neighborhood transformed in such a striking fashion. Not only do the guerrilla gardeners beautify neglected places, they also return regularly to water the plants and weed the flower beds. They also make sure that at least some of the plants they bring are evergreens, which means that the area doesn't look depressing in the winter months. The first guerrilla gardener in London was Richard Reynolds, whose day job is at an advertising agency. Mr. Reynolds, a graduate of Oxford University, began his efforts two years ago when he moved to a flat in a tower block in South London. From his balcony, he could see several empty concrete pots, placed by the local governments to contain plants but never used. He went out after midnight and filled the pots with plants, and then planted more flowers in the path leading to the entrance to the block. He then set up a website to explain his plan and called upon more gardeners to join him. Cash donations flooded in and, more importantly, volunteers rushed to be part of the campaign. Within six months, there were five hundred people in London prepared to come out at very short notice to restore neglected parts of the urban landscape. There are now unofficial but carefully-organized groups in many cities in Britain and North America and there is also a website where would-be urban gardeners can find out the location of the next expedition. Richard Reynolds decided to fill the pots with plants in order to _ . A plant more flowers in the path B beautify the neighborhood C attract attention for his ad agency D make the plants a feast for his eyes Answer: B. beautify the neighborhood After a 15-year ban on the sale of fireworks in Beijing, Kang Guoliang, 51, was able to start his old trade again yesterday. As a salesman in Xinhui store in Dongcheng District, he is happy about the increasing number of buying fireworks wrapped in red paper -- a color standing for happiness and good luck. "Fireworks are available for the first time in town for more than a decade," Kang said happily."People will buy them." The store has 300 boxes of fireworks piled up and is open 24 hours at the moment.Residents are buying the fireworks and firecrackers for the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on February 18. Citywide, 2,116 registered stores and retailers, 585 in the centre and 1,600 on the outskirts are trading fireworks in the Chinese capital.Sales of fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road started yesterday and will last until March 4, Xinhua reported.Among the stores, 117 stores are permitted to operate 24 hours.About 600,000 boxes of firecrackers worth more than 100 million yuan have been carried to registered stores. The Chinese capital began a ban in 1993 to reduce fireworks-related deaths and fires during the holiday season.Last September the ban was removed in response to residents' fondness for fireworks when celebrating Spring Festival. According to new rules, Beijing residents are allowed to set off fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road all day on Lunar New Year's Eve and Lunar New Year's day, from 7 a.m.to midnight every day from February 19 to March 4. "Spring Festival without fireworks is not Spring Festival," said Sheng Hefei, who was buying fireworks in the store."It was fun to light the firecrackers when I was little," he said."The sound and view of fireworks make a real holiday." However, not all residents welcome the return of firecrackers because of injuries, pollution and noise."My child is scared of the sudden sound of firecrackers, and it is annoying to hear it all night long," complained Lu Jun, a local resident. (China Daily02/11/2008) What's the main idea of the passage? A Beijing fireworks sales start after a 15-year ban. B People go to buy fireworks and firecrackers every where in Beijing. C Beijing residents all welcome the return of firecrackers. D Many stores began to sell fireworks and firecrackers. Answer: A. Beijing fireworks sales start after a 15-year ban.
There are various aspects that go into making a successful school, and success can be measured in various ways. Often, the teachers are praised for a school's success and blamed for its failure. Yet, in order for a school to be effective, it must be a place where teaching and learning can easily take place, and that requires the hard work of more than just educators. Students must take learning into their own hands and feel as if what they are doing is as important as it actually is. This can only be done with the cooperation of every adult that is involved in the students' life. Some of these individuals often go unnoticed, yet the role they play in the students' lives is immeasurable. In the school, administrative assistants greet students at the start of the day and answer a large quantity of questions. When an assistant remembers a student's name or even something special about that student, it communicates to him that he is cared for. The assistant can also give that extra encouragement for a student to make better choices, especially when they are visiting the principal's office. Meanwhile, though cafeteria workers have a short space of time to interact with students, they can make a big difference as well. Beyond meeting nutritional needs, cafeteria workers may also on occasion meet the emotional needs of the students they serve. Students benefit from positive interaction with adults, and cafeteria workers may give that extra bit of encouragement that a child needs. Custodians are usually underappreciated for what they offer to schools. They have to be knowledgeable about everything from cleaning to fixing the most intricate tools. They get to school early in the morning before teachers arrive and lock up late at night after the last student has left from the after-school event. They also make sure teachers are equipped with the necessary items and prepare the rooms so that they are ready for learning. A great custodian also gives that kind word or extra smile to that student who needs it most. The purpose of the passage is to _ . Answer: highlight the contributions of other staff at school besides teachers. Anna Riviere was one of the most admired of 19th-century English sopranos . She was also one of the most adventuresome. She was born in London on January 9th, 1810. She entered the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 14. Seven years later, just after her first show, Anna married Sir Henry Bishop, who was 24 years her senior. Her reputation as a singer grew rapidly, based largely on her tours with Sir Henry and harpist Nicholas Bochsa. After a tour of Dublin, Edinburgh, and London, Anna Bishop deserted her husband and three children and ran away with Bochsa. From then on, Madame Bishop--as she continued to be known--traveled and sang as if her life depended on it. Between 1839 and 1843 she traveled to every major town in Europe, where she sang in 260 concerts. In the course of two years in Naples, she performed in 20 operas. In 1855 she and Bochsa sailed for Sydney, Australia. He died there the following year, and Anna went on to tour South America before returning to New York, where she married a diamond merchant. Then she began what proved her most dangerous adventure. After another American tour in 1866, she and her husband set sail across the Pacific. They were shipwrecked on a small coral reef, and for more than a month they drifted in a small boat before they finally reaching Guam. She had lost her music, her wardrobe, and her jewelry, but Madame Bishop was not to be stopped. She went on to Manila and began a concert tour that led to Hong Kong, Singapore, and India before she went back to England. After another two-year world tour she returned eventually to New York, where she gave her last public performance in 1883--at age 73. Meanwhile the husband she left behind, Sir Henry, had become famous for writing the music to lyrics that might eventually have been meaningful to Anna Bishop--"Home, Sweet Home." The best title for this passage is _ . Answer: The adventuresome soprano Two pure substances combine to make a new substance. The new substance cannot be physically separated and has a different boiling point than each of the original substances. This new substance can best be classified as Answer: a compound. At any given time, hundreds of postcards are in transit across the world as strangers communicate through a movement called Post-crossing. Emma Delaney says it's a sad day when there isn't a postcard in her mailbox. She doesn't have a bunch of friends travelling overseas at the moment ---- she's just really active in the underground hobby of Postcrossing. "I've sent over 3,000 postcards, but I've been doing it for close to seven years," she says. "My husband, generally appreciative of my hobby, is sometimes frustrated by the amount of cardboard hanging around the house or in my car." Postcrossing is a hobby where strangers send each other postcards across the world. You register on the website, list your interests and preferences for postcards, then receive an address of a stranger on the other side of the world to send a postcard to. "I tend to send a lot of postcards of the local area because people are interested in where you're from and what you do," Emma says. From Uzbekistan to Belarus and Kazakhstan to Moldova, Emma has a growing collection of photos from around the world. The postcards have helped shape her international travelling too. "I didn't travel overseas until I was 32 and a lot of the locations we chose for our honeymoon were selected because of the postcards I'd received." "Some people see sending mail as being a bit boring and unfashionable, but Postcrossing is popular and lots of people are fascinated that I do it.," The Postcrossing project has just celebrated its eighth birthday and has over 400,000 active members in 215 countries. The group says they've delivered over 18 million postcards. And while postal workers aren't supposed to read people's postcards, Emma says she's happy for them to do so at her post office in Shellharbour. She even encourages her correspondents to say hello to the Australia Post staff. "It's a hobby that I continue to do because I find it enjoyable and relaxing." Emma Delaney's friends _ . Answer: aren't active in travelling abroad. Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today. Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as an expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship . There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss. The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip locks couples into sweet matrimony. The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay _ to another. Early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified. One Roman emperor even ranked a person's importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet. In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant a kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: kissing means differently on different occasions
Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm. Even if the odds are stacked against you(the conditions are not favourable),marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke. There's a _ , however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouses; death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects. So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms .For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner. A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100.The best social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says:" People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected." Linda Waite's studies support the idea that _ . A. older men should quit smoking to stay healthy B. Marriage can help make up for ill health C. The married are happier than the unmarried D. Unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life Answer: B Danielle Steel, America's sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research before writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to divide into a book, she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk. Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, he worked in the public relations and advertising, industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable: 390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times best-selling novels, and a series of "Max and Martha" picture books for children to help them. Deal with the real-life problem of death, new babies and new schools. Her l998 book about the death of her was shot to the top of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books have been made into film. She is listed in the Guinness Books of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller for 381 weeks straight. Not content with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource and has kept in touch with them by e-mail. While she is often compared to the heroines of her own invention. Her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But if she does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable style. There is only one Danielle Steel. One of Danielle Steel' achievements is that _ . A. her picture books attracted a lot of young men B. one of her books became a best-seller in 1998 C. some TV plays were based on her books D. she wrote the Guinness Book of World Records Answer: B Some people have a kind of magic. They will make you comfortable while they are around. You feel at ease while talking to them. How is it done? Here are several skills that good talkers have. If you follow the skills, they'll help people feel relaxed and make friends with them quickly. First of all, good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, "At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It's a common question, but it will get things going." From there you can move on to other matters--sometimes to really personal questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go. Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. This point seems clear, but it isn't. Your questions should have a point and help to tell what kind of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively. Real listening at least means some things. First it means not to change the topic of conversation. If someone insists on one topic, it means he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to the voice. If the voice sounds bored, then, it's time for you to change the topic. Finally, good talkers know well how to deal with the moment of saying good-bye. If you're saying it, you may give him a handshake and say, "I've really enjoyed meeting you." If you want to see that person again, don't keep it a secret. Let people know your thoughts. Generally speaking, good talkers are persons who _ . A. are not good at making any topic interesting B. never talk too much or too little C. always speak in a gentle way D. know when they should change the topic of the talk Answer: D At one time it was the dream of many little girls to become a nurse. Today, however, America is facing its worst nurse shortage since World War I. Recently about 2, 000, 000 nurses are needed and 60 percent of all hospitals in the US have shortages large enough to threaten the quality of care provided. The demand for nurses spreads widely throughout the nursing field. What has become of these women in white? The answer lies in not one but several causes. One possibility is the fact that women have greater career options . In the past, women who chose to work outside the home had two basic choices: nursing or teaching. Today, more women than ever are in the work force, but their options have greatly increased. There are women doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers. In fact, women today are found in nearly every field of work. Nursing has been left behind, as women move on to jobs with higher pay and greater status . A woman or man in the nursing field is often looked down upon as "merely a nurse". Teachers may be also at fault. Many high school students are actually being persuaded to keep away from nursing, told by teachers that they are "too bright to be a nurse". Americans are living longer than ever and requiring more medical attention. In fact, the number of elderly patients has almost doubled in the past twenty years. Obviously a larger population requires more nurses. AIDS and other diseases have caused more and more people to need nursing care. Usually fatal diseases mean long drawn-out hospital stay, that is to say, more nurses are needed to care for these patients. It is said that the demand for nurses will be doubled in the coming ten years. The author wrote this passage in order to _ . A. describe the unequal treatment of women in the US B. tell us women's free choice of jobs today in America C. draw people's attention to the nursing shortage problem D. call on more women to be nurses after graduating from high school Answer: C The writer Margaret Mitchell is best known for writingGone with the Wind, first published in 1936. Her book and the movie based on it, tell a story of love and survival during the American Civil War. Visitors to the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, Georgia, can go where she lived when she started composing the story and learn more about her life. Our first stop at the Margaret Mitchell House is an exhibit area telling about the writer's life. She was born in Atlanta in 1900. She started writing stories when she was a child. She started working as a reporter for theAtlanta Journalnewspaper in 1922. One photograph of Ms. Mitchell, called Peggy, shows her talking to a group of young college boys. She was only about one and a half meters tall. The young men _ her, but she seems very happy and sure of herself. The tour guide explains: "Now in this picture Peggy is interviewing some boys from Georgia Tech, asking them such questions as 'Would you really marry a woman who works?' And today it'd be 'Would you marry one who doesn't?' " The Margaret Mitchell House is a building that once contained several apartments. Now we enter the first floor apartment where Ms. Mitchell lived with her husband, John Marsh. They made fun of the small apartment by calling it "The Dump " . Around 1926, Margaret Mitchell had stopped working as a reporter and was at home healing after an injury. Her husband brought her books to read from the library. She read so many books that he bought her a typewriter and said it was time for her to write her own book. Our guide saysGone with the Windbecame a huge success. Margaret Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize for the book. In 1939 the film version was released. It won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture. We can know about Margaret Mitchell from the passage that _ . A. her height made her marriage unhappy B. her interest in writing continued as an adult C. writing stopped her working as a reporter D. her life was full of hardship and sadness Answer: B
Saturday, June 30th, 2012 I asked to have a dinner party at the biggest hotel in my hometown--New York today. I was very busy,so I had no time to change my clothes for dinner.Then I drove there as soon as possible.But when I came in, no one saw me and gave me a seat.I got angry. Then I went back home,put on my best clothes.At about nine o'clock,I returned again.This time,everyone stood up at once and said"hello"to me.And I was taken to the best table and given the best food.I got much angrier.I took off my coat,put it in the food and said: _ They were very surprised and asked,"Why are you doing this?" I said" _ " Which country does the writer come from? America How might I decrease someone's forward motion? hug them Thousands of taxi drivers in Shenyang, Liaoning province, reportedly blocked streets with their vehicles on Sunday in protest against unlicensed vehicles using taxi-hiring apps and apps-based car rental companies providing passenger services, including high-end cars. Although the drivers also complained about the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy by the government, their main complaint was the loss of business because of the rising number of Internet-based car services companies. On Wednesday, news reports came that Beijing transport authorities will take measures to stop the illegal "taxi business" of private cars through the newly rising Internet apps, following the footsteps of Shenyang and Nanjing.[:Z#xx#k.Com] It is not yet clear how the Shenyang city government will handle the issue and whether it will declare the services offered by market leaders such as Didi Dache, a taxi-hiring app provider backed by Tencent Holdings, and Kuaidi Dache illegal. But Shanghai transport regulators have set a rule, by banning Didi Zhuanche, or car services offered by Didi Dache in December. Such regulations will cause a setback to the car-hiring companies and investors that are waiting to cash in on the potentially booming business. Just last month, Didi Dache got $700 million in funding from global investors, including Singapore state investment company Temasek Holdings, Russian investment company DST Global and Tencent. Besides, the market is uncertain that Kuaidi Dache is about to finalize its latest round of funding after getting $800 million from global investors. Regulatory uncertainties, however, could cast a shadow on the future of the Internet-based car-hiring services, which have become popular in most of China's big cities. To be fair, these companies' business model is anything but bad. For example, Didi Zhuanche works side by side with established car rental companies to provide high-end car service mainly for businesspeople through the Internet and mobile phone apps. Every link in this business model chain has legal companies and services. Hence, it is hard to define it as illegal and ban it. The author's attitude to banning internet car-hiring service is _ . negative Earthquake in Japan.Donald Trump is accused of planting story about actress's height after she rejected him. Mexico arrests ex-police chief in case of 43 missing students. Do you really need to know all these things? Three years ago, I began an experiment. I stopped reading all newspapers and magazines. Televisions and radios were rejected. I deleted the news apps from my iPhone. I didn't touch a single free newspaper and deliberately looked the other way when someone tried to offer me any such reading material. The first weeks were hard. Very hard! I was constantly afraid of missing something. But after a while, I had a new understanding. The result after three years: clearer thoughts, more valuable ideas, better decisions, and much more time. And the best thing? I haven't missed anything important. A dozen reasons exist to _ . Here are the top three: First, our brain reacts differently to different types of information. Shocking, people-based, fast-changing details all appeal to us. News producers capitalize on this. The result: Everything complex, abstract, and profound must be systematically singled out, even though such stories are much more relevant to our lives and to our understanding of the world. As a result, we walk around with a misrepresented mental map of the risks and threats we actually face. Second, news is irrelevant. In the past year, you have probably consumed about ten thousand pieces of news. Be very honest: Name one of them, just one that helped you make a better decision--for your life, your career, or your business--compared with not having this piece of news. No one I have asked has been able to name more than two useful news stories--out of ten thousand. News organizations claim that their information gives you a competitive advantage. Too many fall for this. If news really helped people advance, journalists would be at the top of the income pyramid. Third, news is a waste of time. An average human being spends half a day each week reading about current affairs. This is a huge loss of productivity. Take the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. Let's say a billion people viewed the minute-by-minute updates and listened to the chatter of a few "experts" and "commentators." Thus our conservative calculation: One billion people multiplied by an hour's distraction equals one billion hours of work stoppage. News wasted around two thousand lives--ten times more than the attack. I would predict that turning your back on news will benefit you as much as removing any of the other ninety-eight errors we have covered in the pages of this book. Read long background articles and books. Nothing beats books for understanding the world. What's the main purpose of writing the passage? To advocate giving up reading news. Bicycle lights may not exactly be a problem that needs solving, but the following can be said about most of them ---- they're easily stolen if left on an unattended bike. People riding at dusk can forget to turn them on, and those same people can forget to turn them off when they reach their destination. Well, the makers of the Blink/ Steady Bike Light have set out to address all of those shortcomings. The waterproof Blink/ Steady is so far only available as a tail light, although a head light is on the way. It's fixed onto the bike's seat post. A built- in photosensor tells when it's become dark enough for the light to be required, and allows it to come on once you begin the riding. According to the producers, it isn't fooled by things such as headlights or streetlights. The light also contains an accelerometer, also known as a motion sensor, which can tell when the bike is in motion. Between the two sensors, this means the light will come on only once it's dark enough, and the bike is moving. Even when stopped at red lights, the small movements of the rider will reportedly be enough to keep the light activated---- it'll go out after 30 seconds of complete inactivity. While this does mean that the two sensors are continuously powered up, they go into a very low---- power sleep pattern when the bike is sitting, unused. Light is provided by two5- watt LEDs, seeable over a range of 180 degrees. And power comes from two AAA batteries, which provided up to 200 hours of continuous run time. The designers and engineers behind the Blink/ Steady are now raising money for its commercial production. About US $95 will get you one if they become available. According to the text, the Blink/Steady Bike Light is sensitive to _ . natural light
We all know that food makes us grow every day, but sometimes it can make us happy when we feel bad. Food such as sea fish, bananas, pumpkins and chicken can help us be happy. How can they affect our feelings? People living by the sea look much happier than other people, because the fresh sea air helps them clear their minds and they eat a lot of sea fish. Bananas have much Vitamin B6. Having more bananas can help us make a quick decision, and become more confident . Eating pumpkins can also help people get into a good feeling because it's rich in Vitamin B6 and iron . Are you in a bad mood ? If you are, don't sit alone. Go to eat such happy food with your friends. Maybe you'll feel better. ,. (5) Food gives us energy and sometimes _ . A new camera made by a company named Netatmo has facial recognition software that can tell parents at work that their children have returned from school, or that a package has been taken to their home. It can also tell them if a stranger has entered their home. Janina Mattausch is a product marketing manager for Netatmo. "The common security cameras at present are not that smart. So, they can tell you if something is moving but they don't necessarily know if it's a human being or, ah, if it's your kids --they don't know the difference, so they will warn you all the time. " When family members enter a home, the new camera "recognizes" ( ) them and sends information to the owner's smartphone. The owner can choose to see the video then or latcr. But if an unknown person enters a home, the camera will send the owner a warning that will cause an alarm to sound on the owner's smartphone. That is what happened recently to a smart home camera owncr named Darrmen. He lives in Paris. "On a Friday I was at work,atending a big monthly meeting when my phone warned. At first I told myself 'Oh, it must be a mistake, maybe I have to set the systcm again. ' -but the notice on my phone was telling me that there was a movement in my flat and also a face that the software did not recognize. " He watched the video and was very surprised by what he saw. "I saw a person I did not know with his shoes on. I was watching it live on vidco. So I felt totaly unbelievable, frozen. I asked a workmate to take me back home as fast as possible and I callcd the police on the way. " With the help of the video, the police found the intruder later that day. We can learn from the passage that Damien _ . Have you ever done something foolish that made you feel so embarrassed ? Well, that's exactly how I felt. On a Saturday morning last autumn.I had gone to town to do some shopping and as I was on my way home,it suddenly began to rain. I at once ran into a nearby phone box because I didn't have an umbrella.It was raining so heavily that I have to stay in the phone box until it stopped. A few moments later,I saw a young man walk up to the phone box,wearing a yellow raincoat and holding a box. I didn't want to go out into the rain,so I picked up the phone and pretended I was talking to someone. I thought the man would go away,but he didn't. He just waited in the rain,watching me. I had to wave my hands about and acted as if I was deep in conversation. Luckily,it began to stop after about ten minutes."Okay,Mum," I said loudly into the phone,"I'll see you later Bye!" I put the phone down, picked up my shopping bag and walked out of the phone box "I'm sorry I took so long,"I said to the man. "Oh, I don't want to use the phone,"he replied, smiling."I've just come to repair it. It's out of order.you see." I felt myself go red in the face and I hurried away with my head down,feeling a complete fool. That was certainly one of the most embarrassing moments of my life! How long did the young man wait for? 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. In the study,the women were supposed to give the opinions about _ . Hi! My name's Frank. Look! This is my schoolbag. It's black and red. My pens, my ruler and my books are in it. I have 2 pens, they are blue. My ruler is yellow and white. My books are purple and brown. Look! What's this? It's a map. It's red, yellow and green. I like them very much. I have _ pens.
The airline lost your baggage. The hotel laundry ruined your favorite shirt. The taxi driver asked for more money. When you're abroad, sometimes things go wrong. Now you can do something about it! Use these tips when you want to express an effective complaint in English. No matter how unfair the situation is, it's best to express your complaint politely. In English, you'll sound more polite if you use indirect language. Here are some examples: "I'm sorry to bother you..." Starting a complaint like this puts the listener who may have heard many complaints that day at ease. Use this phrase if the situation isn't that serious. For example, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted a baked potato, not fried." "Can you help me with this?" Everyone would rather be asked to do something than told! So try expressing your complaint as a request for help: "Can you help me with this? My shirt came back from the laundry without buttons." "I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding." This is a polite way of saying, "Your information is wrong. Please fix it now." You'll most likely use this phrase if you made reservations for a flight, hotel or restaurant, and when you arrive, it's not what you expected. For example, "I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding. I requested a non-smoking room." "I understand it's not your fault..." Often when you make a complaint, you deal with a person who was not directly responsible for the problem. But the problem isn't your fault, either! This phrase is helpful when you need swift action. Tell the person you're dealing with that you understand they're not at fault and then directly state the problem: "I understand it's not your fault, but the airline promised they would deliver my baggage yesterday." "Excuse me, but I understood that..." Using this phrase lets the person know you're well-informed and doubt they might be trying to take advantage of you. Don't say, "Hey! You're trying to cheat me!" Instead, start indirectly by stating what you know to be true: "I understood that the taxi ride to the airport was only 25 dollars." Then give them a chance to do the right thing. Why should we start a complaint with polite phrases? Because it can help solve the problem more easily. Mr.Bean is an internationally recognized comedy character on TV and in films.He constantly gets into awkward and absurd situations,which greatly amuses audiences regardless of their nationalities or culture.The humour is always made clear through a series of simple and funny acts that rely purely on body language,which is universal. One of my favourite shows is that Mr.Bean has a meal in a fancy restaurant.After being seated at his table,Mr.Bean takes out a card,writes a few words on it,seals it in an envelope and places it on the table.After a moment,he looks back at the envelope but this time he looks surprised,as if he did not know it was there.He opens it to find a birthday card and delightedly puts it on the table for everyone to see. When he looks at the menu,an astonished look swiftly appears on his face.He takes all the money out of his wallet,counts it and puts it in a saucer .He then looks from the menu to the money with concern until he finds one thing that makes him smile.Then he orders a dish called "steak tartare".When the dish arrives,he is shocked to discover that "steak tartare" is actually raw hamburger.He makes an attempt to eat it,but it is clear from the look on his face that he finds the taste truly _ .He cannot hide his feelings,except when the waiter asks if everything is all right.When this happens,he smiles and nods,indicating that everything is fine.When the waiter is not looking,however,he busies himself hiding the raw meat anywhere he can reach--the sugar bowl,the tiny flower vase,inside a bun and under a plate.He becomes so desperate in the end that he even hides some inside the purse of a woman sitting near him and throws some down the trousers of the restaurant's violinist! I like to watch Mr.Bean on TV,but I wouldn't like to meet someone like him in real life and I certainly wouldn't like to have dinner with him! Which of the following is the best title of this passage? Mr.Bean--A Top Humour Actor My first born son is mentally handicapped, yet in so many ways he is far wiser than I am. He has an intuitive knowledge of what is important in life. When we go out he looks people in the eyes, calls them by name, and shares his smile far more easily than I do. He goes through life with a soul full of love, joy and kindness that he gives to everyone he meets. He makes others feel better. He makes each day shine brighter. He makes this world more beautiful just by being in it. He may not understand everything in life, but he knows how to live happily and lovingly. He shows me everyday that life is simple. It is we who make it complicated. You see, life is just the choices we make each day. We can choose to love or we can choose to be afraid. We can choose to help or we can choose to turn away. We can choose to forgive or we can choose to hate. We can choose to be kind or we can choose to be cruel. We can choose to trust or we can choose to be suspicious. We can choose to give or we can choose to take. We can choose to laugh or we can choose to cry. We can choose to smile or we can choose to stress. We can choose to shine our souls or we can choose to dwell in darkness. My son knows these choices by heart and always makes the right ones. I hope to one day get there as well. Until then I will do my best to live simply, to be wise, and to choose well. Until then I will do my best to love family, myself, and others. May you do the same. According to the passage, the author's first son _ . has something wrong with his brain Is it possible that the sinking of the Titanic was caused by a ghost? A lot of the story below is true... but did it really happen quite like this? Our story begins not in the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic, but rather thousands of miles away in Egypt. It is here, perhaps, that we can find the start of the mystery of the Titanic, in the year 1910, in the great city of Cairo. One day, a famous professor of Egyptian history called Douglas Murray was staying in Cairo, when he was contacted by an American adventurer. The American had something unusual to offer Murray, something that was certain to thrill him: a beautiful ancient Egyptian mummy case, containing the mummy of an Egyptian queen. It was over 3000 years old, but in beautiful condition -- gold, with bright paintings on it. Murray was delighted with both the object and the asking price. He gave the man a cheque immediately. The cheque was never cashed. That evening the American adventurer died. For his part, Murray arranged to have the treasure sent back to Britain. However, it was not long before he learnt more about the beautiful mummy case: On the walls of the tomb in which it had been discovered, there were messages which warned of terrible consequences to anyone who broke into the tomb. Murray was disbelieving of these warnings until a few days later, when a gun he was holding exploded in his hand, shattering his arm. The arm had to be cut off. After the accident, Murray decided to return to his homeland. On the return journey, two of his companions died mysteriously, and two servants who had handled the mummy also passed away. The now-terrified Murray decided he would get rid of the _ case as soon as he arrived in London. A lady he knew named Janet Jones said she would like it, so he gave it to her. Shortly afterwards, Jones' mother died, and she herself caught a strange disease. She tried returning the mummy, but naturally Murray refused it. In the end, it was presented to the British Museum. Even in the museum, the mummy apparently continued to cause strange events. A museum photographer died shortly after taking pictures of the new exhibit; and a manager also died for no apparent reason. In the end, the British Museum decided to get rid of the mummy too. They sold it to a collector in New York. At the start of April 1912, arrangements for the transfer were complete, and the mummy began the journey to its new home. But the New Yorker never received the mummy or its case. For when the Titanic sank, one of the objects in its strong room was the mummy case. Or so they say. What's the main purpose of this passage? To entertain readers with a story of mystery. Living a healthy lifestyle lies in forming the right eating habits. Here are some of the good habits you can develop when it comes to healthy eating. Drink plenty of water. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. You may need even more water if you are in a hot environment or if you are exercising. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study has shown that those who eat breakfast will consume an average of 100 calories less during the day than their colleagues who skipped breakfast. They will also be able to concentrate better. Don't skip lunch. If you do so, your blood sugar level will drop and your metabolism will slow down. When you get home you are starving and eat everything you can find. We all need to snack from time to time, but please choose your snacks carefully. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks besides your three main meals. Choose healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurt, cottage cheese with apple sauce, and so on. Eat your fruit and vegetables. We should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Take a piece of fruit for a snack, add some banana and _ to your favourite breakfast cereal, have a salad with lunch, and eat at least one vegetable at dinner each night. Do not eat your dinner too late. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest most of the food before you rest for the next 8 hours. Plan dinner for the week ahead of time and make sure you have everything you need in the house so other family members can get a head start on dinner if you have a late meeting at the office. Who is this passage intended for? Office workers.
Entire populations of American toads breed within the same few days at the same time each year, usually late April or early May. The toads hop to their breeding ponds after the ground has warmed and the first hard spring rain falls. To get there, many of the toads will cross roads that cut through their habitat. It will be a grand view of hopping toads as well as a disastrous killing by cars! The toads are "slow in moving at that time of year--it's still cool, they've been inactive--and they get killed" by cars when crossing roads, said Serrao, a naturalist. An April night five years ago, when Serrao went out to a country road to watch the moving of the toads, he counted 100 toads; 95 were hit by cars. A similar story can be told for several other species of toads, frogs, crocodiles and turtles around the world. The world's amphibians are reducing, and road-killing is just one factor behind it. Other better-known causes of the decline include global warming, insecticides , and the loss of wetlands. Serrao says unless these animals get help crossing the road, their local populations will disappear. Jackson, a biologist, said one way to help amphibians survive road crossings is to construct "amphibian tunnels" beneath the road. Jackson says tunnels should be a 0.6-meter-by-0.6-meter box, open at the top, and fitted with an iron grate to allow enough air and light into the tunnel. In addition, fences or walls should extend out from either side of a tunnel for about 30 meters, which guide amphibians toward the tunnels. European countries have built amphibian tunnels for decades. Jackson led a team that installed the first such tunnel in prefix = st1 /Americain 1987, which helped over 3/4 of the local amphibian population safely cross the road. Jackson says that there are about a hundred amphibian tunnels in the UStoday, but many of them were not carefully designed and probably not working well because land developers wanted to save money. Which of the following is true? A toad tunnel works effectively with a grate to let in air and light. Long long ago, there was a small seed . Because it was only a seed, nobody noticed it. 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 in the sun. Later, he was given rain. Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side. "Thank you God for this. I really needed 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 no seed. You are a big tree!" "Really?" "Yes! Why else 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. "A moment passed. 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! " Where does the passage most probably come from? A storybook. Tight-lipped elders used to say, "It's not what you want in this world, but what you get." Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things. You can make a mental blueprint of a desire as you would make a blueprint of a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the general routine of everyday living.If we intend to have friends to dinner, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, decide which food to cook first, and such planning is an essential for any type of meal to be served. Similarly, If you want to find a job, take a sheet of paper, and write a brief account of yourself.In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can intelligently plan where to sell your services. This account of yourself is actually a general description of your working life and should include education, experience and references.Such an account is valuable.It can be referred to in filling out standard application blanks and is extremely helpful in personal interviews.While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications will pay him to employ you and your abilities must be displayed in an orderly and reasonably connected manner. When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something _ to sell.Then you are ready to look for a job.Get all the possible information about your could-be job.Make inquiries about the details concerning the job and the firm.Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgment.Spend a certain amount of time each day seeking the position you wish for, and keep in mind: Obtaining a job is your job now. When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something _ . specific to offer So you're beween the ages of 13 and 24.What makes you happy? A worried,weary parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this:sex,drugs,a little rock 'n' roll .Maybe some cash,or at least the car keys. It turns out the real answer is quite different Spending time with family is the top answer to that open-ended question,according to an extensive sur-vey--more than 100 questions asked of 1,280 people aged 13-24--conducted by The Associated Press and MTV on the nature of happiness among America's young people. Next is spending time with friends,follwed by time with a significant other.And even better for parents:Nearly three quarters of young people say their relationship with their parents makes them happy. "They're my foundation,"says Kristiana St.John,17,a high-school stu-dent from Queens in New York."My mom tells me that even if I do something stupid,she's still going to love me no matter what.Just knowing that makes me feel very happy and blessed." You might thik money would be cleauly tied to a general sense of happi-ness.But almost no one says"money" when asked what makes them happy,though people with the highest family incomes are generally happier with life.However,having highly educated parents is a stronger predictor of happiness than income. From the body to the soul:Close to half say religion and spirituality are very important.And more than half say they believe there is a higher power that has an influence over things that make them happy.Beyond religion religion,simply belonging to an organized relious group makes people happier. And parents,here's some more for you:Most young people in school say it makes them happy.Overwhelingly ,young people think mar-riage would make them happy and want to be married some day,Most also want to have kids. Finally,when asked to name their heroes,nearly half of respondents men-tioned one or both of their parents.The winner,by a nose:Mom. What Kristiana St.John sas shows that _ . she is stupid and often does foolish things Ask anybody out there, what is the most important thing in his life - Fame, Fortune and Money, and there is a chance that he is going to say, money, because with that, fame and fortune comes quite easily. On the other hand, if you add "family" to these three choices given above, there is a chance that 99% of the people are going to put their family first, especially if they happen to be ladies! The main reason is because nature has created a woman to be the cherisher and the nurturer of the family, while the man is the hunter and protector of his little family. That is the natural rule which has come down through thousands of years. Even if a person happens to be a comparatively worldly-wise person and has no idea of taking on the responsibility of a family, he has a picture of a tight little _ in his subconscious . They tell a story about a successful millionaire businessman who died and the whole city came to pay its respects. One of his business competitors, met the son and said, "We are really going to miss your father. You see, I knew your father well." And the son replied, "You happen to be really lucky there, because I never did." So, you might be an extremely successful person in your own right upon Wall Street, but if your little child fails to come running out to welcome his daddy at the end of the day to be swung up in his father's arms and held there lovingly and protectively, you come in the "nothing" category in the business of life. Many people are under the impression that taking on the responsibility of the family is quite tiresome, but they do not know what it takes to be a parent. It is very easy to be a biological father or a biological mother, but the real mother and the real father is that person who stays awake all night when the baby is teething, teaches him right from wrong, is there to hold him when he takes his first steps, and in every way shows that he is there to cherish and protect the little one from harm. There was a man who did not believe in family, because of an unhappy childhood. But he found a faithful woman to love him unconditionally. The moment he picked up his little baby, he said, "Well son, welcome to the world! I am here to teach you what your mama has taught me, and we shall both protect you, when you need our help. I will teach you to be a good, just and fair man." It can be inferred from the passage that _ . family responsibility means a great deal
Dear Peter, I'm very happy you'll come to my city at 3:00 pm this Sunday. Now let me tell you the way to Haitian Restaurant .Take a taxi from the airport and go down Renmin Road. Go across the big bridge. When you see a bank, turn right and go straight. It's down Songshan Road on the left. It's across from a big supermarket. I'll meet you there. Have a good trip! Kangkang Haitian Restaurant is _ . A on the left of Renmin Road B on the right of Songshan Road. C between Renmin Road and Sonshan Road. D on the left of Songshan Road. Answer: D. on the left of Songshan Road. Peyton,an 11-year-old boy from Florida,has the enthusiasm of scientific invention and the-gift of Thomas Edison. The sixth-grader put his math and science skills as well as some real-life experience to use and created something that could benefit our world a lot ---- the sandless sandbag.Today he was named the winner of the Young Scientist Challenge for his sandbag. "I had a really terrifying experience with a hurricane," said Peyton."When I was 4,I experienced Hurricane Wilma.When it hit Florida in October 2005,my family and I crowded in a closet and watched the storm bring damage and death to our area,feeling terrible and hopeless." Saltwater flooding caused great damage,which made him think about how people can prepare for floods.Peyton,who has been solving math problems since he was 3,eventually came up with the sandless sandbag. "Instead of filling it with sand,I filled it with just the right amount of chemicals and salt,"he said."What's amazing is that when you pick these bags up and they're not wet,they only weigh a pound or two." Unlike regular sandbags,Peyton's is light and easy to carry.They only expand when doused with water.The bags are portable when dry and will not float away when wet. Experts praised his invention and said that the sandless sandbag could someday save a lot of lives and possessions."He understands the big picture.He thinks in terms of the influence on society and safety for the people around this area,"said Dr.Antonio,the engineering chairman at the University of Miami."We'd love to have him at our university." Peyton has to get through middle school and high school first,but until then,the young scientist will continue thinking and inventing. Why did Peyton win the Young Scientist Challenge? A Because he is interested in scientific invention. B Because he has the gift of Thomas Edison. C Because he solved many maths problems. D Because he invented the sandless sandbag. Answer: D. Because he invented the sandless sandbag. One afternoon, four black youths walked into a restaurant that served "whites" only. They sat down and ordered bread and milk. The white waiter just said "We don't serve blacks". The young men did not move. They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around. The manager was called. When he saw the angry look in their eyes, he said that he was sorry, but it was not possible to serve them. The next day, more young black people came, and even more came the day after to the restaurant. Then a gang of white youths came in and attacked them. Most of the blacks were beaten up and were black and blue all over. After that the police rushed in, the several people were put in prison---all of them were black, although they had not done anything wrong---just because they were black. The news spread quickly through the black living areas in the city. A large crowd held a meeting round the restaurant the following day, forcing the restaurant to shut. Young men, black and white, made speeches protesting against segregation and pointing out that black people only wanted to live a life in the same way that whites did. They gave out leaflets and soon the movement spread to other cities. Business became so bad at that particular restaurant that the owners were forced to give and served blacks. Nowadays, all the blacks are served in all restaurants open to the public in America. The purpose of helding a meeting round the restaurant to _ . A fight for their freedom and rights B make speeches C force the restaurant to open D force the restaurant to close down Answer: A. fight for their freedom and rights At a supermarket in County Durham, England, the workers are getting ready for some lessons in sign language . They are excited to meet their teacher -- two-year-old Diana Graham. The little girl will teach them how to communicate with deaf customers . Diana is a wonder child. She began to use sign language to "speak" to her deaf mother before she said her first word. So whenever the phone rings or there's a knock at the door, her mother can be quickly told by her. Diana understands the sign language well. Her mother even reads story books to her in sign language. Her grandmother said, "Diana started signing at about five months. She is so clever for her age."The supermarket officials couldn't think of a better sign language teacher for their workers. So they asked Diana to give some lessons to the workers. They hoped that her lessons would help the workers communicate better with deaf customers during their shopping. The officials asked Diana to give some lessons because they thought _ . A she had a big vocabulary B she started signing at about five months C she could read the story in sign language D she could teach the workers to communicate better with deaf customers. Answer: D. she could teach the workers to communicate better with deaf customers. Shelter is one of the basic human needs along with food, water, and A companionship B art C tools D music Answer: A. companionship
Have you ever had the strange feeling that you were being watched? You turned around and, sure enough, someone was looking right at you! Parapsychologists say that humans have a natural ability to sense when someone is looking at them. To research whether such a "sixth sense" really exists, Robert Baker, a psychologist at the University of Kentucky, performed two experiments. In the first one, Baker sat behind unknowing people in public places and stared at the backs of their heads for 5 to 15 minutes. The subjects were eating, drinking, reading, studying, watching TV, or working at a computer. Baker made sure that the people could not tell that he was sitting behind them during those periods. Later, when he questioned the subjects, almost all of them said they had no sense that someone was staring at them. For the second experiment, Baker told the subjects that they would be stared at from time to time from behind a two way mirror in a laboratory setting. The people had to write down when they felt they were being stared at and when they weren't. Baker found that the subjects were no better at telling when they were stared at and when they weren't. and they were no better at telling when they were stared at than if they had just guessed. Baker concludes that people do not have the ability to sense when they're being stared at. If people doubt the outcome of his two experiments, said baker, "I suggest they repeat the experiments and see for themselves." What can be learned from the passage? Answer: I remember the first time that I was extremely happy, I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself a limitless number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn't even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too. I've noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth and achievements. Success , wealth or achievements can also bring some people happiness , yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy . I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing .I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys , such as cars , computers ,and televisions ,yet never seem content for too long .Please remember , happiness is the journey of life , not the destination. What is the secret of happiness in the author's opinion? Answer: Scholars and researchers have tried to discover what personality characteristics go along with success in intercultural experiences. Their findings have often been unclear or incomplete. But three characteristics stand out in their reports: patience, a sense of humor, and the awareness of being unclear. Patience, of course, is the ability to keep calm even when things do not go as one wants them to, or hopes they will, or has even been sure they will. Impatience sometimes brings improvements in relations with other people, but usually it does not. A person with a sense of humor is less likely to take things too seriously and more ready to see the humor in her own reactions than a humorless person. The value of a sense of humor really needs to be paid more attention to. "The awareness of being unclear" is a more difficult concept than patience or a sense of humor. Foreigners often find themselves in situations that are unclear to the newcomers. That is, they do not know what is happening in the situation. Perhaps they do not understand the local language well enough, or they do not know how some system or organization works, or they can't be sure of different people's roles in what is going on. "It's like I just got here from the moon," a Chinese graduate student who newly arrived in the United States said, "things are just so different here." According to the writer, the Chinese students is_. Answer: If you want to live in Hawaii,you need to think about how to save money,because it is one of the most expensive states in the USA. Hawaii buys most of its goods from other countries.This makes the prices very high.Eating out can be expensive.Breakfast is at$5 or$8 and lunch ia around$12,while dinner goes from $15 to$30. What makes living in Hawaii more difficult is that there are few high-paying jobs. For example, it is harder to find engineering jobs than waitressing jobs. Here is some advice on how to get around and enjoy living in Hawaii. Check out online travel websites, magazines and books for information about the islands, from their beaches to their restaurants. Find hotels by reading newspapers. You can also find someone to share your room to save money. Try to find a job. Craigslist is a good website to start your search. Also, check the newspapers. Buy your food and other things at cheap chain stores like Costco and Wal-Mart. Hawaii is an expensive place to live, but there are ways to save your money if you shop properly. The passage mainly talks about _ . Answer: A Book Review--The Snake-Stoneby Berlie Doherty The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages. The theme: The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close, James' swimming coach says to him: "You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going." The characters: James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents . Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters inThe Snake-Stone, James' parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically. The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James' foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil, "the snake stone" which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: "Take good care of Sammie. It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there. The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discoveryThe Snake-Stonealso provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, "I was home." What is the main theme of the novel? Answer:
Question: Book into the new prefix = st1 /AucklandHospitalat a typical hour, say 11 on a Saturday night, and you will notice changes in the way you are treated. Let's start with the blood sample taken from your arm as you are wheeled in the door. By the time you are through the security doors and into the emergency area, that sample could have been sent through to the lab by vacuum tube and analysed by a machine which automatically feeds a preparative result into the clinical database. Less than a minute after the sample is processed, the doctors can see the results through the monitors beside every position in the emergency suites. As you are being wheeled in, you may notice cameras in the ceiling. The hospital has spent $4 million on its camera security system to protect staff and patients. When you come to in the neighbouring Admission and Planning Unit, the clinician may be looking at all your records, x-rays and even documents sent in by your GP on a Compaq tablet PC wirelessly connected to the network by an 802.11 "WiFi" card. It's not ideal for viewing images, but it should be good enough for a bedside consultation . If the clinician needs to consult a specialist or your GP, the other party can see the same records from home or office through a secure internet connection. Dr Nigel Murray, general manager of the hospital building programme, said about $30 million of the $500 million budget for the project had been spent on information technology. The passage mainly tell us _ . A. high-tech help in first aid B. computer help in the first aid C. x-rays help in the hospital D. camera help in the hospital Answer: A. high-tech help in first aid Question: The China Daily newspaper group is hunting for English-language senior business editors, senior copy editors, copy editors and graphic designers to strengthen its international team. We offer a competitive salary package, free accommodation with utilities paid for, 90 per cent medical reimbursement, a seven-day paid leave, eleven day public holidays and a return ticket to the country of residence. Senior Business Editor You must: Assist the Business editor in setting goals and working on achieving them; Be an excellent team person who can generate ideas and think creatively and be able to rewrite totally if needed and mentor junior staff; Ideally have been working or have worked in a position of responsibility and understand what leadership entails; Have had at least five year's editing experience working on editing the Business Desk and be familiar with industry software. Senior Copy Editor You must: Work on shifts in the Business Desk and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print; Edit or rewrite copy and give snappy headlines and captions; Have had at least two years' editing experience working on editing desks and be familiar with industry software. CopyEditor You must: Be good at editing or rewriting copy and writing snappy headlines and captions; Be able to work on shifts for different pages, and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print; Have two years of editing experience working on copy desks, and be familiar with industry software. Graphic Designer You must: Have excellent skills in information graphics; Be good at illustrations and freehand drawings; Be experienced in newspaper or magazine layouts; Have a good sense of typography; Have good news judgment; Be wellversed with Macintosh software, including in Design, Illustrator and Photoshop; Be fluent in English. For enquiries or to apply, write tojob@chinadaily.com.cn. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Free accommodtions are available to the workers. B. The workers there can enjoy a seven-day leave without pay. C. The senior business editor's only job is to help the business editor to set goals. D. The employees have the right to enjoy eleven day public holidays. Answer: D. The employees have the right to enjoy eleven day public holidays. Question: My name is John Smith. I come from America. I am 12 years old. I live in Shanghai with my parents. I am a student. I am in Class Three Grade Seven. My English teacher is Linda. Mr Zhang is my Chinese teacher. He is from Wuhan. Wuhan is a beautiful city. Li Hua is my best friend. He likes playing basketball. My favourite colour is blue, but Li Hua likes red best. Do you want to make friends with me ? My QQ number is 609183317. How old is John Smith? A. Eleven B. Fourteen C. Thirteen D. Twelve Answer: D. Twelve Question: Good morning, class! We know that there are too many net bars around us. The Internet is popular and it makes our lives colorful. Many of us like going online very much because we can learn how to use the computer and get more information from the Internet. We can learn English. We can read some good newspapers and magazines. It can make us clever in playing computer games. We can send E-mails to our friends quickly. We can chat freely online with our friends. It can help us get in touch with people from all over the world. But some students spend too much time in playing computer game and some stay in the net bars all day and all night. Teenagers even get to have boyfriends or girlfriends online. They write too many letters to each other. It takes them to much time to chat online so they do worse and worse in their lessons and they don't study well any more. I think we mustn't get online when it is time for us to study. We can do it in summer or winter holidays. We should get online with adults --our teacher or parents. At the same time, if we have lots of free time, we can do some out-of-class activities at school. We usually have activities from 4:50 to 5:50 in the afternoon. We have different kinds of activities. If you are interested in sports, you can play basketball or football. We can go to the English Corner. We can practice talking in English there. We hope we can spend more time on our subjects or on such activities that we can learn a lot from and less time on the Internet. Thank you for listening to me. That's all. The short passage is about _ . A. going online B. how to communicate with others C. how to spend our free time D. different kinds of activities Answer: A. going online Question: Last year we visited Stratford the place where Shakespeare was born on the 23rdof April, 1564. Stratford is a very interesting town, right in the center of England. The countryside around Stratford is pleasant, with its beautiful woods, green fields and quiet rivers. The first place we visited was the house in the center of Stratford where Shakespeare was born. We saw the small desk that Shakespeare sat at when he went to school. One of the things we like best was the garden behind the house, because we could see there many of the flowers, trees and plants that Shakespeare wrote about in his plays. After we visited Shakespeare's birthplace, we went to see the church where he was buried. We had lunch in a very old hotel that was probably there in Shakespeare's time. Every room of the hotel had the name of one of Shakespeare's plays on the door--the"Hamlet"room, the "Romeo and Juliet"room and so on. After lunch we walked across the fields to the old cottage, about a mile out of Stratford, where Shakespeare spent most of his married life. The cottage is just as it was in Shakespeare's days. We saw the chairs where Shakespeare perhaps sat and thought about ideas for new plays, and we saw the plates from which he probably ate his dinner. When we got back to our school in the evening, we were very tired, but we had enjoyed a wonderful day. Stratford is _ . A. a big interesting city of England B. in the center of England C. full of woods, green fields and quiet rivers D. where Shakespeare used to put on his plays Answer: B. in the center of England
"Beating is a sign of affection, cursing is a sign of love." Many may not expect to hear the words of the old Chinese saying in these modern Times-- with parents wealthier and better educated than they have ever been--but experts say they still ring true. Today,it seems,Chinese parents are more likely to send their children to precollege military academies in the United States in the hope that some tough love will pave the way to success. "Good education doesn't mean letting your children enjoy privileges, especially our boys." said Song Wenming,an entrepreneur in Jinhua,East China's Zhejiang province. "They should be raised in tough conditions to know what to fight for in the future." In August,Song sent his 17yearold son to Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) in Pennsylvania. _ . Statistics show that an increasing number of Chinese students have been registering with such academies. A few years ago, there were no Chinese students at Valley Forge. Today,there are 28."All of the Chinese students at Valley Forge came from wealthy families;some of them were spoiled." said Jennifer Myers, director of marketing and communications at the school. Song's only son, Song Siyu, had a rocky start during his first six weeks at the school. The teenager said he went to the school voluntarily but did not expect it to be as difficult. Now, three months later, he has perfected the art of taking a bath in 35 seconds, finishing a meal without looking at his food, and making his bed with precision. He can even take criticism,no matter how unreasonable. "The training is hard but I know it is good for selfdevelopment of individuals." said SongSiyu. "The endless training and scolding are just ways to build up our character;they are not personal." But his enthusiasm is not universal. Ten of the 13 Chinese students who joined the academy this year have transferred to other schools. But for those who stick to it, there is a reward for all the hard work. How many Chinese students are there at Valley Forge before this year? A. 10. B. 13. C. 15. D. 25. Answer: D. 25. Which is likely born via hatching? A. a raven B. a goat C. a horse D. a cat Answer: A. a raven Now and again I have had horrible dreams, but not enough of them to make me lose my delight in dreams. To begin with. I like the idea of dreaming, of going to bed and lying still and then, by some queer magic, wandering into another kind of existence. As a child, I could never understand why grown-ups took dreaming so calmly when they could make such a fuss about any holiday, this still puzzles me. I am puzzled by people who say they never dream and appear to have no interest in the subject. It is much more astonishing than it would be if they said they never went out for a walk. Most people do not seem to accept dreaming as part of their lives. They appear to see it as an irritating little habit, like sneezing or yawning I can never understand this. My dream life does not seem as important as my waking life because there is far less of it, but to me it is important. What is the author's attitude toward dreaming? A. He thinks it puzzling B. He likes it C. He is interested in it D. He doesn't accept it as part of his life Answer: B. He likes it My favorite physicist is Qian Xuesen. He was born in Shanghai on December 11, 1911. He was a little fat and of medium height. And his eyes were wise. He liked music, art and science . He studied the important implementation plan for the Chinese rocket and the missile . He worked very hard for our country. I liked him very much. Qian Xuesen had famous words: I am very tiny . It is the Chinese people that are truly great! Qian Xuesen died on October 31, 2009. I'm very sad to hear the news, and Chinese people are the same as me. He is our hero. We should learn from him and I think I won't forget the great scientist for ever. Which of the following sentence is NOT true? A. Qian Xuesen was born in Beijing. B. Qian Xuesen died on October 31, 2009. C. Chinese people are sad about Qian Xuesen's death . D. Qian Xuesen was too fat. Answer: D. Qian Xuesen was too fat. Five times in the earth's history, some three-quarters of all living species disappeared forever-and within a short period of time. Those species losses stand for a major change in the planet's ecology . Clues to these changes can be seen in the fossils and rock layers. Today, human activities are driving species to die out at a rate never seen before. And this loss of species really does matter, said Anita Narwani. She works at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. That's because the diversity of species in an ecosystem provides people with all types of services we can't do without. Trees provide oxygen for us to breathe. At the same time, they remove carbon from the air which is a cause of global warming. Plants help clean air and water. Animals move seeds from one area to another. A broad range of living resources also provides people with food, shelter and medicine. Narwani wanted to find out how important the diversity of species is for people. So she teamed up with other ecologists to review more than 1,700 studies. They found that more diverse parts of the earth tend to do well in things like removing carbon and providing us with wood and other natural resources. _ were also better at keeping fisheries large and healthy so that they could feed many people. Unfortunately, the diversity of species is in steep drop. It is too soon to say that the earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction, Narwani said. She said a mass extinction means the loss of 75 percent of species over 2 million years or less. We haven't lost that many - at least not yet. But according to her, if species losses continue so fast, such a mass extinction could occur in just 300 years. The new findings highlight the potential for humans to use up many of the resources on which we now depend. As people learn more, however, they can take steps to lessen those risks. People should protect ecosystems so that they can continue to provide us with their services. Narwani and her team found that _ . A. many people know the importance of protecting wildlife B. many species die out because of human activities C. making good use of natural resources benefits people D. rich diversity of species greatly benefits people Answer: A. many people know the importance of protecting wildlife
Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don't need to book. They end around 21:00. _ th The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early "civil engineers". _ th Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London's ice trade grew. _ th An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play. _ th Eyots and Aits- Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest. Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson London Canal Museum 12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT www.canalmuseum.org.ukwww.canalmuseum.mobi Tel:020 77130836 What is the topic of the talk in February? Answer: An Update on the Cotsword Canals Musicians wanted We want four good musicians for our rock band .Are you a musician?Can you sing?Can you play the piano,the guitar or the drums?Do you want to be the best musician?If you want to join us,please send an e-mail.Our e-mail address is rockband2009@pep.com.cn.Or you can call Mr.Liu at 790-4566. Teachers needed Are you an art teacher?Can you paint or draw well?Are you good with kids?We need two teachers for our art club.Please find Mrs.Wang for more information or call 628-1183. What can we learn from the two ads? Answer: The art club has an e-mail address. For new countries joining the European Union, and older ones getting used to their dark red passports, becoming "Europeans" is a bit like marrying into a large, eccentric family. Europeans have a lot in common but it is their differences, not their similarities, that attract the attention of sociologists and market researchers, and are more interesting. * 35% of Germans live alone, but only 9% of Spaniards. Perhaps this explains why Spaniards lead Europe in the habit of going out for a drink. * The British attend more adult evening classes than anyone else in Europe, and the Belgians least. So it can't just be the dark evenings. There are no figures on how many Britons go for a drink afterwards. If there were, they might be up at the top with Spain! * The British think black cats are lucky. Every other European country regards them unlucky. * The Dutch and Germans are the greatest caravaners , but the Germans like bigger beds in their caravans. * The French are the most athletic Europeans. Next come the Dutch. But the Belgians, just over the border, play fewest sports. * The Germans spend twice as much on heating as the Spaniards. Well, of course they do, it's colder. * Dutch husbands do the household shopping a lot more often than Italians or Spaniards. * The French are the champion public transport commuters of Europe. If you hate commuting, go and live in the Netherlands, where journeys to work are shorter than anywhere else. * The amount of direct eye-contact between strangers is three times greater among Spaniards than it is among the British or Swedes. Sharing a lift is torture for both the British and the Swedish. * No European countries really agree with any other about how to make good coffee. All of them are different. There are exceptions to all these rules. Deal with them in the spirit of my 8-year-old daughter. "If you don't understand each other's language, you just laugh a lot, and eat, and point at things." Which of the following statements is TRUE about Spain? Answer: Spaniards spend twice as much on heating as the Germans. I love charity shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won't find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods. The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity's appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful that it had been flooded with donations. They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favorite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children's books, all 10 or 20 pence each. Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don't encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open. The shops have very low running costs, and all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than PS110 million a year, funding medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better places to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and step lightly on the environment. The author loves the charity shop mainly because of _ . Answer: its spirit of goodwill You may know the song Happy Birthday very well.But do you know about its writer?It was written by an American girl.And she became very rich after that. When she was a child,she was poor.Once,she was invited to her friend's birthday party.She was pleased but sad because she didn't have enough money to buy a gift for her. "The party is coming soon,but now I have little money."Tears ran down her face. Later that night she was in bed,thinking about the gift when the door opened and her grandma came in."What happened?"her grandma asked.Hearing the girl'story,she said,"I think I can help you.How about singing a song together?Happy Birthday to...."What a beautiful song!They sang and sang.Suddenly she woke up.It was a dream!She decided to write it down at once and sing it to her friends at the party. When she sang the song at the party the nest day,her friends were very happy."How wonderful you sing!We haven't heared such a beautiful song before.Thank you for giving me the special gift."said her friend.And they learn to sing it together.Later the girl became well-known in America. What did her friends think of the song? Answer: beautiful
The Garden Hotel When you are next in Nanoko, be sure to stay at the Garden Hotel.Whether you come on business or on holiday, you will find everything as comfortable and convenient as you would expect in a first-class international hotel. Every bedroom has its own private bathroom, telephone, wall-to-wall carpeting and color1ful, modern materials and furniture in the local style. In the Mitsu Restaurant, you can choose your meals from as wide a variety of dishes, both Eastern and European, as you will find anywhere in the country.In the Beach Bar, you can drink with your family and friends in air-conditioned comfort, to the music of internationally known artists.Or you can take your drink outside into the beautiful garden that gives the hotel its name, or to the tables that surround the swimming pool.Throughout the hotel, you will find the service is both friendly and efficient. By day, the pool is alive with the holiday spirit and the happy shouting of children; and by right, soft lights and music make it the perfect place for a party, or simply for an after-dinner drink and conversation. The Garden Hotel has its own private mini-bus service.Give us a ring and we will arrange to collect you at the airport or in the city center.Every day a bus leaves the hotel for day trips up into the hills to see the ruined city of Morote, or the villages and temples of the hill people;or along the coast to the seaside towns and wonderful beaches of Cape St Germain. If you prefer, we can arrange for you to visit the Wainiri Islands that lie just off the coast.Here you can swim and sun-bathe in private and in peace;or you can fish for one of the many varieties of sea-life for which the Wainiris are justly famous. The Garden Hotel is right on the beach, only five minutes for Nanoko's modern shopping centre.Here you will find all that money can buy, at prices you can afford. GARDEN HOTEL, BEACH AVENUE, NANOKO, P.R.T.TEL:46-0488 You will find the Garden Hotel _ . How to deal with waste has been a problem since humans started producing it. As more and more people choose to live close together in cities, the waste-disposal problem becomes increasingly difficult. During the eighteenth century, it was usual for several neighboring towns to get together to select a faraway spot as a dump site. Residents or trash haulers would transport household rubbish, rotted wood, and old possessions to the site. Periodically some of the trash was burned and the rest was buried. The unpleasant sights and smells caused no problem because nobody lived close by. Factories, mills, and other industrial sites also had waste to be disposed of. Those located on rivers often just dumped the unwanted remains into the water. Others built huge burners with chimneys to deal with the problem. Several facts make these choices unacceptable to modern society. The first problem is space. Dumps, which are now called landfills, are most needed in heavily populated areas. Such areas rarely have empty land suitable for this purpose. Property is either too expensive or too close to residential neighborhoods. Long-distance trash hauling has been a common practice, but once farm areas are refusing to accept rubbish from elsewhere, cheap land within trucking distance of major city areas is almost nonexistent. Awareness of pollution dangers has led to more strict rules of waste disposal. Pollution of rivers, ground water, land and air is a price people can no longer pay to get rid of waste. The amount of waste, however, continues to grow. Recycling efforts have become commonplace, and many towns require their people to take part. Even the most efficient recycling programs, however, can hope to deal with only about 50 per cent of a city's reusable waste. During the 18th century, people disposed their waste in many ways EXCEPT for _ . A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe passed and shouted, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?" "No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me." Soon the water rose to Smith's waist.(,) At this point a motor boat pulled up and someone called out, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?" "No, thanks, I have faith in God and he will save me." Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. "Grab the rope, "shouted the pilot. "I'll pull you up." "No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me. "But after hours of struggling with water, poor exhausted Smith drowned and went to his reward. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met God and complained about this. "Tell me, God, "he said, "I had such faith in you to save me and you let me drown. What happened?" To which God replied, "What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter." At last, poor exhausted Smith drowned and _ . I went to technology _ where people were showing their ideas for better learning. At the show I got a chance to try out lots of new, interesting equipment that might be introduced to schools. I thought some of it were great and would make learning more fun. Cyber Coach Mat The first thing I tried was the Cyber Coach Mat. This allows children to learn things like yoga and tai chi with virtual instructors . Also you can play football or have dance battles on it. Sony PSP The second piece of equipment I tried was the Play Station Portable. or PSP. It lets you access lots of education materials and helps learning in many ways. It's really fun and even has a built-in camera and video so you can have fun with friends. Lego NXT The final thing I tried was the Lego NXT. This involves building a robot and programming it to follow instructions . The robot can pick up sound waves which can then be sent to the computer or a phone. I would really like to do this kind of thing in my lesson! Overall the fair was great and I learn how to use a lot of things that I think could really help children to learn and have fun at the same time. My favourite was the Cyber Coach Mat because it allows you to learn new skills and it"s a great way to do a PE lesson if it's cold and raining outside! The robot can be controlled by _ . DONATE YOUR OLD JEANS AND DO THE PLANET GOOD What Will Be Done With All This Denim? All the denim will be donated to Cotton. From Blue to Green. This denim drive recycled jeans into UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation, which is used to help build houses in places that have been damaged by hurricanes and other natural disasters. Your jeans will help keep clothes out of landfills, and build houses for families to live in! UltraTouch is made of 85% recycled fibers and is an environmentally safe, natural cotton fiber insulation. It's a Fact: It takes about 500 pairs of old jeans to insulate one average-size US house. Here's How You Can Get Involved! 1. Get a parent's permission and select as many denim jeans as you like. (Any denim clothing is OK.) 2. The denim must be used and can be any brand. 3. The denim can be any color or size but must have been worn by a human. (no doll clothes!) 4. Jeans must be received by June 30, 2011. POST A JOB AD--IDEAL FOR CASUAL ADVERTISERS REGISTER NOW AND POST A JOB AD All job Advertisements are reviewed and uploaded usually within 24 hours. Standard Job Advertisement $65.00 + GST (Goods and Service Tax) =" $" 71.50 Premium Job Advertisement $80.00 + GST =" $88.00" No additional costs for all the features below. Standard Job Ad Features: ---Active for 30 days ---Include your company LOGO ---Update or Edit live ads online anytime ---Access state of your job ad ---Unlimited text to describe your vacancy (able to insert HTML links--very useful if you want candidate to apply using your own online application on your corporate website) ---Able to copy and paste your active job ad from other job sites including logo and layout Premium Job Ad Features: ---All the features of a standard Job Ad ---Displayed on top of the main job search page with highlighted colors also within the standard job ads in its highlighted format. For any questions contact us. REGISTER NOW AND POST A JOB AD The denim clothing that you intend to donate _ .
Many students in China are learning English. Some of these students are small children. Others are teenagers . Many are adults . Some study at school, others learn by themselves. A few learn English language over the radio, on TV, or in the films. One must work hard to learn another language. Why do all these people want to learn English? It is difficult to answer that question. Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects. They study _ and maths and English. Some people learn English because it is useful for their work. Many people often learn English for their higher studies, because at college or university some of their books are in English. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers and magazines in English. Are there many adults learning English in China? A. No, they aren't. B. No, they are. C. Yes, there are. D. Yes, there aren't. Answer: C There are four people in Simon's family. They have different habits. * Simon's father is a doctor. He works in a hospital. He likes reading books very much. There are many books in his bedroom. He doesn't like going to the cinema. * Simon's mother is a music teacher. She likes listening to music, but she has no time to go to concerts. * Simon's brother is seven years old. He likes watching cartoons. He usually watches cartoons when his parents aren't at home. * Simon is a middle school student. He likes playing football. He often plays football with his friends after school. He likes playing computer games at home. But he doesn't like watching TV. Where does Simon's father work? A. In a school. B. In a hospital. C. In a factory. D. In a company. Answer: B Snapshots, the new fashion for an artistic portrait photo: Take it underwater. Zhang Xiaomei, a 20 something Shanghai native who works in the media industry, tried it out twice. "It was a completely different experience," says Zhang of her first such experience last May. "You get the feeling that you're cut off from the rest of the world. But also it s romantic and like a fairy tale." She then successfully convinced her husband to be to have their wedding photos taken underwater a couple of months after her first try. "Can you imagine a 1.87-meter-tall man trying out something like a fishtail under the water?" Zhang says, laughing. A commercial underwater photo portrait is perfect for post 80 and post 90 generations who adore taking snapshots, but are looking for new ways to be artistic, says Ai Cheng, owner and photographer of No.55 Underwater Photography in Shanghai. Ai opened a studio in Shanghai's suburb of Songjiang two years ago, building a 5-meter- deep, fan-shaped pool equipped with heating facilities to start up the business. A 30-minute training on how to smile under the water so that you won't drink too much water and how to open your eyes underwater is offered in his studio for those who don't know how to swim. Ai says most of his customers are female--half of them coming for an artistic portrait photo and the rest for wedding pictures. "Some of them drag their boyfriends or husband-to-be, who are unwilling to go down to the water, to shoot as well," he says. Who are most likely to take photos underwater? A. Young people eager to be special. B. Senior people to recall their old days. C. Couples to celebrate their anniversary. D. Artists to create new styles. Answer: A As we all know, animals are our good friends. Many kids love animals very much. They like to go to the zoo every Saturday, Sunday or even every day on weekdays. But do you want to go to the zoo at night? Usually, the zoos aren't open at night. But if you are in Singapore, you may have a chance to visit a zoo at night. There is a night zoo in Singapore. Its name is Night Safari. It is open at night. Why? That's because many animals only wake up in the evening, like tigers and wolves. During the day, they like to sleep, so it's the best time to watch them at night. Is that interesting? Welcome to the Night Safari! Why is the best time to watch some animals at night? A. Because they are sleeping at night. B. Because they aren't sleeping at night.. C. Because they are beautiful at night. D. Because they aren't dangerous at night. Answer: B It was late on a snowing night. Doctor Van was driving fast to the hospital to do an operation on a badly hurt person. Minutes later he came to a red traffic light and had to stop to wait. A man suddenly opened the door of the car and got in. "Drive on, " shouted the man, "Just do what I've told you to. " The man was strong and tall while Doctor Van was not. "But I'm a doctor, " Van tried to tell him what he was going to do. "I'm on my way to the hospital to save..." "Stop talking and drive faster, as fast as you can!" the man stopped Van and Van had to do so. Only a few minutes had passed when the man made Van stop his car again and drove him off, and he himself drove away very quickly. Van stood in the snow for a moment and then walked around to look for a taxi. Another half an hour had passed when Van got out of the taxi and ran into the hospital. But it was too late and nothing could be done. The man who had taken Van's car was standing by the person all the time. He was so sad! Only then did Van know that the man was the father of that badly hurt person! Who needed an operation at once? A. Doctor Van. B. The man C. Doctor Van's son. D. The man's son. Answer: D
Which of these organisms is a producer in a marine ecosystem? Answer: All countries have little known interesting facts about them, including Canada. For example, did you know that although Canada is the second largest county with only 30 million people, making it the 28thlargest in population? Because a large part of Canada is covered with lakes and streams, it has the largest source of fresh water in the world. The US has a lot of automobiles on the road. Canada has more automobiles per person than any other country, with at least one automobile for every 2 people. And in Canada, 100 different languages are spoken. Did you know that the Canadian $1 coin is called the Loonie, named after a bird pictured on the coin? Are there any other animals featured on Canadian coins? Yes. The caribou is displayed on the Canadian quarter. Did you also know that Canada has six time zones? Some of the things we love most in America were created by Canadians. Superman, the chocolate nut bar, basketball, and Ginger Ale were all created by Canadians. Famous inventions that are used by many Americans are credited to Canadians including the walker, used by the elderly or the injured, the common garbage bag, the electric cooking range, and the electric light bulb (even though most people think it was invented by Thomas Edison). To make our lives easier, Canadians invented the instant mashed potatoes, paint rollers, snow blowers, the wireless radio and the zipper . For communication or fun, the Canadians invented the television, walkie-talkies, telephone, and the snowmobile. There are many famous people who were born in Canada, including Pamela Anderson, Shania Twain, Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Tilley. We know from the passage that Canada _ . Answer: Adam owned Blackacre. Adam entered into a written three-year lease of Blackacre with Bertha. Among other provisions, the lease prohibited Bertha from "assigning this lease, in whole or in part, and from subletting Blackacre, in whole or in part." In addition to a house, a barn, and a one-car garage, Blackacre's 30 acres included several fields where first Adam, and now Bertha, grazed sheep. During the following months, Bertha: I. By a written agreement allowed her neighbor Charles exclusive use of the garage for storage, under lock and key, of his antique Packard automobile for two years, charging him $240. II. Told her neighbor Doris that Doris could use the fields to practice her golf as long as she did not disturb Bertha's sheep. Which, if any, of Bertha's actions constituted a violation of the lease? Answer: Where is Love? How can we find Love? Once a little boy wanted to meet Love. He knew it was a long trip to where Love lived, so he got his things ready with some pizzas and drinks and started off. When he passed three streets, he saw an old woman sitting in the park and watching some birds. She looked very hungry. The boy gave her a pizza. She took it and smiled at him. The smile was so beautiful that he wanted to see it again, so he gave her a Coke. She smiled once again. The boy was very happy. They sat there all the afternoon, eating and smiling, but they said nothing. When it grew dark, the boy decided to leave. But before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. The woman gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door of his house, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face and asked what had made him so happy. "I had lunch with Love. She has got the most beautiful smile in the world." At the same time, the old woman,s son was also surprised at his mother,s pleasure and asked why. "I ate a pizza in the park with Love," she said, "and he is much younger than I expected." If the world is full of love, we can enjoy a better life. The boy,s mother was surprised to see her son was very _ when the door opened. Answer: Homes & Gardens 12mths: PS27.04 Established for over 80 years, Homes & Gardens has always been engaging and accessible. Delivering inspirational decorating through real-life stories and beautiful photography, it is the ultimate sourcebook of beautiful ideas and detailed information, and inspires its readers to become their own interior designers. Delicious 12mths: PS29.99 Whether you are passionate about cooking and entertaining, or simply love food, Delicious is the magazine for you. Every month it's packed with mouth-watering recipes, including menus from Jamie Oliver, tasty mid-week suppers and children's meal ideas. Mother & Baby 12mths: PS19.50 Mother & Baby is the UK's best selling parenting magazine, and is full of information on pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. Mother & Baby has over 40 years of experience on advising mothers how to care for their babies and is a well loved and trusted brand. TIME 12mths: PS34.99 TIME brings you the pick of the most interesting and relevant new stories, delivering accurate knowledge at all times on all topics, which allows you to anticipate trends. With more than 30 million eager readers every week, can you afford not to take TIME? ON THE WHEEL 12mths: PS55.00 The perfect read for anyone interested in classic cars, as it has the best buying advice, road tests and features. Features on restorations, road tests, reader models, keep the car fan entertained every month. The classified section and buyers guide provide a rich source of valuable information on price and makes and models. What is the purpose of writing this passage? Answer:
Question: Hi, I'm Sandy. I come from America. I have long hair. I like listening to music and singing. I don't like sports. I often call my friends at the weekend. My name is Jack. My Chinese name is Chen Tao. My eyes are not very good, so I often wear a pair of glasses. I enjoy playing computer games and swimming. I like making friends and I have a Chinese friend. Hello, everyone. I'm Luo Wei. I'm from China. My hair is short. I love running and pets. And I have a lovely dog. My name is Daniel. I come from England. I'm good at Maths. I often help my classmates with their Maths. I'm not very tall. I like playing computer games on the Internet. Would you like to be my friend? Please write e-mails to me. What does Daniel often help his classmates with? A. Chinese. B. English. C. Maths. D. Sports. Answer: C. Maths. Question: My brother Ron joined the US army a few years ago. Most girls, especially those who are my age, are thrilled by anything that has to do with the "army". It's a novelty to them to shoot a gun, jump out of a plane, and wear uniform. Now I know you're thinking that I must find it really cool to know a solider, who's my brother. That's wrong, before I found out that my brother joined the army, I was crazy about the army. Firstly, I wanted to go to college, knew that joining the army was probably the only way I could get it as my parents couldn't afford it. Additionally there were all the other points of the army that grabbed my heart. I wanted the challenge, I wanted the discipline and I wanted the feeling that I would be doing something beyond the ability of average citizen. But as soon as my brother joined the army, all those things fell away. All I saw were dead people, guns shooting, tanks turning into a ball of fire, tents burning, and lots of blood. It was so horrible. When Ron went to Iraq, I freaked out whenever I didn't hear from him for more than a week. I kept up with the news, reading the latest newspaper and listening to the hourly reports. And every time I heard that an American solider was killed, I prayed, it' wasn't Ron. I'm proud of my brother for serving our country, and his willingness to devote his life to something he finds important. It's great to see how discipline and mature he's got, and I'm glad he has his college paid for. But although I am proud, I gladly give up the "coolness" of having a brother in the army. I would be perfectly all right if I had never seen that uniform on him, and he was just a plain old "boring" brother. I love my brother, and I'm proud of him, but I want him back home! After Ron joined the army, the writer _ . A. decide to join the army one day B. became afraid of seeing soldiers C. often showed off Ron in front of friends D. became aware of the danger of joining the army Answer: D. became aware of the danger of joining the army Question: In the Arctic Ocean waters live the social animals---belugas, which is also known as white whales. Highly intelligent, these whales use different sounds to communicate and find their way. Belugas are also among the smallest kinds of whales. More than 210 belugas, including 31 in the United States, live in aquariums around the world. The Georgia Aquarium has asked for permission to bring 18 more belugas into the U.S. The whales were caught off the coast of Russia. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is considering the aquarium's request thoroughly. A law called the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) says the animals can only be brought into the country and put on display if they are caught without being hurt and there is an educational reason for doing so. Georgia Aquarium officials say the 18 belugas will help people learn more about the species and allow scientists to better understand how to protect it. The aquarium would also breed the whales so the U.S. aquariums can continue to display them. "When we can study and observe, we gain a better understanding of their biology and diseases that affect them, and learn how to aid populations in their natural habitats," says William Hurley, Georgia Aquarium's chief officer. "Much of this research would be impossible in the remote locations and extreme climates where the animals live." The Georgia Aquarium would own the 18 belugas and would rent some to aquariums across the country. Meanwhile, many scientists, including Lori Marino, a whale expert, feel strongly that the whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks. These scientists say the whales are being used for entertainment and not for education, and having them in aquariums is not necessary for the species to survive. Marino said, "Not only is it unfair to the belugas but there is no educational value in putting these whales on display." Many scientists are against the request because _ . A. they think whales belong not only to the ocean B. they think these belugas kept are just for entertainment C. they think it necessary to keep these belugas in aquarium D. they think it necessary to put these whales on display Answer: B. they think these belugas kept are just for entertainment Question: In a cab, a woman seemed in such a hurry. She constantly rushed the cab driver to drive quickly. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts of getting to the airport as soon as possible that she was not aware they were going by a different route. All of a sudden, a young man got inside the cab. He took her handbag in which she had put her visa, passport, and all the money for the trip. The cab driver, who was _ the robber, left her in the exactly middle of a dark street. She thought that she was rather unfortunate in the very situation. During the very night, she was told a piece of shocking news. Tears came down her cheek. Flight 360, the plane that she should have got on board, had crashed. Had she not lost her important belongings, she could surely have lost the thing far more precious----her life. Sometimes bad things really happen. There are times when nothing seems to go our way. So what should we do about it? We must get rid of all these frustrations and start all over again in the faith that we will get what we deserve. Don't waste your time and energy on things that can't be changed. Continuous worrying will only affect your health and you'll be doing much more damage than what was previously done. What if it was the other way round? What if we never ran out of good luck? There was a man who won the lottery. He became greedy and wasted all his money on everything he could get his hands on. But when he one day made it to the front page of the newspaper again, it was a different story. He had been killed because of his riches. If you attain good luck, you can never be too secure about it. Life is so unpredictable. You never know what will happen next. Live one day at a time. We sometimes subject ourselves to unnecessary emotional trouble. But please don't forget: sometimes misfortune can be the source of happiness. Live for the moment. Do what must be done for the present and the future will turn out just fine. Believe me. And believe in yourself. As Captain Planet always says, "The power is yours!" According to the author, which of the following choices is the correct attitude to adopt to life? A. Never waste any time or energy because time is so limited. B. One needn't be worried or feel frustrated. Believe in yourself. C. Even while everything appears to be going smoothly, we should keep fully alert. D. Worrying about what you don't have Answer: B. One needn't be worried or feel frustrated. Believe in yourself. Question: Mr. Johns and Mr. Brown worked in the same office. One day Mr. Johns said to Mr. Brown, "I'm going to have a small party at my house next Wednesday evening. Would you and your wife like to join us?" Mr. Brown said, "Thank you very much. That is very kind of you. We are free that evening, I think. But I will telephone my wife and ask her. Maybe she wants to go somewhere else that evening." So Mr. Brown went to the other room and telephoned. When he came back, he looked very sorry. " What's the matter?" said Mr. Johns, "Did you speak to your wife?" "No," answered Mr. Brown, "She wasn't there. My small son answered the telephone. I said to him, 'Is your mother there, David?' and he answered, 'No, she is not in the house.' 'Where is she then?' I asked. 'She is somewhere outside.' 'What is she doing?' 'She is looking for me.'" A small party will be held _ . A. at David's house B. at Mr. Brown's house C. in the office D. at Mr. Johns' house Answer: D. at Mr. Johns' house
Here is some information about several famous local bakeries in Indiana, the US. They serve as a social gathering place for locals. Maple Lane Bakery At 8260 S. State Rd. Claypool, IN. (574) 566-2917, it offers a variety of cooked pies, cookies, and bread. With 20 years' experience Maple Lane Bakery has specialized in the making of pies. The menu includes peach pie $7.19, berry pie $ 7.70, apple pie $7.19 and banana pie $6.99. Feel free to place an order at least 24 hours in advance. Betty's cakes & Candy Shop At 816 E. Winona Avenue Warsaw, IN. (574) 269-1231, it specializes in cakes and offers cookies and candies. The chocolate cookies are sold at $ 8.99 a dozen. Betty's cakes & Candy Shop, started half a century ago, specializes in wedding cakes and birthday cakes. Buying a cake from Betty's will not disappoint you as they are always excellent. Crepes' Quality Bakery At 217S. Cavin Street Ligonier, IN.(260) 894-3024, this third generation bakery is located downtown Ligonier. It offers cookies and cupcakes, and specializes in rolls and bread. If you plan to buy cookies for the office or work area, you had better get there early as the building workers arrive just before 5:00 am waiting for the doors to open. Olympia Candy Kitchen At 136N. Main Street Goshen, IN. (574) 533-5040, it has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana. Its tradition began in 1912 when Greek Nicholas began making his own chocolates. Today this family-owned operation offers all kinds of candies and boxed candies. If you need an order, you should call ahead of time to see if they can meet your request. The author wrote this passage mainly to _ . Answer: Online education is becoming a popular learning choice to traditional colleges. Most colleges offer online programs in various fields and levels, which allows students to go on with their education over the Internet. Students must keep in mind that the college they wish to apply to must be approved by a related recognized organization. So who can really benefit from an online program? Well, anybody, and everybody! Online programs can turn out to be a pocket-friendly choice to a traditional college for many people. Here's a list of people who usually consider joining in an online degree program; l Stay-at-home parents. Online education is perfect choice for stay-at-home parents and those who have very young kids. Online classes give them the flexibility to complete or further their education while looking after home and family and without worrying about childcare. l Working professionals who want to further their education but travel a lot or have extremely busy schedules, as well as those who want to make a career change but do not have the time to enroll in a full-time degree program. l People who cannot commute to a college campus. l Shy students who might feel embarrassed among a group of people and prefer to study by themselves and at their own pace. l People who want to save money. Online programs can turn out to be more cost-effective than attending a physical classroom. l People who do not get distracted easily -- something many people overlook when considering online education. If you are someone who can easily ignore the ringing of a phone, stay away from TV, and resist all other things that may draw your attention, online programs are for you. So do you think online education is for you? If you feel you belong to any of the above listed categories, then online education could work out very well for you. According to the author, who is fit for online education? Answer: ABOARD XUELONG--The stranded Chinese icebreaker, Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, broke through the Antarctic's heavy ice Hoes at about 6 pm, on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014 and headed for open water, according to Xinhua Agency. After being stranded in heavy ice for five days, the ship had broken free by Tuesday evening and was making its way through lighter ice, China Central Television reported on Tuesday. The vessel, which had been conducting China's 30th Antarctic expedition before going to the aid of the Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy, will now continue with its scheduled activities. The trapped Russian ship was also trying to free itself on Tuesday, with the favorable west wind loosening the surrounding ice, according to CCTV. A helicopter onboard Xuelong _ 52 passengers onboard Akademik Shokalskiy to an Australian vessel on Thursday. The Russian ship had been stuck in the ice for 10 days. However, Xuelong became trapped during the rescue effort, with the ice surrounding the vessel three to four meters thick, far beyond the ship's ice-breaking capability. Qu Tanzhou, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration under the State Oceanic Administration, told China Daily via telephone on Tuesday that Xuelong's attempts at the breakout started on Tuesday morning. "A west wind is blowing on Tuesday, as we expected, which makes the floes and ice surrounding Xuelong more loose , creating favorable conditions for sailing on Wednesday," Qu said. On Tuesday morning, Xuelong broke ice for about 100 meters at a speed of 6 km per hour, but later became trapped in the broken floes, according to Xinhua. The efforts bore fruit on Tuesday afternoon with the ship sailing through the area of heavy ice. All the 101 crew members onboard are faring well, with entertainment facilities such as ping-pong tables, a gym and a library accessible. There is enough food onboard to last until April, sufficient water for a month and oil for four months, Qu said in a previous interview. Which of the following is WRONG? Answer: Dear Dad and Mom, How are you? I'm happy here, but I miss you very much. It's Sunday today, I don't have any classes. I am writing an e-mail to you in the computer room now. There are lots of students in the computer room. Some students are talking with their friends on QQ. Some students are playing computer games. Some students are watching movies on computers. My new friends, Peter and Bill, are here with me. Peter is buying a T-shirt on the Internet. And what is Bill doing? Oh, he is reading a book on the computer. They're friendly and they often help me with my study and life. When you come to Shanghai, I want you to meet them. I'm OK in Shanghai. Please don't worry about me. I hope you are happy and well. Love, Jenny What does Jenny think of her two new friends? Answer: Indoor public spaces such as restaurants, workplaces, hospitals and public transport are supposed _ from Jan 9 in China. On that day five years ago, China approved the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. However with the deadline days away, the government still hasn't come up with a clear message for the ban. An editorial from "China Daily" urges China to speed up its effort to ban smoking in public indoors. Referring to numbers from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the articles says if China fails to reduce tobacco consumption, the number of people killed by cigarettes will double by 2025 and three times by 2050, which is about 1.2 million now every year. This would cut the productivity of the work force and places a heavy burden on the country's healthcare system. The article says China has let an opportunity slip to change these statistics for the better. The momentum , however was not strong enough to make the country's public places smoke free. The editorial suggests that China should strengthen its effort to tax heavily smokers as there are no national regulations on banning smoking in public areas. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?_. Answer:
Question: Why do you study? Many students would simply reply: "To get good result in the college entrance examination ." For several years, many have spoken out against the exams. Some say they have turned children into studying machines. Others think that one exam cannot possibly _ a student's true level of knowledge. So, should the exams be canceled? Minister of Education Yuan Guiren doesn't think so. "Officials and the rich might take advantage if the college entrance examination were called off . And life would be more difficult for poor children. However, we do need to change the exams," Yuan said on March 7. He has put an exam reforms at the center of his fourth year in office. "I think the exam is a fair way to choose talented people. But it should pay more attention to all-around personal qualities, not just grades," said Cui Shangyu, a Senior 3 student in Sichuan. The college entrance examination was restored in 1977. From then to 2007, 46.85 million people have entered higher education through the exam. According to survey by the Ministry of Education, 90 percent of people who participate believed the college entrance examination could in some way change a person's life, especially for poor students in the countryside. The college entrance examination is not the only way to become a successful person. However, the process of preparing for the exam is a good experience, said Shen Hui, a Math teacher at Gaoyou Middle School in Jiangsu. "Through it students can learn many things, such as how to deal with stress and how to arrange a learning plan." Shen said. If the college entrance exam were called off, it would be unfair for _ . A. the poor B. the officials C. the rich D. the old Answer: A. the poor Question: When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: "We have to go to work now," you're left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the "work" they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre. Stage schools often act as agencies to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name "stage school" are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education. A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn't settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day? Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days. The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don't make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case. People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they're talking to _ . A. attend a stage school B. are going to the theatre C. have got some work to do D. love singing and dancing Answer: A. attend a stage school Question: Dear Parents, Welcome to our fifth grade class in Room 35 at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School. We have a very busy and exciting year in store for us! Before I give you a short preview of some of the subjects to be covered during the course of this year, let me first introduce myself. I am Elaine Bogucki and I have lived in Stafford County since 1987 with my husband. This will be my fourteenth year at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School and I consider myself very fortunate to be among such a professional faculty . I realize that teaching your child is a _ , as well as a very great responsibility. I will do my best this year to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. However, I cannot do this alone: I need your help. We both need to be partners in the learning process. I need each of you to encourage your child at home by helping to ensure that they have completed their assignments, and help them study for tests, if necessary. I will keep you informed of all assignments and subjects that are covered in class with a weekly summary. Finally, I have prepared some information that may help answer some of your questions about our subjects and classroom. I know that with your help we are going to have a great year! Sincerely, Mrs. Elaine Bogucki We can infer from the passage that the parents' meeting was held _ . A. at the beginning of a new school year B. before summer vacation C. at Anne E. Moncure Elementary Scholl D. after an important test Answer: A. at the beginning of a new school year Question: Britain's most popular lie has been disclosed, with one in four people admitting using "sorry I had no signal" when returning a missed mobile phone call, a survey found. Researchers found the average Briton tells on average four lies every day or almost 1500 every year. Almost one in six men admitted they were most likely to lie to their wife or girlfriend, on average at least twice a day. The most popular lie was saying you had no mobile phone signal, with one in four people admitting regularly using the little white lie. It usually came after they hit the "ignore" button when their mobile rang. Three quarters of people think women are better liars. The research found 46 per cent of girls have been caught lying, compared to 58 of men. The second most common _ is "I haven't got any cash on me" when asked for money by beggars and Big Issue sellers. "Nothing's wrong - I'm fine" came third followed by "You look lovely" and "Nice to see you". Modern technology turned out to have contributed to many lies with "I didn't get your text" in 18th, "Our server was down" in 20th and "My battery died" in 26th place. Other lies to make the top ten included "I'll give you a ring", "We're just good friends" and "We'll have to meet up soon". "I'm on my way" and "No, your bum doesn't look big in that" completed the top ten. In many cases perhaps it is better to delight someone with a fib than destroy someone with the truth, according to a spokesman for OnePoll, which carried out the research of 4,300 adults. He added: 'As a nation we just like trying to be nice and not upsetting people. Often little white lies can cover what we actually want to say. Most of these were considered completely harmless. ' Why do British people like telling lies, according to the spokesman for One Poll? A. Because truth will destroy others. B. Because British people are very considerate. C. Because it's easier for others to understand lies. D. Because lies were harmless. Answer: B. Because British people are very considerate. Question: A serious earthquake can be a terrible experience, and it is easy to forget safety measures in disorder . _ , most earthquake safety measures are common sense, but if you forget everything else, remember the following instructions: drop, cover, and hold on. Also, most of earthquake deaths happen after the earthquake, so remember that the danger does not end when the shaking does! If you stay indoors during an earthquake, move away from unsupported areas and windows. Try to get under a doorway or another area of the building which is held up by strong beams . Stay under a table or desk only if it is very strong. Do not rush to lifts, because it is far safer to stay where you are. Cover your head with your arms around it and curl into a ball, and wait for the shaking to stop. If you stay outdoors during an earthquake, move to an area which is as open as possible. Don't move to buildings, electric poles and other objects which may fall during an earthquake and injure you. Protect your head and stay low to the ground till the shaking ends and it is safe to move. After an earthquake, many buildings are less strong, although they appear safe. If you stay indoors, move people from the building quickly and help disabled or injured people. Once outdoors, move well away from the building so that if it falls down, you will not be injured. Wait till public safety officials announce that it is safe to stay indoors. By planning ahead and keeping calm during an earthquake, you can greatly increase your chances of survival without injury. According to the passage, it isn't a good choice _ during an earthquake. A. to take a lift B. to stay under a strong table C. to get under a doorway D. to cover the head with arms around it Answer: A. to take a lift
Monkeys prefer heavy metal to classical music, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin whose findings are published this week in Biology Letters. Scientists played a selection of music to a group of South American cotton-top monkeys but the only sound that got a reaction were from the heavy metal band Metallica. They were seemingly disinterested in Led Zeppelin, Miles Davis and Bach, but after the beautiful sound of Master of Puppets by Metallica was played the monkeys calmed down. "Monkeys interpret rising and falling sounds differently than humans. Oddly, their only response to several samples of human music was a calming response to the heavy-metal band Metallica," said Professor Charles Snowdon, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rather than making them excited or aggressive, the heavy metal tracks had a comforting effect. Dr Snowdon, who teamed up with National Symphony Orchestra musican David Teie, also played the monkeys music composed specifically for them. Although they enjoyed Metallica, they were much more interested in these pieces. A melody based on the short calls of scared monkeys led to anxiety levels rapidly growing, researchers found, while one based on long calls the creatures make when they are happy had a calming effect. Frans B.M. de Waal, a professor of psychology at Emory University who studies animals, said the findings appear to say more about how monkeys respond to the sounds they make than they do about music or the evolution of music. Dr Snowdon no longer has a monkey colony to use in his research, but he said his co-author David Teie is exploring the concept of music for cats. "If we understand how we can affect their emotional states through using musical sound and aspects of our speech, maybe those of us living with companion animals can have a better relationship with them, too," Snowdon said. When the monkeys heard the music they liked, they _ . A. looked anxious B. became restless C. felt at ease D. made long calls Answer: C One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren't usually celebrated for authors who aren't alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children's books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man. Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it's not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer: You have brains in your head You have feet in your shoes You can steer yourself any direction you choose And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed. Seuss's brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways. The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax "who speaks for the trees" battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods "which everyone needs". It's not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it's also a smart analysis of consumer societies: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want. I could go on, but hey, it's a birthday, and I'm sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party... Why do adults also enjoy Seuss's books? A. His words and pictures are imaginative enough to be enjoyed by all. B. His books give children obvious moral messages to learn from. C. He writes about adult topics in a way that is understandable to children. D. He was the first person to write about the environment. Answer: A A hare was very popular with the other animals who all said they were her friends.But one day she heard the hounds getting close and hoped to escape them by the aid of her many friends.So,she went to the horse,and asked him to carry her away from the hounds on his back.But he refused,because he had important work to do for his master.He felt sure that all her other friends would come to help her. She then came to the bull,and hoped that he would _ the hounds with his horns .The bull replied,"I am very sorry,but I have an appointment with a lady;but I feel sure that our friend the goat will do what you want."The goat,however,feared that his back might do her some harm if he took her upon it.The sheep,he felt sure,was the proper friend to ask for help. So she went to the sheep and told him the situation.The sheep replied,"Another time,my dear friend.I do not like to have anything to do with it,as hounds have been known to eat sheep as well as hares." The hare then went,as a last hope,to the calf ,who regretted that he was unable to help her,as he did not like to take the responsibility upon himself.By this time the hounds were quite near,and the hare took to her heels and luckily escaped. What do you think of the sheep? A. Helpless. B. Brave. C. Friendly. D. Smart. Answer: A How Many Lies Do the Children Tell You? Mothers who feel their children don' t appreciate them can add another _ to the list: half the time, their children are lying to them. A study designed to expose the truth about lying shows that undergraduates lie to their mothers in 46% of their conversations. Still, mums should feel better than total strangers, who are told lies an astonishing 77 % of the time. Bella Depaulo and a team of psychologists from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, asked 77 undergraduates to keep a record of all their conversations for a week, and write down whether they lied at any time. DePaulo named lying broadly, as "when you intentionally try to mislead someone", so she would catch the smallest of lies. The students told an average of two lies a day. They said they had been studying when they had been out drinking. One told his parents that a textbook cost $50 rather than $20 so that they would send him extra money. Female students constantly told their plain-looking roommates that they were pretty. "They are everyday lies," says DePaulo. DePaulo and her colleagues conclude that people tend to tell fewer lies to those they feel closest to. College students lied to their best friends 28% of the time but lied to acquaintances 48% of the time. In close relationships, people were more likely to tell "kind-hearted" lies, designed to protect feelings, rather than self-serving lies. Romantic partners lie somewhere between close friends and acquaintances. Students lied to romantic partners about a third of the time. DePaulo thinks that unmarried lovers can expect less honesty than best friends because of the insecurity that comes with romance. Mothers can take heart from one other finding. They may have been lied to, but at least their children talked to them. The students were recorded telling few lies to their fathers because they had little interaction with them. According to the passage, college students felt closest to _ . A. mothers B. best friends C. acquaintances D. romantic partners Answer: B Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person has lived using a strand of hair, a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims. The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people's hair. "You're what you eat and drink, and that's recorded in your hair," said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah. While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as rain clouds move. Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable, but traces of both elements are also present as heavier isotopes . The heaviest rain falls first. As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah. Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months. Cerling's team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a map of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops. They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of rain systems. "It's not good for pinpointing ," Cerling said. "It's good for eliminating many possibilities." Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake. The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair. When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months. She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming. "It's still a substantial area," Park said "But it narrows it way down for me." What did Cerling's team produce in their research? A. A map showing the regional differences of tap water. B. A collection of hair samples from various barber shops. C. A method to measure the amount of water in human hair. D. A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system. Answer: A
In the last few years, some researchers have decided to study why kids lie ,So they made up a special team of 12 students, all under the age of 21. Each student was given 36 cards, and each card listed a topic that teens sometimes lie about to their parents, The researchers worked through the cards with the teens, learning what things the kid was lying to his parents about, and why. By the end of the interviews, the kids saw for the first time how much they were lying and how many of family's rules they had broken. It was reported that 98% of the teens had lied to their parents. Out of the 36 topics, the average teen was lying to his parents about 12 of them. The teens lied about what movie they went to, and whom they went with .They lied about how they spent their afternoons while their parents were at work, and something like that. Most parents hear their child lie and think he's too young to understand what lies are or that lying is wrong. They believe their child will stop when he gets older. Many books also advise parents to just let lies go -- they'll grow out of it. But the truth is that kids grow into it. In studies where children are observed in their natural environment, a 4-year-old child will lie once every two hours, while a 6-year-old child will lie about once every hour and a half. The researchers started the project by _ . A playing cards B free talking C doing a survey D discussion Answer: C. doing a survey Well, what a bonus! Lots of us are using technology to find rides, and not just to school. It's awkward to call a friend and ask for a ride, and half the time they'll say, "Sorry,my car is full." But with Twitter and Facebook, you just tweet Ashleys Pool Party and look for other people heading the same way. It may sound risky, but many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don't branch out beyond friends of friends when asking on Twitter. For me, I only rideshare with people I know, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern. The sharing economy got big during the recession . It allows people to access more goods and services using technology, while also allowing them to share cost. And that, technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom. According to the researchers at the University of Michigan,30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver's license. Today it's six in ten. So it's not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn't rushing to get a license. All I wanted was an IPhone, Juliet Schor (Sociology professor at Boston College) knows people of my age love being connected and for young people driving means they have to disconnect from their technology, and that's negative. So if they could sit in the passenger side and still be connected, that's going to be a plus. To me, another plus is ridesharing represents something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, we still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on twitter. The last sentence of the passage indicates that _ . A he will buy the silver Super Beetle on Twitter B he is usually on Twitter when he is at work C he doesn't need a car as long as he can be on Twitter D he'll rideshare before he gets his own car Answer: D. he'll rideshare before he gets his own car 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. Many English people have _ meals a day. A two B three C four D three or four Answer: C. four Solar energy called sunlight originates from A jupiter B center of universe C our celestial star D deep space Answer: C. our celestial star In prefix = st1 /America, drivers' education is part of high school. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a course in drivers' education. However, unlike other courses, it isn't given during the regular school year. Instead, it is a summer course. The course is divided into two parts: class time for learning the laws and regulations, and driving time for practice. The students study the basic traffic laws they must know to pass the written driving test, which is given to anyone who wants to get a driver's license. Driving time is a chance for the students to sit behind the steering wheel and practice all kinds of skills that are required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive for a total of six hours. The students are divided into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hours. Thus, each student gets half an hour of driving time per outing. The instructor and the "driver" sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back. The cars for drivers' education are different from other ears. In this kind of car there are two sets of brakes, one on the driver's side and the other on the instructor; s side. Thus, if the student driver runs into difficulties, the instructor can take over. This kind of car also has another special feature. On the rear window of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should be more careful because the student driver isn't very experienced. After the student has passed the drivers' education course and reached the proper age to drive, they can go to a designated state office to take the driving test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The student must pass all the three tests in order to get a driver's license. If the student does well in the drivers' education class, he or she will have no problem passing the test with flying color1s and getting licensed. We can infer that the students are required to_in their whole driving practice. A go out driving for twelve times B spend at least six hours driving C drive for two hours D get half an hour driving each time Answer: A. go out driving for twelve times
I believe in leaving work at five o'clock. In a nation with such a strict work ethic , this is considered strange. Working only 40 hours a week? I just don't know many people who punch out at five o'clock anymore. My father tried to teach me the importance of hard work, long hours and devotion to a career. But then there are the things he taught me unintentionally, like when he arrived home from work for the last time and crawled up the stairs. My father, a self-employed sales trainer, was that sick, that tired. His body was wracked with liver cancer, and he suffered the effects of a diabetic ulcer . Despite all this, he insisted on traveling a long way to give a lecture. He probably earned a lot of money that day, but he paid the price. He returned to the hospital soon afterwards and was dead within three months, aged just 58. It's been 10 years since I saw my father come home that night and since then, I've thought a lot about work. I've decided something: I will never crawl up the stairs exhausted. As much as I love my job as a newspaper reporter, I will never work myself into the ground, physically or emotionally. _ After all, I am my father's daughter. In college, I was the girl who sat on the library steps each morning, waiting for the doors to open. I even dreamt about schoolwork. My dad once told me he was unable to just gaze at a sunset; he had to be doing something as he looked at it--writing, reading, playing chess. You could say he was a success: He was a published author, an accomplished musician, fluent in many languages. That's an impressive list, but the thing is I want to gaze at sunsets. I don't want to meet a deadline during them or be writing a column at the same time, or glance at them over the top of a book. This raises the question: If I leave work at five o' clock to watch the sunset, what are the consequences? Do I risk not reaching the top of my profession? Maybe, because honestly, knocking off after eight hours probably won't earn me the best promotion. But hey, leaving work at five o' clock means I eat dinner with my family. I get to hop on my bike and cycle through the streets of my hometown when there is no traffic. And I get to take in a lot of sunsets. That's got to be worth something. This text is developed _ . A. by giving examples B. by making comparisons C. by describing process D. by order of time Answer: A Hello, I'm Jones. I want to go to the following three places. I would like to visit Harpo Studios in Chicago, because it hosts The Oprah Winfrey Show. I really love Oprah Winfrey. I want to meet her. It doesn't snow in my country. Chicago is in the northeast of the USA. I'd like to be there, see snow. Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. I would like to visit its beautiful streets and the famous Eiffel Tower. Paris has many zoos. So I can go to the zoos and have a look at the animals. There are many cars on the streets, but I can take the subway to get around the city. On my summer vocation, I would like to go to Barcelona. First, there are many beautiful beaches. Second, there are well-known desserts and fruits in Barcelona. Jones wants to go to Chicago to _ . A. watch animals B. eat delicious food C. meet Oprah Winfrey D. work Answer: C One day, Daisy dreamed a strange dream. She flew in a wonderful carpet to talk with an antelope in Tibet. The antelope told her they were hunted because of their fur which can be used to make sweaters like hers. Later, she flew to Zimbabwe where she talked with an elephant and got to know the farmers there no longer hunted them. That's because the government decided to help and the farmers finally made a lot of money. At last, she arrived at the thick rainforest where a monkey told her "no rain forest, no animals and no drugs." Although finally everything was gone, she hadlearned so much. How many places has Daisy been to? A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5 Answer: B For several years now, the dollar has fallen lower and lower against other major currencies. Lately, though, the dollar has risen, especially against the Japanese yen and the euro. Some traders think the dollar will continue to rise, but that is not clear. The dollar moved up this week after comments by American officials in support of a strong dollar policy. On Monday, before he left for his last trip as president to Europe, George Bush said: "A strong dollar is in our nation's interests. It is in the interests of the global economy." Also Monday, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on CNBC television that he would consider intervention to keep the dollar from sliding further. The United States has not intervened in currency markets since two thousand. That year the administration of president Bill Clinton bought euros to support the European currency. But on Tuesday, President Bush said in Slovenia that the "relative value of economies will end up setting the proper valuation of the dollar." A weaker dollar helps American exporters. But it means Americans have to pay more for imports and for travel to other countries. Some experts say dollar weakness is the main reason why oil prices have risen so high. Oil is priced in dollars on the world market. But Treasury Secretary Paulson dismissed any link. He noted that since two thousand two, the dollar has fallen about twenty-four percent. But the price of oil has gone up well over five hundred percent. Adding to pressure on the dollar, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet suggested that the E.C.B will raise interest rates next month. European officials are increasingly concerned with inflation. But investors can already get higher rates of return on investments in euros than in dollars. High prices for oil, food and other products have raised inflation concerns worldwide. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the latest increases in energy prices have added to inflation risks. His comments in recent days have suggested that the central bank could stop cutting rates as it has since September. Its rate for overnight loans between banks is currently at two percent. Some market watchers think the Fed could raise rates as early as this month. Finance ministers from nations in the Group of Eight will discuss the dollar and other issues at their meeting this weekend in Osaka, Japan. We can infer from the passage that _ A. the dollar is sure to continue to rise B. the dollar is sure to slide further C. investors will get more benefit from dollars D. there is a chance of inflation in the world Answer: D Want to find a job? Now read the following advertisements. FAIRMONT HOTEL Five Waiters and Ten Waitresses -- Aged under 22 -- At least high school graduate -- Good-looking; men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65 -- Those knowing foreign languages favoured -- Paid 1 600--2 200 dollars per month One Secretary -- Aged under 30 -- Female favoured -- Good at writing and skilled at computer If interested, call 465-4768 or write to: Mr. Jack Hundris Room 0825, Fairmont Hotel 567 Wood Street, San Markers, 78003 Fax: 6954828 WILSON BOOKSTORE Accountant -- Aged between 25 and 40 -- With an experience of at least two years -- With a degree and an accountant certificate -- Paid 3 000--4 000 dollars monthly -- With a practical knowledge of computer Salesclerk -- Basic education of 12 years or more -- Good at computer -- Paid 1 800--2 200 dollars monthly Tel: 447-4398 Fax: 3485269 From the ads we can conclude that _ . A. you'll be better paid in Wilson Bookstore than in Fairmont Hotel B. all the jobs offered require experience C. the better education you've received, the more money you'll make D. if you want to be an accountant, you may call 465-4768 Answer: C
When did you last visit a shopping mall? In many places, the answer would be "last weekend." Some people go even more often. Why? For one thing, malls offer goods and services that people need all in one place: food, clothing, things for their houses, entertainment, even medical services. So, are malls one of the highlights of modern civilization? Environmental activists would say No! They would go even further and say that consumer behavior is causing a huge environmental disaster. cause consumers of ignorance of the side effect of their shopping--urban sprawl . Social scientists agree that patterns of development have changed the landscape a great deal in the last half century. Before 1950, most people lived in towns or cities and either walked to work or took public transportation. Only very wealthy people had automobiles. Farmers lived in rural areas or isolated villages and came into town only when they needed things they couldn't produce themselves. If you gazed at the landscape you would see towns surrounded by countryside. Then a massive change occurred. Automobiles became affordable and people were quick to adopt them. Now ambitious workers could live in the suburbs, the areas just outside cities, which started to grow rapidly. As long as there was lots of cheap land in the suburbs, no one paid much attention to the usage of that land. Malls, fast food restaurants, cinemas, and car dealerships spread out in large, flat buildings. These one-storey buildings and their parking lot took up a great deal space. Well- meaning farmers thought they were better off selling their land than growing crops. In ignorance, no one realized that once the land was built up in urban sprawl, the good farming land would be ruined forever. There was no way to preserve it. Only in recent years have people come to mourn the old way of life as they have developed insight into the problems. Now people realize that urban sprawl has come with serious environmental problems. The negative aspects of sprawl include air and water pollution, loss of agricultural land, traffic jams, and the death of businesses in the old town centers. Many scholars think the time has come to analyze the problems better so we can develop appropriate policies to control further sprawl. Some think the best way to do is to educate citizens about their priceless environment. What is the scholars' attitude toward urban sprawl? Which area would be brightest, if you woke up there? Harry is eighteen now. He studies in a middle school. His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they often tell him to study hard and they do all for him. They call him at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy something in the shops. Once, Harry's father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up earlier and did all what her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn't do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. Even he didn't know where to get on the bus! Yesterday Harry's mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a new pair in the shop. But he didn't know how to choose. The woman had a sigh and gave him a shoe pattern and told him to buy a pair of shoes himself. It's Saturday today and Harry doesn't go to school. With a policeman's help, he found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked, "What's the matter, young man?" "I'm sorry, I've left the shoe pattern at home!" The woman had to look after her son by herself because _ . 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. What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the text? 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. What color is John's favorite shirt?
A lazy Susan is an addition to a table that is designed to assist in moving food from one person to another while dining. This is achieved through the use of a turntable , which usually moves the food in a circle when it is pushed by those at the table. In this way, the food never has to be picked up and passed around the table. Instead, it remains in place on the lazy Susan. A lazy Susan may also be a part of a kitchen cabinet . In this sense, the lazy Susan is a type of shelving unit within the cabinet that is able to turn around its axis . One may turn the lazy Susan in order to find certain goods in storage. From the outside, a lazy Susan appears to be two cabinets that are located at a right angle to each another. When one of these cabinets is pushed, however, both doors move and the lazy Susan is revealed inside. It is believed that Thomas Jefferson invented the lazy Susan in the 18th century, though it was called "dumbwaiter" at that time. It is said that Jefferson invented the lazy Susan because his daughter complained she was always served last at table and, as a result, never found herself full when leaving the table. Others believe that Thomas Edison was the inventor, as he is believed to have invented the turntable for his phonograph . The turntable may have developed into the lazy Susan later. Regardless of who invented it, it wasn't until 1917 that the term "lazy Susan" was used in an advertisement for the invention. In Britain, however, the term "dumbwaiter" is still used rather than "lazy Susan". The reason for the naming of it is still a mystery. One theory is that it was named after either Jefferson's or Edison's daughter, both of whom were named Susan. What is a "lazy Susan"? A. A waitress B. A convenient tool C. A table D. A cabinet Answer: B. A convenient tool John Smith,an office worker,lives in Washington.He inherited a million dollars when he was 23,but he wasn't happy at all.When his college friends were looking for their jobs,he didn't have to.Jack decided to living a simple life like everyone else.He gave $l0,000 of his money to a charity to help poor children live a better life.Today he is 36.He still wears cheap shoes and clothes and drives a small car only,but he is very happy. Up to now John has helped some children from poor countries all over the world,by sending them each $200 a month.The money was used for the children's study, food, medicine and clothing.John receives a report each year on the children's progress.They can write to each other, but usually the children do not speak English. When John first heard about these children,he wanted to help them."It was nothing special," he said."Until I went to these countries and met the children I was helping,I didn't know anything about their life." Once John went to meet a little girl in Africa.He said that the meeting was very exciting."When I met her.I felt very ,very happy."he said."And I saw that the money was used for a good cause.It brought me happiness.I want to do everything I can to go on helping those children." John didn't need to look for a job _ . A. before he went to college B. after he went to Africa C. because he got a lot of money D. before he received a report Answer: C. because he got a lot of money I went to bed at 11pm, it was snowing. I slept deep and my clock didn't work. It was so cold that I didn't want to get up again. I called my mother "Mom, my alarm clock is dead, but tomorrow morning I need to get up at six o'clock to catch an early bus . Can you give me a wakeup call?" My mother's voice was a little dull, "Fine, dear." Phone rings pulled me out of my dreams. Mom said from the other end of the line,"It is time to get up, and you need to catch the early bus." I looked at my watch-5:40."Didn't I ask you to wake me up at SIX?" I complained."Let me have some more sleep, please!" I got up and ready for the trip. It was a dark, cold morning, and everywhere was filled with snow. As I reached the bus stop, I found a white-haired couple had already been waiting. "You see, you didn't sleep at all night and got here so early," the man murmured( ) to his wife. The bus finally came. The driver was a very young man. He waited just long enough for me to get on before he started the bus again. "Please wait," I said to the driver. "There are two older people that need to get on, too. It is so cold, and they have waited for a long time. How could you leave them behind?" Without stopping the bus, the young driver said"That's OK, they are my parents. This is my first day on the job, so they came to make sure I was all right." I couldn't hold back my tears. My mobile phone rang, incoming was my father's message, "Sweetie, your mom is not feeling well, she was awake most of the night so that she wouldn't miss your wakeup call." The wakeup call, the older couple, the young driver...reminded me of a Jewish proverb: "When a father gives something to his son, the son smiles; when a son gives something to his father, the father cries." Which is the reason to keep the older people waiting so long? A. To catch the early bus B. To see their son off C. To have a trip D. To make sure their son was all right on the first day to work Answer: D. To make sure their son was all right on the first day to work A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps. One should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men. A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting us in age. Men often discover their similarity to each other by the common love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb, "Love me, love my dog." But there is more wisdom in this: "Love my, love my book." The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. _ A good book is often the best container of a life preserving the best that life could think out; for the world of a man's life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which become our steady companions and comforters. Books are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay , but good books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author's minds, ages ago. The great and good do not die, even in this world. Preserved in books, their spirits walked abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens. The writer introduces the topic of the passage by_. A. describing life experience of great writers B. telling his own story of reading good books C. presenting the best thoughts in good books D. comparing good books to good friends in life Answer: D. comparing good books to good friends in life Every year at our school, we have a special day called International Day . It is for students to learn about different cultures from different countries. On this day, each class must tell other classes about a different country. Of course you will see many dances and different foods. If you visit the classroom of Japan, you can play the games Japanese children play. You also have some special Japanese foods. In the classroom of Mexico , there are tomalleys and chips to eat. In the afternoon, all the students, teachers and parents watch the dances. There are lots of dances. These dances are beautiful. People enjoy the shows. I enjoy International Day very much. Which is the special food in Mexico? A. Tomalleys and chips. B. Turkey. C. Pizza. D. Pumpkin pie. Answer: D. Pumpkin pie.
Where do soil nutrients also exist? Answer: Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself. But many of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings. The expression "to be in hot water" is one of them. It is a very old expression. "Hot water" was used 500 years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle. That no longer happens. But we still get in "hot water".When we are in "hot water", we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble--serious or not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother. if he walks in the house with dirty shoes. Being in "deep water" is almost the same as being in hot water. When you are in deep water, you are in a difficult position. Imagine a person who cannot swim being thrown in water over his head. You are in deep water when you are facing a problem that you do not have the ability to solve. The problem is too deep. You can be in deep water, for example, if you invest in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market. "To keep your head above water" is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job. "Water over the dam" is another expression about a past event. It is something that is finished. It cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water that has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again. This passage is written mainly to tell us _ . Answer: A couple of weeks ago, a few friends and I had an opportunity to attend a dear friend's wedding in New York. After the wedding and reception, rather accidentally four of us gathered in a hotel room and began to explore the deeper meaning of life and death. What does it mean to live truly? If we are all getting closer to death, is all the material accumulation worth it? It is not exactly the type of conversations one has at a wedding. While the answers varied from person to person, I was left with more questions than answers and a feeling of gratefulness to be surrounded by friends who were asking the "right" questions. As the clock kept ticking past 3 a.m., one of the roommates suggested we watch a short film titled "Last Days of Zach Sobiech". The film is about a teenager's journey through the last days of his incurable illness. The film brought up a lot of mixed emotions but one quote that stood out for me was Zach's simple explanation of happiness, " What makes one happy is seeing someone else smile because you put it there." By 4 a.m. , there was this energy in the room that had to be shared! With a few packages of post-it notes, we hit the halls of the hotel. We decided to leave short inspirational words on guests' doors, so when they opened their doors few hours later a smile would turn up. We ended up sticking post-it notes on all the doors until we ran out of them. The note on the door of the newly-weds properly said, "Where there is love, there is life." After watching the film, what impressed the author most? Answer: A car is driving on a highway trying to get up the the speed limit. However, there are strong winds hitting the windshield of the car. Even though the driver is trying to speed up, the high winds Answer: Which would a scientist use in trying to model the cause of planetary years? Answer:
Question: Each year,millions of people go abroad to work,study,or travel.It's a great way to find out what life is like in another part of the world! You're probably hoping to make new friends and learn about the culture in your host country everything from attitudes and beliefs to social customs and popular foods.But constantly having to deal with new situations can be frustrating ,even stressful. Homesickness,stress,fear,and confusion are all symptoms of"culture shock".At first,you may feel like getting on the plane and heading home.It's OK to have those feelings,but the following are some tips to help you handle the challenges that you will face. Don't expect to be perfect.You may feel frustrated that you have culture shock,especially since you probably spent so much time preparing for your trip.No matter how much information you read,or how well you speak the host language,it is natural to feel over-whelmed sometimes.If you give yourself some time,things will gradually get easier. Have an open mind.While it's certainly OK to feel frustration or confusion in your new surroundings,try not to form an opinion about the new culture too soon.Don't think of the host as better or worse,just different--you'll be more willing to try new things. Participate.This is obvious,but everybody needs to be reminded.Just watching life go on around you isn't good enough.You really need to try things for yourself.Don't worry about making a mistake;people in your host country will generally be very understanding and willing to help if you have question.Your study abroad experience is fl unique and special time in your life,one that you'll never forget.If you follow our suggestions,you'll be able to handle it well,and have a wonderful time.Good luck ! Which of the following statements is WRONG? A. It is natural to feel overwhelmed sometimes. B. Not everything is perfect. C. Try to form the opinion about the new culture as soon as possible. D. Tell others about your problems. Answer: C Question: Two space walkers fixed a camera on the outside of the international space station on Monday and threw overboard a data - collecting device , sending it rolling off into space like a football. The new camera will help space station astronauts add new pieces onto the orbiting station. Mr Arthur and his Russian crewmate left the or biting station unmanned during the 5 - hour spacewalk. Normally, one crew member stayed aboard while two others worked outside. But the space station crew has been reduced to two since the space shuttle prefix = st1 /Columbiadisaster in 2003, and it has been left empty nine times during spacewalks since then. The device thrown overboard was once used to collect data on electrical activity around the space station. It was designed to work for only a few months and was no longer needed. Engineers were afraid pieces might break off and damage the space station, so they decided to cut it loose. The device, which weighs about 60 pounds and has solar panels that extend about 2 feet, is expected to burn up in the atmosphere in about three months. Happily, the space walking pair helped each other into their spacesuits without the help of a third crew member. The space walk was put off by an hour because of trouble with the US airlock , which did not depressurize completely at first. But the pair quickly made up for the lost time as they worked outside. It was the first time in two years that space walkers exited through the USairlock. When the spacewalking pair carried out their task,_. A. they got the help from the new camera B. they put off the task as they planned C. they reduced their work as they worked outside D. they finished their work as they planned despite a delay at the beginning Answer: D Question: What would thrive if Eagles died out A. air B. hamsters C. emotions D. magic Answer: B Question: One day a mime is visiting the zoo and tries to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw a crowd, a zookeeper pulls him into his office. The zookeeper explains that the zoo's most popular attraction, a gorilla , has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla. The mime accepts. The next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He soon discovers he can sleep, play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime -- the job he likes but loses. However, with days going by, he begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience, he climbs to the top of his cage, crawls across a partition , and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. The lion gets angry at this. The scene is _ to the crowd. At the end of the day he is given a raise for being such a good attraction -- well, this continues for some time. The crowds grow larger, and the mime's pay keeps going up. Then one day when he is dangling over the lion he slides and falls. The mime is terrified. He starts screaming "Help me!", but the lion is quick. The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says, "Shut up you fool! Do you want to get us both fired?" How does the mime find the job dressing up as the gorilla? A. Hard and tiring. B. Dangerous but exciting. C. Easy and funny. D. Boring but well-paid. Answer: C Question: It is never too early, or too late, to encourage a child to read. With the chill of winter upon us, the following is a list of wonderful stories with winter and or snow themes. Waiting for Winter It was written by Sebastian Meschenmoser. A little squirrel , who has never seen snow, is determined that he will not miss it this year. He gets the help of his good friends, a bear and a hedgehog, trying to stay awake until they can all see the first snowfall of winter. This book is a wonderful story to read aloud to young children or for older children to read by themselves. The Snowy Day The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a short read, but since its first publication it has been loved by millions. It tells about a beautiful story about the magic and possibility of the first snowfall of winter, which appeals to young and older children. The Polar Express Popularized by the 2004 Warner Brothers all-digital film, The Polar Express was first published in 1985. The hero of this story is a boy who is given the opportunity to receive a gift from Santa himself. A magical train appears outside his bedroom window, taking him away on a fantastic journey to the North Pole. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree It was written by Robert E. Barry. Mr Willowby orders a lovely new Christmas tree, and when it is delivered to his home he finds it far too tall. He has the top of the tree cut off in order to make it just the right height. This book follows the treetop on its journey through the forest, where it brings the joy of the holidays for some woodland creatures. This book teaches us a valuable lesson about the joy of giving, and happiness that it can bring to the hearts of recipients . Which of the following was made into a popular film? A. Waiting for Winter B. The Snowy Day C. The polar Express D. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree Answer: C
A mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package: What food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap! Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse declared the warning, "There is a mouse trap in the house, there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr Mouse, I can tell you this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me, I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so sorry, Mr Mouse," sympathized the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; be assured that you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who replied, "A mouse trap, am I in grave danger, huh?" So the mouse returned to the house, head down and depressed to face the farmer's mouse trap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a mouse trap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was an evil snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knew to treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main _ . His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral. The farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat. So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when the least of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We could see from the passage that the mouse was _ . Answer: kind and warm-hearted There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with bread and a six-pack of beer and started on his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry ,so he offered her a chunk of bread. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her some beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it began to grow dark, the boy realized how sad he was and he got up to leave. He turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug . She gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God. You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was astonished by the look of joy on her face and he asked,"Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?"She replied,"I ate bread in the park with God. You know. He's much younger than I expected." The boy's mother was surprised to see her son was very _ when the door opened. Answer: pleased Suppose that we lined up our roughly 14 million United States businesses in order of size, starting with the smallest, along an imaginary road from San Francisco to New York. There will be 4,500 businesses to the mile, or a little less than one per foot. Suppose further that we planted a flag each business. The height of the flag pole represents the yearly volume of sales , each $ 10, 000 in sales in shown by one foot of pole. The line of flagpoles is a very interesting sight. From San Francisco to about Reno, it is almost unnoticeable, a row of poles about a foot high. From Reno eastward the poles increase in height until, near Columbus, Ohio - about four - fifths of the way across the nation - flags fly about 10 feet in the air. But as we approach the eastern terminus , the poles suddenly begin to mount . There are about 300, 000 firms in the country with sales over $ 500, 000. These firms take up the last 75 miles of the 3,000 - mile road. There are 200, 000 firms with sales over $ 1 million. They take up the last 50 miles. Then there are 1, 000 firms with sales of $ 50, 000, 000 or more. They take up the last quarter of a mile before the city limits, flags flying at cloud height, 5 , 000 feet up . At the very gate of New York, on the last 100 feet of the last mile , we find the 100 largest industrial firms . They have sales of at least $ 1.5 billion, so that their flags are already miles high. Along the last 10 feet of road , there are 10 largest companies . Their sales are roughly $ 10 billion and up : their flags fly 190 miles in the air , almost in the stratosphere . What's the correct order of the following places from east to west? Answer: New York, Columbus, Reno, San Francisco As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more. Lewis and his co-worker carried out their study by videotaping the families while they are having ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger,conversation gives way to the parents' efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. "In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children's IQ scores,"Lewis says. " And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is. " The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings . Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. " _ "says Lewis. When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner,chances are for the middle child. "There is, however,one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: "When the TV is on,"Lewis says, "dinner is a non-event ". Which of the following statements would the writer agree to? Answer: Parents should talk to each of their children frequently. Tomatoes are necessary in every kitchen, but hardly will you hear their cosmetic function. Not only do tomatoes taste great, but they also keep the skin healthy. It is good to consume tomatoes as they have lycopene , which is an antioxidant and hence works as a sunscreen from within. These antioxidants make the tomato an anti-aging product as they help fight the damage and reddening of the skin. It is recommended to have at least 16 milligrams of lycopene per day. For people who are used to sitting in air-conditioned places, tomato helps moisturize their skin. In a word, whether you want to cure large pores and sun-burns or reduce acne , tomatoes are beneficial. Cure big pores Big pores provide easy access to dirt, thus increasing the chances of infecting the pore. Take a tablespoon of fresh tomato juice, and mix it with two to four drops of fresh lime juice. Use a cotton ball to put this mixture on your face for about 15 minutes and then wash it off with cool water. Regular application will reduce pores greatly. Reduce acne Tomatoes can help reduce and clear up your acne. Vitamin A and vitamin C are commonly found in a lot of acne medicines. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. If you have mild acne, cut a tomato in half and leave it on your face for an hour, which will moisturize your face. Do this as many times as you can, and your acne will dry off soon. Cool the skin A lot of people's skin gets sun-burnt in summer because of staying in the sun for a long time. Crush half a tomato and mix it with two table-spoons of plain yogurt. Apply this mixture on face, neck, hands and feet for 20 minutes, and then wash it. Tomato cools the skin, while yogurt can make it soft and supple. The purpose of this passage is to _ . Answer: remind people of the importance of tomatoes
Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may _ for you than you think. High technology, some predicted, would make team work a thing of the past. That's happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers. But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations---often thousands of miles apart---can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results. Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient. Of course, computer-assisted team effort doesn't end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. "Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions," explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. "Interdisciplinary teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network." Sometimes a computer-aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high-technology team work, the future seems limitless. According to the passage, the writer believes that _ . the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past One day Mr. and Mrs. Black were driving to a party . Mr. Black drove the car very fast. "Please don't drive so fast." Mrs Black asked his husband to drive more slowly ."If you drive so fast , maybe we'll have some trouble.""Oh , no , Don't be worried , my dear . "said Mr. Black with a smile ."You know I'm good at driving . You won't be in danger . And there is little time . If I don't drive fast , we'll be late for the party." A few minutes later , his wife , Mrs. Black , said to him,"If you don't slow down ,We'll be in hospital." Just at this moment a car came out of a side road and crossed in front of their car . Mr. Black stopped their car quickly . It nearly hit that car: "Oh , dear , I'm sorry for that . You are right , my dear,"said Mr Black . "I'll never drive fast later . Now let me drive slowly . "Then car drove very slowly to the party . Of course they were very late for the party. Mr. Black drove so fast , because _ . he didn't want to be late for the party. It is well known that the Japanese people's love of fish is almost as a bee's interest in honey. As fish populations were decreasing, fishing companies were forced to fish further and further away from the shore. Then they had a big challenge -how to keep the fish fresh for longer. So they decided to keep the fish stored in freezers on the boats. But the public did not like frozen fish. So again the fishing companies had a new bigger challenge. What they decided to do was to have fish tanks on their boats. After catching fishes, they would put them in the tanks and keep them living there until they got back to shore. But in this protected environment, lacking predators ,the fish stopped moving around. The Japanese public felt these dull fish did not taste fresh, which had an unpleasant effect upon sales. Once again the fishing companies had an even bigger challenge. Stop for a minute! Before we go any further, I would like to ask "What are your challenges? How do you handle an unexpected challenge?" May I think it this way that you should try to attack your challenges? Conquer them with a Swiss Army knife. Take the most proper and simple tool that you can adopt to deal with your situation. Now back to our story. How did the Japanese finally figure out the fresh fish problem?Sharks! You might think the same. Sharks were caught and put into the tanks with other fishes. Don't sharks eat fish? Well, they do eat a few fish, but they did also keep more fish active and alert . The fish stay fresh because they are challenged. _ to offer yourself a challenge in your own business and career. Which of the following statements is true? The fish kept in tanks didn't sell well because of their taste. When the TV viewer turns on his set, what sort of programs does he have to choose from? You might think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that's not the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment. U.S. figures are high----34.8% , and the unloving Canadians are even higher with 44%. Except Canada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information (news , documentaries and so on) or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcasts take place during peak viewing times. In Japan though , more than 60%of broadcasting time is taken up with education of one kind of anther----just another example of the businesslike Japanese philosophy. In the U.K., the figure is 56.4% . the Italians have fewer educational programs than anyone else. They don't go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted to dramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports etc. You will find more news information programs on Italian TV than anything else. That's understandable in a country experiencing social and political changes. Italians rely on TV to tell them what's going on---and events are happening almost too fast to follow. The percentage of time the U.S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller. After education, most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown around the world. More news information programs are broadcast on Italian TV than anywhere else because the Italians _ . Expect TV to tell them the latest news about what is going on in their country 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. According to the new research, we can learn that _ . people hide the debt from their partners or families to some extent
Warley Woods Community Trust Welcome to our third newsletter of the year! Our main activity for March is our Walk for the Woods fundraising events on Saturday,17thMarch,starting any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. We will be walking the distance between Warley Woods and Tipperary. It is indeed a long way-80 miles. The more people that you can get sponsor you,the more money we can raise to help look after our beautiful woodland. More information is available at our website. The Sunday volunteers planted two beeches and on oak last week. This was thanks to the money fro the Big Tree Plant and to Lisa and Gordon Whitiker,whose friends gave money for the big trees instead of for their wedding presents. Thanks to everyone who took part. There were 15 volunteers at the Oral History Training Day which was led by vey ably by Julia Letts. The group will be meeting again and will start to interview the local people who have offered to tell their stories. We are happy to hear from others who would like to be interviewed about their memories of the Woods for the project. If you or anyone you know is interested,please call Viv Cole at the office. This project is financed by Heritage Lottery Fund. There was a huge response to the Forest Schools activities held at half term. These will be held again during the Easter holidays on the following dates: 4thApril from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for over 8s. On 12th April form 10 a.m. to 12 noon,there will be a Teddy Bears' Picnic for the under 8s. All these must be booked in advance. Finally,don't forget the Easter Egg Roll on Bank Holiday,9th April,staring at 11 a.m. Bring your own hard-boiled and decorated egg to roll down the hill in the woods. The first past the finishing line will win a large chocolate egg! This year,due to popular demand,there will also be an Adults' Easter Egg Roll following the children's competition. We look forward to seeing you all soon,at one of our many events. Which of the following will be on 9thApril? A. Walk for the Woods B. Teddy Bears' Picnic C. The Easter Egg Roll D. The Oral History Training Day Answer: C. The Easter Egg Roll If a person is making laps around a gym, they find that A. they are about to be born B. they are gaining weight C. their heart starts racing D. they are getting fatter Answer: C. their heart starts racing As with any house guests, indoor plants require a certain amount of basic, regular attention if they are going to feel at home. The first consideration when purchasing plants is to make reasonably sure that they are suitable for the condition in which they are going to be housed. A general rule for most plants being brought indoors for the first time is to ensure that they have reasonable temperature of not less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit, a position out of cold air, safe from pets and not exposed to strong sunlight. Plants love company. When plants are growing together, they create an atmosphere of damp around themselves which is far more beneficial than hot dry conditions. A group of plants will also present a more pleasing picture and provide an opportunity for a creative arrangement. There is no secret to this. Just rely on your natural feeling for harmony. Watering and feeding plants are probably the two areas of care that are the least well understood, but, again, if you follow a few simple rules, your plants should do well. Cold slightly warm water is therefore the answer. It is usually better to pour water on to the soil on the surface of the pot rather than put the water into the pot holder at the bottom. Avoid giving small amount of water at regular intervals- it is much better to wet the soil right through the pot in one go and then to allow it to dry noticeably before giving it a further watering. The majority of indoor plants will be in active growth from March until October, and during this time, the established ones will benefit from regular feeding. This may mean feeding with a weak liquid fertilizer at each watering or at intervals of a week or ten days with fertilizer at a standard strength. It is important, however, to ensure that plants are not fed when growth is inactive, when the soil in the pot is dry, or too soon after the plants has been potted up. While watering the plants, what should we remember to do? A. Use water that is a little warm. B. Pour the water into the pot holder. C. Give small amount of water at one time. D. Consider further watering in wet weather. Answer: A. Use water that is a little warm. Lemuel Gulliver enjoyed travelling. He was a ship's doctor. On May 4, 1699, they were going to the Far East in the ship called the Antelope. One night, his ship crashed against the rocks, Gulliver was washed to the land. He found himself a prisoner of tiny people. They were less than 6 inches tall and lived in the island country of Lilliput. After he promised to behave well, they set him free and he could visit the city. The people of Blefuscu wanted to attack Lilliput. The king of Lilliput turned to Gulliver. He stopped Blefuscu attacking Lilliput by pulling its ships to Lilliput. The king was happy. _ wanted to make the people of Blefuscu his slaves , so he asked Gulliver to bring some more ships. Gulliver did not like this plan. The king got angry. Some bad men in Lilliput wanted to kill Gulliver. Gulliver had to run away from Lilliput to Blefuscu. He was welcomed by the king of Blefuscu. They soon became good friends. Three days after that , he asked king to send him twenty of his largest ships and two thousand men to pull the boat to the shore. In this boat, he set sail for England. On the third day he saw a big ship to the southeast. He called out to the ship. The ship was moving very slowly. They raised a flag .His heart was full of happiness when he saw the English flag . Which of the following is NOT the reason why Gulliver ran away from Lilliput? A. Gulliver killed some bad Lilliputians. B. Gulliver felt he was in danger. C. Gulliver didn't agree to the king's plan. D. The king of Lilliput was unhappy about him. Answer: A. Gulliver killed some bad Lilliputians. Some parents are worrying that their children wouldn't like meals. In fact, most children are usually ready to eat almost anything that is offered to them. A child often likes food unless it is badly cooked. Never ask a child whether he likes or dislikes a food, never discuss likes and dislikes in front of him or allow anybody else to do so . If the father says that he hates fat meat or the mother refuses some vegetables in the child's hearing, he may copy this action. Parents should agree to the fact that he likes everything and he probably will . At meal times, it is a good idea to give a child a small part at one time rather than give him as much as he may eat all together. Do not talk too much to the child during meal times, but let him get on with his food. And do not allow him to leave the table at once after a meal , or he will soon learn to eat his food hurriedly so he can hurry back to the toys in his room . Never coax or make a child eat, or he will think he eats for you. Don't you think it is the same with study ? A child will probably eat _ if it is not badly cooked. A. only a little of the food B. almost all of the food C. some of the food D. all of the food Answer: D. all of the food
Hank Viscardi was born without legs.He had not legs but stumps that could be fitted with a kind of special boots, People stared at him with cruel interest.Children laughed at him and called him 'Ape Man' because his arms practically dragged on the ground. Hank went to school like other boys.His grades were good and he needed only eight years to finish his schooling instead of the usual twelve.After graduating from school, he worked his way through college.He swept floors, waited on table, or worked in one of the college offices.During all this busy life, he had been moving around on his stumps.But one day the doctor told him even the stumps were not going to last much longer.He would soon have to use a wheel chair. Hank felt himself got cold all over.However, the doctor said there was a chance that he could be fitted with artificial legs .Finally a leg maker was found and the day came when Hank stood up before the mirror, for the first time he saw himself as he has always wanted to be a full five feet eight inches tall.By this time he was already 26 years old. Hank had to learn to use his new legs.Again and again he marched the length of the room, and marched back again.There were times when he fell down on the floor, but he pulled himself up and went back to the endless marching.He went out on the street.He climbed stairs and learned to dance.He built a boat and learned to sail it. When World War II came, he talked the Red Cross into giving him a job.He took the regular training.He marched and drilled along with the other soldiers.Few knew that he was legless.This was the true story of Hank Viscardi, a man without legs. Children laughed at Hank and called him 'Ape Man' because_. Conor Grennan was unwilling to be a volunteer . The 29-year-old American was not sure if he had the skills or a strong feeling for it. However, he went to work at an orphanage in Nepal. His first thought was to make people impressed. "I thought that if I volunteered just once. I could retell the story over and over," Grennan said in a Huffington Post article. However, his three-month stay it the orphanage turned into in unusual experience. It was 2004 and Grennan had given up his job to begin a year-long around-the-world trip, His first three months were spent in Nepal. When he arrived in the village, he knew nothing about the children or the local culture. When he opened the gate of the Little Princes Children's Home, he was faced by the excited children. The young American ended up caring for 18 children. He later discovered that they were trafficked children. So he walked through the mountains with great difficulty to find the kids' families, "I started walking with photos of the kids." he told the Reuters reporter. "I would show up in villages and show photographs around. I went with 24 photos, and I found 24 families." At the same time, he put his heart into Nepalese culture. Grennan said, "Volunteering is the single best way to see how the rest of the world lives." He also encouraged others to do what he had done. He believes that volunteering needs only making decisions to show up. Grennan's fight against child-trafficking has changed him. His book, Little Prince, came out last week. From the passage we can learn that Grennan _ . Online English Web Sites * www.english-zone.com----A site teaching English grammar; vocabulary and reading skills. Also lots of jokes. * www.theenglishprofessor.com----ESL (="English" as a second language) links. "Learning English free" is its slogan. Very good at helping students improve their writing skills. * www.globalstudy .com/est----Directory of "English as a Second Language" web sites in the United States; Canada; Australia; New Zealand; Great Britain and Ireland. * www.netsurflearning.com----A free English course using materials from the web and catering for all levels. You can improve all kinds of language skills there. * www.rg-chonang.com----Hundreds of ESL links for you to go to. * www.wfi.fr/volterre/weblinklearners.html----A wide variety of English language resources links. If you want to improve your listening skill; you should go to _ . Three astronauts returned to Earth safely on Wednesday after a successful 15-day mission , marking another step forward towards the country's goal of building a manned space station by 2020. Zhang Youxia, commander-in-chief of China's manned space program, said the Shenzhou X mission was a "complete success". The Shenzhou X landed safely in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at about 8:07 a.m. on June 26, 2013. All three astronauts were in good physical condition. Nie Haisheng, commander of the Shenzhou X crew and a second-time space traveler, was the first to get out of the bowl-like module , followed by Wang Yaping, the only female astronaut of the mission, and Zhang Xiaoguang. During a brief welcoming ceremony held at the landing area, the astronauts waved happily to a crowd consisting of officers, the search and recovery team, and health personnel. "It feels really good to be back home," said astronaut Nie Haisheng. "We are dreamers, and we have now realized our dream," said Zhang Xiaoguang. "Our space dream knows no limit, and our hard work will never stop," he said. Compared with its previous mission Shenzhou IX last year, the Shenzhou X is no longer experimental but considered an applicable shuttle system for sending astronauts and supplies to orbiting modules. The mission aims to further test technologies designed for docking and supporting astronauts' stay in space, as well as to use new technologies related to the construction of a space station. In its 15-day journey in space, Shenzhou X docked with the orbiting space lab Tiangong-1 twice, once through automatic operation and the other manual .The Tiangong-1 space lab has been in orbit for more than 600 days. It's designed to work for two years. The module is considered the first step in building a permanent space station in the future. And the astronauts spent 12 days in Tiangong-1, where they conducted space medical experiments, technical tests and gave a science lesson to students on Earth on June 19 about basic physics principles. The lecture was the second video class sent from space, with US astronaut Barbara Morgan's 25-minute class being the first in 2007. China is the third country after the United States and Russia to acquire the technologies and skills necessary for space rendezvous and docking procedures, as well as supply manpower and material for an orbiting module via different docking methods. Previous docking procedures conducted between Shenzhou-type spacecraft and the orbiting space lab included two automated dockings by the unmanned Shenzhou-8 in 2011 and both an automated and manual docking by the manned Shenzhou-9 in 2012. Since its first manned space space mission in 2003, China has sent ten astronauts and six spacecrafts into the space. China sent the Shenzhou X into space to _ . The Singapore Management University (SMU) MBA programme was launched with the aim to develop the next generation of business leaders in Asia.We seek candidates with certain conditions and qualities. achievements and demonstrated leadership potential.Participants in current and past classes have an average of 5 -6 years of working experience.We are looking for candidates who can benefit from - and contribute to - our seminar style of teaching and who can successfully lead teams and organizations coming out the programme.The programme has a strict minimum work experience requirement of 2 years (more experience preferred).Younger applicants can apply but must demonstrate outstanding leadership potential and maturity through their professional and personal experiences. As our Full-time MBA and Part-time MBA are accelerated and strict, we are looking for candidates with strong academic certificates, as evidenced by their past academic performance.The GMAT is required as it gives us a base to compare candidates from diverse national, educational and professional backgrounds.While we have no minimum GMAT score, we consider candidates who have stronger than average marks in the verbal , quantitative and writing sections to be more competitive.We also require TOEFL or IELTS scores from those whose undergraduate or graduate degrees were not taught in English. Our business school's aim is to train sharp minds who lead organizations and serve society.To this end, we look to build a dynamic and diverse student body who will actively contribute to the learning experience both inside and outside the classroom, and who desire to make a difference in their greater communities.We are also looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills and an international outlook who can work in diverse groups, a necessary condition for being a leader in today's globalized world. Which of the following is a must for a candidate?
It's easy to get lost in a _ city. Here are some tips to help you find the way and get to your destination . Take a map with you when you go to a new place. If you lose your way, look at the map, you'll find the place where you want to go. If you still can't find the place on the map, ask the police for help.They will tell you the right way to go. Remember the name of your hotel and the street where it is. If you can't find the way back, take a taix. I hope these tips can help you. How many tips are there in the passage? Answer: When I was four years old, I wanted nothing more in life than to play the piano. My best friend Betty had a piano. But Betty hardly played it at all. She would rather play hide-and-seek. It didn't seem fair. One day my mother came to pick me up from Betty's house. "Watch this!" I told her. Then I ran to play a song I had learned that morning. I was so proud of what I'd learned. "That's nice, Jenny," she said. "But we can't afford a piano." When I turned six, my mother bought me a recorder . The problem was that I didn't love the recorder. When I played the recorder, I didn't feel anything special inside. I asked my mother if we could have a piano. "We still can't afford one," she said. "One day, I promise." In the sixth grade, my mother traded in the recorder for a real clarinet . I like the clarinet more, but it still wasn't a piano. It wasn't the music that was inside of me. One day, when I was in the seventh grade, my mother cut an ad out of the newspaper. We drove to a stranger's home in Providence, Rhode Island. The woman had a beautiful, dark wood piano from Russia. It was called an upright piano because it was tall. It was so shiny that it looked like it was wet. "We'll take it," my mother said. "It has a nice sound." After that, I played the piano every single day.When I left for school in the morning, I would leave the sheet music open on the piano. When I got home, I would walk straight to the piano and sit down and start playing the sheet music. I even played if I stayed home sick. I had finally found the music inside of me. Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it? Maybe you think you're just no good or that you don't have any musical talent. Don't get discouraged. It's not true! We all have music inside of us, even if it's just what we listen to. Now it's up to you to find the right way to set that music free. How did Jenny get her piano? Answer: As you probably know, J.Paul Getty was one of the richest and moat successful American industrialists in history.Quite ambitious from an early age, Getty made his first million at age 23 in 1916.He later went on to found the Getty oil company, In 1957, Fortune magazine named him the richest living American and in 1966, the Guinness Book of Records named him as the world's richest private citizen. Although he is highly regarded by vast numbers of people for his financial success, as a younger man, his drive to acquire power and money had a _ l impact on other aspects of his life, particularly in his relationships with women.He was, at one point quoted assaying "A lasting relationship with a woman is only possible if you are a business failure." He married five times, having children with four of these wives.He couldn't seem to keep a marriage going for very long.His obsession with having a fortune and power alienated each of his wives, eventually driving them away. His marriage with his first wife Jeanette lasted for only three years, with Allene for two years, Adolphine, four years, Ann, four years, and finally Louise, nineteen years. Perhaps as a young man, Getty was willing to pay whatever price for financial success.Yet Paul came to feel some regret in regard to his life priorities as he approached his later years when he Wrote: "I hate and regret the failure of my marriages.I would gladly give all of my millions for just one lasting marriage success." At the end of Getty's life, all of the wealth that he had got meant very little to him.It was only then that he became wise enough to understand what really mattered most.Despite all of his accomplishments, he died with great regret. It' s a sad story and a cautionary tale for those of us who may have chosen to make career building our highest priority , thereby ignoring our relationships.Like any other living organism, relationships require care and attention in order to grow.Even the strongest relationships will he damaged, if there is not enough care. What is the author's conclusion from the passage? Answer: Aava Whistler Hotel Star Ratings: Location: Whistler Rooms:192 Stay at the Aava Whistler Hotel (formerly Coast Whistler Hotel) and experience a great vacation. The Aava Whistler Hotel is within minutes from over a hundred shopping malls and restaurants. It also has a great number of recreational facilities, including swimming, diving and even skiing. Hotel services include 24-hour reception, laundry and room service. Guests can stay in cozy rooms equipped with air-conditioning, bathroom and television. From CNY=496 per night. Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel Star Ratings: Location: East Lundy's Lane Room:l66 Relax and unwind at the Best Western Cairn Hotel. This resort-style hotel is located just minutes from the airport. At the Best Western Cairn Croft, guests can enjoy a large number of recreational facilities, including children's activities, sightseeing and a swimming pool. Business travelers can also take advantage of spacious meeting and banqueting facilities for hosting corporate events. All rooms come with basic amenities . From CNY=439 per night. Clarion Hotel&Suites Downtown Montreal Star Ratings: Location:Montreal Rooms:266 Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport, the Clarion Hotel&Suite Downtown Montreal is a moderately-priced three-star hotel that provides services to both business and leisure travelers. The Clarion has spacious meeting facilities and modern business centers for business travelers. It also has a sauna and whirlpool where guest can relax. All rooms come with basic amenities, including cable TV and a kitchenette. From CNY=553 per night. Delta Bow Valley Hotel Star Ratings: Location:Calgary Rooms:398 The Delta Bow Valley Hotel is located a couple of blocks north of Olympic Plaza, east of James Short Park, and north-east of the Petro-Canada Centre. Apart from business and recreational services such as a business centre, fitness centre and restaurant, all rooms in the Delta come with a mini-bar and in-house movies. From CNY=l, 227 per night. Which hotel offers facilities for children's activities? Answer: His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, tapped to his waist in black mud, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman' s surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son' s life." "No, I can' t accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer' s own son came to the door of the family hovel . "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes, "the farmer replied proudly. "I' ll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the boy is anything like his father, he' ll grow to a man you can be proud of." And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming' s son graduated from St. Mary' s Hospita l Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman' s son was stricken with pneumonia . What saved him? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son' s name? Sir Winston Churchill. Someone once said, "What goes around, comes around." What can be the best title of this passage? Answer:
Running Running is good for people with too much fat because it can help them become slim. It also makes people strong. But it may be bad for joints . If we don't feel comfortable in our joints, we should stop for another activity. Walking Walking makes our bodies relaxed . It can also help people to be slim. Swimming Swimming is a great way to make different places of your body strong. But it is not a good way to keep slim. The water in a swimming pool is cooler than our body. The body protects itself from the cold by keeping fat. Cycling Riding a bike will help us be slim and make our legs strong, too. But be careful! If you live in the city, you should ride on the bike road and be away from the busy traffic. What does the passage tell us about? The day was like any other day in his life. Tom walked past the shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the front row of shoes, and he felt happy to see that the pair of shoes he wanted very much was still there. Looking down at his old shoes, he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted to have them for his birthday. He sadly walked away and thought how to tell his mother about it. He knew very well she had little money. He decided not to go home at once, as he looked sad and his mother would notice it. So he went to the park and sat on the grass. There he saw a boy moving a wheelchair with his hands. Tom looked at him and was surprised to see that the boy had no feet. He looked at his own feet. "It's much better to be without shoes than without feet. "he thought. There was no reason for him to feel so sorry and sad. He went away and smiled, thinking he was happier. We can learn from the story that Tom _ . On the island of New Zealand, there is a grasshopper-like species of insect that is found nowhere else on earth. New Zealanders have given it the nickname weta, which is a native Maori word meaning "god of bad looks". It's easy to see why anyone would call this insect a bad-looking bug. Most people feel disgusted at the sight of these bulky ,slow-moving creatures. Wetas are natural creatures; they come out of their caves and holes only after dark. A gaint weta can grow to over three inches long and weigh as much as 1.5 ounces. Giant wetas can hop up to two feet at a time. Some of them live in trees, and others live in caves. They are very long-lived for insects, and some adult wetas can live as long as two years. Just like their cousins grasshoppers and crickets, wetas are able to "sing" by rubbing their leg parts together, or against their lower bodies. Most people probably don't feel sympathy for these endangered creatures, but they do need protecting. The slow and clumsy wetas have been around on the island since the times of the dinosaurs, and have evolved and survived in an environment where they had no enemies until rats came to the island with European immigrants. Since rats love to hunt and eat wetas, the rat population on the island has grown into a real problem for many of the native species that are unaccustomed to _ presence, and poses a serious threat to the native weta population. From which of the following is the passage LEAST likely to be taken? China may be the world's largest market for e-bikes, but Europe is fast catching up. The EU's official statistics agency says the figure reached the one million e-bike mark two years ago, and sales have sharply increased since then. When working errands around Berlin, Lutz, who usually works with horses, uses the company's new e-bike that charges easily and has a range of 140 kilometers. "We found there was no parking spot problem or other worries. And on top of all this, we don't pollute the environment. Petrol is also saved," said Lutz Baddack, owner of Reitsport Baddack. Unlike many other parts of the world, the EU does not require registration for e-bikes. Nearly half a million are expected to be sold in Germany this year, in all shapes and sizes. It's not just bike fans buying them. People who usually drive cars also use them occasionally," said Stefan Gelbhaar. Dealers say the elderly are also big customers. Sales of ordinary bicycles fell in Germany last year, but sales of e-bikes rose by eight percent. Sales figures are expected to keep rising. "In five years we will have the market share of 20 percent, maybe more," said Marcus Kendler, owner of E-Motion. In the hillier parts, that figure has already been beyond it. The sales of e-bikes in Germany have been much larger than those in any other country in Europe. But other countries are fast catching up. In Europe, with the various brands at the market and falling prices, e-bikes are here to stay and not just a repeated trend. Which of the following is NOT the benefit of using e-bikes? Ole Bull was a very famous violinist from Norway. He really liked to play the violin. But his father thought that playing the violin was not useful. So his father sent him to university to study. However, playing the violin was his dream. He didn't want to give up his dream. So he left university before he finished his studies and spent all his time and energy practicing the violin. Unfortunately, his violin teacher was not very good. So when it was time for him to start his concert tour, he still couldn't play the violin very well. Therefore, a Milan newspaper critic1criticized him and said that he was an untrained violinist. The critic said, " _ 2yet." When facing this kind of problem, some people may become very angry and some people try to learn from it. Fortunately, Ole Bull belonged to the second group. He went to the newspaper office and found the critic. Instead of being angry, he talked about his mistakes with the man and listened to the man's advice. After he met the critic, he gave up the rest of his concerts. Then he went back to practice the violin with the help of good teachers. In the end, he got great success when he was only 26. He also became one of the most famous violinists in the world. What can we learn from the passage?
Several times each year the Queen gives afternoon tea parties at which guests are served tiny cakes filled with cream from her own cows. Cakes and sandwiches are brought in by footmen, yet you never see the Queen touch a thing. She simply sits beside a big silver plate, pouring cups of tea for everyone and carefully avoiding the cakes. At cocktail parties the Queen moves from group to group, chatting informally, and manages to make one glass of diet drink to last an entire evening. Tours abroad are difficult because hosts seem to believe the warmth of their welcome must be shown with wonderful state banquets . But the Queen has perfected the art of appearing to enjoy her meal without actually eating much. During one visit to the Pacific islands ofprefix = st1 /Tonga, a specially-prepared dinner was arranged in a hut made of wood and bamboo leaves. Deep holes were dug in the ground, filled with hot stones and baby pigs, and the pigs were slowly baked over several days. The Queen looked uneasily at her plate when she discovered a whole roast pig was her serving. Then she became uneasy when a turkey, some meat, bananas and an apple were also carried in for each guest. So she depended on her old favorite trick of talking with her host., King Tupou IV, carrying on a warm conversation. At the same time she pushed her food around her plate and only ate a piece of turkey and some fruit. Reporters traveling with her have noted that the Queen will sometimes seem so carried away by a foreign leader's political chat that she simply never has time to finish a meal before it is time to get up and make her speech. She will lift her fork to swallow a mouthful, then put it down again to make another point, leaving almost all of her meal untouched. We can infer from the passage that tours are difficult for the Queen, because _ . Dear Mrs. Smith, I was a student of yours in Grade Six, and I hope you still remember me. I'm writing this letter because I want to let you know that the school year with you was important and special to me. It made a great contribution to my life. I know I was very quiet in your class, and you never said much to me. But you did something that made a big difference in my life. You see, all through my first years in schools. I hated to read. Books were just words that had very little to do with me, and I was bored by them. I'll never forget the first day of Grade Six when you took out a thick book and began to read the story to our class. Your voice seemed to change with the people in the story, and you drew pictures in my mind as you read aloud. Since that day, I couldn't wait until after lunch when you would read to the class. You read us all kinds of wonderful books. During the summer after my year in your class, I missed hearing the stories you would read. So one day I picked up a book and read it all on my own. I found out that I could make the words interesting, too. Now, I love to read! Thank you for opening the world of books for me. Yours, Linda Mrs. Smith got Linda _ . Small talk is meaningless conversation in terms of content,but is often seen as socially important in certain situations,or context.In many English-speaking countries,it can be viewed as rude or unfriendly not to make small talk. Discussing the weather with people who you don't really know is an example of small talk that many of us are very familiar with on a daily basis.We may chat about the weather with the cashier at the supermarket or with the attendant at the gas station.Small talk may also be related to the situation such as waiting in line.People in the line may comment to others about how slow it is in the post office or bank that day,for instance.We also engage in small talk with people we may see every day but don't really know such as those we share the elevator with in our office building. Small talk is common at parties when guests may know the host but not each other.It is considered rude not to mingle and speak with other guests at social functions,so small talk can break the ice and get guests chatting.Compliments may be a type of small talk such as one woman at party complimenting another on her dress. Some people like small talk because they find silence uncomfortable and/or they enjoy communicating verbally.Others enjoy meeting new people and use small talk to start conversations. When making small talk,especially with strangers or those you don't know very well,it's important to observe certain socially acceptable conventions.First,small talk should be general and not personal or about controversial topics. Second,while compliments are acceptable,they shouldn't refer to the person's body or sound like a pick-up line. Who do we usually have small talk with? Celebrated in the city of Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest, as it is popularly called, is a 3-week festival that takes place in the months of September and October. Also called the largest beer festival in the world, the Oktoberfest gathers about 6 million visitors worldwide every year. Seeing the popularity of the festival, many countries around the world have adapted to what they call their own version of the Oktoberfest. So if you are not able to make it to Germany, you can always enjoy the festival in the areas mentioned below. Don't miss out on it! Brazil: welcome to the German town of Blumenau in Brazil. Well, we are not talking about Germans living in the town, but the place was originally founded by immigrants from Germany in the year 1850. The town is built in a traditional German style and there are a fair number of people who still live the way it used to be in good old days. The Oktoberfest is celebrated in a small village called Parque Vila Germanica between the dates of October 1stto October 18th. Guests can enjoy the festival in addition to exploring the town and its sites which include a beer museum. Vietnam: celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City since 1992, the Oktoberfest event over here is conducted between the 6thand the 11thof October and the decorations are like the original festival in Munich, with large wooden tables lined with beer. The Philippines: unlike the original Oktoberfest which is celebrated in a certain area, the Oktoberfest in the Philippines is a recent addition to the already existing festival which takes place between the 4thof September and the 9thof October. Now the event is set to be celebrated in a total of 30 parties in various cities around the country. Canada: over 700,000 guests (second highest after Munich) in and around Canada take part in the Oktoberfest celebrated in Ontario between the 9thand the 17thof October. About the Germany town of Blumenau, we know that _ . What a week it's been for Jeremy Lin! With five breakout games, the Taiwanese-American has become the NBA's newest playmaking sensation . In the New York Knicks' 92-85 win over the Los Angles Lakers last Saturday, Lin had 38 points--a record high in his career so far. And a day later, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory , 100-98, to Minnesota Timberwolves. In his earlier games, Lin, 23, had 23 points against the Washington, 25 points against New Jersey and 28 more against Utah in his first start. No doubt, Lin fever is starting to spread. If you haven't caught it yet, get ready, because it's coming, as the Knicks depends on the rising star for their final victory. Before graduating from high school in Palo Alto, California, Lin sent his basic personal information to all the Ivy League Schools. He only got into Harvard and Brown, and he chose Harvard. In 2010, Lin graduated with a degree in economics . After graduating from Harvard, Lin wasn't accepted by any NBA team. Later, he started off on the Golden State Warriors. Lin first signed with the Warriors in July, 2010, but hardly played in games before the start of the fourth quarter. His first time on the court for the Warriors scored several points in just eleven minutes. New York Knicks has been in need of a dependable point guard and to Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks coach who is going through a hard season, Lin is a most unexpected valuable player. "Lin just does everything easy and the rest of the players around him are playing the way we want to play," D'Antoni said. "I think it's serious, and it can only get better." What lesson can we get from Jeremy Lin?
Sports can help us a lot. Taking exercise can make us strong. In collectivesports like basketball,volleyball or football,wewill learn the importance of cooperation. And sports can also help us relax after work or study. However,as the saying goes,"There are two sides of everything. "Sometimes we may hurt other players or ourselves if we are not careful enough when participatingin sports activities. What's more,too much or hard practice can be bad for our health. Sports can make us healthy both physically and psychologically. It is also a good way for people to know each other and can improve friendship between people. So long as we are careful enough,sports can do us nothing but good. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: This course is for those who want to learn to type , as well as those who want to improve their typing . The course is not common . You are tested in the first class and begin practicing at one of the eight different skill levels . This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours . Bring your own paper . Course fee : $ 125 Materials : $ 25 Two hours each evening for two weeks . New classes begin every two weeks . This course is taught by a number of qualified business education teachers who have successfully taught typing courses before . UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS This twelve-hour course is for people who do not know very much about computers, but who need to learn about them . You will learn what computers are , what they can and can't do and how to use them . Course fee : $ 75 Equipment fee : $ 10 Jan. 4 , 7, 11 , 14 , 18 Wed. and Sat. 9 ~ 11:30 a.m. The teacher , Joseph Saunders is a professor of Computer Science at New Urban University . He has over twenty years of experience in the computer field . STOP SMOKING Do you want to stop smoking ? Have you already tried to stop and failed ? Now is the time to stop smoking using the latest methods . You can stop smoking , and this twelve-hour course will help you do it . Course fee : $ 30 Jan. 2 , 9 , 16 , 23 Mon. 2 p.m. ~ 5 p.m. ks#5@u Dr. John Good is a practicing psychologist who had helped hundreds of people stop smoking . If you choose the UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS course , you will have classes _ . Answer: Hi!My name is Maria. Now I am in China. My life is busy but very happy. I like reading, so I often go to the library when I have no classes. Who is my favorite teacher? She is Ms. Green. She often helps me with my writing. I work hard at every subject, but my favorite subject is P.E., because I like playing tennis. In the evening, I am busy doing my homework. I often do my homework for two hours. After that, I play the piano for an hour. Sometimes I take a walk with Dad. On weekends I usually help old people with my friends. What about your life? Share it with us, please. Who is Ms. Green? Answer: When most people think of the Olympics, they don't think of science. But in the USA, each year, students take part in a kind of competition called the Science Olympiad. It has a lot of different events. Students go there to show how much they know about the science of music, biology, chemistry and others. My best event is forestry . This time, I went to the Olympiad with my school's team. We had worked hard, but this was the state competition. It would be hard to win. The Olympiad was out of town, so we got to ride on a bus and stay in a hotel for a night. The Olympiad was in three big rooms. When we got there, we set up our team's "camp" off to one side. The big day had come at last! First, I went to watch the tower building competition. That's when students build small towers and put heavy things on top of it. They hope they can hold them up. One of my schoolmates was putting things on her tower. She was nervous, and in the end it was too heavy for her tower to hold it--it broke! I felt bad for her. After lunch, I helped some teammates with their events. One was geography, and the other was history. I don't know much about those things, so I just watched my teammates do most of the work. At last, it was time for my favorite event--forestry. Another student was also in the forestry event. The rules were easy. We had to look at more than 40 different kinds of leaves and find out which plants they were from. We also had to answer some questions about the uses of each leaf. I knew almost all of the leaves and could answer most of the questions. I had spent more than a month studying on the Internet to get ready. At the end, it was time for the awards , I was nervous, because the forestry awards were last. We won second place in the whole state! A nice man gave me a medal and smiled at me. I had a great time at the Science Olympiad. I can't wait for next year! Choose the best answer according to the passage. The writer _ at the Science Olympiad. Answer: Located in the forests near the village of Harads in northern Sweden, the Treehotel opened its doors in the summer of 2010 and offers six guest rooms.Owners, Britta and Kent Lindvall, invited designers and architects to create a series of unique tree houses that reflect the growing popularity of ecologically-themed holidays. There's the Mirrorcube, a 4x4x4 meter aluminum box in mirrored glass.Accessed via a footbridge, the Cabin is suspended from the surrounding pines on a steep bank, affording views of the Lulea River.Both these rooms sleep two people while the Nest (covered in branches), the Blue Cone (which is actually painted red) and the UFO (a spaceship skewered by pines) all have enough room to sleep a family of four. The Treehotel was built after they saw a 2008 Swedish documentary called "Tradalskaren" (The Tree Lover) that tells the story of three men who build a tree house near Harads in an attempt to rediscover their rural roots after years of living in a city. The Lindvalls, who already owned and ran a nearby guesthouse, saw the chance to create a different kind of holiday experience."When the film was over, interest in the original tree house grew so we decided to build our own, closer to our place," Kent Lindvall said."The plan for next year is five new rooms.We also plan to build a chapel so people can get married up there." Open all year round, the Treehotel might attract only _ during the winter as temperatures typically dip to around minus 15 degrees Celsius.But brave travelers will be rewarded with stunning snowy landscapes as well as a "Three Sauna" and under-floor heating in every room delivered by renewable energy. Which of the following rooms suits a couple most? Answer:
You may know the English letters A, B and C. But do you know there are people called ABC? You may like eating bananas. But do you know there are people called "banana persons"? If you don't know, I will tell you. They are Chinese people like you and me, but they aren't in China. Why do people call them that? ABC means America -born Chinese. An ABC is a Chinese, but was born in the United States. Sometimes, people also call them "banana persons". A banana is yellow outside and white inside. So when a person is a banana, he or she is white (American) inside and yellow (Chinese) outside. They are born in America and they live in America for a long time. Even their nationalities are Americans. So they think like Americans and do things like Americans. But they still have Chinese blood. Their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were from China. They all have black eyes and black hair. So they look like us, Chinese people. For example, we all know the famous scientist C.N. Yang . He is an ABC and he is a "banana person". We like him, although his nationality isn't Chinese. What's C.N. Yang's nationality ? Answer: The Chang'e-3, named after a Chinese goddess, is China's first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon. It includes a lander and a moon rover called Yutu. The Chang'e-3 spacecraft is the second phase China's lunar rogramme, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to Earth. It follows the success of the Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 spacecraft in 2007 and 2010. The launch of Chang'e-3 was successful. The Chang'e-3 is one of the most difficult tasks in China's space programme, the news says. The news adds that exploring the universe and seeking peaceful use of space are dreams of Chinese for thousands of years. With a lander and the moon rover Yutu, Chang'e-3 soft-landed on the moon at 9:11 p.m. Saturday. Yutu later separated from the lander and ran to the moon surface earlier Sunday. China has chosen the name Yutu for its first moon rover, after a worldwide online vote attracted people to come up with names. In Chinese folk tale, Yutu is the white pet rabbit of Chang'e, the moon goddess. Chang'e took her pet and flew towards the moon. She became a goddess and has lived there with the white animal ever since. From this passage, how many spacecraft have flown to the moon successfully. Answer: Linda Evans was my best friend--like the sister I never had. We did everything together: piano lessons, movies, swimming, horseback riding. When I was 13, my family moved away. Linda and I kept in touch through letters, and we saw each other on special time--like my wedding and Linda's. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped "Address Unknown. " I had no idea how to find Linda. Over the years, I missed Linda very much. I wanted to share happiness of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sadness when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill. One day I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman -- Linda's married name. "There must be thousands of Wagmans," I thought, but J still wrote to her. She called as soon as she got my letter. "Mrs Tobin!" she said excitedly, "Linda Evans Wagman is my mother. " Minutes later I heard a voice that I knew very much, even after 40 years, laughed and cried and caught up on each other's lives. Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And there's one thing that Linda and I know for sure: We won't lose each other again! ,. They haven't kept in touch _ . Answer: Although hurricane season doesn't begin until June 1, a Pacific storm has already struck. El Salvador, which was ruined by a Caribbean storm in 1995, was hit by Hurricane Adrian on Friday. This is the first Pacific-born hurricane to ever reach land in this Central American country. Some 14,000 people left from the western coast of El Salvador. The storm weakened as it crossed land, heading east. Heavy rains created deadly flooding problems in the hurricane' s wake. Adrian is the first Pacific storm of the season. It reported maximum continuous winds of 75 miles per hour, the minimum strength of a hurricane. A Category 3 hurricane, Adrian also caused damage and flooding in Honduras. It is expected to break up before reaching the Caribbean Sea on the eastern coast of Central America. Hurricane season typically begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted seven to nine hurricanes for the 2005 season. "It is difficult to make any kind of an exact prediction of how many of these will strike land," NOAA administrator Conrad Lautenbacher said. He predicts two to three hurricanes will strike the U.S. this season. Last year, six of nine hurricanes reached Category 3 strength or higher. Four of those hit Florida within a six-week period. Altogether, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne caused more than $40 billion in damage in the Sunshine State. This year' s forecast is based on ocean temperatures. Warmer temperatures produce more tropical storms, which can then turn into hurricanes. "The issue, really, this year is the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic," said Frank Lepore of the National Hurricane Center. We can infer that warmer ocean temperatures _ . Answer: usually plants die or become dormant after the Answer:
In reflecting on the events of my life that have impacted me, I returned to the night of August 1, 2006. I found myself in a hall in New York City sitting by my mother, not at all tired, although we had flown the day before, and driven five hours to the city for "An Evening with Harry, Carrie and Garp," a charity event with readings by three authors. The excitement rushing through me kept me awake and thinking; I was standing and applauding a woman as she prepared to read. The Harry Potter series was my gateway to my academic adolescence. I was so fascinated by the magic world that my mother began taking me to academic conferences focused on the books. Since 2005, I have attended presentations about the Latin origin of terms and spells, the ancient tales, and the idea of magic. These books opened my eyes to the whole world, and to knowledge itself. They kept my brain working over the summers. More importantly, they helped me adopt the ideas useful in school and beyond, that there is always another way to do something, or to understand an issue. With uncertainty and doubt come creative ideas and new ways to look at problems that may result in new, different, faster and easier solutions. And all this came from a little "magic" from a book that many people see as a series for children. I also attended lectures about Ms. Rowling's ability to beautifully write the story, with every small detail connected to something else, for example, details in books by Jonathan Swift to Chaucer to Dickens and Austin. I learned that like all great books, Rowling's stories encouraged a connection across mind, body, and soul. Although the series has been criticized by those who believe it encourages bad behavior in children, I was able to hear discussions by those who claimed that these books teach wonderful messages if one gets its deeper meaning. It is my generation's shared text; all college freshmen are familiar with the stories, and that gives us a set of common beliefs and ideas that help us start to learn new things. What did the author do on the night of August 1, 2006? Answer: He listened to readings by some authors. There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door. This was an age before telephones.Someone was delivering a message.When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration.His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his door.His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(,). This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone. The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them.But marc damaging may be the cell phone's disruption of our thoughts. We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development." I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we're beyond reach. The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while? The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication.Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the globe.We came to take it for granted. But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves.Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished.Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented. But we don't and won't, and there really is no need.All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it. In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones.Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later. A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us.Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie.But most likely it is not, and I'm better off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I'll eat for lunch. According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones? Answer: Cell phones interrupt people's private time. Have you ever listened to young children talking in the playground? They are always boasting. They say things like, "My Dad's car is bigger than your Dad's," and "My Mom is smarter than yours." They particularly like to boast about their families. There were three little boys, Harry, Ted and Gavin, who were always boasting. Gavin was the worst. Everything about his family was always the best or the biggest or the most expensive. Whatever the others said, he could always go on better. One day when they were walking to school, Harry said, "My father had a bath twice a week," Ted spoke next. "That's nothing," he said. "Having a bath twice a week is dirty. My father has a bath every day, sometimes twice a day." Ted looked at Gavin. Now it was his turn. But what could he say? "This time," Ted thought, "I'm going to win." Gavin didn't know what to say. He couldn't say that his father had a bath three times a day. That was silly. He walked on in silence. Ted smiled at Harry, and Harry smiled back. They were sure that for once they had beaten Gavin. They reached the school gates. Still Gavin said nothing. "We've won," Ted said to Harry, but he spoke too soon. On the way home, Gavin said, "My Dad is so clean that he doesn't have to bathe at all." According to the passage, the meaning of the word "boast" is _ . Answer: to talk big There are many types of tea. They have their own functions. Green tea is the best choice for office workers People who always work in places with air condition may face skin problems such as easily dry skin. Among all the drink, green tea is the best choice. Because there are important things in green tea and they are often called catechins . Moreover, drinking more green tea can prevent computer radiation. Winter is the season to drink black tea Chinese medicine believed that different people should drink different tea based on the different characteristics and tastes of each kind of tea. Black tea can warm the stomach and quicken digestion . Therefore, drinking warm black tea in the cold winter is a most suitable choice. Do not drink strong tea Strong tea may make the body far too excited and can badly _ the cardiovascular as well as the nervous system. For a person who has problems with these parts, to drink overly strong tea cause heart and blood pressure illness, or even make the old illness much worse. Do not drink too much tea when you are eating Drinking too much tea or strong thick tea may not be good for taking in many constant elements and trace elements .Also, people should not drink tea with milk or other milky food. We can read this article in _ . Answer: Life and Health A young man is lying in hospital sadly. The 24-year-old lost his right leg. The doctor said that his long history of smoking was the reason. "I first smoked when I was 14. _ made me feel like a man and I thought it looked cool. Now I know I was wrong," said the young man. It is a mistake many young people make. According to the survey, 40 million of China's 130 million young people aged between 13 and 18 smoke. Fifteen million of them are addicted . The survey also found that about 68% of young smokers first smoked before the age of 13. Many young people see people smoke in the movies, but in real life, stars like Jackie Chan think smoking is a bad thing and not cool at all. Doctors say that if a person starts smoking very young, he or she may live 22 years less than those who don't smoke. How long did the young man smoke? Answer: For 10 years.
A Narrow Escape Shortly after the war, my brother and I were invited to spend a few days' holiday with an uncle who had just returned from abroad. He had rented a cottage in the country, although he hardly spent much time there. We understood the reason for this after our arrival: the cottage had no comfortable furniture in it. Many of the windows were broken and the roof leaked , making the whole house wet. On our first evening, we sat around the fire after supper listening to the stories our uncle told of his many adventures in distant countries. I was so tired after the long train journey that I would have preferred to go to bed; but I could not bear to miss any of my uncle's exciting stories, He was just in the middle of describing a rather terrifying experience he had once had when there was a loud crash from the bedroom above, the one where my brother and I were going to sleep. When we got to the top of the stairs and opened the bedroom door, a strange sight met our eyes. A large part of the ceiling had fallen right on to the pillow of my bed. On the first evening, the writer was very sleepy, _ . A. but he did his best not to miss any stories B. so he had to go to bed early C. because he was tired of his uncle's stories D. and he was gradually falling asleep while listening Answer: A For years scientists have been worried about the effects of air pollution on the earth's natural conditions. Some believe the air inside many houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may be one hundred times worse. Indoor air pollution can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Some pollutants can cause breathing disorders, diseases of blood and even cancer. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution. People have paid more attention to the problem now. It is true that when builders began making houses and offices they did not waste energy. To do this they build buildings that limited the flow of air between inside and outside. They also began using man-made building materials. These materials are now known to let out harmful gases. As the problem became more serious, scientists began searching for a way to deal with it. They discovered a natural pollution control system for building--green plants. Scientists do not really know how plants control air pollution. They believe that a plant's leaves absorb or take in the pollutants. In exchange the plant lets out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Scientists suggest that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Studies of different plants show that each absorbs different chemicals. So the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. Having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and healthier place. Generally speaking, indoor air pollution may be more harmful than the air outside because _ . A. indoor air pollution can often make people seriously ill B. man-made building materials give off dangerous gases C. there may be more harmful gases outside the buildings D. the air indoors is polluted, which is very harmful Answer: B EDGEWOOD-Every morning at Dixie Heights High school,customers pour into a special experiment:the district's first coffee shop run mostly by students with special learning needs. Well before classes start,students and teachers order Lattes,Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates.Then,during the first period,teachers call in orders on their room phones,and students make deliveries.By closing time at 9:20a.m.,the shop usually sells 90drinks."Whoever made the chi tea,Ms.Schatzman says it was good,"Christy McKinley,a second year student,announced recently,after hanging up with the teacher. The shop is called the Dixie PIT,which stands for Power in Transition.Although some of the students are not disabled,many are,and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school.They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs.They keep a timecard and receive paychecks,which they keep in check registers. Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia.Not that it was easy.Chevalier's first problem to overcome was product-related.Should schools be selling coffee?What about sugar content?Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped.She made sure all the drinks,which use non-fat milk,fell within nutrition guidelines. The coffee shop is mostly run by . A. all the students B. all the teachers C. students with special learning needs D. some special-education teachers Answer: C Royal palace and fortress for over 900 years , scene of mystery , murder and home to the Crown Jewels . KENSINGTON PALACE Birthplace of Queen Victoria , this royal retreat is home to magnificent State Apartments and the stunning Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection , which includes dresses worn by HM Queen Elizabeth II and Diana , Princess of Wales . HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES Hampton Court Palace is part of Historic Royal Palaces , a registered charity (N 1068852 ) that receives no public funding . We rely on the income from admission tickets to the palaces to pay for vital protection work, necessary for the preservation of these national monuments and collections for future generations . Please ask at the ticket office for more information or visit www.hrp.org.uk . VISITOR INFORMATION CARRIAGE RIDES Take a trip around Home Park in a horse-drawn carriage. Rides begin and end in Home Park at the entrance by the East Front Gardens. Available all day. 20 minute duration . PS10.00 per carriage . Subject to weather and ground conditions . ENQUIRIES For details of admission charges , group rates , the Friends of Hampton Court Palace and facilities for disabled visitors , call 0870 752 7777 or visit www. Hampton-court- palace.org.uk RESTAURANTS &SHOPS Choose from the Tiltyard Tea-rooms or the Privy Kitchen Coffee Shop. There are also a number of ice-cream kiosks open in the summer . The palace shops offer a wide range of gifts and souvenirs . AUDIO GUIDES Audio guides are included in the palace ticket and are available in English , French , German , Italian , Spanish and Japanese . You have to pay extra money if you want to _ . A. have an audio guide B. visit the royal palace and fortress C. take a horse-drawn carriage D. see Hampton Court Palace Answer: C Dear All, Happy New Year! A list of important dates for this term is attached to this letter. Interviews for our April and September Primary One classes will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday,18th&19th January.Now is the time to apply for admission to Peak School. Children are expected to wear their uniforms this term.As is usual at this time of the year,mornings at the school are quite cold and l would suggest children wear their sweaters to school.As the temperature goes up during the day,children tend to take off their outer clothes,so it is important that all sweatshirts are labeled . I have received a few requests from parents asking if their children can wear summer uniforms this term.I am of the view that all children in the school should follow the school policy and be dressed in the appropriate uniforms.In the longer term,a number of US at school have questioned the need to have a winter and summer uniform.Perhaps.with careful consideration,we can develop a uniform that will serve children for the whole academic year. As the foggy mornings start to appear,a number of parents have raised concerns over the safety of those children who walk to school. Our dark green uniforms are not particularly visible to motorists.Hopefully, the "Uniform Committee" to be set up this term will deal with this particular issue.I will keep parents informed of the channels through which views may be expressed in future newsletters. We still have a "No Hat,No Play" rule on the playground,so children need to ensure that they have their sunhats in school at all times. Yours sincerely, P D Tunesi Principal What do we know about the present school uniforms? A. The school has solved the problems. B. They are invisible to motorists on foggy days. C. The school is considering changing them. D. There is a winter and summer school uniform. Answer: C
The light is swaying .The building is shaking. A woman with a baby in her arms is trying to open the door, but fails. Finding no way, she rushes into her bedroom and there they _ the earthquake. In a factory building, as the workshop floor swings under the terrible shaking, workers run for safety. Some hide under the machines and survive, but others who try to run outside are killed by the falling ceilings. These scenes, played by actors and actresses, are from a film of science education Making a split second decisionshown in 1998 on China Central TV to mark the 22nd anniversary of the Tangshan Earthquake on July 28. By studying actual cases in the earthquake areas and scientific experiments, experts found that building remain untouched for the first 12 seconds of an earthquake. In this short time, one has the best chance of surviving an earthquake by staying near the inside walls, in bedrooms and under beds, experts concluded in the film. "Earthquake seems to catch the lives of those who run,"said many survivors in the earthquake areas, describing how their friends were killed on the doorways or along the stair steps as they tried to get out of the building. Their advice was proved in the film,"Take a hiding-place where you are rather than run, unless you are sure you can reach a safe open place in ten seconds." What causes the death of the workers who tried to run outside the building? Answer: The time doesn't permit them to run outside. The creation of a Chinese Green Card in 2004 was a milestone in the country's immigration law. Five years on, the card is an increasingly sought-after document. On August 15, 2004, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence oAliens in China created a Green Card system granting qualified foreigners the right to live in China permanently. Liu Lili, who works in the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has watched the Green Card system develop since its inception. She said nearly all applications received by the Bureau are approved. So far, 323 people have been granted a "Green Card" qualifying them for permanent residence in Beijing. Another 15 are awaiting final approval. It takes around 6 months to process each application. Of the 323 Green Card holders, 94 are wives or husbands of Chinese citizens; 50 are minors dependent on their parents; 20 are senior citizens returning to live with relatives; 114 are individuals who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China (another 7 are their family members); and 23 are high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses (another 15 are their family members). Liu said the authorities had been granting residence to returning senior citizens for some time before the Green Card system was formally launched .The government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners since the implementation of the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in November 1985. Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives. Liu said that most applications she dealt with were from American citizens. Why do overseas citizens apply for permanent residence status in China? The main concern, aid Liu, is the political factor. Once people have a "Green Card", they feel they are accepted and trusted by the Chinese government. The "Green Card" also facilitates entry and exit. With permanent residence status, visas are no longer needed and people can enter and leave the country using only a valid passport. China offers outstanding career opportunities and is seen by many as safer and more secure than many other countries, said Liu. Liu said that Green Card holders have the same rights and responsibilities as Chinese citizens. However the card is not equivalent to Chinese nationality and holders are not allowed to vote in elections, hold political office, or serve in the military. Obtaining a Green Card is not easy. The qualifying conditions are tough. Unless you are a close relative of a Chinese citizen,you will either have to invest a substantial amount of money in the country or make a genuinely outstanding contribution to the country's development. To meet increasing demand, he authorities are considering making the Green Card more available by broadening the range of applicants without lowering the requirements, aid Liu, but she gave no further details. Which of the following is not the reason for foreigners to work or live permanently in China? Answer: The weather, working conditions are better than better than their own countries. It is love that makes the world go round. And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties. So we say: "Love will find a way." As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything. A Chinese saying runs: "never hit a person who is smiling at you." It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own-- a universal language--understood by the people of every nation in the world. We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue. We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will. One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My anger toward that grew with each step. Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, in passing. Then, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back. "I really owe you a debt of gratitude," I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. "Carlos, he no speak English," she volunteered. "You want I should tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed. Carlos' smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stood ten feet tall. "Yes," my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, "tell him I said 'Thank you!'" "Thank you?" The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. "Just tell him that," I insisted. "He'll understand. I am sure!" Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning. From that day on, I became smile - conscious, and I practice that diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody. When I got excited in traffic, taking the right-of-way from the other car with my stupid mistake, I'd smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically. This action on my part would always draw a good-natured smile in return. If the other fellow was at fault - and if I could remember my resolution in time! - he'd get a broad smile of understanding. This took a bit of doing at first. I'll admit it wasn't always easy, but it was fun. The results were sometimes amazing. Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill-feeling and tension. I'm wondering now how many tragic accidents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile! In the author's opinion, if all people remembered to smile when driving, _ . Answer: many traffic accidents could be avoided The biggest danger facing airlines nowadays may not be a terrorist with a gun, but the man with portable computer in business class. In the last 16 years, pilots have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference . The source of this interference remains not proved, but increasingly, experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic devices such as portable computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones. RTC.A. an organization which advises the aviation ( )industry, has suggested that all airlines ban such devices from being used during "critical" stages of flight particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently , rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some air- lines prevent passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are unwilling to carry out a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flight. The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft's computers. Experts know that portable devices send out radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not. The fact that aircraft may be fragile to interference raises the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying,though, is the passenger who can 't hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music's too loud. Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an airplane 's computers? Answer: Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs. "Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?" asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the prefix = st1 /UniversityofEdinburgh."There is certainly a lot of energy in waves," he said.Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity.Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean."The wind starts out by making little ripples , but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves," Taylor said." Waves are one of nature 's ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey. When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine .The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity . "The resource is huge," said Janet Swain of the World watch Institute."We will never run out of wave power." Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal.Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth's surface - that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome. Swain said that wave power still costs too much money.She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown.What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic. Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out." Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world," Swain said.In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity! It can be inferred that some day we might not worry about _ . Answer: our power supply
A new study has found no evidence that sunscreen, commonly used to reduce the risk of skin cancer, actually increases the risk. Researchers from the University of Iowa based their findings on a review of 18 earlier studies that looked at the association between sunscreen use and melanoma . They said that they found _ in studies that had reported associations between sunscreen use and higher risk of melanoma. Most health experts believe that by protecting the skin from the harmful effects of the sun, sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer, which is increasing in incidence faster than any other cancer in the United States. But questions have been raised about sunscreen and whether it may have the opposite effect, perhaps by allowing people to remain exposed to the sun longer without burning. The researchers said that among the problems with some earlier studies is that they often failed to take into account that those people most at risk for skin cancer--people with fair skin and freckles , for example--are more likely to use sunscreen. As a result, it may appear that sunscreen users get cancer more often. The studies, which generally relied on volunteers to recall their sunscreen use, were also unable to prove how well the products had been applied, said the new study. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage? A Sunscreen to Prevent Skin Cancer B Sunscreen to Increase Skin Cancer C Skin Cancer Caused by Sunscreen D Skin Cancer Caused by Freckles Answer: A Naturally occurring variations within a species are mainly the result of mutations and A sexual reproduction B dynamic equilibrium C metabolism D camouflage Answer: A Tiger and horse performance You can see the terrible tigers and gentle horses at Fuzhou Zoo. Keep away from the tigers . Sometimes they aren't friendly enough .You can ride the horse and take photos . Time :Feb .1--Feb .3 Tel : 87324568 Adult : 60Y= Child : 30Y= Bear and lion performance You can see fat black bears and scary lions at Chengdu Zoo. They will perform many activities. If you are not brave enough , you shouldn't come to see them . (children under 6 aren't allowed to come ) Time ;Feb. 2 _ ----Feb . 5 Tel : 85897043 Adult : Y=50 Child :Y=25 Dolphin performance You can see lovely dolphins at Dalian Zoo . The dolphins will jump out of the water and give you a performance . If you can swim , you are also allowed to come into the water and play with them with the help of the trainers . Time : Feb .4 _ Feb.8 Tel: 83126094 Adult :Y=80 Child :Y=4o ,. Meimei wants to be a trainer of lions , so she can go to _ Zoo to experience . A Fuzhou B Dalian C Chengdu D Beijing Answer: C Among the more colorful characters of Leadville's golden age were H. A. W. Tabor and his wife, Elizabeth McCourt, better known as "Baby Doe". Their history is fast becoming one of the legends of the Old West. Horace Austin Warner Tabor was a school teacher in Vermont. Then he moved west to the small Colorado mining camp known as California Gulch, which he later renamed Leadville when he became its leading citizen. "Great deposits of lead are sure to be found here." he said. As it turned out, it was silver, not lead, that was to make Leadville's fortune and wealth. Tabor knew little about mining himself, so he opened a general store, which sold everything from boots to salt, flour, and tobacco. It was his custom to " _ " prospective miners, in other words, to supply them with food and supplies, or "grub", while they looked for ore , in return for which he would get a share in the mine if one was discovered. He did this for a number of years, but no one that he aided ever found anything of value. Finally one day in the year 1878, so the story goes, two miners came in and asked for "grub". Tabor had decided to quit supplying it because he had lost too much money that way. These were persistent, however, and Tabor was too busy to argue with them. "Oh help yourself. One more time won't make any difference," He said and went on selling shoes and hats to other customers. The two miners took $17 worth of supplies, in return for which they gave Tabor a one-third interest in their findings. They picked a barren place on the mountain side and began to dig. After nine days they struck a rich vein of silver. Tabor bought the shares of the other two men, and so the mine belonged to him alone. This mine, known as the "Pittsburgh Mine," made $1,300,000 for Tabor in return for his $17 investment. Later Tabor bought the Matchless Mine on another barren hillside just outside the town for $117,000. This turned out to be even more fabulous than the Pittsburgh, yielding $35,000 worth of silver per day at one time. Leadville grew. Tabor became its first mayor, and later became lieutenant governor of the state. Leadville got its name for the following reasons EXCEPT that A Tabor became its leading citizen. B great deposits of lead is expected to be found there. C it could bring good fortune to Tabor D it was renamed Answer: C Swimming and English Learning Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice. Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important when there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make. Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important. Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success. Easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way. You can learn to swim by _ . A reading books about it B looking at others swimming C having lessons on it D going into the river and learning Answer: D
The Internet brings us many advantages. With the Internet, people can send and receive emails. On the Internet, people can skim over news. Using the Telnet, the user anywhere on the Internet can log into any other machine on which he has an account. It is possible to use the FTP program to copy files from one machine on the Internet to another. But the Internet also brings us troubles. Internet use seems to cause a fall in psychological health, according to research at Carnegie Mellon University. Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression and loneliness than those who logged on less often, the twoyear study showed. And it wasn't that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually seemed to cause the bad feelings. Researchers are puzzled over the results, which were completely opposite to what they had expected. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allows users to choose their information and to communicate with others.The fact that Internet use reduces time used for family and friends may be the reason for the drop in health, researchers said. Faceless, bodiless"virtual" communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversations, and the relationships formed through it may not be so deep. Another possibility is that exposure to the wider world through the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives. "But _ it's _ important _ to _ remember _ this _ is _ not _ about _ the _ technology; _ it's _ about _ how _ it _ is _ used,"said one of the researchers. "It really points to the need for considering social factors when you design new inventions." According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? Answer: The twoyear study showed that using the Net seemed to cause the bad feelings. In Germany , more than 70% of people like reading. They often read. They read in their homes. They read in libraries. They read in parks. They even read in hospitals. Parents often read books for kids . It is easy to buy books in Germany. There are many bookshops in Germany. They are in big cities and small towns . A bookshop can sell many books every day. Germans also like to buy books on the Internet. More and more people buy books on the Internet. In Germany, people often have reading parties. They are happy at the parties. What kind of parties do they have according to the passage ? Answer: reading parties Forgiving someone who has hurt you or let you down is never an easy thing. Several new studies, however, say that it could have a lot of health benefits. When you think of forgiveness, you probably don't think of it as being a health or medical problem. Studies from Stanford University, on the other hand, show that something like anger can change your well-being. When cartoon book characters like the incredible Hulk get angry, they change colours and often gain special power. In the real world, anger is less obvious and may be more dangerous. That's why Professor Fred Luskin, founder of the Stanford Forgiveness Project and author of Forgive for Good, says holding on to anger and hatred can harm your physical and mental health. Two new studies seem to show the same idea. The studies find that people who are able to forgive feel less stress, less back pain, and less depression . They also have fewer headaches, lower blood pressure, and fewer problems on sleeping. So it doesn't matter if your anger is caused by the traffic or other things. Learning to let it go is important. Techniques such as deep breath or thought can help. Or just ask yourself if it's worth hurting yourself by staying angry with someone else. Forgiveness does not mean that you simply accept what happened and say it's OK. Instead, it's a way of making peace with yourself about what happened in the past. The example of the cartoon book characters is taken in the passage to _ . Answer: support the viewpoint that anger and hatred harm physical and mental health. At five he was collecting old newspapers to make money. And when he was 15 he signed his schoolmates up to start a baby-sitting circle. Now 20, third-year Cambridge University student, Peter Blackburn is managing director of a company with a PS 30,000 plan. And he thinks it will make more than $15,000 by next summer. He set up Peter Blackburn Ltd last year to bring out a new, color term-planner that now students all over the UK are using. "I felt that most of the planners going around were pretty unimaginative," he says, "I believed that I could do a better job and decided to have a go". Blackburn admits that he is putting far more effort into business than his computer studies course at university. While fellow students are out with their friends, he keeps in touch with his business office in Lancashire by movable phone. Before he set up the company he spent one holiday preparing a plan that would persuade his bank to lend him money. "Most students work hard for a good degree because they believe that will help them get a job to support themselves," he says "I work hard at my company, because that is what will support me next year, after I leave college." Friends believe that Blackburn will make PS 1 million within 5 years. He is not quite so sure, however. "There's a lot to be done yet," he says. In spite of a college student, Blackburn _ . Answer: spends more time on his business than on his studies course MOOCs, short for "massive open online courses," mark an important, possibly revolutionary, development in education. These courses are on line, free of charge, and open to anyone in the world who has a laptop and an Internet connection. Moreover, they are mainly offered by great universities like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard and Columbia. The courses are arranged according to how difficult they are, enabling students to progress from beginners to the advanced. The courses cover not only a broad range of science subjects such as math and computer science, but also courses in social sciences and humanities. Though MOOCs are not offered for credit and degree, many students enroll in the courses for real skills or knowledge which they can put to some practical use. The format seems better than the traditional school class. The average quality of the lecturers is much higher. Besides, students can learn back and forward-that is, they can go at their own learning speed, which they can't do in a live lecture. And, more importantly, they don't have to travel anywhere to attend an online lecture. There is a problem of asking questions of the lecturer in a class of ten thousand students, but some MOOCs have solved it by allowing students to post questions on line for a vote, and only the most popular questions are put to the lecturer. In a knowledge age, lifelong learning is not _ to a traditional classroom. Students taking MOOCS are usually very clever, have work experience, and in many cases, have already developed a set of practical skills. Moreover, they also offer unique international perspectives that would be the envy of any school classroom. MOOCs seem to have an advantage over traditional school classes in that _ . Answer: students can learn at their own study pace
Confucius said, "In a group of three people, there is always something I can learn. Choose to follow the strengths of others, and use their shortcomings to reflect upon ourselves." As you can see from what Confucius said, everyone that we come across can teach us something useful. As long as we reflect on the lessons learnt from and by other people, we can continuously improve ourselves. But take note that when you reflect on these lessons, you apply some wisdom to each lesson because each situation is unique although they share some common principles. We can learn a lot from everyone. We always tend to think that we can only learn from those who are higher in status or have more knowledge than us, but that is not really the case. We learn from those who are lower in status than us as well, because the experience and knowledge of each person is very different. The best thing about _ learning, reflecting other people's strengths and shortcomings onto ourselves, is that we do not pay for the mistakes that are made. The only cost to us is the time that is needed to learn about and reflect on these lessons from other people's lives. As we all know, some mistakes can be ones which people cannot afford to make, for instance, a broken friendship or a financial loss. Thus constantly using other people's strengths and shortcomings to reflect upon ourselves makes us realize the costs of these mistakes and reduces the possibility that we will make similar mistakes. What can we do now to learn from others? By keeping our eyes and ears open. Be observant and able to realize what strengths and shortcomings other people have. A lot of people in this world like to complain about their lives. Listen to them and make you own assessment and from your own assessment, reflect upon your life and make improvements where necessary. What does this passage mainly talk about? Answer: It is understandable that many of today's college graduates view themselves as the generation that opportunity forgot. This fall, I interviewed 85 recent graduates of various colleges to discuss their success in finding a job. Of those I interviewed ----many from famous schools ---- only five are in the career fields they prepared for; the rest are unemployed or in jobs that are temporary. Graduates with once-marketable degrees in accounting and computer science, for example, now compete with applicants who have five years of experience and will accept the same entry-level salary. Mainly because there too many applicants for too few jobs, employees are ignoring resumes that once commanded interviews. But in my work as a management consultant, I find that many executives also feel that recent graduates have contributed to a problem: that young people have been so pampered by their parents and are so untested academically that they bring little value to today's demanding workplace. Some of the least judgmental, most supportive managers I know are criticizing recent graduates for poor quality in their written and oral reports, and for difficulty in drawing essential facts from masses of data. Earlier generations faced this criticism as well, but employees flooded with resumes have now become far more selective than their predecessors . Among all the cruel talks about unemployment, little is said about the impact on the nation's future of a generation convinced that the workplace has little use for it. This generation must regain its confidence if they are to remain the birthplace of ideas, products and services that shape world. The quickest way to rebuild that confidence is to form partnerships between recent graduates and the companies that will employ them. Corporations, in turn, should consider investing in training and developing a generation they will eventually need. High-potential graduates for whom there isn't an immediate opening could be hired, not as unpaid interns but as salaried trainees given three to six months to prove their value in a series of assignments. Those who don't seize the opportunity can quickly be dismissed. Trainees should be given guidance to help them avoid the small missteps that can damage a career before it starts. Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage? Answer: Which creature is built to move though wet currents? Answer: The federal government has complete jurisdiction over certain parkland located within the state of Plains. To conserve the wildlife that inhabits that land, the federal government enacts a statute forbidding all hunting of animals in the federal park. That statute also forbids the hunting of animals that have left the federal park and have entered the state of Plains. Hanson has a hunting license from the state of Plains authorizing him to hunt deer anywhere in the state. On land within the state of Plains located adjacent to the federal park, Hanson shoots a deer he knows has recently left the federal land. Hanson is prosecuted for violating the federal hunting law. The strongest ground supporting the constitutionality of the federal law forbidding the hunting of wild animals that wander off federal property is that Answer: When a transverse wave passes from right to left through a medium, what happens to the particles of the medium? Answer:
"Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor's language ability," said a teacher during a school meeting last term. "Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won't be disappointed." After this special meeting, I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month, I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London, a place where I had wanted to go since years ago. As we were still young, we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London, we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them, too. The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast, a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sight-seeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities. The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet, time really flew fast. Three weeks later, we had to leave "home" for Hong Kong. In the "homestay" program, a visitor can _ . improve the language ability Studying abroad is an amazing experience, especially when you come to Australia as an overseas( ) high school student. You can have a lot of fun here, especially on holidays. There are many festivals in Australia. The most important one is obviously Christmas. Each year, the summer holidays at every high school last about two months from the beginning of December to February, which covers the Christmas time. Since it is a long holiday, most overseas students love to fly back to their home countries to spend the time with their families and friends, but a few students still stay in Australia during the holiday to get part-time jobs. It is quite easy to find a part-time job at Christmas. Students often take part in another major social activity. They go to the beach to have fun in the sunshine. The summer in Australia is from December to February, so going to the beach in December is very popular among Australians. Easter in March is another important holiday in the year. It actually combines "Good Friday" and "Easter Monday". Almost every shop closes on Good Friday. And people usually go to see Easter Show. The Chinese New year is not a public holiday in Australia, so every Chinese student still has to go to school to study and do his or her normal duties. In Australia, you can spend Christmas _ . in summer You may feel curious about students in other countries: Do they also have so much homework? What do they do in their free time? On April 8, a report came out on the lives of high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the US. It surveyed around 6,200 students from the four countries last year. You will find the answers to many of your questions in this report. Who studies hardest? Chinese students spend the most time studying. Nearly half of Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework every day. That's much more than students of the US (26.4%), Japan (8.2%) and South Korea (5.2%). Who sleeps most often in class? Japanese students fall asleep in class most often. About 45% of them said they sometimes _ in class. In South Korea, it's 32%; in the US, 21%; and 5% in China. South Korean students don't like taking notes. About 70% said they write down what the teacher says in class, much fewer than in Japan (93%), China (90%) and the US (89%). Who is the most distracted ? American students are the most active in class, but also the most distracted: 64.2% said they chat with friends in class; 46.9% said they eat snacks in class; and 38.9% said they send e-mails or read unrelated books in class. What do they do after school? In their free time, most Chinese students study or surf the Internet. Most American students hang out with their friends. Most Japanese students do physical exercises. Most Korean students watch TV. _ of the Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework. 48.6% The trouble started when Mrs. Cady lost control of her car on a mountain road. The car fell down thirty feet from the road into the water. It rolled over once and landed right side up in the rushing water. All three people, Mrs. Cady, and her two daughters, were wearing their seatbelts. Luckily, nobody was hurt; however, they couldn't leave the car. The rescue started almost at once. Another driver told the police about the trouble. The police called rescue workers and a truck to pull the car out. The driver of the truck, Paul, arrived first. Immediatedly he took a rope from his truck and began to walk through the rushing water to the car. Then he got caught in the ropes. He went under the water. Mrs. Cady saw him and pulled as hard as she could and brought him to the car door. Next the other rescue workers arrived. They put on special suits to keep warm. They brought safety ropes, life jackets, and warm blankets . First they pulled the people out of the back window onto the top of the car. Then they swam with each person to the shore . They saved Paul, Mrs. Cady, and the little girls. Who was Paul? The driver of a rescue truck Bill is only fifteen years old,but he's already very rich.Two years ago,Bill began a football website for young people. "I became interested in computers when I was 8 years old because my father's job is with computers.As a little boy,I also loved football and so I decided to make a website,especially for people of my age." Bill started the "Football OK!" website two years ago,and now more than 20,000 people visit it every day. Bill is a schoolboy and a businessman as well.He usually gets up at six o'clock and looks at his e-mails.Then he goes to school from nine to four.In the evenings,he always works for about four hours on his website. Bill's next plan is a new website." At the moment I am thinking about a new website on American football,maybe for next year." And is Bill the same person that he was three years ago? "'No,I am very different now.I have met a lot of interesting people on the website and I have traveled all over the world." Bill doesn't know about the future."Maybe I will sell the websites. I really don't know.I'll just wait and see." Some people say that when he is 21,Bill will be a millionaire . He always says, " _ "! What does the sentence " _ " mean in English? Nothing is impossible
What is Bay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods. Including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes- the list goes on and on The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child, At high school, be became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, He worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started Bay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skill. and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. . Even in the great. com crashes of the late 1990s,abay has gone from strength to strength ,. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet eBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is lake an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is your market place. Of course for each item sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold. How does eBay make money from its website7? Answer: By charging for each sale Which of these mixtures would be easiest to separate? Answer: Fruit salad Former South African president Nelson Mandela died on 6 December 2013 Beijing time .President Jacob Zuma announced it in a televised speech to the nation. He was 95. Those 95 years were remarkable. At the age of seven, he entered a local school, where he was given the name "Nelson", after Admiral Horatio Nelson of the Royal Navy, by a teacher who had difficulty in pronouncing his African 'name. That name, Rolihlahla , means "troublemaker" . In 1927, when Mandela was nine, he decided to become a lawyer, influenced by the cases that came on his father. In 1942 Mandela entered politics by joining the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's major liberation movement and today the country's ruling party. It was during this time that he and a small group of mainly young members of the ANC got down to a task transforming the party into a mass movement. In 1952, he was charged and brought to trial for his role in the campaign of fighting against Unjust Laws and given a prison sentence. The 1950s turned out to be a time of hardship and suffering for Mandela-he was banned, arrested and imprisoned. While in prison, Mandela studied by correspondence with the University of London, earning a Bachelor of Law degree. He never faced with his teachers, but his name was familiar to all the teachers by means of his writing letters. After spending 27 years in prison, Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994. He united a fearful country, bringing together blacks and whites in harmony When South Africa was living through violent and troubled times. After serving a five year term as president of the country, he retired from public life, though not from the public eye. He is the greatest son of the nation and a great father of his people. More than l, 115 awards and honors, even the Nobel Peace Prize had been on him. More than 85 streets, roads, avenues, bridges, highways had been named after Mandela. We can infer from the passage that Answer: Mandela wanted blacks and whites to live equally and peacefully Folk medicine keeps the body healthy by using medicines taken from surrounding plants and herbs . Since materialsfor making a medicine to cure a sickness can be found everywhere, one can practise folk medicine in any place of the world. The use of folk medicine goes all the way back to the time of the earliest man when both man and animal used plants and herbs to keep healthy. It is usually seen that an animal eat snakeroot after being bitten by a poisonous snake. Because animals seem to have this natural ability for knowing which plants and herbs will cure what sickness, man probably learned how to care for himself by animal watching. Man also learned other things from animals. He observed that wild animals, when sick, kept quiet and rest, getting well with the help of the medicine in plants and pure air. He saw that an animal with a fever could often be found resting in a cool place, eating nothing, and often drinking water until the fever was gone. Some believe that folk medicine deals with a lot of old wives' tales which have something to do with the medical treatment of the body. Stories are told about the powers of a certain vegetable material, which when hung around the neck, brings the wearer good health during the cold winter months. Such a story is simply a fairy tale. It should be separated from the discussion of folk medicine. Which of the following statements is TRUE about folk medicine? Answer: It keeps one healthy by using medicines taken from plants and herbs. My father is tall and has short gray hair. He wears glasses with heavy black frames . Today I find a picture of him in 1986. What a surprise! In the picture, he's 15 years old. He's short and he has glasses with small round frames. He has long black hair and it's really straight. He's wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt with the word "love". I'm 15 years old now. I'm of medium height and I have short hair. My hair isn't black, it's brown. My dad thinks it's _ , but my friends think it's great. I wear glasses, but my glasses have square , red frames. They are so cool. I never wear blue jeans. I like big, baggy pants and long T-shirts. Most of my T-shirts have pictures of my favorite actors or singers on them. What kind of glasses did the father wear when he was 15 years old? Answer: Glasses with small round frames.

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