Split (1)

train · 20k rows

text stringlengths 1.53k 16.3k
Many countries follow special customs when a child's baby teeth fall out. Many of these customs tell stories about animals taking the teeth. For example, Koreans have the custom of throwing the fallen tooth onto the roof of a house so that a magpie can take the tooth away and bring a new tooth for the child. This custom is also followed by some other Asian countries, such as Japan and Vietnam. Other countries, though, have tooth customs about other animals. In Mexico and Spain, for example, it is thought that a mouse takes a fallen tooth away and leaves some money. But in Mongolia, it is dogs that take children's teeth away. Dogs are highly respected in Mongolian culture. It is believed that the new tooth will grow strong if the baby tooth is fed to a dog, so parents in Mongolia will put their children's fallen teeth in a piece of meat and feed it to a dog. In France and the USA, a child will put a fallen tooth under his or her pillow before going to bed. It is thought that in the early morning, when the child is still sleeping, the Tooth Fairy will take the tooth away and leave something else under the pillow. What she will leave is hard to know. It is said that in France the Tooth Fairy may leave some candies; however, in the United States, she may leave money. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: Tragedy at the Circus In yesterday's circus show, a tiger suddenly attacked its trainer and had to be shot dead. As the circus packed up and left, circus officials said the show would go on, even without tigers. However, the officials cann't simply turn a blind eye to the ethical problems left behind. Even before this tragedy , animal rights activists protested against keeping wild animals in unnatural conditions and forcing them to suffer for the profit of circus organizers. It is now time for us to take effective steps to make sure that circus animals are treated properly. ******************************* Circus Safe for Animals Our circus recently suffered a most tragic event in its history. While we are thankful for the pity from the public, we are also astonished by the opinion expressed in "Tragedy at the Circus. " First, our performing animals are not taken from the wild. As to the ethical problems. we always believe humans and animals can--and should--live together nicely. To us, the performing animals are representatives of their species , and our circus is one of the only places left willing to support this special role of performing animals in the existence of the species. Those who argue that circus life is harmful to animals show little knowledge of these facts. Life in the "wild" is unsafe, but a continuous struggle for existence. To overlook these realities is the greatest fault against the animal kingdom. This circus has proven that animals are stronger and smarter than we could imagine. Within the circus is a joyful atmosphere for both animals and humans: people are educated, and species saved. What does the circus think of its performing animals? Answer: I could fill a book with embarrassing situations I've been in over the years. These moments used to haunt me and my face would turn as red as a big tomato. It wasn't until I was in my late teens, working at a hotel that things changed for me. I took a year off in between high school and university, because like many people my age I had ly no idea what I wanted to do, and I didn't want to waste $ 5,000 on a university tuition . I tried to keep silent at my new job, avoiding the other employees. All of them didn't care about me except for one girl. She kept at me, telling me stories of her weekend and how she loved snowboarding, something I was interested in as well. She was the type of warm personality where people were immediately drawn to her, and soon enough I found myself looking forward to our coffee breaks and snowboarding after work. The more I hung out with her, the more I realized that this girl, who seemed to have it all together, was in fact just like me, except for one major difference. She laughed at herself. One night after work we were snowboarding and she fell down carelessly resulting in a mouth full of snow. Instead of getting embarrassed she jumped right up laughing loudly at how ridiculous she must have looked. As time went on, her warm personality began to wear off on me and soon enough I had a mini-breakthrough. I'm not saying that I no longer find myself in embarrassing situations; I've just learned how to handle them differently. Just a few months ago I walked out of a bathroom unaware of the fact that my skirt was tucked in my underwear. But instead of rushing back to the bathroom I calmly pulled it out and continued on my way shaking my head and smiling. What's the writer's purpose of writing this passage? Answer: I stopped at a grocery store the other day because I was about to go on a long drive and I wanted to buy my favorite beverage for the trip. It wasn't the store I normally go to, just one I passed along the way. As I walked up to the entrance, I noticed a man and a boy who was about 10 or 12 years old standing at the front of the store. Customers walked past, as the man handed them half-sheets of white paper. I walked up to them with curiosity, wondering what cause they were representing. As I got closer, I saw that they had two carts starting to fill with groceries. I said hello and the man greeted me and handed me one of the pieces of paper, explaining that they were collecting donations for the local food pantry. On the paper was a simple list of food items: peanut butter, noodles, pasta sauce, canned fruits and vegetables. It also included a short story about the boy and his efforts to collect food donations since the age of 8. I was really touched that someone so young would be so interested in helping others. I told him it was an awesome idea and that he should be proud of himself. He smiled. Then, I went inside to get my drink. Unfortunately, the store didn't have it in stock. But, I wasn't upset, because by then I felt I had another mission. I went through the store, picking things from the list, then brought them back out to the boy and put them in the cart. I also gave the man the white sheet of paper back to reuse for another customer. They thanked me and offered me a treat (candy, I think) but I said to pass it on to someone else. As I walked back to my car, the boy's well-intentioned spirit stuck with me. How inspiring to encounter a young boy with a resolve to do good deeds, and the courage to act on it. It made my day! What do we know from the passage? Answer: Everybody hates rats. But in the earthquake capitals of the world - Japan, Los Angeles, Turkey - rats will soon be man's new best friends. What happens after an earthquake? We send in rescue dogs. Why? Because they can smell people. Dogs save lives. They help rescuers to find living people. But dogs are big and they can't get into small spaces. So now a new research project is using a smaller animal to save lives: the rat. How does it work? First, the rat is trained to smell people. When this happens, the rat's brain gives a signal .This is sent to a small radio on its back, and then the rescuers follow the radio signals. When rat's brain activity jumps, the rescuers know that someone is alive. The rat has smelled that person. Although there are already robots which can do this job, rats are better. Christian Linster at Cornell University, New York, says, "Robots' noses don't work well when there are other smells around. Rats are good at that. " Rats can also see in the dark. They are cheaper and quicker to train than dogs, and unlike robots, they don't need electricity! The "rat project" is not finished, but Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland says, "It would be fantastic. A rat could get into spaces we couldn't get to, and a rat would get out if it wasn't safe." Perhaps for the first time in history, people will be happy to see a rat in a building(but only after an earthquake, of course.) After reading the passage we can know _ . Answer:
What do steam and ice have in common? A intensive properties B form C temperature D appearance Answer: A An expensive car speeding down the main street of a small town was soon over-taken by a young motorcycle policeman. As he started to take out the ticket, the woman in the car said proudly. "Before you go any further, young man, I think you should know that the mayor of this city is a good friend of mine." The officer did not say a word, but kept writing. "I am also a friend of Chief of Police Barnes," continued the woman, getting angrier each moment. Still he kept on writing. "Young man," she said, "I know Judge Lawson and State Senator Patton." Handing the ticket to the woman, the officer asked pleasantly. "Tell me, do you know Bill Bronson?" "No. Why?" she replied. "Well, this is the man you should have known," he said, going back to his motorcycle, "I am Bill Bronson." The policeman was _ . A an honest and fair fellow B a foolish and proud fellow C a silly and rude fellow D a kind-hearted fellow Answer: A One of the most popular items in the school newspaper is the advice column. No one knows who writes it. The students think their teacher does, but it might be a student using a false name. The students enjoy thinking up problems for the advice column. Here are some of them and their answers. Ask the Wise Owl Q: I'm always late for school. I try not to be, but I can't help it. Please advise me what to do. Tommy. A: You are probably late for school because you don't really like school. My advice to you is to try and enjoy school more, then you won't be late so often. Q: I find it difficult to make friends. What do you think I should do? Sara. A: I can't advise you until I know more about you. Your problem may be that you are shy. On the other hand, it may be the opposite. You may be too bold . Write and tell me more about yourself. Q: I'm always at the bottom(,) of the class. What do you advise me to do? Molly. A: I advise you to concentrate on improving your grades in one subject to start with. If you can do this, you should move a little way up from the bottom. Next, try to improve your grades in another subject, and so on. If you concentrate on one subject at a time, by the end of the year you should be quite a long way up from the bottom in all your classes. What is Tommy's problem? A He needs help with his homework. B He finds it difficult to make friends. C He is always late for school. D He is always at the bottom of his class. Answer: C The wedding between Prince Wiliam and Kate Middleton on April 29 has focused the world's camera lenses on the UK. In Britain, there is a constant debate about the relevance of the royal family to modern British society. However, Windsor (the family name of the British Royal Family) and Middleton have been seen to represent a more modern, forward-looking nation. Nigel Baker, the British ambassador to Bolivia, believes that the royal wedding is "about modern Britain". "The estimated 2 billion spectators across the world will see that Britain is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse nations in the world, home to 270 nationalities speaking 300 different languages, founded on tolerance and respect for difference," wrote Baker on his blog. According to Baker, the wedding could help viewers to see "why Britain is one of the most dynamic and creative countries in the world": The television on which most people watched the event was invented by John Logie Baird, a Briton, and the World Wide Web that broadcast the event to millions more was invented by another Briton, Tim Berners-Lee. The guests who attended the wedding ceremony gave more than a few clues as to the nature of modern Britain. David and Victoria Beckham represent Britain's obsession with football and celebrity. Leaders from different religious backgrounds supported Baker's comments on the multicultural nature of modern British society. Before the wedding, David Elliott, arts director of the British Council China, agreed that the wedding would be a showcase for modern Britain: "I think, and hope, that it (modern British influence) would be values like openness, multiculturalism, creativity, sense of humor and the traditional British sense of fair play," he said. Furthermore, events such as the Olympics in London in 2012 may also increase people's sense of Britishness. According to a poll published in Daily Telegraph, more than a third of people in the UK admitted they felt "very British" when watching the Olympics. . Why is the inventor of the World Wide Web mentioned? A To inform readers about some well-known British inventors. B To point to the importance of the World Wide Web for the wedding. C In support of the idea that Britain is a nation of creative and original people. D To encourage people to watch the wedding on the Internet. Answer: C Maybe you love them and want to pet every one you see.Or maybe you're afraid of them and want to move to a dogfree neighborhood.Either way,dogs are a part of life.Millions of people have dogs as pets.You'll see them all over town,in the city,country,and even when you're on vacation. Like many kinds of pets--no matter how small or cute they are--dogs need to be respected as animals that,under certain conditions,could hurt you.Nearly 5 million dog bites happen every year in the United States.No one wants a dog bite,but how do you prevent one? One dog expert has come up with an easy way for kids to remember some tips to prevent dog bites.It spells "DOG SAFE". Don't tease,please:Teasing a dog can make it angry enough to bite.For instance,if a dog has food or a toy,never try to take it away.You wouldn't like it if someone took your snack while you were eating it! Only pet with permission:Never pet a dog without asking the owner if it's OK.Some dogs don't like to be touched by strangers. Give space:Little kids especially might run right up to a lovely dog and try to pet it or give it a hug.But dogs need space.Crowding a dog can frighten or anger the dog. Slow down:Some dogs like to chase and bite.Of course,you don't want to be chased or bitten!The way to avoid it is to go slow around dogs.Never run toward them or away from them.If a dog you don't know runs toward you,freeze.If you need to get away,back up slowly. Always get help:You may want to bring home a dog that seems lost or injured.But animals who are lost or injured may be very frightened or in pain.Find a grownup instead who can decide how to care for the animal. Fingers together:When feeding a dog a treat,put the treat in the palm of your hand and keep your fingers and thumb close together.Why?The dog is less likely to get confused about which is the treat--the doggie snack or your finger! Even good dogs can bite:Some people are very surprised when their dog bites someone,but all dogs can bite.Avoid doing things that make dogs scared or angry,such as backing them into a corner or bothering them when they are sleeping. Seeing a dog running after you,you'd better _ . A escape quickly B hide in a safe place C slow down or just stop D turn to the owner Answer: C
To Mr. Alcohol You've been with us for a long time. I won't forget all the pain you've caused for us. Do you remember the night you almost took my father's life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He's addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night. Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were _ by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. "I'm so embarrassed," they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit . "I'm sorry," they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. "This won't happen again," they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped . Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you. Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it's all your fault. I wish you'd walk out of my life forever. I don't want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you've caused. Sure, you've made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you've caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please. What did alcohol do to the author's father? Answer: It made him get into a car accident and badly injure himself. Useful Information in Australia Useful Numbers All the telephone numbers are useful and free. . Fire/ Police/ Ambulance --000 Telephone information--12455 . Medical Care--1300369359 Taxi--1800421113 Surfing the Internet With so many Internet tearooms and public libraries, it's easy to surf the Internet in Australia. Also it's very cheap for you to surf the Internet. . Public libraries offer free Internet every day even during public holidays. . Many travel managers provide connection which is cheap or free. Post Service All post offices around the country offer post services so you can receive mails as you travel around the whole country. . Post offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. . It costs 50 cents to send a standard letter in Australia. Public Holidays On public holidays all shops are closed across Australia, so are banks and post offices. . New Year's Day--1st January . Australia Day--26th January . Christmas Day--25th December Which one is not right according to the above passage? Answer: Australians go to work on 26th January. Scientific Progress Most scientific progress is the result of careful consideration of work that has already been done. The wonderful world which lies before us today has been put up by hardworking men with clear heads and inventive mind, and these who follow them along life's road will improve on their efforts. It is sometimes necessary to question and even to disbelieve some of the statements made by experts. Action or experiment can often end an argument or achieve a breakthrough. When men were wondering whether it was possible to reach India by sailing westwards from Europe, and whether there was any land on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Christopher Columbus decides to act. He gathered some men, invited them to go on board his three ships, and set out across the dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. He was successful in finding land, but it was not India. The result of his action was that the arguments came to the end. Any young man who wishes to do research must be courageous enough to question old beliefs and do some original thinking about them. Although we seem to know so much, there are many things we don't know. Even when we pull an atom to pieces, we do not really know what the pieces are, we often do not reach the reality behind what we discover, and the more we learn, the better we realize our ignorance. Christopher Columbus decided to set out his trip because he wants to _ Answer: discover the truth with action Ever since I started my freshman year in another state, I've realized that people make many assumptions about college students, many of which are based on partying. Even my sociology professor jokingly told our class: "If your motto isn't 'I am partying therefore I am,' you're college-ing wrong." Whenever I say partying isn't fun, I get the same response: wide-eyed stares, dropped jaws and a resounding "Seriously?", which makes me feel like I'm being judged. Don't get me wrong - I've tried to enjoy dancing in hot, crowded spaces to loud rap music. But at last, I've always escaped to an empty corner while trying to ignore rude, crazy people. I wondered if I was weird for wanting to stay in on a Friday night to read a book. I even questioned whether or not I was living the "authentic " college experience. "Maybe you - a shy boy - just need to go out more." Friends have said. Suggestions like these make me think about food. Have you ever tasted something that someone else really likes and you don't? When that happens to me, I have a habit of eating more hoping that it will eventually taste good. Does that ever work? No. For me, partying is a lot like that. From what I can tell, I'm just not a fan. I'm not trying to set myself apart - I just have a different definition of fun. As you begin to think about your present college life, I hope this helps you realize that there isn't just one way to experience college life. Some turn up at a party to relax. I turn to a good book. Which option have you made in college? And remember: college is a place where you can keep yourself originally. It means not going with the flow and means figuring out what you want for yourself, originating your own values and thinking a way towards your future success. What does the author think of college parties? Answer: Boring. BAGRAM, Afghanistan: A transport helicopter packed with US soldiers crashed near a military base just north of the capital, killing at least five of them and wounding seven others, the US military said yesterday. The cause of Sunday's crash, about 11 kilometers east of Bagram Air Base, was not immediately known. The US military said it was investigating, and it refused to take journalists from the base to the crash site. But after a long search, reporters found the wreckage in a remote area yesterday afternoon. It was broken into three pieces, some of which had fallen into a mostly dry riverbed. About 15 US soldiers were guarding the site. A statement sent by email from Central Command, in Tampa, Florida,on Sunday said,"Early reports indicate seven service members were killed," when the US military helicopter went down. At Bagram Air Base yesterday morning, US military spokesman Major Richard Sater said the plane was an MH-53 transport helicopter and confirmed that it was involved in all ongoing military operation, dubbed Mountain Resolve, taking place in the east of the country. He referred all other questions, including the numbers of casualties and the cause of the crash, to Central Command officials. Bagram Air Base, just north of the capital, is home to most of the peacekeepers patrol Kabul. In another development, three US soldiers were killed on Sunday in Iraq. Gunmen in Mosul shot two American soldiers driving through the city center, sending their vehicle crashing into a wall. About a dozen swarming teenagers dragged the men out of the wreckage and beat them with concrete blocks, witnesses said. In recent weeks, attacks against US troops and their Iraqi allies--such as policemen and politicians working for tile interim Iraqi administration--have increased in the region surrounding Mosul. In Baqouba, just north of Baghdad, insurgents detonated a roadside bomb as a 4th Infantry Divison convoy passed, killing one soldier and wounding two others, the military said on Sunday. Which of the followings is the best title of this passage? Answer: US helicopter crash kills 5 soldiers
A woman saw three old men sitting in her front yard. She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be very hungry. Please come in and find something to eat." "We do not go into a house together." they replied. "Why is that?" she asked. One of the old men answered, "His name is Wealth, this is Success, and I am Love." Then he said, "Now go in and discuss with your family which one of us you want in your house." Then the woman went in and told her family what was said. She said, "Let's invite Wealth. Let him come in and bring us nice things. We have been so poor." His husband disagreed, "My dear, why don't we invite Success? Don't you want me to be a successful man?" Then the daughter asked, "Would it be better to invite Love? Our life will then be filled with love!" "Let's take our daughter's advice," said the father and mother. So the woman went out and asked, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success, "I only invited Love. Why are you coming along?" The two old men answered, "If you had invited Wealth or Success, Two of us would have stayed out, but since you have invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Where there is love, there is wealth and Success." All the following can be used to describe the woman except _ . L'HAY-LES-ROSES, France: Three teenage girls admitted starting a fire in a suburban Paris housing project over the weekend that killed 17 people, including three children, police said yesterday. A fourth girl was held yesterday morning. The fire in a 19-storey building south of Paris was the third fatal blaze in the Paris area in nine days. The death toll rose to 16 after a man died late Sunday in a hospital, where seven others were being treated for serious injuries. Three teenagers taken in for questioning on Sunday admitted having started the fire for fun, police said. Two of the suspects were 18 years old, the other was 16. Further details were not available. Witnesses claimed to have seen a group of youths who lived in the building start the fire, said Patrick Seve, mayor of the town of L'HAY-LES-ROSES, near Orly airport, where the building was located. The first is believed to have broken out in the lobby of the building before raging up a stairwell at least three floors. Some residents jumped from windows as the fire spread through the building's entrance. Authorities were investigating possible criminals in an August 26 fire that killed 14 African children and three adults in a Paris apartment building. Three days later, another fire killed seven in a building. ks5u Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy suggested on French television on Sunday night that copycats were at work. "Each time there is a new story, sometimes that gives ideas to people who then turn into criminals," Sarkozy said, promising severe punishment for anyone found guilty of arson . Why did the teenagers start the fires? Dogs have long been regarded as a loyal friend of humans. They are not only a good companion to their owners, but also a security guard in some way. However, in fact, dogs do more things than just that. Recently, a British middle school has invited a dog to the classroom. Why? For fun? For security? Or for experiments? Flossie, a ten-month-old poodle, says "No" to all the above guesses. He is there to help increase students' reading confidence. It is a little hard to believe, but it's real. Vice-headmaster Sue Frost is responsible for training and taking care of the dog. She said, "Flossie has a great _ on students.They are willing to read for him. This is really a good way for students to learn more new words and make new progress." Flossie is quite popular among students. Jacob Wicks, an 11-year-old schoolboy, entered the school last November. He said, "I think Flossie is a lovely dog. He always listens to me quietly when I am reading. There is no need for me to worry about negative comments if I don't read well." Another student named Jordan Leatherhead said that he liked reading Guinness world Records for Flossie, and that Flossie like listening to him because there are many records about dogs and other animals in the book. Wow! This is really an interesting teaching method. Why not have a try if you have a pet dog at home? ,. Why did Jacob Wicks like reading for Flossie? Boy Scout is sending 69 boxes of clothes to prefix = st1 /Afghanistan, in a project inspired by his father's employment to the war-torn region. Nick Shawen decided to begin a clothing drive after receiving e-mails from his father. His mother said they learned of children coming into the hospital and losing their belongings."They had to cut the clothes off because, you know, they were completely damaged," she said. When her 16-year-old son decided to start a collection, it quickly became a family affair. Even Nick's 4-year-old sister wanted to give her help. "I'm going to Afghanistanbecause there are kids who need help there," Maren Shawen said. The Shawens started asking people at their school, church and community to send them clothes. "I've collected 69 boxes of clothes and toys to send down there," Nick said. "I'd never imagined I'd end up doing something like this." The boxes will be shipped from Gaithersburg to Afghanistan, where Nick's dad, Major Scott Shawen, is stationed as an army doctor. He was sent to thedesertofAfghanistanto treat soldiers but spent much of his tour helping civilians. "Being able to have my son's Eagle project help out with what I'm doing makes me very happy," Scott Shawn said. The Shawens have sent 300 pairs of shoes, 1,000 shirts, 25 soccer balls and medicine to Afghanistan. One recipient said he accepted items for his son and was very happy. "We tend to have extra of almost everything," Nick Shawen said. "But in a lot of places, people don't have enough and I think it's kind of important that people give up a little bit and try to help people who need it more than they do." In what way did Nick learn the situation of the Afghan Kids? On March 17 there will be an explosion of green colour across the world in celebration of St Patrick's Day. The Irish traditionally wear something coloured green on this day as the colour is connected with Ireland. Another St Patrick's Day tradition is for the non-Irish to make jokes about the Irish. Usually these jokes will be about Irish stupidity or their famous thirst for alcohol, or their reputation for telling tall(untrue) stories. These characteristics are all part of the famous Irish stereotype that Irishman are hot-tempered drinkers, who love to fight and will do anything to avoid a day's work. The real joke, however, is that this negative Irish stereotype still exists. The stereotype might have had some truth back in the 19th century when Irish was poverty-stricken and starving. Many Irish moved to the United States to escape famine , but there they had to compete, occasionally with their fists, for jobs and housing with other immigrant groups. It was on America's streets that the Irish earned their reputation for street fighting. However, it was far from truth today, with the exception of the drinking perhaps. Today, the Irish are admired for their story telling gifts and musical talents. It is no accident that several of the greatest writers of the 20th century were Irish. Or that many of today's most popular music groups such as singer Enya and rock band U2, are Irish born and growing. Lonely Planet readers even ranked Ireland as the friendliest country in the world. However, one bit of the Irish stereotype is true, their love for drink. Drinking in Ireland is a job, but it's not necessarily something to criticize. It was the Irish after all who created one of the world's best-loved beers, Guinness. Where did the negative Irish stereotype come from?
Tony was at home and making dinner. He wanted spaghetti so he made that and some bread too. He added some spices and sauce too. After making dinner, he fed his kitten. His kitten's name is Marbles. Tony was going to name him Arlo or Jack but chose Marbles. Tony played with Marbles for hours. He also cleaned the room and kitchen. After playing with Marbles, Tony went to sleep. The next day, Tony woke up to a bird calling out his window. He got out of bed and got ready for the day. He made some eggs and toast. After eating, he headed to the park. The park was pretty empty. Tony walked around the park. Tony talked to some people after walking. He watched some kids playing and having a good time. It made him feel good. After a few hours, Tony left the park to go home. He laid in his bed and watched TV. It was nice for Tony to have a break. What did Tony make for dinner? A spices B bread C spaghetti D sauce Answer: C. spaghetti Below is an entry taken from an English dictionary. Scratch Verb. noun. adjective #Verb rub with your nails 1~(at sth) to rub your skin with your nails, usually because it is ITCHING:[(VN)] John yawned and scratched his chin.* The dog scratched itself behind the ear. [(V)] Try not to scratch. She scratched at the insect bites on her arm. cut skin 2~ (sb/ sth/ yourself) (on sth) to cut or damage. Your skin slightly with sth sharp: [(VN)] I'd scratched my leg and it was bleeding. * She scratched herself on a nail. [(V)] Does the cat scratch? damage surface 3[(VN)] to damage the surface of sth, especially accidentally, by making thin shallow marks on it: The car's paintwork is badly scratched make/ remove mark 4[(VN+adv./prep.)] to make or remove a mark, ect. on sth deliberately, by rubbing it with sth hard or sharp: They scratched lines in the dirt to mark out a pitch. We scratched some of the dirt away. (figurative) You can scratch my name off the list. Make sound 5[(V)] [(usually+adv./prep.)] to make an irritating noise by rubbing sth with sth sharp: The dog kept scratching at the door to go out. His pen scratched away on the paper. We could hear mice scratching behind the wall. a living 6[(VN)] ~ a living, to make enough money to live on, but with difficulty: 75% of the population scratch a living from the soil cancel 7 ~(sb/ sth)(from sth), to decide that sth cannot happen or sb/sth cannot take part in sth, before it starts: [(VN)] to scratch a rocket launch The horse was scratched from the race because of injury. IDIOMS: scratch your head(over sth), to think hard in order to find an answer to sth: Experts have been scratching their heads over the increase in teenage crime. scratch the surface(of sth), to deal with, understand, or find out about only a small part of a subject or problem: We left feeling that we had just scratched the surface of this fascinating country. you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours (saying), used to say that if sb helps you, you will help them, even if this is unfair to others Phrasal Verbs: scratch about/ around ( for sth), to search for sth, especially with difficulty scratch sth out, to remove a word, especially a name, from sth written, usually by putting a line through it #Noun mark/ cut 1[(C)] a mark, a cut or an injury made by scratching sb's skin or the surface of sth: Her hands were covered in scratches from the brambles. a scratch on the paintwork It's only a scratch(=a very slight injury). He escaped without a scratch(=was not hurt at all). sound 2[(sing.)] the unpleasant sound of sth sharp or rough being rubbed against a surface with your nails 3[(sing.)] the act of scratching a part of your body when it ITCHES: Go on, have a good scratch! IDIOMS: from scratch, without any previous preparation or knowledge: They decided to dismantle the machine and start again from scratch. He built the orchestra up from scratch. (be/ come) up to scratch, (bring sb / sth) up to scratch, as good as sth/ sb should be; satisfactory: His work simply isn't up to scratch. *It'll take months to bring the band up to scratch. #adjective(BrE) 1 put together in a hurry using whatever people or materials are available: a scratch team 2 (especially in golf) with no HANDICAP: a scratch player When the French girl says "I learned German from scratch six months ago.", she means she _ . A had previously well prepared B was unsatisfied with her German C knew no German before that D found few materials available Answer: C. knew no German before that Though "nanometer" is now a fashionable term all over the world,few people know exactly what it is.It has become a new favorite of manufacturers and sellers in recent years.Many "high-tech" products bearing the name "nano" have entered the market,bringing more mysterious feeling to surprised consumers. Nanometer is a very small length unit of measure,and is very small.One millimeter is 1000 micrometers,and one micrometer is 1000 nanometers.That is,one nanometer is one billionth of a meter.Nano materials are solid materials composed of particles or crystallites of less than 100 nanometer in size.Then,is a cup made of nano material really any different from an ordinary cup in function as far as how it works? Are nano cups really so wonderful?A reporter went to the Institute of Nanomedicine,which is the first such institute of such a sort in the world and the only one in China,specializing in researching the investigation of the application of nano technology into medicine. Ji(director Institute of Nanomedicine): A water molecule is composed of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.It can be alterchanged only by special manipulation of the atoms.The material constituting the cup can have a nanometer particles size of the nano level.But it cannot change the chemical and physical properties of the water contained in it.The water in the cup is still water.When people drink it,it will produce no special effect on human body. Prof.Ji told the reporter,so far,the investigation of nano materials is still confined in the laboratory.No commercial micro products can be produced yet.With the present level of science and technology,the time of everyday goods age of daily use articles made of nanometer materials is still years away. The commodities labeled with nano marks in the market now are only traditional products coated with a thin layer of nanometer material,which makes them _ . Prof.Ji explained that nano cup is a real cup.It can also be included in the list of nano products in a certain sense.But the nano cup has not changed its property and function as a cup.It is not a magical medicine for curing and health care. Which of the following shows the right relationship? A nanometer<millimeter<micrometer<meter B nanometer<micrometer<millimeter<meter C micrometer<millimeter<nanometer<meter D millimeter<micrometer<nanometer<meter Answer: B. nanometer<micrometer<millimeter<meter People who daydream are often thought of in negative terms, such as being lazy or not doing what they should be doing. However, scientists who study the brain have learned many interesting things from studying the brains of daydreamers. Far from being a waste of time, recent research has shown that daydreaming is a healthy and useful activity for all of our brains. To study the brain, scientists use special devices that scan the brain and show pictures of which parts of the brain are active at certain times. When a person is daydreaming, the device will show a distinct pattern of activity in the brain called the "default" mode of thinking. In the default mode, the top or outside part of the brain is very active. Actually, several regions of the brain are interacting in this mode. Some scientists describe this mode as a time when the brain focuses on itself rather than focusing on the environment around the person. Typically, this occurs when a person is doing simple, undemanding work or performing routine actions that don't need much attention, like walking to school or cooking simple foods. People tend to daydream during such activities. The importance of daydreaming lies in developing both creative and social skills. When the mind is not engaged in dealing with one's immediate situation or problem, then it is free to wander. A time of wandering allows the mind to create things. New inventions may be imagined, or possible solutions to a problem can be planned. For example, solutions to problems in relationships with other people may spring to mind. In fact, most daydreams involve situations with others. Perhaps these are daydreams based on past memories, or daydreams of what might be in the future. In either case, daydreams help us develop the appropriate skills we can use in real interactions with others. As brain specialist Dr. Marcus Raichle of Washington University explains: "When you don't use a muscle, that muscle really isn't doing much. But when your brain is supposedly doing nothing and daydreaming, it's really doing a great amount." During the so-called "resting state" the brain isn't resting at all! Which statement would Dr. Raichle agree with? A The brain develops one's muscles. B The brain and our muscles both need rest. C The brain is a lot like a muscle. D The brain is different from a muscle. Answer: D. The brain is different from a muscle. One day a lawyer's wife fell ill, and he went to get a doctor. The doctor willingly came to see the woman and to do what he could for her, but before he went into the house, he made a short stop. He knew that the lawyer was famous for not paying his bills, even if they were due .He therefore said to the man."But if I save your wife, I am afraid you may not pay me." "Sir,"replied the lawyer. "Here I have$500,,whether you cure my wife or you kill her. I'll give you all this." The doctor was reassured and went into the house. When he reached the woman's bedside, it soon became clear to him that he could do little. She was seriously ill, and though he prescribed her medicine, she soon died. He told the lawyer he was very sorry, and then asked for the money which he had promised. "Did you kill my wife?"asked the lawyer. "Of course I didn't," said the doctor. "Well! Did you cure my wife?" asked the man. "I'm afraid that was impossible," replied the doctor."Well, then since you neither killed my wife nor cured her, I have nothing to pay you." From the story, we know _ . A the lawyer was very clever B how the lawyer's wife died C the doctor was stupid enough to be fooled D the lawyer was dishonest and that he fooled the doctor Answer: D. the lawyer was dishonest and that he fooled the doctor
Question: Advertising is a highly developed twentieth-century industry. The development of radio, television, cinema, magazines and newspapers has gone _ with the development of advertising. Why is advertising so popular? Is it a waste of money? It has been proved again and again that repeated advertising increases product sales. Since it increases production, the price can be reduced. Therefore advertising, instead of making a product more expensive, makes it cheaper. Advertising is now a scientific business. Once managers would say jokingly, " I know that half of what I spend on advertising is wasted, but I don't know which half." Now, all parts of an advertising program are properly measured and researched. What makes a good advertisement? There have been major changes in advertising in the past sixty years. People read advertisements partly for information and partly for pleasure. Today's advertisements often start with a question, or a puzzle, with the purpose of attracting the reader's attention. Of course, most advertisements contain information. But this is usually contained in a text that is interesting and often funny. Humor is very important. Sometimes advertisements tell a story, or the story may be continued over a number of advertisements. However, there is a danger in this. It is possible that the reader or viewer will remember the advertisement but not the name of the product. The purpose of advertising is _ . A. to increase product sales B. to make a product much better C. to spend more money D. to reduce the production Answer: A. to increase product sales Question: Cell phones: is there a cancer link? Could your cell phone give you cancer? Whether it could or not, some people are worrying about the possibility that phones, power lines and Wi-Fi could be responsible for a range of illnesses, from rashes to brain tumors. Some say there is evidence to support the growing anxieties. David Carpenter, a professor of environmental health sciences at the university at Albany, in New York, thinks there's a greater than 95 percent chance that power lines can cause childhood leukemia . Also there's a greater than 90 percent chance that cell phones can cause brain tumors. "It's apparent now that there's a real risk, " said Carpenter. But others believe these concerns are unjustified. Dr Martha Linet, the head of radiation epidemiology at the US National Cancer Institute, has looked at the same research as Carpenter but has reached a different conclusion. "I don't support warning labels for cell phones, " said Linet. "We don't have the evidence that there's much danger. " Studies so far suggest a weak connection between EMFs and illness-- so weak that it might not exist at all. A multinational investigation of cell phones and brain cancer, in 13 countries outside the US, has been underway for several years. It's funded in part by the European Union, in part by a cell phone industry group. The final report should come out later this year, but data so far don't suggest a strong link between cell phone use and cancer risk. Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards the debate? A. Optimistic. B. Objective. C. Opposite. D. Casual. ] Answer: B. Objective. Question: In order to save money for a trip to Thailand to visit her family and friends, Emma White, a keeper in California, worked overtime. She saved more than 900 dollars and was planning to buy a ticket, but she lost her purse with all her money and credit cards . Emma looked through the garbage and all the buildings where she worked but came up empty-handed. She went home heartbroken. She believed that she had lost her money forever. While Emma was at home, sad and depressed, a homeless man was searching through the garbage looking for things to sell. As he was looking through a garbage bag, he found something wrapped in a plastic bag. The homeless man, who did not want to be recognized, took the purse to Sherry Wesley, because Sherry Wesley knew him from her volunteer work at a homeless shelter. The homeless man came to Sherry Wesley with the wad of money and said, "This probably belongs to someone that you work with; can you find the owner?" Sherry Wesley works in one of the buildings that Emma cleans and she knew Emma had lost her purse. Emma was amazed when she heard the good news. "I couldn't believe it when they called me," she said. "He has a very big heart. If someone else had found the purse, the money would be gone." As a reward, Emma gave the man 100 dollars. The homeless man gave half of the money to Sherry Wesley and asked her to donate it to charity for him. Why did Emma work overtime? A. To make a trip travel around the world. B. To be a volunteer to help others. C. To donate the money to the homeless man. D. To save money to visit her family and friend. Answer: D. To save money to visit her family and friend. Question: After two weeks of meetings in Paris, 195 countries reached an agreement on December 12 to do with climate change. It's the first time in history that most of the world's countries, rich or poor, agreed to take action. The agreement sets the long-time goal of making sure the world temperature does not get 2degC higher than the levels in the 1800s. Otherwise there will be serious problems on Earth like natural disasters. The agreement also asks countries to volunteer to make promises based on each country's economy , politics and technology. For developed countries, they will do even more. They have a plan to offer over $100 billion (about 647 billion yuan) to help poorer countries develop clean energy like water and wind power. Besides, there are some legally binding rules. Those countries need to set national goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions every five years. And they will publicly report their progress every five years starting in 2023. However, the Paris Agreement alone won't solve the climate change problem. The future depends on how well each country will carry out their promises. According to the passage, the Paris Agreement _ . A. can solve the climate problem alone B. needn't cost a great deal of money C. only depends on developed countries D. includes some legally binding rules Answer: D. includes some legally binding rules Question: I once studied at a major university in the Midwest United States. At the beginning of each term, I could see lots of undergraduates accompanied by their parents gather around the dormitory buildings. Fathers often helped children with huge luggage; mothers took much concern over children's necessities in university; while children were only absorbed in chatting with friends and getting to know each other, showing no sign of worrying about their future lives. In fact, compared with Chinese parents, American parents care equally about their children's advanced education and make plans accordingly. It is true that some students begin to save money for their university education quite earlier---- for example, Amy, the daughter of my workmate Stevenson, planned to continue her education after secondary school. However Stevenson earned little and could not afford the tuition. Amy had to find a part-time job, working from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on holiday ----but for most American students, at least the majority of undergraduates, _ Some parents not only take the financial burden for their children's advanced education but also try every possible way to help them. I could still remember that our teacher once said that American parents seldom offered help to their children, by which she meant to say that Chinese parents might be too caring. However every coin has two sides. For example, my academic advisor successfully got money from a major scientific grant to continue his research project, and then he hired an undergraduate Sarah to work with us. The fact is that research assistantship is usually competitive, especially to undergraduate students, and it turned out that Sarah was the daughter of my advisor! "When I apply to the graduate school next year, the money I make and the research experience I build up will benefit me a lot," Sarah said. I used to think that American people behave like businessmen, but this small incident proves that they still might compromise the rules for the benefit of their children as loving parents. What benefit will Sarah get because of her father's care? A. Good grades. B. The chance of finding a good job in the future. C. Money and experience. D. Good relationship. Answer: C. Money and experience.
If parents bring up a child with the aim of turning the child into a genius , they will cause great damage to him. According to several leading educational experts, this is one of the biggest mistakes that some parents make. Generally, the child will understand very well what the parents expect, and will fall. Unrealistic expectations of the parents can cause great damage to children. However, if parents are realistic about what they expect their children to do, and are hopeful in a sensible way, the child may succeed -especially if the parents are very supportive to their children. Michael Li is very lucky. He is very fond of music and his parents help him a lot by taking him to concerts and let him attend piano and violin lessons. Although his father is a good musician, he never makes Michael enter music competitions if he is unwilling to. Michael's friend, Winston Chen, however, is not so lucky. Both his parents are successful musicians, and they set too high a goal for Winston. They want their son to be as successful as they are and so they enter him for every piano competition held. They are very unhappy when he does not win. "When I was your age, I used to win every competition I entered." Winston's father tells him. Winston is always afraid that he will disappoint his parents and now he is always quiet and unhappy. Winston's parents set so high a goal for him that _ . A. he has to do his best to do everything B. he has made greater progress in music C. he is afraid he may disappoint them D. he wants to be a great musician someday Answer: C Renee had been married for a long, long time. Her favorite part of being married was the weekend, when she was with her two horses. On the weekend, Renee was at the stables from morning until dark. She fed, groomed, and rode her horses. She was an excellent rider. She would ride the horses bareback on Saturday, and then she would saddle them up on Sunday. Renee loved parades. She used to say, "A parade isn't a parade without a horse." Renee loved parades almost as much as she loved her horses. She belonged to an email list of volunteers for parades. She regularly visited the state website list of parades to see if there were any new parades that she didn't know about. All the state parades were organized in her computer. In the parades file, she listed the date, drive time and distance, parade time, contact people, and other details she felt were important. She knew the parade director of every town within a four-hour drive. She never stayed overnight. She always left the parade in time to get her horses back to the stables before "bedtime". She had to feed them before they turned in. Her horses seemed to like parades, too. They knew a few tricks that always impressed the children. Renee was very generous with her time and her horses. But owning horses wasn't cheap. You had to rent the stables, and there were always vet and feed bills. Renee knew how to cope with expenses, though. Her vet always gave her a 10-percent discount for paying cash. She always bought the no-name, generic food for the horses. Her vet had told her it was just as healthful and tasty as the brand name material. She always bought economy gasoline. And on parade days, Renee always packed her own lunch and ate with her horses. Which one did Renee like better,horses or parades? A. She liked horses better than parades. B. She liked parades better than horses. C. She didn't love her horses as much as she loved parades. D. She loved her horses almost as much as she loved parades. Answer: D Are you looking for something fun and would you like to help others in your spare time? Then join us to be a volunteer! We're a non-profit organization. We have volunteer jobs of all ages. Anyone, from twelve-year-old children to people in their seventies can become a volunteer. You can help people in many ways. Schools need help with taking care of children while parents are working. Hospitals need volunteers to look after children while their parents are seeing a doctor. Animal lovers can help take care of those dogs and cats without homes. There is something for everyone. "As a volunteer, I don't want to get anything. Seeing the children's happy faces, I'm happy, too." Said Carlos Domingo, an old woman of 62. "I often played computer games in my spare time before. Now I help older people learn how to use computers." said another volunteer at the age of 18. If everyone helps out a bit, we'll have a better world to live in. Interested? Call us 1-800-555-5756 or visit our website: www.activol.com. We can read such a passage _ . A. in a newspaper B. in a storybook C. in a picture book D. in a textbook Answer: A Tales From Animal Hospital David Grant David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital . Here Dr Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated ,including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess , the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity Diamond . He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day , from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery . Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the program and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet ,whether it be cat , dog or snake I ! $ 14.99 Hardback 272 pp Simon Schuster ISBN 0751304417 Isaac Newton : The Last Sorcerer Michael White Form the author of Stephen Hawking : A Life in Science , comes this colorful description of the life of the world's first modern scientist . Interesting yet based on fact , Michael White's learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him . Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic ended and science began. PS8.99 Hardback 320 pp Fourth Estate ISBN 1857024168 Fermat's Last Theorem Simon Singh In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world's greatest mathematical problem : Fermat's Last Theorem . First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had _ and beaten the finest mathematical minds , including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem , and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique . Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1995 . An unusual story of human effort over three centuries , Fermat's Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers alike . PS12.99 Hardback 384 pp Fourth Estate ISBN 1857025210 What is Animal Hospital ? A. A news story . B. A popular book . C. A research report . D. A TV program . Answer: D I work at a Care Center where most of the people are elderly. About a year and a half ago a 59-year-old lady came to us who had cancer. She had to have her right leg amputated and she didn't have a family to take care of her after the operation. This lady was a quiet lady who mostly stayed alone. But in the afternoons, when she was feeling well, she would go to visit the other people in the Care Center. She would visit a lady who was blind and read to her. She would go into the room of a young girl with severe cerebral palsy and sing to her. In her quiet and gentle way, she would go about the Care Center doing goods. She passed away last Wednesday and after her passing, stories are coming forward of her quiet acts of kindness in her own hour of sorrow. We never know what _ we have upon others. She had every reason to be bitter, to be angry, or to be swallowed up in her own grief. But she wasn't. She didn't have a family and probably felt forgotten, but her small and quiet acts of service made an impact upon the entire Care Center. Each of us feels better than before for having known her. We have pledged to be more aware of the service that we can offer to others. What did the old lady do in the Care Center? A. She tried her best to comfort the other patients. B. She practiced her singing here and there. C. She was there waiting to be cured of her cancer. D. She would do nothing but keep silent. Answer: A
Londoners are great readers. They buy vast numbers of newspapers and magazines and of books --- especially paperbacks, which are still comparatively cheap in spite of ever-increasing rises in the costs of printing. They still continue to buy "proper" books, too, printed on good paper and bound between hard covers. There are many streets in London containing shops which specialize in book-selling. Perhaps the best known of these is Charring Cross Road in the very heart of London. Here bookshops of all sorts and sizes are to be found, from the celebrated one which boasts of being "the biggest bookshop in the world" to the tiny, dusty little places which seem to have been left over from Dickens' time. Some of these shops stock, or will obtain, any kind of book, but many of them specialize in second-hand books, in art books, in foreign books, in books on philosophy, politics or any other of the countless subjects about which books may be written. One shop in this area specializes only in books about ballet! Although it may be the most convenient place for Londoners to buy books, Charring Cross Road is not the cheapest. For the really cheap second-hand books, the collector must _ , to Farringdon Road, for example, in the East Central district of London. Here there is nothing so impressive as bookshops. The booksellers come along each morning and pour out their sacks of books onto small hand carts. And the collectors, some professionals and some amateurs, have been waiting for them. In places like this they can still, occasionally, pick up for a few pence an old one that may be worth many pounds. Londoners are great readers means that _ . Answer: I am Tom. My good friends are John and Ann. John's house is next to my house, and we are in the same class. He's thirteen years old and he's tall. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He is very polite . His English is very good and he often helps me. He likes white. He likes wearing a T-shirt, but in the photo he is in a blue shirt. My friend Ann doesn't go to school. She is young. She is only seven. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She likes yellow, and she likes bananas very much. She often buys bananas for her mother. Her mother likes her very much. John is _ years old. Answer: Habits, whether good or bad, are gradually formed. When a person does a certain thing again, he is driven by some unseen force to do the same thing repeatedly, then a habit is formed. Once a habit is formed, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get rid of. It is therefore very important that we should pay great attention to the formation of habits. Children often form bad habits, some of which remain with them as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits lasting as long as they live, and sometimes become ruined by _ . There are other habits which, when formed in early life, are of great help. Many successful men say that much of their success has something to do with certain habits in early life, such as early rising, honesty and so on. Among the habits which children should not form are laziness, lying, stealing and so on. These are all easily formed habits. Unluckily older persons often form habits which could have been avoided. We should keep away from all these bad habits, and try to form such habits as will be good for ourselves and others. Generally speaking, it's difficult for one _ and easy for them _ which should be avoided. Answer: It is a fine Saturday morning. Lily and Lucy get up at six thirty. They want to go to the Great Wall with their mother. At seven fifty they are in a big bus to the Great Wall. There are forty people in it. Some of them are Americans, some are English. There are two Chinese in the bus, too. One is a woman. She is driving the bus. The other is a young man. He's now talking about the Great Wall in English. They are listening to him. At about nine o'clock, they get to the Great Wall. There are two _ in the bus. Answer: Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors -- or doesn't it? While such vigilant tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it's important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing. In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients' remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. It's hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy . A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population. It's not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, "Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care." That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better. What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer? Answer:
A setting of a story acts as a photographic backdrop to your plot and interacts with the characters. And the following are the elements that make a setting: Time is the starting point of your setting. You develop your story and combine characters with respect to your chosen time period. Likewise, your story could evolve from a specific time of the day. A locale, in other words, is the clothing of your story. This could be just about any place you have heard of or created. What follows your locales is the architecture of the place -- for example, if your character is born in a Victorian-style house then you will need to add in details like color1ed brickwork or a fireplace to go with your character. Atmosphere has got to do with the climatic influences in your story. This could mean the heavy rain, mild wind or big earthquakes. Wrapping your story with weather details is a safe way of lightening the mood of your story. Geography of a place, again, helps to set the tone and mood of your story. It could be mushy lowlands, strange forests, steep mountains, lifeless rivers, dead lakes, a snow-covered house in Switzerland. Your description of the geography is an important element of the setting. Likewise, your geographic setting could also involve imagery of ports, farms, temples, yards, etc. that will interact with your plot and characters. Your cultural setting greatly helps with your character. The social practices, religious beliefs, political situations of a particular time, cultural trends, tradition, history, cuisine, clothing, music, etc.are some of the cultural factors that you can use to lead your characters through a complex plot or to give a direction to the characters to advance the story. The characters you create are affected by these cultural factors as well as act as their guiding factor throughout the story. Senses are extremely vital as they not just add more belief to your story, but also help to bring memories of the reader. Imagine being wakened by the sweet of freshly-cut grass on a summer morning, or sitting by the side of a fireplace while the logs crepitate , or enjoying Belgian chocolate, or watching the rolling golden reflections of water on cave walls, or moving one's fingers tenderly through someone's thick hair; these sensory descriptions make sure they make your readers more curious. While you can add many layers to your story through the setting elements above, there are chances that you will most likely lose the sight of the plot as a whole. Therefore, you must know what color1s are appropriate for your imagery, as overloading your painting with too many color1s will make you lose your sense of thesubjectand of your readers as well. What would be the best title for the passage? A. What is essential for a story? B. How to develop a story? C. What is the setting of a story? D. How to appreciate a story? Answer: C. What is the setting of a story? Oyster What is an Oyster card? Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus,Tube,tram,Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and National Rail journeys in London You can store your travel cards, Bus & Tram Pass, season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go. Where to get an Oyster card? There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card: * At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops * At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices * At some National Rail stations * At London Travel information Centres * Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster How to use an Oyster card? To pay the correct fare on the Tube , DLR, London Overground and National Rail services, you must always touch in on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey, and touch out at the end. If you don't, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be charged. When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey. What happens if I don't visit London very often? Don't worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire ,so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend. Fares Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6) Adult Oyster single fare PS 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 - 19:00 PS 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays Adult single cash fare PS 5.00 For further information,visit tfl.gov. uk /fares. The passage is probably taken from a _ . A. magazine B. travel brochure C. textbook D. novel Answer: B. travel brochure A night out in Tokyo is much the same as a night out in Milan these days, according to a survey about socialising, conducted amongst 16 to 34-year-olds around the world. Wherever you live, a typical night out is spent eating burgers, seeing American films or listening to English-language music in clubs and bars. Individual differences do survive but American culture is everywhere. Differences in the social behavior of the two sexes are also disappearing. Most people surveyed felt that it was 'perfectly normal' for groups of young women to go out alone, that it was 'equally acceptable' for young women to smoke and drink, and that a couple should split the bill when they go out together. For most young people these were the biggest differences between their own generation and their parents'. Interestingly, however, most young people interviewed said that parents are still stricter with daughters than sons about where they go and who they go with. Overall, only 10 per cent thought that parents treat their sons and daughters equally, and almost no one thought parents were stricter with their sons! Important national differences appear, however, when it comes to time-keeping. In the Far East and Eastern Europe a night out starts --- and finishes --- much earlier: there seven o'clock was the average time for meeting up with friends. For many Southern European and South Americans, on the other hand, an evening out doesn't even start until ten or eleven o'clock, by which time many of their South Korean or Japanese counterparts are safely home in bed! Parents' rules reflect this. Most Japanese parents expect their teenagers home by ten o'clock or even earlier, whereas in Europe it is more likely to be eleven or twelve o'clock. The most surprising findings came from Argentina, however, where it is apparently quite normal for 15 and 16-year-olds to stay out all night. But then perhaps this is because their parents have less to worry about --- 80 percent of Argentine youngsters claimed that they rarely or never drink alcohol! Night out in Tokyo is similar to it in Milan because _ . A. English-language activities are highly welcomed B. they are experiencing the different globalized-culture C. American culture is very popular all around the world D. all the young people have the same habits and hobbies Answer: C. American culture is very popular all around the world More and more Italians are leaving their country because they can not get a job. One in every three Italians say they are willing to go abroad, sometimes even to other continents to get work. Currently, about 300,000 young Italians may be living abroad. Although emigration has always been a choice for Italians, especially for those who left the country at the beginning of the twentieth century, more young Italians think leaving their home country is the only way to escape economic difficulty. These young Italians, however, are not poor farmers or laborers but bright university graduates and other talented young people. Many of them want to go to richer places, like northern Europe, but they are also prepared to go elsewhere. Most of them describe a feeling of unhappiness and frustration. They are not sure which direction their country is heading and feel no longer proud of being Italians. Many leave because they think that getting a good job is possible in other countries where all doors are open to you if you are young and dynamic. However, in Italy everything is boring and old-fashioned. Italy's economic system is largely based on family structures and the elderly who don't want to give up power. Corruption is also a big problem that simply won't go away. The Italian government is aware of the problem and says it must create new opportunities for its younger generation. But even if it starts working on a new style economy right away it may take years before things in Italy really change. The government has already passed laws which will make it easier for doctors, lawyers and other academics to start a career in Italy. Many economic experts claim that Italy is doing a lot for its older generation but very little for its youth. For example, it spends little on housing, childcare but a lot on pensions. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A. Italian emigration history B. More care for old Italians C. Young Italians are leaving Italy D. The influence of economic difficulty Answer: C. Young Italians are leaving Italy My parents always raised me to have strong values and hold firm to my confidence in life, and this was never more proved than when a situation arose when it would be easy for most people to ignore it. A gentleman at my father's work smelled awful and neglected his behavior, and as the months went by, he showed signs of confusion. After being told to pick up papers at another building, he would be found sitting at his desk staring at his shoes; after being reminded (to which he would completely believe he hadn't been told the first time), he would be found once again sitting at his desk in the same position. This happened to worsening degrees over a few months and his coworkers either ignored it or were ignorant to this due to a lack of social association with the man. My father began to mentally record all of this and finally sat down with him one day when he was found two hours after work was out, sitting in his car, looking like he didn't know where to go. Apparently the gentleman was in the beginning/middle stages of Alzheimer's and there was someone who used his forgetfulness as a reason to ask him for money every few days. My father took this man to a hospital (for the first time in years) to be properly treated, and then got a caretaker to watch over his condition. He then went to the man's house and helped him sort out all of his financial matters and get his retirement set up; they went to the bank and had a government worker ensure that his bills would be paid for and his children would no longer get to treat him like a personal ATM. That my father took his much personal time to help another man that so many had forgotten or would choose to neglect, or even make fun of, truly shows his character. Which proverb is suitable for the story? A. A friend in need is a friend indeed. B. A friend to all is a friend to none. C. Friendship cannot stand always on one side. D. False friends are worse than open enemies. Answer: A. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Captain Henry,a 98"year--old American retired fisherman,has become a first--time author.having written and published his autobiography In a Fisherman's Language after learning to read at the age of 91. Mr.Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he wasilliterate .Forced to quit school in the third grade to take odd jobs,he kept the secret close to his chest,only telling his late wife.Henry's granddaughter,Marlisa,told reporters how he used tricks,like waiting for others to order at restaurants first,to avoid the issue. A family dispute in his 90s,she said,aroused his desire for education."He signed a document he could not read about where he was going to live, Marlisa said.Starting with his name,he eventually moved on to the ABC's and children's books.He put them down since his wife fell ill.After the tragic loss of his wife,, he went back to reading and began to log his life.He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the US,how he went on to captain a boat,and his many journeys at sea. His life stories have become so popular that nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks after the book's release.One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany.And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr.Henry about buying the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation. The family also now has a book agent and a deal in the works to publish a second edition.Meanwhile,the family says they are reconnecting and closer than ever as a result of Henry's.1ate--life efforts.."Everyone has a story,"Marlisa said."It teaches that when you're down and out. never give up." Which of the following is true? Answer: Hollywood wishes to make a movie out of his book. Have you ever heard of Jinjiang Hotel? It is on our busiest street. It's the best place to live in if you travel here. The hotel is only 0.5 kilometer from the biggest supermarket and the subway. It has three kinds of rooms for different people to use. The first kind is standard room, that is two beds with a bathroom. It offers you the air conditioner, the television and the telephone. Second is the single room, that has only one bed. Though it has only one bed, you can enjoy yourself, for the bed is really comfortable and the environment is really good. The last one we call commercial room. That is served for businessmen. The commercial room has the best quality. It also provides 24-hour hot water. You can have free tea in the afternoon. Imagine how nice as you drink tea as talking about your business with your partners. If you want to eat something, please just call 123, the food will arrive in ten minutes. One great thing is that it is very safe here because we have a few strong guards working day and night, so I'm sure you will have a great time living here. What kind of room is used for business? Answer: Commercial room What time of day can you think most quickly? Are you a morning person? Or does it take you a few hours to get your brain going? A lot of recent research suggests that we should pay attention to our body clock. It can tell us what time of day we can perform best at. Many people work best later in the morning. This is because the body's temperature takes time to rise through the day. Taking a warm shower when you wake up can help your body's temperature rise quickly. But everyone's body clock is different and some are special. Morning people will get up early and work better early in the day. Evening people will work later but work better towards the end of the day. Research shows that we're better at some activities at certain times of the day. Physical performance is at its best between 3 pm and 6 pm, so it's better to exercise later in the day. Between noon and 4 pm, people begin to pay less attention. This is because we think less quickly after a big meal. Research also shows we become sleepy around 2 pm. This is why people in Spain take a short sleep in early afternoon. Finally, it is best to eat when we're active. This allows our body to burn calories better and stops our blood sugar levels from getting too high. _ can tell us what time of day we can perform best at. Answer: Our body clock Telephone, television, radio, telegraph and the Internet all help people communicate with each other. As a result, ideas and news of events spread quickly all over the world. For example, within seconds, people can know the results of an election in another country. An international football match comes into the homes of everyone with a television set. News of a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood can bring help from distant countries within hours. Help is on the way. Because of modern technology like the satellites that travel around the world, information travels fast. How has this speed of communication changed the world? To many people, the world has become smaller. Of course this does not mean that the world is actually physically smaller. It means that the world seems smaller. Two hundred years ago, communication between the continents took a long time. All news was carried on ships that took weeks or even months to cross the ocean. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it took six weeks for news from Europe to reach America. This time difference influenced people's actions. For example, one battle, or fight, in the War of 1812 between England and the United States could have been avoided. A peace agreement had already been signed. Peace was made in England, but the news of peace took six weeks to reach America. During these six weeks, the large and serious Battle of New Orleans was fought. Many people lost their lives after a peace treaty had been signed. They would not have died if news had come in time. In the past, communication took much more time than it does now. There was a good reason why the world seemed so much larger than it does today. According to this passage, _ is very important to people in a disaster area. Answer: modern technology If you walk along the streets, you will find children as young as seven years old walking to school or taking the public bus on their own. If you ride on the public bus with a baby or young child, you will find at least three people standing up to give up their seats for you. And as a booming town with a young population, Xiamen has a lot to offer young families with kids. There are lots of places of interest for you to enjoy. The following are some of them. * A walking adventure at Gulangyu Islet: There you can have a round-the-island trip by fast boat and the Xiamen Underwater World has a dolphin and sea lion performance and an enjoyment of around 400 types of underwater life from around the world. Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 See the map! Price: 70RMB(adults) 50RMB (children above 1.4m) * Wild rides at Guanyinshan Water Park: The park has a wave pool, which creates seven types of wave effects. It also has a hair-raising water ride that speeds down ... Opening hours: 11:00-20:00 See the map! Price: 120RMB per person 60RMB visitors aged above 60 and below 1.4m .... * Xiamen Firefly Park: Last of all, young nature lovers will enjoy the wonder of watching more than 100,000 fireflies light the dark night at the firefly park. Children will also learn the roles fireflies play in protecting the ecology by controlling the populations of pests. Opening hours: 19:30-21:30 See the map! Price: Free for children up to 16 years old If a family go to Xiamen for a day's holiday and they have to return home before 6 p.m., then they can visit _ . Answer: Gulangyu Islet and Guanyinshan Water Park
Once upon a time there was a boy monster named Jerry who lived in a train car at the railroad tracks. He had lived there all his life. Jerry's mother was named Marge, and she was 36. Marge raised Jerry at the railroad tracks because she wanted to keep him safe. She was afraid of the people who lived in the town nearby. The town was named Qarth, and 100 people lived there. Marge believed that the people of Qarth would attack them if they knew they were there. Qarth used to be filled with factories when Jerry was born. By the time Jerry was a teenager, most of the factories had gone away and most of the people worked on special new machines. They ate food from the fields outside of town. Their favorite food to eat was a special kind of corn. They didn't eat meat because nobody raised any farm animals. One day when he was 11, Jerry asked his mother who his father had been. His father's name was George, and he was 2 years older than Marge. Marge looked sad and told Jerry that George had left after he was born because the people in the town didn't like him. This made Jerry very sad. He went off to his corner of the car and didn't talk to Marge again until she went to bed. After she fell asleep he wanted to go out and look for his father. He packed some food and left. When Marge woke up she was upset, but she thought she knew where he had gone. What is the name of the boy monster? If a noisy neighbor is blasting music at all hours of the day and night, drowning out your phone conversations and interrupting your sleep, you can call the police. But what is a whale to do? Natural noise from waves, wind, rain and even earthquakes is common in oceans. Unfortunately, man-made noise from oil and gas drilling, sonar, and ships is also present. Low frequency noise has doubled off the California coast every decade since the nineteen sixties. The main reasons are ships' propellers . They not only generate continuous low frequency sound, some propellers cavitate , which means they create air bubbles that collapse, creating loud popping sounds. Whales use low frequency calls to communicate across thousands of miles of ocean. They are threatened by noise pollution because it can prevent them from contacting each other and from locating their foods. Endangered humpback and right whales, which use fibrous baleen to strain food from the water, are the most at risk. Scientists studying right whales off Canada's east coast have discovered that whales are sending louder calls through the water to make themselves heard. Because they invest more energy in making calls, they have less energy available for finding food and mating. Other scientists measuring whale calls against background noise pollution have discovered that right whales have lost about eighty percent of their normal communication area. This could seriously affect survival of this already threatened species. Scientists don't have badges and guns, but they are trying to correct the noise pollution problem. By tracking ships and marine mammals and understanding how noise travels, they are creating sound maps. They hope to get shipping lanes moved so that the noise pollution ships create will not overlap with areas most important to the whales. The following statements are true EXCEPT _ . People who drink moderately , exercise, quit smoking and eat five servings of fruit and vegetables each day live on average 14 years longer than people who adopt none of these behaviors, researchers said on Tuesday. Much evidence has shown these things contribute to healthier and longer lives, but the new study actually quantified their combined effect, the British team said. "These results may provide further support for the idea that even small differences in lifestyle may make a big difference to health in the population," the researchers wrote in the journal PLoS Medicine. Between 1993 and 1997 the researchers questioned 20,000 healthy British men and women about their lifestyles. They also tested every participant's blood to measure vitamin C intake, which shows how much fruit and vegetables people ate. Then they assigned the participants aged 45-79 a score of between 0 and 4, giving one point for each of the healthy behaviours. After allowing for age and other factors that could affect the possibility of dying, the researchers determined people with a score of 0 were four times as likely to have died. Also a person with a health score of 0 had the same risk of dying as someone with a health score of 4 who was 14 years older. The lifestyle change with the biggest benefit was giving up smoking, which led to an 80 percent improvement in health, followed by eating fruits and vegetables. Moderate drinking and keeping active brought the same benefits. With this information, public-health officials should now be better encouraging behavior changes likely to improve the health of middle-aged and older people. Which of the following leads to the greatest improvement in health according to the passage? For some people, music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call "amusic." People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes . Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale. As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music set them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. "I used to hate parties," says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition. Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn't involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can't see certain colors. Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed . For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. "When people invite me to a concert, I just say, 'No thanks, I'm amusic,'" says Margaret. "I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy." (335 words) Which of the following is true of amusics? DENGZHOU: Five children seriously injured Tuesday in a kindergarten bus accident in Dengzhou City, in central China's Henan Province, have died after emergency hospital treatment failed, hospital sources said Wednesday. The NO. 1 People's Hospital and No. 3 People's Hospital in Dengzhou admitted eight injured children after the accident, which took place at 6:40 a. m. Tuesday. According to initial investigation , 11 children aged between two and five were on the bus owned by a village kindergarten in Gengzhuang Village of Dengzhou. It was taking children from neighboring villages to the kindergarten when it suddenly lost control and plunged into a river by the roadside. Three of the children on the bus were not injured. The hospitals said the three remaining injured were in stable condition and they would be out of hospital. The driver of the bus has been put into custody by the police. According to the passage, we know_.
Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems and confusion . I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where to go. The most special thing happened when I was out for this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least 70 years old. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, "Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her, smiled and gave her a shoe to polish. The girl told him she needed money to buy her brother a new school uniform. "Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a uniform." Then they walked to a market , and he bought her brother a uniform. The girl said "thanks" to him and left, leaving the old man smiling. He walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, "You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!" As I walked away, I looked back and I could see him still smiling. I was blown away by the kindness I had just seen. Someone who had so little was so generous! Amazing! My own sadness had completely disappeared, chased way by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man. He only had a little, but shared it so beautifully with someone who had nothing. What did the girl need? Answer: Which most likely contributed to the extinction of many species and endangered the survival of others? Answer: Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don't like to go gathering where they don't know anyone, but while most of us soldier on , those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry. Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own. Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment. Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions. An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy . On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress. We know from the passage that _ . Answer: Some people have very good memory and they can easily remember quite long texts. There are other people who can only remember things when they have said them again and again. The famous English writer Charles Dickens said that he could walk down any long street in London and then tell you the name of every shop he had passed. Many great men of the world have a wonderful memory. A good memory is greatly helpful in learning a language. Everybody learns his own language by remembering what he hears when he is a small child, and some children, like the boys and girls who live abroad with their parents, seem to learn two languages almost as easily as one. In school it is not so easy to learn a second language because the students have so little time for it, and they are very busy with other subjects too. A man's mind is like a camera, but it takes photos not only of what we see but also of what we feel, hear, smell and taste. When we take a real photo with a camera, Some people have very good memory and they can easily remember quite long texts.In the same way, there is much work to be done before we can keep a picture forever in our minds. Memory is a diary, and we all carry it about us. We keep things we have experienced in this diary. If you have a good memory, _ . Answer: Astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, climbing out of prefix = st1 /China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft in a technological feat that made the Chinese people excited. "I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," Zhai said as he climbed out of the craft at around 16:40 Beijingtime, a historic achievement telecast live on CCTV. Tens of millions of Chinese viewers gathered before TV screens to watch the moment. Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders had appeared at the BeijingAerospaceControlCenterto watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk. Zhai, 42, chosen by an expert team for the first "extra-vehicular activity". unveiled a red national flag, helped by colleague Liu Boming, who also briefly popped his head out of the capsule. Zhai slowly made his way towards a test sample of solid lubricant outside the capsule, took a sample and handed it to Liu. Zhai safely returned inside the craft after about 20 minutes. The walk marked the high point of China's third manned space journey, which has received widespread media coverage. Zhai wore a$4.4 million Chinese-made suit weighing 120kg. Liu wore a Russian-made one and acted as a back-up. The third crew member, Jing Haipeng, monitored the ship from inside the re-entry module. The risky manoeuvre is a step towards China's longer-term goal of assembling a space lab and then a larger space station, analysts said. "On this flight, Chinese people's footprints will be left in space for the first time," said a commentary by the Xinhua News Agency. The astronauts embarked on their walk after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors on the ground at mission control in Beijing, Xinhua said. Zhai's suit has 10 layers and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on. China's first manned spaceflight was in 2003. A second, two-manned flight followed in 2005. The only other countries that have sent people into space are Russiaand theUnited States. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang will be remembered as the first Chinese _ . Answer:
Question: Green contracted in a signed writing to sell Greenacre, a 500-acre tract of farmland, to Farmer. The contract provided for exchange of the deed and purchase price of $500,000 in cash on January 15. Possession was to be given to Farmer on the same date. On January 15, Green notified Farmer that because the tenant on Greenacre wrongfully refused to quit the premises until January 30, Green would be unable to deliver possession of Greenacre until then, but he assured Farmer that he would tender the deed and possession on that date. When Green tendered the deed and possession on January 30, Farmer refused to accept either, and refused to pay the $500,000. Throughout the month of January, the market value of Greenacre was $510,000, and its fair monthly rental value was $5,000. Will Green probably succeed in an action against Farmer for specific performance? A. Yes, because the court will excuse the delay in tender on the ground that there was a temporary impossibility caused by the tenant's holding over. B. Yes, because time is ordinarily not of the essence in a land-sale contract. C. No, because Green breached by failing to tender the deed and possession on January 15. D. No, because Green's remedy at law for monetary relief is adequate. Answer: B Question: On the night of May 9, 2011, musician Gao Xiaosong ran his car into three other cars in Beijing. But it wasn't just a car accident--he was drunk . Now, Gao has to go to prison for six months and pay a 4,000 yuan fine. Gao is the first star to be punished under China's new drunk driving law. From May 1 on, drunk drivers will pay a fine, and be banned from driving for five years or even forever. Drunk driving has become a serious social problem in China.According to the Ministry of Public Security , police caught more than half a million drunk drivers last year, a 68 % increase from 2009. The new law sees drunk driving as a crime. In the West, drunk driving is also a crime. In the US, for example, if the police catch a drunk driver, the driver will pay a fine, lose his or her license and even go to prison. If the driver wants to drive again, he or she must do public service, and take part in educational programs. You may think: drunk driving is a crime? Isn't this law too unkind? But experts say, "Not at all." "It is to protect people's rights to life and health," Li Gang, lawyer in Chengdu, told China Daily. "Drunk driving is very dangerous. No matter what the results are, it should not be allowed." What do experts think of the new law? A. Drunk driving is a crime. B. The law is not kind to drunk drivers. C. Driving has become a serious problem. D. The law is too strict. Answer: A Question: A new study finds that our brains are wired to make music-color connections depending on how the music makes us feel. Mozart's "Flute Concerto No.1 in G Major" is most often associated with bright yellow and orange, whereas his "Requiem in D Minor" is linked to bluish gray, the findings revealed. US researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, enlisted nearly 100 subjects for a study on music and color. With 37 colors, the UC Berkeley study found that people tend to pair faster-paced music in a major key with lighter, more vivid, yellow colors, whereas slower-paced music in a minor key is more likely to be teamed up with darker, grayer, bluer colors. "Surprisingly, we can predict with 95 percent accuracy how happy or sad the colors people pick will be based on how happy or sad the music is that they are listening to," said lead author and UC Berkeley vision scientist Stephen Palmer. In three experiments, the subjects listened to 18 classical music pieces that varied in pace (slow, medium, fast) and in major VS minor keys. In the first experiment, participants were asked to pick five of the 37 colors that best matched the music to which they were listening. Separately, they rated each piece of music on a scale of happy to sad, strong to weak, lively to dull, and calm to angry. Next, the research team plans to study particiapants in Turkey where traditional music employs a wider range of scales than just major and minor. "We know that in Mexico and the US the responses are very similar," Palmer said. "But we don't yet know about China or Turkey." What can we know about Mozart's "Flute Concerto No. 1 G Major"? A. It is fast in pace. B. It is slow in pace. C. It makes us feel upset. D. It makes us feel optimistic. Answer: A Question: Probably many of you know the idiom "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". But do you believe a tooth for an eye? That's something a little bit different. This strange exchange is neither a form ofretribution nor an unexpected gift from the Tooth Fairy --- it's actually a very generous gift from a young Irishman, Robert McNichol, 23, to his formerly blind father, 57-year-old Bob McNichol. In 2005, Bob McNichol's sight was destroyed in an accident when his eyes weredoused(......)with liquidaluminum . Doctors predicted that he would never be able to see again. But McNichol never liked to take no for an answer: when he heard about a unique operation called Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis, he knew he had to _ , even though the success rate was a mere 65 percent. In the technique, the eyesocket is rebuilt and implanted with a human tooth and part of the jawbone, to provide support for an artificialcornea . Luckily for McNichol, Robert was willing to sacrifice one of his teeth to help his father regain his sight. The technique isn't simple: McNichol's first stint on the operating table lasted ten hours, with a five hour follow-up session at a later date. But thanks to his son's gift, he's already seeing astonishing results. "Now I have enough sight for me to get around and I can watch television. I have come out from complete darkness." he told his friends. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Father and son B. A unique eye operation C. A man defeating darkness D. Blind man sees with aid of son's tooth Answer: D Question: After the Spring Festival, I found some of my mom's daily habits have changed. Her cooking way was different. Vegetables that had been cooked crisply became very tender and soft. Fish that had been fried became soup. Her old shredded potato turned into diced potato... Feeling strange, dad and I asked Mom the reason for the change. But all she said was, "Just trying a different taste". Then she was silent. But it wasn't just her cooking way. Mom also change other habits. After dinner, instead of watching films on TV as usual, she would put on her newly-bought sports clothes and asked Dad to go out for a walk. After they came back home, mom would lose herself in magazines or newspapers about healthcare. Mom almost never gets sick. Why was she suddenly interested in medicine? I couldn't understand her "abnormal" behavior. Then one day I came across her micro blog . "While visiting my parents during the Spring Festival, I suddenly realized that they are in their 70s now," my mom had written. "They move slowly and it is hard for them to do the housework. I should visit them more often... "Some cooking should be changed to keep them healthy. They like fish soup, diced potato, tender and soft vegetables... "I must also keep fit by doing physical exercise. If my parents are too weak to move around, I can be strong enough to take care of them. When I am old, my son can also pay less attention to taking care of me..." When I read this, I felt very sorry. I used to complain that Mom didn't understand me and couldn't give me everything I wanted. I always thought there was a wide gap between us. But now I completely understand her. How great she is! She always thinks of others before herself. Everything she does is to help the people she loves live better lives. How unselfish her love is! What does the writer want to show us readers by talking about this story? A. Mom's love is selless and great B. Mom has changed her daily habits. C. A misunderstanding between Mom and me. D. How to cook food in a healthy way. Answer: A
Hello! I'm Tom Green. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father. His first name is Steve. My phone number is seven six zero, nine one seven six. Li Lei is my friend. His English name is Paul. He is Chinese. His phone number is two eight one, five two four eight. Look at the photo. Who is that in the photo? It' s my cousin. His name is Eric. He is a middle school student. Tom' s phone number is _ . Answer: 760-9176 Hilton Universal City Outdoor swimming pool; rooms with two double beds (sleep 4); mini-fridges in rooms; on-site restaurants and 24-hour room service with children's menu and snack cafe; fee car parking; the hotel is walking distance to Universal Studios and City Walk with lots of restaurants. Holiday Inn Universal Studios Hollywood Rooms with two queen beds (sleep 4), a mini-fridge, a microwave and a game table; on-site restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with family-friendly food; outdoor swimming pool; fee car parking. Holiday Inn Express Universal City Indoor swimming pool; rooms with two queen beds (sleep 4); breakfast is included in the room rate; free car parking; coin-operated laundry. Magic Castle Hotel Breakfast is included in the room rate; snacks (such as cookies and ice cream); one or two bedroom suites (sleep 4); suites have fully-equipped kitchen, living and dining areas; restaurants in the neighborhood; fee car parking; outdoor swimming pool. At Magic Castle Hotel, you needn't pay extra money for _ . Answer: breakfast Frank Lloyd Wright did not call himself an artist. He called himself an architect. But the buildings he designed were works of art. He looked at the ugly square buildings around him, and he did not like what he saw. He wondered why people built ugly homes, when they could have beautiful ones. Frank Lloyd Wright lived from 1869 to 1959. When he was young, there were no courses in architecture, so he went to work in an architect's office in order to learn how to design buildings. Soon he was designing buildings that were beautiful. He also wanted to make his buildings fit into the land around them. One of the houses he designed is on top of a high hill. Other people built tall, square houses on hills, but Wright did not want to lose the beauty of the hill. He built the house low and wide. Now other architects know how to design buildings to fit into the land. Frank Lloyd Wright showed them how to do it. A special quality of Wright's buildings was that _ . Answer: they were designed to fit into the land on which they stood I had an experience once which taught me something about the ways people made a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I officiated at two funerals for two elderly women. Both died a natural death. At the first home, the son of the deceased woman said, "If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today. It's my fault that she died." At the second home, the son said, "If only I had not insisted her going to Florida, she would be alive today. That long airplane ride was more than she could take. It is my fault." When things don't turn out as we would like them to, we tend to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending. Any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out bad, they believe that the opposite course, for example, keeping mother at home, would have turned out better. After all, how could it have turned out any worse? There seem to be elements involved in our readiness to feel guilty. The first lies in our belief that the world makes sense----there is a reason for everything that happens. The second is the thought that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood. A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and calls the rest of the world to its tasks. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him. When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely abandon that childish thought that our wishes cause things to happen. What is true about the two deceased elderly women? Answer: They both died of old age. To compare the hardness of different minerals, it would be BEST to find Answer: which minerals scratch other minerals.
A quick way to adjust the formation of portions of the crust of the earth is for it to experience trembling What can an individual do to REDUCE their pollution levels? replace their driving to work with biking Over the holidays, I took my three young children into a fancy chocolate shop to buy a gift. I was feeling pretty good until halfway home when I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed my 7-year-old son playing with a plastic toy. "Um, where did you get that, Alex?!" "Did you buy it?" "Did I buy it?" "Did you take it?!" Long story short: He had stolen the toy. I kept my cool--even when he said, "but it was only a $1.50, mom!"--and explained why it was unacceptable to take things we didn't buy. I also said he would be returning to the store to apologize and return the item. A few hours later, I marched my son back to the store with two dollars from his pocket money. I stood by the door as he walked sheepishly to the counter and told the clerk that he had taken something without paying for it, that he was sorry and that he would pay for it now. (The toy could not be returned now because Alex had broken it.) Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him fidget nervously and search the clerk's face for a sign of approval. Fortunately, the clerk at the chocolate shop was gracious. She told my son he had done the right thing and when she caught my eye, I smiled in thanks and we left. I told my son that I was proud of him and to remember how awful the experience felt. What did the clerk do after Alex asked to pay for the toy? The clerk accepted his apology and the money nicely. Wang Xiaojun is twelve years old.He lives in the country in Hubei.Today is his birthday.His parents prepare a nice dinner for him, but the boy says,"I won't have the dinner , today is over, and my parents are going to Shenzhen tomorrow.I don't want to let them go. Wang Xiaojun has the birthday with his parents for the first time in the past three years.Three years ago, his parents went to Shenzhen to work in 2011.They stayed and worked there for three years.Tomorrow they have to go back to Shenahen. Wang is not the only stay-at-home child .In the country of China ,there are many children staying at home without their parents.Stay-at-home children have a lot of problems.Most of them stay with their grandparents.Some of them don't study well because their parents can't help them with their study. The Chinese government now is trying to solve their problems. Which of the following is NOT true? Stay-at-home children don't have any problems. For millions of people, the American dream of owning a home seems to be slipping out of reach. "Maybe young couples can no longer afford to buy a ready-made house as their parents did,'' says 40-year-old building instructor Pat Hennin. "But they can still have a home. Like their pioneer ancestors, they can build it themselves, and at less than half the cost of a ready-made house." The owner-builders came from every occupational group, although surprisingly few are professional building workers. Many _ with little or no experience. "I learned how to build my house from reading books," says John Brown, who built a six-room home for $25, 000 in High Falls, New Jersey. "If you have patience and the carpentry skill to make a bookcase, you can build a house." An astonishing 50 percent of these owner-builders hammer every nail, lay every pipe, and wire every switch with their own hands. The rest contract for some parts of the task. But even those who just act as contractors and finish the insides of their homes can save from 30 percent to 45 percent of what a ready-made home would cost. One survey revealed that 60 percent of owner-builders also design their homes. Many others buy commercial house plans for less than $100 or use plans available from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. From the passage we learn that _ . Most of the owner-builders design their homes.
Fluids are relocated through a daffodil due to the Crows are found throughout many parts of the world. They are black birds with excellent hearing. In the wild they live for six to seven years. Some crows in Japan open hard-shelled nuts by dropping them in front of moving cars. Which of these is a learned behavior? Mr. White looks out of his window. There is a boy at the other side of the street. The boy takes some bread out of a bag and begins eating it.There is a very thin dog in the street, too. The boy says to it, "I'll give you some bread." The dog is hungry and goes to the boy, but he does not give it any bread. He kicks the dog. It runs away, and the boy laughs. Then Mr. White comes out of his house and says to the boy. "I'll give you a shilling ."The boy is happy and says "Yes.""Come here," Mr. White says. The boy goes to him, but Mr. White does not give him a shilling. He hits him with a stick .The boy cries and says, "Why do you hit me? I do not ask you for any money." "No," Mr. White says, "and the dog does not ask you for any bread, but you kick it." Mr. White tells the boy to come up to him, because he wants to _ . Are you looking for something to do? You might like to try one of these four experiences. Crocodile watching Do you fancy getting up close to some of the most terrifying animals on earth? Crocosaurus Cove, in Darwin (Australia) has the "Cage of Death". It's an enclosure that's lowered into a pool. This gives you a 360 degree view of a crocodile as it's being fed. The cable broke once and the cage sank to the bottom, but they've fixed it since then. Edge walk How about walking along the edge of a building several hundred meters up in the air? If that sounds like fun, head off to the CN Tower in Toronto (Ontario, Canada). Built in 1976, the tower is 553.33 meters tall. The Edge walk consists of a 20-30 minute stroll along a 1.5 meter wide platform that runs around the tower's restaurant roof. During the walk, you're encouraged to lean forwards as you look over Toronto's skyline . Plastic ball rolling Do you fancy rolling down a hill in a plastic ball? Plastic ball rolling is popular all over the world, but the place to give it a go is in Rotorua (New Zealand). Brother David and Andrew Akers came up with the idea in 1994. A typical orb is about 3 meters in diameter, with an inner orb size of about 2 meters. There's no brake or steering mechanism, but the inner layer of the plastic ball helps absorb the shock. Volcano bungee jumping If you're looking for the adventure of a lifetime, how about going bungee jumping off a helicopter into the crater of a live volcano? As part of the jumping, a helicopter ride takes you to the Villarreal volcano, one of the most active in Chile. Once you're at the drop zone, you leap off the helicopter and fall into the volcano. Finally, you enjoy the ride back to the airport flying at 130kph. Attracted by the above? If so, please contact us. Only half price from March 22 to April 25th. For more information, please click here. According to the passage, there was an accident once when people _ . We're one of the biggest ESL professional organizations in Shanghai, China and we have 10 primary schools, 2 middle schools, and 5 kindergartens in Shanghai and 1 in Suzhou. For these schools, we only need oral English teachers. We also own an international school whose name is Shanghai World Foreign Language Primary and Middle School. For this school, we need classroom teachers and subject teachers to teach Science, PE, and Music in English. We prefer to hire experienced teachers with TESOL or Teacher's Certificate. If you want to know more about us, please visit our website at http://www.shyulun.com/. Dates and Durations We need 1 teacher for every position as below: 1. Classroom Teacher Position in Shanghai World Foreign Language Primary School (From 17th Feb 2009, 12 months) 2. Subject Teacher Position in Shanghai World Foreign Language Middle School (From 1st Sep 2009, 10 months) 3. Oral English teachers in Shanghai Changning Experimental Primary School (From 3rd March 2009, 3 months) Basic requirements for the Positions 1. Native English speakers for all of the above positions 2. Bachelor Degree at least (Position 1 and 2) with related teaching experience 3. TESOL or related certificate (Position 3) Working Conditions and Environment www.zxxk.com The schools are the top schools in Shanghai with libraries and public computer rooms. Every teacher will have the office desk, free access to the Internet. We provide teaching materials and teaching guidelines. Salary, International Travel Allowance and Bonus The salary ranges from 6,000 RMB to 10,000 RMB per month according to the position you apply for, which can ensure you have a comfortable life in Shanghai. We will offer you part or full international travel allowances depending on how long you will work for us. Generally, we will pay you a return ticket for one year contract. If you want to be hired as a classroom teacher by the above organization, you should _ .
Question: A towering South American plant that is believed to kill animals with its spikes and use their rotting bodies as fertilizer is about to bloom in England. A rare Puya chilensis was planted at a greenhouse in Surrey, a county in the southeast of England about 15 years ago. However, despite its frightening description, the tall, spiked plant is considered a threatened species. The Royal Horticultural Society has been feeding the plant a diet of liquid fertilizer. "In its natural habitat in the Andes it uses its razor sharp spikes to _ and trap sheep and other animals, which slowly starve to death and rot at the base of the plant, providing it with a bag of fertilizer," reads a description on the RHS website, which adds that the plant gives off a "gruesome scent." But does the plant actually trap and eat sheep? Other sources have simply said it is "believed" that the plant traps small animals with its spikes. After the animals die of starvation, the plant is "believed" to then use their rotting bodies as fertilizer to feed itself. "I'm really pleased that we've finally persuaded our Puya chilensis into producing flower," horticulturalist Cara Smith said in a press release on the RHS site. Regardless of whether it actually traps sheep, the plant does have sharp spikes that can grow up to 12 feet high and 5 feet wide. However, it's not all death and danger for this plant. Its flowery blooms reportedly provide nectar for bees and birds. The Puya chilensis blooms annually in its native land of Chile, but this is the first time it has done so after more than a decade of cultivation efforts from the RHS. "We keep it well fed with liquid fertilizer as feeding it on its natural diet might prove a bit problematic," Smith said. "It's growing in the dry section of our glasshouse with its deadly spines well out of reach of both children and sheep alike." What does the writer mainly tell us? A. A new plant is discovered in Chile. B. How a rare plant is fed in England. C. A rare plant is going to bloom in England. D. How a plant traps animals in South America. Answer: C. A rare plant is going to bloom in England. Question: A skinny young boy loved football with all his heart. But being half the size of the other boys, he got ly nowhere. This teenager lived alone with his father. Even though the boy was always standing on the bench , his father was always standing with cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him. When the young man went to college, he always put his heart and soul to every practice. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his last football season, and he entered the practice field, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and became silent. He said to the coach, "My father died this morning." the coach said, "Take the rest of the week off, son." The big game arrived and it was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent man said quietly to the coach. "Coach, please let me play," said the young man. Before long, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before, was doing everything right. His team finally won. He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well you know my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" the young man said, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!" Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? A. Father's eyes. B. A determined boy C. Son's love D. A good game. Answer: A. Father's eyes. Question: People were hanging out of their apartment windows screaming down at me,"Just give up,you fool! You'll never make it with that little bike."I kept telling them repeatedly,"All I have is this three-wheeled tricycle."I kept tipping to the side,but I kept my balance and ignored the people who were making fun of me. Then at one point a man left his home and ran out into the middle of the street. "This bike will take forever at the speed you're going!" He continued screaming words of discouragement right in my face. I replied,"I must push forward;I must get to the finish line! " I held on as tightly as possible and rode straight ahead with great determination. I had unshakable faith that I would make it! I also knew it did not matter how long it would take,because I knew it was worth it. At that point,the dream came to an abrupt end I got up and remembered the dream very clearly. I also remembered that the night before I was feeling discouraged -- but now I felt happy and peaceful, and my spirit felt alive with hope. I think we've all been given small tricycles as adults,and we struggle to balance our lives down the dark,narrow streets of mortality . I now consider the tricycle to be my three wheels of hope. The dream has given me courage and hope that I will finish the race inch by inch. I know I must never give up,but press forward always. What did the writer learn from her dream? A. Keeping balance is important for a bike learner. B. The race will be finished inch by inch. C. Adults can't ride a child-sized bike. D. She must struggle on,however difficult life is. Answer: D. She must struggle on,however difficult life is. Question: Celia was shocked. She had always been in good shape during high school, but now, in her first year of college, she was suddenly ten pounds heavier. "My friends and I often had pizza or ice cream when we studied late at night," she said, "and I was always drinking Coke to stay awake." Celia's experience is common. Many students enter college and find it so different that they cannot deal with changes properly. They're away from their parents and in a new stressful environment. Pressures together with freedom to sleep and eat however they please cause many students to experience the "Freshman 15": gaining weight suddenly in their freshman year of college. Most students do not realize that the "Freshman 15" can cause some serious health problems. Of course, college-age adults are still developing bone mass, so gaining some weight is normal. Sudden weight gain, however, puts too much strain on the heart and lungs, resulting in little energy and some difficulty thinking and remembering. In later life, it can lead to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and possibly cancer. The solution to the "Freshman 15" is simple--pay attention to developing good habits! In general: * Eat normal-sized meals at regular times. Eat slowly and enjoy it, so you don't need to go back for more. * Keep only healthy snacks in your room--and don't snack too often! * Control drinking and smoking. Alcohol has a lot of calories, and smoking too much makes exercise difficult. * Exercise regularly! Even just 30 minutes a day--such as walking quickly to class from your dorm--will make a big difference! What do most college students fail to realize? A. Gaining some weight is normal. B. They have grown up. C. They have gained a lot of weight. D. Sudden weight gain may lead to serious health problems. Answer: D. Sudden weight gain may lead to serious health problems. Question: If a dog is hunting for wild rabbit or birds, then A. it needs to drink B. it can sense children nearby C. it can tell where a victim is D. it is wanting to play frisbee Answer: C. it can tell where a victim is
More than 6,000 children were expelled from US school last year for bringing guns and bombs to school, the US Department of Education said on May 8. The department gave a report to the expulsions as saying handguns accounted for 58 percent of the 6,093 expulsions in 1996--1997, against 7 percent for rifles or shotguns and 35 percent for other types of firearms. "The report is a clear sign that our nation's public schools are cracking down on students who bring guns to school," Education Secretary Richard Riley said in a statement. "We need to be tough-minded about keeping guns out of our schools and do everything to keep our children safe." In March 1997, an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy using handguns and rifles shot dead four children and a teacher at a school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. In October, two students were killed and seven wounded in a shooting at a Mississippi school. Two months later, a 14-year-old boy killed three high school students and wounded five in Dasucah, Kentucky. Most of the expulsions, 56 percent, were from high schools, which have students from about age 13. 34 percent were from junior high schools and 9 percent were from elementary schools, the report said. It can be known from the report of the US Department of Education that _ . A guns are out of control in US schools B American children don't have the right to go to school C the number of the expulsions in the USA is smaller than that in other countries D expelling students is the best way to control guns Answer: A Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stairs. She was soon out of breath. "I suppose I had better go to the doctor," she thought. She went to the doctor and told him her problem. "I'm not at all surprised, "he said. "It's clear what your problem is." He examined her and then gave her some advice. "If you don't do what I say, Mrs. Parker," he said, "you will have a heart attack. It could kill you." Ellen was very worried as she left the doctor's. She knew that she had to take his advice but that it would not be easy and it would take time. The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher's shop . "I'd like ten pounds of steak , please," she said. "Certainly, madam," the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and placed it on the scale . "That's just under ten pounds," he said. "That's big enough," Mrs. Parker said. The butcher worked out the price. "At $4. 99 a pound that will$49. 50, please. Would you like me to cut it up into smaller pieces for you?" "Oh, I don't want to buy the meat," Mrs. Parker said. "If you don't want to buy it," the butcher replied angrily, "why did you ask me to get it for you?" "My doctor told me that I am overweight and have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of flesh looked like." What did the doctor think might happen to Ellen? A She might put on more weight. B She might stop eating too much. C She might have a heart attack. D She might go to another doctor. Answer: C Premier Win Jiabao continued his second trip around the quake disaster zone on May 23, 2008, visiting surviving students in Mianyang, one of the worst-hit cities. In a tent school, where more than 500 students from the destroyed prefix = st1 /BeichuanMiddle Schoolwere studying, Premier Wen encouraged them to study harder following the disaster. "let us not forget the earthquake," he told the students. "Then you will know what life is all about--it is bumpy, as the roads are. Today, people save us and take good care of us. In the future, we will help them in return." He wrote on the blackboard to encourage them, "Hardships make a country stronger." His first trip to the area was on May 12, just hours after the powerful quake rocked Sichuanat 2:28 pm. During the next four days, Premier Wen set foot in almost all of the worst-hit counties, walking over rocks and tiles, comforting weeping children and encouraging rescuers. The Chinese Premier says saving lives is the top priority. "We must try all means to get into those areas. The earlier, the better. One person can be saved one second earlier. As long as there is a gleam of hope, we will make efforts 100 times greater than that.' Chinese are deeply moved by what the Premier has said and done. A mother sent a message to her son in Beijing, saying "The 66-year-old Premier Wen has worked really hard for quake relief. He has comforted and moved us. Pass this on to your friends, pray for him." What did Premier Wen do when he first set foot in almost all of the worst-hit counties EXPECT _ . A walking over rocks and tiles B comforting weeping children C encouraging rescuers D asking them not to forget the earthquake Answer: D The Mariana Trench is the deepest ocean trench on Earth. This trench occurs at a plate boundary where A one plate is sliding past another. B one plate is being forced beneath another. C two plates are colliding into each other. D two plates are pulling apart from each other. Answer: B Self-employed private physicians who charge a fee for each patient visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most physicians have a contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital, which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities(operating room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or, in the case of veteran's hospitals, a federal government agency. Others are operated by religious orders or other non-profit groups. Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried physicians may work as hospital staff members, or residents, who are often still in training. They may teach in medical schools, be hired by corporations to care for their workers or work for the federal government's Public Health Service. Physicians are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $ 100 000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Physicians list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a physician in the United States. Most would be physicians first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $ 20 000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Prospective physicians then attend medical school for four years. Tuition alone can exceed $ 10 000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young physicians are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency in a hospital, the first year as an apprentice physician. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low. Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several physicians will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying equipment. These physicians also take care of each other's patients in emergencies. Physicians work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite routine ones, involve risk. It is understandable that physicians want to be well rewarded for making decisions which can mean the difference between life and death. According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by _ . A a church B a corporation C a city D a state Answer: B
Could cities that float on the sea solve the problems caused by floods and provide food for the world? Some scientists think so. The idea is already being tested and they believe that floating citied will provide more homes for a growing population, without having to use land needed to grow food. And they believe floating areas will allow more food to be grown, so that no one in the world is hungry. In some places, cities that float on the sea are already being planned, A company in the Netherlands called DeltaSync thinks that sea cities will save the world, with more than one in ten people living in them. They say sea cities solve many of the problems the world faces in the 21st century, like not having enough land , more and more people needing homes, fossil fuels running low and the increasingly serious problems caused by floods. DeltaSync says building in the desert is not possible because there is no enough water and that developing ways for people to live in space is still too expensive. So they believe the answer is our oceans, which cover over two thirds of the Earth's surface. Their plans for floating areas include using algae to produce fuel and food. More than a quarter of the land in the Netherlands already lies underwater and scientists there have spent years trying to find ways to deal with it. In the city of Rotterdam they already have floating homes. Bart Roeffen from DeltaSync says: "We have plans for neighbourhoods including roads and, in the end, I believe we can build floating cities on the sea." Which of the following is the advantage of the cities that DeltaSync wants to build? A. Providing more jobs for people. B. Making travel in space possible. C. Supplying enough water to people. D. Satisfying more people's housing needs. Answer: D. Satisfying more people's housing needs. Dear Betty, I'm your eraser Jill .This afternoon you lost me in your classroom. Simon found me and gave me to your English teacher Ms White. Now Ms White's three keys and I are in Ms. White's bag. The bag is yellow. It's on Ms White's desk. Please call Ms White at 718-0167 and ask her for me .You can come to the library, too. Ms White is in the library now. Jill Which one is RIGHT ? A. The bag is on the bed B. Ms White lost her keys C. Ms. White is an English teacher. D. Betty's phone number is 718-0167 Answer: C. Ms. White is an English teacher. In my first week as a graduate student at Cambridge University in 1964 I met with a fellow student, two years ahead of me in his studies; he was unsteady on his feet and spoke with great difficulty. This was Stephen Hawking. I learned that he had a bad disease and might not live long enough even to finish his PhD degree. But, amazingly, he has reached the age of 73. Even mere survival would have been a medical miracle, but of course, he didn't merely survive. He has become arguably the most famous scientist in the world for his brilliant research, for his bestselling books, and, above all, for his astonishing victory over hardship. Stephen received his "death sentence" in 1964, when I thought it was hard for him to go on with his study. Stephen went from Albans School to Oxford University. He was said to be a "lazy" undergraduate, but his brilliance earned him a first-class degree, an "entry ticket" to a research career in Cambridge and a uniquely inspiring achievement. Within a few years of the burst of his disease he was wheelchair-bound, and his speech was so unclear that it could only be understood by those who knew him well. But his scientific career went from strength to strength: he quickly came up with a series of insights into the nature of black holes (then a very new idea) and how the universe began. In 1974 he was elected to the Royal Society at the exceptionally early age of 32. The great advances in science generally involve discovering a link between phenomena that were previously conceptually unconnected -- for instance, Isaac Newton realized that the force making an apple fall to earth was the same as the force that holds the moon and planets in their orbits. Stephen's revolutionary idea about a link between gravity and quantum theory has still not been tested. However, it has been hugely influential; indeed, one of the main achievements of string theory has been to confirm and build on his idea. He has undoubtedly done more than anyone else since Einstein to improve our knowledge of gravity and he is one of the top-ten living theoretical physicists. What can we learn from the text? A. Hawking's theory was proved years ago. B. Hawking was not as successful as Newton. C. Hawking's theory has had little influence on others. D. String theory built on Hawking's idea. Answer: D. String theory built on Hawking's idea. The cold wind cut through my enthusiasm as a tourist in Washington D.C., so I entered the nearest restaurant for warmth. I ordered a hot cup of coffee, and began observing people. Some people were having dinner in the great hall, which made me consider an early dinner. At that time, I observed a man seated nearby and, from his eager eyes, I realized that he noticed the delicious food. His tired body and worn clothes shouted, "Homeless, homeless!" I wondered how long it had been since he had eaten. I expected him to approach me for a handout . He never did. A silent war broke out in my head --one side was telling me to mind my own business, and the other was urging me to offer him the food. While my inner debate moved on, a well-dressed young couple walked up to him. "Excuse me, sir," the husband began. "We just finished eating, and our appetites weren't as big as we thought. We hate to waste good food. Can you help us out and put this to use?" He gave the man some food. "Thank you. Merry Christmas!" the man replied. The man carefully watched his new food, and was about to drink the soup and eat the food seriously. Something that happened next shocked me. An old man, with pants, an old jacket and open shoes, entered the hall and walked to our direction. The man who was just offered the food saw the situation. Setting aside his meal, he stood up and guided the old man to the table. Then he put his worn jacket over the old man's shoulders. "Hi, my name's Jack," he said, "and one kind person brought me this meal. I just finished eating and hate to waste good food. Can you help me out?" The old man answered gratefully, "Sure, but only if you go halfway with me on that sandwich." I left the restaurant that day feeling warmer than I had ever thought possible. What can we learn about the old man according to the text? A. He accepted the food given by the kind couple. B. He was shameful of his own appearance. C. He expressed thanks to Jack after being helped by him. D. He had known Jack before he entered the restaurant. Answer: C. He expressed thanks to Jack after being helped by him. Where was I? The room was dark and quiet. My head hurt really badly. I shouted, "Help! Help! Can anybody help me?" After a while somebody came in. The room was so dark that I couldn't see his face clearly. The man turned on the light and said with a sharp voice, "Ah! Sweetie, do you still remember who I am?" I was shocked. Oh, my God! I cried, "You are Michael Zey, the man I charged with murder! Why are you here? You should be in prison!" "You never thought about the result of charging a gang leader, did you? Because of you, I was in prison for 15 years. You ruined my life!" His voice was very cold. My face was pale with fear. He was here to take revenge ! "Please, let me go! Don't hurt me! Please!" I asked him. "Dr. Calment, you are smart enough to know it is impossible. Now, I give you two choices. One is shooting your head. It is the quickest way. The other is cremation . Your husband and you will be together forever. It's quite romantic. Don't you think?" He spoke angrily. "What? My husband? He is innocent!" I shouted at him. Suddenly, he took hold of my head and said, "You will pay for what you have done to me." He took out a gun from his bag. "Help! Help! Can anybody help me?" Which of the following words can best describe how the writer felt when the story happened? A. Surprised. B. Terrified. C. Amazed. D. Puzzled. Answer: B. Terrified.
Peddling a bicycle can be accomplished by Answer: Reading new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, Where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. "My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water." He says. But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New York's municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive. Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market share-this despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCo's Aquafina and Coca-Cola's Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water. As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate over the profits. A restaurant's typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water it's often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands aren't available in stores, most dines don't notice or care. As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the dinners if they want it. Regardless of how it's sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular? Answer: Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong, and nothing seemed to go right? Not too long ago I was having one of those days. I was discouraged, weary, and plain sad. My focus was on me. After all, no one else was experiencing the same trials I was. I expressed my upset state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said, "I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and take them to her this afternoon?" I didn't really want to, but decided that I didn't want to go back to my other problems just yet. I made the cookies and arranged them on a little plate. Then I made a card with a sunflower on it and wrote a small note of empathy. That afternoon I dropped by my friend's house. I went to the door and rang the bell. Soon, Jamie came to the door and looked at me in surprise for the unexpected visit. Before she could say anything I rushed, " I heard you were having a hard day and decided to bring you something. I hope your day goes better." The look that came over Jamie's face was one that I could never put into words. It was as if a darkened sky was suddenly lit with the golden rays of the sun; it was as if in that small act, her day was brightened. I got back into the car and for some amazing reason; I felt a lot better myself. That day I experienced the truth that James Barri attempted to describe, " Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." What do you think of the author's mother? Answer: Nick is a knight . But he doesn't like to ride and he doesn't like to fight. Nick likes to read and write, and he likes to knit . One night, there was a knock at the door. "I need you to fight a dragon !" cried King Kareen. "But I'm the wrong kind of knight!" said Nick. "I don't like to fight." "Never mind! Hurry up!" cried the King. "The dragon is in my bed!" said the King. Nick's knees were knocking. He lifted the blanket and saw a little dragon. "I'm freezing." The dragon said. Nick quickly started knitting. He knitted a coat, some long socks and some pants for the dragon. The dragon was glad. "Thank you!" he said and off he went. "I think you're the right kind of knight!" said the king. The dragon was very glad and went off after _ . Answer: Offering a powerful new tool against terrorism, researchers have found a way to detect lies in the liar's blushing face. The technique, described in the journal Nature, uses a thermal camera to detect the sudden shift of blood flow in the face. The system performed as a traditional polygraph , the scientists report. Pushed by technological advances and with fresh interest since Sept.11, the discovery is part of the development in the scientific study of detection. Although the lie remains a mysterious phenomenon, researchers in recent years have found a number of new methods that might take the place of the polygraph, from brain scans, to slight changes in eye movement, to sparks of electrical activity that signal a person has seen a victim or a crime scene before. The new finding says, when a person tells a lie, there is a sudden change of blood to the area around the eyes. Although the change is not ordinary visible, the blood warms the skin, causing bands of color1 to appear through a camera sensitive to heat. One advantage of the camera can provide answers quickly, and doesn't require a highly trained expert to operate it or explain its results. In theory, this new technology could be used anywhere large numbers of people need to be quickly screened. But some scientists say the technology would need to be improved before it is ready for use, for it is possible that there are other reactions that cause a sudden change in blood flow in the face and there is also the danger that people will learn to fool the machine, the same way they try to fool polygraph examiners by controlling their breathing or taking drugs to relax themselves. It is NOT true that this new technology _ . Answer:
Question: What's the weather like today? Harmful rays are dangerous even on cold, cloudy days. Sunscreen is important year-round protection no matter where you are. Remember, you're being struck by the sun's powerful rays when you are walking on the street playing on the ground relaxing on the beach or pool taking part in outdoor activities Sun Veil Sunscreen can reduce the harmful effects of the sun. Sun Veil Sunscreen is guaranteed 100% effective or you will get a full refund. Sun Veil Sunscreen provides long-lasting waterproof protection from the sun's burning rays that will last for a full 6 hours in or out of water. Instructions: Apply Sun Veil's disappearing blue-colored sunscreen to all exposed skin. The blue color disappears as you rub Sun Veil Sunscreen onto the skin. The coloring is safe and easily washes from most clothing. For best results, allow Sun Veil Sunscreen to dry for 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun. Warning: Discontinue use immediately, if the skin becomes painful or there are some red spots. Sun Veil Sunscreen is not recommended for pregnant women and babies under the age of six months. If you're interested in our product, just order now! $20.00 for one bottle. There will be a 10% discount if you buy two at a time, and a 15% discount for three or more! Which of the following statements is true about Sun Veil Sunscreen? A. When you apply this sunscreen to your skin, the blue color will disappear. B. If this sunscreen is ineffective, you can get half of your money back. C. It must be dry for one hour before you go outdoors. D. It's popular with all colored people. Answer: A Question: At the middle school level, there are many academic clubs in which students can participate.Students can choose clubs that focus on an area of interest. Mathcounts Club Mathcounts tries to increase excitement towards mathematic achievement. It hopes to provide students with the foundation for success in science, technology; engineering and mathematics careers. Schools select individuals and teams to participate in competitions. Local competitions are held in February with winners progressing to state competitions and then on to the national level. Mathcounts works to challenge student math skills, develop self-confidence and give rewards for their achievements. Envirothon. The Envrothon program focuses on natural resources knowledge and exposes students to diverse environmental issues, and ecosystems .The ecology field competition for five-member middle school teams offers competitions in wildlife, soils, forestry, current environmental issues and aquatics. Students Work and learn in middle school clubs and can compete at the local and state level. Future Problem Solvers Future Problem Salvers is an academic club that uses a six-step process to solve problemsthat may happen in the future. Students who are in the talented and gifted program, who like to "think out of the box," or who enjoy thinking about futuristic problems max like this club. Teams,comprised of four students read future scenes and write up solutions in: a booklet using the six-step process. Teams that score high enough can go to the .state competition and,then to the international competition. Builders Club Builders Club is open to any middle school student who wishes to perform community service. Each Builders Club is co-sponsored by a Kiwanis club. and the middle school. The members learn by doing, and they learn organization; teamwork,and leadership. Builders Clubs can sponsor a "Teacher of the year" program, provide a recycling collection point, organize canned food and clothing drives to support local shelters, adopt a resident at a local senior citizens home; adopt a highway; tutor, etc. Middle school academic clubs offer students a place to explore interests or talents: The clubs they join in middle school can help guide choices in high school and beyond. If you enjoy thinking about futuristic problems _ is a good choice for you. A. Mathcounts Club B. Builders Club C. Future Problem Salvers D. Envirotfion Answer: C Question: Maria was a teacher at a small school in Arizona. Maria had worked in the past at schools in California, Texas, and Vermont, but had to leave these schools because the school in Arizona was perfect for her dream job. When she moved to Arizona she found a small little one bedroom house that fit her perfectly. The house was on the top floor of another building, owned by another teacher. In her house was a bed, dresser, table and telephone. Nothing else came with the house. So Maria wanted to go shopping with her new teacher friend. So they went down to the mall to buy things for her new house. First she wanted to look for some chairs to go with her table. Then she wanted to find a TV for her living room and a TV for her bedroom. Last she wanted to find a big comfy couch for her living room. When she got to the couch store she had a few different choices. She could buy the biggest couch they had but would go over her limit, it was black. She could buy the middle couch right at her limit, which was brown. Or she could buy the smallest couch well under her limit, but was not a very good color, red. Maria went with the middle couch knowing she would not like the color of the smaller one even if it was least expensive. Maria then had to choose if she wanted them to deliver her couch or if she would pick it up. Knowing she had only a small car she went with the deliver choice. She also had to choose if she wanted them to set up the couch for her or for her to set it up herself. She went with them setting it up since they would be there to deliver it anyway. Maria loved her new house and job. What couch did Maria buy, and what color was it? A. Biggest couch, it was black. B. smallest couch, it was red. C. Middle couch, it was black. D. Middle couch, it was brown. Answer: D Question: Money and Happiness A Guide to Living the Good Life Author: Laura Rowley Publisher: Wiley (March 1, 2016) Laura Rowley helps us all understand the money-happiness connection in our own lives so that we spend our time and efforts wisely. She offers insights that every reader can use to make smarter decisions that will lead to living a rich life in every possible definition of the term. Happiness The Science Behind Your Smile Author: Daniel Nettle Publisher: Oxford University Press (July 1, 2016) This is the first book to look thoroughly at what happiness is and how it works. Nettle examines whether people are basically happy or unhappy, whether success can make us happy, why some people are happier than others, and much more. The Happiness Makeover How to Teach Yourself to Be Happy and Enjoy Every Day Author: M. J. Ryan Publisher: Broadway (May 10, 2016) Ryan's own desire to be happier first led her to study what is known about happiness from brain science, psychology, and the wisdom traditions of the world.The Happiness Makeover draws on this wide-ranging knowledge and presents a plan that will help you: Clear away happiness problems like worry, fear, envy, and dislikes. Learn to think confidently. Find daily ways to truly enjoy, even relish, the moments of your life. Health and Happiness Hormones and Qualities Llives Author: Steven F. Hotze Publisher: Forrest Publishing (April, 2016) Dr Steven Hotze is leading a wellness revolution that advances a new model of healthcare. Unlike the popular medical way of treating individual symptoms with the familiar "anti" drugs, Dr Hotze deals with the basic causes of poor health. In Hormones, Health, and Happiness you are shown how to reach and keep the best body functioning. Based on a process of biologically the same hormones and other natural treatments, it can help you enjoy a better quality of life. If you want to know more about whether happiness has something to do with success, you should turn to _ A. Money and Happiness B. Happiness C. The Happiness Makeover D. Health and Happiness Answer: B Question: If you're in Florence, Italy, and see a man on a ladder wiping the dust off statues and buildings, don't worry.It's just Alessandro Ricci gathering material for his famous smog paintings. Ricci is not a common artist, because he used smog as the main medium of his artworks. Unlike other painters seeking fast recognition of their talent, he doesn't really care about "being this big artist".Instead he is more concerned about bringing attention to how much smog there really is in his home town and how it's destroying both its monuments and people. Although he did take a couple of art classes a few years back, he is mainly self-taught, doesn't work in a studio, donates most of his work, and refuses to play by the rules of the Florentine Art Gallery, which he considers corrupt.Alessandro Ricci believes selling his smog paintings will not only compromise his principles, but also contradict the very thing he's trying to do-raise awareness about smog pollution in this city. Alessandro lives with his parents nearby Florence, but almost every day he visits the streets of the city, and collects smog for his paintings.He gets it from several meters above ground, from clean surfaces like marble, plastic and stone, using damp pieces of cotton.Then he applies the smog directly onto a cloth and creates street scenes and reproductions of the very buildings from which he got the dangerous material.Finally, he seals his paintings with a natural resin . His actions helped win a small victory for the people of Florence, as in October 25, 2012 the Duomo area of the city was made pedestrian-only.But there is still a long way to go, the artist believes, and only cleaning the thick layer of smog that has accumulated throughout Florence would take several years.Still, he continues to paint his unique smog artworks and let the people know how polluted the environment they live in really is. What does the text mainly tell us? A. Florentine artist fights pollution by painting with smog. B. Ricci invents a unique way to paint buildings in Florence. C. People in Florence gather smog to create street scenes. D. Florence takes measures to improve the polluted city. Answer: A
The knowledge society will be a highly competitive one, for organizations and individuals alike. Information technology, although only one of many new features of the next society, is already having one hugely important effect: it is allowing knowledge to spread near-instantly , and making it accessible to everyone. Given the ease and speed at which information travels, every institution in the knowledge society--not only businesses, but also schools, universities, hospitals and increasingly government agencies too--has to be globally competitive, even though most organizations will continue to be local in their activities and in their markets. This is because the Internet will keep customers everywhere informed on what is available anywhere in the world, and at what price. This new knowledge economy will rely heavily on knowledge workers. At present, this term is widely used to describe people with considerable theoretical knowledge and learning :doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants chemical engineers. But the most striking growth will be in "knowledge technologists": computer technicians, software designers, analysts in clinical labs, manufacturing technologists, paralegals. These people are as much manual workers and they are knowledge workers; in fact, they usually spend far more time working with their hands than with their brains, but their manual work is based on a substantial amount of theoretical knowledge which can be acquired only through formal education ,not through an apprenticeship . They are not, as a rule, much better paid than traditional skilled workers, but they see themselves as "professionals", just as unskilled manual workers in manufacturing were the _ social and political force in the 21thcentury, knowledge technologists are likely to become the dominant social--and perhaps also political--force over the next decades. Knowledge workers mentioned in the essay most probably refer to _ . Researchers at Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology say they have found further proof that the wolf ancestors of today's dogs can be from southern East Asia -- findings that are contrary to theories placing the birth place in the Middle East. Dr Peter Savolainen, KTH researcher in evolutionary genetics, says a new study released Nov. 23 confirms that an Asian region south of the Yangtze River was the principal and probably the only region where wolves were domesticated by humans. Research data show clearly that dogs are descended from wolves, but there's never been scientific agreement on where in the world the domestication process began. "Our analysis of Y-chromosomal DNA now confirms that wolves were first domesticated in Asia south of Yangtze River -- we call it the ASY region -- in southern China or Southeast Asia," Savolainen says. The Y data supports previous evidence from mitochondrial DNA. "Taken together, the two studies provide very strong evidence that dogs appeared first in the ASY region," Savolainen says. Archaeological data and a genetic study recently published in Nature suggest that dogs originate from the Middle East. But Savolainen rejects that view. "Because none of these studies included samples from the ASY region, evidence from ASY has been overlooked," he says. Peter Savolainen and PhD student Mattias Oskarsson worked with Chinese colleagues to analyse DNA from male dogs around the world. Their study was published in the scientific journal Heredity. Approximately half of the gene pool was universally shared everywhere in the world, while only the ASY region had the entire range of genetic diversity. "This shows that gene pools in all other regions of the world most probably originate from the ASY region," Savolainen says. "Our results confirm that Asia south of the Yangtze River was the most important -- and probably the only -- region for wolf domestication, and that a large number of wolves were domesticated," says Savolainen. In separate research published recently in Ecology and Evolution, Savolainen, PhD student Arman Ardalan and Iranian and Turkish scientists conducted a comprehensive study of mitochondrial DNA, with a particular focus on the Middle East. Because mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother in most species, it is especially useful in studying evolutionary relationships. "Since other studies have indicated that wolves were domesticated in the Middle East, we wanted to be sure nothing had been missed. We find no signs whatsoever that dogs originated there," says Savolainen. In their studies, the researchers also found minor genetic contributions from crossbreeding between dogs and wolves in other geographic regions, including the Middle East. "This subsequent dog/wolf hybridisation contributed only modestly to the dog gene pool," Savolainen explains. We can learn from the passage that _ . To develop one's fine taste in English, one of the most effective ways is to read English books widely. Yet one may be at a loss to choose the proper books, especially as a beginner. I would like to share some of my experience. My first English novel was Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but my experience was somewhat discouraging. When I read it, I had great difficulty in understand the novel , let alone enjoying it. It's not the words that troubled me, but rather the way Austen organized sentences, and her way of thinking, which seemed too distant to me at that time. So my first suggestion is, as a beginner, you should choose modern novels instead of classical ones. I do not mean you shouldreject (say no to) classical novels completely but start with something easier. Actually , my second reading ofPride and Prejudicegreatly pleased me. However, reading novels is not the only way to improve your English . In fact, English essays can at once inform you, entertain you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell's works. Its language is not simple, yet you cannot help feeling the elegance and wisdom of his writing. Last but not least, never follow others' suggestions and opinions blindly. Some days ago, I read Somerset Maugham's autobiography The Summing Up. In a chapter he regards Edward Gibbon and Samuel Johnson's style as pompous . Though I admire Maugham's works, I can't agree with his view. Probably one can say this about Johnson's works, but definitely not Gibbon's . In fact, Gibbon's clear style makes his works highly readable, and you can hardly believe they were written over 200 years ago. So we should be open to various ideas, but always think and decide for ourselves. Bertrand Russell's works are mentioned in the text as an example of _ . It was not immediately clear how the military officials first spotted the activity at the site. However, the prefix = st1 /United StatesandSouth Koreagenerally share intelligence information obtained through satellite imagery. Meanwhile, more unidentified South Korean government sources said they are trying to confirm whether a new facility that has been built at the site could be part of preparations for a second nuclear test, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported Saturday. Defense officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The news came a day after the South's Foreign Minister and incoming U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Chinese leaders to discuss sanctions against the North over its Oct. 9 underground nuclear test. Ban met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Friday. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said they would discuss sanctions, but details of their talks were not immediately released. Ban is visiting the five permanent U.N. Security Council members following his election as secretary-general this month. He pledged to make resolving the North Koreanuclear issue a key priority on his agenda as head of the international body. The United Stateshas been trying to muster greater support for a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for sanctions in response to the North's nuclear test. Seoul and Beijinghave been reluctant to enforce sanctions over the Oct. 9 test for fear they might aggravate their unpredictable neighbor and destabilize the region. As the North's main aid providers and trade partners, ChinaandSouth Korea's participation are considered crucial for the success of the United Nations resolution, which bans the sale of major arms to the North and calls for inspection of cargo entering and leaving the country. The passage mainly about _ . Charlton Heston was born in 1923 in Evanston, Illinois. Charlton Heston discovered his interest in acting while performing in plays at his high school. He later spent two years studying theater at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. But he left college to join the Army Air Forces during World War Two. After the war, he found small roles in the theater as well as in television shows. His performance in a television version of the book Jane Eyre caught the attention of the Hollywood producer Cecil B. DeMille who later asked Heston to play the role of Moses in his movie The Ten Commandments which came out in 1956. This role made Heston famous and defined his career as a hero and leader. His face and body represented strength and heroism in many different roles. He played cowboys, soldiers and athletes. The 1959 movie Ben Hur made Charlton Heston an even bigger star. Ben Hur won eleven Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Charlton Heston. Heston starred in many adventure movies during the 1960s. In the 1970s, Heston appeared in popular disaster movies like Earthquake,. Skyjacked and Airport 1975. Charlton Heston was also very active in the movie industry. He worked to help set up the American Film Institute. In 1977 he was honored for his service in the industry. He received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 1997 he was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor. And, in 2003, President Bush gave Charlton Heston a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. In 2000, Charlton Heston issued a statement announcing that he had an Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2008 at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Which film won Best Actor for Charlton Heston?
Hello! My name is Bill. I am twelve years old. I am from America. Now I am in a junior high school in Xiamen. We have 20 boys and 25 girls in our class. My favorite teacher is Miss White. She is from Canada. She is 27 years old. She is tall. She has long brown hair. Her face is round and she has big eyes. She is a good teacher. She can speak English and Chinese. I have a good friend here. His name is Mike. He is an English boy. We have the same age. My classmates are kind to me. We often help each other. ,A, B, C, D. (5) Miss White can _ . A sing songs B fly kites C cook D speak Chinese and English Answer: D. speak Chinese and English A car needs gas to run and your body also needs food to work for you. Eating the right kind of food is very important. It can help your body grow strong to take care of what you eat. There are four main food groups altogether. The _ group has food like milk, cheese and sour milk. The other three groups are the meat and fish group, the fruit and vegetable group, and the bread and rice group. Each meal should have at least one food from all four main groups. With all these food together, you will be given enough energy during the day. It is easy to get into bad eating habits. You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school on time. Or you may not have time for a good lunch. It may seem easy to finish your supper with fish and chips all the time. But you will find yourself tired in these days and you can not think quickly. Watching what you eat will help keep your body healthy and strong. It is also good to take some exercise. It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air. Having a good eating habit with some exercise is the key to your health. Which of the following diets do you think is the best one? A Eggs, tomatoes and chicken. B Milk, bread, cabbages and beef. C Corn, fish, cream and pork. D Rice, bean curd , apples, fish and chicken. Answer: B. Milk, bread, cabbages and beef. Brazil has become one of the developing world's great successes in reducing population growth--but more by accident than design.While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates,Brazil has had better result without really trying,says George Martine at Harvard. Brazil's population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990,and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average.Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990,an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries. Martine _ ,among other things,soap operas and installment plans introduced in the 1970s.Both played an important,although indirect,role in lowering the birth rate.Brazil is one of the world's biggest producers of soap operas.Globo,Brazil's most popular television network,shows three hours of soaps six nights a week,while three others show at least one hour a night.Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities. "Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction ,they describe middle and upper class values--not many children,different attitudes towards sex,women working,"says Martine."They sent this message to all parts of Brazil and made people realise other patterns of family life and other values,which were put into a very attractive package." Meanwhile,the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers."This led to change in consumption patterns and consumption did not get along well with unlimited reproduction,"says Martine. Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil's birth rate because _ . A they keep people sitting long hours watching TV B they have gradually changed people's way of life C people are drawn to their attractive package D they make birth control measures popular Answer: B. they have gradually changed people's way of life In Britain, when people meet each other for the first time, they talk about things like family, work, school,or sports. They ask question like "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" "Where do you work?" "What school do you go to?" and "Do you like sports?" They also ask questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Where do you live?" These are polite questions. They are not personal or private. But some things are personal or private, and questions about them are not polite. People don't ask questions about a person's salary . They don't ask how much or someone is paid for something. It is not OK to ask people questions about politics, party or religion unless you know them very well. People don 't ask unmarried people "Why are you single?" and they don't ask a married couple with no children "Why don't you have any children?" This passage is mainly about _ . A school life B politeness C working D sport Answer: B. politeness We have known for a long time that flowers of different plants open and close at different time of day. Yet no one really understands why flowers open and close like this at particular times. It is not as simple as we might think, as new experiments have shown. In one experiment, flowers were kept in darkness. We might expect that the flowers, without any information about the time of the day, did not open as they usually do. In fact, they continued to open at their usual time. This shows that they have some mysterious way of knowing the time. Their sense of time does not depend on information from the outside world; it is, so to speak, inside them, a kind of "inner clock". This discovery may not seem to be very important. However, it was later found that not just plants but also animals including man have this "inner clock"which controls working of their bodies and their activities. Human beings, then, are also controlled by this mysterious power. Whether we wish it or not, it affects such things in our life as our need for sleep, our need for food. And our ability to concentrate . We may know that if we make good use of the 'inner clock', _ . A we will have more strength to do our work. B clocks or watches are no longer useful to us C we will be able to live as long as we wish to D human beings will need less sleep, less food or less movement Answer: A. we will have more strength to do our work.
Tom was the best baseball player in his neighborhood. He also enjoyed playing basketball, but he wasn't very good at it. Every morning he would get up and go out to the baseball field, and every night he would dream about his favorite players. He loved the Yankees, and knew he would someday play for them. One day when Tom was practicing at the field, a man in a nice suit came out of a long car and walked over to Tom. The man said that he worked for the Yankees, and was there to see Tom play! Tom was so excited he could scream! Knowing that the man was watching, he played the best game ever that day. When he was done, the man told Tom that he was good enough to play for the Yankees, and to pack his things right away. Tom hurried home as fast as he could, and started to pack up all his clothes. His mom walked in and asked what Tom was doing. "I'm going to play for the Yankees ma!" Tom said. Tom's mom was so excited that she took Tom and the whole family out for dinner. Grandpa, Grandma, Mom and Dad were all there, and bought Tom a big cake! As Tom said goodbye to everyone, he couldn't help but feel sad that he would be gone for so long. "Don't worry son, we'll be at all the games cheering you on!" said his dad. This made Tom happy again, and as he left to be with his team, he knew that he had finally made it. What did Tom's family buy him to celebrate? Answer: Human bodies have complex structures that support growth and survival. What is the most basic structure of the human body that supports growth and survival? Answer: Water moves by capillary action through soil from moist areas to dry areas. Which property of water is most responsible for this capillary action? Answer: A new report says more and more international students are attending colleges and universities in the United States. It also notes a large increase in the number of international students form China. These findings are from the latest edition of the Open Doors Report. The report tells the record number of international students in the United States during the 2011-2012 school year. It says more than 764,400 such students were attending American colleges and universities during that period. That means an increase of almost 6% compared to one year earlier. By comparison ,the number of Americans who are studying overseas increased by 1%. The report says 194,000 students at American colleges and universities are from China. That is an increase of more than 23% over the year before. Peggy Blumenthal is an assistant to the president of the Institute of International Education. She says many Chinese families are able to pay for the highest-quality education for their children. The children mainly choose to study in America." We know many of them have enough income to be able to afford to send them anywhere in the world that they want to go. And for the most part, looking around the world, Chinese students still prefer to come to the United States as their destination of choice." She says. Chinese students are not the only ones who want to attend American colleges and universities . After China, India sends the second largest number of students to the United States for higher education. India has about 100,000 students in American schools. South Korea is third with about 70,000 students. Why do so many foreign students study in the United States ? Peggy Blumenthal provides one reason. " The advantage America has is that we have a huge system and a very diverse system. So there are over four thousand universities and colleges in the United States, and what it tells us is that there is still a lot of room to contain international students." How many students are studying in America for the top three countries , China , India and South Korea? Answer: The following card includes a brief summary and a short assessment of a research paper. It can provide a guide for further reading on the topic. Trevor, C. O., Lansford, B. and Black, J. W., 2004, "Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion", Journal of Armchair Psychology, vol. 113, no.1, pp. 56-64. In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect of job performance, turnover rates and employees' job attitude. The authors use data gained through organizational surveys of blue-chip companies in Vancouver, Canada to try to identify the main cause of employee turnover and whether it is linked to salary growth. Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organizational reward plans. The article is useful as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and a variety of differences in employees' job attitude and performance. The main limitation of the article is that the survey sample was restricted to mid-level management, thus the authors indicate that further, more extensive research needs to be undertaken to develop a more in-depth understanding of employee turnover and job performance. As this article was published in a professional journal, the findings can be considered reliable. It will be useful additional information for the research on pay structures. Who might be most interested in this piece of information? Answer:
I'm Grace, 13 years old and in seventh grade in Florida. This school year has been normal. However, my family and I spent my sixth-grade year driving all over Europe, seeing amazing places, meeting all kinds of people, and getting closer as a family in the process. When my family decided to move to Europe, we were excited . But we had a problem. We couldn't find a vehicle that had enough space to work for our five-member family, so my dad decided he'd just made one. No matter where we were , our new home took some getting used to . I had to leave a lot of my stuff behind because so little of it would fit into my tiny new room. We had to be careful to save our water. And we were doing home school, which worked out great. No matter what, I made sure to look out my window every morning , because the view was different every day -- England, then France, Italy,Greece... each special in its own way. In country after country, we touched around and tried to pick up little bits of the local language, but that didn't help us much. Luckily we kept finding people who knew some English. Everywhere we went , we saw the most amazing things. I love reading about places in my textbooks and then getting out of our vehicle to look right at them . I can't pick a favourite spot, because whichever one we were at seemed to be the best at the time. After our trip ended , we moved to Florida. But it makes me happy that my family had this great year-long experience together. I'm thankful for that. Which one of the following phrases can best describe the whole passage? A Getting along with my family B Looking out of my window C My new moving home D My life on the road Answer: D. My life on the road Every year people celebrate the Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It's the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone buys many things, and they often make a special kind of food called dumplings. It means "come together". Parents always buy new clothes for their children and children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival eve , all the family members come back home. They sing, dance and play cards. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time. The food dumpling means " _ " A be nice B be hungry C come together D come back Answer: C. come together A small man went to a cinema, bought a ticket and went in. But after two or three minutes he came out, bought a second ticket and went in again. After a few minutes, he came out again and bought a third ticket. Two or three minutes after that, he came out a third time and asked for another ticket. But the girl said to him, "Why are you buying all these tickets? Are you waiting for friends in the cinema all the time?" "No, I am not doing that," answered the small man. "But a big woman always stops me at the door and tears my ticket up." The girl smiled and sold him another ticket. The girl _ . A was the ticket seller B was the doorkeeper C was the ticket collector D was the small man's friend Answer: A. was the ticket seller Officials in a remote Russian city have drawn up a list of practical tips for locals on how to survive encounters with bears, after growing numbers have wandered into the streets in search of food. Officials in the city of Syktyvkar drew up the guidelines to guide the local people, after several bears were caught sight of in the city, going hungry after a heat wave their usual diet of nuts and berries. The guide warns that city people there should stay calm and stand still if they meet with a bear. "Speak to the bear in a firm voice" and "Don't turn your back on it," it adds. In the worst case, if the bear attacks, the person should also be ready to attack, the guide says. "Shout angrily at it and look it straight in the eye," the guide advises. "Bears have started coming into the areas where people live more and more often," the city officials said in a statement. "Any encounter with a bear is unsafe for humans, so our task is to do all we can to prevent such accidents." In September, a bear attacked a 25-year-old man in a central street of the city, wounding him in the neck before he managed to run away, police said. "Three or four people who met with brown bears have been recorded recently," the head of the hunting department in the regional agriculture organization, Alexander said. Officials have asked police to patrol streets close to wooded areas in the evenings. Syktyvkar is the regional capital of the remote Komi region in northwest Russia. Its population is just over 230,000. What would be the best title for the passage? A Bears are short of food worldwide B Ways to got along well with bears C Tips are issued on bear encounters D Bears have started coming into cities Answer: C. Tips are issued on bear encounters The first English week at our school started on May 4th, 2009. The whole school was filled with an English learning atmosphere. A series of activities was held. There were handwriting activities, story writing, English songs, role playing in English, and so on, all the teachers and students were very happy. They spoke English, sang English songs and enjoyed all the activities. Handwriting was for the students in lower grades. Although most of them couldn't write so well, they were all very careful about it. In the show window, there were a lot of colorful handwritten papers. They copied some articles from books or newspapers. And then they decorated them with pictures in different colors, and some even put their own photos on them. How cute and lovely they looked! Story writing was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8. These students are always fond of cartoons, so they got interested in this activity. Reading the stories they made up, all the visitors couldn't help speaking highly of them. The most important event was the English show on the last day. The students and teachers presented a lot of English songs and English operas. Each program won storms of _ . One week is not very long, but all the students and teachers learned a lot. Just as the headmaster said, "It is a helpful week. It will certainly lead us to enjoy and learn more from our English studies." Which of the following is Not true? A All the students took part in the handwriting contest. B The story writing contest was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8. C The English show was the most important event. D Teachers also took part in the English week. Answer: A. All the students took part in the handwriting contest.
Question: People say teenagers are no good.They make too much noise in.shops; they drive wildly up and down the streets.And at times,some of these things are true.But there are also hard moments in the life of a teenager. A teenager is neither a lovely child,nor a respectable grown up person.The members of her family consider a teenager a source of trouble.She feels that she has grown up.But she is told that she is just a child and she knows nothing.She sees her elders doing what they like. When she wants to do what she likes,the elders tell her that she should do only what she is told to do. To be a teenager means to be everybody's servant and nobody's master.Elders in the family and in the neighborhood order a teenager to run errands for them.(...) If he refuses to carry out the orders of his eiders,he is scolded.He may even be punished.He is criticized for all that he says and does.If he behaves like a child,he is told that he is grown up and that he should not be childish,If he behaves like a grown up mall,he is told that he is disrespectful. A teenager becomes a lonely creature in the family.Children enjoy all the love of the elders in the family.The teenager gets no love and no respect.So she often runs away from home and finds some joy in the company of the girls of her age. _ .There are too many rules and regulations for us to obey.It hasn't yet occurred to us to run a zigzag pattern.Although we teenagers have miserable time with our family members and elders,we have a very good time with our friends and in schools and colleges.So we teenagers spend most of our good time and have fun with our friends and classmates rather than with parents. The key factor of the troubles brought to teenagers is that _ . A. teenagers are always troublesome B. teenagers don't understand their parents completely C. grown-ups don't understand 8J1d respect teenagers enough D. teenagers refuse to listen to grown-ups Answer: C. grown-ups don't understand 8J1d respect teenagers enough Question: An 11-year-old boy who has been compared to Spanish Impressionist , the great Pablo Picasso, is holding his first exhibition at Llangollen's Gardening Show this weekend. Hamad al-Humaidhan, who was born in Kuwait but now lives in Bath, Britain, had no previous knowledge of art history when he first picked up a brush. But he began to paint his favourite football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, using Picasso's trademarks --bright colours and impressionistic forms. His father said, "I've got lots of books about Picasso and I showed them to Hamad but he didn't know anything about Picasso --it's just naturally the way he sees it and he just loves to paint." His first painting of Ronaldo, done when he was just nine, was sold at auction in Bath for PS650, which drew the attention of local art businessman Steve Turner. "A colleague sent me some pictures of Hamad's work and I just couldn't believe the size of it and how the colours blended together," he said. "He had talent and I thought Picasso had been reborn.""I've shown his work to private art collectors. They liked them very much and everyone was eager to buy, so the first six paintings have been _ . I bought two of them myself. The next set of his works will go on show for the first time at Llangollen, which will be the first opportunity for the public to see his amazing talent." Hamad enjoys maths at school but ranks painting higher. "I think I prefer painting! It makes me relaxed and when I feel tired I just pick up a paint brush," he said. "I just close my eyes and see how it's going to look and then I just paint it --I paint every day. I just love the colours and I want people to enjoy my paintings." Now Hamad is nervously waiting for the opening of his exhibition. According to the text, Hamad's first painting of Ronal-do _ . A. has bright colours and impressionistic forms B. was bought by Steve Turner C. was completed five years ago D. is his favourite work Answer: A. has bright colours and impressionistic forms Question: British men are encouraged to cry. There are certain things British men like to believe about themselves. The first is that one day they will again win the World Cup. They also believe they do not cry. Over the centuries, Britons are believed to have a "stiff upper lip". But is this true? Yes, it is. A recent study arranged by Kleenex on how the British express their emotions reveals that 95 percent of them still _ their emotions. Moreover, while 72 percent think this is unhealthy, 19 percent can't remember the last time they "let it out". As a result, Kleenex is launching the "Let It Out" campaign that encourages Britons to grab a tissue and have a good cry. These days, however, the male Briton's attitude toward crying is changing. Though the majority still struggles to open up emotionally, a 2004 study by Oxford's Social Issues Research Center found that 77 percent of British men considered crying in public increasingly acceptable. Half of London males admitted crying in front of their mothers. Scotsmen are the least emotional, although they are the most likely to cry at weddings. Peter Marsh, director of the center, said, "Crying can now indicate sensitivity rather than weakness. Like with David Beckham, crying because you're dropping off your boy at nursery isn't seen as weak." Winston Churchill was said to be a frequent crier, shedding tears at seeing a survivor in an air raid shelter , and when he saw his wife after a long absence. Psychologists say that while society has accepted that men can cry, there are limits. Ronald Bracey, a consulting psychologist, said, "If a man began to cry when he was having stitches in hospital, he would be considered as a wimp . Men still need to be seen as strong when it comes to physical pain. " What does the passage mainly deal with? A. Different attitudes British men have towards crying. B. British men's dream of the World Cup. C. Advice on how to control emotions. D. Impression of British men. Answer: A. Different attitudes British men have towards crying. Question: The world's largest solar thermal plant is set to begin producing power in the United States by the end of the year. Wind and energy from the sun are generally considered clean, unlike energy from coal-burning power stations. However, environmentalists now worry that too much solar power development could harm the local environment. A California company -- BrightSource Energy is building a huge solar power plant in the Mojave desert, about 60 kilometers southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The plant is known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. Joe Desmond works for the company. "This is actually one of the highest concentrations of sunlight in the world, out here in Ivanpah." explained Desmond. BrightSource Energy will deploy 170,000 specially designed mirrors to direct solar energy towards boilers on top of three power towers. The steam produced in the boilers will drive turbine to make electricity. Joe Desmond says the steam can reach temperatures of more than 260 degrees Celsius. "We can store the sun's thermal energy in the form of molten salt, so we can produce electricity even when the sun goes down. There is a lot of interest in concentrating solar power around the globe in environmnents where you have lots of sun, such as China, South Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, explained Desmond. Environmentalists generally support the idea of solar power, however, many are concerned about the effect of power plants on sensitive environment. Lisa Belenky is a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity, a private group. She says environmentalists are specifically worried about the effect of the Ivanpah Solar Project on the sensitive plant and animal life in that part of Mojave desert. "Even though the desert seems big, when you start cutting it up, it can really affect how the species and the animals and the plants are able to survive in the long run,"said Lisa Belenky. BrightSource Energy has already spent more than $ 50 million to move endangered desert tortoises away from the power plant. but Lisa Belenky says this is not the answer. "We should be reusing areas that have a1ready been disturbed, like old mining sites, for example...either on homes, on businesses, parking lots." said Belenky. There have also been reports of birds dying at the Ivanpah Plant and others like it. Some birds die after colliding with solar equipment which the animals mistake for water. Other birds were killed or suffered burns after flying through the intense heat at the solar thermal plant. As solar projects increase, environmentalists and developers are considering what to do to reduce bird death. The author's attitude towards the solar projects is _ . A. supportive B. critical C. indifferent D. cautious Answer: D. cautious Question: Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That's how thousands of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world. The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995, by Dr Madan Kataria. "Children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day," says Dr Kataria. "Everyone's naturally good at laughing -- it's the universal language." There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 worldwide. Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLS School of Medicine in California, with laughing there is less stress in the body. Laughter improves our health against illness by about 40%. So what happens at a Laughter Club? I went along to the nearest club in the south of London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class. I had no interest in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking stupid . Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say "ho ho ho, ha ha ha" while looking at each other. Although we couldn't tell the differences between _ laughter and real laughter, they still produced the same healthy effects. Surprisingly, it worked! After ten minutes, everybody there was laughing for real and some people just couldn't stop! At the end of the class I was shocked by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you're under stress, then start laughing. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. People feel less stressed when they laugh. B. Adults don't laugh as often as children. C. People who often laugh never fall ill in their lives. D. The first Laughter Club was set up in Asia. Answer: C. People who often laugh never fall ill in their lives.
In New York State, the shortest period of daylight occurs during which month? Answer: "If music is the medicine of the soul , let it play on," said a famous person. I think he said so because probably he got some help from music. Music has some strange abilities. Medical scientists have found that a person that feels stressed can actually listen to some kind of music and become well. The researchers said that since stress comes as a result of life events such as starting a new family, starting a new business, and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches the human mind in a positive way. Music helps you to forget the life events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life. Depression is a disease cause by stress, smoking, social problems and so on. Depression is also caused by problems such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headache, and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or good days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feeling make you healthy. Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is a side effect of some major health problems such as cancer of the liver and cancer of the breast. Good music makes you feel relaxed and removes the pains from these diseases and you feel all right. Good music can send you to sleep. And you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person. According to the passage, one who has cancer will most probably experience _ . Answer: I will never forget the day--- September 10th2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun.When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster's office.When I got into the office, I saw a police officer.Suddenly, I realized something was wrong.The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up.After that, we went to the hospital and waiteD. Time went slowly.Finally, we got to see our mother.It was terrible. On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happeneD. I was taking a test that day.I knew it had something to do with my mother.I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better.How I wished that she had gotten better.When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me.She started crying, "She's gone, Terresa, mommy's gone.She's deaD. " I couldn't believe it.We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital.Most of my family were there.The silence was terrible.I knew I had to say goodbye. Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live.My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart.She was an angel walking on the earth.I will always remember her as a living.When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears.When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother.My mother lives everyday.That is what makes her a true hero. Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick? Answer: Each year, about 10,000 to 100,000 animal species die off. They join the countless species that have gone extinct over the course of Earth's history - and extinction means forever. At least it used to. Scientists are now closing in on the ability to bring back extinct species. No, this doesn't mean the plot of Jurassic Park is going to become a reality. Researchers need DNA to bring back a species. DNA is the chemical that carries the structure for a living thing. Dinosaurs have been gone too long for any of their DNA to remain in fossils. But there's a very real chance that we will be able to bring back more recently extinct species. This could even include Ice Age animals like the woolly mammoth. In 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists re-created the Pyrenean ibex, which had gone extinct three years earlier. The new animal didn't survive long, but scientific advances should improve the success rate. In January, Australian scientists announced that they were on their way to bringing back the gastric brooding frog. That we can bring species back doesn't mean that we should. There may be benefits to reviving a species. But there's no way to know how it will turn out. For example, would a passenger pigeon fit into its old habitat? Or might it crowd out existing species? Environmentalists worry that our ability to bring species back might cut down support for the hard work of traditional conservation. Why worry about preserving a wildlife habitat or fighting poachers if we know we can just make up for our mistakes? But those extinctions are our mistakes to correct, which may give us an obligation to do so. As businessman and environmentalist Stewart Brand recently said, "Humans have made a huge hole in nature. We have the ability now to repair some of that damage." We would do well to remember the lesson of Jurassic Park: Proceed with caution. What makes environmentalists worried according to the passage? Answer: Raising pets is a popular online game among teenagers. "More than 20 of my classmates have adopted pets online." Said Wang Hui from Beijing. If you go to some websites, you can adopt virtual pets like penguins , chickens, dogs and elephants. You can feed, wash, talk to and play with your pet. Dai Yingshuang of Shanghai said, "It's great fun and I have also learned how to take care of others." She usually asks her uncle to take care of her pet while she is at school. If you don't feed and care for the pet, it will become unhappy and unhealthy. So raising an online pet means spending a lot of time online. This makes many parents worried. They fear it will have a bad influence on the children's studies. Wang Zhaotong from Anhui has raised a penguin since last year. She said, "My parents know about the penguin and think it's okay." If the students can keep the _ between studying and playing, it's not bad for them to "raise" pets online. Which of the following is Not Right according to the passage? Answer:
Shopping is not as simple as you may think! Much has to be done for the producers before putting the products on the shelf. Color, for example, changes a lot according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packed in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. When some kind of medicine was brought out recently, researchers found that the color of the package caused the shoppers to lose interest because they made the product look ineffective . At last, it came on the market in dark blue and white--blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm. The size of a package can also attract a shopper, although quite often a bottle doesn't hold as much as it seems to. It is said that the better-known companies spend about 40 percent of the cost of the product itself on packaging! The most successful producers know that it's not enough to have a good product. The head of Pears Soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to sell their goods, came to the conclusion: "Any fool can make soap, but it takes a talent to sell it." Health foods are usually packed in colors Except _ . black When the recent research was analyzed , it was found that a lot of people wanted free pictures or free music from the Web. If it couldn't be free, then they wanted it "new" or at least at a low price. It seems that 70 percent of people aged 16 to 24 download music online but only 1 in 40 tracks are bought legally. Thus, some companies are planning to give all of their music away for free. The music will be totally free except that you will have to pay with your time by watching advertisements. This will be perfect for those who have lots of time but little money. The Web has encouraged a belief that things can be free, or at least very cheap. It seems that everyone is looking for a good deal on the Web. The desire for free objects is part of the nature of the Web because the Web is about self-service and self-service is all about being free, cheap, fast and convenient. It's interesting how words change their meaning. Stealing has now become file sharing, but it's not really stealing, is it? Free is a funny word. We all know that very little is really for free. If we go searching on the Web for free music, we know--or should know--that there are risks involved. However, it doesn't matter. We still want free things, or at least the sense that we're getting a real bargain and that at a minimum we're saving time. What can be the worst experience on the Web? A site that charges us high prices and wastes our time. What is the best title for the text? The Web and the Culture of " Free" The human body is a living machine, and, like all machines, it needs "fuel" to supply it with energy. This is provided by the food we eat. But how much do we need to stay healthy? The energy value of food is usually measured in calories . A calorie is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1degC. The number of calories people need per day is different, as the picture shows. Also, the number of calories you use at any one moment normally depends on the activity you are in. For example, you need more calories for standing than for sitting, more for running than for walking, and so on. The energy in food is in the form of three kinds of chemical materials--carbohydrate , protein and fat. Carbohydrate provides 3.8 Cal /gm of the energy, protein 4.0 Cal/gm, and fat 8.8 Cal/gm. Each food contains different amounts of these materials, as the round pictures show. (P= protein C= carbohydrate F=fat) Who needs the most amount of calories each day? A farmer. Two best friends lived in a small town. They grew up together and did everything together. One boy was named James, and he was a cute, fat kid who was always picked on. And then the other boy was named Alex, and he was handsome and cool. They were opposites, but they didn't care. Alex would always protect James from the bullies because James was weak. One day, James was being teased by the bullies, Gordon and Johnny, but Alex wasn't there to save him. James didn't know what to do and was scared. But then he remembered all of the times Alex stood up for him. James looked up to Alex and he thought of him as his hero. James wanted to protect himself and not have Alex always come to help. So this time, James got up and was brave. He stood up to Gordon and Johnny and told them that he wasn't scared. The bullies didn't know what to do and then gave up. They went away to look for more fun things to do. Alex saw the whole thing and was proud of James for being brave. Now James and Alex protect each other and stand up for each other. They still are the best of friends. What did the bullies do after James stood up to them? The bullies didn't know what to do and gave up. They went away to look for more fun things. This story is about a young man. He worked hard at his lessons. He was too busy. He didn't have time to rest, so he was ill. Every night, when he went to bed, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep . But he couldn't. He thought: "I must go to see the doctor." He said to the doctor. "I can't go to sleep at night." "Try counting numbers. When you reach one thousand, you'll be asleep." The next day the man came back to the doctor's office. "Well," said the doctor, "How are you today?" "Yes, he said," I tried counting one, two, three. . . up to one thousand. But when I reached five hundred and sixty-nine, I began to feel sleepy . I had to get up and drank some tea. Then I went on counting up to one thousand. But I still couldn't fall asleep. The young man _ . counted from 1 to 569 and got up to drink some tea
Stopping teens from smoking is a big challenge many communities face today. Many communities can only watch without being able to act while local businesses continue to sell tobacco products to children, even under the risk of punishment by law. Recent studies show that a large percentage of teens today are getting their cigarettes from stores, mostly gas stations or convenience stores. As teens continue to be able to buy their own cigarettes, more and more communities begin to punish those who sell cigarettes to the teens. One community has experienced success in their attempts to stop the sale of tobacco products to children. Woodridge, Illinois, started a program seven years ago which forbade and strictly punished the sale of tobacco products to children. The entire program includes local licensing of vendors , repeated undercover inspections to see if the sale to children has stopped, and education programs in schools. Woodridge has become a model community as other communities are moving to stop teen tobacco use. A recent national study showed that 36.5% of females, and 40.8% of males buy their cigarettes from stores, whether it is a gas station or a supermarket. Hopefully, as more and more sellers see the trouble they face if caught selling to children, they will stop selling. True, tightening down on stores that sell tobacco to children isn't going to completely stop the problem of teen tobacco use. Teens continue to get them from other sources. But it definitely does prevent their efforts. With more education in schools, and perhaps stronger punishments for teens caught with tobacco, more and more teens will see the problems with the tobacco usage, and will stop the habit. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: Punishment alone cannot solve the problem of teen tobacco use Coal was made from the remains of which ancient ecosystem? Answer: green swamps April Fools' Day, not officially considered a holiday, is most definitely a notable day that is celebrated in many countries on April 1. The thing that is so special about April 1 is that it is the day for playing tricks and practical jokes on others. The aim of these jokes is to bring embarrassment to others. Superstitions have it that the practical jokes are meant to be played before noon, and that those that are performed afterwards will bring bad luck. This limitation is widely losing its value due to the fact that many major hoaxes throughout history appear after noon. Another superstition is that anyone who fails to respond properly to the jokes played on them is also said to be easy to suffer from bad luck. Some people think that being fooled by a pretty girl will be accompanied by marriage, or at least a friendship with her. That sounds like a good deal if she is truly pretty. Some people believe that being married on April Fools' Day is not a good idea for a man, and that forever in the future he will be ruled by his wife. The origin of April Fools' day is not clearly known, but it is generally accepted to have come about as a result of the changes in the calendar system. The New Year celebrations used to begin on 25 March and last for a week, ending on 1 April. In 1582, Charles IX, King of France brought in the new Gregorian calendar, in which the new year began on 1 January. Unfortunately, some people did not hear about the change, and many others simply refused to break the tradition. A man would rather not get married on April probably because _ . Answer: he doesn't want to obey his wife If you want to make friends, what should you do? Steps: Try to look on the bright side of things. Look for groups in your area that do something you are interested in. Maybe you will learn some new skills and meet some people who have many things in common with you. Tips(,): _ your friends at least once a week by telephone or e-mail, or by visiting them to find out how they are. Remember important things about them such as birthdays and weddings . If you have an argument with your friends, say sorry first. Remember never to leave old friends just because you have made some new ones. Listen to others carefully. It's better to be a good listener. Be different. Don't try to change others through your own ideas. Warnings: Never ask or give away a friend's secret. Don't be afraid to stand up for what is right. You'd better not give your ID number, phone number or your home address to people that you have just made friends with. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) Why is it good to look for groups in your area? Answer: Because it's a good chance to meet people who have the same interests. A frog will hibernate by burying itself in mud, freezing, then thawing again in the spring. The only of these that also go through a somewhat similar process in cold times is Answer: grizzlies
One day a red rose blossomed in a forest. A pine tree not far away said, "You're so beautiful! I wish I could be lovely like you. " The rose said, "I am the most beautiful plant in the forest. " Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant. It is full of thorns !"Sometimes, the red rose would look at the cactus and say, "This plant is useless. I'm sorry I am his neighbor. " Summer came and the plants and animals needed water, but no rain fell. One day the rose saw some birds stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away. The red rose asked what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. The pine tree told the red rose, "You can also drink from it. The birds can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help. " The red rose felt _ , but she still asked the cactus for help. The cactus agreed kindly and the birds filled their beaks with water for the rose's roots. Later on, the rose never gave her opinion about anyone by look again. .Which of the following is TRUE according to the story? Answer: There was no rain when summer came. A person in a dark room looking through a window can clearly see a person outside in the daylight. But a person outside cannot see the person inside. Why does this happen? Answer: There is not enough light being reflected off the person in the room. Not long ago, people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. Scientists note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other human beings. One study shows that babies can learn before they are born. The researchers placed a tape recorder on the stomach of a pregnant woman. Then, they played a recording of a short story. On the day the baby was born, the researchers attempted to find if he knew the sounds of the story repeated while in his mother. They did this by placing a device in the mouth of the newborn baby. The baby would hear the story if he moved his mouth one way. If the baby moved his mouth the other way, he would hear a different story. The researchers say the baby clearly liked the story he heard before he was born. They say the baby would move his mouth so he could hear the story again and again. Another study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children. Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their children's activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. Also, the researchers observed the women for signs of depression. The children of depressed women did not do as well in tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly in tests of language skills and understanding what they hear. These children also were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. The researchers noted that the sensitivity of the mothers was important to the intelligence development of their children. Children did better when their mothers were caring, even when they suffered from depression. What is the purpose of the experiment in which newborn babies heard the stories? Answer: To prove that babies can learn before they are born. A metal spoon was left in a pot of boiling soup. The cook burned a finger by touching the spoon. Why did the finger get burned? Answer: The metal spoon conducted heat to the cook's hand. April 22,2010 will be the 18th celebration of the annual Take Our Daugluers to Work Day (TOD), a project the National Ms.Foundation for Women of America (NFW) developed to expose girls to expanding opportunities for women in the workplace. The program offers, millions of girls a first - hand view of the many career opportunities available in their futures.Now that women make up 46 peroent of the U.S.workforce, girls can find role models in every occupational field-from politics to molecular biology to professional athletics, to name just a few.TOD encourages girls to focus on their abilities and opportunities, not just their appearance. The NFW developed the project more than a decade ago to address the self - esteem problems that many girls experience when they enter adolescence.At school, boys often receive more encouragement in the classroom, especially in math.science and computer science, the academic fields that tend to lead to the highest salaries.Women receive on average only 73 cents for every dollar that men are paid.and remain vastly underrepresented in top executive positions and technology fields.TOD aims to give girls the confidence and inspiration they need to develop successful careers, particularly in non-traditional fields. Perhaps because the program had become so widespread and successful, TOD had been criticized for excluding boys.and it was expanded in 2003to include boys.The program's official website states that the program was changed in order to provide both boys and girls with opportunities to explore careers at an age when they are more flexible in tenns of gender stereotyped roles."We should also show boys that becoming a child care provider is as acceptable a choice as becoming a police officer or CEO," added Sara K.Gould.executive director of the NFW. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Boys are now included on Take Our Daughters to Work Day.
Situated in the Northeast region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. The concentrated zone of stone islands is famous for its spectacular scenery of caves, and forms the central zone of Halong Bay. Seen from above, Halong Bay looks like a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a wonderful world. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon winding above the blue water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which are all astonishingly like their names. It has been proven by scientists that Halong Bay was one of the first places of human existence. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of coral reefs, and tropical forests, which are home to thousands of species of animals and rare plants. The beach located along the coast of Halong Bay has a year-round average temperature of 20degC. Among the palm trees are large hotels. Visitors are seen on white sand and under the green trees are small family-run restaurants. After swimming, tourists can enjoy cold drinks. No wonder the 18h meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance. What forms the central zone of Halong Bay? A 1,969 islands of various sizes. B The concentrated zone of stone islands. C 989 islands that have been given names. D Man's Head Island. Answer: B. The concentrated zone of stone islands. A plant makes its own food in its leaves .Water comes to the leaves through the roots . Air gets into the leaves through very small holes . The green coloring in the leaves uses the water and air to make the food for the plant . It also needs sunshine because a plant can make food only when the sun is shining. Animals and people could not live without green plants . They both eat plants .People and some animals also eat the meat of some animals and these animals eat plants. People would die without _ A animals B meat C plants D leaves Answer: C. plants Before the early 1960's people interested in the differing roles of the left and right hemispheres of the brain depended almost entirely on facts drawn from animal research, form studies of patients with one-sided brain damage. But it was possible to find out which brain hemisphere was most involved in speech and other functions in normal people by having them listen to two different words coming to the two ears at the same time. This became known as the "dichotic listening" procedure. When several word pairs are given in a row, people are unable to report them all, and most right-handers prefer to report, and report more correctly, words given to their right ears. This seems to be related to the fact that signals from the right ear, although sent to both hemispheres, are better sent to the left hemisphere which controls speech. People who have speech represented in the right hemisphere, a very unusual occurrence even in left-handed people, more correctly report what their left ears hear. In contrast to the right-ear advantage for speech, there is generally a left-ear advantage for another type of auditory signal: music. When right-handed people listen to melodic patterns they report them better from the left ear. according to the passage, music is best appreciated when heard by _ . A the left ear of right-handers B people with a left-ear advantage C left-handers in their right ears D right-handed people who understand melodic patterns Answer: A. the left ear of right-handers Although in the 17th century in the United States fine art and folk art had similar qualities, a difference between them began to appear as time went on in the 18th and 19th centuries artists with ambition studied abroad and came back to paint portraits of upper-class families in American society. The less ambitious or less fortunate artists traveled around their own areas and created pictures of countryside society. Anyway, artists got trained and those simple creations improved a lot. Around 1930,folk art began to take on a new meaning and was considered as an expression of a small cultural class. Folk art is never the product of art movements, but comes out of craft traditions. This art is based not on measurements or calculations and rarely goes with the standards of realism. It goes straight to the bases of art which the folk artists feel naturally. The period 1930~ 1960 was the time when folk artists began to receive recognition. They often began their art careers late in life and used art as an outlet for their energy. Their materials were cheap and simple, their subjects were different, but their creativity flowed. Doing their own things became the norm , and was what made folk art so desirable. Although it is hard to define folk art, one thing is certain --- it touches us in a special way because the artists show us how he or she brought beauty into their everyday life. Since folk artists come from all walks of life, each piece of art created is one of a kind, emphasizing color, simplicity of line and brave, simple form. Most importantly, it exemplifies(...) the history of American life. What similar qualities did folk art and fine art probably have in the 17th century? A They were both simple creations. B The artists of both focused on family life. C The artists of both came from the lower class. D They were both gifted creations by trained artists. Answer: A. They were both simple creations. A primary school bus driver stopped the bus in a gas station in Ohio because he had to use the bathroom. Instead of turning off the engine and taking the key with him, the driver left the bus running. And he forgot to set the brake because he was in a hurry. "It was cold outside, and I didn't want the kids to get cold while I was using the bathroom," he told a police officer. The bus slowly started moving away from the gas station. As the bus picked up speed, the kids began shouting and crying. Ten-year-old Jake ran forward to the driver's seat and held the steering wheel . He pressed hard on the brake pedal and managed to stop the bus as it came nearer to a river bed. Jake turned off the engine at last. After the police arrived at the scene, they praised Jake for his great effort. "That is one cool kid," said the police officer. "I told him he would make a great police officer when he grew up." Jake wasn't impressed with what he had done. "Stopping the bus," he said, "was easy compared to playing Grand Theft Auto III," his favorite action video game. The bus driver was taken to the police station. He was at first charged with "leaving a child alone while motor is running." The lawyer said he hoped to _ the charge because of the number of children (twenty) on the bus. "Whatever he is charged with," the police officer said, "I will see that he never drives a bus again." What will most probably happen to the bus driver? He will _ . A not be charged B face the most serious charge C not be allowed to drive a bus again D only be charged with "leaving a child alone while motor is running" Answer: C. not be allowed to drive a bus again
Writer Jean Stafford scoffed, "Happy people don't need to have fun," but studies show that the absence of feeling bad isn't enough to make you feel good;you must try hard to find sources of feeling good. Research shows that regularly having fun is a key factor in having a happy life;people who have fun are 20 times more likely to feel happy. Recently, I noticed a pattern among activities that people find fun: _ . There's something about having a playful purpose,of trying to achieve something that makes an activity more fun. For example a friend told that she loved visiting flea markets and antique stores to look for old globes-not fancy ones,but cheap ones. She has a rule that she'll never pay more than$20. She's the kind of person who loves wandering around in those kinds of shops in any case,but having a mission makes it more fun, less aimless. For that matter,having a collection of any sort is a very popular way to have a mission. You get satisfaction whenever you find another piece of blue sea glass on the beach or another out-of-print book by Charlotte Yonge in an old bookstore. Taking photos is a common way to incorporate a mission into traveling. Not only does this help keep memories vivid, it also makes you more attuned to your environment while traveling. For example,during my most recent visit to New Haven,I had a lot more fun wandering around once I set myself the mission of taking tourist photos of my own romance. Why is this true? The First Splendid Truth holds that to be happier,you have to think about feeling good and feeling right,in an atmosphere of growth. The more I've thought about happiness,the more surprised I've been at the importance of the "atmosphere of growth." I think this is a huge engine of happiness, and when you have a mission, you create an atmosphere of growth whenever you pursue that mission. Have you found a way to have a mission? What is it and does it boost your happiness? . What will be probably the best title? A How to live happily B Where to look for fun C The importance of feeling good D Having a mission can make you happier Answer: D When I was eight years old, I had a big accident. I get scared even now when I think about that time. There were many people skating near my house, and seeing them skate so wonderfully, I couldn't wait to have a try, just a piece of cake, I thought . I went with a friend who was very skillful. He spent a long time teaching me how to skate , but I still didn't learn much , which made him very angry. Finally , he left me and skated all around. I skated alone and soon got bored because I kept falling down so I took off my skates and just walked around on the ice in my shoes. It was cold and my feet were frozen. Suddenly, I stepped on something that was not hard. What was it ? It was a weak place in the ice . When I stepped there, I sank under the ice. I thought that I was going to die, but I did my best to grab something to get out from under the ice. I would have climbed out myself by grabbing the edge of the ice, but at that time I was only a child of eight . I cried out. Fortunately, someone helped me. He grabbed my arms and pulled me up. Those several minutes seemed a year to me. I thanked him. At that time, my friend came back. I was annoyed at him because he was supposed to take care of me, but he didn't. He was embarrassed. When I took a taxi home, the taxi driver was surprised and asked what had happened. I didn't want to say anything because I was tired and scared. Since then, I have never touched skating. Why did the writer's friend leave and skate alone? _ A He wanted to show off his skating skill before the writer. B He was disappointed at the writer's performance. C He was too tired to go on teaching the writer. D He found he had no gift for teaching others to skate. Answer: B The American Community Survey(ACS) is an outgoing survey designed to provide communities a fresh look on how they are changing, which provides data every year-- giving communities the current information they need to plan investments and service. The ACS collects information such as age, race, income, home value, and other important data. Information about individuals will remain confidential because participating in the American Community Survey is safe. Your address was selected as a part of a sample and represents thousands of other households like yours. We randomly select about 3 million addresses each year to participate in the survey. Your answers are important. As part of a sample, you represent many people. Find out how each question helps your community, your state, and the federal government in questions in the form and why we ask. The information that the Census Bureau collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services. Your answer help state and local leaders make decisions about programs and investments such as new highway, schools, hospitals, job training, community centers and emergency services. Do you have questions about the American Community Survey? Have you lost the form? Would you rather complete the form over the phone? Respond by mail: Fill out the form and mail it back in the postage-paid return envelope. If you have trouble answering a question, call us and we will help you. Respond by phone: Call 1-800-354-7271 to answer the American Community Survey over the phone, or for other help. If we don't hear from you by mail or phone, a Census Bureau field representative may visit you in person to help you complete the American Community Survey. According to the passage, the purpose of ACS is to _ . A help people to answer the questions provided by them. B know more about conditions of people and make decisions C guide people to find a job when they are out of work. D tell people how to spend their money and live on their own. Answer: B On Sunday, August 24th, comic book lovers across the world held their breath to watch how much crazy collectors would pay for a rare Superman comic book. Though bids above the initial asking price of 1 million dollars had been coming in gradually since the copy was placed on the auction site eBay on July 14th, things really started to heat up during the final minutes when the price jumped from $2.5 to $2.6 and then $2.7 million, before shooting up to unbelievable 3,207,852 dollars! This of course was no ordinary Superman comic book, but an edition of the extremely sought-after No. 1 of Action Comics series -- the first publication of the superhero that was born from the creative minds of teenagers Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Though Action Comics No. 1, which depicted a diaper-clad baby Superman lifting furniture, had a print run of 200,000 copies, only about 100 are known to exist today. While the rarity is certainly a reason for the high price, Stephen Fisher, CEO of ComicConnect.com, thinks it also has a lot to do with the fact that Superman was the world's first superhero! Even so, none of the copies have been able to fetch as much as the most recent one, simply because they have not been as well-preserved. Graded a rare 9 out of 10 by CGC, a third party grading service for comic books, the book is the highest rated copy of Action Comics No. 1 so far. According to CGC officials, the 76-year-old comic book looks and feels as though it has just come off the newsstand . That is not surprising given that the original owner, a Virginian man who bought the book for only 10 cents in 1938, had carefully tucked it away in a wooden box for four decades. Fortunately, when he passed away, the book was bought by a string of collectors who all realized it was a rare treasure that needed to be looked after. Before this, the highest price paid for an Action Comics No. 1 had been $2 million for a copy sold by Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage in 2011. Ironically, the two teenagers responsible for creating Superman received just 130 dollars when they sold the rights to the superhero to comic book publisher Detective Comics in 1938. the Superman comic book was placed on eBay on July 14th, _ A it attracted no attention at all B things started to heat up immediately C the bid price didn't go up very quickly at first D people thought it was worth millions of dollars Answer: C A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher stressed the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience. One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders, he said, "You don't say!" "You don't say!" I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not a proper topic. "Well, I'd better change the topic." So I said to him, "Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?" "Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was wonderful." He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. "The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it". Soon I was interrupted again by his words:"You don't say!" I couldn't help asking, "Why do you ask me not to talk about it?" "Well, I didn't request you to do so," he answered, greatly surprised. I said, "Didn't you say 'you don't say'?" Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, "'You don't say' actually means 'really?' It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English idioms." Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Always remember: what the English teachers say is always right to us students. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall. B The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it. C The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide. D The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting. Answer: D
US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey surprised 300 members of her audience by saying she would send them on a trip to Australia in December.Winfrey will also film an episode of her show at the Sydney "Oprah" House. The Australian government said it was spending AUS$ 3 million to help bring The Oprah Winfrey Show to the country. Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson insisted it was money well spent as it would put Australia in the spotlight,with the popular TV show watched by 40 million Americans and screened in 145 countries."Oprah is a famous name and she has the power to improve Australia's image as an important tourist country," he said in a statement. Winfrey made the announcement on Monday.After telling the audience that she might take them on a trip to New York,Philadelphia or Los Angeles,she said her last season would provide something "bigger". "I started to think about where I would most want to go.Maybe I should take all of you with me to the other side of the world.We're going to Australia!"she said. Several episodes will be filmed during the trip,which had been planned for almost a year and will take in beaches,Sydney Harbour and so on.It marks the first time that the show will be filmed with its US audience outside North America.The Australian trip follows a similar act in 2004 when Winfrey gave a car to each member of her audience. Winfrey is to start her own television channel ,the Oprah Winfrey Network,in 2011,at the age of her 57. Which word can best describe Martin Ferguson's attitude towards Oprah Winfrey's Australian trip? Answer: Confident. Colleges may try to do a lot to prepare students for study abroad -- telling about culture shock, warning about homesickness, and recommending books about the country. But when it comes to adjusting to campus life when they return, schools haven't done as much, even though the transition is sometimes almost as difficult. "They can feel disoriented and depressed. They find things are not exactly the way they were when they left," said Antonio Jimenez, director of the Center for International Affairs at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, US. "They find that people don't care much about their experiences." Some colleges are now rethinking their approach to studying abroad, recognizing that students might need almost as much help adjusting to life back home as they did getting ready to leave: students experience a sort of reverse culture shock when they return to the US. They might be troubled by the wealth and waste they see back home or they might feel homesick for their new country and its customs. And when they try to talk about their experiences, people quickly lose interest, especially if they haven't lived abroad themselves. Down the road, they also might find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience that an employer finds attractive. Some California universities have organized conferences to help students make the most of their time abroad. During a one-day event, students learn how to adjust after living abroad, talk about their experiences and incorporate (,) them into their lives and future careers. Blythe Cheney, 22, a senior who has studied in Thailand and Britain, found the workshops helpful. "Any experience abroad does have an effect on you," Cheney said. "When you come back, it's important to talk about it, especially with people who know what you've been through." Yet most universities focus more on preparation than reorientation . What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Returning from studying overseas, students face more trouble than they expected. A Bite of China Are you an eating-lover? Do you want to eat every delicious food in the world? Then do you watch the popular program A Bite of China? It's a TV program on Chinese delicious food which has been produced by CCTV. Is there any holiday that isn't celebrated with special festival food? Here are several traditional Chinese foods: Noodles are a symbol of long life in Chinese culture. They are as much a part of Chinese birthday celebration as a birthday cake with its candles lit in many western countries. Since noodles mean long life, it is considered very unlucky to cut it off. Although westerners sometimes may be very sorry to see fish lying on the plate, in China a whole fish is a symbol of richness. In fact, at a party it is a tradition to serve the whole fish last, pointed towards the most valued guest. Fish also has a special meaning because the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for richness or plenty, and it is believed that eating fish will help your wishes come true in the year to come. A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat Festival is Zongzi. This tasty dish is made of rice dumplings with meat, peanuts or other delicious food in bamboo leaves. The tradition of Zongzi is meant to remind us of a great man, Qu Yuan in Chinese history. A Bite of China is _ . Answer: a TV program 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." In the first experiment, the subjects _ . Answer: were not told that they would be stared at It was three o'clock. A man was walking down a high street in the north of England. He was wearing a dark suit and carrying a suitcase. His name was Terry and he and he had lived away from home for twenty years. In fact he was in prison , Terry was feeling totally depressed because everything in his hometown had changed. The park where he used to play was now a car park. The house where he was born had dis appeared and in its place, ironically , was a bank. Terry wanted to have a cup of coffee in the old small restaurant where he used to go with his friend after school, but it had become a fast food restaurant. He entered it, sat down, and asked for a cup of coffee. Then he felt sadder when he thought of what he had seen. While paying for the coffee he found an old ticket in his wallet. It was for a pair of shoes he had taken to be repaired the day before the bank robbery 20 years ago. The shoe repairer was an old man then, so Terry was sure that he must be dead. But when he turned the cor ner of the steet, he couldn't believe his eyes. The shop was still there! And it was the same shoe repairer! He looked about a hundred years old. Terry was so happy! Terry told him that he had lived in Australia for the past twenty years and that he forgot to pick up the shoes before he left England. The shoe repairer disappeared into the back of the shop. After ten minutes he came back. "Were they dark brown, Italian shoes, size 42?"he asked slowly. "Yes!nsaid Terry, excitedly. "I haven't repaired them,"the shoe repairer said slowly. "You can take them tomorrow afternoon. " How long had Terry been away from home? Answer: Twenty years.
A new study shows one of the largest glaciers in Greenland is becoming smaller and speeding to the sea faster than scientists expected. If it continues, Greenland itself could become much smaller during this century and global seas could rise as much as 3 feet. The rates of change that we're noticing are much higher than expected. If these rates continue, it is not likely that Greenland could shrink by several tens of percent this century. However, it's not known how quickly this coastal response of the Greenland ice sheet melting will have an effect on the vast inland ice. Greenland is the world's largest island, covering area more than three times the size of Texas. Some 81 percent of it is covered by ice, and there are many glaciers. Glaciers are like slow-moving rivers of ice. Where a glacier meets the sea, its weight keeps it firmly resting on the bottom. A glacier's front is the point where the water is deep enough that the glacier floats. Since the 1970s, the front of Helheim stayed in the same place. Then it began melting rapidly, moving back 4.5 miles from 2001 through this past summer. It has also grown thinner, from top to bottom, by more than 130 feet since 2001. And over these past years, its trip to the sea has sped up from about 70 feet per day to nearly 110. The melting is driven by a warmer climate. Temperatures in Greenland have risen more than five degrees Fahrenheit in the last ten years. Since most of Greenland's ice is on land, seas will rise as the ice melts. If all Greenland's ice sheet melted, oceans would be 15-20 feet higher. Nobody expects that to happen any time soon. What can we know about the glaciers according to the passage? Answer: Glaciers sometimes float on the water. Walter Wetzel had met Ryan Lamantia nearly eight years ago in a hospital waiting room. Both were very sick----Ryan with brain cancer, Walter with leukemia . Ryan, who was 3 at the time, began making silly faces at Walter and chatted about going home to change into his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume. Several days later, Ryan moved to another hospital. Though they saw each other only a handful of times after that, Walter never forgot Ryan. "He inspired me to fight against my cancer," said Walter, now 17, a football player. Then one day, Walter saw a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt at a mall, which made him decide to search out Ryan. Back home, Walter typed in "Ryan Lake in the Hills brain cancer" on his computer, and a link to a Facebook page for Ryan came up. But, the news was shocking. Ryan had died on Sept. 8, 2005. He was 6. The Facebook page was for the Ryan Lamantia Foundation, a non-profit organization that Ryan's family formed after his death to raise money for brain cancer research. Walter left this message right away: ."Ryan is my hero. My trips to the hospital were always horrible, until the day I met Ryan." Ryan's mom's eyes were filled with tears as she read Waiter's message. "We always knew Ryan was special, but to hear it from somebody else, it really means the world to us," Lamantia said. Walter wasn't the only person who was greatly impressed with Ryan. "He was a little superhero," said Wendy Stellpflug, a nurse at Children' s Memorial Hospital. "Ryan always kept his spirits high, even after he suffered hearing loss and experienced 14 operations." "Ryan didn' t let his illness stop him. He always had a smile on his face," said Dr. Stewart Goldman, the doctor who treated Ryan. Walter and his family have been in touch with the Lamantias for the past few weeks. And last week, they met for the first time since Ryan's death. The families told stories of being affected by cancer so young and Walter expressed his hope to volunteer with Ryan' s foundation. We know from the text that Walter _ . Answer: survived the cancer I wish there would be a way to describe China in simple terms but that's impossible. For the most part Chinese people are friendly, easy-going and optimistic. They are curious and unusually patient and they are also the hardest-working people I have ever met. In China, family is everything. In my English classes when the students were asked what they would do if they only had a few hours to live, most students told me how they would spend their last few hours with their families and parents. Many times the subjects in the classes center on families and friends. I teach many students a year, talking to them freely. The cost of living here is very low compared with that of the US. The city of Xiang Fan I live in isn't large and I live better. Non-imported foods are very cheap, so are clothing and articles of everyday use. The cost of public transportation is very low, too. Chinese value education. However, it is reported that many children can't afford the expenses of schooling and are forced to leave school in some poor area in China. But they organized Project Hope many years age. It creates conditions for the poor children to go back to school. In my opinion, Project Hope is of great importance to the development of the rural education. When we read news of China in the west, rarely, if ever, will we see anything mentioned of the positive changes China has gone through. While it is true that economic miracles have not reached many areas of China, but we also have the same problems. When I am asked which country I consider better. China or the US, my answer has always been the same, "We are not worse or better than each other, we are only different." In the author's eyes, _ . Answer: China is different from the US American teenager Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his sophomore year at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin class, he quickly changed his mind. "I thought it (Mandarin) would be more beneficial than Latin," said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language. He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read Face book posts from his Chinese-speaking friends. While it'a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be a valuable thing in his career. "Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power," he said. Many experts agree that proficiency in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy. "People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing,'' said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. ''We're seeing it in all parts of the country." The number of students studying Mandarin in public schools nationwide in grades 7 through 12 grew from 20,000 in 2004-2005 to 60,000 three years later, according to the council's most recent survey. Abbott estimates that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin, in public and private schools, throughout the nation. She said the US government has considered Mandarin to be an "important needs" language and provides professional development programs for teachers. "Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness," Abbott said. At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes established in many states. The Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas, founded in 2007, opens Confucius Classrooms at 11 local public and private schools where more than 700 students are learning Mandarin. Why does Mandarin become so popular in America? Answer: Because Mandarin is very helpful in the global economy. Poetry is an interesting form of writing. It is very free, has few _ and can be a great way to express feelings. Writing a poem is all about observing the world within you or around you. To write a poem, first you should begin with an idea or inspiration. Inspiration may come at any time unexpectedly. It may be a specific person, place or thing that causes some sort of strong emotion. It may be more of an abstract idea or release of emotion. After getting the idea, you can write down everything that comes to mind. Don't think much and let all feelings pour out. Remember everything can be thrown out later. Then, you can think about its form and begin to organize thoughts. Poetry comes in many forms, from epic poetry that has a story to dramatic poetry intended to be performed. Try them all out. One will come naturally. Maybe different poems fit different forms. When you write a poem, think about bothmeter and rhythm carefully, which are equally important in poetry. Meter is the fixed pattern of the poem, while rhythm refers to the sound when it is spoken. It is also important to use a lot of descriptive words. Createimagery with words, trying to make them attractive to all the senses. Forauditory interest, try repeating of similar sounds in a sentence or phrase. All of this adds life and interest to a poem. After you finish your work, don't be afraid to share your work with others. When others point out your weakness, accept and grow from it. What's the purpose of the text? _ Answer: To tell readers how to write a poem.
Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. "Houses" have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now. Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions. A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented and have trade mark licenses . The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing the dirt drain at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed. These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner. It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to _ . prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured Most of us use the telephone several times a day to talk with friends or make social arrangements . These calls are usually quite easy and require little planning. Using the telephone for business purpose is different. In any organization the person on the telephone represents the company and gives an impression of the firm to the outside world. If you want to ensure good public relations, you need to master effective telephone techniques. You should try to give an impression of an efficient, friendly, progressive company eager to give good service. Before calling Choose the right time. Consider the cost, urgency and convenience. When calling overseas, you need to consider the time difference. Check the number. A great deal of money is wasted each year on dialing wrong numbers. Plan your call. Make a list of points and questions to be raised. Be prepared. Gather any files, papers or information that may be needed during the call. It is unprofessional to have to say "Hold on while I look for that." If you have to ask a caller to hold on, keep going back and assuring him/her that you will be as quick as possible. Avoid interruptions. Call at a time when you are unlikely to be distracted . During the call Be courteous, polite. Make time for suitable greetings like "How are you today, Jim?" and "Did you enjoy your holiday"? Put a smile in your voice. Remember, your caller can not see you, so use intonation to good effect and try to sound confident, decisive, helpful, and interested. Check your notes. Look back at your notes to ensure that you have covered everything and quote figures and other data correctly. Get feedback. Make sure the caller understands the message correctly, especially deadlines and actions that are involved. Be courteous. Finish by thanking the caller for his or her time and trouble. After the call Make notes. Let it become a habit to make notes of the call and place them in an appropriate file. Take actions. If you need to send a letter of confirmation or inform someone in your organization about any details of the call, do it immediately so that you do not forget important points. Before calling, you have to _ . get things ready for the communication Rules in the reading room Hello, everyone. Welcome to the school reading room. We hope you have a good time here. Before you go into the reading room, there are some rules you need to keep. 1.The reading room is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. 2. Don't take your bag into the reading room. 3. Don't talk loudly in the reading room. 4. Don't take any food or drink into the reading room. 5. Take only one book at a time. After you finish reading the book, you must put it back and then you can take another one. Don't take many books to your seat. 6. Before you leave, you must the book to the bookshelf. You can't take any book out of the reading room. What can you take into the reading room? The student card. You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists .But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead! Of course he isn't really dead. With any luck he isn't even hurt. Why ? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars of even catching fire, are professionals .They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen. That is to say, they perform tricks . There are two sides to their work. They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress . Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar! But although their work depend on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman's success depends on careful timing .For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion just at the right moment. Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff a thousand feet high. His parachute failed to open, and he was killed. In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action. For nowadays there are stuntgirls too! What can be inferred from the author's example of the Norwegian stuntman? Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman. On June 26, 2000, two scientists, called Francis Collins and Craig Venter, told the world that they could read the whole "map" of the human body: DNA. DNA is something that everybody has, and it tells the body what to do. DNA is the reason that we look like our mother and father, because we get some of their DNA to make our own. People have been trying to understand the human body for a long time. In 1860, Gregor Mendel discovered a special reason why we look the same as other people in our family. It is because of small things named "genes" in our body. In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick made another discovery and found out that those small parts are real messages written in the DNA with a special language. In 1961, Marshall Nirenberg and Johann Matthaci found a message in DNA showing how DNA tells the cell to build its parts. Scientists have now found all the words in the DNA map, but we still do not understand what they all do. By understanding what just one "word" means, we can help save more people from several illnesses. Most people hope that this will help make better medicine and help sick people. Other people worry that when people begin to know more words and find out lots of other information, we might use it in a wrong way, just to make people more attractive, or stop sick people from getting jobs. Man would have to meet a lot of trouble if DNA technic wasn't limited in use. When did we first know why we look like other people m our family? In 1860
One day a big cat was going into a forest to find something to eat. On his way he met his friend, the old owl . The owl greeted him, "Good morning, my dear friend. Where are you going?" "I'm going to the forest to look for some birds to eat." The cat answered. "But be careful not to catch any of my children." The owl said to the cat. "OK," the cat said. "But what do your children look like?" "Oh," the owl said, "they are the most beautiful birds in the forest." "All right, I know that." The cat said and walked on to the forest. The cat entered the forest and saw many beautiful birds here and there. He remembered what the owl had told him and went away. Then after a long time, he saw some ugly birds in a nest. He sat down and ate them one by one. When the owl came back to her nest, she found it was empty. When the cat saw the beautiful birds, he _ . A didn't eat any of them B ate only a few of them C caught some but let them go D ate all of them Answer: A In just two months, the latest buzzword from the Internet, diaosi, has spread so much that it can be found everywhere--from online forums to micro blogs. Many people even call themselves diaosi. It's not the first time a term has gone popular on the Internet in China. However, why is the word so viral that is has become a cultural phenomenon? Here, we tell you something you want to know about it. Where it began The word originated in Baidu. Com's Tieba (a top Chinese bulletin board system) of soccer player Li Yi. There, fans of Li, who are called yisi in Chinese, not only talk about soccer but complain about their lives, work and relationships. Yisi, who are known for their rude and dirty language, were given the name diaosi by others who have seen their posts. What a "diaosi" is like The word diaosi was coined first by single, young men who feel they have dead-end lives. Generally, men in this category don't earn enough, are not good-looking, and have difficulty winning promotion . Unlike their upper-class contemporaries , they lack influential families, useful social networks for their careers, and most importantly, suitable women to marry. "I'm just a diaosi, poor and plain-looking. Who will marry me?" The sigh can be heard, which is half self-mockery , half reality. Many young men call themselves diaosi because they feel they are among the lowest classes of the society. "Diaosi" culture reflects social changes According to Zhu Chongke, a professor in the School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, the popularity of this word diaosi stems from the fact that is was created by common people and thus resonates with a huge population. "Labeling yourself a diaosi offers a way for people to mock themselves and relieve pressure, hence it spread quickly," he told Xinhua Agency. "The attitude is basically: 'I already have little to lose, so why don't I mock myself for gun?'." The phenomenon reflects a larger social issues. These young people have no influential family background, no chances of receiving promotion at work or no economic strength to find a proper woman to marry. It reflects a deep sense of loss. The author's attitude to diaosi is _ . A positive B negative C neutral D indifferent Answer: C Lee Humberg, district manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is the man in charge of figuring out how to remove the flocks of 15,000 to 20,000 Canada geese that could strike planes flying in and out of the New York area. The Port Authority, the agency that manages airport in New York and New Jersey, estimates that there have been as many as 315 bird strikes annually in the past 30 years. Bird strikes have been a hot topic since a US Airways jet suffered a "double strike" and made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in January 2009. All 155 passengers were rescued safely and the flight was called "Miracle on the Hudson". The plane finally ended up at the Carolinas Aviation Museum. The next major bird strike may not have such a happy ending. To thin the flocks, Humberg and his team have tracked down goose nests and killed eggs with corn oil. They've also terrified the birds with dogs, remote-controlled boats and kites that look like eagles. But the only method that effectively decreases the goose population is the one that angers animal lovers the most: gassing hundreds at a time. "If all you are doing is goose harassment every day, it's very frustrating, because you are just playing Ping-Pong with the birds," Humberg told New York magazine. "It's basically an arms race to come up with the tools to deal with them." Now New York City plans to send the geese captured to Pennsylvania to be cooked and distributed at food banks as meals for the poor. That might just be a fate better than flying into a 747 engine. Why was the flight called "Miracle on the Hudson"? A It suffered a "double strike". B It arrived at a plane museum. C It only caused a few deaths. D It succeeded in landing on a river. Answer: D Below is an introduction to Top 5 Teen Magazines from the US and the UK. J-14 Marked to preteen and teenage girls ages 11-19, J-14 --a shortened name of "Just For Teens" --is packed with features like teen gossip, quizzes, fashion advice, posters, and celebrity interviews in every issue. Some of the magazine's most popular features include: "Hot Topic", "Life's Big Questions" and "Real Life". Throughout the year, J-14 publishes several editions, such as "Summer Entertainment Guide", "Back-to-School Special" and the annual "Best of Year Special and J-13 Teen Icon Awards" issue. Teens who have a passion for pop culture would love a subscription to J-14 magazine! Twist Twist covers the latest fashion and stytles with lots of photos and easy-to-follow how-tos, giving teens both instruction and inspiration to experiment with what works for them. Body image and relationships are popular topics of interest to teens, and the magazine offers tips on building strong self-esteem. Additional content in every monthly issue inculdes reader polls, teen celebrity gossip, news and interviews. During the yaer, Twist publishes several special editions about seasonal fashion and major teen events, like prom and back-to-school. The magazine publishes a "Best of Year" issue every December. Teens who love fashion and celebrity news would love a subscription to Twist magazine! Discovery Girls First published in 2000, the magazine often addresses the topics of school, sports, and friendship. Content in the magazine is created by girls, which gives it the authentic opinions of its target audience. Each bimonthly issus features quizzes, fashion advice, and games in addition to some regular sections that appear in each magazine. Mant of the following sections that appear in every issue also feature content submitted by readers: "The Worst Day", "Embarrassing Moments", "The Great Debate" and "Mailbag". Young girls and teens would find a friendly, identifiable voice in each issue of Discovery Girls, and parents would approve of giving a gift subscription to this award-winning magazine! Boy's Life First published in 1911, Boy's Life is written for young males ages 6 to 18 and is distributed in two editions. One edition is printed for the youngest members 6-to-10-year-old Tiger Cubs and first-year Webelos Scouts. The other is for ages 11-18 and is aimed at second-year Webelos Scouts through 18-year-old Boy Scouts. A central focus of Boy's Life is encouraging physical activity among boys, like camping, hiking, swimming, and kayaking. Each month, the magazine features articles on history, the outdoors, science, and much more. Fitness, technology, and video game and biik reviews are other common topics Boy's Life often addresses. A subscription to Boy's Life magazine would make a great gift for active young boys! Seventeen Seventeen magazine celebrates teens where they are in life while also providing age-appropriate advice to the complex issues young women face every day. The magazine organizes its content into five sections, such as "Your Body", a range of fitness motivation and encouragement about positive body image, "Love & Guys", advice columns and tips on understanding relationships with the opposite sex, and "Your Awesome Life", personal development tips about hot topics like building confidence and selecting a college, plus inspirational stories about teens. Special editions include the "Back-to-school Issue" in August and "The Freebie Issue" in May. Teens who want to look good, feel great, and be their best would enjoy a subscription to Seventeen magazine! According to the passage, what content do J-14, Twist and Discovery Girls share? A Teen gossip. B Advice on fashion. C Sports and friendship. D Self-respect building. Answer: B The National AIDS Prevention and Control Act is a new comprehensive federal statute that was enacted to deal with the public health crisis caused by the AIDS virus. Congress and the President were concerned that inconsistent lower court rulings with respect to the constitutionality, interpretation, and application of the statute might adversely affect or delay its enforcement and, thereby, jeopardize the public health. As a result, they included a provision in the statute providing that all legal challenges concerning those matters were to be initiated only by filing suit directly in the United States Supreme Court. The provision authorizing direct review of the constitutionality, interpretation, or application of this statute only in the United States Supreme Court is A constitutional, because it is authorized by the Article I power of Congress to enact all laws that are "necessary and proper" to implement the general welfare. B constitutional, because Article III provides that the jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court is subject to such exceptions and such regulations as Congress shall make. C unconstitutional, because it denies persons who wish to challenge this statute the equal protection of the laws by requiring them to file suit in a court different from that in which persons who wish to challenge other statutes may file suit. D unconstitutional, because it is inconsistent with the specification in Article III of the original jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court. Answer: D
Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no," criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum. Humor is often the best way to keep a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. Recently a neighbor of mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. Airborne, he felt miserable, and he knew she did, too. Two hours after she returned home, she received a long-distance phone call. "Person-to-person for Mrs. I. A. Pologize," intoned the operator. "That's spelled 'P' as in..." In a twinkling, the whole day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire. An English hostess with a quick wit was giving a formal dinner for eight distinguished guests whom she hoped to enlist in a major charity drive. Austerity was a fashion in England at the time, and she had asked her children to serve the meal. She knew that anything could happen--and it did, just as her son, with the studied concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large roast turkey. He successfully elbowed the swinging dining-room door, but the backswing threw the bird onto the dining-room floor. The boy stood rooted: guests stared at their plates. Moving only her head the hostess smiled at her son," No harm, Daniel," she said. "Just pick him up and take him back to the kitchen"... she enunciated clearly so he would think about what she was saying... "and bring in the other one." A wink and a one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a conspiracy of fun. By saying "and bring in the other one," the hostess meant that _ . Answer: the son could serve the same turkey after it was cleaned In many British schools, the pupils usually wear their school uniforms to school on weekdays.However, recently the students at LVS Ascot Junior School in England wore something quite different.What they wore was what people wear when they go to bed--pyjamas .They did this not only for fun, but for a local charity called Christopher's Smile. Christopher's Smile was set up in 2008 by Karen & Kevin Capel whose only son Christopher died of cancer at a young age.They hope their charity will help pay for more research into children's cancers.Since then, the charity has raised a lot of money and gotten more and more volunteers.Every year, thousands of people take part in different activities such as charity walk or run to show their support for Christopher's Smile. The students of Grade 6 at LVS Ascot Junior School also wanted to do something for the sick children.They organized the event "Pyjamas Day" to support Christopher's Smile."We wanted to raise money for our charity in a way that the whole school could join in it, so each pupil paid PS1 to wear his or her pyjamas to school on Pyjamas Day," said the young organizers.Both the students and their teachers took part in the event with great interest.Together they not only raised some money, but also had a good time. The best title for the passage may be _ . Answer: The Pyjamas Day The term, culture shock, describes the anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment. This term expresses the lack of direction, the feeling of not knowing what to do, and not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate. The feeling of culture shock generally sets in after the first few weeks of coming to a new place. We can describe culture shock as the physical and emotional discomfort one suffers when coming to live in another country or place. Often, the way that we lived before is not accepted as or considered as normal in the new place. Everything is different, for example, not speaking the language, not knowing how to use banking machines and so forth. Although one can experience real pain from culture shock, it is also an opportunity for resetting one' s life objectives. It is a great opportunity for learning and acquiring new viewpoints. Culture shock can make one develop a better understanding of oneself. Culture shock has many stages. The first stage is called the "honeymoon" stage. The new arrival may feel excited as everything is new. In the second stage, a person may encounter some difficult times in daily life. For example, communication difficulties may occur such as not being understood. There may be feelings of discontent, anger, sadness, and feeling incompetence. This happens when a person is trying to adapt to a new culture. Transition between the old methods and those of the new country is a difficult process and takes time to complete. The third stage is characterized by gaining some understanding of the new culture. One may start to feel a certain psychological balance. The new arrival may start to have a feeling of direction and want to belong. In the fourth stage, the person realizes that the new culture has good and bad things to offer. The person has a more solid feeling of belonging and starts to set goals for living. The fifth stage is called the " re-entry shock". This occurs when a return to the country of origin is made. One may find that things are no longer the same. For example, some of the newly acquired customs are not in use in the old culture. Many factors contribute to the length and effects of culture shock. For example, the individual's state of mental health, type of personality, previous experiences, familiarity with the language, and level of education. So the five stages are present at different times and each person has their own way of reacting. 64. What do we learn about culture shock? The main purpose of the passage is to _ Answer: introduce and explain It's 4 am, and Danilo C. Dequina is already awake. Holding a flashlight and a bucket, he is walking in the pre-dawn darkness along the shore of Old Poblacion Beach in the town of Maitum, Sarangani, in the far south of the Philippines. A few minutes later, he spots a patch of sand that appears to have been disturbed by a turtle. Dequina studies the area carefully, figuring out where the eggs have been buried, and then starts digging slowly. After clearing away several centimeters of sand, he uncovers a large group of eggs, roughly the size of ping-pong balls. He picks them up and puts them in the bucket. Dequina carries the eggs to his hatchery , some 50 meters away from the seashore. The hatchery is really just a sandy patch of land under the coconut trees enclosed by a black fence. It is here that he buries the turtle eggs he has collected. Today, Dequina scoops a hole, puts the eggs in it, and covers them with sand. After 45 to 70 days, the eggs will hatch. Dequina will then carry the hatchlings to the shore, and release them into the sea. He admits to feeling sorrow as he sets the hatchlings free -- most are hunted down by natural predators, and just one percent survive to adulthood. According to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), eight species of sea turtles face extinction, including four that come to the shores of Sarangani to lay their eggs -- the Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead and Green Turtles. After learning about their plight , Dequina attended a DENR training session on turtle conservation and decided to take action. He helped the local government to set up the Pawikan Nesting Sanctuary next to his house in 2003. The hatchery drew the attention of the locals. "They started to change their attitudes towards sea turtles," 52-year-old Dequina says. "If they see turtle eggs, they will either bring them to me or inform me of the nesting places." Over the past ten years, more than 3,000 hatchlings have been released to the ocean. Dequina walks along the shore to _ . Answer: look for newly laid turtle eggs A Nobel Prize is considered by most people one of the highest international honors a person can receive. As you know, the prizes were started by a Sweden called Sweden Alfred Nobel. Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and lived from 1833 to 1896. Alfred Nobel was a chemist and inventor. He made two important inventions, so he became very rich. Although he was rich, Nobel was not a happy man. He never married or had children. Also, he was a sick man in large part of his life. Nobel died at the age of sixty-three. When he died, he left a fund of $9,000,000. The money was to be used in giving prizes to those who made outstanding achievement in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and the promotion of the world peace. The first Nobel Prize were given on December 10th,1901, five years after Nobel's death. Many famous people all over the world have been given Nobel Prizes for their achievements. Albert Einstein was one of them. Each prize has three parts. The first part is a gold medal. Second, a winner of a Nobel Prize is given a diploma saying that he has been given the prize. The third part of the prize is a large amount of money---about $40,000. Often a prize is given to just one person, but not always. Sometimes a prize is shared. It might be given to two or more people who have worked together. It is also sometimes true that a prize is not given at all if there is no outstanding achievement. In 1972, for example, not a Nobel Prize was given. It is the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm that decides whether to give the prize or not. Most people think that Nobel Prize is _ a person can receive. Answer: one of the highest international honors
Today's career assumption is that you can get a lot of development, challenge and job satisfaction and not necessarily be in a management role. Managing others is always a tough task, but in the past that stress was balanced by hopes for career mobility and financial rewards. Along with a sizable pay raise, people chosen as managers would begin a nearly automatic climb up the career ladder to successful executive private benefits: company cars, club memberships, plus the key to the executive washroom. But in today's global and more competitive showground, a manager sits in an insecure chair. More companies has begun to take less management as they come to view their organizations as collections of talents rather than hierarchies . There are far fewer steps for managers to climb. Also, managerial jobs demand more hours and headaches than ever before but offer slim, if any financial paybacks and perks. Now managers must manage many people who are spread over different locations, even over different continents. They must manage across functions with, say, design, finance and marketing. In many companies, when the most praised people in business are those launching something new, management seems like an invisible, thankless role. Employers are looking for people who can do things, not for people who make other people do things. Moreover it may not pay to be a manager, at least not the way it once did. Ms. Chmielewski says, "The emotional rewards can be great, and there were times when I enjoyed management. But a 10-to-11-hour day and one weekend day a month is the norm ". With more people cautious of joining management, are companies being hurt or worrying about developing future leaders? Not many are. While employers have fired a lot of managers, they believe many more candidates linger on at many companies. "Another reason why companies aren't short of managers," argues Robert Kelley, a business professor, "is that so many workers today are self-managed, either individually or via teams, they don't need a manager." By writing the passage, the writer seems to _ . A. explain reasons for firing managers B. advise people not to become managers C. express dissatisfaction of some managers D. encourage managers to be more competitive Answer: B The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States, becoming a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather than the year in which it is held, with Super Bowl I being the 1966 season championship game, when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl XLVI (46) was played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on February 5, 2012, to determine the champion of the 2011 season; the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots. The game was created as part of a _ agreement between the NFL and its rival league, the American Football League (AFL). It was agreed that the two leagues' champion teams would play in an AFL--NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970. After the merger, each league was appointed as a "conference", and the game was then played between the conference champions. Currently, the National Football Conference (NFC) leads the series with 25 wins to 21 wins for the American Football Conference (AFC). The day on which the Super Bowl is played, now considered to be an existing American national holiday, is called "Super Bowl Sunday", though it is not determined by the government. It is the second--largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. In addition, the Super Bowl has frequently been the most watched American television broadcast of the year. Because of its high viewership, commercial airtime during the Super Bowl broadcast is the most expensive of the year. Due to the high cost of investing in advertising on the Super Bowl, companies regularly develop their most expensive advertisements for this broadcast. As a result, watching and discussing the broadcast's commercials has become a significant aspect of the event. In addition, many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event's pre-game and halftime ceremonies because of the exposure's attracting more fans. What does the Super Bowl use to show each game? A. The year when the game is held. B. English letters. C. Roman numerals D. Arabic numerals Answer: C Once there were two crows whose opinions were always opposite. One day, one of the crows said to the other, " You should realize, of course, that I can fly much higher than you." " Don't be ridiculous ." the other crow said. " Everyone knows that I can fly much higher than you." "No, you can't" the first crow said. "Yes, I can" the second crow replied, and the argument went on and on. At last they decided to have a contest to solve the argument. " We will compete to find out who can fly higher while carrying a bag" the first crow said. They argued for some time because of the size of the bag, but at last _ . Then there was a further argument about what each bag would be filled with. Finally, they agreed that the first crow would fill his bag with cotton and the second crow would fill his with salt. The first crow thought he was clever to agree to this, because salt is much heavier than cotton. At last they were ready for the contest. Holding their bag in their mouths, they flew into the sky. They had not been flying for long. However, when it began to rain- as the second crow had expected it would. Can you guess who could fly higher? In the rain the bag with cotton in it would got _ . A. lighter B. heavier C. bigger D. smaller Answer: B A twenty-nine-year-old kindergarten teacher from Maryland was named National Teacher of the Year in 2006. On June first she would begin a year as a national and international spokeswoman for education. Kimberly Oliver was the first National Teacher of the Year from her state. She taught five-year-old children at a public school in Maryland, near Washington, D.C. President Bush honored her and other top teachers at the White House. Kimberly Oliver said she wanted people to understand that the first several years of a child's life were the most important for learning. She said investing in children at a very young age would result in great gains later in school and in life. She called on parents to read to children from an early age so they would not fall behind in school. One of the activities at her school was an event called " Books and Supprer Night ". Families read together at the school and received free books to take home. Parents, children and teachers also ate dinner together. Broad Acres Elementary School was in a poor area. Many of the parents were immigrants with limited English. Kimberly Oliver helped improve learning environment at her school. She received money to buy electronic learning systems, tape players and books in English and Spanish and sent them home with students. Parents said she had shown them how to help their children at home. She was born and raised in Delaware. She held one degree in English and another in Elementary Education. Kimberly Oliver would follow in the footsteps of another teacher Jason Kamras from the Washington area as National Teacher of the Year. Jason Kamras, as honored for his work, teaching math to middle school students in the nation's capital. The National Teacher of the Year program began in 1952. A fourteen-member committee choose from among teachers honored as the best in their states. From the text we know that in the state of Maryland, _ . A. no other teacher than Kimberly Oliver had been given the honor B. Kimberly Oliver had been teaching in a middle school for many years C. Kimberly opened her own school early in Washington in 1952 D. many other teachers were given the honor together with Oliver Answer: A There are three people in Yang Yang's family. They like different kinds of food. Yang Yang likes rice a lot. But she doesn't like chicken at all. Her father is from Shanxi. He doesn't like rice at all. He likes chicken and bread very much. Her mother is from Dalian. She doesn't like rice or bread at all. But she likes fish and vegetables a lot. They love each other and help each other. Yang Yang likes _ very much, but her parents don't like it at all. A. bread B. rice C. chicken D. fish Answer: B
Four men who would become fathers were in a hospital waiting room while their wives were going to give birth to their babies. The nurse arrived and proudly said to the first man, "Congratulations, sir. You're the father of twins!" "What a surprise! Believe it or not! I work for the Minnesota Twins Baseball teams!" Later the nurse returned and congratulated the second father on the birth of his triplets . "Wow! That's unbelievable! I work for the 3M Company." An hour later, the nurse returned to congratulate the third man on the birth of his quadruplets . Surprised, he only could answer, "I don't believe it! I work for the Four Seasons Hotel!" After this, everyone turned to the fourth man who had just fallen down. The nurse ran fast to his side. As he slowly came to himself, they could hear him speak in a very low voice over and over, "I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven. I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven. I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven." Why did the fourth man fall down after hearing the nurse's words? A. He was afraid of having so many babies. B. He was seriously ill. C. He was too excited. D. He was very glad to have 7 babies. Answer: A. He was afraid of having so many babies. The Himalayan Mountain chain is the youngest and tallest mountain chain on Earth. Which phenomenon contributed most to this area of continental buildup? A. erosion of surrounding continental materials B. eruptions of continental shield volcanoes C. convergence of continental plates D. subsidence of continental landmass Answer: C. convergence of continental plates Raised in a motherless home, my father was extremely tightfisted towards us children. His attitude didn't soften as I grew into adulthood and went to college. I had to ride the bus whenever I came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met me, even in severe weather. If I _ he'd say in his loudest father-voice, "That's what your legs are for!" The walk didn't bother me as much as the fear of walking alone along the highway and country roads. I also felt less than valued that my father didn't seem concerned about my safety. But that feeling was cancelled one spring evening. It had been a particularly difficult week at college after long hours in labs. I longed for home. When the bus reached the stop, I stepped off and dragged my suitcase to begin the long journey home. A row of hedge edged the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. Once I had turned off the highway to start the last lap of my journey, I always had a sense of relief to see the hedge because it meant that I was almost home. On that particular evening, the hedge had just come into view when I saw something gray moving along the top of the hedge, moving toward the house. Upon closer observation, I realized it was the top of my father's head. Then I knew, each time I'd come home, he had stood behind the hedge, watching, until he knew I had arrived safely. I swallowed hard against the tears. He did care, after all. On later visits, that spot of gray became my watchtower. I could hardly wait until I was close enough to watch for its secret movement above the greenery. Upon reaching home, I would find my father sitting innocently in his chair. "So! My son, it's you!" he'd say, his face lengthening into pretended surprise. I replied, "Yes, Dad, it's me. I'm home." The author's father watched behind the hedge because _ . A. he wanted to help his son build up courage. B. he was concerned about his son's safety. C. he didn't want to meet his son at the doorway. D. he didn't think his son was old enough to walk alone. Answer: B. he was concerned about his son's safety. Language is always changing. In a society where life continues year after year with few changes, the language does not change either. The earliest known languages had difficult grammar but a small, limited vocabulary. Over the century, the grammar changed, and the vocabulary grew. For example, the English and Spanish people who came to America during the sixteenth century gave names to all the new plants and animals they found. In this way, hundreds of new words were introduced into English and Spanish vocabularies. Today life is changing very fast, and language is changing fast too. There are several major language families in the world. Some scientists say there are nine main families, but other scientists divide them differently. The languages in each family are connected, and scientists think that they came from the same parent language. About 3 percent of the people in the world speak languages that are not in these major families. In the next few hundred years we can expect language to _ . A. stay exactly the same B. change a great deal C. change only a little D. ask more words and drop some grammar Answer: B. change a great deal March, April and May are months full of festivals and events all over the world. Here are some wonderful festivals around the world that happen in spring. SongKran--Thailand Dates: 13th-15th, April In Thailand, it's time to celebrate the coming monsoon season, which will bring the rain many people have been looking forward to. They celebrate it with a festival called Songkran, when people head out to the streets with water guns to spray(,)everyone who walks past. If you walk on the streets where the festival is celebrated, prepare to get _ ! Naghol--Vanuatu Dates: Every Saturday from April to May Every year, villagers come together to celebrate the harvest of yams, an important part in the peopls's diet in Vanuatu. The festival is most famous for its "land diving ceremony". During the ceremony men and boys dive to the ground from high wooden towers with only two thin vines attached to their ankles . The divers' heads have to lightly touch the ground when they jump---something very dangerous if the vines are not measured properly. Cherry Blossom Viewing ---Japan Dates: The cherry blossom season is different from year to year depending on the weather forecast. The cherry blossom season has huge importance to the people of Japan, who celebrate the days when the flowers finally blossom. Only a few days later, the petals fall to the ground, like pink snowflakes. This is one of the most beautiful things to see. In Japan, almost everyone has picnics in the parks to view the flowers. Sinhalese New Year--Sri Lanka Dates: 13thor 14th, April Just like in many other countries in South an South East Asia, this is the time when the Sinhalese celebrate the traditional New Year, an ancient celebration which marks the end of the harvest season and is one of two times of the year when the sun is straight above Sri Lanka. There are a lot of delicious foods during the celebration. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. the Cherry Blossom Celebration usually lasts a long time in Japan B. the Cherry Blossom Celebration is the most important festival in Japan C. the time for the Cherry Blossom Celebration in Japan can be different yearly D. people usually stay at home for celebration during the cherry blossom season. Answer: C. the time for the Cherry Blossom Celebration in Japan can be different yearly
The State of Aurora requires licenses of persons "who are engaged in the trade of barbering." It will grant such licenses only to those who are graduates of barber schools located in Aurora, who have resided in the state for two years, and who are citizens of the United States. Assume that a resident of the state of Aurora was denied a license because she graduated from an out-of-state barber school. Her suit in federal court to enjoin denial of the license on this ground would be Answer: decided on the merits, because a federal question is involved Dyslexia is a learning disorder, it interferes with the ability to recognise words, and for some readers to understand what they have read. Experts say dyslexia affects about five to ten percent of the population of the United State. Researchers have long known that people with dyslexia write or read words and letters backwards in the wrong order. But a new study shows that people with dyslexia may have trouble redirecting their attention between senses, from seeing something to hearing something. The study suggests something that might help dyslexic people learn more quickly - play video games. Vanessa Harrar of Britain's University of Oxford led the study. She reported the findings in the journal Current Biology. The study suggests that dyslexic people may have trouble moving quickly from what they read to what they hear. Doctor Harrar calls this a " _ shifting of attention across the senses." "So, if you are trying to read something and then trying to listen to somebody who's reading aloud and you're trying to follow along with what they are reading -- they have to switch their attention from hearing what they are saying to looking at the piece of paper and back again. So we found they have quite sluggish shifting of attention across the senses," said Harrar. In the study, Doctor Harrar tested 17 people with dyslexia, and 19 others without reading problems. The volunteers were asked to push a button as quickly as possible when they heard a sound, saw a light or experienced both together. Doctor Harrar compared the speed of their reactions. She found that people with dyslexia were just as fast as the others when they saw only a picture or heard only a sound. But the dyslexics had a slower reaction time when they heard a sound and saw a picture at the same time. Doctor Harrar feels like playing action video games could help dyslexic people shift from seeing to hearing more quickly. She adds that images in video games force the eyes to move and focus quickly. "Video game types of things pop out of here and there, they move your eyes around the screen quite quickly in response to things quite quickly, and the more you play a video game the faster you get that kind of thing. So, the video game is really training the attention system to move quickly," said Harrar. The study also shows that dyslexic people have the most difficulty going between what they saw and what they heard, this may have an effect on how dyslexic children are taught how to read. When children learn the alphabet,they usually see the letter first and then hear the sound, or they see and hear the letter at the same time. The study shows that dyslexics might learn more quickly if they hear the sound of a letter or word first before seeing it. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: Study Suggests Video Games Might Help Dyslexics Have you ever thought, "I wish I could take a year off and just travel around the world"? Well, three lucky American teenagers were able to do just that. The teens--two males and one female--got an all-expenses paid, yearlong hike to five continents. This trip didn't include any five-star hotels or shopping funs. Eighteen-year-old Jamie Fiel from Keller, Texas, 17-year-old Arsen Ewing from Canyon, California, and 16-year-old Tyler Robinson from Lincoln, Massachusetts, didn't expect fancy treatment. They signed up for the experience of a lifetime, which included hard work, often uncomfortable accommodations, and encounters with some of nature's most dangerous animals and environments. Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler were among hundreds of high school kids nominated by their science teachers to take this trip. Earthwatch Institute sponsored this adventure. Each year, Earthwatch employs thousands of volunteers worldwide to help with scientific research projects. The group went all around the world to get a close look at the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Their assignments were as varied as their locations, and included measuring and attending pink flamingos in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, and tracking giant sea turtles in Costa Rica. As they worked with the Earthwatch scientists, Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler began to understand that we are at a critical moment in the life of our planet. Time for change is running out. As the teens went from country to country and witnessed different environmental dangers and challenges, they understood that solutions to important environmental issues start with the power of one person's actions. They realized that each of them can make a difference. These teenagers went on the journey around the world _ . Answer: to experience the most serous environmental problems on the earth There are several reasons for hair loss in women. However, in most cases, treatment is quite effective. Female hair loss patterns in women are not as easily recognizable as they are in men. A woman may experience it temporarily due to pregnancy or illness, although they may experience it for other reasons. Hair loss can be due to a variety of factors, including a genetic tendency (which is not genetically linked to just one parent--both parents contribute to the tendency to lose hair). Women who are experiencing hair problems seem to have more limited choices than men. There are some female hair loss treatments that are available such as the Tricomin System which is a topical treatment that is nutrition based. Shen Min for Women is another natural treatment that contains herbs that are said to stimulate hair growth and even restore hair that is graying to its natural color1. The majority of the popular, prove hair loss treatments are only intended for men and are not suitable for women. True, a woman's hair issue is different from a man's. The biological makeup is different and the needs are different. Women have different needs and their bodies react in different ways to environmental changes, physical illness and even the treatments that are available. There are many natural treatments such as vitamin and mineral supplements that are said to stimulate hair growth, but, for the most part, these claims are currently unproven. One of the first and most important factors to effectively treating is to get a diagnosis from a doctor. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms that you may be experiencing in addition to the thinning hair. Stress, weight loss or gain, illness and depression, all of these can be contributing factors. Which of the following statements matches the text about the two treatments? Answer: The former is nutrition-based, while the latter is medicine-based. One hot afternoon in the summertime a family and their dog were getting ready to have a dinnertime picnic in the park. The dishes in the picnic included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, watermelons, potato salad, and chocolate cookies. When they got to the park the father, George, was looking for a good place to have the picnic. While they were walking they bumped into their neighbors, Robert and Natalie, and their twins, Anson and Anne and their dog Emile. Robert explained that it was the twins' birthday and they were celebrating by going out for a walk. They said goodbye and kept looking for a picnic spot. He chose a nice spot under a tree that would keep the family cool. While setting up the picnic, the mother, Barbara, told the son, Ralph to go play with their dog, Scout, to pass some time until it was time for dinner. Ralph found a stick and began to play fetch with Scout down the hill. Some time passed and Ralph began to return to the picnic with Scout. Along the way back he picked a flower to give to his mom because it was Mother's day. When he arrived he gave the flower to his mom and she said, "Thank you so much, Ralph!" His mother poured him a cool and tasty glass of lemonade. It tasted extra good because it was so hot outside! Ralph sat down and enjoyed the picnic with his family under the large tree. Where did the family have dinner and why? Answer: Under the tree, because it was hot outside.
The First Lady's Travel Journal: Touring the Forbidden City March 21, 2014 After visiting the Beijing Normal School, Madame Peng took Sasha and Malia, my mother, and me to the Forbidden City, which is right in the heart of Beijing. For more than 2,000 years (up until 1912), China was ruled by emperors who descended from many different dynasties, or families, who passed ruling positions on from generation to generation -- and for nearly 500 years, the Forbidden City used as the emperor's home. Like the name suggests, the Forbidden City is large enough to be a city of its own -- it includes nearly 1,000 buildings and nearly 10,000 rooms. In 1925, the new Chinese government turned the Forbidden City into a museum so that visitors like us from all over the world can stroll through many of the beautiful rooms and outdoor spaces. The Forbidden City is too large to fully experience in a single visit, but the following: The Hall of Union and Peace has almost 14,000 ornamental dragons. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is where the emperor [:]watched birthday celebrations and coronation ceremonies from his Dragon Throne . And then there are the Imperial Gardens, where you can walk along the paths and pavilions, admiring the beautiful rock arrangements, flowers and cypress trees. While we loved our visit to the Forbidden City, we only wish we had more time to see everything. But then again, I'm not sure there could ever be enough time to fully enjoy all of the art and history in this wonderful place. According to the passage, we can infer that _ . Answer: Do You Want to Be an Artist? Do you want to be an artist? Come to our club. We have guitar, violin, piano and drum lessons for just Y=240 each. You can also learn to sing or dance for just Y=180 each. If you like art, you can be satisfied, too. Art lessons are just Y=200 each. We can't learn _ in the club. Answer: Do you know Eskimos? Let me tell you something about their lives. Eskimos live near the North Pole .There are only two seasons there, winter and summer. There is no spring or autumn there. The winter nights are long. You can't see the sun for more than two months, even at midday. The summer days are long. For more than two months, the sun never goes down and there's no night. Eskimos have warm clothes. They make their clothes from the skins of animals. From skins they make coats, caps and shoes. Near the North Pole trees can't grow, for it is too cold there. The Eskimos have to make their houses from skins, snow or stone. When they got out in storms and can't get back home, they make houses of snow. They leave these houses when the storm is over. Life is hard for the Eskimos, but they still like to live there. Near the North Pole there are _ in a year. Answer: Riding School: You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays). There are 10 kilometres of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday:9:00 a.m. ~ 8:30p.m. Phone: (412) 396-6754 Fax: (412) 396-6752 Sailing Club: Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage Sailing qualification. You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons (Tuesdays 6p.m.~ 8p.m.) Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00p.m.~ 8:00p.m Phone:( 412)396-6644 Fax: (412) 396-6644 Diving Centre: Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need a swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples. Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30p.m.~ 8:30p.m Phone: (412)396-6312 Fax: (412) 396-6706 Medical Center: The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems. Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores. Opening Hours: 24 hours from Monday to Sunday Phone: ( 412)396-6649 Fax: (412) 396-6648 Watersports club: We use a two-kilometre length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners' course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00a.m.~ 4:00p.m Phone: (412)396-6899 Fax: (412) 396-6890 If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should join _ . Answer: Using tablet computers like Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Note just before bed can lead to a poor night's sleep, according to research. More and more people are taking their tablets to bed with them to surf the web, check Facebook or email before switching off the light. But researchers are warning that the blueish light their screens emit can stop users getting a good night's sleep. That is because this type of light mimics daylight, convincing the brain that it is still daytime. Blue light suppresses production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall sleep. This is because our brains have evolved to be wakeful during daylight hours. By contrast, light which is more orange or red in tone does not reduce melatonin production, perhaps because our brains recognize it as a cue that the day is ending. Neurologists have known for years that staring at screens late in the evening can disrupt sleep. Researchers at the Lighting Research Centre, at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, are warning that looking at tablet displays for more than two hours "leads to a suppression of our natural melatonin levels as the devices emit optical radiation at short wavelengths" - in other words, they emit bluer light. They say: "Although turning off devices at night is the ultimate solution, it is recommended that if these devices are used at night displays are dimmed as much as possible and that the time spent on them before bed should be limited." They drew their conclusions after measuring melatonin levels in 13 volunteers, after they had spent time viewing iPads at full brightness at a distance of 10 inches, for two hours. Melatonin levels were significantly lower after they had done this, than they were after the volunteers had viewed their iPads for the same time, but while wearing orange glass goggles, which cut out the blue light. They wrote in the journal Applied Ergonomics that tablet makers could "tune the spectral power distribution of self-luminous devices " so that they disrupted the sleep patterns of users less. It is not just a good night's sleep that could be jeopardized by too much late night screen time. Researchers know that persistent disruption to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity, and even breast cancer. However, these studies tend to be comparisons of those with chronic sleep disruption, such as long term shift workers, with those who have normal sleep patterns. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer:
Bump! Bump! Scratch! Adam opened his eyes and pulled the covers up to his chin. He stared around his room, searching the darkness for the thing that was making those scary sounds. The closet door moved as something banged on it from the inside. "Who's there?" Adam asked in a shaky voice. The closet slowly began to open. Adam jumped out of bed and ran to the closet door, slamming it shut with his palms. He grabbed his desk chair and propped it against the door handle. Then he ran out of his room and down the hall. His brother's door was wide open, and Adam jumped onto David's bed. "Adam?" David asked in an annoyed voice. "What are you doing in here?" Adam caught David's arm. "There's something in my closet!""You probably had a bad dream. Go back to bed." Adam yanked the blankets off the bed. "It wasn't a dream. I was awake, and the closet door started opening by itself!"David sighed. "Fine. But when we don't find anything, you have to promise to leave me alone for the rest of the night."Adam nodded. David reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a flashlight. Then they headed to Adam's room. Adam stopped in the doorway. He could hear something scratching his closet door."Do you hear that?" Adam asked. David nodded. He walked over to Adam's bed and pulled the case off one of the pillows. He opened the pillowcase. "You open the door very slowly, and I'll grab whatever it is." Adam slid the chair to the side and pulled the closet door open a crack. Something banged against the door, trying to force it open. Adam took a deep breath and opened the door a few more inches. A small furry creature ran right into the pillowcase. "I got it!" David said, closing the pillowcase and holding it in the air."What is it?" Adam moved closer as David peeked inside. David put the pillowcase on the bed and an orange cat climbed out. Adam scooped the cat up. "Apricot? How did you get trapped in my closet?"David laughed. "The poor cat. If I was locked in your closet with your stinky shoes, I'd be banging on the door to get out, too!" What did David plan to do with the pillowcase? A. keep the creature from coming out of the closet B. catch the creature in the closet C. scare the creature in the closet D. hit the creature in the closet Answer: B. catch the creature in the closet Which is an example of an organism that has been selectively bred for a particular genetic trait? A. cats that eat mice B. cows that graze on grass C. pigs that form large herds D. chickens that lay large eggs Answer: D. chickens that lay large eggs Twenty years seems like a long time to remember the name of a mere acquaintance.I have forgotten the name of an old lady,who was a customer on the paper route in my hometown when I was a twelve-year-old boy.Yet it exists in my memory that she taught me a lesson in forgiveness which I shall never forget. On a winter afternoon.a friend and I were throwing stones onto the roof of a house for fun.I was brave enough to find a big rock and threw it out.Unfortunately,the rock was so heavy that it didn't fly onto the roof but into the room through the window.At the sound of crashed glass,we knew we were in trouble and ran away. I was so scared about being caught that I didn't go to deliver newspapers to the old lady for a few days.The next week,when I gave her the paper again,she still greeted me with a big smile as usual.I felt so guilty,however,so I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money to cover the cost of her window.I made it.Three weeks later,I saved seven dollars and put them in an envelope with a note explaining that 1 was sorry for breaking her window and that I hoped the money could repair it.I waited until it was dark,and put the envelope in her door secretly. The next day,I handed the old lady her paper and was able to return the warm smile that I was receiving from her.She thanked me and gave me a bag of delicious cookies she had made herself. Reaching for the cookies,I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag.When I opened the envelope,I was surprised.Inside were the seven dollars and a short note saying,"I am proud of you." What's the author's attitude towards the old lady now? A. Scared B. Surprised C. Proud D. Grateful Answer: D. Grateful A student sets a block at the top of a wooden ramp. The student pushes the block. As the block slides down the ramp, it slows down and then comes to a stop. What force causes the block to slow down? A. the force of gravity B. the force of friction C. the force of magnetism D. the force of the student's push Answer: B. the force of friction A dog gets the energy it needs to run from ___. A. the air B. the Sun C. food D. water Answer: C. food
A large elephant is put on a device that can measure how much force is being applied based on its mass amount. That device is: Answer: a scale One day the Smith family went to the zoo. Ann Smith rode her bike from place to place. Joe Smith crawled everywhere he went. Their parents, Katie and Mike Smith, walked. After visiting many animals they all met up at the monkey cage. There was a long line to feed the monkeys. The line was so long that Joe fell asleep for a bit. Finally, it was time for the Smith family to feed the monkeys. The daughter, Ann, feed the monkeys a banana. The son, Joe, fed the monkeys a cracker. The mother, Katie, fed the monkeys a piece of cheese. The father, Mike, fed the monkeys an apple. After the monkeys were done eating the zoo worker told them to pick their favorite treat, and give the person who gave it to them a hug. The monkeys all hugged Joe. Joe's parents were proud of him for picking the treat he liked best. As a reward, they gave him a special prize. Joe got the bike he had always wished for. At the end of the day he left the zoo a very happy child. What is the name of the father? Answer: Mike A student plans to design a new toothpaste tube that will give the same amount of toothpaste every time it is squeezed. Which should the student do first when designing the new tube? Answer: draw a few possible solutions Dear Zhang Qian, Thanks for your letter. You want to know about my favorite sport and instrument . Now let me tell you. I like swimming very much, and I like volleyball, basketball, and ping-pang, too. Swimming is my favorite sport. I am good at playing the guitar and the violin, too. My favorite instrument is the violin. I often play the violin on weekends. What about you? What's your favorite sport? Do you like to play the violin or the guitar? Please write to me soon. Yours, Li Ping _ is Li Ping's favorite sport. Answer: Swimming Long before they became doctors, lawyers, CEO's or real estate developers, they played in garage bands and maybe even dreamed of becoming rock stars. That's why they signed up for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp. For nearly a week, the mostly middle-aged "campers" had practiced in the West 54th Street studios. They came from as far away as London and Tokyo and as close as Long Island and downtown New York to prepare for their moment of onstage glory. "I feel like I'm 18 again," said Jerry Goldberg, a 60-year-old investment banker and guitar player, whose family was in the audience." I admit that I felt a little uncertain when I first got here, but this has turned out to be a wonderful experience, one of the greatest of my life." Everybody has two businesses, their own business and show business. This can be a life-changing experience for them. Mr. Daltrey, who has appeared at several fantasy camps, was asked why he keeps coming back. "I've had people tell me that I shouldn't be doing this, that it's bad for my image," he acknowledged. "But that's rubbish. Look, it's all so positive, and everybody is having so much fun. So what's bad about that?" Jeff Munger, a drummer and rancher said. "I'm at a point in my life where I'm going to spend my money on things I'm passionate about, and I'm absolutely crazy about music." Most of the campers are successful executives or professionals: a founder of the Oracle Computer Company, a businessman whose father invented the Big Mac, a plastic surgeon, presidents of health care and seafood companies. According to the text, Mr. Daltrey _ . Answer: has joined in the camp a couple of times
Commuters who drive to work will face a parking charge of up to PS350 a year.Ministers are backing a workplace parking charge which will come into force in Nottingham in 2013 and is likely to be adopted across the country.The scheme will see firms with more than ten parking places for staff charged PS350 a year for each space in two years. Employers would be free to pass on the charge to their staff--meaning it would effectively be a tax on driving to work.The scheme aims to reduce traffic by preventing unnecessary car journeys and raise funds to improve public transport,but critics say it is just an excuse for councils to fill their coffers . Some ten million Britons drive to work each day,and the British Chambers of Commerce says the new charge could total PS3.4 billion a year if rolled out nationwide. Already some firms in Nottingham have threatened to leave the city,where 40,000 commuters use their cars to get to work.A spokesman said the scheme was nothing more than a tax on jobs."It is very unfair to discriminate against those employers who have parking spaces,which get vehicles off the streets," he said."And these charges apply around the clock,which is especially unfair on shift workers who rely on their cars because public transport is not available.This is more about increasing the government's income than reducing traffic." However,Transport Minister Sadiq Khan gave the plan an official approval during a visit to Nottingham. The council says the tax will raise as much as PS100 million over ten years--one fifth of the cost of a new transport system for the city. Another transport spokesman Theresa Villiers said the tax would have a devastating impact on businesses struggling to cope with the economic decline. But Richard Hebditch of the Campaign for Better Transport said the tax would raise money to invest in better transport."We put forward the idea of workplace parking taxes as a fairer way to raise money to invest in the future local transport services.We are pleased that the people of Nottingham will be the first to benefit." It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A many firms are willing to pay the charges for their staff B the public transport in Nottingham is in great need of improvement C the author believes Britons will benefit from the scheme D those firms with more commuters will leave Nottingham Answer: B The old man fished alone in a small rowboat and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy's patents had told him that the old man was now bad luck, and ordered the boy to join another boat, which caught three good fish the first week. It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his boat empty and he always went down to help him carry in the fishing lines or take down the old, patched sail. "Santiago," the boy said to him as they dragged up the boat to the sand. "I could go with you again. I've made some money." the old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him. "No," the old man said. "You're with a lucky boat. Stay with them. You must obey your father." "We can be lucky again too. Remember when we didn't catch a fish for 10 days, then caught a big one each day for a month?" said the boy. "Can I offer you a beer on the balcony and then we'll take the stuff home," said the boy. "Why not?" the old man said. "Santiago," the boy said as they sat on the balcony, "If I cannot fish with you, I would like to serve in some way." "You bought me a beer," the old man said, lifting the bottle to his mouth. "Do you remember the first time I took you out to fish?" the old man asked. "I was five. I remember the tail of a huge fish slapping against the boat, the noise of you clubbing him and the sweet blood smell. I remember everything from when we first went together," the boy said. The old man looked at him with his sun-burned, loving eyes. "May I get some sardines for tomorrow? Let me get four fresh ones," said the boy. "One," the old man said. His hope and his confidence had never gone. But now they were freshening like a sea breeze. "Two," the boy said. "Thank you," the old man said. He was too simple to wonder when he had attained modesty. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride. "Tomorrow is going to be a good day with this wind," he said. "I will row far out before it is light. There will going to be a good day with this wind," he said. "I will row far out before it is light. There will be a big fish?" asked the boy. "I think so. And I know many tricks." Why was the boy forced to stop working for the old man? A It was too dangerous to continue fishing. B It was time for the boy to return to school. C The old man was thought to be a poor teacher. D The boy couldn't earn enough money with the old man. Answer: D Fruit or juice, which is nutritionally superior? This is almost the same as the age-old question: The chicken or the egg, which came first? Usually, juicers remove the juice and some pulp from fruits and/or vegetables.It takes a lot of fruit to make a container of juice.We do get all of the vitamins, minerals, beneficial plant chemicals and carbohydrates in juice out of a whole fruit.But we do not get much of the fiber, the part that aids our digestive process, fills us up, and may help protect us against heart diseases and certain cancers. However, you may be surprised to discover that some juices actually contain more necessary nutrients .For example, apples are not a good source of vitamin C, but many types of apple juice are fortified with vitamin C. Juice has more calories than fresh fruit due to added sugar and less fiber.If calories are your primary concern, choose fresh fruit over juice and drink water if you are thirsty.We do not feel as filled up from juice because it does not contain any fiber.For many people, drinking a caloric beverage , such as juice, is not as satisfying as eating the same amount of calories in food.For those of us who need to increase caloric intake (such as athletes, children, or teens) juice is a GREAT choice. Kids love the taste of pure fruit juice, and parents love it because it is a healthy source of nutrients.But avoid junk fruit beverages which are mistaken for juice blends that contain various fruits like grape, apple and pear.These juices do not have the natural levels of vital nutrients that 100 percent pure juices like orange juice provide. The author writes the passage mainly _ . A to help people learn more about fruit and juice B to call on people to drink more juice C to remind people of negative effects of juice D to persuade people to avoid junk juice containing various fruits Answer: C "Panopticon" is a place in which everything is in full view of others. A recent New York Times " House and Home" article featured the story of a man who lives in a glass house.Every wall in his home is transparent; he has no walls to hide behind, not even in the bathroom.Of course, he lives in a remote area where he doesn't exactly have neighbors looking in and watching his every move.But he has chosen to live without any physical privacy in a home that allows every action to be seen.He has created his own panopticon of sorts. The term panopticon was coined by Jeremy Bentham in the late eighteenth century when he was describing an idea for how prisons should be designed.The prisoners' cells would be placed in a circle with a guard tower in the middle.All walls facing the center of the circle would be glass.In that way, every prisoner's cell would be in full view of the guards.The prisoners could do nothing unobserved, but the prisoners would not be able to see the guard tower.They would know they were being watched - or rather, they would know that they could be being watched-but because they could not see the observer, they would never know when the guard was actually monitoring their actions. Similarly, it is common that people behave differently when they know they are being watched.We act differently when we know someone is looking; we act differently when we think someone else might be looking.In these situations, we are less likely to be ourselves; instead, we will act the way we think we should act when we are being observed by others. In our wired society, many talk of the panopticon as a metaphor for the future.But in many ways, the panopticon is already here.Monitoring cameras are everywhere, and we often don't even know our actions are being recorded.In addition, we leave a record of everything we do online.And most of us have no idea just how much information about us has been recorded and how much data is available to various sources.We can do little to stop the information gathering and exchange and can only hope to be able to control the damage if something goes wrong. According to the passage, a panopticon is _ . A a prison cell B a house that is transparent C a tower that provides a broad view D a place where everything can be seen by others Answer: D New York City consists of five parts: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. The population is about 7.5 million and there are 1.5 million in Manhattan alone. Manhattan, the center of the city, is on the island between the Hudson River and the East River. Most of the famous buildings such as the Empire State and the United Nations and other skyscrapers are in Manhattan. Some of its districts are: Broadway, which has many theatres and cinemas, Fifth Avenue, with stores and apartments, Greenwich Village, where many artists and writers have lived, and Central Park, with a skating rink . From Manhattan you have to cross to the other parts of New York City through a tunnel or over a bridge. The bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island is the longest in the world. New York is the second biggest port in the world and it has two airports. The people who live there come from all over the world and speak many different languages. There are 324,000 Germans and 390,000 Poles as well as people from Greece, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Romania. People call one district "Little Italy" and another "China town". If you are going to do some shopping in Manhattan, you will go to _ . A Broadway B Fifth Avenue C Greenwich Village D Central Park Answer: B
Creativity is the key to a brighter future, say education and business experts. Here is how schools and parents can encourage this important skill in children. If Dick Drew had listened to his boss in 1925, we might not have an important product: a new type of tape. Drew worked for the Minnesota Mining Company. At work he developed a kind of material strong enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Finally, using his own time, Drew improved the tape, which now is used everywhere by many people. And his old company learned from its mistake. Now it encourages people to spend 15 percent of their work time just thinking and developing new ideas. Creativity is not something one is just born with, nor is it necessarily a character of high intelligence . Just because a person is highly intelligent does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of using the resources one has to produce new ideas that are good for something. Unluckily, schools have not tried to encourage creativity. With strong attention to test results and the development of reading, writing and mathematical skills, many educators give up creativity for correct answers. The result is that children can give back information but can't recognize ways to use it in new situations. They may know the rules correctly, but they are unable to use them to work out practical problems. It is important to give children choices. From the earliest age, children should be allowed to make decisions and understand their results. Even if it's choosing between two kinds of food for lunch, decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should let their children decide how to use their time or spend their money, but not help them too much if they make the wrong decision. The child may have a hard time, but that is all right. This is because the most important character of creative people is a very strong desire to find a way out of trouble. Why don't schools try to encourage creativity? A They don't understand the importance of education. B They don't want their students to make mistakes. C They pay too much attention to examination marks and language skills. D They think it more important to remember some information. Answer: C The State of Aurora requires licenses of persons "who are engaged in the trade of barbering." It will grant such licenses only to those who are graduates of barber schools located in Aurora, who have resided in the state for two years, and who are citizens of the United States. The requirement that candidates for licenses must be citizens is A constitutional as an effort to ensure that barbers speak English adequately. B constitutional as an exercise of the state police power. C unconstitutional as a bill of attainder. D unconstitutional as a denial of equal protection Answer: D My family and I lived across the street from Southway Park since I was four years old. Then just last year the city put a chain link fence around the park and started bulldozing the trees and grass to make way for a new apartment complex. When I saw the fence and bulldozers, I asked myself,"Why don't they just leave it alone?" Looking back, I think what sentenced the park to oblivion was the drought we had about four years ago. Up until then, Southway Park was a nice green park with plenty of trees and a public swimming pool. My friends and I rollerskated on the sidewalks, climbed the trees, and swam in the pool all the years I was growing up. The park was almost like my own yard. Then the summer I was fifteen the drought came and things changed. There had been almost no rain at all that year. The city stopped watering the park grass. Within a few weeks I found myself living across the street from a huge brown desert. Leaves fell off the park trees, and pretty soon the trees started dying, too. Next, the park swimming pool was closed. The city cut down on the work force that kept the park, and pretty soon it just got too ugly and dirty to enjoy anymore. As the drought lasted into the fall, the park got worse every month. The rubbish piled up or blew across the brown grass. Soon the only people in the park were beggars and other people down on their luck. People said drugs were being sold or traded there now. The park had gotten scary, and my mother told us kids not to go there anymore. The drought finally ended and things seemed to get back to normal, that is, everything but the park. It had gotten into such bad shape that the city just let it stay that way. Then about six months ago I heard that the city was going to"redevelop"certain wornout areas of the city. It turned out that the city had planned to get rid of the park, sell the land and let someone build rows of apartment buildings on it. The chainlink fencing and the bulldozers did their work. Now we live across the street from six rows of apartment buildings. Each of them is three units high and stretches a block in each direction. The neighborhood has changed without the park. The streets I used to play in are jammed with cars now. Things will never be the same again. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Why was the writer told not to go to the park by his mother? A It was being rebuilt. B It was dangerous. C It became crowded. D It had turned into a desert. Answer: B According to the British "Daily Mail" reported on May 22nd, the United States of America "Forbes" magazine recently released the 2013 annual "most powerful women list". German Chancellor(,) Angela Merkel for three consecutive years reelected top. There are 9 Chinese including Chinese first lady--Peng Liyuan. Brazil President Dilma Rousseff ranked second. "Bill and Melinda Gates foundation" co-chairman, Gate's wife Mi Linda (Melinda Gates) was third. The United States first lady Michel (wife of Obama) in 2010 in the first, from 2012 second drop to fourth. Former American Secretary of state Hillary Clinton as a fifth. The queen of England fell 12,drop to fortieth. another list of British women's female writer JK Rowling, ranked ninety-third. The list of Chinese women, including Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan, intelligent mobile phone maker HTC founder Wang Xuehong, chief executive of Chongqing Longhu real estate development limited company chairman Wu Yajun, SOHO China Ltd and co-founder Zhang Xin, the World Health Organization Director-General Chen Fengfuzhen (Margaret Chan), Huawei chairman Sun Yafang, the Li Jiacheng Foundation Director Zhou triumph, Baidu Inc chief financial officer Li Xinzhe, Sun Media Klc Holdings Ltd chairman Yang Lan. "Forbes" magazine said, this year the list of people are political, business, media, the humanitarian field, entertainment and technology industry elite , but also some women were selected because of the huge wealth, including funds, media exposure and influence. The entertainment industry representatives include Beyonce Knowles, actress Anngelina Jolie and Lady Gaga. The list of women from 26 countries, there are 153000000 of them in Twitter "fans", 16 of them own Create Company. There are 15 new this year, including South Korean President Park Geun-hye . If you want to know more, click chinadaily.com.cn. According to the passage, if we want to get more information ,we can _ . A reading a sports newspaper B reading a book about United Nations C Watch CCTV news D Visit the website of China Daily. Answer: D A ball on a cart is moving at a rate of 2 m/s. The cart suddenly stops and the ball continues to travel in the same direction at the same speed. This is an example of the A law of gravity. B first law of motion. C second law of motion. D third law of motion. Answer: B
Question: Hello, everyone, I'm Xing Fei. I'm from China. My family name is Xing. I live in Bei Jing. My family is very large. In my family, my grandfather's father is the oldest one. He is now ninety-nine years old. My grandfather is eighty years old. And my grandma is eighty-two years old. They have four children, my uncle, my father, and my two aunts. I'm their grandson. My parents have two children, my sister and me. And I have four cousins. Now, I'm a student in No. 10 Middle school. And my sister is only five years old. My parents are both teachers. They love my family very much. So they work hard. We go to the park every morning. My mother says that it can help us keep healthy. Is Xing Fei a boy? A. Yes, she does B. No, he doesn't C. Yes,he is D. No,he isn't Answer: C. Yes,he is Question: "Reading makes a full man" (Bacon, 1597). Novels written by the writers like Jane Austen, Victor Hugo and Ernest Hemingway help us to know more about our history, culture and many other things. Jane Austen(.) was one of the most well-known women writers of the world. She was born in England in 1775. Jane loved reading and writing. She wrote a number of famous novels in her life. Among them, Pride and Prejudice<<>> written in 1779 was the most popular. Victor Hugo(.), born in 1802 in France, was one of the best writers in the19th century. The talent in writing and hard work brought great success to Hugo at an early age. His most popular novel, theHunchback of Notre-Dame<>, was written in 1831. The book was so successful that it was quickly translated into many other languages across Europe. Ernest Hemingway(.), an outstanding American writer and reporter, was born in 1899. His life experience had a great influence on his writing style. Hemingway lived in France and Italy between the 1920s and 1950s. Most of his books such as The Sun Also Rises were written at that time. He won the Nobel Prize in 1954 mainly because of the novel The Old Man and the Sea. Where was Victor Hugo from? A. England. B. America. C. Italy. D. France. Answer: D. France. Question: Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem Michelle O. Donovan ISBN 9781462058679 Life is not easy for nine-year-old Joshua during World War II. Because of his family's Jewish background, they are sent to live in the concentration camps . Scared and alone, Joshua one day makes friends with a little mouse he calls Bethlehem who becomes his closest friend. Encourage Me! Inspirational Poetry Gloria Coykendall ISBN 9781412027854 It is an easytoread collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression ... cure to strengthen identity and purpose. Seeking the Edge Dr.Joseph L.Rose ISBN 9781462031795 Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one's life-driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job, finding a new job, in education, family, or even hobbies. More Things in Heaven Bill Bosworth ISBN 9780595433582 In his More Things in Heave, Bill Bosworth presents the highlights of his 83 years of life,including his trips to India and the study of the writings of several great spiritual leaders. More Things in Heaven will appeal to anyone who insists on finding the deepest meaning for their existence based on their own experiences. Creation or Evolution Michael Ebifegha ISBN 9781450289023 Were humans created,or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution, Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical science. The ISBN for the book of poems is _ . A. 9781462031795 B. 9781412027854 C. 9780595433582 D. 9781462058679 Answer: B. 9781412027854 Question: I like to get up late, so my ideal school starts at 9: 00 a. m. It finishes at 3: 00 p. m. So we can do lots of sports after school. In my ideal school, there is a big dining hall. We have an hour for lunch. We can listen to music in the hall. We can have maths every day because I think maths is very interesting. The classes are very small. There are 15 students in each class. We can have a big library with a lot of _ books. We can also have a swimming pool. After school, we only have half an hour of homework every day. Every month, we can go on a school trip to a museum or a theater. How many students are there in my class in my ideal school? A. Sixteen. B. Fifteen C. Fourteen. D. Thirteen. Answer: B. Fifteen Question: When I was three years old, my parents discovered I was totally deaf. But instead of sending me to a school for the deaf, they decided to " " me. All of my peers and teachers world have normal hearing. I was the only deaf child at Blue Creel Elementary School. From almost the first day there, the other kids made fun of me mainly because of my hearing aid and the way I talked. And I also had difficulty with most of my school work. When the other kids made fun of me, I was sure that I was a bad person. I saw myself as a boy who wasn't smart enough to keep up with the class. Mrs. Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, changed all of that with a simple three-word phrase. One morning, she asked the class a question. I read her lips from my front-row seat and immediately raised my hand because I was sure I had the right answer. But when she called on me, I was afraid. Here was an opportunity to impress the powerful teacher and show her I was worthy of her love. Maybe even impress my classmates a little. I didn't want to blow it. despite my fears, I took a deep breath and answered Mrs. Jordan's question. I will never forget what happened next. Mrs. Jordan enthusiastically slammed her right foot on the floor and turned her tight hand around in full circle until it pointed directly at me. With sparking eyes and a wide smile she cried, "THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN!" For the first time in my young life, I was a star. I sat a little taller in my chair. From that day forward, my grades and speech improved greatly. My popularity among my peers increased. It was all because Mrs. Jordan believed in me and wasn't afraid to express it. "THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN!" When the writer answered Mrs. Jordan's question, he _ . A. trembled with fear B. stayed calm C. was nervous D. was excited Answer: C. was nervous
For many years there's been a debate about rewarding our children. Does it work? Is it effective? Some people think we should establish a standard with our kids and give them something for meeting this standard as a reward. Punishment is given out in much the same way, but it's used when certain standards of performance, behavior, etc. have not been met. Kids will often become more dutiful when threatened with punishment, and work harder when promised a valuable reward. The problem is what happens when you aren't around. To develop responsible, self-disciplined kids, parents need to promote certain ideas. One of these ideas is that everyone pitches in and helps in your family, even if someone is not crazy about helping. Another idea is that there can be enjoyment in doing any task if we choose to make it so. When a task is for a worthy cause (our family can enjoy the house more because I have helped clean it), and when parents are cheerful about their chores, this message can have a big impact. This is how we help our kids develop a sense of responsibility. When our children develop this responsibility, they'll be more disciplined, and they'll control their emotions better. When we give rewards to our kids, we reduce the sense of responsibility. We also create children who may temporarily perform to a certain standard, but who aren't likely to continue the performance without the carrot hanging in front of them. "Rewards and punishment can change behavior for a while, but they cannot change the person who engages in the behavior, at least in the way we want," said Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards. "Good values have to be grown from the inside out." Parents can help give their children a sense of shared responsibility and discipline which can last a lifetime. The real rewards that your children receive will be their readiness for the complex and demanding world that waits for them-- a world that rewards those who have learned the secrets of discipline and responsibility. So keep those shiny rewarding to yourself, and _ . Which of the following sentences can be used to end this passage? Answer: let your kids find their own rewards Fri, Jun. l Nightlife Back to the Age of innocence This performance, organized by the group Lifetime Wharf, will celebrate Children's Day and commemorate the lost childhoods of office workers. Five bands will perform: DH & Chinese Hellcats, DUDE, Candy Monster, Residence A and Island Mood. Where: Yugong Yishan Livehouse, 3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu. Dongcheng District When: 8 pm Admission: 60 yuan pre-sale; 80 yuan at door Tel:64042711 Sun, Jun.3 Movie Chinese Girl by Guo Xiaolu The indie film Chinese Girl directed by Guo Xiaolu is about the life of a girl who lives in the countryside. The lead actress. Huang Lu, will attend the screening and answer participants' questions afterwards. Where:UCCA, 4Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District When:7 pm Admission:15 yuan(10 yuan for students, free for VIP) Tel:57800200 Mom, Jun. 4 Script Reading Scripts written by students from the 166th Middle School of Beijing will be performed. They include: Love Sleeping Beauty, Lucky Ferris Wheel production, Jane Eyre, Our Self-study Class and Farewell-Bing xin. Where: Penghao Theater, 35 Dongmianhua Hutong, Dongcheng District When: Until Jun. 5, 7:30pm Admission: 80 yuan(40 yuan for students) Tel:64006472 Thu, Jun.7 Movie Invictus This film is directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards. Where: China Film Archive, 3 Wenhuiyuan Lu, Haidian District When: Until Jun. 8,7:30-10 pm Admission:120-480 yuan Tel:66550000 Which of the following can remind office workers of their childhoods? Answer: Nightlife Back to the Age of Innocence Moses Mendelssohn, the grandfather of the well-known German composer , was far from being handsome. Along with a rather short stature , he had a hunchback . One day he visited a merchant in Hamburg who had a lovely daughter named Frumtje. Moses fell hopelessly in love with her. But Moses was refused by his ugly appearance When it was time for him to leave, Moses picked up his courage and climbed the stairs to her room to take one last chance to speak with her. She was a heavenly beauty, but caused him deep sadness by her refusal to look at him. After several attempts at conversation, Moses shyly asked, "Do you believe marriages are made in heaven?" "Yes, "She answered, still looking at the floor. "And do you?" "Yes I do, "He replied. "You see, in heaven at the birth of each boy, the God announces which girl he will marry. When I was born, my future bride was pointed out to me. Then the God added, 'But your wife will be humpbacked. '""Right then and there I called out, 'Oh God, a humpbacked woman would be a tragedy . Please, God, give me the hump and let her be beautiful. '" Then Frumtje looked up into his eyes and was stirred by some deep memory. She reached out and gave Mendelssohn her hand and later became his devoted wife. Frumtje accepted Moses' request in the end because of _ . Answer: Moses' good heart and honesty Hello! My name is Mike. I am from America. Now I am with my parents. I like breakfast at home. I have an egg, some bread and porridge for breakfast. I do not like milk. I have no time to go home for lunch. So I have it at school. The lunch in our school is good. I can have different food for lunch. I eat rice, meat and vegetables. Sometimes I have noodles and dumplings. I have dinner at home with my parents. Sometimes we go out to eat with friends. We have chicken, vegetables and fruit. Sometimes they have dinner _ . Answer: in a restaurant with some friends No one is glad to hear that his body has to be cut open by a surgeon and part of it taken out. Today, however, we needn't worry about feeling pain during the operation. The sick person falls into a kind of sleep, and when he awakes, the operation is finished. But these happy conditions are fairly new. It is not many years since a man who had to have operation felt all its pain. Long ago, operation had usually to be done while the sick man could feel everything. The sick man had to be held down on a table by force while the doctors did their best for him. He could feel all the pain if his leg or arm was being cut off, and his fearful cries filled the room and the hearts of those who watched. Soon after 1770, Josept Priestley discovered a gas which is now called "laughing gas".Laughing gas became known in America.Young men and women went to parties to try it. Most of them spent their time laughing,but one man at a party,Horace Wells,noticed that people didn't seem to feel pain when they were using this gas.He decided to make an experiment on himself.He asked a friend to help him. Wells took some of the gas,and his friend pulled out one of Well's teeth.Wells felt no pain at all. As he didn't know enough about laughing gas, he gave a man less gas than he should have. The man cried out with pain when his tooth was being pulled out. Wells tried again,but this time he gave too much of the gas,and the man died.Wells never forgot this terrible event. Long ago, when the sick man was operated on, he _ . Answer: could feel all the pain
Paul the pear lived in a bowl on the table. He was a plastic fruit, and no one could eat him. He sat in the bowl with Artie the apple and Gertie the grapes. He watched every day as the group of bananas that hung out in another basket got eaten one by one. He wished he could be taken along to work in a bag and brought along to eat. But day after day, he sat in the bowl with only his plastic friends. One day, a little boy walked over towards him and picked Paul up. Paul was very excited. The boy looked at the pear with hungry eyes. He put him up to his mouth and took a big bite. "Ewwww!!!" said the little boy, and he spit out the fake fruit all over the floor. He put Paul back in the bowl and ran away. Paul smiled to himself about his adventure. What are the pear's friends' names? Artie & Gertie Looking through a magazine in a waiting room recently, I came across an article with the title "My top five most precious possessions".It was just a few lines of text with pictures, but it caught my imagination. It's interesting how inanimate objects can take on such significance and become woven into a person's, and sometimes a whole family's life history. Anyway, the article had me considering what my most precious possessions are. It was difficult to choose only five, but here are mine: An old cardboard box filled with my children's baby photos. A yellow pocketsized birthday book of special things (poems, pictures of flowers and trees, etc) given to me by my dad when I was probably about seven or eight years old. A 21st Birthday card from my mum. In it she's written her congratulations, her love, and her hopes for my future. She died not long after, when I was in my early twenties. A few ancient but very beautiful botany books that were once my great grandmother's. She was a botanist in a time when it was ly unusual for women to be qualified in this field and I think she was probably a remarkable and very interesting woman. I'd like to have known her. A brooch left to me by my muchloved grandmother. It was given to my great grandmother (her mother) by my great grandfather on his return from World War I. It is not worth anything in terms of money. However, it not only stands for a link between four generations of women, but it is also a reminder of one young man's return from World War I. How about you? I'd love to hear what you feel are your most precious possessions. What made the writer have the idea of writing the passage? An article in a magazine. Roger Federer and Serena Williams have been named as 2009' s world champions by the International Tennis Federation(ITF) after topping the year-end rankings. Federer, who wins the honour for the fifth time, completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros before winning his 15th Grand Slam ride at Wimbledon. And Williams won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, her llth major success. The pair will receive their awards at the annual 1TF world champions dinner in Paris in June. Federer regained the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal after his Paris victory and his Wimbledon win over Andy Roddick saw him surpass Pete Sampras' haul of Grand Slam titles. He was also runner - up at the Australian Open and the US Open and helped his country retain its Davis Cup world group status. " It is an honour for me to be named ITF world champion for a fifth time.It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court," said the 28 - year - old Swiss star whose wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls in July. "To win my first Roland, Garros title, break the all - time Grand Slam record and regain the number one ranking is amazing.It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top." Williams takes _ for the first time since 2002.As well as her Grand Slam wins, she won the season - ending WTA Championships in Doha.sealing the top ranking in the last event of die year. She also took the doubles year award with sister Venus after taking their career total to 10 Grand Slam titles.In doing so, she joins Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis as the only players to become singles and doubles world champions in the same year. American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named as the men' s doubles world champions for the sixth time in seven years. What does Federer mean by saying that it was an incredible year for him off the court? His wife gave birth to twin girls. A student mixed baking soda with vinegar and observed that the reaction was endothermic. When is a reaction endothermic? when it requires heat to make it happen Americans have used colours to create many expressions they use every day. We say we're "in the pink" when we are in good health. It is easy to understand how this expression was born. When my face has a nice fresh, pink colour, it is a sign which shows my health is good. The colour green is natural for trees, it is an unnatural colour for humans. When someone doesn't feel well, for example, we say he looks green. When someone is angry because he doesn't have what someone else has, we say he is "green with envy". Some people are "green with envy" because someone else has more dollars, or "greenbacks". Dollars are called "greenback" because that's the colour of the backside of the money. Blue is a cool colour. The traditional blue music of American blacks is the opposite of red hot music. It is slow, sad and soulful . To be blue, of course, is to be sad. The colour black is often used in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a "black day". A "black sheep" is the member of a family or group who always seems to be in trouble. If someone meets a "black cat", something unlucky might happen to him. Not all the "black" expressions have bad meanings. A company "in the red" is losing money. If someone tells you to put someone "in black and white", they want you to write it down. Which word describes the red hot music? Fast.
Starting a bank a child's play? Absolutely, if you ask some enterprising youngsters in India, who have not only managed to establish one, but also, unlike many of the large International banks, run it successfully since 2001. What's even more impressive is that the young bankers and their 90,004---clients are all homeless! The Children's Development Khazana (treasure) opened its first branch in 2001 at a homeless shelter in New Deli as a way to help the street children protect their hard-earned money from thieves. Since then, the idea has caught on like wildfire. Today, Khazana has 12 branches all across New Deli, with a total of Rupees 12lakh (about 22,000USD) in deposits. Not only that, there are now 77 affiliated branches in other parts of Asia, ranging from Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to the island of Sri Lanka, and even Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. While no deposit or balance is too small for the bank, they do have strict regulations about where the money is earned from. Funds obtained by begging or selling drugs are not welcomed at this bank ! Also, unlike the real banks, all employees are volunteers, which means that they go to school or a paying job during the day and work at the bank in the evening. To ensure that everybody gets a chance to participate in running the branch, two volunteer managers are elected from the clients base every six months. Karan, the current manager is just 14-year-old. During the day he earns a living by helping out the cleaning crew at wedding banquets and other big parties. In the evening, he handles the deposits and withdrawals in the bank. After the bank closes, he along with an adult volunteer from the shelter head over to a regular bank and deposit the funds collected into Khazana's interest-bearing bank account and though it started with one single purpose. The Children's Development Khazana is today a well-developed bank, one kids can not only deposit money which earns them 5% interest, but also, request loans for family emergencies, to start a business or even to pay for school. According to the passage, the Children's Development Khazana _ . offers more and better service than before Peter: What are you doing for vacation, Steven? Steven: I'm visiting my aunt in San Francisco. My brother's staying there. He's joining a club. Peter: Oh? When are you going? Steven: Next Friday. Peter: How long are you staying? Steven: I'm staying at my aunt's home for four days. I'm going sightseeing in San Francisco, and then I'm seeing all of my friends New York. How about you? Peter: I'm going to the beach and my friends and I are also going hiking for a few days. Steven: Aren't you renting video tapes and relaxing at home? Peter: No, it's boring. We like outside activities. Steven is staying in his aunt's house for _ . four days Holding a hot dog over a campfire makes it stiffer July 21st, 2007 was a typical English summer's day -- it rained for 24 hours! As usual, I rushed home from work at midday to check on the house. Nothing was amiss. By the time I lift work at 5 pm, however, the road into our village was flooded. Our house bad never been flooded but, as I opened the front door, a wave of water greeted me. Thank God the kids weren't with me, because the house was 5 feet deep in water. We lost everything downstairs. And the plaster had to be torn off the walls, ceilings pulled down. At first we tried to push on through. We didn't want to move the children out of home, so we camped upstairs. we put a sheet of plastic across the floor to protect us from the damp. But after three months, we felt very sick, so we moved to a wooden house in a park. The house was small, but at first we were all just delighted to be in a new place. Unfortunately, things took longer than expected and we were there for 10 months. The life there was inconvenient. What surprised me most was how much I missed being part of a community .We had lived in a friendly village with good neighbours, and I'd never thought how much I'd miss that. Although-our situation was very bad, it's difficult to feel too sorry for yourself when you look at what's happening elsewhere. I watched a news report about floods in Northern India and thought , "We didn't have a straw hut that was swept away , and our house is still sanding . We're lucky ." We moved back home in August. With December coming, there's reconstruction work to be done, so it's difficult to prepare for Christmas. But I can't wait -- I'm going to throw a party for our friends in the village to say thanks for their support. This year , I won't need any gifts -- living away from home for months has made me realize how little we actually need or miss all our possessions . Although we are replacing things, there's really no rush -- we have our home back, and that's the main thing. What does the author mainly want to express by telling her story? She valued human feelings more than before. A number of recent studies have shown how making several small lifestyle changes could help you lose weight without losing the pleasure to enjoy the food you love. 1.Use a smaller plate A Comell University study found that when a fixed portion(,) of food was eaten from a large plate, diners felt they had been given a smaller than average portion, so ate more.When the same portion of food was eaten from a smaller dish, the meal seemed more, so they ate less. 2.Eat with men Eat with men if you're a woman.According to psychologist Meredith Young, women eat less if there are men around.She told The Atlantic: "It is possible that small food portions signal attractiveness." 3.Avoid light at night This includes late-night television and computer use.A study into the effects of bright light or darkness on weight-gain in mice found that those under a bright light at night gained 50 per cent more weight than those in darkness. 4.Be careful around friends Children eat more with a friend than with a stranger, according to a study at the State University of New York at Buffalo.Researchers said that it ,which applies to adults too, can be blamed on the fact that friends act as so-called permission-givers, and encourage one to eat. 5.Be aware of skinny friends who eat a lot Worse still, are thin friends who have large appetites.A study found that participants ate more during a movie when accompanied by a skinny person who ate a Jot, compared with those sitting next to a fat person who ate a lot. 6.Avoid advertisements for exercise A study shows that participants who were shown advertisements encouraging exercise ate more than those who weren't.The same was true of participants exposed to words related to exercise during mealtimes. The purpose of writing the passage is _ . to give advice on losing weight
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. Green said, "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority." Blue interrupted, "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life." Yellow chuckled . "The sun is yellow, as well as the moon and the stars. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile." Red could bear it no longer. "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood-life's blood! I am the color of danger and bravery. I bring fire into the blood. I am the color of passion and love." Purple stood at his full height. "I am the color of royalty and power. I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey." Finally Indigo spoke with determination, "Think of me and I am the color of silence. I represent thought and reflection. You need me for balance and contrast , for prayer and inner peace." The colors went on boasting , each showing off his or her own advantages. Suddenlythere came a flash of bright lightening. Thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down. The colors were scared to death. In the midst of the quarrelling, rain began to speak, "You foolish colors. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me." Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands. From then on, when it rains, colors will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color. Whenever a rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another. Why did the colors quarrel? A Because they often fought for some reasons. B Because they were not liked by each other. C Because they all claimed to be the best. D Because they all wanted to rule other colors. Answer: C Questions My 14th birthday is coming and I'm ready to plan my birthday party. I spent a lot of time planning my party to make it interesting. I was thinking about having a "Remember the Good Times" party. Everyone who is coming is going to graduate soon. I thought I should put up some photos of my friends and pictures from popular television shows on the wall. The food could be the things we've always loved (hamburgers, ice creams and French fries). I don't know if my idea is going to be good for my birthday party. What do you think, Miss Lee? Answer: Hi, Maria, I love the idea of the "Remember the Good Times" party. It sounds like a graduation party. I love the idea of eating your favorite foods! It's fun, easy and cheap! You can bring photos of your class trip to remember the places where you went. I hope you will have a wonderful birthday party! Have a wonderful 14th birthday! Miss Lee suggests that Maria should _ . A have a concert B bring some photos of her class trip C turn on the TV D buy more foods Answer: B Air is considered to be a vehicle for..? A Light B Wind C Speed D Sound Answer: D Emily and Alex were happy when their family moved to a house with a very big garden. They could climb up trees, grow flowers and even play badminton. They liked to watch the birds flying among the trees in the garden. They even started to put food out to attract more birds. Everything was fine for a few days until one afternoon there was a strange bumping noise on a window. Emily went outside and found a small bird dead on the grass. Its neck seemed to be broken. "It must have flown into the window," Alex said when his sister Emily called him to have a look. "Ah, yes, look here. You can see the mark where it hit the window. There are a couple of tiny feathers stuck on the window." "Poor thing!" Emily said. During the next month, five more birds died in the same way. "Why would they fly to the windows?" they wondered. Finally they found out the truth. When the birds were flying, they couldn't see into the rooms. All they saw was the reflection of the garden. They thought that they were flying into trees because they saw trees reflected by the window. "Something has to be done to save the birds." the parents decided. At first, he family tried keeping curtains across the windows, but this made the room dark. Then they bought some strong black paper and cut out the shape of a _ . They made six hawks - one for each window. They stuck the hawks to the windows. They looked pretty and did not keep out much light. When the birds saw the hawks, they would fly away. After that, there were no more dead birds. The family were much happier. The birds flew to the windows because they _ . A found the windows very clean B fought for more food C thought there were more trees ahead D wanted to go into the room Answer: C Food safety will become the food industry's key target as the nation tries to adopt international food standards. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Standardization Administration of China, the Ministry of Agriculture and six other departments announced their 2004-05 development programme for national food standards over the weekend. China is conducting a rectification within two years. Inspectors will search for all known banned materials in food production. To reduce trading barriers, China will raise the ratio of adopting international standards in the food industry to 55 percent from today's 23 percent. "Safety is the first consideration for anything entering people's mouth followed by its nutritious value," said Hao Yu, secretary-general of the National Food Industry Standardization Technique Committee. He added the usage of food addictives will be a major field for consideration in setting the new standards. On-the-spot checks during the past two years have shown the abuse or misuse of addictives in food production and processing has become the biggest threat to food safety. In one case, talcum powder was found in flour products, which is outlawed according to national food standards. "At present there are no methods or standards to test the content of talcum powder in flour," said Shang Yan'e, an official with the national watchdog on grain and oil inspections. Under the guidelines, all banned addictives will be recorded as inspections increase, Relevant departments have allocated funds to conduct risk evaluations on current food addictives to fix the limits of their usage. China will adopt international advanced techniques and standards so as to find out the harmful materials in food within a shortest period. What does the passage mainly talk about? A Addictives are dangerous to people's health. B Chinese food will be as safe as foreign food. C New food safety standards are to be fixed. D Food safety is a major concern in present China. Answer: C
In American schools there is something called Homecoming Day.Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a homecoming game. This can be the most important event of the year, except for graduation.Students plan it for many weeks in advance. Several days before Homecoming,students begin to decorate the school.There are signs to wish luck to the team and many other signs to welcome back the graduates from other years.Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after they graduate. The members of school clubs sell delicious foods and fruits,such as apples and sandwiches.Some clubs even help to welcome visitors. During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago.Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school. Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over,the band comes onto the field and plays school songs.Another important moment is when the Homecoming Queen appears.All the students vote a most popular student Homecoming Queen or King.It is a great honor to be chosen as the Homecoming Queen or King. Homecoming is a happy day, but it is not perfect unless the football wins the game.Even if the team loses,the students still enjoy Homecoming.Some stay at the school to dance,and others go to a party.For everyone it is a day to remember for a long,long time. What doesn't happen during Homecoming Day? A Having a football game. B Welcoming back the graduates. C Choosing Homecoming Queen. D Listening to a concert. Answer: D. Listening to a concert. Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings. The noise that affects sea animals comes from a number of human activities. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves. Decibels measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land caused pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect. Some scientists have planned to set a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have found that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales. A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that loud noises can seriously hurt some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected. Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds disagree to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research. Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to stop noises from harming creatures in the ocean. According to the passage, what will scientists most probably do in the future? A They will try their best to make no noise. B They will work hard to cut down natural noises. C They will study the effect of different noises. D They will protect animals from harmful noises. Answer: D. They will protect animals from harmful noises. Alyssa got to the beach after a long trip. She's from Charlotte. She traveled from Atlanta. She's now in Miami. She went to Miami to visit some friends. But she wanted some time to herself at the beach, so she went there first. After going swimming and laying out, she went to her friend Ellen's house. Ellen greeted Alyssa and they both had some lemonade to drink. Alyssa called her friends Kristin and Rachel to meet at Ellen's house. The girls traded stories and caught up on their lives. It was a happy time for everyone. The girls went to a restaurant for dinner. The restaurant had a special on catfish. Alyssa enjoyed the restaurant's special. Ellen ordered a salad. Kristin had soup. Rachel had a steak. After eating, the ladies went back to Ellen's house to have fun. They had lots of fun. They stayed the night because they were tired. Alyssa was happy to spend time with her friends again. What did Alyssa eat at the restaurant? A steak B soup C salad D catfish Answer: D. catfish I do desire to help my Chinese students to find a better way of learning. I once divided my Chinese MBA students into six groups and set them an assignment: brainstorming on "two-hour business plans", for example: a restaurant chain. Originality would be valued most. As a result, five groups proposed projects for restaurant chains. The sixth showed a catering service. I couldn't help expressing my disappointment, though the time limit had been rather challenging. Those middle managers and financial analysts from state-owned enterprises and global companies were not untalented or without opinions, but they had been accustomed to an educational system that rarely rewarded critical thinking or Originality. Papers were often copied from the Internet and the Harvard Business Review. Students insisted that copying was a superior business strategy, better than inventing and creating. In China, you can see almost all kinds of products you can imagine have been made and sold, but so few well developed marketing and management minds have been produced that it will be a long time before most people in the world can name a Chinese brand! Partnerships with institutions like Yale and MIT have been established so as to solve the problem mentioned above. And there's also the "thousand talent scheme": this new government program is designed to improve technological modernization by inviting top foreign trained scientists to the mainland with large sums of money. But there are concerns about China's research environment, which is known for lacking in encouraging independent thinking and inventiveness, and even high salary offers may not be attractive enough to overcome this. If China wants to become a major world creator, it is no good just seeking partnerships with top Western universities or gathering a group of well-educated people and telling them to think creatively. It's time to establish a rich learning environment for young minds. Yes, new way of learning is the key! Which can serve as the best title of the passage? A Look for a New Way of Learning B Develop MBA Students' Creative Thinking C Help China to Become a Creator D Improve China's Research Environment Answer: A. Look for a New Way of Learning Throughout your life, you spend the most time being with or dealing with yourself, but it is exactly yourself that you have the least understanding of. When you are going upwards in life, you tend to think too highly of yourself. When you are going downhill, you tend to have too low an opinion of yourself. It's likely that you think it wise for yourself to know your place and keep yourself from lacking courage to face whatever problem you meet with, in which case your energy and creativity would remain far from enough for your age. To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of oneself and be a clear-minded realistic person-knowing both one's strength and shortage. You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too much, for dreams can never be fully realized. You may be brave to meet challenges, but it should be clear to you where to direct your efforts. To get a thorough understanding of oneself needs self-appreciation. Whether you hold yourself as a big tree or a thin piece of grass, whether you think you are a high mountain or a small stone, you show a state of nature that has its own reason of existence. If you really admire yourself, you'll have a real sense of self-appreciation which will give you self-confidence. As soon as you gain full confidence in yourself, you'll be enabled to fight and defeat any trouble that will otherwise defeat you. To get a thorough understanding of oneself also requires that you show yourself loving concern about your health and daily life. Unless you know perfectly well when and how to do yourself a favor, you won't be confident and ready enough even to resist the attack of illness. Therefore, just do yourself a favor whenever it's needed. In time of anger, do yourself a favor by giving an exit to it in a quiet place so that you won't be hurt by the anger itself; in time of sadness, do yourself a favor by sharing it with your friends so as to change a sad mood into a cheerful one; in time of tiredness, do yourself a favor by getting a good sleep or some other relaxation. All in all, to get a thorough understanding of oneself is to get a full control one's life. Then one will find one's life full of color1, pleasure and achievement. What's this passage mainly about? A Self-education. B Self-confidence. C Self-appreciation. D Self-understanding. Answer: D. Self-understanding.
O. Henry, born in Greensboro, North Carolina, was the pen name of William Sydney Porter. His father, Algernon Sydney Porter, was a physician. When William was three years old, his mother died, and he was raised by his grandmother and aunt. William was a good reader, but at the age of fifteen he left school, and worked in a drug store and later on a Texas farm. After that, he moved to Houston, where he had a number of jobs, including that of bank clerk. After moving to Austin, Texas, in 1882, he married. In 1884 he started a humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined The Houston Post as a reporter and columnist . In 1897 he was put into prison over some financial dealings. While in prison, William started to write short stories to earn money to support his daughter Margaret. His first work, Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking(1899), appeared in McClure's Magazine. After serving three years of the five years' sentence,he changed his name to O. Henry, hoping to forget his bitter past. O. Henry moved to New York City in 1902 and from December 1903 to January 1906 he wrote a story a week for the New York World, and also published the stories in other magazines. His first collection, Cabbages and Kings, appeared in 1904. Many other works quickly followed, such as The Gift of the Magi and The Furnished Room. O. Henry's best- known work is The Ransom of Red Chief. His stories always have surprising endings. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime. O. Henry's last years were shadowed by drinking, ill health, and financial problems. In 1907, he experienced a failed marriage. In 1910, O. Henry died after an illness. O. Henry spent some time in prison because _ . A. he got involved in some problems connected with money B. he joined The Houston Post as a reporter and columnist C. his weekly The Rolling Stone failed D. he couldn't earn enough money to support his daughter Answer: A In America, square dancing has been the most popular form of folk dancing since the early days. In early times, when men and women worked in groups to build a barn or harvest crops, they danced when the work was done. The music came from the violin for the most part, but if there was no one to play a musical instrument, clapping was used to produce the rhythm to which people dance. The early settlers danced in a store, in a barn, or in a farm kitchen. A square is formed by four couples who stand facing the centre of the square. Each couple stand on one side of the square, the boy on the left and the girl on the right. The caller is an important part of the dance, since he tells the dancers which steps to do. If the dancers do not know the steps, he teaches them. It takes time to learn to be a good caller, and good callers are always in demand . These are the names of some of the steps the dancers do: Form a square; Circle; Honour your partner; Swing your partner; Form a star. There are many more. As the callers tell the dancers what to do next, they move to form the pattern he calls. Large or small numbers of people can dance at one time. Sometimes 800 or 1,000 people may be dancing at the same time. Or there may be only one square of eight people. Special clothes are worn by some when dancing. This makes the dance more colourful to watch. The special clothes are different from place to place. Women often wear full skirts of various colours with a pretty blouse. Men have coloured shirts and western trousers that they wear only when square dancing. In some country areas, everyone wears his best clothes. Today in some parts of the United States you will find some schools, clubs, or groups square dancing for fun. From the passage we know that square dancing came from _ . A. the clubs B. the schools C. big cities D. the countryside Answer: D Of all the components of a good night's sleep, dreams seem to be last within our control. In dreams, a window opens into a world where there is zero logic and dead people can speak. A century ago, Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the hidden shadows of our unconscious desires and fears; by the late 1970s, neurologists had switched to thinking of them as just "mental noise"--the random byproducts of the neural repair work that goes on during sleep. Now researchers suspect that dreams are regulating moods while the brain is "offline". And one leading authority says that these intensely powerful mental events actually can be bought under conscious control, to help us sleep and feel better. "It's your dream," says Rosalind Cartwright, chair of psychology at Chicago's Medical Center. "If you don't like it, change it." Evidence from brain imaging supports this view. The brain is as active during rapid eye movement sleep when most vivid dreams occur as it is when fully awake, says Dr. Eric Nofzinger at the University of Pittsburgh. But not all parts of the brain are equally involved: the limbic system or the emotional brain is especially active, while the prefrontal cortex--the center of intellect and reasoning, is relatively quiet. "We wake up from dreams happy or depressed, and those feelings can stay with us all day," says Stanford sleep researcher Dr. William Dement. This link is shown among the patients in Cartwright's clinic. Most people seem to have more bad dreams early in the night, progressing toward happier ones before awakening, suggesting that they are working through negative feelings generated during the day. Because our conscious mind is occupied with daily life we don't always think about the emotional significance of the day's events--until, it appears, we begin to dream. There is probably little reason to pay attention to our dreams at all unless they keep us from sleeping or "We wake up in a panic," Cartwright says. Those suffering from persistent nightmares should seek help from a therapist. For the rest of us, the brain has its ways of working through bad feelings. Sleep or rather dream on it and you'll feel better in the morning. What is shown in Cartwright's clinic? A. The functions of vivid dreams. B. The relation of dreams to emotions. C. The functions of different brain parts. D. The secret of rapid eye movement sleep. Answer: B Marco Polo was from Venice, Italy. In 1271, at age 17, Marco went on a trip with his father and uncle to China. Today people often travel to different places around the world. But it was very hard for people from Europe to visit China then. After three and a half years, the Polos reached China on 1275. While he was there, Marco Polo worked for Kublai Khan, the emperor of China. He was able to learn and experience many things that were new to Europeans. In his diary, he wrote, "Kublai Khan's palace is the greatest I've ever seen. The streets of the new capital. Daidu, are so straight and so wide." Paper money also took him by surprise, since it was not yet in use in the West at that time. Homes were heated with "black stones... which burn like wood." These stones were coal, and most of the Europeans knew little about it then. After 17 years in China, Marco and his family finally returned to Venice in 1292. After he returned home, Marco completed a book about his trip, full of facts about his wonderful experiences in China. The Polos finally got to China in _ . A. 1271 B. 1275 C. 1288 D. 1292 Answer: B Jack and Paul planned to hold up a bank. They drove to the bank in Jack's car. Jack entered while Paul remained as lookout in the car. After a few moments, Paul panicked and drove off. Jack looked over the various tellers, approached one, and whispered nervously, "Just hand over the cash. Don't look around, don't make a false move or it's your life." The teller looked at the fidgeting Jack, laughed, flipped him a dollar bill, and said, "Go on, beat it." Flustered, Jack grabbed the dollar and left. Soon after leaving the scene, Paul was stopped by the police for speeding. Noting his nervous condition, the police asked Paul if they might search the car. Paul agreed. The search turned up heroin concealed in the lid of the trunk"The prosecution's best argument to sustain the validity of the search of Jack's car would be that A. the search was reasonable under the circumstances, including Paul's nervous condition. B. the search was incident to a valid arrest. C. Paul had, under the circumstances, sufficient standing and authority to consent to the search. D. exigent circumstances, including the inherent mobility of a car, justified the search Answer: C
Question: I do not need a calendar to tell me when it is winter. All I need is my nose. When I wake up in the morning and smell the tasty treats my mom is cooking downstairs, I know winter has arrived. The first one is the smell of chocolate. During the holiday season (from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day) my mother makes her special hot chocolate. She always adds a peppermint candy cane to the drink and tops it with cream. The hot chocolate gets me out of bed, but it is my mother's chocolate fudge that makes me run downstairs. It is a thick chunk of chocolate that tastes like heaven. My mother adds nuts. That gives it more texture . But my mother isn't done yet. She also makes a treat she calls "window panes ". She takes a few different colored marshmallows and melts them together with chocolate. The final product looks like a colorful church window, so we call it "window panes". These tasty holiday treats are usually eaten after a meal as a dessert. But don't tell Santa Claus because I secretly eat them all day long. The "window panes" the author mentions refer to _ . A. special hot chocolate drink B. decorations on the window C. chocolate cake with fruits on it D. a mixture of marshmallows and chocolate Answer: D Question: when light hits a reflective object , that light A. never reaches it B. illuminates the backside C. goes above it D. redirected from it Answer: D Question: There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy of responsibility and unconditional love, which _ mothers and daughters from being best friends. Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you." This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying. While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together. Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn't that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being. The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend. Why do many mothers and adult daughters keep a rewarding relationship? A. Because they have a lot in common. B. Because they have common family values. C. Because they have no generation gap. D. Because they keep a constant relationship. Answer: A Question: When I was young I wanted to be a model,so when a national contest was staged,I convinced my parents to take me for an audition .I was selected and told I had potential.They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious modeling agencies from around the world would attend.At 13,my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgement and I begged my parents to let me go.We have never been rich,but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed. I imagined being signed by some famous model companies.For months,any boredom or disappointment I faced was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be real model.I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines! Of course,I wasn't signed,but what hurt the most was being told that if I grew to 5'9''(about 1.75 metres) I could be a success.I prayed for a growth spurt because I could not imagine giving up my dream.I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $500 for classes.$500 for a photo shoot,and $300 for other expenses.My parents only agreed after hours and hours of my begging. The agency sent me out on a few auditions,but with every day I didn't receive a call,I grew more depressed. _ came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial modeling.There was an open call in New York City.We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting,only to be told that I was too short.I was devastated . Years later,I realized that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn't actually love modeling,just the idea of it.I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal.The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future. What's the author's parents' attitude toward her dream? A. Encouraging. B. Worried. C. Doubtful. D. Enthusiastic. Answer: C Question: In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell. My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to leave college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait. Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic--and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed Son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy. You can imagine how busy I became, raising four boys under the age of 8! Our home was a complete zoo--a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each term. The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to give up, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives. In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree! I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you're looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you're in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won't arrive in your life on one day. It's a process. Remember: little steps add up to big dreams. Which of the following can best describe the author ? A. Caring and determined. B. Honest and responsible. C. Ambitious and sensitive. D. Innocent and single-minded. Answer: A
Mr White works in an office. He's very busy and has no time to have a good rest. Every evening, when he comes back from his office, he's always tired and wants to go to bed early. But his wife often has a lot of interesting things to tell him after dinner. She doesn't stop talking until she falls asleep . But it's usually too late and Mr White has to get up early in the morning when she is still sleeping. One day Mr White felt terrible and couldn't go to work. He decided to go to see a doctor. Mrs White went to the hospital with him. Before her husband said what was the matter with him, the woman told the doctor all. The doctor wrote out a prescription . When Mrs White took the medicine to the doctor's room, the doctor said to her, "The bottle of medicine is for your husband and the pills are for you. " "For me?" the woman said in surprise. "I'm fine. I don't need any medicine!" "I don't think so, madam," said the doctor. "They are sleeping pills. Your husband will be all right soon if you take them. " The sentence "Your husband will be all right soon if you take them. " means Mr White will soon be all right if _ . Answer: Chinese media and Internet users on Monday condemned lack of morals in society after a toddler was struck twice -by two different vans-and left bleeding on the road as more than a dozen bystanders did nothing to help the seriously injured girl. The incident, captured by a surveillance camera and broadcast by Southern Television Guangdong (TVS),showed the two-year-old girl was knocked down and run over by a white van on a narrow market street on the afternoon of Oct.13,in Foshan City of Guangdong Province. The driver fled the scene of the accident,leaving the girl to bleed on the sidewalk.Over the next six minutes,more than a dozen people walked by the girl,yet not one individual did anything to help her.The girl was then hit a second time by another van before an elderly trash collector came to her aid and brought the attention of the girl's mother,according to the video and eyewitnesses. Doctors said that the girl,who was put on life support after being hospitalized,remains in a deep coma.The girl's parents,who are migrants living in the city,are now with her. Police said the drivers of both vehicles have been arrested.However,the apathy of the bystanders shown in the video has shocked the public,as Internet forums have seethed with anger, and people are questioning the morality of society. High moral standards were once triumphed as national pride in China where individuals known for selflessly helping others were adored by the public. But in recent years,the perception of a decline of morals has become a hot topic as profit and materialism are perceived to be affecting society's values. On Sept.2 an 88-year-old man in central China collapsed,his face striking the pavement.Yet,no one came to his aid,and he ended up choking to death on the blood from his nose. Some have linked the absence of good Samaritans to a previous case in which a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her. A strong chorus of opinion on the Internet says laws should exempt Samaritans from liability ,yet laws themselves cannot solve society's morality dilemma. Cao Lin,a China Youth Daily commentator,said in a signed article published on Monday that the worry of liability should not be an excuse for not helping,and this case exposes the decline of humanity in Chinese society. In recent years,society's values is believed to be affected by _ . Answer: TEENSGIVING is an exciting event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service.This year, TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2013, participants will once again belter New York City and impact thousands of lives! When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2013? SUNDAY, APRIL 25,2013 Where is TEENSGIVING? All over New York City.Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off.Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse (BW) across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference (and have fun!). Who participates in TEENSGIVING? Hundreds of teenagers from around the city.Teens come from the 92ndStreet Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area.In addition, many adult volunteers (ages 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2013. What projects do participants do at the agencies? Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters. Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING? Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive 6 hours of community service credits, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements.Adult volunteers will be "thanked" with a tight breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city's youth contribute to their community.In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2013 T-shirt. This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2013? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org (subject: TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event! Teens can also contact their school's Community Service Advisor TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y. TEENGIVING is an activity which is held _ . Answer: Living in the desert is really hard! With less than 10 inches of rainfall a year, deserts are dry all year round. Lots of heat from the sun and a shortage of water are just a few of the challenges facing desert animals. Deserts are homes to many animals and plants. Few large animals have got used to life in the desert because their size makes it difficult to find shelter from the heat and they can't store water. In order to survive, desert animals have developed a number of ways to live in their special habitat. The most common way is staying under plants or rocks or digging underground in the heat of the day. And many desert animals stay in shelter during the day and hunt at night when it is cool. Some animals get the water they need from the insects, plants and seeds they eat, and do not need to drink. They do not have sweat glands and pass only small amount of waste water. Some animals develop their own ways of surviving in deserts. The Thorny Devil is a kind of lizard that lives in Australian desert areas. It has a body that channels raindrops directly into its mouth when it rains. Water-holding frogs spend most of the year underground in Australian desert areas, and develop a sort of cocoon that enables them to store water to keep them going through the dry times. When it rains, they come out to lay their eggs in ponds. The eggs hatch within days and develop quickly, before the water dries out. What is mainly discussed in this text? Answer: My name is Jack. I am a pupil of Grade One. I'm in No.1 Middle School. On weekdays I get up at six o'clock. I have breakfast at seven and then I go to school by bike. We begin our class at eight o'clock in the morning. We have four classes in the morning and three in the afternoon. At noon, I have lunch at home. Classes are over at four fifteen in the afternoon. After class, we often play football in the afternoon. I go home at about five. I have supper at about six thirty in the evening. I do my homework at seven thirty. At weekend, I watch TV. I often go to bed at ten. I'm very happy. ,. Jack gets up at _ in the morning. Answer:
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? How many kinds of famous tournaments did Billy Rogers takes part in according to the text? A. Two. B. Four. C. Three. D. Six. Answer: B The mobile phone has been a part of our lives since the 1980s. It enables us to stay in contact with our family and friends at all times and in most areas. However, because of the quick acceptance and extensive usage of mobiles in our lives, we have missed out on an important step, namely, the appropriate use. Driving a car Do not use your phone while you are driving ! You could concentrate on your conversation and forget to look where you are going, or you could take your eyes off the road to look at the phone's display or to press in a number. Either way, you could cause a terrible accident. In a restaurant There is probably nothing more annoying than a diner receiving or making a call near you when you are in a restaurant. The icy glares you receive should be warning enough that it is not appreciated. Turn you phone off and enough that it is not appreciated. Turn you phone off and use your message service to return calls after you leave. At the cinema Do not give way to the desire to call a friend if the film is boring, or if you want to find out what happens. You could become the target of all the angry cinema customers. At the theatre There is no more icy glare than that of a theatre goer who has paid a lot of money to see a show and hears your phone playing a tone. It goes without saying that you will be seen as a socially unacceptable person in this situation. In hospitals This is probably the most important place to make sure your phone is switched off. Your phone can disturb life-saving electronic equipment in hospitals, so it is necessary that your phone is switched off before you enter. On planes Your phone might disturb navigational equipment and cause a horrible accident so you should switch it off before boarding a plane. Which of the following statements is NOT true ? A. Theatre goers will not give you icy glares when they hear your phone. B. When switched on in hospitals, mobile phones could endanger patients' lives. C. Passengers should switch off the phones before getting on a plane. D. Pressing in phone numbers when driving could lead to traffic accidents. Answer: A There is a saying in French--"Si vieillesse pouvait, si jeunesse savait"--which means roughly "if age had the ability, if youth had the knowledge." I was reminded of this saying the other day when I saw an interview with a distinguished Asian neurosurgeon , now retired, about the impact of computer technology on modern surgery. He was referring to the difficulty people of his age had in using the new techniques, but also to the fact that younger surgeons, who are more comfortable with the technology, lack some of the wisdom of experience. It struck me that this problem is not just confined to specialized fields such as medicine, but is widespread in modern life. There are many areas where the rapid growth of technology has widened the generation gap. Young people are at ease with modern technology and propose all sorts of ways for using and developing it. But they often lack the experience needed to see further into the future to the possible dangers that a particular development may cause. Older people see all sorts of difficulties and dangers, but are sometimes ignored, or even accused of being against progress, if they point out potential problems. Equally, they may see potential uses, but not have the technical skills to put them into practice themselves or the trust in the younger generation to do so. Enthusiasm and inexperience come into conflict with caution and arrogance, usually with unsatisfactory results for both sides. What is needed is the development of a partnership, based on mutual respect, which can deliver real progress by combining enthusiasm and caution in a constructive way, rather than in conflict with each other. The old need to give the younger generation the time, the resources and, above all, the authority to develop new ideas and use their skills. In exchange, the young need to turn more actively to the older generation to seek their advice and exploit their greater experience of the world in foreseeing and overcoming potential problems. What did the retired neurosurgeon probably mention in his interview? A. Old people's enthusiasm in obtaining new technology. B. Old people's difficulty in using computers. C. Young surgeons' bad manners in working. D. Young surgeons' difficulty in getting experience. Answer: B Passage 1 A teacher who saved His Students An Australia teacher Dane came to Chengdu four years ago. He was giving an English class in Guangya School, in Dujiangran, when the ground began to shake( )at 2:28 pm. On May 12. "Desk !Desk!"he shouted to his students. After all the children hid( ) under the desks safely, he joined them. Passage 2 International Aid( ) A Japanese team of medical workers landed in Chengdu on the early morning of May 16 . It was the first team to arrive from abroad( ).They set off for GuanZhong Town ,in Qingchuan County( ).Two villages were lost in the town, and about 700 people were in danger. Without stopping to rest , they walked many miles to search for the survivors. Soon a team from Singapore and a second team from Japan arrived, followed by two other teams from Korea and Russia. When did a Japanese team of medical workers land in Chengdu?( ) A. On the early morning of May 16. B. On the early morning of June 16. C. On the early afternoon of May 16 D. On Sunday morning. Answer: A I was very sympathetic with world leaders burdened with resolving conflicts between nations. When my three children were young, in most days it was hard to keep my house from becoming a war zone. It got worse as they grew older. Three years ago, Zack, then 16, couldn't make it through a day without playing tricks on his sisters, Alex and Taryn, then 11 and 9. My husband and I tried to understand his adolescent moodiness. We begged, reasoned, punished, and left heartfelt notes on his bed about how his behavior was hurting our family. His response was a shrug and "I say it because it's true". I even tried telling the girls to fight back. But it was a bad idea. Now I had three kids at war. At wit's end, I poured my heart out to my sister in an e-mail. She wrote back, "Don't e-mail me. E-mail him." Our son was online every day, mailing and instantly messaging his friends. So what if I was within shouting distance? Maybe he would actually hear me this way. There'd be no yelling or door slamming . Zack wouldn't feel under attack. And with a few simple keystrokes, he could respond. Or not. Zack didn't reply for days. When he finally did, his entire message was four words. I expected the worst, but then smiled when I read them, "You are right. I'm sorry." The kids still fought, of course, but Zack scaled back the abuse . Best of all, I now have an effective way to communicate with not one but three easily annoyed teens. They don't tune me out as much. They don't like to listen to me nag .Or as Alex says, "You're so much nicer online." All I know is that the house is quiet, and we're talking. In fact, Taryn just instantly messaged me from upstairs. It's time to take her to softball practice. How did Zack react when the author first tried to stop his bad behavior? A. He was annoyed and got worse. B. He talked back to the author. C. He felt sorry and changed. D. He was persuaded and acted politely. Answer: B
Football is, I believe, the most popular game in England: one has only to go to one of the important matches to see this. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting for their teams. One of the most surprising things about football in England is the great knowledge of the game which even the smallest boy seems to have. He can tell you the names of the players in most of the important teams. He has pictures of them and knows the results of large numbers of matches. He will tell you who he thinks will win such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as that of men three or four times of his age. Most schools in England take football seriously -- much more seriously than nearly all European schools, where lessons are all very important and games are left for the children themselves. In England it is believed that education is not only a matter of filling a boy's mind with facts in the classroom; education also means the training of character by means of games, especially team games, where the boy or girl has to learn to work with others for his or her team instead of working for himself or herself alone. _ the school plans games and matches for its students. Football is a good team game. It is good both for the body and the mind. That is why it is every school's game in England. Football games are very popular in England among _ . Answer: all the people Which of the following allows a cell to become specialized? Answer: different patterns of gene expression Hemingway(1898~1961) was born in Illinois. His family took him, as a boy, hunting and fishing trips and so made him know early the kinds of virtues, such as courage and endurance , which were later shown in his stories. After high school, he worked as a newspaper reporter and then went abroad to take part in World War I. After the war, he lived for several years in Paris. It was not long before he began publishing remarkable short stories. In the year he left Paris he published the powerful novel The Sun Also Rises. His subjects were often war and its effects on people, or contests, such as hunting or bullfighting, which demand endurance and courage. Hemingway's style of writing is striking. His sentences are short, his words are simple, yet they are often filled with feelings. A careful reading can show us, further more, that we see how the action of his stories continue during the silence, during the times his character say nothing. This action is often full of meaning. There are times when the most powerful effect comes from restraint . Such times happen often in Hemingway's writings. He perfected the art of expressing excitement with few words. Why is Hemingway's style of writing striking? Answer: Because his writings are filled with feelings. How to improve my life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it." Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your destiny depends on you, not on any other external factors. I know someone 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, 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 God has intended for her to live; that her luck can only change if God wills it. Of course God wants us to be happy and live our life to the fullest, but we have to do our share of exerting the effort to live the life of our dreams. Remember that you reap what you sow. You just don't sit around and wait for a million dollars to fall from the sky. You have to get off the couch, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone. 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; but use it as feedback. 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 the 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. In Para.5, the author emphasized the importance of _ . Answer: positive action I had an experience some years ago which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I had to conduct two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community. Both had died "full of years," as the Bible would say; both yielded to the normal wearing out of the body after a long and full life. Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence calls on the two families on the same afternoon. At the first home, the son of the dead woman said to me, "If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today. It's my fault that she died." At the second home, the son of the other dead woman said, "If only I hadn't insisted on my mother's going to Florida, she would be alive today. That long airplane ride, the abrupt change of climate, was more than she could take. It's my fault that she's dead." When things don't turn out as we would like them to, it is very tempting to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending. Priests know that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course - keeping Mother at home, delaying the operation would have turned out better. After all, how could it have turned out any worse? There seem to be two elements involved in our readiness to feel guilt. The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens. That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds. The second element is the concept that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen. It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood. Psychologists speak of the infantile myth of omnipotence . A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and orders the rest of the world to its tasks. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him. When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely outgrow that infantile concept that our wishes cause things to happen. People feel guilty for the deaths of their loved ones because _ Answer: they believe that they were responsible
Sally was a student. It was going to be her mother's birthday. She wanted to buy her a present that would be nice and useful but not expensive. A week before her mother's birthday, she went shopping after a quick and simple lunch. When she had been looking for half an hour, she found a shop that was selling cheep umbrellas , and decided to take a black one, since her mother had lost hers the month before. She thought, "You could carry that when you are wearing clothes of any color." So she decided to buy a lovely black umbrella and took it back to school with her until her classes had finished. On her way back home in the train that evening, she felt hungry because she had such a small lunch that she went along to the buffet car for another sandwich and cup of coffee. She had left the black umbrella above her seat in the compartment , but when she got back, it had gone! When she had left the compartment, there had been no other passengers in it, but now there were three. Sally began to cry when she saw that the umbrella was no longer there. The other passengers felt very sorry for her and asked what the matter was. She told them that the black umbrella she had bought for her mother was gone, and that she had to get out at the next station. After the three other passengers heard it, they asked her for her mother's address so that they could sent the umbrella to her if someone had taken it by mistake and brought it back after Sally had got out of the train. The next week, Sally heard from her mother. It said, "Thank you very much for your lovely presents, but why did you send me three black umbrellas?" How many umbrellas did Sally's mother get at last? Answer: Three. One day a man found a cocoon of a butterfly in the forest. He sat there for several hours and watched the butterfly. Suddenly a small opening appeared, and the butterfly made its great effort to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon so that the butterfly could come out easily. But to his surprise, the butterfly got a heavy body and very small wings when it came out of the cocoon. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that the body would grow smaller at any moment and the wings would become larger and be able to fly. But neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a heavy body and small wings. It was never able to fly. The man was in his kindness, but he did not understand the nature rules. Before the butterfly came out of the cocoon, fluid from its body must be forced into its wings, and then it would be ready for flying. It must have a hard struggle to get through the small opening to get its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any difficulties, it would make us fail. We would not be as strong as we could have been; we could never fly. What was the butterfly doing at the beginning of the story? Answer: It was struggling to get out of its cocoon. Mr. Frank shot well and once he had come in fourth in a competition. Then he went to a big city on business. There he joined the local rifle club. The club had a very good team, which used to take part in a lot of important shooting competitions. One of these took place while Frank was with them. But one of the members of the club's team suddenly fell ill just before the match. The captain had heard of Mr. Frank. He therefore invited Mr. Frank to take the sick man's place. Mr. Frank felt greatly happy to be asked to shoot for such a good team, but he also felt very nervous, because he was afraid of making a fool of himself. In fact, he was so nervous that he could not keep his hands from trembling while he was shooting, with the result that he did very badly in the competition. When he took his score card to his captain, he said:" After seeing my score, I want to go outside and shoot myself. " The captain looked at the card for a few seconds and then said, "Well, you'd better take two bullets with you if you want to do that. " Why did Mr. Frank feel nervous to be asked to shoot for the team? Because _ . Answer: he was afraid of losing face before so many good shooters Dear new moms, You should teach your children manners as soon as your children can understand what you're saying. When your children do something right, let them know. When your children do something wrong, tell them how they should do it and why. Here are some basic manners for children: 1. Wait for their turn and don't _ other people when they are speaking. Tell them to wait until someone finishes speaking, and then ask questions. 2. Always greet the people who come over to your house. You can teach your children to shake hands with grown-ups who come over, but it's not necessary to shake hands with other children. Your children should always say "hello" or "hi" when someone comes to your home so that the guest feels welcome. 3. Say "please" and "Thank you" often. And say "You're welcome" to answer others' "Thank you". 4. After playing a game, no matter what the result is, be pleased. If your children win, tell them not to show off , but to be kind. If they lose, tell them not to get mad and tell the other children that they did a good job or speak well of them. Yours Dr. Dave Which child is polite? Answer: A boy who says "Thank you" when someone helps him. My mother is taking a tour of the new house via Skype. I leaned the laptop so she can see where she's going,pleased that our Internet connection in Zimbabwe is holding. "This is the living room," I say. Then I tell mydaughter,s;Show Grandma the bed for the mummy and the daddy. " From a continent away, Grandma gave herapproval. Mum had a dollhouse,too. My grandmother,a single mother, did not have enough money to buy my mother areal dollhouse. So Mum made do,laboring over her square cookie tin for years. She stuck patterns on the bright walls : tin cans of jam and bags of flour to make sure the dolls' store was overflowing. My mother passed her love of life in miniature( ) on to me very early. At age 5,1 made chests of drawers for my dollhouse bedroom from matchboxes glued together. Unlike my mother,l was given some ready-made doll furniture and accessories. My mother encouraged me,always responding to my calI,"Come to see what I've made Lrur IIly clollhuuse ! " I spent hours writing a book with the unoriginal but certainly accurate title " How To Make Dolls' House Furniture". The book was lost in a household move. But the satisfying feeling of filling up blank pages with my own ideas stayed with me,pushing me into a career centered on words. My daughter turned 3 recently, and last month I put a strong empty cardboard box,about the size of a tea tray ,in Cassia's bedroom. I searched the shops for dollhouse furniture. But an afternoon's searching yielded only a pink plastic toilet and sink. It doesn't matter,l told myself. I showed Cassia how to make plates for her table from coloured buttons. Fascinated, she collected black stones. What my mother gave me was much more than a fascination with tiny things :It was the ability to view things from a new perspective , to put oneself in another person's shoes , and to solve problems with whatever is at hand. While making her own dollhouse, the writer _ . Answer: often showed it off to her mother
Almost every family in America or England buys at least one copy of a newspaper each day. Some people buy as many as two or three different papers. Why do people read newspapers? Newspapers supply us with news about events in our hometowns, in our country, and in other parts of the world. Today we can read about important things that took place in foreign countries on the same day they happened, even in countries far away. But hundreds of years ago, news of things took months or even years to travel from one country to another. In those times, news was often passed from one person to another and never completely true. Newspapers today supply us with more than just what happened in our country or in other countries. If we want to know what the weather will be like, we can read the weather reports. If we want to find out what films are being shown, or what plays or concerts we can go to we can look in the newspapers. In many countries people put notices in newspapers if they are trying to get a job, hunting for a house or rooms that they can rent, or even when looking for a person who is lost. Which is NOT TRUE according to the passage? A. The habit of reading newspapers is found among most people. B. Newspapers not only supply us with news from all over the world but also give us a lot of useful information. C. Hundreds of years ago news was not completely true because it was told in spoken words. D. If you have no place to live in, you can put notice in a newspaper and then you will certainly get a room to live in. Answer: D Unemployment in the United States is still high at 6.7 percent. But for job seekers,especially those with college educations,researchers say finding a job can be as easy as logging on to a computer.It used to be that looking for a job meant hurrying around,knocking on doors and turning to ads.But that's changing,thanks to the Internet.A new report says,for college graduates,looking for a job is getting easier.More than 80 percent of the jobs are available online. At the height of the depression ,when U.S.unemployment peaked at 10 percent,just a little more than two million jobs were being posted each month.But as the recovery takes hold,the job picture looks increasingly bright. That's great news for Hamilton.Only once has he ever applied in person for a job at a shopping mall. He said,"I think my generation--the idea of going door to door, out knocking and saying,hey are you hiring? --like that--doesn't exist anymore...those days are gone, Just go online.'' Kim Dancy recently graduated with a master's degree in Public Policy.She found her dream job as an education policy researcher.But she says finding the perfect job online takes a lot of perseverance.He said,"It can be really frustrating and it takes a long time,but if you applied for enough positions and really do your homework you will get somewhere. The report's findings suggest careers in Science,Technology,Engineering and Math provide the greatest opportunities,with salaries that range between $30 to $45 an hour.But for maximum income and satisfaction,workers must be prepared to move and change jobs at least every five years. What can we learn from Dancy's experience? A. Job applicants should do much housework. B. Finding a dream job is really exciting. C. Only online can an applicant find a job. D. Online job--hunting calls for perseverance. Answer: D Kyle was excited. So excited that he ate and got dressed before his dad even woke up. Today he was going to the store to spend the money his grandma had sent him for his birthday. When Dad was finally ready to go, Kyle hurried to the car. Today was extra special because none of his sisters were going with them. His older sister Sandy was visiting her best friend. His younger sister Sarah was going to a movie with their mom. So today was a special day, only Kyle and Dad being guys together. Once they reached the store, Kyle walked slowly down each aisle, looking at all the toys and trying to find the best one. Purple superheroes, colorful games, and a bright blue ball all caught his eye, but Kyle kept looking. Finally he saw it, hiding on the bottom shelf. The most perfect toy- a shiny, white jeep. Kyle rushed to pick it up and show it to his dad. His dad thought the jeep was a great toy. And Kyle had enough money to buy it. The clerk took Kyle's money and placed the perfect car into a bag for the boy. As they drove home, Kyle looked into the bag at his dream toy several times, to make sure it was real. And all afternoon he pretended to drive his jeep around the house. This had been the best day ever! Who went to the store? A. Kyle and his mom B. Kyle and his dad C. Sarah and Mom D. Sandy and Grandma 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? In the sea _ . A. there are no coral islands B. there are some coral islands C. the water is always warm D. we can see many flowers and fishes Answer: B A, B, C, D,. Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, debuts (appears in public for the first time ) in Shanghai , marking the production's first Asian performance. Since it was first staged in London , the play has been seen by 58million people all over the world.. The Phantom of the Opera, depicts a mysterious person with a beautiful voice living under the Paris Theatre. The Grand stage sets and music have made the musical famous throughout the world. 7:15 pm, December 18 200---2000yuan 7:15pm, December 19,24--26,31 100 -800 yuan Shanghai Grand Theatre,300 Renmin Dadao Tel: 5466-0206 Cello recital Cellist Nina Kotova will stage a recital in Shanghai . Kotova, from Russia, is an excellent musician and composer . She gained world attention when she won first prize in an international music contest at the age of 15. She is also a model and has graced the covers of many fashion magazines. 7:30 pm., December 15 50--500 yuan Shanghai Concert Hall. 523 Yan'an Donglu Tel: 6386-2836 Pipa concert Yang Jing plays the pipa in concert. The pipa player found her distinctive musical character through the ancient pieces of an ancient culture and the most contemporary( )music of the world. Rooted in the millennia -old tradition of Chinese music, she builds on a vast body of musical history from the East and West. 7:15 pm, December 10 40--100 yuan He Luting Concert Hall ,20 Fenyang Lu Tel: 6437-1192 The passage can be found probably in _ A. a report B. a newspaper C. a textbook D. a film Answer: B
Question: THURSDAY, July 9 (Health Day News) -- A new study that found that a lower calorie diet slowed the aging process in monkeys could be the best proof yet that restricted diets might do the same for humans. "The big question in aging research is, 'Will caloric restriction in species closely related to humans slow aging?'" said Richard Weindruch, senior author of a paper appearing in the July 10 issue of Science. This is the first clear demonstration that, in a primate species, we' re inducing a slowdown of the aging process -- showing increased survival, resistance to disease, less brain atrophy and less muscle loss. "This predicts humans would respond similarly," added Weindruch, professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin and an investigator at the Veterans Hospital in Madison. Another expert noted that, despite some highly publicized studies in certain species, the link between restricted eating and longer lifespan has been far from proven. "The idea that dietary restriction extends lifespan in all species is not true. Many strains of rats and mice do not respond. In some strains, it' s actually deleterious," explained Felipe Sierra, director of the biology of aging program at the US National Institute on Aging (NIA), which supported the new study. "The fact that it doesn't work in some mice but it does seem to work in monkeys is surprising and it gives us hope." But there's a larger question: how to change humans' increasingly careless eating habits. "This finding doesn't give me hope that humans are going to go into dietary restriction," added Marianne Grant, a registered dietitian at Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center in Corpus Christi. Which of the following statements about Weindruch is true? A. Adequate sleep is another way to reduce the speed of aging process. B. This experiment indicates restricted diets could extend humans' lifespan. C. The experiment was a failure in some species such as mice. D. The experiment which had been tested on humans got a great success. Answer: B. This experiment indicates restricted diets could extend humans' lifespan. Question: A long time ago, there lived a poor man whose real name has been forgotten. He was little and old and his face was wrinkled, and that was why his friends called him Mr. Vinegar. His wife was also little and old, and they lived in a little old cottage at the back of a little old field. "John," said Mrs. Vinegar, "you must go to town and buy a cow. I will milk her and churn butter and we shall never want for anything." "That is a good plan," said Mr. Vinegar, so he started off to town while his wife waited by the roadside. Mr. Vinegar walked up and down the street of the town looking for a cow. After a time, a farmer came that way, leading one that was very pretty and fat. "Oh, if I only had that cow," said Mr. Vinegar, "I would be the happiest man in the world!" "She's a very good cow," said the farmer. "Well," said Mr. Vinegar, "I'll give you these 50 gold pieces for her." The farmer smiled and held out his hand for the money, "You may have her," he said, "I always like to oblige , my friends!" Mr. Vinegar took hold of the cow's halter and led her up and down the street. "I am the luckiest man in the world," he said, "for only see how all the people are looking at me and my cow!" But at one end of the street, he met a man playing bagpipes . He stopped and listened -- Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dee. "Oh, that is the sweetest music I ever heard," he said, "and just see how all the children crowd around the man and give him pennies! If I only had those bagpipes, I would be the happiest man in the world!!" "I'll sell them to you," said the piper. "Will you? Well then, since I have no money, I will give you this cow for them." "You may have them," answered the piper, "I always like to oblige a friend." Mr. Vinegar took the bagpipes and the piper led the cow away. "Now we will have some music," said Mr. Vinegar, but try as hard as he might, he could not play a tune. He could get nothing out of the bagpipes but "squeak, squeak". The children instead of giving him pennies laughed at him. The day was chilly and in trying to play the pipes, his fingers grew very cold. He wished he had kept the cow. He just started for home when he met a man who had warm gloves on his hands. "Oh, if I only had those pretty gloves," he said, "I would be the happiest man in the world." "How much will you give for them?" asked the man. "Oh, I have no money, but I will give you these bagpipes," answered Mr. Vinegar. "Well," said the man, "you may have them for I always like to oblige a friend." Mr. Vinegar gave him the bagpipes and drew the gloves on over his half frozen fingers. "How lucky I am," he said as he trudged homeward. His hands were soon quite warm, but the road was rough and the walking hard. He was very tired when he came to the foot of the steep hill. "How shall I ever get to the top?" he said. Just then he met a man who was walking the other way. He had a stick in his hand which he used as a cane to help him along. "My friend," said Mr. Vinegar, "if only I had that stick of yours to help me up this hill, I would be the happiest man in the world!" "How much will you give me for it?" asked the man. "Well, I have no money, but I will give you this pair of warm gloves," said Mr. Vinegar. "Well," said the man, "you may have it for I always like to oblige a friend." Mr. Vinegar's hands were now quite warm, so he gave the gloves to the man and took the stout stick to help him along. "How lucky I am!'' he said as he toiled upward. At the top of the hill he stopped to rest. But as he was thinking of all his good luck that day, he heard someone calling his name. He looked up and saw only a green parrot sitting in a tree. "Mr. Vinegar, Mr. Vinegar," it cried. "What now?" said Mr. Vinegar. "You're a dunce , you're a dunce!'' answered the bird, "you went to seek your _ and you found it, then you gave it for a cow, and the cow for some bagpipes, and the bagpipes for some gloves, and the gloves for a stick which you might of cut by the roadside. He He He, you're a dunce! You're a dunce!'' This made Mr. Vinegar very angry. He threw the stick at the bird with all his might. But the bird only answered, "You're a dunce! You're a dunce!" And the stick lodged in the tree where he could not get it again. Mr. Vinegar went on slowly for he had many things to think about. His wife was standing by the roadside and as soon as she saw him, she cried out, "Where's the cow? Where's the cow?" "Well, I just don't know where the cow is," said Mr. Vinegar. And then he told her the whole story. Why does the parrot think Mr.Vinegar foolish? A. Because Mr.Vinegar married an old woman B. Because Mr.Vinegar gave his fortune for nothing C. Because Mr.Vinegar was little and old D. Because Mr.Vinegar did nothing but be angry Answer: B. Because Mr.Vinegar gave his fortune for nothing Question: Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms, which can cause deaths and destroy a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a funnel-shaped cloud from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be over one mile wide and 50 miles long. Every state is at some risk from this disaster. Some tornadoes can be seen clearly, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds _ others. At many times, tornadoes develop so rapidly that little, if any, advance warning is possible. Before a tornado hits, the air may become very still. A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel can not be seen. Tornadoes generally occur near the edge of a thunderstorm, when the strong wind may die down. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado. The following are facts about tornadoes: The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 MPH, but may also vary from still to 70 MPH. Debris is picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel. The average tornado moves from southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction. Tornadoes are most often reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months. Tornadoes can happen together with tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land. Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water. The tornado season in the southern states of America is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time. When a tornado happens, _ . A. it often reaches the speed of 70 MPH B. it can only be seen in the late of the day C. it may form on the surface of sea water D. it only moves from southwest to northeast Answer: C. it may form on the surface of sea water Question: Which is considered least important in the solar system? A. Earth B. Pluto C. Mars D. the Sun Answer: B. Pluto Question: There's no doubt that man is the smartest. But do you know what other animals are smart, too? Dolphins Dolphins are very smart. Most of the "tricks" they're taught to do are actually behavior they would engage in on their own. They love to play, race and generally enjoy their life to the fullest. They speak a language we have yet to completely understand and like all civilized creatures, dolphins' mothers always provide their young children with guidance and possibly, love. Great apes The great ape family primarily consists of gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans. Their brain chemistry is so similar to humans' that NASA once used chimpanzees in place of astronauts during many dangerous missions. Gorillas have been taught sign language and orangutans exist in complex familial relationships. Elephants Everyone has heard the phrase "an elephant never forgets". Elephants establish long-term friendships, recognizing and remembering their friends years later. If an elephant comes upon a fallen friend, it has even been known to feel sad. Parrots As proved by this list, parrots are very smart. They are also the only animals listed that can actually hold a conversation. Some parrots know hundreds of words by imitating humans. The birds are also capable of remembering words and using them intelligently in response to situations. Which kind of animal has a long-term memory? A. Dolphins. B. Great apes. C. Elephants. D. Parrots. Answer: C. Elephants.
How are you and your family going to celebrate Earth Day? It's great day to get outside and ride a bike, but there are other ways you could spend the day. Here are four books. You can learn more about the earth and the animals that make the world a special place to live. The Busy Beaver, by Nicholas Oldland Beaver is very busy, and he doesn't always think carefully. As a result, he makes a mess of the forest and ends up in hospital. Finally, he realizes how careless he's been and decides to make things right when he returns to the forest. Lessons from Mother Earth, by Elaine Mcleod Five-year-old Tess is visiting her grandmother and, for the first time, she visits the garden. Along the way, Tess's grandmother tells her the rules of the garden, "You must always take good care of our garden. Never throw rubbish around. There is plenty for everyone to share if we don't destroy the earth." The story is beautifully told as a caring conversation between a child and her grandmother. Luz See the Light, by Claudia Davila When Luz's community experiences a series of black-outs , she quickly comes to understand the need to save energy and find other ways of doing things . With the help of her friends and neighbors, she creates a community garden and park that everyone can use. The book attracts many young readers. The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss A young boy learns of the role of the Lorax as protector of the trees, and how his home became polluted. The book contains memorable of forestry conservation . What is the writer's purpose in writing this passage? A. To provide some activities to Earth Day. B. To offer some books to young children. C. To tell readers how to write children's books. D. To teach readers how to protect our environment. Answer: B. To offer some books to young children. The 1920s was a decade of wealth, decadence and social changes. They were known as the Roaring Twenties, and the best place to experience this exciting time was New York City. But what was it really like? Prohibition In 1919, a new law in the US known as Prohibition made it illegal to buy and sell alcohol. But Prohibition didn't stop people drinking; it just drove the sale of strong alcoholic drink underground. Bootleggers waited off the coast of New York after dark and brought illegal alcohol into the city. Jazz Jazz was the music of New York in the 1920s. In fact, the decade is called Jazz Age. The best place to listen to this new form of music was the Cotton Club in Harlem. All the great jazz musicians played at the Cotton Club, including Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. Also, in 1942 George Gershwin composed the jazz--influenced Rhapsody in Blue. The piece has been called "a musical portrait of New York" and was used by Woody Allen in his filmManhattan. Art Deco Art Deco was the most popular style of the 1920s, with bright colors and geometric designs; it can be seen in the art, architecture and inside designs of the period. New York is full of Art Deco buildings, but the most famous ones are the Chrysler Building (built between 1928 and 1930) and the Empire State Building (built between 1930 and 1931). The Great Depression On 29th October, 1929, the Roaring Twenties came to a dramatic end. On that day (known as "Black Tuesday"), the US stock market crashed, causing the Great Depression. The economic downturn lasted ten years and affected most of the Western world. Unemployment in America reached 25% and the country didn't recover until after World War II. The 1920s is called _ . A. Country Music Time B. Jazz Age C. Folk Music Age D. Pop Age Answer: B. Jazz Age Since Amy Chua took the world of Chinese parents by storm with her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in 2011 it seems more Chinese mothers have turned into "tiger moms". Several young Chinese mothers are my friends. But rarely any of them is free for lunch or other activities, because they appear to have become their children's "slaves". One of these young mothers moved from Hebei province to Beijing just to get her daughter admitted to a private and very expensive kindergarten. She closed her booming business and her husband shifted his office to Beijing, where they have bought a house. Another young mother is divorced and always busy with her daughter's dance, piano or English class. And a couple, both professionals in high positions, left their jobs, sold their Beijing house and moved to Australia when their son started going to school. The offspring of tiger moms rarely play sports, exchange ideas with their peers , take part in social projects, clean their rooms or wash clothes. Since everything such children do is under the guidance of their protective mothers, they don't learn how to manage their time or plan a project. As such, their education is far from complete. They are unable to defend an idea--let alone come up with one--deal with opposing views, accept defeat or organize their life. Tiger moms want their children to be more competitive so that they can enter the best schools. But school is only one period in a person's life. What about real life? What kind of independence will these children have once they grow up? Today, children don't get the chance to discuss or choose what they want: learn to play the violin or piano; take up drawing or swimming. Their tiger moms decide for them. Ideally, parents should discuss with their children, give them a choice and explain to them that they will have to finish what they start. This would help children develop not only their judgment but also their sense of responsibility. The solution to this problem is total reform of the education sector. And the government knows that. But reform needs time. We can only hope the reform is completed before today's children become the "sacrificed generation". But we need to reform the existent mindset more than the education sector . Education is not only about memorizing books and taking exams. Therefore, we should stop seeing kindergartens as "schools", and ensure all schools have the same standards, and bookish knowledge is enriched by knowledge from other sources, from society and life itself. Mothers are not to be blamed for the present situation, for in their desire to provide the best education for their children they become victims of social trends. But let's hope the Chinese view of education will change, gradually if not rapidly, to the benefit of children, families and society as a whole. This is my wish on Mother's Day. What enable children to develop both their judgment and their sense of responsibility? A. Making choices and completing what they should do on their own. B. Reforming both the existent mindset more than the education sector. C. Changing tiger moms into ones normally concerned about their children. D. Defending an idea, accepting defeat and organizing their life by themselves. Answer: A. Making choices and completing what they should do on their own. The Chinese word "Shanzhai" literally means a small mountain village, but it's now used to describe products that have names similar to famous ones. It became an accepted name for fake goods after "Shanzhai Cellphones" produced by small workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years. Besides "Shanzhai" electronic products, there are "Shanzhai" movies, "Shanzhai" stars and even a "Shanzhai" Spring Festival Gala , a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. "Shanzhai" has become a culture of its own, standing foranything that _ something famous,which has caused a public debate over whether it is healthy or sick being a copycat. In southwestern China's Chongqing, a "Shanzhai"-version "Bird's Nest" built by farmers with bamboo attracts wide attention and the "Shanzhai"-version "Water Cube" is popular with tourists. Both are copies of the famous Olympics places in Beijing. Xie Xizhang, a literature critic, said that taking the "Shanzhai" Gala as an example, when the traditional CCTV program becomes less and less attractive to the audience, the "Shanzhai" version appears naturally to attract people. "In spite of its poor techniques and operation, 'Shanzhai' culture meets the demands of common people and could be a comfort to their minds," Xie said. Tian Huiqun, a professor at Beijing Normal University, said that "Shanzhai" culture never copies classic things, only products in fashion. In that sense, it's like a computer virus without meaning. Though controversial, "Shanzhai" culture is a challenge as well as a motivation, said Xie, according to the newspaper. Tian said different kinds of cultures developing together are an ideal situation and they are for the public to choose. The Chinese word "Shanzhai" may have its origin in _ . A. electronic products B. Olympic buildings C. Spring Festival Gala D. fake Cellphones Answer: D. fake Cellphones The Adler Planetarium Chicago is home to more than 35,000 square feet of exhibits. From huge models of the Solar System, to ancient astronomical instruments, to interactive adventures, Adler's exhibit galleries provides a passageway for you to explore the universe. The Adler also offers mini science exploration activities that are quick l0-minute lessons. Visitors can learn some interesting astronomical facts at}se small activity carts. The Adler Planetarium Chicago is the only museum in the world with two full-size planetarium theaters. Since 1930, the wonder of the stars has been visible in the historic Sky Theater. Powered by brand new Digistar 3TM technology, the StarRider Theater is a completely digital, virtual outer space environment. The famous Zeiss Planetarium projector is able to accurately reproduce the movement of every aspect of the night sky. Do's and Don'ts: Do Take the Bus/Train: Leave the car at home for this museum trip. The Adler is located within close proximity to public transit. Don't Miss the Doane Observatory: When weather permits, the Doane is open at the Adler for observing with its 20-inch diameter telescope: Don't Miss Museum Special Events: The Adler offers a summer camp for kids from mid. June to August. Ticket Price: Adult: $ 28; child: $ 22. Book online now to Save 37%. Regular Schedule: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Summer Hours: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Nearest Transit: Roosevelt Metro Station Address: 1300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605 How much will a couple and two kids at least spend to visit the Adler? A. $ 37. B. $ 63. C. $ 72. D. $ 100. Answer: B. $ 63.
Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones , U.S.researchers reported on Thursday. Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer's .University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans."Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including estrogen , which we know has many neuroprotective effects," Kinsley said. "It's rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals," he added in a telephone interview."They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes." Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer's and other forms of age-related brain decline. "When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down," said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida. "They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain.If you look at female animals that have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young.But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant--that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations to the brain." How do scientists know "Motherhood may make women smarter"? They know it by experimenting on rats. Which of the following could harbor unsafe bacteria? unwashed greens Restaurant Assistant manager Waiting staff Telephonist The ideal persons must have certain experience gained in a high quality hotel . Please call personnel on 071722--77333, or send your CV to : prefix = st1 /Regents Park Hilton , Lodge Road, London NW87 JTLONDON REGENTS PARK HILTON JOIN THE STARS ! FOOD SERVERS The biggest and busiest restaurant in Londonis seeking additional stars for its team of devoted professionals . If you have experience in high volume restaurants and are looking for a challenge, then come on down for an interview . Interview day is on Friday , 26th MAY from 12 noon to 7 p.m. Planet Hollywoodis located at13 Coventry Street,London,WI SECRETARY Busy chartered lawyers require experienced / efficient secretary , accounts , typing experience and an excellent telephone manner ; essential shorthand useful . Please send CV to : Box No. 9246 c/o evening standard classified , 2 Derry Street, Kensington W85EE. USE YOUR LANGUAGES AND EARN 450-1200 P. W. We are one of the largest business publishers , in Europe and have limited vacancies for intelligent young people in our Londonadvertisement sales office . Enquiries from German , Spanish and eastern European speakers especially welcome . Phone Andrew Warburton on 071-753-4300 NURSE WANTED For 9-month-old boy . Artist/ Prof family Notting Hill . 3 days per week . Some extra hours possibly required . Knowledge German / Hungarian advantage not must . 071-221-7375 TRAVEL COMPANY Vacanfor self-confident person to look after booking for our Caribbean hotels . Salary based on applicant's experience & suitability . Please send CT to. Lan Taplin , MRILTD, 9 Galena Road,London, WGOLX Or telephone 071-721-43642 If you are a student studying in London and want a part-time job , you'd better telephone_. 071-221-7375 Cities alarmed by deaths and injuries of pedestrians are taking efforts to make crosswalks safer for people on foot, especially seniors and children who need more time to cross streets. A pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident in the USA every 110 minutes;one is injured every nine minutes, according to official data. Crosswalk can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Among people 70 and older, 36% of pedestrian deaths in 2006 occurred in crosswalks, compared with 21% of those younger than 70, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Federal Highway Administration(FHWA)advises that next year states increase by nearly 15% the amount of time traffic lights provide for pedestrians to cross the street after the flashing orange hand appears . FHWA spokesman Doug Hecox says reasons for the change include an aging population that needs more time to cross, health-conscious Americans walking more, children encouraged to walk to prevent getting overweight and high gas prices pushing people to walk instead of driving. Pedestrian deaths went down by 12% from 5,449 in 1996 to 4,784 in 2006. But among those in 2006, 471 were killed in crosswalks, down slightly from 488 ten years earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says . What's the cause of the crosswalk safety problem according to the text? Crosswalks are crowded. Will was playing his favorite song. The song was about a flower. Will stopped singing and went outside. A single star was out in the night sky. Will got hungry and went inside to get a biscuit. He also had jam with it. He didn't want chicken, gravy, or butter on his biscuit. Will sat and finished his dinner in the kitchen. Will walked over to the living room. On his way there, he put a napkin in the trashcan. When he was in the living room, it started to rain. It stopped raining and Will walked all the way to the store. When at the store, Will had a good laugh at a very silly looking dog. Will heard it start to thunder. Will looked outside to see if it was raining again, and it was not. Will was happy he didn't have to get wet walking home. He went outside smiling. What was Will's favorite song about? a flower
Billy and Sara are brother and sister. They went to the beach with their family last July for a week, and had the best time ever! On Monday, Billy and Sara wanted to build a giant sandcastle. They invited their new friends Jack and Jane to help build the sandcastle. Jack and Jane had a house on the beach, so they were really good when it came to building sandcastles. They hoped that they could make the sandcastle taller than themselves, but they soon found they needed more help. They asked their cousin Joey to help them build the biggest sandcastle in the world! Joey wasn't the friendliest cousin in the world, but to Billy and Sara's surprise, Joey was happy to help build the sandcastle. Billy, Sara, Jake, Jane and Joey had spent the whole day building the sandcastle, and finally, right before dinner time, they completed it. The sandcastle was huge! It had a river around the castle, and even a bridge to cross the river. It even had a flag at the top, and a wall that went around the castle too! They were so happy! \tab The rest of the week at the beach was a lot of fun for Billy and Sara. On Tuesday, they went for ice cream. Sara's ice cream fell and dripped all the way down to her tummy, but Billy gave her some of his. On Wednesday, they watched the fireworks at night. On Thursday, they went swimming all day long, moving like worms in the water. On Friday, they had to go back home. They were sad, so they started counting down the days until next year at the beach! What did the sandcastle have at the top? A. a wall B. a bridge C. a flag D. a river Answer: C. a flag What's a big problem in Shenzhen today, do you think? Besides pollution, traffic is, of course. There are too many people, too many cars but too little space so the roads are always busy. You can almost see traffic jams everywhere. It is even worse when everyone is going to school or to work. What's more, cars need fuel to move, so they let out a lot of dirty smoke and pollute the air. However, the government is trying many ways to solve the problem. We can see more roads and footbridges over the main streets. And the workers are making some roads wider. It is said every car will have a computer. The computer can study the latest traffic news. Then it will look over its own map for the best way to drive and they won't get into traffic jams. What's a big problem in Shenzhen today? A. It's air pollution. B. It's sound pollution. C. It's dirty smoke. D. It's pollution and traffic jams. Answer: D. It's pollution and traffic jams. A young shoemaker left his village. Along the way, he saw some ants who were very sad because a bear had destroyed their house. The shoemaker helped them rebuild it, and the ants offered to return the favor. The shoemaker followed his way and found some bees with the same problem as the ants. The young man also helped them, and the bees promised to help him in the future. Further along , the shoemaker learned that the king's daughter was in the castle of a witch . The young man decided to save her, But the witch threw him a bag of sand mixed with small seeds and told him that if he wasn't able to separate the two, she would cut off his head before the sun came out. The young man thought about his death. But his friends the ants came and helped him pass the test. The witch was very surprised. Then she took him to a room where there were thirteen girls with their faces covered. The shoemaker had to discover which one was the princess. The young man became _ but he saw a bee that landed on a girl's body. She is the true princess. When the shoemaker uncovered her face, the witch was changed into a crow. The young people fell in love and lived with animals happily. If the shoemaker couldn't separate the two before _ , the witch would kill him. A. early morning B. noon C. afternoon D. evening Answer: A. early morning Henry is a naughty boy in Bayern, Germany. He has big eyes and a small mouth. One day, Henry is playing in front of a house. A woman comes up. She has small eyes. And she asks Henry, "Little boy, is your mother at home?" "Yes, she is." answers the boy. And Henry goes on playing happily. Then the woman goes over to ring the bell. The bell rings and rings, but no one comes to open the door. The woman gets angry and calls out to him, " You tell me your mother is at home, don't you?" "Yes," the boy answers. "My mother is at home, but this isn't my home." Then the woman stares at Henry. The boy says, "You have big eyes, too!" The woman gets _ because no one comes to open the door. A. pleased B. happy C. afraid D. angry Answer: D. angry Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for the London bus. The bus for London would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in lines, others were walking about. There was a group of school-girls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in order. Tom looked around but there was nowhere for him to sit. He walked into the station cafe. He looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down, facing a large mirror on the wall. Just then, John, one of Tom's friends, came in and sat with Tom. "What time is your bus?" asked John. "Oh, there is plenty of time yet," answered Tom. "Oh, I'll get you some more tea then," said John. They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again. "Good heavens! It's going back-ward!" he cried. "A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it's half past eleven." "You are looking at the clock in the mirror," said John. Tom wanted to kick himself for being so foolish. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. He has never liked mirror since then. What time was it in fact when he looked at the clock in the mirror? A. Half past twelve. B. Half past eleven. C. Twenty to twelve. D. Half past one. Answer: A. Half past twelve.
One day, my father and I were in line to buy tickets for the circus . And a family was standing in front of us. The family had eight children. Their clothes were not expensive but clean.The children talked about the clowns( ), elephants, monkeys and other things excitedly. It was their first time to go to the circus. The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly answered, "I want eight children's tickets and two adults' tickets, so I can take my family to the circus." The ticket lady said the price. The man's wife lowered her head and there was no smile on th e man's face. He quietly asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady said the price again. The man didn't have enough money. How could he tell his eight kids the bad news? My dad put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground.(In fact, we were not rich!) Then my dad said, "Excuse me, sir, this dropped out of your pocket." The man knew what was going on. He looked into my dad's eyes, held my dad's hand in his, and took the $20 bill. "Thank you, sir, thank you. This really means a lot to me and my family." My father and I went back home. We didn't go to see the circus that night, but we didn't care. We can infer that the writer's father is a _ person. Answer: kind Nowadays with the development of agriculture, farmers use more technology. However, they are being told more needs to be done to stop them injuring at work. One in five British workplace deaths happens in agriculture even though farmers are only a small part of the working population. During the year 2012/13 there were 1,061 injuries in total and it is thought many more go unreported. Jim Chapman from Warwickshire had his arm torn off by farm machinery seven years ago when he was 23. "You don't realize how much you rely on your second arm until it's gone," he said. He fell against a PTO shaft , a spinning metal bar at the back of a tractor. "It catapulted me from one side of the machine to the other," he said. "I landed on the floor, minus all my clothing. My left arm had been torn off." He admits that the machinery was missing part of its proper safety guard. "But again," he added, "it was a rushed day. There were a few machines that didn't work. Also, I was getting behind with the jobs." Over the last 10 years, other industries that you'd think of as dangerous, like building or quarrying , have lowered the number of workplace deaths and injures. In the farming industry though, deaths remain high with 34 deaths in 2012/13. Judith Hackett, the chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says it is "not acceptable" that the accident statistics for farming are still high. "People in farming don't have minor injuries. When they get injured, it's bad." She said. "When I said to the National Farmers' Union (NFU) that if I had sons I would not want them to work in agriculture, it really made them sit up and take notice." There's a whole host of reasons why farming is as dangerous as it is. It is a very rough industry. Also, it's often because people are left alone. They could be young and inexperienced, or older people, who would have retired maybe 5 or 10 years ago in other industries. Jim wants others to learn from his experience. "Look at what you're doing before you go running in," he said. "You could make a mistake that you'll live with for the rest of your life." In British farming industry, _ . Answer: the number of injuries is bigger than what the public know People are different. So are friends. Some friends are patient and helpful while some friends are cheerful and caring. The following are some kinds of friends. You can read it and find out what kinds of friends you have. This will help you to improve your relationships with them and help you to find new friends. Animal Friends Many people keep animals as pets at home. It is right to say that animals are wonderful creatures . They can be with you whenever you need them. Some people say they will feel lonely without their pets. Dogs are considered as people's best friends. Internet Friends The Internet has become a very important part of our lives. It is not only helpful for people to work, but also a good way to make friends. Internet friendship has become more and more popular recently. More and more people begin to make online friends. Online friends are those who know each other through the Internet. They can talk about everything with each other online. Making Internet friends is similar to making pen pals. Pen Friends Pen friends, also known as pen pals, are quite popular with people who like writing. Pen friendship is mainly developed by writing to each other. It was a popular way of making friends in different parts of the world before the Internet came into being. Mostly, pen friends aim to share different cultures with each other. The passage mainly tells us _ . Answer: some kinds of friends The family cooked most of their food using a stove and Answer: electricity In nowadays,people tend to get married late.Does it have advantage or disadvantage?Different people have different opinions.Now let's have a look at a telated study about Americans. A study has found that marrying later in life is generally financially benfeicial for women,but not for men. The University of Virginia has published a report that college-educated women who get married in their thirties earn an average of 56 percent more than those who wed a decade earlier. In contrast,men who settle down in their twenties have higher intomes than those who wait until after 30,whatever their education. The Natioal Marriage Project's study,with the title:The Benefits and Costs of Delayed Marriage in America,examines the consequences of marrying later,a growing trend in the US. It notes that the average age of marriage is ag an all-time high of 27 for women and 29 for men,compared to 1990 when the averages were 23 for women and 26for men. But while wome have actually benefited financially from delayed marriages,men who getmarried earlier in life tend to be more successful later on. The study says that childbirth plays a role in these results. Around tow-thirds of lifetime income growth takes place during the first ten years of a career,according to clinical psychologist Meg Jay. Since college-educated women who marry in their twenties also tend to have their first baby earlier,forcing them to take a break from their careers. But getting hiched at a younger age tends to be a good career move for men,perhaps because married men are more sure of themselves and they have more responsibility for their family compared to single men ,leadng to more productivity,suggests Business Insider. The study also found that while college-deucated women profit from delayed marriage,those without a degree do not. In fact,among women who drop out of high school, 83 percent of first births are to unmarried mothers,according to the study. A woman without a college education therefore has less time to advance her career during ist vital first decade. The study also shows that men who never marry earn significantly less than those who do ,while the opposite is true for women. Why do college-educated women who marry earlier earn less? Answer: They have to stop their career to have their first baby.
I have many teachers now and I love them all, but I think I love my English teacher, Sophia, best. Sophia is from the UK. But she loves Chongqing very much. She thinks Chongqing is great. She loves Chongqing food. Do you know what she likes for breakfast? Bread and milk? No, she doesn't. She only has noodles . Hot pot is her favorite and she always eats it on Saturday and Sunday. Sophia has a daughter and a son. Her daughter's name is May. Her son's name is Jack. They are 8 years old. They go to the same school. They like hot pot, too. They are all in Chongqing now. We have English from Monday to Friday. So Sophia is very busy. But she is always nice and happy. All my classmates like her and her classes very much. She often plays English games and sings English songs with us. When we have questions, we like to ask her for help. Now I think I can do well in English because I have the best English teacher, Sophia. For breakfast, Sophia only has _ . A. noodles B. bread C. hot pot D. eggs Answer: A. noodles Do you like listening to music? Does all of the music bring happiness to you? Do you know some music is noise? What is noise? Noise is a loud or unwanted sound. It is also called noise pollution. Where is noise from? Noise can be caused by many kinds of machines, such as motorcycles, planes, farm tractors and TVs. And, to some people, rock bands are also noise. What happens to people who live near noisy machines or use them over a period of time? Doctors find that noise pollution can influence both our health and behavior. It can cause high stress levels, hearing loss, sleep problems, and other harmful effects. Scientists use a unit of measure called a decibel to measure the loudness of a sound. The sound of a quiet room, for example, measures 35 decibels. Talk measures between 40 to 65 decibels. Sounds from traffic and from some rock bands can measure over 120 decibels. Noise at this high level causes the greatest hearing loss. How do we reduce noise damage? Turn down your music player or wear ear muffs when you are working in a noisy environment. Ear muffs for human can protect against noise pollution. According to the passage, noise is . A. terrible sound B. any kind of sound C. all sounds that you can hear D. loud sound that people don't want Answer: D. loud sound that people don't want "How many common English words were invented by Shakespeare?" How long did it take people to find the answer to this question 15 years ago? And now! you can google it and find the answer immediately! Google is the most popular Internet search engine in the world. It was invented by two students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They met in 1993, when they were studying computer science at Stanford University, USA. They dreamed of producing something that could also answer any question in seconds. Internet search engines at that time were slow and gave many websites that weren't useful. In January 1996, Page and Brin decided to make a better and faster search engine. They thought the results should be based on the most popular websites. Nobody would give them money for their project, so they used their own money. They also borrowed money from family and friends. Then, in 1998, they were given a _ for $100,000, and they started their own company. Their first office was in a friend's garage. The company's name is Google, a word which comes from mathematics. A "google" is a very high number---- 1 followed by a hundred zeros. The google search engine was soon used by thousands of people worldwide because it was fast, easy and correct. By 2002 it was the biggest search engine on the Internet. Now, more questions have been answered by Google than any other Internet service, from sport to science, and from music to medicine. Google hopes that in the future all the world's information will be put on the Internet, so that everybody can find everything. From the passage we know that at the beginning of their project, _ . A. there was not any search engine on the Internet. B. nobody supported them except their family and friends C. one of the most popular websites gave them a cheque for $100,000 D. Larry Page and Sergey Brin dreamed to produce something to answer any question Answer: B. nobody supported them except their family and friends Before you make friends, you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kind of things they do. The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy at first to smile, but remember most people will stay away from a scared or angry looking face. One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about him. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person? Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who's their favorite singer, where do they live, what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation, too. When someone asks you a question, do have an answer for them. There's nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than _ Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember, everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them. This passage gives us some advice on _ . A. how to make friends B. what kind of person you can make friends with C. how to start a conversation D. the importance of smile Answer: A. how to make friends The "Bystander Apathy Effect" was first studied by researchers in New York after neighbors ignored--and in some cases turned up the volume on their TVs--the cries of a woman as she was murdered (over a half-hour period). With regard to helping those in difficulty generally, they found that: (1) women are helped more than men; (2) men help more than women; (3) attractive women are helped more than unattractive women. Other factors relate to the number of people in the area, whether the person is thought to be in trouble through their own fault, and whether a person sees himself as being able to help. According to Adrian Furnham, Professor of University College, London, there are three reasons why we tend to stand by doing nothing: (1) "Shifting of responsibility"-the more people there are, the less likely help is to be given. Each person excuses himself by thinking someone else will help, so that the more "other people' there are, the greater the total shifting of responsibility. (2) "'Fear of making a mistake''-situations are often not clear. People think that those involved in an accident may know each other or it may be a joke, so a fear of embarrassment makes them keep themselves to themselves. (3) "Fear of the consequences if attention is turned on you, and the person is violent." Laurie Taylor, Professor of Sociology at London University, says: "In the experiments I've seen on intervention , much depends on the neighborhood or setting. There is a silence on public transport which is hard to break. We are embarrassed to draw attention to something that is happening, while in a football match, people get involved, and a fight would easily follow. " Psychotherapist Alan Dupuy identifies the importance of the individual: "The British as a whole have some difficulty intervening, but there are exceptional individuals in every group who are prepared to intervene, regardless of their own safety: These would be people with a strong moral code or religious ideals." Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. Pretty women are more likely to be helped. B. People on a bus are more likely to stop a crime. C. Religious people are more likely to look on. D. Criminals are more likely to harm women. Answer: A. Pretty women are more likely to be helped.
Is this your pen?Call Lydia at 224-3638. Lost: My computer game.My name is David.Call 44-2697. Mitchell, Is that your backpack in the lost and found case? Liza Found:ID card.Is this your ID card? Call Ely at 52993. There are _ Found Notices A two B three C four D one Answer: B A chewable calcium carbonate tablet is a common treatment for stomach discomfort. Calcium carbonate is most likely used as this type of medicine because calcium carbonate A has a pleasant flavor. B is inexpensive to produce. C neutralizes digestive acid. D occurs naturally in the body. Answer: C Walking is so simple and convenient that it couldn't possibly count as exercise, right? Wrong. Study after study shows that regular walking can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease. The study published in Diabetes Research in Clinical Practice shows that the blood pressure of the overweight men being tested improved and the amount of body fat greatly decreased. That's good news, because walking has now become the most popular fitness activity in the United States. Convenient, simple, and gentle on the joints, walking is perhaps the easiest form of exercise to maintain. According to a survey, four out of five women who start a walking program continue to walk, while half of women who attempt other types of aerobic exercise , such as swimming, drop out during the first few months. Here are some basics for walking exercise. Walk at a pace that makes you breathe heavily, but still able to talk. Your goal, first and foremost, is to walk five days a week, 30 minutes a walk. Do that, and you are getting the base-level amount of exercise that research says should maintain your health and vigor . Walk for as long as you are comfortable the first week, even if it is just to your mailbox and back. Each following week, increase that amount by no more than 10 percent. Start every walk with five minutes of easy-paced walking, about the same pace at which you do shopping, to get your body warmed up. Then, cool down at the end of each walk with another five minutes of easy-paced walking. This allows your heart rate to gradually speed up and slow down. What is the purpose of the easy-paced walking in every walk? A To help reduce your blood pressure. B To help reduce your risk of heart disease. C To help your body lose fat. D To help your heart rate change gradually. Answer: D For the most part, schools are designed to produce people who fit into society, not people who set out to change it. However, schools, particularly universities, may not only spread culture; they may add to the cultural heritage. Today American society places a good deal of emphasis on the development of new knowledge, especially in the physical and biological sciences, medicine, and engineering. In recent years, the nation's leading universities have increasingly become research centres. An emphasis on research has led universities to judge professors not by abilities as teachers, but as researchers. Promotions, salary increases, and other benefits have long been dependent on research and publication. However, the most important is no longer publishing. To be successful these days, professors have to bring in money provided by government and private industry. Critics claim that academic success is most likely to come to those who have learned to "ignore" their teaching duties to pursue research activities. Defenders say that even when students themselves are not involved in research projects they benefit from such an emphasis on research. Major research universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also cooperated with industrial companies to develop technology and products with commercial potential. With university-industry ties continuing to grow, debate has increased about the consequences for basic science, academic openness, the control of information, the direction of research, and the influence on students. In the present standard, a successful professor is one who can _ . A teach well B get financial support for research C get the highest salary D have many publications Answer: B ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise ? A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing. If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting. "We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the leader of the group, said that _ in charge of the said burial site at Amboise Castle early next week. Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle. "The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down. The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature. Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother. That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that the painting hid an androgynous lover. If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing. At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing. Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives. Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva , meaning DNA might be found on his paintings. Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old. Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated with Leonardo. Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda." The best title of this story might be " _ " A What Is the Purpose of an Investigation? B How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die in France? C Are the Remains Really Those of the Master? D Did Leonardo Paint Himself as 'Mona Lisa'? Answer: D
The most exciting kind of education is also the most personal. Nothing can exceed the joy of discovering for yourself something that is important to you! It may be an idea or a bit of information you come across accidentally--or a sudden insight, fitting together pieces of information or working through a problem. Such personal encounters are the "payoff" in education. A teacher may direct you to learning and even encourage you in it--but no teacher can make the excitement or the joy happen. That's up to you. A research paper, assigned in a course and perhaps checked at various stages by an instructor, leads you beyond classrooms, beyond the texts for classes and into a process where the joy of discovery and learning can come to you many times. Preparing the research paper is an active and individual process, and ideal learning process. It provides a structure within which you can make exciting discoveries, of knowledge and of self, that are basic to education. But the research paper also gives you a chance to individualize a school assignment, to suit a piece of work to your own interests and abilities, to show others what you can do. Writing a research paper is more than just a classroom exercise. It is an experience in searching out, understanding and synthesizing , which forms the basis of many skills applicable to both academic and nonacademic tasks. It is, in the fullest sense, a discovering of an education. So, to produce a good research paper is both a useful and a thoroughly satisfying experience! To some, the thought of having to write an assigned number of pages, often more than ever produced before, is upsetting. To others, the very idea of having to work independently is threatening. But there is no need to approach paper assignment with anxiety, and nobody should view the research paper as an obstacle to overcome. Instead, consider it a goal to accomplish, a goal within reach if you use the help this book can give you. It can be inferred from the passage that writing a research paper gives one chances_. to fully develop one's personal abilities The number of daylight hours in New York State changes with the season of the year Michael Jordon is the greatest basketball player of all time. Once he was making a television advertisement, all he needed to do was to miss a shot. For Michael, this was difficult. He had conditioned himself to succeed whenever he was throwing the ball. Every time he threw a basketball, it went in. Every time he tried to miss a shot, he couldn't. In total, it took him over 20 attempts before he missed a shot. For Michael, success is a strong habit. It took him a lot of time to break it. Just like drinking, smoking and collecting things, success is also a habit. Once it is formed, it is difficult to break. Many people think that success is difficult to keep. They feel that it will be hard work and will need too much action and focus. The truth is that it is simply a habit, and as easy to keep as any other habit. Spend some time making success a habit in your life. Once you have developed it, it is not something you want to change again. If you want to succeed , you must _ . make success a habit The warmest part of the year happens while the hemisphere of that region is tilted towards from the sun Zach Linsky, 11, watches TV for 3 and a half hours a day and plays video games every other day. Zach, a sixth grader in Washington, D. C., is an American. But unlike many kids, he doesn't have a TV, VCR, or computer in his bedroom. He only has a boom box . The survey of 3,155 kids, aged 2 to 18, shows that they spend 5 hours and 29 minutes on average a day using some types of media outside of school, including 2 hours and 46 minutes watching TV, 21 minutes on the computer, 20 minutes playing video games, and 8 minutes on the Internet. The good news: The total includes 44 minutes spent reading. The survey also shows that those aged 2 to 7 spend 3 hours and 9 minutes watching TV every day and shows that 32 percent in that age group have TV sets in their rooms. Among those aged 8 to 18, 21 percent have computers in their rooms, 65 percent have TV sets, and 61 percent say their parents don't stop them from watching TV. Nearly 1 in 4 say they watch more than 5 hours a day. "Kids are living much more lonely lives than ever before," says Kay S. Hytnowitz. "They just disappear into their rooms and spend all of their time with these media." How many kids aged 2 to 7 have TV sets in their rooms? 32%.
A new organism is discovered. It is multicellular, autotrophic, and does not move on its own. In which kingdoms could the organism belong? Answer: Should we say goodbye to chivalry in the age of sex equality? Chivalry began as a response to the violence of the Middle Ages. PierMassimo Forni, the founder of the Civility Institute, says chivalry "as a form of treatment inspired by the sense that there was something special about women and that they deserve added respect." Today "chivalry" is often used as a term for "gentlemanly" behavior, related to "fair sex", honor, courage and loyalty. But we can hardly see chivalry nowadays with many women demanding to be treated equally in the workplace. According to a 2013 survey carried out by the British Daily Mail, only one in seven men will offer their seat to a woman on a bus or train; over three-quarters of men don't offer to help carry a heavy bag or suitcase for women. In many cases, it's not because these men are being insensitive, but on the contrary, they say they are unwilling to help women because they are worried about making them embarrassed. These men may worry too much. According to the same survey, only seven percent of women view acts like holding open doors as unpleasant. "Men seem confused by the modern 'sex equality' message", psychologist and relationship expert Donna Dawson told the Daily Mail. "This message was meant for the workplace and was never meant to replace good manners. Men will always be the stronger sex physically, so it is natural for them to show consideration for women." So, should the acts of chivalry be brought back? US writer Emily Smith says chivalry is what we should all long for. Many people are predicting the death of chivalry, but chivalry is not dead yet. Slowly but surely, chivalry is making a come-back. Some men are not willing to help women because _ . Answer: Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call America" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States,have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is - more often a kind of " side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools,business,and sportsbut they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This " side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ' dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper. According to the passage, people in the USA Answer: My family moved from Taiwan to a small town in central Georgia, where my dad got a visa for his family and a job. I had just learned English, and from what little I could gather from my classmates, Santa Claus would come down one's chimney and put toys in one's stocking on Christmas Eve! What a great country, I thought. After I looked up "stocking" in my Chinese-English dictionary, I knew _ . On that fateful night, after everyone went to bed, I took my longest, cleanest knee sock and attached it to a nail already on the mantel . Obviously, the previous owners of this house were no strangers to this Santa character. I woke up before everyone else on Christmas Day and ran to the fireplace. To make a sob story short, I was hit with the reality of an empty sock and the biggest lie ever told. I burst into tears, quickly took down the sock, and stuffed it in the back of a drawer. Santa was dead. Every December since then, the topic of Christmas memories would unavoidably come up, and I would amuse my friends with my poor-little-me story. I had to make it as funny as possible, or else I would cry. How could I know that Santa was just late? Nine years ago, on Christmas Eve, an older man with a white beard and a red cap knocked on my front door. He said, "I've been looking for you for twenty-five years." He handed me a bulging red stocking, winked, and left. On top of the stocking was a card. It read: "For Becky--I may have missed you in the second grade, but you've always lived in my heart. Santa." Through tear-blurred eyes, I recognized the handwriting of Jill, a friend I had met just two months before. I later discovered that the older man was her father. Jill had seen the hurt little girl underneath the thirty-something woman and decided to do something about it. So now I believe that Santa is real. I don't mean the twinkle-eyed character of children's mythology or the creation of American holiday marketers. Those Santas annoy and sadden me. I believe in the Santa Claus that live inside good and thoughtful people. This Santa does not return to the North Pole after a crazy delivery but lives each day purposefully, really listens to friends, and then plans deliberate acts of kindness. By writing the passage, the author speaks highly of _ Answer: What is most likely to affect your success at school or at a job? The ability to read. And that goes for your kids too. The declining literacy of our society has been a main concern of educators for a while now, and yet things are not getting better. In most cases, how well we learn to read will depend largely on our exposure to language as children. If we hear people around us talking about all kinds of subjects as children, we naturally pick up the words and phrases they use. If we pick up a lot of words, we will learn to read better. Much of the traditional advice to struggling readers, theses days, seems to include developing "cognitive strategies" . In this way, readers are asked to centre more, to think, to be interested and ask questions, to analyze, to predict, to reason, and to check their understanding, or worse still to answer questions of what they have read. In other words they are asked to become self-conscious readers. I do not agree with this approach. Here are my several strategies for reading improvement. Read about things that interest you. If you are interested in what you are reading about, the words will come alive, and you will understand better. The more you read, the better you will become at reading. Just get started and it will become a habit, as long as you are interested in what you are reading. Read material that is at your level or just a little difficult for you. Read material that you find easy to read, or just a little challenging. Looking up many unknown words in a dictionary is dull, and the results of the dictionary search are quickly forgotten. _ If you can hear the new words and phrases that you are reading, you will have an easier time understanding and remembering them. Hearing the rhythm of someone reading a text will help your own reading. Don't worry about what you don't understand. Most of your reading should be for pleasure. You can still enjoy reading without understanding all of what you read. You may even understand some things in your own personal way. Unfortunately not all reading is just for pleasure. When you are reading a textbook or report or other material for school, you may need to underline, take notes and read some parts over again. However, if you have developed the habit of reading for pleasure, you will find that the skills you need will come naturally, and that you will understand a lot better than before. What is the purpose of the author in writing the passage? Answer:
A good reader is very much like a driver. He must change his reading speed to fit what he is reading and what he is reading for, just as a driver does to fit the road situation. A good reader may read at 1,000 WPM(... )when he looks for something for a report in the library. But once he finds what he needs, he may slow down to 100 WPM. A good reader may read newspapers and story books at 600 WPM. But he may read his science or maths books at 150 WPM. Just as a driver has a wide change of driving speed, so a good reader has a wide change of reading speed. The writer thinks that a good reader can _ . A read at 1,000 WPM B read as fast as he can C change the reading speeds as he needs D spend more time reading Answer: C. change the reading speeds as he needs Baseball Match Mr. Jenkins works in a middle school. There he teaches his students English. He works hard and is very busy. After supper, when his family watch TV, he always reads some newspapers in his room. At times Robert comes in and asks him to tell him a story. He likes his little son and does all what the boy wants. One Sunday Mrs. Jenkins was doing some housework and Mr. Jenkins was reading a newspaper. Robert came in but he didn't say anything. About ten minutes later the boy showed a newspaper to him and called out, "There will be a baseball match tonight, Dad!" Mr. Jenkins was surprised. He said to himself, "The boy is only three years old. How can he read the newspaper?" He held up the newspaper and began to look for the news. But he couldn't find it. At last the boy showed him an exclamation mark on the newspaper. Mr. Jenkins is a _ . A doctor B teacher C driver D farmer Answer: B. teacher Well, when the huge wave hit the boat, my safety belt broke and I was swept overboard. I don't really understand how it happened, but it did. I heard someone yell out, but then my boat, Wild One, went off into the darkness and I was alone in a very rough sea. I then spent five and a half hours in the water. The place where it happened was, oh, about 50 kilometers from shore. It was likely that I wouldn't see another day, but I always thought I'd overcome the difficulties. At first I was watching out for Wild One. The rest of the crew knew I was gone, so they were sure to come back and look for me. After a while, I saw the boat's lights when it came looking for me. They were within about 300 meters of me, but the spotlight just missed me. The reason why they didn't see me was because of the huge waves. You know, I started sailing when I was seven, and started ocean racing when I was about eighteen, but I'd never been overboard before. I believed I was going to survive, but it was very cold, and as the hours passed I started to get desperate----and frozen! It was around 5 am when I saw the lights of a tanker coming towards me. I figured it was probably my last chance. At first, I thought they were going to miss me, and then they made a slight turn and I yelled out "Help!" and they heard me. Then another yacht appeared. These guys were terrific. They gave me dry clothes, and then one jumped into the bunk and hung onto me. They covered us with as much dry clothing as they could, and the guy in with me stayed to transfer his body heat to me. It was inferred from the passage that _ . A he was swept overboard at about midnight B Wild One was the name of a crew member C he started ocean racing at about seven D he was too hopeless to take the last chance Answer: A. he was swept overboard at about midnight What's your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili in their dinner while others can't get enough of it. Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love chili and others _ it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chili is related to childhood experiences, and cultural influences affect our taste buds, too. But the latest study has found that a person's love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality more than anything else, CBC News reported. "We have always assumed that liking drives intake---we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect these personality traits with intake of chili peppers," said Professor John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study. But before you look at the study, you should first know that "spicy" is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty. It is, in fact, a burning sensation that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people's longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster. In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about certain traits of their personality, for example. Whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given cups of water with capsaicin , the plant chemical that makes chili burn, mixed into them. By comparing the answers to questionnaires and what participants said they felt about the spicy water. Researchers found that those who most tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water. Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason some people can withstand spicy food is that their tongue have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. It's not that it doesn't burn as badly, it's that you actually learn to like the burn," Hayes explained. What's the main idea of the passage? A What he or she likes to eat mainly decides on his or her personality. B That a person enjoys spicy food depends largely on the personality. C His or her childhood experiences decide on his or her personality. D His or her cultural background decides on his or her personality. Answer: B. That a person enjoys spicy food depends largely on the personality. If parents had job descriptions, mine would read: organize bills, playmates, laundry(washing clothes), meals, snacks, outings and shopping. The only thing on my husband's description would be the word "fun" written in big red letters along the top. Although he is a selfless provider, our children think of him more as a combination of a jungle gym and a clown . Our parenting styles complement each other. His style is a nonstop adventure where no one has to worry about washing their hands or eating vegetables. I'm too busy worrying to be fun. Even if I try, I know I will be outdone by my husband. I bought my children bubble gum flavored toothpaste to teach them how to brush their teeth. They thought it was perfect until my husband taught them how to spit out water between their two front teeth like a fountain. I took the children on a walk in the woods and caught a ladybug (small insect). I was "cool" until their father caught a giant beetle in the backyard. I can make sure my children are safe. But I can't wire the TV so they can watch their favorite DVD. I can carry my children in my arms when they are tired and kiss them goodnight. But I can't flip them upside down so they can walk on the ceiling or put them on my shoulders so they can see the moths flying around the ceiling light. I can take them to doctor's appointments, scout meetings, or to the aquarium . But I'll never go into the wilderness, stick a worm onto a hook, catch a fish, and cook it over an open flame. I'll sit in the first row of every sports game and cheer until my throat is painful. But I'll never teach my son how to hit a home run or slide into first base. As a mother I can do a lot of things for my children. But no matter how hard I try, I can never be their father. What's the biggest difference between the author's parenting style and that of her husband? A The author focuses on the children's studies, while her husband is in charge of their entertainment. B The author watches sports games with the children while her husband teaches them how to play. C The author looks after the children at home while her husband takes them to the open air. D The author takes care of the children while her husband mainly has fun with the children. Answer: D. The author takes care of the children while her husband mainly has fun with the children.
When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn't very fun about it was that he could catch many fish while I couldn't catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered, "Son, if you want to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish", I remember being even more upset then because, "I'm not a fish!" I didn't know how to think like a fish. Besides, I reasoned, how could what I think influence what a fish does? As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So, I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water because the former is warmer. Besides, water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet, fish don't have any eyelids and the sun huts their eyes... The more I understood fish, the more I became effective at finding and catching them.. When I grew up and entered the business world, I remember hearing my first boss say, "We all need to think like sales people." But it didn't completely make sense. My dad never once said, "If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman." What he said was, "You need to think like a fish." Years later, with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me, I gradually learned what we all need is to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters. What did the author's father really mean? Answer: To understand what fish think. My name is Jenny . I have a sister and a brother, Rose and Paul. We like apples very much. Rose and I like hamburgers. But I don't like salad. Paul doesn't like broccoli. But Rose does. My parents like tomatoes and French fries. My parents have _ sons and _ daughter(s). Answer: one; two Which behavior can help animals establish a territory? Answer: A wolf pack howls to warn other wolves to stay away. He seemed to appear from nowhere and became the hottest sports star in NBA, the United States, and in China. "Linsanity," "Lincredible," "Linderella" screamed the headlines around the world and his popularity increased worldwide. He is the star of the moment having scored 89, 109 and 136 points in his first three, four and five starts in the big league, eclipsing former NBA MVPs Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan. He also made the cover of Time Magazine, something Kobe Bryant has never achieved. And it is not just his sporting achievements that are causing him a hit. His No 17 jersey is flying off the shelves in New York and online around the world. Some US media have even begun matchmaking possible girlfriends for the golden boy, with Emma Stone, Vanessa Hudgens and so on. Is Linsanity really that big? Despite all the hype and glory, he is known as a modest and sometimes shy guy. Jeremy Lin is the NBA's first American-born player of Chinese descent. The report mainly tells us_. Answer: Lin's popularity increased worldwide Every girl wants to have a great-looking tattoo design that makes them more attractive. Small and lovely tattoo designs are the path to go for girls planning to get tattooed for the first time. Nowadays, more and more females are getting a tattoo inked on their body. In the last fifteen years, tattoos have grown from being a sign of rebelliousness and trouble to a state of popular acceptance as a mark of fashion. Tattoos are permanent so you need to be sure that you like it before getting one. A great way is to have small tattoos that look beautiful as well. You can get a cherry blossom tattoo on the foot, perhaps, a hibiscus flower on the shoulder or a lovely butterfly on the lower stomach; whatever design you choose, it can definitely add to your attractiveness and charm. Deciding to get a tattoo needs careful thought and reflection. Otherwise, you could make some serious tattoo mistakes. Try to avoid big and obvious designs if possible. Another important part of choosing a tattoo design is the location. What part of the body do you want it on? Choosing a hidden location can often make the tattoo the perfect adornment . As for professional women, tattoos should normally be where they can be hidden. Most importantly, no matter what tattoo design you choose the final goal is that the design should be something you like. If you are into the tattoo and really feel passionate about it you will carry yourself in a different manner when you get it inked on your body. According to the author, which of the following is the right kind of tattoo that girls should get? Answer: Small, lovely tattoos inked on the hidden part of the body
Bob is a middle school student. He is 13years old. He lives in Shanghai with his parents and his twin brother, Jack. They are in the same( ) school, but in different classes. Bob is good at Maths, but not good at English. He thinks it's a little difficult for him. But he plans to spend more time on it. Every morning, Bob gets up early. He usually reads English for half an hour. And then he has breakfast with his family. He usually has two eggs and a glass of milk. After breakfast, he walks to school with his brother. It takes them about twenty minutes to get to school. They get to school at about 7:40. Bob begins his classes at 8:00. After four lessons in the morning, he has a hamburger, some fish and vegetables for lunch at school. Then he has three classes in the afternoon. His last class is over at 4:50p.m. After school, he usually plays football or basketball from 5:00 p. m. to 6:00 p.m. He says it is good for his health to play sports every day. He gets home at 6:20 p.m. He usually eats some rice and vegetables for dinner. Sometimes, he eats some noodles. After dinner, he does his homework from 7:30to 9:30. Then he listens to music or reads books for a while( ). He doesn't watch TV or play computer games on weekdays. He goes to bed at 10:30 p.m. His friends say his lifestyle is very healthy. Do you think so? Bob thinks _ is a little difficult for him. Answer: There are many rights to make sure that people will be treated fairly when they are suspected or accused of a crime. Sometimes these rights are called "due process of law". In using these rights, a person should have the help of a lawyer. You have a right to protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. The police generally may not search you or your home, or take things you own, without a "warrant". A warrant is a paper which states, very exactly, the place to be searched and the things to be taken. Sometimes, however, the police will not need a warrant to search you or your property. If an officer sees you committing a crime, or if he has a good reason to believe you have committed a serious crime, he may arrest you and search you and the area right around you without a warrant. If you invite a police without a warrant to come into your house and he finds proof of crime, the evidence may be used against you in court. If you do not want an officer to search you or your home and he does not have a warrant, tell him that you do not give him the right to search. However, if the officer will not listen, do not try to stop him. It is dangerous to resist and it may be illegal to do so. Any evidence which a policeman gets during an unlawful search and seizure cannot be used against you. Police officers must act reasonably and fairly at all times. They should use physical force only when it is needed to arrest someone to enforce a law. They may not use physical violence to "teach someone a lesson". According to the passage, a "warrant" is _ . Answer: There are two kinds of changeschemical change and physical change. In a chemical change, there is always a new substance formed. Breaking up water into hydrogen and oxygen is a chemical change. In each of the chemical change at least one new substance is formed. A change is not a chemical change if it doesn't form a new substance. Physical changes are very common, too. There are many examples. You can make a physical change by tearing a piece of paper into two, or by cutting a piece of iron with lathe . Here paper is still paper, and the iron is still iron. Another way of making physical change is dissolving something in water. When you dissolve salt in water, the salt disappears. You may think that a new substance has been formed. But really there is no new substance. The salt is still salt. You can still taste it. So the dissolving of anything is a physical change. When water freezes, the change is also a physical one. The water changes from liquid to solid, but it is still the same substance. That is why the freezing of anything is a physical change. We can separate a chemical change from a physical one by _ . Answer: My name is Bill. I have a friend called Mike. Today is Mike's birthday. I'm at his birthday party. There are a lot of friends in his house. Some stand beside the table and enjoy the snacks and drinks. There is some food on the table. I like the chocolate and the fruit very much. Mike sits on the sofa and chats with some friends there. He wears a yellow T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He looks so cool today. Wow! The cake is really big. There are some candles on it. Mike's friends begin to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Mike. Mike is very happy. He blows out the candles and cuts the cake. Everyone has a good time at the party. What does Mike wear at his birthday party? Answer: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. That saying holds true not only for you and me, but also for some of the most powerful and influential people in the world, such as the presidents of the United States. But how do American presidents spend their vacation time? Let's take a look! Franklin D. Roosevelt, considered one of the greatest presidents in American history, had limited vacation options because of his polio . He began visiting Warm Springs, Georgia in 1924 for its curative waters and later built a 2,000 acre polio treatment center nearby. He liked to cruise the Potomacon his yacht and three times as president returned to his beloved Canadian island of Campobello, with which he fell in love as a kid. Former President Bill Clinton, however, was never much good at vacationing. His staff had to practically force him to go on vacation his first year in office; his idea of relaxing was reading four good books simultaneously while enjoying a cigar (chewed, not smoked). He could also lose himself in a game of golf, where his somewhat flexible interpretation of the rules could at times drive his partners crazy. Obama's predecessor also knows how to relax. Fishing is in the Bush family DNA: for blue sharks off the coast of Maine or anything with fins, almost anywhere else. George W. Bush also relaxed as president by jogging and clearing brush on his Texas ranch. Since leaving office, he has become an active mountain biker and, more recently, has taken up painting. Obama tends to take a winter break in Hawaii, where he was born and raised, and a summer vacation in Martha's Vineyard, off the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In between, he plays basketball every couple of weeks and has been known to do some skeet shooting at Camp David. Obama's favorite pastime, no matter the location, has become easy to spot: golf. What's special when Bill Clinton was playing golf? Answer:
Question: Have you ever used Facebook? Many people are being lured onto it with the promise of a fun,free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up large amounts of personal information.Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages. Most Facebook users don't realize this is happening.Even if they know what the company is up to,they still have no idea what they're paying for Facebook because people don't really know what their personal data is worth. The biggest problem,however,is that the company keeps changing the rules.Early on,you keep everything private.That was the great thing about Facebook -- you could create your own little private network.Last year,the company changed its privacy rules so that many things -- your city,your photo,your friends' names--were set,by default to be shared with everyone on the Internet. According to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage,the company is simply making changes to improve its service,and if people don't share information,they have a "less satisfying experience". Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money.Its original business model,which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the page,totally failed.Who wants to look at ads when they're online connecting with their friends? The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington.In April,Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy.He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites."I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them," Schrage admits. I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy is only the beginning,which is why I'm considering deactivating my account.Facebook is a handy site,but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't know.That's too high a price to pay. What does the author say about most Facebook users? A. They are reluctant to give up their personal information. B. They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook. C. They don't identify themselves when using the website. D. They care very little about their personal information. Answer: B Question: Bicycles for rent could become as common as newspaper stands and mail boxes on prefix = st1 /Germany's street corners if a scheme launched by Deutsche Bahn is successful. The German rail operator has launched a bicycle-hire scheme designed for simple one-way trips. "It's a new concept,"said Andreas Knie, head of the project. Users must first register with Call-A-Bike at a cost of 15 euros(US$14.7). With a simple phone call, they can hire one of the many bikes parked outside stations, at a cost of 3 to 5 cents per minute. At the end of their journey, they ring a computer and tell it where the bike is parked. The bikes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No one will be breaking speed records with Call-A-Bike bicycles. They weigh in at 25 kilograms, at least double the weight of a normal bicycle, though they do have eight gears . "They are pretty heavy, but we don't want people taking them on the train or into the subway," Knie said. They are also designed with parts that do not fit a normal bicycle. Even the screws are irregular and the bike looks so odd that thieves would stand out. Vandalism and theft have led to the downfall of previous schemes which date back toAmsterdam's 1966"White Bike"scheme. In that short-lived experiment, anti-establishment groups painted bikes white and left them around the Dutch capital. However, many were taken permanently and repainted, while the police took away others on the basis that ownerless bikes were street rubbish. Copenhagen, Vienna and Helsinki also have free bike schemes, in which users deposit a coin in Copenhagen's case 20 crowns(US$2.50)--to free a bike from a rack. "The advantage these schemes have is ease of use. But because they're so cheap, people tend to hold on to the bikes and then there are none on the streets,"the person in charge said. Oslo is also planning a bike-hire system where users will pay a symbolic fee of 50 Norwegian crowns(US$6.50)for unlimited use in the city for a year. Users will buy an electronic identity card as a key that will register when the bike is parked or taken from a rack. What can be learned about Amsterdam's 1966"White Bike"scheme? A. The bicycles were twice as heavy as a normal bicycle. B. A heavy rain stopped the scheme from being carried out. C. Some bicycles were damaged or stolen and the scheme failed. D. The police ended the scheme for traffic safety Answer: C Question: As Apple tries to maintain its growth and success in China, the world's largest smart-phone market is becoming even more critical. Apple's shares fell sharply as the company's earnings for the holiday quarter through December disappointed investors. The sales of the iPhone, which include both the iPhone 5 and older models, came in at the low end of analysts' expectations, while the company's income plan for the second quarter was below analysts' forecasts, though Apple is known to give conservative forecasts. Som'6 analysts have said that for Apple to regain its growth, the company.needs a more aggressive strategy for markets, or more specifically for China, where the market for smart phones has been expanding more rapidly than anywhere else. In China, demand is particularly great for inexpensive phones that run on Android operating system, sold by many Chinese phone makers as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. But Apple says it's already enjoying strong growth in China. "We saw big growth in iPhones,"Chief Executive Tim Cook said. He said that the company has been quickly expanding its sales channels in China, including the number of Apple stores. "This isn't nearly what we need, we're not even close to that, but we're making great progress. " he said. In China, a big missing piece for Apple is China Mobile Ltd. , the biggest local telecom carrier that doesn't yet sell the iPhone. Earlier this month, Mr. Cook met China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing and discussed cooperation, stirring hopes that the world's largest mobile carrier may soon start offering the iPhone. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone that could launch as early as this year. But one possible challenge for Apple in China is that low-pricod Android-based phones are getting better in terms of quality. A report from CLSA in late November showed that many smart-phones sold at about 1,000 yuan ( $160) came with higher-reso-lution screens, better cameras and more powerful processors than phones at that price did a year earlier. The main purpose of the passage is to show the readers _ A. Apple.'s high popularity in China B. the challenge Apple faces in China C. the approaching failure Apple will suffer in China D. Apple's aggressive strategy in its market expansion Answer: B Question: Dear Mr Han, I just turned 12 years old, but I am very thin and not as tall as my classmates. My brother is 20 and is very tall. My father is also very tall. I eat lots of vegetables every day. I like eating fruit, but I don't like eating meat. I sleep for eight hours a day. I want to be tall. I am taking medicine. I think that medicine can make me grow tall. My head teacher tells me that you are a great Chinese doctor. Can I grow tall? Do I need to take the medicine? Yours, Jack Dear Jack, I think that you can grow tall, because your father and brother are both very tall. You are still growing. As for the medicine, you should stop taking it. It is not good for your health. You should eat more meat. I am happy that you like eating vegetables and fruit. A balanced diet is very important for your health --and it can make you grow tall. Yours, Mr Han ,. How old is Jack's brother? A. Eleven years old. B. Twelve years old. C. Twenty years old. D. Thirty years old. Answer: C Question: Some time ago, a friend of mine punished his three-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight , and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty. He shouted at her loudly, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside of it?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses in the box. I filled it with my love. All for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her for forgiveness . My friend told me that he kept that gold box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold. Why did the father punish his daughter? A. Because the girl had torn his favourite paper. B. Because the girl was wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. C. Because the girl took the box under the Christmas tree away. D. Because the father was in bad temper . Answer: B
Carbon monoxide poisoning causes death and injuries around the world. This gas is a problem in all parts of the world that experience cold weather. A few years ago, America's Centers for Disease Control (C. D. C.) studied deaths linked with carbon monoxide poisoning. It found that the number of carbon monoxide deaths in the United States was greatest in January. The C.D.C. also found that carbon monoxide kills more than four hundred Americans each year. And, it said more than twenty thousand people are taken to hospital for treatment of health problems linked with the gas. Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because people do not know it is in the air. The gas has no color, no taste and no smell. It does not cause burning eyes. And it does not cause people to cough. Yet, carbon monoxide gas is very deadly . It steals the body's ability to use oxygen. Carbon monoxide makes it difficult for the blood to carry oxygen to body tissues . It does this by linking with the blood. When the gas links with the blood, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen to the tissues that need it. Damage to the body can begin very quickly from large amounts of carbon monoxide. How quickly this can happen depend on how long a person is breathing the gas and how much gas he or she breathes in. Carbon monoxide poisoning has warning signs . But people have to be awake to realize them. Small amounts of the gas will cause a person's head to hurt. He or she may begin to feel tired. Their stomachs may feel sick. The room may appear to be turning around. The person may have trouble thinking clearly. People develop serious headache as the amount of the gas continues to enter their blood. They will begin to feel very tired and sleepy. They may have terrible stomachache. Doctors say carbon monoxide influences people differently. For example a small child will experience health problems or die much sooner than an adult. The general health of the person or his or her age can also be important. What does the passage mainly talk about? A Warning signs that carbon monoxide poisoning has. B Reasons why carbon monoxide can cause person's death. C The damage of carbon monoxide and how it works. D Influences of carbon monoxide on children and adults. Answer: C Dear Flowermouse, Thank you for your comments on how Americans and Chinese view each other. This is an important subject. Modern technology has given many nations the chance of destroying other nations. This is a cruel picture but it is a realistic one. It means that every nation should make sure that these weapons of great destruction are never used. This requires greater acceptance of differences among people and nations in all parts of the planet. Your letter asks specially about Chinese-American relationships but I want to let you know my feelings on a global scale. Because China and America are the most powerful nations and I believe they have a special responsibility for promoting better understanding and for leading the way toward peaceful solutions to the world's problems. You ask how Chinese and American people view each other. This is an important question. Because I know so little about China that I am not able to judge how Chinese view Americans. I am sure that the view differs according to individual experiences that persons might have. And it is not easy to describe America to foreigners. America is a vast mass of people and cultures. These people came from all parts of the world, from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Australia. Each brought a different culture and a different set of values within a single nation. I believe that the vast majority of Americans like the vast majority of Chinese want peace and friendship between our two nations. Both China and America have suffered through generations from war and violence in our history. And I believe that it is the special responsibility of all Chinese and all Americans to impress this need for mutual understanding on our neighbors in other. So my friend, this is my response. Please know that I write to you as a private person living in America. I do feel strongly that people everywhere have more in common than they have in differences. We all share the same basic needs for existence and we all depend upon the same need for the survival of this beautiful planet earth. Maybe we can begin to encourage better communication and better understanding through my columns. I hope so. The letter that Flowermouse wrote to the writer, maybe have referred to . A American culture B American society C Chinese-American relationships D Chinese society Answer: C American schools do not have separate classes for boys and girls. If boys want to cook or to sew, they can learn these things in classes that are no longer just for girls. If girls want to repair cars, they can now learn this in school. Most students like to have boys and girls on the same baseball team. Many boys and girls dress alike in school. They were blue jeans and sport shirts. Some have long hair and some have short hair. Sometimes a boy has longer hair than a girl. Even the language is different. Students learn to say fire fighter instead of fireman, police officer instead of policeman, and letter carrier instead of mailman. A person does not need to be a man to fight a fire or to deliver the mail. Most people think that these changes are good. They give all people an equal chance to be happy and to do what they want to do with their lives. Fathers like to tell their sons that they can grow up to be president. Today, mothers can tell the same things to there daughters. What do most people think of the changes in American schools? A Surprising B Strange C Good D Bad Answer: C Sales Executive Pindan Labor Solutions is expanding and we require a sales executive. Working hours from Monday to Friday,12 months a year. However,some weekend work may be required. You will be assisting our team of consultants with business development. You can get a monthly income of $5,200.Essential requirements include previous sales experience,strong communication skills,high level of computer competency ,WA driver's license. For more information,please email stefan@tigerhospitality.com or phone 0452 236 541. Martial Arts Trainer GoKanRyu Karate has a number of positions available for people who have an interest in the martial arts. The position will involve training new students on working days. An expected first year income of $45,000.Excellent people skills and previous experience are essential. Own car and license required. Please contact Tim Hort on 0285 371 464 or kyle@hospitalio.com for further information. Workshop Manager Located in Wongan Hills WA,Beckman Machinery wants a service/workshop manager to join our successful team. Your role will be to provide the best possible service to customers,Monday to Friday. You must have trade certificate,excellent communication and computer skills. Knowledge of agricultural products is essential. You can get at least $50,000 in your first year. Please call Stuart 0427 777 105 or email stuart@boekemans.com.au if any further information is needed. Farmhand A general farmhand is required to work on a farm located 40kms from Condobolin.A driver's license is essential. Duties include:sheep,cattle work;cropping & irrigation .Weekends off,except during sowing and harvest periods.$39,000 a year. If you are interested in farm work,please email diane.moisis@cwcc.nsw.edu.au or call 0167 327 047 for detailed information. Of the four positions,which offers the top yearly income? A A sales executive. B A martial arts trainer. C A workshop manager. D A farmhand. Answer: A Chrysanthemum Exhibition Name: Yichun the Second Chrysanthemum Exhibition Date: Oct. 26th -- Nov. 25th, 2015 Place: Yichun Fengcheng Square Show: Over 300,000 basins and nearly 200 kinds of chrysanthemums Parts: Watching chrysanthemums, praising chrysanthemums and tasting chrysanthemum tea Transportation: No.2 bus Time: At any time in the day It is free for everyone. If you like, you can take photos. But do not pick or damage the chrysanthemums. Come to the chrysanthemum exhibition with your family or friends and have fun. What can people see in the exhibition? A Only some basins. B 300,000 kinds of chrysanthemums. C Some beautiful pictures. D Many chrysanthemums. Answer: D
The olinguito is new to science. Although lt has been living in the cloud forests of South Amcrica for some time. Scientists say the olinguito is the first new carnivore discovered In the Americas in more than 30 years. It is a hairy orange-brown creature with a sweet face and big eyes The animal has small. rounded ears and lives in the trees An adult weighs one kilogram and measures about 75 centimeters. with half of those centimeters taken up by its ringed tail Most of the time. it likes to eat fruit, although it also eats meat. Active at night, the animal has lived in Colombia and Ecuador for a long time. But the olinguito did not exist in science books before now. Kristofer Helgen, director at the National Museum in Washington, led the research team that confirmed the existence of the olinguito. It had been mistaken more than a century ago for a look-alike animal -- a similar but larger olingo . Mr. Helgen had been studying olingos in a museum for ten years. At that time. he observed a difference in the size and shape of the heads and teeth. That led him on an effort to prove he was looking at an animal never before described by science. He got lucky when he communicated with a zoologist in Ecuador. The animal expert there made a short video that shows an olinguito in the trees. The video confirms that the oiinguito is different from the olingo Mr. Helgen says tens of thousands of olinguitos live in the wild and are not in danger of disappearing forever. Human beings, however, are moving closer to the olinguito habitat in the Andean cloud forests. The research team estimates that 42 percent of historic olinguiio habitat has been removed The onlinguito was unknown to people in the past because _ it was mistaken for another species We know music is very important in our daily life. Today most stores, stations, restaurants and other places play music. Do you notice music playing at any of these places when you go somewhere? You might even hear music in an office or on a farm. Scientists believe that music influences the way people behave. They think that the sound of western classical music makes people feel richer. When a restaurant plays classical music, people spend more money on food and drinks. When the restaurant plays modern music, people spend less money. Without music, people spend even less. Scientists also believe that loud, fast music makes people eat faster. Some restaurants play fast music during meal time. This makes people eat faster and leave quickly. Restaurants can make more money in this way. Some scientists think that music makes you think and learn better. They say that music helps students to be more active. It is true that people learn better when they are relaxed. And listening to music can help you relax. Next time you hear music somewhere, be careful. It might influence the way you do things. According to the text, scientists believe that music can _ . create different feelings for us One morning, Daddy, Ethan, and I went out shopping for Mother's day gifts. First we went to buy some flowers. I found a nice big bunch of pink roses that were very pretty. Then we went and bought a card. There were a lot to choose from, some of them had pictures of kids and some of them had pictures of animals. Daddy wanted to get one with a kid hugging his mommy but Ethan wanted the one with a cat on it, and I wanted the one with a dog on it. We ended up getting all three. Then we went to buy ingredients so we could cook breakfast. On Mother's day I helped Daddy make breakfast. We made chocolate pancakes and eggs. It was very messy but a lot of fun. Mommy loved getting breakfast in bed and she liked the flowers and cards. We also went out to go to the park after breakfast. It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun. I can't wait for mother's day to come by again! What did we buy first? Flowers Lisa has a pet cat named Whiskers. Whiskers is black with a white spot on her chest. Whiskers also has white paws that look like little white mittens. Whiskers likes to sleep in the sun on her favorite chair. Whiskers also likes to drink creamy milk. Lisa is excited because on Saturday, Whiskers turns two years old. After school on Friday, Lisa rushes to the pet store. She wants to buy Whiskers' birthday presents. Last year, she gave Whiskers a play mouse and a blue feather. For this birthday, Lisa is going to give Whiskers a red ball of yarn and a bowl with a picture of a cat on the side. The picture is of a black cat. It looks a lot like Whiskers. What does Lisa buy for Whiskers for this birthday? A red ball of yarn and a bowl with a cat on it Although he will always be remembered for starring "Superman," the greatest role of actor Christopher Reeve's life was as a champion of sufferers of spinal cord injuries and an supporter of stem cell research. Unlike the man of steel, he wasn't faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than an engine and he couldn't leap tall buildings in a single bound. But the courage and determination Reeve showeed in trying to overcome his paralysis from a 1995 horse-riding accident went beyond any of the achievements of the comic book hero. "He became a real-life Superman. His heroism, his courage was extraordinary," Colin Blakemore, the chief executive of Britain's Medical Research Council said. "Like many people who suffer some terrible injuries, Christopher Reeve was totally changed by that experience and brought the kind of energy and enthusiasm that made him successful as a film star to an entirely different issue, with huge effect." Reeve, 52, died of heart failure on October 10, 2004 after having treatment for an infected pressure wound without realizing his dream of walking again. But in the nine years since his accident, he made personal progress to regain respect and admiration, founded the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a non-profit research organization, and used his fame to raise millions of dollars for research into spinal cord injuries. He also provided hope and inspiration to other patients and made speeches to support scientists to be allowed to conduct stem cell research in the hopes of eventually curing paralysis and other illnesses such as diabetes and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. "He has been our champion. If you think of spinal injuries, you automatically recall a picture of Christopher Reeve," said Paul Smith, executive director of the Spinal Injuries Association in England. It is because of Reeve that spinal cord injuries and stem cell research are so widely discussed, according to Smith. The fact that it happened to Reeve showed it can affect anyone, even Superman. Reeve did not live long enough to see whether stem cell research could help restore movement to the paralyzed. The research is still in its early days and no one knows what advances it may bring. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? A Forever Superman
There are three ways you can go about writing a resume: You can rely solely in your memory; you can dust off a previous resume and add something new to it ;or you can create a new resume from a permanent personal data record .If you don't have a personal data record, prepare one now. There are four topic areas for which you will need to record details. _ List the schools ,colleges ,and universities you have attended or are attending. Start at junior high school and record the name of each school, the address and telephone number ,the dates you were there. _ --Full name ,address ,and telephone number of the company or organization, and full name and title of each supervisor you worked for. --The dates you started and finished employment. --Your job title ,or titles if you held several position. --Your specific responsibilities and duties for each position. --Any special skills you learned on the job. --Special praise you reserved ,or results you achieved. _ --Membership in a club ,society ,or group ,particularly noting your responsibilities as an active participator or committee member. --Participation in community activities. Particularly describe any executive or administrative positions you have held ,with special responsibilities and dates. --Involvement in a technical society on a local or national level ,with particular mention of any conferences you have held, with special responsibilities you have presented or published. --Involvement in hobby activities. --A wards you have received for any activities you have been involved in. _ The names of people you feel are best fitted to speak on you behalf. For each person ,write down: --Full name ,profession title, place of employment ,job position. --Employer's address and telephone number. --Home address and telephone number. Which of the following could be the best title for this passage? A. How to Attract Potential Boss B. Topic Areas in Writing Resume C. Different Ways of Writing Resume D. The Importance of Developing a Personal Data Record Answer: B In 2004 ,when my daughter Becky was ten , she and my husband ,Joe, were united in their desire for a dog . As for me , I shared none of their canine lust. But why , they pleaded. "Because I don't have time to take care of a dog." But we'll do it. " Really? You're going to walk the dog? Feed the dog? Bathe the dog?" Yes, yes , and yes ."I don't believe you ." We will . We promise. They didn't . From day two (everyone wanted to walk the cute puppy that first day ) , neither thought to walk the dog . While I was slow to accept that I would be the one to keep track of her shots , to schedule her vet appointments , to feed and clean her , Misty knew this on day one . As she looked up at the three new humans in her life (small, medium, and large) , she calculated , _ Quickly, she and I developed something very similar to a Vulcan mind meld . She'd look at me with those sad brown eyes of hers , beam her need , and then wait , trusting I would understand -- which , strangely , I almost always did . In no time , she became my feet as I read , and splaying across my stomach as I watched television . Even so , part of me continued to resent walking duty . Joe and Becky had promised. Not fair , I'd balk silently as she and I walked . "Not fair , " I' d loudly remind anyone within earshot upon our return home . Then one day -- January 1, 2007 , to be exact -- my husband ' s doctor uttered an unthinkable word : leukemia ( ) .With that , I spent eight to ten hours a day with Joe in the hospital , doing anything and everything I could to ease his discomfort. During those six months of hospitalizations, Becky, 12 at the time, adjusted to other adults being in the house when she returned from school. My work colleagues adjusted to my taking off at a moment's notice for medical emergencies. Every part of my life changed; no part of my old routine remained. Save one: Misty still needed walking. At the beginning, when friends offered to take her through her paces, I declined because I knew they had their own households to deal with. As the months went by,I began to realize that I actually wanted to walk Misty. The walk in the morning before I headed to the hospital was a quiet, peaceful time to gather my thoughts or to just be before the day's medical drama unfolded. The evening walk was a time to shake off the day's upsets and let the worry tracks in my head go to white noise. When serious illness visits your household, it's , not just your daily routine and your assumptions about the future that are no longer familiar. Pretty much everyone you acts differently. Not Misty. Take her for a walk, and she had no interest in Joe's blood counts or 'one marrow test results. On the street or in the park, she had only one thing on her mind: squirrels! She Was so joyous that even on the worst days, she could make me smile. On a daily basis she reminded me that life goes on. After Joe died in 2009,Misty slept on his pillow. I'm gratefulto a point. The truth is, after years of balking, I've come to enjoy m' walks with Misty. As I watch her chase after a squirrel, throwing her whole being into the here-and-now of an exercise that has never once ended in victory, she reminds me, too, that no matter how harsh the present or unpredictable the future , there's almost always some measure of joy to be extracted from the moment. What is the message the writer wants to convey in the passage? A. One should learn to enjoy hard times. B. A disaster can change everything in life. C. Moments of joy suggest that there is still hope ahead. D. People will change their attitude toward you when you are in difficulty. Answer: C Students at the Yale School of Architecture handed over the keys to a house that they designed and built to its new owners at a ceremony on Sept. 25 at 20 King Place. The ceremony held to hand over the house will mark the completion of the school's First-Year Building Project 2008. since 1967, the Yale School of Architecture has offered its first-year graduate students the opportunity to design and build a structure as a part of their education. Unique among architecture schools, this program is compulsory for all members of the class, and students frequently refer to it as their reason for applying to Yale. This year's class of 64 worked to design, develop and document an idea for a 2,100-square-foot, wheelchair-accessible, two-family house. Students had to use sustainable resources and energy-efficient technology. The budget for the project is always less than actual construction costs, and the builders-in-training had to seek supplementary donations, mostly in the form of construction materials. The result this year was a "designer" home, dressed entirely in cedar , fitted inside with Swedish-designed cabinetry and partially powered by solar energy. The floors are bamboo, another natural material prized for being quickly replenished . This year, the student-builders used a pre-cast foundation system, which, in addition to its other labor-saving virtues, uses 75% less concrete than the poured system. The first-year class of 2008 raised $100,000-worth of donated materials. But when it came to constructing the inside steps of the house, they used old drafting tables from the School of Architecture that would otherwise have been thrown out. Ground was broken in May for the house at King Place, and the whole class worked on site until the construction was finished. How long did it take the students to finish the house ? A. More than five months B. Almost five months C. About six months D. Less than four months Answer: B I am a middle school student. My name is WeiFang. I'm thirteen now. I study at No.52 Middle School. I am in Class 3, Grade 1. There are twenty boys and twenty-three girls in my class. We have four lessons in the morning and two in the afternoon. We like English very much. WeiFang is _ . A. eleven B. twelve C. thirteen D. fourteen Answer: C Zhao Hua is a student from a university. He has led a group of university student volunteers since last year. They help children at a primary school with their studies and daily lives. "When I was a small child," Zhao said, "I knew March 5th was a day for people to learn from Lei Feng and help others, but I didn't know the real meaning of the spirit of Lei Feng. Now when I see the smiling faces of the kids I have helped, I deeply understand Lei Feng. Helping others makes me happy.,' Lei Feng (1940-1962) is one of the best-known soldiers in Chinese history. He lost his parents when he was very young. His neighbors brought him up. He died in an accident at the age of 22. He did many _ in his short life. For example, he gave his own money to the parents of another soldier, and bought a ticket for a woman he didn't know without telling her his name. On March 5th, 1963, Chairman Mao called on people to "Learn from Lei Feng" and made the day "Lei Feng Day". Today almost 50 years has passed since Lei Feng's death. Some people say that the spirit of Lei Feng is out. There have been many reports about the coldness of people towards strangers. This has made many Chinese people think deeply about themselves. Many people think We need to promote that spirit again. The important thing is that we must be ready to help others and make it a habit. ,,. (5,2,l0) Who brought Lei Feng up? A. His parents B. Chairman Mao C. His neighbors D. Soldiers Answer: C
Surfing for hours on the Internet consumes a lot of electricity and is harmful to the environment. However, a new ecological PC saves energy as it operates:it produces about 70 percent less CO2than conventional computers. As a work tool, a leisure activity resource, and a personal assistant, computers seem to be everywhere. Yet the environmental performance for today's computers leaves a lot to be improved: they rapidly become out of date, and typically contain poisonous materials and individual parts that are difficult to recycle. Moreover, they consume plenty of power whose production, in return, causes the release of CO2into the atmosphere. Employees at the MicroPro Company in Ireland, teaming with colleagues at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin, have engineered a wooden--frame computer with reduced environment impact. As the first computer for its class, the"iameco"(pronounced I-am-eco) was awarded the "EU Ecolabel", the European Union's environmental label. "This touch-screen PC has very low energy consumption over the entire lifecycle" explains Alexander Schlosser, scientist at IZM. Over the full product life cycle, it releases 70 percent less CO2than a typical desktop PC with monitor. In addition, it can be easily recycled. Of the materials used, 98 percent can be recycled. Indeed, 20 percent of the computer can be reused immediately--in other words, many parts can be reused for repairing other computers--such as parts of the wooden frame. The "EU Ecolabel" is probably awarded to _ . A products made of wood B products saving energy C products releasing much CO 2 D products made by the EU Answer: B. products saving energy At a psychology conference in England years ago, a woman said to me: "I'll knock you up in the morning." I was taken aback by her strange suggestion, but it occurred to me that I might not have understood what she really meant. As it turned out, what she had meant was, "I'll knock on your door in the morning so that we can meet for breakfast to discuss the panel we're on." This example of the difference in the meaning of "knock you up" in British and American English shows the complicated situations that can result from cultural misunderstandings. A cultural misunderstanding occurs when something -- a word, gesture, object, social context, or almost anything you can think of -- has a different meaning in two cultures. Sometimes the misunderstandings get _ , sometimes they lead nowhere, and sometimes they can become the starting point of something much more extreme, from love to war. Race is one area where cultural misunderstandings are common. We Americans tend to assume that racial categories are biological rather than social, so it may not occur to us that people from other cultures have a different set of racial concepts and classify themselves and us differently. Some African Americans complain that certain immigrants from other countries, such as Haiti or Jamaica, "act as if they aren't black." The cultural misunderstanding is that, in the immigrants' countries of origin, they would never describe themselves as "black". This doesn't mean that they think they are white. It just means that their cultures have more categories, like marabou or grimaud in Haiti, or fair or brown in Jamaica, than are used in the United States. Meanwhile, white people in America, unaware of this cultural diversity, sometimes refer to all darker-skinned people as "black" without realizing that an issue exists. Resolving cultural misunderstandings can clear the air or even lead to laughter. Sometimes, though, when it comes to race, unidentified cultural misunderstandings can create tension, unhappiness and distrust. We can learn from the passage that cultural misunderstandings _ . A mostly come from body language B are the most serious social problem in the US C can cause negative feelings among people D can be cleared up with laughter Answer: C. can cause negative feelings among people Which plant part is similar to a bird's egg? A leaf B root C seed D stem Answer: C. seed Born into a poor family,two of the Durers' children still had a dream for art,but they knew their father could not afford to send either of them to the academy . After discussions,the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin.The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy.Then,when the winner completed his studies,he would support the other brother,either with sales of his art work or,if necessary,by working in the mines.So they tossed a coin.Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg.Albert went to the dangerous mines and financed his brother,whose work at the academy was almost an immediate success,and by graduation,he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his works. When the Durer family held a dinner to celebrate Albrecht's homecoming, Albrecht drank a toast to his brother,"Now,Albert,it is your turn to go to Nuremberg and follow your dream,and I will take care of you." Albert wiped the tears from his cheeks,glanced at the faces he loved,and said softly,"No,brother.It is too late for me.Look....look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been broken at least once,and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,much 1ess make lines on canvas with a pen or a brush.No,brother ...for me it is too 1ate." Therefore,Albrecht took pains to draw his brother's injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.The entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and named it "The Praying Hands". According to the two brothers' agreemen _ . A they let the coin decide who would go to the academy first B the winner would work at the academy in exchange for the loser's help C the loser would go to the mines and earn money to pay for his own education D the winner would work in the mines after graduation in return for the loser's support Answer: A. they let the coin decide who would go to the academy first Found:A black watch Is this your watch?It is found in the classroom. Please call Jessica at 36206018. Lost:My school card My name is David Hand. The number of my school card is 20070107. Please call me at 33429703 or my friend Judy. Her phone number is 33073061. Thank you. Jane's watch is lost,she should call _ A 33073061 B 36206018 C 33429703 D 20070107 Answer: B. 36206018
Amsterdam is a city like Venice founded on and around water or waterways. However, unlike Venice, Holland's largest city isn't only a museum. Amsterdam is a real, living and large city. The Dutch capital has clearly come a long way since it was founded. A story goes that two fishermen and a seasick dog first came there. The dog jumped ship to pour out the con- tents of his stomach and the two fishermen became the founders of Amsterdam. The reality of its founding might have something to do with the River Amstel which was built in the 13th century. Settlement developed slowly there and it took its name. Amsterdam is built on numberless canals, which neatly divide the city into easily navigable districts. There seems to be a canal around every corner in Amsterdam. This is not too surprising when you consider that the city is home to 165 canals, which are more than Venice. During the summer, people come together in Vondel park, where locals and tourists alike relax in the. fine weather. Amsterdam might be one of Europe's wettest capitals, but as soon as the clouds are clear and the sun shines, its citizens go out into the streets to sit in cafes, go boating on a canal, or even ride bicycles; the number of bikes in the city is more than double that of the city's population. Amsterdam's winters tend to be cold with plenty of rain, but this seldom seems to stop the tourists from gathering together in the city. Particularly cold winters also offer a good chance for visitors to watch the local people skating across the frozen canals. These days, with plenty of rail, bus and air connections to all over Europe, the Dutch capital is a year-round tourist destination as well as one of the world's key business centers. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A Amsterdam and Venice have a similar number of canals. B On average each person in Amsterdam has more than two bicycles. C It seldom rains in Amsterdam in winter because it is very cold. D Tourists can go to Amsterdam only by ship now. Answer: B. On average each person in Amsterdam has more than two bicycles. The character "duang" is so new that it does not even exist in the Chinese dictionary. But it has already spread like wildfire online in China, appearing more than 8 million times on China's micro-blogging site Weibo, where it spawned a top-trending hashtag that drew 312,000 discussions among 15,000 users. On China's biggest online search engine Baidu, it has been looked up almost 600,000 times. It's been noticed in the West too, with Foreign Policy seeing it as a "break the internet" viral meme - like a certain Kirn Kardashian image, or a certain multicoloured dress. But what does it mean? "Everyone's duang-ing and I still don't know what it means! As if it's back to school for me," said Weibo user Weileiweito. 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 BaiKut automan. "Duang" seems to be an example of onomatopoeia , a word that phonetically imitates a sound. It all seems to have started with Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, who in 2004 was featured in a shampoo commercial where he said famously defended his sleek, black hair using the rhythmical-sounding "duang". The word resurfaced again recently after Chan posted it on his Weibo page. Thousands of users then began to flood Chan's Weibo page with comments, coining the word in reference to his infamous shampoo appearance. The word appears to have many different meanings, and there's no perfect translation, but you could use it as an adjective to give emphasis to the word that follows it. A kitten might be "duang cute", for example. Or you might be "very duang confused" by this blog. For readers of Chinese characters, the Jackie Chan theme is also apparent from the quirky way in which the word is written: a combination of Chan's Mandarin names. Which of the following statements about "duang is NOT true? A It came from Jackie chan's commertial. B Weibo users created the word about his infamous shampoo appearance. C It was first used as an adjective to stress the word that follows it. D Many people are confused by the word. Answer: C. It was first used as an adjective to stress the word that follows it. One day a red rose blossomed in a forest. A pine tree not far away said, "You're so beautiful! I wish I could be lovely like you. " The rose said, "I am the most beautiful plant in the forest. " Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant. It is full of thorns !"Sometimes, the red rose would look at the cactus and say, "This plant is useless. I'm sorry I am his neighbor. " Summer came and the plants and animals needed water, but no rain fell. One day the rose saw some birds stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away. The red rose asked what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. The pine tree told the red rose, "You can also drink from it. The birds can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help. " The red rose felt _ , but she still asked the cactus for help. The cactus agreed kindly and the birds filled their beaks with water for the rose's roots. Later on, the rose never gave her opinion about anyone by look again. What does the writer want to tell us? A Look is not everything. B Be careful of what you say to others. C The red rose is more beautiful than the cactus. D Don't feel bad about having an ugly neighbor. Answer: A. Look is not everything. As the forceful king of Macedonia , Alexander the Great overthrew the Persian Empire, becoming a hero that would survive centuries after his death. Born in 356 B.C., Alexander III was the son of Philip II and Olympias. Alexander's parents wanted him to receive the finest education, and arranged for him to study under Aristotle, regarded as one of the greatest scholars. Alexander's father was a strong leader. Philip II built an impressive army and established the Macedonian kingdom; he was even planning to attack Persia shortly before his death. In 336, Philip was murdered by one of his guards. Although it was obvious that the guard had a personal hatred, there are clues that other people were related to it. After Alexander was cleared as a suspect, he succeeded his father without opposition, and killed those said to be responsible for his father's murder, as well as all rivals. He was then just 20 years old. He then prepared to attack Persia. In the spring of 334, Alexander led the army made up of nearly 50,000 soldiers into Asia, which is called "the most powerful military expedition ever to leave Greece", He soundly defeated the Persian army at the Granicus River, sending a strong message to Darius III, leader of the Persian Empire. In 333, Alexander faced Darius at Issus, a mountain pass. The Macedonian army was greatly outnumbered but able to work the narrow mountain passageway to their advantage. Darius managed to escape. Continuing down the Mediterranean Coast, Alexander took every city in his path. In 332 Alexander declared Egypt to be part of the Greek Empire and was crowned Pharaoh . When Alexander left Egypt in 331, he defeated the Persians again and was crowned leader of Asia. In 323, however, Alexander developed a fever on the way back home and died 10 days later at Babylon. He was just 33 years old. What can we know about Philip's death? A He was killed by someone intending to take power from him. B Alexander sent someone who hated Philip to kill him. C His death was related to his plan of fighting Persia. D The murder might be organized by a group of people. Answer: D. The murder might be organized by a group of people. When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes. He listened to me quietly, then he asked. "Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like ? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said." I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could--and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself. I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it."That's just for you," he said."You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do." Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice. Which do you think would be the best title for this passage? A Not an Enemy, but the Best Friend B The Best Advice I've Ever Had C My Father D My Childhood Answer: B. The Best Advice I've Ever Had
Sarah's New Kitty "Meow." Sarah eyes opened wide when she heard that sound coming from the basket her mother was holding. "Mama, what's that sound? It sounds like a kitty!" she said to her mother as she tried to reach the basket. Her mother was holding it up too high for Sarah to reach. "Sarah," her mother said, "remember I told you that maybe we can get a pet if you could take good care of it? Well, you're seven years old now and I think you're ready for a special present." Sarah's mother set the basket on the floor. Sarah fell on her knees with a big grin on her face. She slowly lifted the yellow kitty and held its soft little body next to hers. Sarah gave the kitty a little kiss. Then she rubbed its head and neck. Soon it started making gentle sounds. "Why is the kitty making those funny sounds?" she asked her mother. "Oh, that's called purring. It's the sound kittens make when they're happy," her mother said. "Can I give it a name?" Sarah asked. "Sure. It's a girl kitty, but choose any name you like." her mother said. Sarah thought about it as her mother got two small bowls and placed them on the floor. Then she put water in one bowl and kitten food in the other bowl. "Okay, Sarah. Let's see if the kitty is hungry." Sarah put the kitty on the floor and it walked over to the food bowl. It quickly started to eat the food. Sarah laughed at the kitten and said, "I know. I'm going to name you Kitty." What is the funny sound called that kittens make, and why do they make it? Answer: The funny sound is called purring and kittens make it when they're happy. Bill Gates and the president of General Motors have met for lunch, and Bill is going on and on about computer technology. "If automotive technology had kept pace with computer technology over the past few decades, you would now be driving a V-32 instead of a V-8, and it would have a top speed of 10,000 miles per hour," says Gates. "Or you could have an economy car that weighs 30 pounds and gets a thousand miles to a gallon of gas. In either case, the sticker price of a new car would be less than $ 50. Why haven't you guys kept up?" The president of GM smiles and says, "Because the federal government won't let us build cars that crash four times a day." Why is that funny (or not funny, as the ease may be)? Human beings love to laugh, and the average adult laughs 17 times a day. Humans love to laugh so much that there are actually industries built around laughter. Jokes, siteoms and comedies are all designed to get us laughing, because laughing feels good. For us it seems so natural, but the funny thing is that humans are the only species that laughs. Laughter is actually a complex response that involves many of the same skills used in solving problems. Laughter is a great thing--that's why we've all heard the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine." There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease. When we look at laughter--what it is, what happens in our brains when we laugh, what makes us laugh and how it can make us healthier and happier, there's a huge amount about it that no one understands yet. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Laughter is a complex response of humans. Tattoos and body piercings have moved up on the trend list in recent years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and "flesh ink" . As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let's sit down and hear what they say. Tiara from prefix = st1 /Indiana: I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them. I do, however, think that ear piercing, is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button. Lee fromIllinois: Hi! I live inIllinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs-up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg. Most of them don't know what it is. They just think the work itself is great. Subotai fromCalifornia: I'm not against self-expression, but when I see high school students getting these piercing, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's. Jackson fromOhio: I don't think it's wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything --I think that's ridiculous. People who get the big dragons that cover your whole body--I don't think that's necessary. When I see naked chicks on guys, I think. "You have no respect for women." Brittney from New York: Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings are beautiful except ear piercing? Answer: Tiara It is not only experts in China who are arguing over whether women should work after marriage or not. Worldwide this question is being discussed as an interestingly large number of married women enter the workplace. Take the United States for example. Since 1960, the percentage of married women in the work force has jumped from 31.9 per cent to 59.4 per cent. American women first moved into the paid labour force during the World War II, when men left their jobs to fight. In the last fifty years, more and more women have worked outside the home. And over these years of developing, Americans have changed their social values as a result. In 1975, women aged 35 and above made up half of all working women. And by 1980, 60 per cent were women at the age of 45 and above. Now in Japan, women's work group is M-shaped with middle-aged women and those aged 20-25 at the two peaks. According to statistics , 37.7 per cent of Japanese women at childbearing age(25-29) still engaged themselves in work in 1980. and the number reached 50 per cent the next year. Being a housewife has always been regarded as a "graceful occupation" in Japan. Some young Japanese women believe it is good to be a " professional housewife". However, old attitudes have been changing everywhere, and sometimes just out of economic necessary. In recent years, a great number of city housewives have poured out of homes to take part time jobs. Even the UN has given its support.. The 34thCongress of the United Nations in 1979 put forward the decision for formal agreement on the getting rid of discrimination against women. So far, most UN members have agreed on it, but some still haven't, including the United States. More and more women have taken jobs outside for the reason that _ . Answer: they want to improve their living conditions We Americans are wasteful people, not used to saving. Early settlers, our forefathers set us an example of wasting everything, for they thought nature's resources were so plentiful that none of them ever imagined that natural materials would be used up in time. Within a few years of the first Virginia settlement, for example, pioneers burned down their houses when they were ready to move west. They burned down their houses with only one aim to get the nails for future use. No one ever gave a thought to the priceless hardwoods that went up in smoke. As a people we destroy many valuable things that other people save. I noticed this when I was living in Britain. I received a letter from one England's largest banks. It was enclosed in a used envelope that had been readdressed to me. Such a practice would be unthinkable in the United States. American banks, even the smallest, always use expensive stationery with the names of all twenty - eight vice - presidents lists on side of the page. The purpose of the passage is to _ . Answer: wish Americans not to waste
Dear Sara, As we drove off from Columbia,I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.First,I want to tell you how proud we are.Getting into Columbia College shows what a great well-rounded student you are.Your academic,artistic,and social skills have truly blossomed in the last few years.Whether it is getting the highest grade in mathematics,completing your elegant fashion design,successfully selling your painted running shoes,or becoming one of the top speakers in Model United Nations,you have become a talented and accomplished young woman.You should be as proud of yourself as we are. College will be the most important years in your life.It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about.This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired,after which you must become self-learner.So do take each subject seriously,and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life,the skills of learning will be important to you forever. Follow your passion in college.Take courses you think you will enjoy.Don't be trapped in what others think or say.Do your best in classes,but don't let pressure get to you.Your mother and I have no expectations for your grades.If you graduate and learn something in your four years,we would feel happy.So please don't give yourself pressure. I told your mom I'm writing this letter,and asked what she wanted me to say.She thought and said:"Just ask her to take care of herself."Please listen to your mother and take care of yourself. So please treasure your college years,make the best of your free time,and become an independent thinker;learn and grow through your successes and challenges. Love, Dad(& Mom) What do we know about Morn and Dad from the letter? A They expect too much of Sara. B They put lots of pressure on Sara. C They love their daughter very much. D They advise Sara to make more friends. Answer: C. They love their daughter very much. A French wine producer is spreading the wealth with his workers after they discovered nearly $ 1milion worth of gold coins stored in the building's ceiling, according to a French newspaper. "One of the workers was attacking the building's ceiling when gold coins started to rain down on him, followed by sacks of gold, " Francois Lange, the head of a wine company in Les Riceys, France, told the reporter. It's not unusual to hear about treasure hunters searching the ocean for gold and other precious metals lost at sea, but finding $ 1million in your office ceiling is an uneasy thing and a valuable one too, given that demand for gold has reached a new height recently. In 2011, about 31 grams of gold was valued at $ 1,920.30. In all, 497 gold coins were discovered, raining down upon the workers who were busy repairing the building. Made between 1851 and 1928, the coins have a face value marking of $ 20 each. However, together they are now worth nearly $ 1million, according to the newspaper. Lange says he will keep half of the money for himself, and the other half will be shared with the workers who made the discovery. No one knows for sure who placed the coins in the building, but the newspaper reports the building was owned by a wine producer in the 1930s. People haven't known much about these coins for now but don't be surprised if this "buried" treasure story still has another chapter to be told. After all, the $ 1 million of gold coins once belonged to somebody. Just look at the recent legal case being argued between Spain and people who found more than $500 million worth of gold coins in a sunken ship. What were these workers doing when the coins poured down? A They were searching for gold B They were repairing the building C They were pulling down the building D They were cleaning the building Answer: B. They were repairing the building In September 2013, the China National Tourism Administration issued a new set of tourist guideline in order to improve tourists' behavior when they travel abroad. Although the 64-page handbook contains suggestions for Chinese tourists when traveling at home, the main purpose is to improve the poor reputation of Chinese tourists abroad. In 2013, more than 83 million Chinese people traveled overseas, up 18 percent from the year 2012, according to the China Tourism Academy. But even as they travel farther, the Chinese tourists continue to take bad habits with them. From damaging ancient Egyptian temples to letting children defecate in the middle of airports, Chinese tourists have earned a bad fame. Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang even stressed the need for Chinese tourists to behave better while traveling overseas so as to protect China's image abroad. Now with the latest "guidebook", Chinese travelers should have no excuse for rude behavior. According to the guidelines, when using the restroom, Chinese tourists are asked not to forget to flush the toilet after using it. The guidelines also remind tourists of not fighting with others when they want to take pictures at tourist attractions. When flying, the guidelines advise travelers not to take life vests away from airplanes. Chinese tourists are also encouraged to be respectful of local customs wherever they travel. In the United Kingdom, for example, it is not polite to ask people. Where are you going?" or "Have you eaten?", the handbook says. Nevertheless, with a very short history of traveling overseas, it is not surprising that many Chinese tourists behave badly on their foreign trips. We should give them time to change. ,. Why is it not surprising for some Chinese tourists to behave badly abroad? A They can't speak foreign languages. B They don't get trained before traveling abroad. C They don't understand local people and culture. D China has a very short history of overseas travel. Answer: D. China has a very short history of overseas travel. Jerome David Salinger was born in Manhattan on New Year s Day,1919.His father was a Jew.His mother was of Irish descent. Never much of a student attended the progressive McBurney School.But he left school after two years and in 1934was packed off to Valley Forge Military Academy.In 1937,after a couple of unenthusiastic weeks at New York University,he traveled with his father to Austraia and Poland,where father s plan for him was to learn the ham business.Deciding that wasn t for him.he returned to America and driturned to America and drifted through a term or so at Ursinus College.His most sustained exposure to higher education was an evening class he took at Columbia in 1939,and under Mr.Burnett s directions he managed to sell a stpry"The Young Folks"to Story magazine.He afterwards sold stories to Esquire,Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post.In 1941,after several rejections,Mr.Salinger finally cracked The New Yorker,with s story"Slight Rebellion Off Madison,"that was an earlu sketch of what became a scene in"The Catcher in the Rye<<>> . "But the magazine then had second thoughts,apparently worried about seeming to encourage young people to run away from school and held the story for five years--a long time even for The New Yorker--before finally pubishing it in 1946,buried in the back of an issus. Meanwhile Mr.Salinger had been drafted and was stationef for a while in Tiverton,Devon,the setting of "For Esme--with Love and Squalor,"probably the most deeply felt of the "Nint Stories".On June,6,1944,he landed at Utah Beach,and he later saw action during the Battle of the Bulge.In 1945 he was hospitalized for"battle breakdown"and after recovering he stayed on in Europe past the end of the war.He married a German woan doctor,very briefly. The passage is mainly about _ A David Salinger's major novels B David Salinger's early life C David Salinger's education background D David Salinger's experience in the army Answer: B. David Salinger's early life When we worry about who might be spying on our private lives, we usually think about the Federal agents. But the private sector outdoes the government every time. It's Linda Tripp, not the FBI, who is facing charges under Maryland's laws against secret telephone taping. It's our banks, not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that pass our private financial data to telemarketing firms. Consumer activists are pressing Congress for better privacy laws without much result so far. The legislators lean toward letting business people track our financial habits virtually at will. As an example of what's going on, consider U.S. Bancorp, which was recently sued for deceptive practices by the state of Minnesota. According to the lawsuit, the bank supplied a telemarketer called Member Works with sensitive customer data such as names, phone numbers, bank-account and credit-card numbers, social security numbers, account balances and credit limits. With these customer lists in hand, Member Works started dialing for dollars-selling dental plans, videogames, computer software and other products and services. Customers who accepted a "free trial offer" had 30 days to cancel. If the deadline passed, they were charged automatically through their bank or credit-card accounts. U.S. Bancorp collected a share of the revenues. Customers were doubly deceived, the lawsuit claims. They didn't know that the bank was giving account numbers to Member Works. And if customers asked, they were led to think the answer was no. The state sued Member Works separately for deceptive selling. The company denies that it did anything wrong. For its part, U.S. Bancorp settled without admitting any mistakes. But it agreed to stop exposing its customers to nonfinancial products sold by outside firms. A few top banks decided to do the same. Many other banks will still do business with Member Works and similar firms. And banks will still be mining data from your account in order to sell you financial products, including things of little value, such as credit insurance and credit-card protection plans. You have almost no protection from businesses that use your personal accounts for profit. For example, no federal law shields "transaction and experience" information-mainly the details of your bank and credit-card accounts. Social Security numbers are for sale by private firms. They've generally agreed not to sell to the public. But to businesses, the numbers are an open book. Self-regulation doesn't work. A firm might publish a privacy-protection policy, but who enforces it? Take U.S. Bancorp again. Customers were told, in writing, that "all personal information you supply to us will be considered confidential." Then it sold your data to Member Works. The bank even claims that it doesn't "sell" your data at all. It merely "shares" it and reaps a profit. Now you know. We know from the passage that _ . A the state of Minnesota is considering drawing up laws to protect private information B most states are turning a blind eye to the deceptive practices of private businesses C legislators are acting to pass a law to provide better privacy protection D lawmakers tend to give a free hand to businesses to inquire into customers' buying habits Answer: D. lawmakers tend to give a free hand to businesses to inquire into customers' buying habits
Hawaii is an important trading center and about six million tourists visit there every year. With all that traffic in and out, exotic species have plenty of opportunities to reach the islands. According to biologists, exotic species are the number one threat to the state' s economy, environment, and way of life. The question in Hawaii is, can the invaders be stopped? Quarantines are one way to do this. Quarantine is the process of isolating animals or products. In Hawaii, pet dogs and cats coming into the state remain in a special holding facility for four months to make sure they don' t have rabies( ) Many agricultural products are also quarantined to see if they are carrying insect pests or plant diseases. Inspection is a second way to stop biological invaders. At airports, borders, and shipping ports, inspectors examine passengers and their baggage to see if they are carrying exotic species. The inspectors also destroy fruits, vegetables, or other goods that might be carrying harmful pests or diseases. Specially trained dogs also smell goods in the ship for exotic species. What if an exotic species slips by inspectors? Then efforts are made to control the invader. In Hawaii,government agencies control invaders by setting livetraps around wildlife shelters and other places. At Haleakala National Park employees have built miles of fences to keep out exotic pigs and goats. For years these animals ate and walked over native rain forest plants, hut the fences have helped reverse( )this damage. Now native plants grow in places that were bare rock only a short time ago. In some cases biological control helps to solve the exotic species problems. It is the science of controlling one invader with another. In the early 1900s, several exotic predators were imported to Hawaii to eat a harmful exotic pest called the sugarcane leafhopper. The insect was destroying 70,000 tons of sugar a year ,but the predators brought it under control. The efforts of these scientists and other people are vitally important. In Hawaii alone,10,000 different species of native plants and animals still need to be protected. Many of these are found nowhere else on earth. By stopping the spread of the biological invaders, we not only protect ourselves, but we also protect the many other native species that make our planet such a special place to live. Hawaii is at a great risk of invasion by exotic species, because _ . A many agriculture products grow there B regular inspections of animals are useless C millions of people go to Hawaii each year D biological control efforts have not worked Answer: C. millions of people go to Hawaii each year My friends, Emma Daniels, spent the summer of 1974 traveling in Israel. During her monthlong stay in Jerusalem she often went to a cafe called Chocolate Soup. It was run by two men, one of whom - Alex - used to live in Montreal. One morning when Emma went in for coffee, while chatting with her new friend Alex, she mentioned that she had just finished the book she was reading and had nothing else to read. Alex said he had a wonderful book she might like, and that he'd be happy to lend it to her. As he lived just above the cafe, he quickly ran up to get it. The book he handed to Emma just minutes later was Markings, a book by a former Secrcetary-General of the United Nations (UN). Emma had never read it, nor had she ever bought a copy. But, when she opened it up, she was floored to see her own name and address inside the cover in her own handwriting.It turned out that the summer before, at a concert back in Montreal, Emma had met a Californian who was in town visiting friends. They decided to exchange addresses, but neither of them had any paper. The man opened up a book he was carrying in his backpack and asked Emma to write her name and address inside. When he returned to California, he left the book behind in Montreal, and his friend Alex kept it. When Alex later moved to Jerusalcm, he took the book along. Who was supposed to be the first owner of the book? A An official of the UN. B A coffee shop owner. C A friend of the author's. D Alex's friend from California. Answer: D. Alex's friend from California. You always have to understand what you are good at, and what you are not good at. Or if you are interested in something you always have to master it first. When I was ten, I came over to my cousin's house, and that was pain because he lived in New York and I lived in Miami. So I came over every summer break by myself, of course I had my parents' permission to go that far. One day, We decided to head to the forest. I was looking forward to this trip because I knew that my cousin was an expert on tree climbing while I was not. So, as we walked closer and closer to the forest, I became _ because I did not possess the ability to climb trees. When he started climbing a tree I was upset but I joined him hoping not to break my neck. Last Summer break he invited me to his house. I was afraid of climbing to the tree so I gave up. But this time I tried climbing the tree. While I was climbing I was so scared like I was about to die at any moment. But when I was about to climb on the other branch I lost my balance. Luckily I got hold on one of the bottom branches. My cousin suddenly started climbing down and tried to help me. After he put me on the ground, he ran to get some help. The pain was just killing me, I lost a lot of blood and I knew that I have to be awake to survive. Finally, my cousin brought the help. When I waked up I was happy that I did not die. It was pretty insane what happened to me. ( 295 words ) Which of the following statements was NOT mentioned in the passage? A The author's cousin was skillful at tree climbing. B After falling off, the author lay on the ground. C The author would see his cousin every summer vacation. D It was the first time for the author to climb the tree. Answer: B. After falling off, the author lay on the ground. Every four years athletes from the world take part in the Olympic Games. Both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games are held every four years. The Winter Olympic Games are usually held two years before the Summer Olympic Games. The ancient Olympic Games began around the year 776 BC in Greece. Many of the sports were the same as they are now. Some of the games in which the young men competed were: running, jumping, and wrestling. Women were not allowed to take part in the games. After about the year 393 AD the Olympic Games stopped. For centuries there were no Olympic Games. But they were not forgotten. The first Olympic Games in modern times happened in 1896. They were held in Greece--the country in which the Games were born. in the Games there were 311 competitors from 13 countries. After that more and more countries joined in the Games. In 2000, over 10,000 athletes from 227 countries went to Sydney; Australia, for the 27th Olympic Games! There are 300 different events in the Games. Horse riding, hammer throw and shooting are some of the more unusual events. ln 1896, which Olympic Games were held in Greece. A the first modern Olympic Games B the ancient Olympic Games C the first Olympic Games D the greatest Olympic Games Answer: A. the first modern Olympic Games When policy experts debate climate change solutions, they often talk about "a price on carbon." They are arguing about whether companies should pay when they put carbon pollution in the air. Proponents say that it's simple economics -- if it's free to pollute, you'll get a lot of pollution. Opponents claim it will raise the cost of energy that's produced from high carbon sources, like coal. But here's the secret that most people seem to be missing: There already is a price on carbon, and it's paid by the taxpayers. Carbon pollution, like every other form of pollution, has an impact on the environment. Throwing waste into a river will cause the fish to die and the people who drink the water to get sick. And when you produce carbon pollution, you get climate change -- sea level rise, stronger storms, severe droughts, damage to agriculture, and more. All of those impacts cost money. Insurance rates go up when storms get more destructive. Taxes increase when cities have to rebuild bridges and roads. Military budgets go up when droughts and population changes cause conflicts. Not to mention impacts on agriculture and health care costs. In other words, the price on carbon is what we all pay when there is no market force to limit the pollution that causes climate change. So the debate is really about who will pay that price -- the companies who are making a profit from the fossil fuels, or the taxpayers who pick up the cost now? Right now, we have private profit and public cost. It's just like if we allowed every business to throw its garbage in the street because it's too expensive to have it moved away properly. Does it add a little bit to your dinner check to require that restaurants dispose of their trash properly? Sure. But it would be more expensive for you if the city had to clean the streets of their garbage every day. So just like we put a "price on garbage" we need a "price on carbon pollution." Now, a "price on carbon pollution" can mean a lot of things. You could tax companies based on the amount of carbon pollution they produce, and return the money to taxpayers. You could put a limit on how much they can produce, thereby requiring them to invest in ways to conduct business in a less polluting way. The author referred to restaurants in the passage mainly to _ . A prove every business doesn't perform its duty. B warn readers to protect the environment around. C explain the damage of no policy on carbon pollution. D show some restaurants throw away their trash randomly. Answer: C. explain the damage of no policy on carbon pollution.
"Men get all the breaks!" the veteran teacher announced to me. A cold greeting. Her stare stabbed like an icicle . "Hello," I countered, extending my hand. "I guess we'll be teaching together this year." "I swear, all you have to do is wear pants and walk into an elementary school and they hire you! It makes me sick!" I would have responded, but she turned her back to me and stomped off down the hall. Who would have imagined that the biggest challenge I would face during my first year on the job would not be students, but fellow teachers? "You can't put that there!" Another teacher burst into my classroom. "You can't put the teacher's desk at the back of the room!" "Pardon?" "If you put your desk way back there, you won't be able to see them cheating!" Next I was told I must not arrange student desks into abutting clusters because "the students might talk too much." At home my wife kept assuring me, "You're there for the kids. When you meet your students, things will be different." And she was right. One day the bell rang and there were thirty-five wonderful sixth graders sitting at their desks (still arranged in clusters) and it was different. I was happy. "Welcome to sixth grade." I began the year as I'd rehearsed for months. "You'll notice," I continued, "my desk is at the back of the room." They chuckled. "I don't want that desk between us. I want to be involved in your learning and involved in your lives." In the days that followed, I ate with my students at lunch (" _ "); I played with my students at recess (" _ "); I read with my students in the library (" _ "); I even stayed after school with some boys who got in trouble with the principal (" _ "). I went home to my wife. "Don't worry," she said. "They're just threatened by you because you're new and you're good. Let the other teachers know you're not a threat. Just keep being nice to them." Obediently, I pulled out the Golden Rule, dusted it off, and vowed to start again. As I did with the children, I started looking for specific, positive things I could build upon and reinforce sincerely in my colleagues: "Nice job on the announcements this morning!" "Wow! I like that worksheet you made up." "Man, your kids walked down the hall so quietly." "I heard your class singing great songs. You do a super job with music!" "I like your bulletin board," I said to Mrs. Icicle Eyes. "Really?" she asked. "It's just the same old thing I put up every year." She reached out and straightened a sagging border. Then, not unlike one of my students, she added, "Do you really like it?" "Yes," I answered firmly. As sure as sun beams, the Golden Rule was shining, and things were finally warming up. That very afternoon, a few parents went to the principal's office asking if their sixth graders could be moved into my class. Of course the students were not transferred, but when the grapevine circulated the request, up went the old barbed wire fence. Complete with machine guns. I continued to do the best job I could. I worked. I taught. I cared. I waited for a breakthrough moment. Months passed. It was lunch recess. I asked a boy walking down the hall. "Have you seen Mrs. So-and-So?" I was, in fact, searching for Mrs. Icicle Eyes. I needed to consult with her. Grinning, he came toward me as if sharing a secret. "She's outside shooting baskets with the girls!" "She's playing basketball with the girls?" I asked incredulously. "Yeah," he nodded. I smiled. I didn't say another word. But my smile inside was even bigger than the one on my face. What happened when a few parents asked the principal to move their children into the writer's class? The colleagues became defensive and were ready to attack him. The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago; but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest is pollution. To pollute mean to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear _ . Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in a place, men moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world. Air pollution is still the most serious. It's bad to all living things in the world, but it is not only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us become angry more easily. Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop the people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from blowing dirty smoke into the air. The pollution of SO2 is now the most dangerous problem of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. It is sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution. The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must keep careful of the rise in pollution at the same time. Pollution comes in many ways. We can even hear it. Here "it" means _ . noise pollution If you love books, then"Three Cups of Tea"will be your favorite. It will take you on an adventure to one of the highest mountains in the world. You will learn how the people and children there lived and how the writer, Greg Mortenson , helped build an education system. While climbing K2 in Pakistan, one of the world's most difficult mountains to climb, Greg Mortenson became ill and got lost. He got help in a small village. The people of the village took good care of him, feeding him and letting him sleep in a villager's house. They also gave him their best food: sweet tea. When Mortenson was fine, he found that the children of the village worked and studied outdoors. Their teacher came only three times a week and they didn't have blackboards. They used sticks to write on the ground. The day he left the village, he told them he would come back and build a school. His school would have both boys and girls. Later on, he came back and helped build a school, so the kids were able to study in the classroom with real writing instruments. That was in 1993. Today Mortenson is going to build 80 schools in Central Asia. He started a foundation called the Central Asia Institute to raise money for these schools. He has helped more than 18,000 girls receive education so far. Three Cups of Teais the name of a_. book Discounts at various bicycle shops. Why Cycle with a Group? Getting to work by bicycle has never been more popular. Governments and nations are transforming their cities and highways to meet the needs of this new generation of cycling enthusiasts,and in a world where green choices are the new must-have, average citizens are eagerly seizing their chance to help make their bodies cleaner than ever before. Become an EBTC Member. Year round, organized by members like you! The Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club(EBTC)is a recreational not-for-profit volunteer-run group devoted to promoting its members to cooperatively run bicycling trips during the spring, summer and fall, cross-country skiing trips in the winter, and social events all the year round. We welcome both road bike and mountain bike riders! Benefits of Joining EBTC: Opportunity to create the kinds of events you like:enjoy dozens of events. Participation in the local cycling community. Use of club bicycle tools on tour and library materials. It's more FUN! It encourages you to come out often and get healthy exercise without going to a gym. Develop skills and gain through the experience of others. Meet new and interesting people with a common interest in cycling. Meet a fun-loving,energetic and different group of individuals who enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy the outdoor experience with the companionship and security of a group. For more information on the EBTC: Phone the Club Hotline at 780-424-2453 E-mail:jprineau@edmontonbicycle.com Mail us at: Edmonton Bicycle & Touring Club P.O.Box 52017 Garneau Postal Stn. Edmonton,AB T6G 2T5 Canada We can infer from the passage that the aim of EBTC is _ . to popularize cycling by attracting more members Davidson and Smythe were charged with burglary of a warehouse. They were tried separately. At Davidson's trial, Smythe testified that he saw Davidson commit the burglary. While Smythe is still subject to recall as a witness, Davidson calls Smythe's cellmate, Walton, to testify that Smythe said, "I broke into the warehouse alone because Davidson was too drunk to help." This evidence of Smythe's statement is admissible as a prior inconsistent statement.
Question: There is an Asian American basketball player in the NBA. Do you know who he is? Yes, he is Lin Shuhao. His English name is Jeremy Lin. He is another basketball star after Yao Ming. So many people call him the second Yao Ming. But he doesn't like it. In the 1970s, his family moved to America from Taiwan, China. He is twenty-five years old. His elder brother is Josh and Joseph is his younger brother. He studied at Harvard University from the year 2006 to the year 2010. His father, a fan of the NBA, taught him to play basketball when he was young. Now Lin Shuhao plays for the Houston Rocket. He works hard and plays very well. Now he is popular with many people. ,. (1,5) Li Shuhao learnt to play basketball from _ . A. his father B. Yao Ming C. his elder brother D. his classmates and teachers Answer: A Question: A primary school bus driver stopped the bus in a gas station in Ohio because he had to use the bathroom. Instead of turning off the engine and taking the key with him, the driver left the bus running. And he forgot to set the brake because he was in a hurry. "It was cold outside, and I didn't want the kids to get cold while I was using the bathroom," he told a police officer. The bus slowly started moving away from the gas station. As the bus picked up speed, the kids began shouting and crying. Ten-year-old Jake ran forward to the driver's seat and held the steering wheel . He pressed hard on the brake pedal and managed to stop the bus as it came nearer to a river bed. Jake turned off the engine at last. After the police arrived at the scene, they praised Jake for his great effort. "That is one cool kid," said the police officer. "I told him he would make a great police officer when he grew up." Jake wasn't impressed with what he had done. "Stopping the bus," he said, "was easy compared to playing Grand Theft Auto III," his favorite action video game. The bus driver was taken to the police station. He was at first charged with "leaving a child alone while motor is running." The lawyer said he hoped to _ the charge because of the number of children (twenty) on the bus. "Whatever he is charged with," the police officer said, "I will see that he never drives a bus again." What do we know about Jake? _ A. He could drive. B. He was eleven years old. C. He wanted to be a police officer. D. He liked playing Grand Theft Auto III. Answer: D Question: Need a solid excuse to dust off your running shoes? Joggers have been found to live an average of six years longer than those who don't jog. However, you'll have to run for at least one hour a week for benefit, according to a new study in Denmark. Researchers found that jogging was associated with a 44 per cent reduction in the risk of death for those over 35 years compared with deaths among those who did not run. The same benefit applied to both men and women. The 44 per cent reduction translates to an 'age-adjusted survival benefit' of 6.2 years in men and 5.6 years in women, according to Dr. Peter Schnohr, chief cardiologist from the Copenhagen City Heart study. Furthermore, the jogger's lives are not only longer but happier too as those who ran reported an overall sense of well-being, said Schnohr. The results of our research allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your health,' Schnohr said in a statement. 'We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don't actually need to do that much to reap the benefits,' he continued. The study also found that the optimum benefit of jogging was for those who jogged at a slow-to-average pace for between an hour and two and a half hours spread over two or three weekly sessions. Researchers then compared deaths among the joggers among the non-joggers in the main study pool of almost 20,000. Over 35 years, 122 joggers died compared with 10,158 non-joggers. All the participants involved with the Copenhagen City Heart Study had their cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, and BMI, measured and they were questioned about smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and income. In order to do good to health, the joggers should run _ . A. for at least one hour daily B. for at least one hour weekly C. for at least one hour monthly D. for at least one hour yearly Answer: B Question: Protagoras was among the great teachers of ancient Athens. He taught many subjects, including the laws of argument and the right use of language. It is said that he was the first teacher to accept money for his services. A student, Evalthus, heard of this famous teacher and asked him to give him lessons. However, Evalthus didn't want to pay for his lessons at once, and after some discussion it was finally agreed between them that Evalthus should pay only if he won his first case in the court. For if he won, it would prove that he had been taught well. The lessons began and Evalthus proved himself to be a good student. But he refused to pay Protagoras anything at the end of his studies. Protagoras therefore took Evalthus to the court and told the judges that he wanted his money. He explained that he must be paid whether he won or lost the case. "Whatever you decide," he declared to the judges, " I must be paid. For if you decide in my fovor , then I win the case, and so I must be paid . But If you decide against me, then Evalthus has won his first case in the court; according to our agreement, he must pay his lessons. Therefore I shall get my money whatever happens." The Athenian judges found no fault in it, so they asked Evalthus to reply. "No, it's quite clear," said Evalthus, " that I need not pay. If the judged decide in my favor, then I have won the case, and I need not to pay. But if Protagoras wins, then I have lost my first case. Therefore, according to our agreement, I do not have to pay. So I need not pay in any event." As both arguments appeared to be faultless, the judges were unable to come to a decision. They therefore ordered the two men to appear before them again one hundred years later. What do we know about Protagoras? A. He won the judges' favor in the end and got his money. B. He was probably the first teacher to accept money for his lessons. C. He didn't teach Evalthus well because Evalthus didn't pay. D. He was not confident of his winning the case in the court. Answer: B Question: The first Thanksgiving was in 1621. Each year, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. What do American children think of Thanksgiving? This is what some of them wrote. Thanksgiving is a holiday to say "Thank you". It means eating turkey and having a special party with your family. Thanksgiving is giving thanks to people that help you. I think it is a special holiday. You give thanks to your family and your friends. Annie Lots of people have done things for me that I like. Lots of people like to make me happy, like my mum. Many people have done things for me and make sure I am all right. I am pleased that people care about me. Most people I know give me money or presents at Thanksgiving. Sometimes people take me to visit places or ask me to their houses. I like to do nice things for other people. Also I hope people help me when I get old. Jeremy Once we were at my grandparents' house during Thanksgiving and we went to the store to buy a turkey, but they didn't have any, so we had to buy a live one. When we went out to kill it, it had gone! There was nothing left except feathers . That year we had to eat chicken instead of turkey. Eleanor I'm thankful for having a really good mum who looks after me so well and having good teachers and especially Ms. McMillan because she helps to try new things. I love all my family. I enjoy Thanksgiving because I eat turkey with all my family and I love it. Ryan When was the first Thanksgiving? A. In 1621. B. In 2012. C. In 1921. D. In 2011. Answer: A
What's On Stage An acrobatic show:To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the China Acrobatic Troupe will present "The Soul of China", where the seemingly impossible is made real. Chills will run down your spine as you watch breathlessly as performers take their art and their bodies to the edge. Time: 7:30 p.m., September 13-19 Place: Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District Exhibitions Joint Show: A group ink painting exhibition is running at the Huangshicheng Art Gallery in Beijing. About 50 works by 25 young artists including Ge Yun and Yu Yang are on display. Time: 9:00 a. m.-5:00 p.m. until September 10 Place: Huangshicheng Art Gallery, 136 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng District Oil paintings:The Wanfung Art Gallery will host a joint show of oil painting by 10 young and middle-aged artists. On display are more than 30 of their latest works, which capture the wondrous variety of life in unique styles. Time: 9:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. until September 15 Place: 136 Nanchizi Street, Dongcheng District Literature museum: The National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature offers an in-depth study of the evolution of Chinese contemporary literature from 1919 to 1949. Time: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., daily Place: 45 Anyuan Donglu, Chaoyang District (Shaoyaoju area) Concerts Beijing rocks:"The Fashion Night of Chinese Rock" is set to bring rock fans out by the thousands next month. Nine Chinese rock bands will perform at the concert, including older generation bands, middle generation and some recent arrivals. The audience will be given a chance to decide what songs they want to hear, which is sure to bring a storm. Time: September 16 Place: The Olympic Center Belgium orchestra:La Petite Bande, the Baroque Orehestra of Belgium, will perform in Beijing at the Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities as part of activities across the world in memory of the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. Time: 7:30 p.m. September 11-14 Place: Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities On the whole, we can conclude _ . A. we can enjoy a large variety of cultural activities in Beijing B. people in Beijing prefer modern culture to something traditional C. most of the cultural activities in Beijing are for foreign visitors only D. there are usually more cultural activities in September than in any other month Answer: A The National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to National Geographic, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded. It has become one of the world's best-known magazines and is immediately identifiable by the characteristic yellow border running around the edge of its cover. There are 12 monthly issues of National Geographic per year, plus additional map supplements. On rare occasions, special editions are also issued. It contains articles about geography, popular science, history, culture, current events, and photography. The current Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Magazine is the well-known photographer, Chris Johns, who has photographed extensively in Africa. The foreword to Johns' own illustrated book on Africa was written by Nelson Mandela. Society Executive Vice President John Q. Griffin, and President of the Magazine Group, has overall responsibility for the English language magazines at National Geographic. Terry B. Adamson, Society Executive Vice President who also is the Society's chief legal officer and heads governmental relations, has overall responsibility for the Society's international publications. With a worldwide circulation in all languages of nearly nine million, more than fifty million people read the magazine every month. In May, 2007, National Geographic magazine won the American Society of Magazine Editors' prestigious General Excellence Award in the over two million circulation category and the best photography award for three issues of the magazine in 2006. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Over fifty million people read National Geographic Magazine every month. B. The National Geographic Magazine was later shortened to National Magazine. C. The National Geographic Magazine published its first issue in 1889. D. The National Geographic Magazine is identifiable by the orange border running around the edge of its cover. Answer: A Rahfeal Gordon has come a long way from the homeless shelters and streets of Newark, New Jersey. The 25-year-old was honored this year by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship for his work----giving motivational speeches to youth groups. Rahfeal Gordon tells his audience, "If nobody ever says that you're brilliant, say it to yourself every day. Look yourself in the mirror: if you have survived something, I don't care how small, how big, you've survived it," he said. Rahfeal Gordon 's speech is simple: He tells the story of his own life in three chapters. Each begins with a hip hop lyric that he knows will be meaningful to a young audience. Gordon says he uses positive hip hop lyrics to encourage youths, especially those who grew in poverty and abuse, as he did. His talk is called "Hip Hop Saved My Life". " When I had my very dark moments in life, I would put on certain songs, whether it is from Jay-Z , Tupac, Kanye West," Gordon said. "They kept me going through the hard times. They fulfilled a certain void that I couldn't fulfill, like not having a father or mother there, so I felt they could relate because they would tell these stories." Gordon says his childhood was happy until his father became addicted to drugs and began to beat his three brothers and mother. They left to live on the streets and in homeless shelters. Gordon says he tries now to be a voice for others, including a brother who was murdered at the age of 19. "When I lost my brother, that was, really, a moment when things really started to take off, in the sense of saying, 'I really, really want to be that individual to help people, to help individuals,' "Gordon said. "I can't be Superman. I can't save the world, but I think that if I can help an individual, I am saving the world. " Rahfeal Gordon was honored because he _ . A. has changed the lives of young people worldwide B. inspires young people to better themselves C. encourages his students to improve the community D. has made great achievements in his teaching career Answer: B I will never forget the year when I was 12.My mother told us that we would not get Christmas gifts because there was not enough money .I felt sad and thought, "What shall I say when the other kids ask me about my gifts?" I started to hope the Christmas wouldn't come that year. Just then three women came to our house with gifts for all of us. For me,they brought a doll .I felt so happy. Years later, my life changed a lot. So one Christmas, I wanted to do something special. I asked forty friends to help me. We visited 125 orphans to come to our Christmas party. For every child, we prepared a beautiful gift. Finally the moment came. I called out," One, two, three. Open your gifts!" As the children opened their boxes, the whole room was full of their bright smiles. The feeling I got from that Christmas so long ago came again. _ gave the writer a Christmas gift when she was 12. A. Nobody B. Her mother C. Three women D. An old man Answer: C Details of the latest James Bond film Skyfall have been shown to the public. It comes 50 years to the day after actor Sean Connery first played Bond -- the superspy in Dr No. The new film, known at the moment only as Bond 23, will be the third to star Daniel Craig as the secret agent . Other names in the cast include Albert Finney, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes. British film-maker Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for American Beauty, will direct the latest adventure. Ajay Chowdhury, from the James Bond International Fan Club, said, "Daniel Craig's third time as 007 has been looked forward to by Bond fans around the world. The fans have been made to wait extra long for this film since the global economic crisis delayed the film for some time." "Mendes has an unusual way of directing, and with the acting gift and the precedent set by the previous two films in which Craig played Bond, Skyfall promises a Bond film where the sky may not be the limit." It is reported that the film will send 007 to South Africa and India to hunt for a criminal organization. Other reported locations for filming include Duntrune Castle, near Lochgilphead in Argyll, Scotland, which is believed to be the spy's home. The film is set to be released in the UK this October. Craig' s performance as Bond gave new life to the film series, leading to the highest ever 007 box office takings of PS367 million for his role in Casino Royale in 2006. Quantum of Solace, the most recent film in the series released in 2008, made PS353 million. Which of the following is NOT true according to the text? A. Bond first appeared on the screen about 50 years ago. B. Skyfall will be the last film of the 007 series. C. Sam Mendes won an Oscar for American Beauty. D. Skyfall will be shot in South Africa and India. Answer: B
"Hi, Jenny!" "Hi, Brian! What class do you have next?" "I have art next," says Brian. "It's my favourite. I draw six pictures every week." "You are a good painter ," says Jenny. "I see some of your pictures. They are beautiful. I like art too, but I am not good at it. I am not going to be a painter when I am older!" "I tell you, Jenny," says Brian. "Art is interesting for everyone. You don't need to be good at it." "You are right, Brian," says Jenny. "And I like our art teacher. He teaches us a lot. I am much better at art this year. "Yes. Mr. Smith is good. He looks like a great painter too, with his long hair and big beard ." "When do you have art lesson, Jenny?" asks Brian. Jenny looks at her timetable. "I have art tomorrow morning," she says. "What class are you going to now?" asks Brian. "I'm going to music class. It's one of my favourites! We are learning a new song this week. I love to sing. What's the time, please?" Brian looks at his watch. "Oh, no! It's 2:13! There are only two minutes!" "Hurry, Brian!" says Jenny. "We don't want to be late for class! See you later." "Okay. I am going to art class. See you after school!" Who is Not good at drawing in this article ? A. Jenny. B. Brian. C. Mr. Smith D. No one. Answer: A. Jenny. Without proper planning, tourism can cause problems. For example, too many tourists can crowd public places that are also enjoyed by the inhabitants of a country. If tourists create too much traffic, the inhabitants become annoyed and unhappy. They begin to dislike tourists and to treat them impolitely. They forget how much tourism can help the country's economy. It is important to think about the people of a destination country and how tourism affects them. Tourism should help a country, keep the customs and beauty that attract tourists. Tourism should also advance the wealth and happiness of local inhabitants. Too much tourism can be a problem. If tourism grows too quickly, people must leave other jobs to work in the tourism industry. This means that other parts of the country's economy can suffer. On the other hand, if there is not enough tourism, people can lose jobs. Businesses can also lose money. It costs a great deal of money to build large hotels, airports, air terminals, first- class roads, and other support facilities needed by tourist attractions. For example, a major international class tourism hotel can cost as much as 50 thousand dollars per room to build. If this room is not used most of the time, the owners of the hotel lose money. Building a hotel is just a beginning. There must be many support facilities as well, including roads to get to the hotel, electricity, sewers to handle waste, and water. All of these support facilities cost money. If they are not used because there are not enough tourists , jobs and money are lost. Too much tourism can cause all these problems EXCEPT _ . A. a bad effect on other industries B. a change of tourists' customs C. over - crowdedness of places of interest D. pressure on traffic Answer: B. a change of tourists' customs To get to the tennis court, Conner Stroud has to push his wheelchair there. The 15-yea-old from North Carolina, US was born without legs. But when he picks up his racquet and begins to hit a ball, you quickly see that the young man just want to win. Stroud began playing tennis at age 5 at the small tennis club his parents own. For years, he played against able-bodied players by putting rubber on the stumps of his legs. Though he was a foot (30.48cm) or two shorter than many of the players he played against, he won a number of matches. He became well-known enough that he got to meet Rafael Nadal, his favorite player at the US Open in 2013. "The most important thing is that he's happy," Nadal told reports about Stroud after that 15-minute meeting. "He's playing tennis... That's a great example of being happy even if life doesn't give you everything." Stroud started playing wheelchair tennis at 13 and now he is No 1 in the US. Earlier this summer, he played for the US in the world's biggest junior wheelchair team tennis event --- the World Team Cup. He played six matches and won five of them as the US won the cup for the first time since 2000. "He is a polite boy , but he will rip your heart out trying to beat you," Jason Harnett, a United States Tennis Association coach, said of Stroud. "You see that attitude in a lot of the best players, whether they are able-bodied or disabled. Teenage players can often get disappointed and angry. Racquets sometimes get thrown. Players shout at themselves after missed shots. Stroud never does that. " I just try to stay positive," Stroud said. "After every point, I try to say I'm going to win the next point, or the next game, or the next game, or the whole match. " There's always room to be positive . You can always win another time." How is Conner Stroud different from other tennis players? A. He was disabled in a car accident. B. He has been coached by his father since the age of 5. C. He is too short to be a tennis player D. He was born disabled , yet he plays tennis well. Answer: D. He was born disabled , yet he plays tennis well. The first day of school always goes wrong. For many students in the United States, however, this year it was even more so. It was all due to one extra school policy - they are now required to follow a new standardized dress code. According to the handbooks of all high schools in Allentown, Pennsylvania, students must wear short- or long-sleeve polo shirts and khaki or black pants. Skinny jeans, leggings and open-toe shoes are not allowed. Allentown schools are not alone. At Edgewater High School in Florida, shirts must have collars or sleeves, and pants must not sag and reach at least mid-thigh . No see-through shirts or T- shirts with references to sex on them are allowed. Overall, more than half of US public schools now enforce dress codes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. About 57 percent of schools now have a "strict dress code", up from more than 47 percent a decade earlier, USA Today said. Among young people, there are mixed emotions. Some don't mind wearing similar clothes every day while others aren't happy. Despite dress codes in many school districts, some students still come to school - even on their first day - in skirts that are too short, necklines that are too low and sagging pants that don't stay up on their hips. But there are punishments. If they are out of dress code, students can be removed from the classroom until they fix the problem. In Florida, wearing sagging pants is illegal for youths according to a state law issued in 2011. Breaking the rule results in not being able to do after-school activities, and even being forbidden to attend class. Some US schools go further and require students to wear uniforms. Many say that they simplify their jobs, saving teachers from having to punish students for wearing skirts or shorts that are too short, for instance. They can also prevent feelings of competition and envy among students. "It takes away the daily fashion show and helps level the playing field a little bit with the haves and have-nots," longtime school safety consultant Ken Trump told USA Today. Critics of uniforms say they rob students of individuality. But for some people, that's a lazy argument. "Clothing isn't the only form of self-expression. Students should know that it's what they do that counts," commented a parent named Beth Kassab in The Orlando Sentinel in Florida. Students in some US schools are required to wear uniforms Not to _ . A. pay less attention to their appearance B. prevent comparison among students C. bring out the best in students D. spare teachers from punishing students for their improper dress Answer: C. bring out the best in students You know you have to read "between the lines" to get the most out of anything. I want to persuade you to do something equally important in the course of your reading. You have to "mark between the lines". By marking you can make the most efficient kind of reading. There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you have by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. While full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing marks on it. Why is marking up a book _ to reading? First, it keeps you awake. Second, active reading is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words. Finally, marking helps you remember the thoughts you had, or the thoughts the author expressed. Reading a book should be like making a conversation, a conversation between you and the author. Although he knows more about the subject than you do, don't let anybody tell you that a reader is only on the receiving end. Understanding is a two-way operation. Reading doesn't mean being a passive empty receiver, the reader has to question himself and question the author. And marking a book can show his own judgment on author's opinion: agreement or difference. To own a book in the most important sense means " _ ". A. to absorb its content and make it a part of yourself B. to have property right by paying for it C. to write many words of sentences on it D. to make a conversation with the author Answer: A. to absorb its content and make it a part of yourself
A quick look at an e-reader New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen 50% better contrast than any other e-reader. The clearest text and sharpest images. Read in Bright Sunlight Unlike LCD screens, its screen reads like real paper, with no glare. Read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room. Lighter Than a Paperback Weighing only 8.5 ounces and 1/3 of an inch thick, it is lighter than a paperback and thinner than a magazine. Holds 3,500 Books We doubled its storage so you can carry up to 3,500 books. Battery Life of Up to One Month A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off. Keeping wireless always on, it can go for up to three weeks without recharging. Books in 60 Seconds With fast, free wireless delivery, you can start reading books in less than 60 seconds. No computer required. _ Over 670,000 books, including 107 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers, plus audiobooks, periodicals and blogs. For non-U.S. customers, content availability varies. Free, Out-of-Copyright Books Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are available such as Pride and Prejudice. Low Book Prices Over 550,000 books are $9.99 or less, including 73 New York Times Best Sellers of the present time. Free Book Samples Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy. What is this text,mainly about? A What an e-reader is. B Who needs an e-reader. C How to use an e-reader. D The advantages of an e-reader. Answer: C When Omega was born in Uganda, she did two things: Smile and then sing. When Omega was 4 years old, her talent for music was recognized, so she became one of the youngest members of the first African Children's Choir . She traveled the world with the choir, and it was from this experience that she grew into a singer today. Although having a beautiful voice, she had to find other ways besides music to earn a living at first. When she was 16, her parents sent her to the USA to study. Like her mother, Omega wanted to become a doctor and do something meaningful in her country of Uganda. However, like many artists, _ that she had to choose. With encouragement from her family and friends, she opened her own production company after graduation. Since then, she has been working as an artist. Her songs make people feel good about life. Apart from that, she is also interested in health care and education. Omega is one of those Ugandan females who are showing the world their valuable talents. Her experiences in the Choir helped Omega to _ . A burst into song B recognize her music talent C travel the world D become a singer Answer: D A black hole is created when a large star burns out. Like our sun, stars are unbelievably hot furnaces that burn their own matter as fuel. When most of the fuel is used up, the star begins to die. The death of a star is not a quiet event. First there is a huge explosion. As its outer layer is blasted off into space, the dying star shines as brightly as a billion suns. After the explosion gravity pulls in what's left of the star. As the outside of the star sinks toward the center, the star gets smaller and smaller. The material the star is made of becomes tightly packed together. A star is so dense that a teaspoon of matter from it weighs billion of pounds. The more the star shrinks, the stronger the gravity inside it becomes. Soon the star is very tiny, and the gravity pulling it in is unbelievably strong. In fact, the gravity is so strong that it even pulls light into the star! Since all the light is pulled in, none can go out. The star becomes black when there is no light. Then a black hole is born! That's what we know about black holes. What we don't know is this: What happens inside a black hole after the star has been squeezed into a tiny ball? Does it keep getting smaller and smaller forever? Such a possibility is hard to imagine. But if the black hole doesn't keep shrinking, what happens to it? Some scientists think black holes are like doorways to another world. They say that as the star disappears from our universe, it goes into another universe. In other words a black hole in our universe could turn into a "white hole" in a different universe. As the black hole swallows light, the white hole shines brightly--somewhere else. But where? A different place, perhaps, or a different time -- many years in the past or future. Could you travel through a black hole? Right now, no. Nothing we know of could go into a black hole without being crushed. So far the time being, black hole must remain a mystery. Black holes are a mystery--but that hasn't stopped scientists from dreaming about them. One scientist suggested that in the future we might make use of the power of black holes. They would supply all of Earth's energy needs, with plenty to spare. Another scientist wondered if a black hole could some day be used to swallow earthly waste--a sort of huge waste disposal in the sky! What's the best title for this passage? A A New Scientific Discovery: Black Holes B How Do Black Holes Come Into Being? C What Are Black Holes? D Travel Through A Black Hole Answer: C HONG KONG,Sept .12,2005-Hong Kong Disneyland,the 11th theme park of Walt Disney Co.,opened here on Monday morning.Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong,Donald T&-mg Yam-kuen,chief executive of Hong Kong-Special Administrative Region(HKSAR),and Tung Chee-hwa,attended the opening. The Hong Kong Disneyland project, worth 3.5 billion US dollars,was jointly funded by Walt Disney Co.and the HKSAR government.Some 16, 000 people attended the opening.The park estimates that it will attract 5.6 million visitors in its opening year and is expected to draw up to 7.4 million annually after 15 years.About 40 percent of the visitors are expected to come from the mainland,Disney has said. Walt Disney officials claimed that choosing Hong Kong as the first place of China to build Disneyland bas three major reasons:Hong Kong people are wonderful,Hong Kong is a beautiful city and Hong Kong is the richest city in China* "Hong Kong Disneyland is the first Disney theme park that,. modeled so c1osrly to the first Disneyland in California,"Jay Rasulo,president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,said.Hong Kong Disneyland is smaller than the other parks at only 121 hectaresa fact that Disney tries not to point out.Some of the thousands of guests who got a sneak peak at the park in the past month complained that it was too small,and Disney has plans to expand it. the project was announced in 1999 and construction began in 2003.Disney, other part are Tokyo,Paris and. the U.S. states of prefix = st1 /Californiaand Florida. The company confirmed that Disney had been talking to the government in Shanghai about opening a park that wouldn't open until at least 2010. How long does it take to build the Hong Kong Disneyland? A Three years. B Six years. C Four years. D Two years. Answer: D It was August 10, 2011. Diana Nyad was dozens of miles into her dream to complete a 103-mile swim from Cuba to Key West. Because of the currents in the Florida Straits, Nyad would have to last 60 hours-if everything went perfectly. For two years, this dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida had been part of her every waking hour. She was about to turn 60. "I wanted to be filled with commitment to the best of myself so that 1 wasn't looking back later saying, 'What have I done with my life?''' says Nyad. Those extreme physical struggles are not new to her. In 1974, 25-year-old Nyad became the first person to swim across Lake Ontario against the current. A year later, Nyad's 28-mile swim around the island of Manhattan made the front page of the New York Times. "Physically, I'm stronger. I weigh a lot more," Nyad said after a training swim in Key West in June. "There are also mental advantages to being older," says Steven Munatones, an expert in swimming. Feeling a sharp pain in her right shoulder, she changed the angle of stroke , telling herself to go gently until her hand caught the water. In the 17thhour, she swam over to the boat, and the crew located a pain reliever. Nyad took it. She lay on her back, rolled onto her belly and continued swimming, and then she'd turn on her back again, gasping, unable to fill her lungs. "I'm trying to make it. I'm barely going forward. I feel so sick. This has been my dream forever, but I can hardly make it another hour," Nyad told David Marchant, the boat's navigator . Between the 23rd and 27th hours, Nyad had gone just five miles. "OK, Diana, I'm going to touch you, and it's going to be over," Stoll said. Nyad agreed. And with that, 29 hours and 43 minutes after she'd leaped into the water, the swim came to an end. "She just wouldn't quit. It was more amazing to see her not make it the way she fought than if everything had gone exactly right and she'd made it the whole way," says Mark Sollinger, who piloted Nyad's lead boat. At a press .conference in Key West after being pulled onto the support boat, Nyad choked back tears and said, "Sometimes the will is so strong. But I was shaking and freezing, and I thought, 'There's no mind over matter anymore.' I think I'm going to have to go to my grave without swimming from Cuba to Florida." But when Nyad returned home to Los Angeles, the pain began to fade. "Something says to me the goal is still there," says Nyad. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A A Highly Skilled Swimmer B The Unsinkable Diana Nyad C A Regrettable Experience D The Inspiring Adventure Answer: B
On Nov.18,1995,Itzhak Perlman,the violinist,came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, _ him.He was stricken with polio as a child,and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches . He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair.Then he sits down,slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs,tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward.Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin,nods to the conductor and proceeds to play. But this time,something went wrong.Just as he fmished the first few bars ,one of the strings on his violin broke.You could hear it snap ---it went off like gunfire across the room.There was no mistaking what that meant.There was no mistaking what he had to do. We figured that he would have to get up,put on the clasps again,pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage-to either find another violin or else find another string for this one.But he didn't.Instead.he waited a moment,closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began,and he played from where he had left off.And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before. When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room.And then people rose and cheered.He smiled,wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quit us,and then he said in a quiet tone."You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left.'' When one of the strings broke,people thought Itzhak Perlman would _ . Answer: change or repair his violin We can slow down aging. That is the message Dr. Shen Ziyin wants to give the world. And the Chinese doctor claims that he has found an answer to the problems of aging. His solution is a herbal medicine to slow the process of aging. Dr. Shen Ziyin has been trained in Western medicine. At the same time he studied traditional Chinese medicine. And, he has been working for the past forty years to put together the best of both and find a cure for aging. He has taken a hint from the ancient Chinese medicine system called "Shen". According to Shen, it is the kidney which adjusts the functioning of the body as well as its aging process. It is responsible for the level of activity that the human bodies go through. Studies conducted by Dr. Shen show that herbal medicine based on the Shen system slows the aging process, says a report in the Telegraph newspaper. We notice that when people grow old, they have reduced strength, loss of hair, backache, weakness, wrinkles and so on. This happens because when people grow old, their bodies produce T-cells. These T-cells contain a particular substance called Fas. Fas makes the cells in the body destruct themselves. So the only way to slow down aging is to slow the production of T-cells in the body. This can happen if people eat low calorie food. Then the body is not active enough to produce extra T-cells. But, is going hungry all the time a good price to pay for staying young? This is where Dr. Shen's herbal medicine comes in. But how effective it will be, only time can tell. What plays the most important role in keeping people young according to Shen? Answer: People's good kidney The United States economy has dipped into economic recession . This caused discomfort and hardship in every level of society; but for many of the nation's poor, discomfort and hardship turned into misery . An increase in homelessness is probably the worst result of a nation's financial disaster. About 3 million Americans were homeless because of a lack of affordable housing. Experts suggest that a family should spend no more than 30 percent of its income on housing. In fact, in some families housing costs make up 50 percent or more. An unexpected event, such as losing work or illness, can quickly push a family into homelessness. An article in Time magazine tells a story of one such family. A young couple and their three children rented a two-bedroom apartment for about $350 a month. They could hardly go on with the husband's $920-a-month take-home pay; so when their rent was raised to $500 a month, they could no longer make ends meet. Another woman was found dead on a street in Washington D.C., the capital, and she died at a bus-stop across the street from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. People become homeless for different reasons. Some may not be able to pay for housing, because they have lost their job and cannot find another place they can afford. Others have mental diseases, or are addicted to drugs or alcohol, many of whom do not live with their family. And what's more, there are not enough centers for shelter as the government doesn't pay enough attention to this social problem. People are making efforts to solve the problem. However, it will not be easy, because it is a personal and economical problem as well as a social problem. The passage is mainly about _ in the US. Answer: economic recession leading to social problems Have you heard of the movie Benji off the Leashf This Benji story7 begins when his mother, a pretty black furry dog, escapes from the puppy mill with Colby, a boy who loves her.He tries to hide her in an abandoned house.The boy' s father discovers her there and takes mother and pups back home to the puppy mill, but leaves Benji behind because he doesn't look purebred enough to be sold for money.Colby comes back later to rescue the tiny puppy and keeps Benji in his wooden clubhouse, bringing Mom to come to visit him in secret. As Benji grows bigger, it becomes harder to keep him in the clubhouse, and eventually the boy' s father discovers him and Benji is forced to flee to the streets.But despite his fear of Colby' s father, Benji cannot forget about his mother, who is growing steadily weaker and sicker.He continues to sneak back to the puppy mill yard to spy on the goings-on there and plan a way to rescue her. Benji's doggie pal, Scrappy enters the story when he is pushed out of a car into a country lane.Once his paws hit the ground, Scrappy wags his tail once helplessly after the car as it drives away, and then is immediately up to his neck in hapless mischief . Scrappy is a lovably stupid little dog who barely manages to escape the animal control officers who are determined to catch him. One of the wonderful things about this movie is that the two stars are not highly trained purebred dogs.Both Benji and Scrappy were rescued mixed breed dogs found at local animal shelters.Adorable Benji and his stupid pal, Scrappy, demonstrate that mixed-breed rescue dogs are just as intelligent and trainable as any purebred dog. Benji Off the Leash clearly demonstrates the connection between people who abuse animals and people who abuse people.Colby' s father takes out his anger on those who are weaker than him, namely by frightening his wife and the dogs.He attempts to frighten Colby, but the boy bravely refuses to let him. Children who are used to fast-paced action films with catchy theme songs may not have the patience for the slower pace of this film.But for rescue volunteers, older children, and anyone who loves dogs, this is a heartwarming movie that shows how even in today' s world of deserted dogs and backyard puppy mills, there can still be happy endings for homeless dogs. What' s the purpose of writing the passage? Answer: To urge people to care and love animals. We say that a person has good manners if he or she is polite, kind and helpful to others. Everyone likes a person with good manners. But no one likes a person with bad or careless manners. Yes, but what are good manners? How do I know what to do and what not to do? Here are some examples of the things that a well-mannered person does or does not do. He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. Instead, he tries to help them. When people are waiting for a bus, he stands in line and takes his turn. He never pushes to the front of the line. On the bus, he offers his seat to an older person or a woman with a child in the arms. If he gets in someone's way, he says "excuse me". He says "please" when he makes a request , and he says "thank you" when he receives something. He doesn't stop other people when they are talking. He does not speak with his mouth full of food when he is eating. Saying "please" and "thank you" is _ for a well-mannered person. Answer: important and necessary
"Fish stories" are stories of the greatest fish that a fisherman has almost caught, but for some reason, the fish always get away. Usually, these stories do not have much truth to them. One of the biggest fish stories in history was about a whale. In 1891, a ship hunting for whales in the South Atlantic Ocean found a very large whale. While the hunters were trying to kill the whale, it sank two small boats. One man drowned, and another man, James Bartley, was lost in the ocean. However, after the hunters finally killed the whale, they cut open the whale's stomach and found Mr Bartley inside. He was not dead! Several weeks later, Mr Bartley seemed to have gotten over his terrible experience. The only thing he could remember was that while he was inside the whale, it was very hot. The liquid from the whale's stomach had turned all of his skin snow white. Mr Bartley had to live with the effect from the whale for the rest of his life. Today, many people have heard about the strange experience of Mr Bartley and do not buy it. Not one real fact has been found to prove that the events ever took place described by the sailors. No scientist or newspaper reporter was ever able to talk to Mr Bartley, and all of the stories told in magazines about Mr Bartley's experience were explained by other sailors on the boat. Mr Bartley was probably not even a real person at all. In 1928, after the captain of the whaling ship had died, one man asked the captain's wife about Mr Bartley's story. The wife said that no man who had sailed on her husband's ship was ever swallowed by a whale. However, this has not stopped James Bartley's story from being repeated, and many people today still believe that it is true. The captain's wife said that _ . A. the story was not true B. her husband told her the story C. the whale was never found D. Mr Bartley didn't work for her husband Answer: A Dear mommy and daddy, I write this letter to you in hopes that you should consider your method of parenting me before I arrive. I am a joyous child. I expect love and respect, order and discipline. When I arrive, I will seem very small to you. Even though I don't look like an adult, please understand that I am a human being. Even though I will not speak words to you, I will know you with my heart. I will feel all your feelings, absorb your thoughts. I will come to know you more than you may know yourself. Do not be misled by my silence. I am open, growing and learning more rapidly than you can imagine. I will keep in heart all that I see, so please give me sweet music and language that tells me how much I am loved. Give me silence to rest my ears. I will absorb all that I feel, so please wrap life in love. I am waiting patiently to be with you. I am so happy to have the opportunity to be alive. Maybe when you see me you will remember how precious life is too! Your joyous child According to the letter, why did the child write this letter? A. Because the child wanted to apologize to its parents. B. Because the child wanted the parents to consider the method of being parents. C. Because the child expressed the happiness of having such parents. D. Because the child wanted to show how much it understood its parents. Answer: B Two magazines recently listed the best cities to live in. Here are two of the cities listed as "the world's best." SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA The city has comfortable weather all year round (15degC to 26degC ). Housing is not very expensive in San Jose. Also, many of the city's older neighborhoods are very beautiful and have small hotels and cafes . Beautiful mountains are around the city. You can visit them easily from San Jose. So lots of people go sightseeing there every year. But air pollution is a problem in the city center. HONG KONG, CHINA This lively city--once a small fishing village--is today an international business center. It is an interesting mixof East and West, old and new. Modern tall buildings are next to small temples . Popular nightclubs are close to traditional teahouses. Busy people fill the streets at all hours of the day. But outside the city, there are parks for walking or relaxing. Hong Kong is famous for its wonderful native dishes. There's also food from Europe, North America, and other parts of Asia. However, this small city has a large population. Nearly 7 million people live in Hong Kong! That's why housing is often very expensive. Traffic and air pollution are also a problem. Which of the following is not mentioned about San Jose? A. The weather. B. The mountains. C. The air. D. The traffic. Answer: D For an increasing number of students at American universities , Old is suddenly in . The reason in clear : the aging of prefix = st1 /Americameans jobs . Besides the aging of the body--boom population , a longer life means that the nation's elderly population is certain to grow greatly over the next 50 years . By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65 , up from 14 percent in 1995. The change causes some questions for government and society , of course . But it also creates jobs in medicine and health fields , and in law and business as well. "Besides the doctors , we're going to need more sociologists , biologists , city planners and lawyers," says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology . Lawyers can major in "elder law" , which covers everything including nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers , 74 million strong , are likely to be the wealthiest group of retires in human history. "Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with , say , an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money," one professor says . Margarite Santosis a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was "really bored with biology". So the took a class in gerontology and discovered that she liked it . She says, "I did volunteer work in retirement homes and in was very satisfying." Who can make big money in the new century according to the passage ? A. Retirees who are interested in business B. The volunteer workers in retirement homes C. College graduates with an MBA or law degree . D. Experts also with a good knowledge of gerontology . Answer: D Jack was so excited about getting a new backpack because his old one had a broken zipper and a hole in the bottom. Jack's elder brother took him to buy a new backpack. There were so many cool ones. How would he ever decide? He saw blue ones--his favorite color. He saw ones with his favorite action hero on the front. And then Jack saw a backpack with a black square design. When he opened it, he saw it had a hidden, secret small bag. He liked it, which made it different from others. "This is the one," he said, then carried it to the check-out counter. That evening, Jack carefully filled his new backpack with his school things. He put his special pen in the secret small bag. The next day in English class, Mr. Mack said, "Let's write an essay about earthquakes!" Jack looked for his pen in his backpack, but he couldn't find it! He through his desk and his pockets, but no pen. Jack asked if anyone had seen his pen, but no one had. Mr. Mack lent him a pencil, but Jack was feeling anxious because he lost his pen. When he got home, Jack told his brother he couldn't find his favorite pen. His brother said, "You must have put it in that secret small bag." Jack laughed and said, "That small bag was so secret that I forgot all about it." This text mainly tells us _ . A. a story of Jack's old backpack B. that Jack was studying earthquakes C. that Jack was old enough to do shopping D. a story of Jack's pen and new backpack Answer: D
Question: Built in 1794 for the 5th Duke of Bedford, this hotel in the heart of Bedford overlooks the River Ouse, which winds through the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside. We offer a flexible approach to conferencing. With purpose-built meeting rooms offering a flexible and functional space, our hotel is designed for comfort and convenience. Day Delegate (/),24 Hour Delegate or room hire only can be arranged to meet your needs and we offer a range of food and drinks for all requirements. The Bedford Swan Hotel provides an impressive range of conference, training and function rooms which are suitable for up to 300 delegates. Our hotel is located about 30 minutes' drive from Luton Airport and a 20-minute walk from Bedford Train Station with regular trains to and from Central London. What to expect: A professional service from the beginning Your own event consultant * A great location with car parking * Well-equipped rooms perfect for your meeting or event * Various Day Delegate packages * Personalized dining and refreshment breaks * Accurate billing Discounted Day Delegate Rates from PS 40 per person * Hold your meeting before 30th November 2014 and benefit from our special day delegate rates * Day Delegate Rate from PS40. 00 per person * Minimum numbers of 10 apply Call us on 02348 346566 or e-mail us on info@bedfordsvuanhotel.co.uk Which of the following is the correct contact way? A. Calling them on 02335 246566 B. Calling them on 02347 654566 C. E-mailing them on info@bedfordswanhotel.co.uk D. E-mailing them on info@bedfordshirehot'el.co.uk Answer: C Question: You can mail a letter or package under 16 oz. (unit of weight, 454g) in a mailbox, a blue box found on many street corners in U.S. cities and towns. Each mail box should have pick-up times clearly posted on top. !Packages over 16 oz. placed in a mailbox will not be sent. Bring the package to the post office or retail mailing shop instead. The clerk will process if for you. The Post Office In the larger cities, when you go to the post office you must take a number and wait in line. Post offices tend to be extremely crowded around Christmas. Try to go as early in the morning as possible. Post office branches open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. while main branches close at 6 p.m. Buying Stamps ! The cost of a first-class postage stamp to mail a letter is currently 39 cents, although rates tend to change often. Stamps are sold individually or in booklets of 10 (US$3.90) or 20(US$7.80) or in rolls of 100(US$9.00). You can buy stamps at the following locations: online, if you have a computer. Link to the U.S. Postal Service website (http://www. usps.com) and click on "stamps online". at your local post office at some ATMs (automated teller machine) at some supermarkets by mail retail mailing stores(you may have to pay extra for stamps and to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service) Postal Rates and Fees The U.S. Postal Service's online postage calculator tells you the cost to mail a letter or package anywhere in the world. But you should know the weight of the package and the post code of the package's origin and destination. If you don't know the weight of the letter or package to be mailed, you can go to your local post office and the postal clerk will weigh it for you. When do the post office main branches close? A. At 9 p.m. B. At 6 p.m. C. At 5 p.m. D. At 5:30 p.m. Answer: B Question: Bill Gates was born on October 28th, 1955. He grew up in Seattle, Washington. Bill Gates was named William Henry after his father and grandfather. He was a very clever boy. His favourite subject at school were science and maths. When he was 13 years old, Bill started to play with computers. At that time, computers were very large machines. Once he was interested in a very old computer. He and some of his friends spent lots of time doing unusual things with it. In the end, they worked out a software programme with the old machine. Bill sold it for 4, 200 dollars when he was only 17. In 1973, Bill went to Harvard University. At Harvard, he developed the BASIC language for the first microcomputer . In his third year, he left Harvard to work for a company called Microsoft. Bill began this company in 1975 with his friend Paul Allen. They thought that the computer would be a very important tool in every office and in every home, so they began developing software for personal computers. They improved the software to make it easier for people to use computer. When did he begin Microsoft Company with his friend? _ A. He was 13 years old. B. He was 17 years old. C. He was 18 years old. D. He was 20 years old. Answer: D Question: In early summer, one of the most popular fruit is strawberry . It is said strawberry is the "Queen of fruit" as it has many nutritious elements. But many people feel that the strawberry in the current market tastes different as many strawberries are artificially grown and some even have a scent of pesticides . So finding naturally-grown strawberries is a hot issue. There are some places where you can not only find tasteful strawberries, but also enjoy picking them. Tianxing Strawberry- Picking Garden As one of the biggest strawberry-growing areas, Tianxing is known for its healthy fruits. The strawberries here are pesticide-free with no artificial coloring. And now the farm has a special offer that you can get a kilogram of strawberries for only 12 yuan. Here, visitors can have fun picking strawberries as well as taste their freshness. And if you are a newcomer, you can get a discount card and enjoy an extra 20 percent discount on your purchase. Address: Xinzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing. Tel: 13910667270 Taolin Strawberry Garden This garden is not as famous as the first one, but it is a quiet place and relaxing. The strawberries here are much cheaper than those sold in markets. It only costs 6 yuan per kilogram.You can also buy freshly-picked lettuce and Tonghao, a green vegetable. You can have fun picking strawberries in person, but you can't taste them for free. Address: Linzhuang Village, Xingshou Town, Changping District, Beijing. Tel: 010--88413840 Baihe Green Strawberry Garden Baihe Town is the biggest strawberry-picking area. Known for the freshest and healthiest strawberries, this place is named as the "Hometown of Strawberries". The price for this fruit is about 12 yuan per kilogram. And you can bargain with the local sellers for further discounts. Address: Zhaotun Village, Baihe Town, QingpuDistrict, Shanghai. Tel: 13803456780 Which of the following is WRONG about Taolin Strawberry Garden? A. It is not better known than Tianxing Strawberry- Picking Garden. B. Besides strawberries, you can buy green vegetables from it. C. You can have fun picking strawberries as well as taste them as you like. D. If you buy 20 kilogram strawberries, you should at most pay 120 yuan. Answer: C Question: If parents bring up child with the aim of turning the child into a genius , they will cause great damage to him. According to several leading educational psychologists , this is one of the biggest mistakes which some parents make. Generally, the child will understand very well what the parent expects, and will fail. Unrealistic parental expectations can cause great damage to children. However, if parents are not unrealistic about what they expect their children to do, but are hopeful in a sensible way, the child may succeed in doing very well -- especially if the parents are very supportive (,) of their child. Michael Li is very lucky. He is very fond of music, and his parents help him a lot by taking him to concerts and arranging private piano and violin lessons for him. They even drive him 50 kilometres twice a week for violin lessons. Although Michael's mother knows very little about music, Michael's father plays the trumpet in a large orchestra . However, he never makes Michael enter music competitions if he is unwilling. Michael's friend, Winston Chen, however, is not so lucky. Although both his parents are successful musicians, they set too high a standard for Winston. They want their son to be as successful as they are and so they enter him in every piano competition held. They are very unhappy when he does not win. "When I was your age, I used to win every competition I entered." Winston's father tells him. Winston is always afraid that he will disappoint his parents and now he always seems quiet and unhappy. According to the author's opinion, _ . A. it is unimportant to let the children develop in the way they want B. parents should be supportive of their children C. all sensible parents can train their children to succeed in everything D. unrealistic parents should arrange private lessons for their children Answer: B
Do you know how to write an English letter? It is different from the Chinese letter. When we write a letter in English, we should write the date on the top of the right corner. Sometimes we write the _ ---the number of the house and the names of the street, city and country. Then we can begin the letter at the left corner. We always use words like "Dear sir", "Dear Mr/Miss/Mrs ..."to begin the writing. At the end of the letter, we usually use expressions as "Yours", "Yours ever" or "Yours sincerely". Then sign the writer's name. It is also different to write an English envelope. You should write your name and address on the top of the left corner and write the receiver's in the middle or on the bottom of the right corner. What's the best title for the passage? The Channel Islands are a group of British-owned islands lying in the English Channel 10 to 30 miles off the French coast, and 70 to 90 miles from the English coast. There are ten islands with a total land area of 75 square miles and a total population of 123,000. The three largest islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney, have long been known for the fine breeds of cattle that are raised on them and named after them. In earliest known history the islands were considered part of Normandy, which was part of France, but the ruler of Normandy became king of England in 1066, and from then on the islands were looked upon as British land. English control was unbroken until World War II, when the Germans held the islands for five years. Although people on the islands speak both languages and they are considered English, their customs are more French than English. The Channel Islands have been continuously under British rule since _ . Ice wedging is caused by cycles of freezing and thawing of what? Smoking in indoor public places including public working places, public transport vehicles and some other special outdoor working places has been banned in China since January 2011. Let's look at the following advantages of banning smoking. First, banning smoking will not only help in saving smokers from health problems and diseases, but will also be good for passive smokers. When the smoker is smoking in a restaurant, the people around him are sure to breathe in the smoke and suffer from the diseases an active smoker gets. If smoking is banned, spread of these diseases can be controlled. Next, banning smoking will put stress on smokers to give up. Since a smoker is prevented from smoking, he will learn how to live without smoking for long hours. When a smoker doesn't smell or see anybody around him smoking, it might reduce his wish to smoke too. As a result, people have to give up smoking. Smoking in public places influences non-smokers to start smoking, especially _ . When teens see people around them smoking, they will follow them easily. Thus the number of teen smokers will increase. Also asthma and other problems are often seen in children living around smokers. So if it is banned, these places will become safe for children and teenagers. Smoking should be banned to increase work productivity . Employees who smoke usually take breaks to smoke while working. So the number of hours they put in their work is smaller. If you see from the environment point of view, smoking should be banned. Smoking causes air pollution. If it is banned, it will help keep the environment from getting worse. Which of the following statements in NOT true? How essential is air for animals?
Question: Have you ever felt annoyed when left talking to yourself after your mobile phone battery runs out in the middle of a call? If yes, then here comes some good news. Scientists are now perfecting a way to recharge electrical equipment while on the move. Researchers from theprefix = st1 /Netherlands,FranceandPortugalannounced last week that they have developed very thin solar panels that can be put on clothes. They can also be added to furniture and rooftops. They change light from the sun into electricity. In about three years, you'll be able to wear a jacket that will recharge your phone as you walk. For camping fans, the development could lead to a tent which charges batteries all day so you can have light or music at night. The basic technology of wearable solar panels is the same as that used for traditional solar panels. Pairs of sheets of semi-conducting silicon are linked together to form the panel. But scientists made them much thinner by using different silicon. At one micrometre, they are of the same thickness as photographic film. "This technology will make it easier for people to use clean energy sources," said a physicist in theNetherlandswho led the team of scientists. But the thin panels are not as efficient as the thicker ones. While some solar panels now operate at an efficiency of about 20 per cent, the new flexible panels are only 7 per cent efficient. But the thinner panel is cheaper. An A4 sized panel put onto the back of a jacket cost less than US$13. It could charge a cellphone during a summer walk in the countryside. As long as you stay within range of the transmitting masts that relay a call to the networks, phones will never again run out of power. The passage is written to _ . A. advertise a new product B. explain how a new product works C. introduce a new product D. comepare different ways to use solar energy Answer: C Question: Japanese couples, too busy for a normal social life, are increasingly turning to actors to play their friends on the most important days of their lives. Several agencies have sprung up offering actors to attend weddings or even funerals.The first guest-for-hire company was established about nine years ago and around 10 agencies now send out dozens of pretend friends to family events. Agencies such as Hagemashi Tai, which means "I want to cheer you up", charge around PS100 for each "guest". Other services such as giving a speech in praise of a bride or the groom cost extra. The appearance of the small fake friends industry has been linked to social and economic changes in Japan.With lifetime employment a thing of the past, couples feel uncomfortable about inviting work colleagues to their wedding.Increasingly busy and put upon, many Japanese surround themselves with only a very small circle of friends. When they marry, however, they are under pressure to match the number of their new partner's wedding guests. Office Agents, the largest provider of pretend friends, makes sure that its employees have done their homework and know all about the bride or groom before the wedding. Hiroshi Mizutani, the company's founder, said the fake friends he provides must look happy, be well dressed and look like people with good jobs. Why did fake friends industry come into being in Japan? A. Because of social and economic changes B. Because of lifetime employment C. Because of normal social life D. Because of work pressure Answer: A Question: Crime in the city of prefix = st1 /Cliohit a 30-year low last year. "This is ly wonderful for our citizens, our businesses, and our visitors," said Police Chief Louis Gates. Clio has a population of 28,000, but it has at least 30 gangs . The gangs make most of their money from dealing drugs and offering "protection." They also commit violent crimes, such as stealing, robbery or even murder. There were 1,486 thefts last year. Most of the thefts involved cars. Thieves also robbed the people at gunpoint or pick pocketed them. They broke .into houses and businesses at the alarming rate of two a day two years ago, but that rate was down to only one a day last year. "That's a 50-percent decrease in one year," said Gates. "I think the police officers deserve a big pat on the back. Even better, maybe they'll get that 10-percent raise that they are all hoping for. " With an example of how the police force has helped reduce crime, Gates talked about bicycle thefts. "For years and years, kids were locking up their bikes at bike stands in front of schools, libraries, and shopping mails. About 10 percent of the time, the kids would come out of the school or wherever and discover that their bike was no longer there. We wracked our brains( ) trying to find a solution to this problem. Finally, at the beginning of last year, when we simply removed most of the bike stands, then the bicycle theft rate came down quickly. Most cities in the state have similar problems. They all involve too many people, too much crime, too few police, and too little money. These problems go along with civilization everywhere. They might reduce, but they will probably never disappear. All people can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Crime in the city of Cliois mainly caused by _ . A. illegal gangs B. protection providers C. cruel murderers D. drug dealers Answer: A Question: People say teenagers are no good.They make too much noise in.shops; they drive wildly up and down the streets.And at times,some of these things are true.But there are also hard moments in the life of a teenager. A teenager is neither a lovely child,nor a respectable grown up person.The members of her family consider a teenager a source of trouble.She feels that she has grown up.But she is told that she is just a child and she knows nothing.She sees her elders doing what they like. When she wants to do what she likes,the elders tell her that she should do only what she is told to do. To be a teenager means to be everybody's servant and nobody's master.Elders in the family and in the neighborhood order a teenager to run errands for them.(...) If he refuses to carry out the orders of his eiders,he is scolded.He may even be punished.He is criticized for all that he says and does.If he behaves like a child,he is told that he is grown up and that he should not be childish,If he behaves like a grown up mall,he is told that he is disrespectful. A teenager becomes a lonely creature in the family.Children enjoy all the love of the elders in the family.The teenager gets no love and no respect.So she often runs away from home and finds some joy in the company of the girls of her age. _ .There are too many rules and regulations for us to obey.It hasn't yet occurred to us to run a zigzag pattern.Although we teenagers have miserable time with our family members and elders,we have a very good time with our friends and in schools and colleges.So we teenagers spend most of our good time and have fun with our friends and classmates rather than with parents. What's the author's attitude towards teenagers? A. He criticizes them. B. He understands them. C. He misunderstands them. D. He supports them. Answer: B Question: Dave needed to prepare for Saturday's fishing trip. He went into his hall closet, where he had more than 20 rods and reels. Nowadays he went fishing twice a year at Big Bear, a huge lake in southern prefix = st1 /Californiaabout 7,000 feet up in the mountains. California tries to improve the fishing industry by sponsoring a Free Fishing Day twice a ear, once in June and once in September. That's enough for Dave. He went mostly because it was a social event with a few friends, not so much to catch fish. Even driving up a twisty two-lane road was worth the trip. Let alone the big, beautiful houses and trees that lined the shore of the lake. Preparing was a project in itself. Dace had even created a computer file named Fishing Trip. It was a checklist of 45 things to take to Big Bear. He took two rods, because on Free Fishing Day you were allowed to fish with two rods instead of the usual one rod. He took a sweatshirt, jeans, two pairs of socks, a heavy hooded jacket, winter gloves, and a scarf. He also took flip-flops, shorts, a T-shirt, sunglasses, a big hat, and lightweight raincoat. If you go to Big Bear in June, you'd better be prepared for hot or cold, rain or shine. He prepared a couple of magazines to read just in case the fish weren't biting. He and his friends joked that the fish were always biting- in the spot you just left or the spot you were headed for. After about an hour and a half; Dave had gathered all the items on his list into a neat pile next to his door. He went to bed knowing that tomorrow's weather and fishing were unpredictable, but the good time with his friends was a given. Dave went go Big Bear twice a year mainly to_. A. fish B. meet his friends C. prepare for his fishing D. develop a project Answer: B
Do you know Eskimos? Let me tell you something about their lives. Eskimos live near the North Pole .There are only two seasons there, winter and summer. There is no spring or autumn there. The winter nights are long. You can't see the sun for more than two months, even at midday. The summer days are long. For more than two months, the sun never goes down and there's no night. Eskimos have warm clothes. They make their clothes from the skins of animals. From skins they make coats, caps and shoes. Near the North Pole trees can't grow, for it is too cold there. The Eskimos have to make their houses from skins, snow or stone. When they got out in storms and can't get back home, they make houses of snow. They leave these houses when the storm is over. Life is hard for the Eskimos, but they still like to live there. Eskimos make houses of snow to protect themselves from _ . Combining families with kids can be tough and offers even more unexpected problems. You just don't know how things will shake out until everyone is under one roof, trying on new roles with name that start with "step". This is what happened to Sheila and Will, and Sheila's 8-year-old daughter Ashley. After the couple got married, and Will became the member of the new family, things got worse than expected. How did they make it work? Read the full version of the story here. Shelia's Turn: When Shelia and Will were dating, he seemed like kids, especially Ashley. He'd bring her presents, play games with her. But after the wedding, things took a turn. Will suddenly became a super strict stepfather, scolding Ashley for watching too much cartoons, constantly picking fights and punishing her for offenses as small as spilling milk. Shelia's thought about leaving Will, but soon after they married, they had a son, Billy. Will adores his well-behaved boy, but Ashley hates him. Shelia doesn't know what to do--- her daughter is miserable, but leaving her husband might mean losing her son. Will's turn: Will was so excited to be a male role model in Ashley's life. He didn't just want to be a guy living in her house; he wanted to treat her like his own daughter, which, to Will, meant giving Ashley more rules and help her learn responsibility. He'd always felt that Shelia let Ashley loose on everything. But after the wedding, Will was surprised that Shelia didn't want him to do that. If Will takes away Ashley's TV privileges or tells her to clean up her room, Shelia just lets Ashley do what she likes and does it herself. Will was tired of this and he'd rather take his son and go. The advisor's turn: The counselor quickly recognized their conflict as a classic case of unspoken, hidden expectations. Before the wedding, when it was just Shelia and Will, everything was easy. But now, everyone in their big family is competing for attention, and the couple never sat down and discussed the biggest issue---their child-upbringing philosophies . The counselor suggested Shelia allow Will to give some rules on Ashley but Will's punishments couldn't be extreme. Once Ashley saw that her mom and stepdad had become a united front, she cooperated more. It can be inferred from the passage that the advisor's attitude to their problem? Tired of Working in Your Country! With over 500 instructors and 20 years of experience, we are the leader in the field of teaching foreign languages. We now have positions open in Osaka starting November / December 2016 for instructors of English, German, Spanish and French. Teach many different kinds of classes using the latest technology in small classes of up to 3 students. Accommodation , and other necessary documents will be ready before you leave. Applicants will teach their first language only. Excellent teacher training programs. If you are young with a university degree and are willing to experience different cultures, apply now. Experience in teaching is an advantage but not specially required. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not necessary but good English skills and practical computer knowledge are basic requirements. Apply with C. V. and send letters to: NOVA France, Mr. Sampy(IHT 3/2) 34, Bd. Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France Fax: 33148014804 Or visit our website: www. teachjp. com The manager expects to meet and talk with successful applicants in Paris in October. What is the purpose of the text? Mark Eklund was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minn. He was neat in appearance, but had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful. Mark liked talking. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving: "Thank you for correcting me, sister!" One day in class, I asked pupils to list the names of the other students on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that student. On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my father met me at the airport. "Mark was killed in the war," he said." The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend." I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. As I stood there, Mark's father said, "We want to show you something. They found this on Mark when he was killed." He took a wallet out of his pocket. Opening the billfold , he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it." That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. What troubles the teacher was that _ . What requires photosynthesis to grow?
Social Program: 22nd--26th August 2011 Monday Evening--Study Centre or Sports Park Study Center: The school will be open from 7.45 pm to 9.35pm. Sports Park: Aerobics, Swimming or Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card). Tuesday Evening--Cinema Cinema: To get your free ticket, you must write down which film you would like to watch. See the leaflet on the board for this evening's UCI Cinema program. For more information about the films, visit the UCI website www.uci.co.uk or see the film section in this week's Time Out magazine. Wednesday Evening--Study Centre of Tennis Coaching Study Center: The school will be open from 7.35 pm to 9.35 pm. Tennis Coaching: With former Junior Wimbledon tennis player Stuart Silvester. Thursday Evening--Chinese Party Chinese Party: Come along and enjoy the hospitality of the Chinese students! You can try delicious Chinese food and learn about Chinese traditions. Please note that you should eat your evening meal at your home-stay, as the food is a taster and not a full meal. Non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be served. Friday afternoon--Historical Walking Tour or Sports Parks Historical Walking Tour: This afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit parts of Norwich you may have otherwise missed, with a professional guide. In medieval times Norwich was the second most important city in England and this afternoon you can learn some of the interesting history of our fine city. Sports Park: Badminton, Basketball, Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card), Football, Squash, Swimming or Volleyball. Please sign early if you wish to play any of the sports listed above. The passage may probably be found _ . It helps us understand the world better if we know a little geography and have some maps at hand. But with maps in Chinese only, misunderstanding is possible in studying world events. Chinese names are long, hard to pronounce and without meaning to a foreigner. For the opening of the country maps are important and helpful and needed badly. I wish maps various languages, such as those used in the United Nations, would come out and be sold in all bookstores open to Chinese. The writer is mainly talking about _ . Nora, executive director of an equal housing opportunity organization, was the leader of a sit-in at the offices of a real estate management company. The protest was designed to call attention to the company's racially discriminatory rental practices. When police demanded that Nora desist from trespassing on the company's property, she refused and was arrested. In Nora's trial for trespass, the prosecution peremptorily excused all nonwhites from the jury, arguing to the court that even though Nora was white, minority groups would automatically support Nora because of her fight against racism in housing accommodations. If Nora is convicted of trespass by an all-white jury and appeals, claiming a violation of her constitutional rights, the court should One Sunday evening, it was quite dark when old Stanley went for his walk. He was walking along the sidewalk, Suddenly, he saw a white car coming around the corner at high speed. It was going too fast and crashed into a red car in the street where he was walking. He rushed up to the cars to see if anyone was hurt and needed help. The two drivers were arguing. "You came around the corner too fast," one man said. "No!" said the driver of the white car, "That's not true! Your car was parked in a wrong place." Stanley listened to their argument and then said the white car driver was wrong to drive too fast. The driver of red car asked Stanley to prove he was right in court . Stanley gave the driver his name and telephone number. Next Thursday morning, Stanley was asked to go to the court. The lawyer for the driver of the white car asked him a lot of questions about what he had seen. Then he asked Stanley how old he was. "I'm eighty-two," answered Stanley. "Do you usually wear glasses ?" asked the lawyer. "Yes, I do," answered Stanley. "Were you wearing them on the night of the accident?" the lawyer asked. "No," replied Stanley. Then the lawyer said, "Why should the court believe you? You are eighty-two years old, you were not wearing your glasses, and it was dark. How far can you see in the dark?" Stanley thought about it for a minute. "Well," he said, "when it's dark, I can see the moon. How far is that?" The car accident happened _ . Being able to call on the old boy's network helps you get your foot in the door,but has little impact on your later success.Having good connections does change your possibility of being offered a higher wage when you start working,but has no impact on your eventual wage.Coming from a wealthy background has little impact on lifetime earnings.Over time,brain power soon overtakes ,and intelligence is the factor,which will determine your earnings and success.The speed of your rise through the ranks is determined largely by your own intelligence. The study monitored earnings and promotions over the course of 25 years.Scores were used to assess the SocioEconomic Background(SEB)-wealth and connections-and standard Army intelligence tests used to assess intelligence.The study is sure to infuriate those angered by wealthy groups such as Oxford's upper-crust Bullingdon Club,of which both David Cameron and Borris Johnson were members. Professor Yoav Ganzach says that these findings have a positive message for those,who can't rely on nepotism for their first job."Your family can help you start your career and you do get an advantage,but it doesn't help you progress.And once you start working,you can go wherever your abilities take you," he says.When intelligence and SEB are pitted directly against once another ,intelligence is a more accurate predictor of future career success,he say. How many factors which may influence one's career are mentioned in the passage?
40 years ago the idea of disabled people doing sport was never heard of. But when the yearly games for the disabled were started at Stoke Mandeville, England in 1948 by Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the situation began to change. Sir Ludwig Guttmann, who had been driven to England in 1939 from Nazi Germany, had been asked by the British government to set up an injuries center at Stoke Mandeville Hospital near London, His ideas about treating injuries included sport for the disabled. In the first games just two teams of injured soldiers took part .The next year, 1949, five teams took part. From those beginnings, things have developed fast. Teams now come from abroad to Stoke Mandeville every year. In 1990 the first Olympics for the disabled were held in Rome, in the same place as the normal Olympic Games. Now, every four years the Olympic Games for the disabled are held, if possible, in the same place as the normal Olympic Games, although they are organized separately. In other years games for the disabled are still held at Stoke Mandeville, In the 1984 Wheelchair Olympic Games, 1,064 wheelchair athletes form about 40 countries took part. Unfortunately, they were held at Stoke Mandeville and not in Los Angeles, along with the other Olympics. The games have been a great success in helping the progress of international friendship and understanding, and in proving that being disabled does not mean you can't enjoy sport. One small source of disappointment for those who organize and take part in the games, however, has been the unwillingness of the International Olympic Committee to include disabled events at the Olympic Games for the able-bodied. Perhaps a few more years are still needed to persuade those fortunate enough not to be disabled that their disabled fellow athletes should be included. From the passage, we may know that the writer is _ . A in favor of holding the games for the disabled B against holding the games for the disabled C a disabled person who once took part in the games D one of the organizers of the games for the disabled Answer: A To swim across the English Channel takes at least nine hours. It's hard work and it makes you short of breath. To fly over the channel takes only twenty minutes as long as you're not held up at the airport, but it's an expensive way to travel. You can travel by hovercraft if you don't mind the noise and that takes forty minutes. Otherwise, you can go by boat, if you remember your sea-sickness pills. All these means of transport have their problems, and the weary traveler often dreams of being able to drive to France in his own car. "Not possible, you say. Well, wait a minute. People are once again considering the idea of a channel tunnel or bridge." This time, the great London Council is looking into the possibility of building a channel link straight to London. A bridge would cost far more than a tunnel, but you would be able to make a journey by rail or by car on a bridge, yet a tunnel would provide a rail link only. Why is this idea being discussed again? Is Britain realizing the need for links with Europe as a result of joining EEC?Well, perhaps, the main reason, though, is that a tunnel or bridge would reach the twenty square kilometers of London's discussed dockland . A link from London to the continent would stimulate trade and revitalize the port, and would make London a main trading center in Europe. With a link over the Channel, you could buy your fish and chips in England and be able to eat them in France while they are still warm! From the lines we can see that people crossed the Channel by _ in the past. A air B boat C swimming D A, B, or C Answer: D Architects say they will soon be able to print a whole house by simply using a 3D printer. The technology is still ly new, but it's already being used in the medical world and in industry to bring down the cost of precision parts. Now designers in the Netherlands are planning to create a complete building. If it all goes to plan, you will see the first house to be made from 3D printing before long. It's been named the Landscape House. Following its success across different industries, Dutch architect Ruijssenaars believes printing technology has come far enough to create the first full size building. He said, "With 3D printing, you can actually directly print the shape that you want without first having to make the mould. It is not only an interesting technique, because you have actually density of printing that you can later see in the product, but it's also economically (better) because you save time and energy." To create his design with traditional construction methods, builders would have to pour concrete into specially constructed moulds and these would have to be removed once the concrete had set. The house will occupy about 1.115 square meters and if it stays within the projected budget, it is predicted to cost between 5 and 6 million US dollars. The house will occupy about will employ is the creation of Enrico Dini. He said, "My personal approach in 3D printing of building construction is: using 3D printing as our start basis of making free form cages and from then move on with the traditional construction technique." This is Dini's printer. It's big, measuring 5 meters by 3 meters. But his company D-Shape is planning to produce a new giant 3D printer, which can construct the Landscape House. Ground rock, or sand is put into the printer and then hardened by a binding agent .The 3D printer will print pillars that would go up straight. The project is expected to be completed sometime in 2014. The Landscape House _ . A will cost a lot of money B will be warmly welcomed C will have been completed in 2015 D will be made in the traditional way Answer: A an example of converting potential energy to kinetic energy is A a resting bird B a still rock C our own sun D cars spinning tires Answer: D Food picked up just a few seconds after being dropped is less likely to contain bacteria than if it is left for longer periods of time, according to the findings of research carried out at Aston University's School of Life and Health Sciences. The findings suggest there may be some scientific basis to the "5 second rule" --- the belief about it being fine to eat food that has only had contact with the floor for five seconds or less. Although people have long followed the 5 second rule, until now it was unclear whether it actually helped. The study, undertaken by final year Biology students and led by Anthony Hilton, Professor of Microbiology at Aston University, monitored the transfer of the common bacteria from a variety of indoor flooring types (carpet, cement floor etc.) to toast, pasta, a biscuit and a sticky sweet when contact was made from 3 to 30 seconds. The results showed that: Time is a significant factor in the transfer of bacteria from a floor surface to a piece of food; and the type of flooring the food has been dropped on has an effect, with bacteria least likely to transfer from carpeted surfaces and most likely to transfer from cement flooring surfaces to moist foods making contact for more than 5 seconds. Professor Hilton said: "Consuming food dropped on the floor still carries an infection risk as it very much depends on which bacteria are present on the floor at the time." The Aston team also carried out a survey of the number of people who employ the 5 second rule. The survey showed that: 87% of people surveyed said they would eat food dropped on the floor, or already have done so. 55% of those who would eat or have eaten food dropped on the floor are women. 81% of the women who would eat food from the floor would follow the 5 second rule. Professor Hilton added, "Our study showed that a surprisingly large majority of people are happy to consume dropped food, with women the most likely to do so. But they are also more likely to follow the 5 second rule." According to the passage, which of the following is true? A A toast dropped on the carpet is easier to be polluted than that dropped on the cement floor. B A sticky chocolate dropped on the carpet is easier to be polluted than that dropped on the cement floor within 5 seconds. C The food dropped on the carpet shares the same potential of being polluted with the food dropped on the cement floor. D The food dropped on the cement floor is not as safe as food dropped on the carpet within 30 seconds. Answer: D
Here are two pictures.A man and a boy are in one picture.Who are they? Let me tell you.The man is Mr White, and the boy's name is Bill.He's the man's son.Now they are in Bill's bedroom.We can see some Chinese books in the desk.And on the bed , there is a shirt.It's Bill's.His trousers are on it, under his shirt.too. Now let's look at the other picture.You can see a woman and a girl in it.The woman is Bill's mother and she's in her daughter Ann's bedroom.You can see a photo of the Whites on the white wall.Between the windows, there is a desk.A clock is on the desk.It's eleven.What's that on the floor? Oh, it's Ann's hat.but it looks like a brown cat. Mr White is _ . A. Ann's brother B. Ann's father C. Bill's friend D. Bill's teacher Answer: B Orderly, a male attendant who worked at Hospital, had sexual relations with Patient, a severely retarded person, in her room at Hospital. In a tort action brought on Patient's behalf against Hospital, Patient will A. not prevail, if Orderly's actions were outside the scope of his employment. B. not prevail, if Patient initiated the relationship with Orderly and encouraged his actions. C. prevail, if Orderly was an employee of Hospital. D. prevail, if Hospital failed to use reasonable care to protect Patient from such conduct. Answer: D What is one way to change water from a liquid to a solid? A. decrease the temperature B. increase the temperature C. decrease the mass D. increase the mass Answer: A Michelle , a famous lady , has found that over 25% students are too fat in her country . It's a very serious problem . So she stats a health program to deal with it . The health program is to reduce the amount of fat students today and in the future . The program will get families , schools , news papers , magazines and TVs to join together and deal with the students _ so that students will be at a healthier weight . The program includes : Food stores should sell healthier foods . Schools should serve healthier meals with less fat and should also offer gym classes . The lady is trying to fight the students' obesity all over the country because it can cause illnesses and higher cost . She wants the students to eat right, exercise more and control their weight . She also wants the students to understand it is important to have less sweet food , and drink water , milk and fresh juices , but not to choose cokes . The health program is really helpful to the students today and in the future . As she says , we can't always build the future for our youth , but we can built youth for the future . What does the lady want the shops to do ? A. To offer gym classes . B. To plant a vegetable garden . C. To serve meals with less fat . D. To sell healthier foods . Answer: D Dear mum and dad, I'm writing this letter to you from the center of Australia. At the moment we're staying near Uluru--that's the aboriginal name for Ayers Rock. On the first day, we took a balloon tour over the rock, and I was surprised at how big it was: 3.6 kilometers long and 384 meters high. The colors of the rock are fantastic, and at different times of the day, they change from purple to red. The Aborigines are the first people of Australia, and the ancient aboriginal stories describe the spirits that created the world. Uluru is a center of Aboriginal culture. The Australians have many British relatives. That's why they're like us in many ways. Their family life is similar to ours, and they enjoy the same food and hobbies. The food and drink that most Australians like are grapes, lamb, ham and especially wine that they make in the south of the country. They love all sports, but football is the most popular. Most Australians live near the coast, so they also love going to the beach, swimming and surfing. Although it's December, it's summer over here. The sunshine is very bright, and near the coast the countryside is very green. There are lots of sheep in the fields and on the hills, but the outback is more like a desert, full of rocks and sand. The next day after we arrived at Uluru, we went on a camel ride. The camel that I rode had a bad _ . When I sat on its back, it became very angry and refused me. So everyone else thought it was very funny that my camel kept lying down... Finally, later this evening, we're taking the plane back to Sydney and coming home, it's been a fantastic trip! Tony Tony may be a(n) _ . A. British B. Australian C. American D. Chinese Answer: A
School uniforms are becoming more and more popular across the U.S.A. That's no surprise,because they offer many benefits. They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling that come from clothing. If all students are dressed in the same way,they will not pay too much attention to their clothing,and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the "wrong" clothes. Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms,but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule -- wanting to look just like their friends. The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers ; school uniforms tear those barriers down. As in other places,uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties. For example,when a man or woman puts on a police uniform,he or she becomes,for a time,the symbol of law and order. The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets. People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another. For students,the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education. Some parents are unhappy about uniforms,saying that school uniforms will affect their children's "creativity". First,as noted above,the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality . They just copy their classmates. Second,students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like. While they're in school,their job is to master reading,writing,and maths; this should take up all the creativity they have. Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way. The author would probably agree that_. A it makes no difference whether to wear school uniforms or not B students' individuality may not come from school education C students' creativity is related to the clothes they choose D school uniforms help to create equality among students Answer: D. school uniforms help to create equality among students Lucy left a pan half full of water in the sun and it dried up in one afternoon. A the pan was in the cool shade B a squirrel dumped the water of its head to cool off C butterflies drank it all D it was the summertime Answer: D. it was the summertime Abco developed a new drug, ZB, for treatment of Wegener's disease. Abco extensively tested ZB for several years on animals and human volunteers and observed no undesirable side effects. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then approved ZB for sale as a prescription drug. Five other drug companies, each acting independently, developed drugs identical to ZB. Each of these drugs was also approved by the FDA for sale as a prescription drug. True Blue Drug, a wholesaler, bought identically shaped pills from all six of the manufacturers and sold the pills to drugstores as Wegener's X. This drug had a long-delayed side effect. Sons of male users of Wegener's X are sterile. One such son, Crane, brought an action against Abco for his damages. Abco, through True Blue Drug, supplied about 10 percent of the Wegener's X sold in the state where Crane lived. It is not possible to establish which of the six companies supplied the particular pills that Crane's father took. If Crane asserts a claim against Abco based on strict liability in tort, which of the following will be a decisive question in determining whether Crane will prevail? A Does the res ipsa loquitur doctrine apply? B Can liability be imposed on Abco without proof that Abco knew that the drug had an undesirable side effect? C Is Abco relieved of liability by the FDA approval of the drug? D Can liability be imposed on Abco without showing that its pills were used by Crane's father Answer: D. Can liability be imposed on Abco without showing that its pills were used by Crane's father It is reasonable to say that every teenager can be affected by peer pressure at some point. Every day, in any high school, peer pressure has a major influence over the behavior of teenagers. It can be as subtle as being persuaded to be late for class or as extreme as a dangerous drug. Whether subtle or extreme, peer pressure can have damaging, sometimes life changing, and even serious results. "Teens don't often consider the long-term results that some behavior can cause," said Terri Price, a researcher. "Peer pressure can be very difficult to handle for many teens because of their fears of not fitting in". Peer pressure has always been part of teen life, but teens experience _ differently than their former generations did in the past. Sources of peer pressure have increased because of the Internet and other electronic communications. Recognizing peer pressure can be as simple as noticing that you have been asked to do something that you are not comfortable with. "Listen to your instinct , which is a sign for whether something is right or wrong. If it feels wrong, then most likely it is. "says Price. Teens are in a time of life when they are still discovering who they are. Many teens are influenced by peer pressure because of their insecurities . This can make them helpless especially when their self-control is weak or they lack healthy support, causing them to take risky behavior or turn to unhealthy support. Dealing with peer pressure is a topic of concern for teens. People can say, "Just say no," but the truth is that the statement is easier said than done. According to the passage, we can know that dealing with peer pressure is _ A easy B hard C a new topic D an impossible task Answer: B. hard An atom becomes an ion with a -1 charge because the atom A gains one electron. B loses one electron. C gains one proton. D loses one proton. Answer: A. gains one electron.
In two days, I will be turning 30. And I was not looking forward to a new decade . I was afraid that the best years of my life were behind me. One day, I met with my friend Nicholas. He was a 79-year-old man. He noticed something was different about me and asked if anything was wrong. I told him what I was anxious about and asked him: "What was the best time of your life?" Without hesitation, Nicholas replied: "Well, Joe, when I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me, that was the best time of my life." "When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life." "When I got my first job and got paid for my work, that was the best time of my life." "When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life." "World War IIcame, and my wife and I had to leave Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship, that was the best time of my life." "When I became a young father and watched my children grow up, that was the best time of my life." "And now, Joe, I am 79 years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am just as in love with my wife as I was the day we met. This is the best time of my life." How did the writer feel about his upcoming 30th birthday? Answer: The story I would like to tell happened about a year ago. I accepted a position in a company. John, an acquaintance of mine, told me much about the job and took my curriculum vitae to his supervisor. I did not refer to him as a friend because at the time we did not take part in activities together outside of work, nor did our wives. The first week was fine. Nothing was obviously strange with John at first until the second week, when our communication began to get a little strange. John began making comments like "you would have had to pay an employment agency several hundred dollars for a job like this". I soon forgot his words till the next day when he made another similar comment. Right then I started to really pay attention to what he meant. He acted as if I owed him money for helping me to get the job. He began to get short with me and I had only been there for two weeks. He was supposed to train me in building our e-mail servers and setting up the entire standard monitor software. Instead, he went through the process so fast that even an experienced worker could hardly keep up. He would not slow down or check whether I was with him or not. If there was something wrong with a server, he would just buzz through the solution and not stop to say anything like "you might want to remember this." I began to get very frustrated. By the third week I began to get tired of his condescension . So I began to challenge him in a way that was only one to one. He would respond to a question of mine with a question or just make me repeat it, and then interrupt me. I began to hate him. Later I tried to avoid him as much as I could, so I wouldn't run into him. He stopped me one day and asked me what had happened. I told him he was very condescending in his tone and manner. He asked me, "What can I do so that you will not feel like this way in the future?" I simply asked him to treat me with the same respect he would like to be treated with. He did it and we got along better gradually. I believed there was hope and eventually we would become friends and now we are. What's the author's purpose of sharing his story? Answer: It's because college kids today can't do math, one line of reasoning goes. Or they don't know science. These are all good theories, but the problem with these young adults' unemployment goes way beyond a lack of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills. A survey by the Workforce Solutions Group at St. Louis Community College finds that more than 60% of employers say applicants lack the ability to communicate and get along with others--- a jump pf about 10 percentage points in just two years. A large number of managers also say today's applicants can't think creatively, solve problems or write well. Jobs are going unfilled as a result, which hurts companies and employers. The annual global Talent Shortage Survey from ManpowerGroup finds that nearly 1 in 5 employers worldwide can't fill positions because they can't find people with soft skills. One thing that does appear to make a difference is internships . More than 80% of employers want new graduates they hire to have completed a formal internship, but only 8% of students say having an internship in a field related to their major is something they spend a lot of time doing. Instead, the top extracurricular activities are hanging out with friends, working in an unrelated job and eating out. And all internships are not created equal. Overall, only about half of college grads say they're prepared for the work---and the number of bosses who think they're prepared is lower than 40%. Among students who don't have an internship, only 44% consider themselves ready for the job market. That improves for students with unpaid internships; 58% say they're prepared for the workplace. But among students who compete paid internships, that number jumps to 70%. None of the students think they're entirely prepared for the workforce, but they are a lot more confident than the managers surveyed. Part of the problem is that "you don't know what you don't know", as the saying goes. Harris Interactive found a huge gap between students' view of their abilities and managers' view of those same skills such as financial skills. It's just harder to teach these skills, experts say. "It is hard to correct a lifetime of bad habits in a short period of time," Roderick Nunn, vice chancellor for economic development and workforce solutions at St. Louis Community College, tells the St Louis Beacon. The passage mainly talks about _ . Answer: Women are still underrepresented in top academic positions. One of the possible explanations for this is the increasing importance of obtaining research funding. Women are often less successful in this than men. Psychology researchers Dr. Romyvan der Lee and professor Naomi Ellemers investigated whether this difference also occurs at the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and examined potential explanations. The researchers were assigned by NWO to carry out this study as part of the broader evaluation of NWO's procedures and its gender diversity policy. The aim was to gain more insight into the causes of the differences in awarding rates for male and female applicants for research funding. The analysis addressed an important "talent programme" of NWO, the Veni grant. "Whoever receives this grant has a greater chance of obtaining an important appointment at a university,"says Naomi Ellemers. Van der Lee and Ellemers investigated all the applications submitted by male and female researchers over a period of three years: a total of 2823 applications. Under the direction of NWO these applications were assessed by scientific committees consisting of men and women. The results demonstrate that the awarding rates for female applicants (14.9%) are systematically lower than those for male applicants (17.7%). "If we compare the proportion of women among the applicants with the proportion of women among those awarded funding, we see a loss of 4%," said Ellemers. The study reveals that women are less positively evaluated for their qualities as researcher than men are. "Interestingly the research proposals of women and men are evaluated equally positively. In other words, the reviewers see no difference in the quality of the proposals that men and women submit," says Romy van der Lee. In search for a possible cause for the differences in awarding rates and evaluations, the researchers also investigated the language use in the instructions and forms used to assess the quality of applications. This clearly revealed the occurrence of gendered language. The words that are used to indicate quality are frequently words that were established in previous research as referring mainly to the male gender stereotype (such as challenging and excellent). Romy van der Lee explains: "As a result, it appears that men more easily satisfy the assessment criteria, because these better fit the characteristics stereotypically associated with men." In response to the results of this research, NWO will devote more attention to the gender awareness of reviewers in its methods and procedures. It will also be investigated which changes to the assessment procedures and criteria can most strongly contribute to more equal chances for men and women to obtain research funding. This will include an examination of the language used by NWO. NWO chair Jos Engelens said, "The research has yielded valuable results and insights. Based on the recommendations made by the researchers we will therefore focus in the coming period on the development of evidence-based measures to reduce the difference in awarding rates." Van der Lee and Ellemers' study shows that _ . Answer: If you feel at present that you don't have enough friends in your life,one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have.Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment. Many of us let our lives become so busy with work and other commitments that we don't get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal with the friends,relatives and acquaintances we already have. Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and to accept more of the invitations you receive from others can improve your social life in a hurry! Are there any people you could call right now and be assured of a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count on to help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life? If you haven't seen much of them lately. is it because you have become too busy? Have you grown apart? Was there an argument? If the main reason you haven't been getting together with the people you already know is that you have gotten too busy,take a good look at how you spend your time.Compare it with your real values and priorities in life.Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want? If you have become too busy for friends,why has this happened? Are you seeking material toys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over.committed because you never say"No"to anyone? Do you insist on doing things yourself that could be delegated to others? If so,why? Do you believe that everything depends on you? Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities.Make sure that you schedule enough time for the things that are truly most important to you. If you really want to keep friends in your lire,make a space in your schedule,and a space in your heart for them. In this passage the author mainly discusses_. Answer:
The freezing and thawing action of water affects a rock by Mr. and Mrs. Wu were fed up with their neighbor. He was always borrowing things from them. "It's not right." Mr. Wu said to his wife one evening. "At some time or another that man has borrowed nearly everything we have. Almost every day he comes over to borrow something." "You are quite right," his wife replied, "and most of the things he's never returned." "What I want to know," her husband said, "is why he can't buy the things he needs like everyone else." "Because people like us are foolish enough to lend him what he needs." she replied. "As long as we are willing to lend, he'll keep on borrowing." "Then we'll never lend him anything again." Mr. Wu said. "The next time he asks to borrow something, I'll say no." "We must have a good reason for saying no," his wire said, "and we must always try to be polite to him. We don't want to make an enemy of the man." It was not long before their decision not to lend their neighbor anything ever again was put to the test. The next morning there was a knock on the door. Mr. Wu went to answer it. Their neighbor was standing there. Mr. Wu knew he was going to ask to borrow something, and was ready to refuse him politely. "Good morning," their neighbor said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I wonder if I could borrow your garden scissors." "I'm sorry," Mr. Wu said, "but I'm afraid my wife and I will be using them today. We'll be spending all day working in the garden." "Oh, ! see." the neighbor said, "In that case, may I borrow your golf clubs? You won't be needing them if you are working in the garden all day, will you?" What did the neighbor do with most of the things he had borrowed? We all have ideas about what kinds of foods are good or bad to eat. As a result, people from one culture often think the foods that people from another culture eat are unacceptable. Many people would find it terrible to eat rats, but there are forty-two different cultures whose people regard rats as proper food. Food likes and dislikes do not always seem related to nutrition. For example, broccoli is first on a list of the most nutritious common vegetables, but it is twenty-first on a list of vegetables that Americans like most to eat. Tomatoes are sixteenth on the list of most nutritious vegetables, but they are first on the list of vegetables that Americans like most to eat. But dislikes is not the only reason why some cultures will not eat a certain food. In some cultures, certain foods are taboo. Taboo is a word from the language of the Fiji Islands that is used to describe something that is forbidden. We do not usually think about why certain things are taboo in our culture. One example is that Americans do not eat dogs, although people from some other cultures regard them as good food. In the United States, dogs are very important to people as pets. They are usually regarded as part of the family, almost like a child in some cases. In addition, dogs have value as protection against criminals . Actually, the dog's place in society as a companion makes the dog taboo as food. Scientists believe that most food likes and dislikes are a result of the ways of life of different people. People will not eat pets such as dogs. Americans eat a lot of beef because there is plenty of land for raising cattle and their meat can be shipped cheaply for long distances by railroads. What can be a suitable title for the passage? The Olympic flame arrived at Culdrose in Cornwall from Athens on a golden plane called "The Firefly" on Friday in four custom-made lanterns.It was carried off the plane by Princess Anne, IOC Member and the president of the British Olympic Association, and then used to light a cauldron to mark the start of the Olympic Torch Relay by football hero David Beckham."Eight thousand inspirational torchbearers are all set to bring the magic of the Games to everyone's doorstep," said Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, who was at Culdrose to welcome the London 2012 delegation ."With every step, the excitement will build.Ten weeks from now, the world will watch as the flame arrives at the Olympic Stadium, bringing with it the hopes of a nation." A gold-liveried air rescue Sea King helicopter flew the torch to Land's End early on Saturday, where at 7.08am it was passed to the triple Olympic gold medalist sailor Ben Ainslie, the first of 8,000 torch-bearers, in front of 3,500 people."It's amazing," he said."For me, growing up in this part of the world, in Cornwall, for the Olympic Torch to set off from here around the nation, is a fantastic moment for the UK, for London 2012.Very exciting." Ainslie carried the torch 300m before 'kissing' it on to Anastasi Swallow, a junior surf champion who has represented her country four times."This is really when the Games begin," said Paul Deighton, the London 2012 Organising Committee's chief executive."Through these 70 days we'll see some magic in our communities." The passage mainly about the _ of 2012 London Olympic Games. 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 ,. If you are travelling in Dalian , you can see the _ -
A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don't laugh, it's true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say. Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a _ . It is because she is suffering from depression , caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained. "We don't get sick or stay well by ourselves," says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA. Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer's research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick. We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said. The best title for this passage is _ . A. Family relations. B. The reasons why we get sick. C. Family---- another cause to health D. A research about health. Answer: C. Family---- another cause to health If you're looking for a fairly painless way to lose weight, researchers at Brigham Young University have a new solution for you: Put yourself on a regular sleep schedule. People who keep a regular sleep routine have a lower body fat than those who keep irregular sleep hours, says a new study. Led by Bruce Bailey, professor of exercise science, researchers followed 300 female college students aged 19 to 26, who were given activity trackers to watch their movements and activities, including waking and sleeping times . Researchers also measured their body composition before and after the one-week study period. What the researchers found: Body fat varied with sleep quantity. Women who slept between 8 and 8.5 hours a night had the lowest body fat. While those who slept less than 7 hours or over 9 hours had higher body fat. High quality sleep was associated with lower body fat while poor sleep was connected with higher body fat. Waking and going to sleep at the same time every day was most strongly linked with lower body fat. The difference in body weight was greater with more variation in sleep pattern. Women whose sleep patterns varied by 90 minutes a night had higher body fat than those whose sleep patterns varied by 60 minutes or less on average. The study followed up on a body of research conducted over the last few years that ties quality and quantity of sleep to weight loss and better weight control. While researchers don't know exactly how sleep schedules affect body weight and fat, other studies have shown that sleep has an effect on physical activity, appetite , and the hormones that control metabolism , and the signals that tell us we're full. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. Several factors that affects the sleep quality. B. Some ways to help you lose weight efficiently. C. The importance of having a regular sleep routine. D. A study on the relationship between sleep and body weight. Answer: D. A study on the relationship between sleep and body weight. James Dean was not very tall-he was less than average height. He had thick, light brown hair and blue eyes. He was so near-sighted that he could hardly see anything without his glasses. He came to Hollywood when he was eighteen, hoping to get into the movies. At first, he was not successful at all, and for a time he was so short of money that he had to live entirely on dry oatmeal. Then he went to New York. He got a part in a play and was seen by the great director Elia Kazan. Kazan was planning the movie East of Eden and realized Dean would be perfect for one of the main roles. By this time, Dean already had a reputation for being odd and difficult to work with. He then went back to Hollywood to make East of Eden and then made two more movies, Rebel Withhout a Cause and Giant. He almost always wore the same overcoat and jeans and he had hardly any friends at all. "If he didn't like you, he wouldn't even give you the pleasure of his anger. You could be in the same telephone booth with him, but you wouldn't exist," someone who knew him said later. In spite of his poor eyesight, he loved driving fast motorcycles and even faster sports cars. A few days after he finished Giant, on September 25, 1955, Dean went for a drive in his new Porsche. It was evening and the light was poor. Dean was not wearing his glasses. Suddenly, he saw a car in front of him. It was slowing down and trying to turn off the highway. Dean tried to slow down too, but it was too late. He hit the car at high speed and was killed immediately. Two German girls killed themselves when they heard the news because "life would be unbearable without him." A few years later, a New York salesclerk wrote a book called Jimmy Dean Returns in which she claimed that she was in contact with Dean from the other side of the grave. Half a million copies of the book were sold. It was only the beginning of a strange legend that goes on, even today. What does the passage intend to tell us? A. The death of James Dean. B. James Dean's movies. C. The beginning of a legend. D. The life of an actor. Answer: D. The life of an actor. Humans have observed and explored the oceans since ancient times.But it wasn't until the 19th century that the scientific study of oceans began.The first major scientific expedition,and the one that firmly established the field of oceanography,was the around-the-world voyage of H.M.S. Challenger.Setting out from England in 1872,the Challenger spent almost three and a half years gathering a wealth of information about seawater,sea life,and the ocean floor.Major oceanographic expeditions since then have included the South Atlantic voyage of the German ship Meteor in 1926 and the Deep-Sea Drilling Project from 1968 to 1983.Many individuals also have played important roles in advancing our understanding of oceans,beginning with Matthew Fontaine Maury in the mid-1800s;his work on oceanography and navigation led to a uniform system of weather reporting at sea.Since Maury's time,oceanography has progressed rapidly.Early oceanographers had to contend themselves with tossing buckets overboard to see what they might haul in.Today's oceanographers are equipped with space images,supercomputer models,and deep-sea robots that can crawl along the seafloor.As they set goals for the future,some oceanographers even dream of doing research in permanently manned stations on the bottom of the oceans. Which of the following statements is true? A. Humans didn't explore the oceans until the 19th century. B. Maury first established the field of oceanography. C. Maury spent a lot of time in studying seawater,sea life,and the bottom of the ocean. D. Many individuals also plays a very important part in advancing our understanding of oceans,such as Maury. Answer: D. Many individuals also plays a very important part in advancing our understanding of oceans,such as Maury. When us teenager Jake Olson isn't playing football or golf for his high school, he's often offering inspiration through his new book about his own life. These activities might be too much for the average 16-year-old to deal with, but Jake is blind. When people ask him how he can possibly play golf without being able to see the ball, he says he is thankful for his father's guidance. It seems apparent that his early experience playing sports as a person with sight and muscle memory-- repeating behaviors over and over until they become second nature -- have also enabled Jake to hit the ball quite well. Jake was born with a rare kind of eye cancer that took away the vision from his left eye when he was an infant and eventually his right eye, in 2009, when he was 12 years old. Rather than letting the disease hold him back, Jake used his loss of sight and his faith as sources of motivation . "If I was going to sit on the couch all day feeling sorry for myself, I wasn't going to do anything. I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to let it stop me and that I was going to go out and persevere ," he said. It was with that mind-set that the student from Orange Lutheran High School in California was able to write his first book, Open Your Eyes: 10 Uncommon Lessons to Discover a Happier Life. "It's about opening the readers' eyes to their true potential in life and making sure that they use all the abilities that they have," Jake said. Jake's father, Brian Olson, said the family is impressed with what he has done with his life, including showing people that they can get through hardships. "Your darkest hour can soon become your brightest, and with every setback, there's a setup," Jake said. "In every one of us, there's more potential than we can ever imagine, and it really is a choice." According to the article, Jake's family members _ . A. pity him deeply B. once gave up hope on him C. encouraged him to write the book D. admire his efforts and determination Answer: D. admire his efforts and determination
Surrounded by the towns of Davidson, Huntersville and Cornelius, Lake Norman is a man-made lake. It is also the largest lake in the state covering a shoreline of more than 500 miles. State Park on the lake gives a chance for different water activities. People, both tourists and locals, come to the area on weekends, where during the peak season a large crowd arrives to relax and have fun. A great activity for kids is education except fun. The tour coversaquatic life, especially that seen at Lake Norman. Since it is more of an educational one it also covers other important knowledge about water. Those wanting to go boating are seen off into the lake on canoes and pedal boats which are rented on hourly basis. The charges are $5 per hour increased by $3 for everyadditional hour. The boats can be kept on the lake all day from 10 in the morning till 5 in the evening during the summers. Both canoes and pedal boats can seat 2 to 4 people. The park also set up a group tent camp, where a site can hold about 25 people. People from all over the country come here to catch some fishing action, obviously hoping to catch some fish as well. The inner park lake is also great for fishing, though it offers a smaller area compared to Lake Norman. Those here for adventure like to go for biking and hiking on the trails inside the park. Lake Norman is a great place to spend time with family and friends. People come here on vacation or simply to kick back after a week's work and relax. In what way does the park attract children except having fun? A. Learning a lot. B. Catching fish. C. Going hiking. D. Going cycling. Answer: A. Learning a lot. Which statement best compares single-celled and multi-celled organisms? A. Tissues in a single-celled organism are like the cells in a multi-celled organism. B. The nucleus in a single-celled organism is like the skin of a multi-celled organism. C. Organelles in a single-celled organism are like the organs in a multi-celled organism. D. The cytoplasm in a single-celled organism is like the nervous system in a multi-celled organism. Answer: C. Organelles in a single-celled organism are like the organs in a multi-celled organism. Where is a mama bear likely to find food? A. on top of the highest trees B. in the deepest mines C. in the inside of a felled oak D. at the bottom of the lake Answer: C. in the inside of a felled oak Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month. Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital Johannesburg, was shot dead. www.zxxk.com "One of her business partners died later in the hospital," the Chinese consulate officials in Johannesburg said yesterday. "Local police are trying to find more information about the case. And we have told the victims' relatives and are helping them come to Johannesburg," Consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously, said Wu. The robbery happened at about 5:45 pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South African rand (US $8,200) and some jewelry, Xinhua News Agency reported. The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers. On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital. All these happened just in less than a month. According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africa last year, in which eight were killed. More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses in South Africa, according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targets of robbers after buying big houses or luxury cars, the official said. _ are more likely to be robbed in South Africa. A. Those Chinese who depend too much on local police B. Those Chinese who live near the capital of South Africa C. Those Chinese who open shops selling Chinese goods D. Those Chinese who leave others the impression of being rich Answer: D. Those Chinese who leave others the impression of being rich Birds in cities are damaging their health by trying to sing above the noise of urban life. New research shows that male birds are trying to compete against traffic and city sounds.They are now singing louder and at higher frequencies,which could harm their vocal cords .Some birds are choosing to sing at night instead of during the day.This makes them more open to attack and also creates stress and exhaustion. "The difference between urban and rural birdsong is becoming so big that the two groups could now be unable to communicate.This could lead to inbreeding and a weak gene poo1."said Dr Sue Anne Zollinger of the.University of St Andrews. According to Zollingar,a bird group with a small gene pool might adapt less quickly to new diseases and could be wiped out. A study of the dawn chorus found that birds in Berlin sang up to 14 decibels louder than those in the forest.The birds sang loudest on weekday mornings. "By trying to sing over the sound of the city,birds ale rising vocal injury,"said Zollinger."All this puts the same strain on a bird's vocal cords as when a human need to shout to be heard--except that the birds are doing it all day,every day,"she said. "Singing under such pressure means birds have less control over the sound they produce.Their songs may lose quality and become more rough--sounding."said Zollinger.This could make them appear less attractive to female birds. Mark Constantine,author of The Sound Approach to Birding,said:"Birdsong is important for our quality of life and has been proved to reduce our blood pressure.When we live in the centre of large,urban areas,we get stressed and it's extremely good to have birdsong around us.The impact on humans of birdsong is massive.It harms us,as well as the birds,if their songs become louder and simpler. It requires greatest efforts for birds in cities to sing on _ . A. Monday nights B. Wednesday afternoons C. Saturday Evenings D. Friday mornings Answer: D. Friday mornings
A deer eats plants, which are producers, and they also Answer: create sugars Humans might be the most highly-evolved species on the planet, but most animals possess skills we can only dream of having. Imagine how much electricity we could save if we could see in the dark the way cats do. Imagine leaping from tree to tree like a monkey. Giraffes, which are otherwise calm and good-natured, sleep only 4.6 hours a day. We realized a long, long time ago that nature provides the best blueprint for invention. We've borrowed canals from beavers and reflectors from cat's eyes. Although the words "bionics" became popular only after the 1960s, history shows that nature has always provided ideas on solving everyday problems. Our archives don't go back to the time of Leonardo da Vinci and his bird-like flying machines, but we can take you to the late 19th century, where we applied those same principles for building our first practical airplanes. To prepare for their flight at Kitty Hawk, the Wright brothers studied the movements of pigeons to figure out how they stayed high up when they were heavier than air. Their success inspired scores of successors to improve on the airplane by studying various aspects of nature. One of Orville Wright's pupils caught and stuffed seagulls to examine their wingspan. Meanwhile, two French inventors examined spinning sycamore seeds in an effort to apply those same motions, reversed, to a helicopter . Some examples are more obvious than others. The outside of the airplane designed by the Wright brothers looks like a minimalistic structure. On the other hand, Barney Connett's fish submarine actually looks like a fish. Some bio-inspired concepts have yet to be invented. In the 1960s, the US Army commissioned several university professors to conduct research on the motor skills animals in hope of applying those same abilities to tanks. Tanks that run like horses or jump like grasshoppers -sounds shocking, doesn't it? But imagine how life would change if we could achieve that. Which of the following is true about the research carried out by the US Army? Answer: It has not succeeded yet. Clay Wanner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas a few years ago,to ask them what it would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously improved student learning. "I think half of them fell off their chairs, " Wanner says. Wanner manages school facilities for Clark County, Nevada,a district roughly the size of Massachusetts. By 2018,143,000 additional students will enter the already crowded public education system. Wanner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary school prototypes ;they plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings. Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County,which stands out for its vastness, such aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the realities of a desert climate. "One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation ," Mark McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. "You have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be really expensive to cool." Surprisingly, the man who is responsible for one of the most progressive green-design competitions has doubts about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. "I don't believe in the new green religion," Wanner says."Some of the building technologies that you get are impractical. I'm interested in those that work. "But he wouldn't mind if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power. "You never know what's going to start the interest of a child to study math and science,"he says. Which order of steps is followed in carrying out the project? Answer: Design--Prototype--Assessment--Construction. 2016 Exhibitions in the British Museum Sunken cities: Egypt's lost worlds 19 May-27 November 2016 Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery AdultsPS16.50, Members/under 16s free Sunken under the sea for over a thousand years, two lost cities of ancient Egypt were lately rediscovered. Their amazing discovery is transforming our understanding of the deep connections between the great ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece. Their story is told for the first time in this exhibition. Francis Towne's watercolours of Rome 21 January-14 August 2016 Room 90/ Open late Fridays Free, just drop in Come and experience 18th-century Rome through an astonishing series of watercolours not displayed together since 1805. Sicily: culture and conquest 21 April-14 September 2016 Room 35 Tickets: AdultsPS10, Members/under 16s free This exhibition tells Sicily's fascinating stories-from the arrival of the Greeks and other settlers, to the extraordinary period of enlightenment under Norman rule in the 11thto 13thcenturies. Early British exploration of the classical world 14 March-27 July 2016 Room 90a/ Open late Fridays Free, just drop in This small display features a remarkable selection of drawings by British explorers and architects, who discovered and documented some of Sicily's best surviving classical sculpture and architecture. What art works are housed in Room 90a? Answer: Drawings. A year ago August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria , but work for Dave was scarce (,), and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift--$7,000,a legacy from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident . " It really made a difference when we were going under financially, " says Dave. But the Fusses weren't the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches' generosity. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars ; in others, it was more than $100,000. It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million--they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm . Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving, They thrived on comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase . Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camp when their parents couldn't afford it. "Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything," says their friend Sand Van Weelden, "They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them. Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed (;). It was the Hatches' wish that their legacy--a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come. Neighbors helping neighbors ----that was Ish and Arlene Hatch's story. According go the text, the Fusses _ . Answer: were in financial difficulty
DNA is a substance that makes up genes. Everything alive has genes. Plants have genes. Animals have genes. You have genes. Genes are the basic units of heredity . Heredity means all the characteristics you inherit from your parents. You get your genes from your parents. You inherit half of your genes from your mother. You inherit half of your genes from your father. Genes are a kind of code. A tree's genes tell what shape its leaves will be. A cat's genes tell what color1 its fur will be. Your genes tell what color1 your eyes will be. Your genes tell what color1 your hair will be. Everything about you comes from the code in your genes. Genes line up on strands called chromosomes in cells. Everything alive is made up of cells. Chromosomes are in the center, or nucleus, of cells. An Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel first saw inherited patterns in pea plants. He experimented with pea plants in the 1860s. One of the things, or traits , Mendel studied was what makes some pea plants tall and some short. He said that the traits must come from units of heredity passed from the parent plants. These units were called genes. In the mid-1900s, scientists discovered that genes are made of DNA. In the 1970s, scientists learned how to change DNA with genetic engineering. Scientists also learned that problems with certain genes cause diseases. Muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and hemophilia are some genetic diseases--diseases caused by problems in genes. Today, scientists are looking for ways to cure genetic diseases by _ genes through a process called gene therapy. Which is the correct from large to small? A. genes---chromosomes---cells B. cells---chromosomes---genes C. chromosomes---cells---genes D. cells---genes---chromosomes Answer: B The "melting pot" in American cuisine(. ) is a myth, not terribly unlike the idea of a melting pot of American culture, notes chef Dan Barber. "Most cultures don't think about their cuisine in such monolithic terms," he says. "French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each consist of dozens of distinct regional foods. And I think 'American' cuisine is moving in the same direction, becoming more localized, not globalized. " American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans don't have to rely on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature beans alongside wheat. "That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate those crops in to the culture," says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French. So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. "If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture," says Barber. "The protein-centric dinner plate, whether you're talking about a boneless chicken breast, or a 16-ounce steak, as an everyday expectation is something that America really created, and now exports to the rest of the world." Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to deal with both hunger and overweight issues globally. "The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us." What has made American cuisine different from other cuisines according to the article? A. Relying on rotating crops B. The difficulty of planting crops C. The US' melting pot culture D. The US' agricultural wealth Answer: D What can cause a process that has a negative effect on the environment? A. pulleys B. sharks C. tillage D. ice Answer: C Due to weathering A. large submarines are built B. new bikes are raced C. holes in the pathway D. 2nd story houses are built Answer: C When I was a boy I always wanted to be a cowboy. I remember my Mom worrying about me getting sick from the heat in the summer, because I wore a thick blue sweater all the time. No respectable cowboy, however, would wear short sleeves so I sweated while I played. One day my parents gave me a bb gun. It looked just like a gun that all the cowboys used in the movies. I spent hours each day during those summer months shooting at stumps and pretending to be John Wayne (film actor who played tough heroes). As I was coming into the house one afternoon, though, I tried it one time too many. The gun that I thought was empty let out a soft pop and a bullet flew across the room and parted the hair of my Dad who was asleep on the couch. My Dad took one look at the bb hole a half inch above his head, walked over to me, took my gun, walked outside, and calmly broke it in half. I didn't cry too much over this. I knew how close I had come to hurting my Dad with my stupidity. I didn't expect to ever get another bb gun either. That is why I was so surprised when my Dad bought me another one the next year. I guess he thought I had wised up enough to know how to use it this time. I never put a single bb in the new gun, but in my imagination John Wayne rode again. I eventually outgrew my cowboy stage, but I never did outgrow my appreciation for my Father's forgiveness. He showed me that even when I messed up in the worse way I was still loved. He gave me another chance and let me know that I was forgiven whether I deserved it or not. He shared with me some of the unconditional love and forgiveness. May we always embrace and share that love and forgiveness as well. What might be the most suitable title for the passage? A. A New BB Gun B. A Father's forgiveness C. A Cowboy's Experience D. The Mistake of a Naughty Boy Answer: B

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.