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Japanese workers who run secretly out of the office and spend their afternoons hanging around coffee shops may soon be caught out by their bosses. A new cellphonebased tracking device from Hitachi can show, on an employer's computer screen, not only the whereabouts of their workers but also whether they are standing, walking, running--or have fallen over. The system, called Partout, was originally developed as a monitoring device for the families of people with dementia, who may wander off and need to be located. "It's estimated that the number of elderly people with symptoms of dementia will reach 1.5 million in Japan next year," says Hitachi's Keisaku Shibatani. But the high cost of the system--early prices are around PS27,000--has put it out of reach of most families. Indeed, companies with large sales forces and police departments who want to track officers on dangerous patrol duties are interested in the system. Partout uses a multifunction location sensing unit that tracks users through global positioning satellites. The user's body motion is determined by an accelerometer inside the sensing unit: no movement means the subject has stopped, slow movement means they are walking, fast movement means they are running, and strong and unexpectedly sudden movement means the user may have fallen. The date is relayed through the user's cell phone to computer, which displays their position on a map. Graphics record the motion or position of the subject's body. Why was the system Partout first developed? A Because the families of people with dementia can afford it. B Because police departments want to track officers on dangerous patrol duties. C Because companies with large sales forces are interested in the system. D Because there are many elderly people with symptoms of dementia. Answer: D. Because there are many elderly people with symptoms of dementia. I'm Dale.I'm a green and yellow pencil ease.What's this? Oh, it's Helen, a pen.And that's Frank, a ruler.Helen is black and Frank is blue.What's this in English? It's a jacket, a white jacket.Its name is Alice.What color is the key? Oh, it's black. ,. Dale is a _ . A pen B pencil ease C ruler D jacket Answer: B. pencil ease June 5 is World Environment Day. This makes us pay more attention to our environment and the need to protect it. When Wang Boxuan, a Beijing high schoolboy, uses up his exercise books, he does not throw them away. Each one is stored at his school with hundreds of exercise books given by other students. Then they are sold to a Beijing paper making factory. The paper is recycled and used again by students and teachers in the school. At the same time, the money made from the sales goes towards schools in Inner Mongolia for planting trees and grass. This place is one of the sources of the sandstorms that often attack Beijing during springtime. Wang's school is one of the schools in the capital that take part in the "Green Promise" --environmental protection activity. So far, nearly 210,000 students have taken part in the activity, collecting more than 87 tons of waste paper. Students are eager to help make the capital a more pleasant place. What do Wang Boxuan and his schoolmates do with the waste exercise books? A Throw them away. B Store and sell them. C Cut them into pieces. D Give them to the students in Inner Mongolia. Answer: B. Store and sell them. While the history of technology can be traced along many lines, one of the most amazing development is that of photo technology, the technology of light.From the prehistoric invention of fire to laser beams and fiber optics , light has "continually occupied the minds of inventors".Their inventions fall into two groups: the use of light to help us see better and more interestingly, the use of light for purposes of communication. The use of light for communicating is one of the major directions that technology has taken ever since the middle of the nineteenth century.From still photography to motion pictures to television (with a development from black - and - white to color1 imagery in each), photo technology has had a great effect upon mass communication and mass education.Unlike the printed words, visual images have more impact because they are more immediate.They copy reality in a way that the printed words cannot.Unlike letter shapes, they are not abstract; unlike words, they require no symbolic interpretation by the mind.Combined with the widespread and uniform spreading of such images, photo technology affects the thinking of vast audiences and shapes their view of reality. Millions of Americans are affected by the commercially - inspired electronic manipulation of artificial images.We call it "entertainment" and can't wait to get more. As the number of commercially available television channels grows, the viewer's freedom of choice increases, but so does the burden of that choice.Increasingly he is faced with a sea of in formation and is asked to make quick choices. More significantly, the ease and rapidity of mass communication has created a supply of information greater than it can readily be absorbed.Flooded in the sea of information, the individual struggles to swim through it. Why do visual images differ from the printed words? Because they _ . A have much deeper meanings B enable the viewer to use his imagination fully C fail to produce a beneficial effect upon youngsters D have a greater immediate influence upon the viewer Answer: D. have a greater immediate influence upon the viewer My name is Jack.Here are four of my favorite photos.Let me tell you something about them. In the first photo, I'm running.I like sports and I want to be a running star. I like spring and winter best.So I have two photos of them.Look at the second photo.I am flying kites with my friends in the park. There are all kinds of kites there.We are very happy.In the third photo,I'm playing snow fight with my friends.And some friends are making snowmen.We are playing happily. In the last photo.I'm doing my homework. Who's that girl? Oh.she is my sister and she is helping me with my homework.My sister is good at her subjects.In the evening,we usually do our homework and watch TV. ,. _ help(s) him with his homework. A Jack' s friends B Jack C Jack's sister D Jack's parents Answer: C. Jack's sister
An old woman diverted ( ) attention from the book when I was sitting in my car. She walked slowly towards my parked car with a large shoulder bag. She stopped and put a hand out to rest against the car. She gently closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Was there a way I could do anything to help her? But I wondered if the lady noticed me sitting inside the car, she would feel embarrassed and walk away. I stilled my body while my mind searched for answers. I turned my head towards my driver, wanting him to ask the lady if we could give her a ride. Because of my head movement, she noticed me and moved her hand away from the car. Her calm expression changed to a cautious one. I grabbed the water bottle next to me, smile, gently opened the door and offered the bottle to her. She looked at me hesitatingly, shook her head with downcast eyes and walked away. I was so annoyed with myself. I should have been more careful not to move. However, she was back I opened the door and patted the seat next to me. She sat down, opened her bag and offered me a banana. I took it and offered her the water bottle again. She took it. I ate, she drank and we smiled. She rested for a couple of minutes. Those minutes brought such tranquility to me. She took my head in both her hands and kissed my forehead, and then she left. I was trying to help someone in distress(,). In turn, I became distressed and she took away my distress and replace it with tranquility. The old woman came back to _ . accept and thank the author's kindness The world is not coming to an end on December 21st, 2012, the US space agency announced to dispel widespread rumors fueled by the Internet and a new Hollywood movie. The latest big screen 2012 was based on stories according to the Mayan calendar.It showed that by the end of 2012, a Planet X will collide with the earth. Some websites accuse NASA of hiding the truth on the planet's existence, but the US space agency considered such stories as tricks."There is no basis in fact for these claims," NASA said in its website."If such a collision were real, scientists would have been tracking it for at least the last decade, and we would see _ with our eyes now.Obviously, it doesn't exist and there will be no threat to the earth in 2012," it insisted."After all, our planet has been getting along just well for more than four billion years," added NASA. There is another planet, Eris, floating in space.But the small planet will remain safely fixed in the outer solar system and it can come no closer than four billion miles to the earth, according to NASA. And even if the planets were to line up as some have forecast, the effect on our plant would be very little."And while comets and asteroids have always hit the earth, big hits are very rare," NASA noted.The last major collision was believed to be 65 million years ago, resulting the end of dinosaurs . "We are sure that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs," the space agency said. What played a key role in the spread of the rumors? The Internet and the film 2012. Dear Mr.Watson, CLAIM AL54323432--STORM DAMAGE TO ROOF I received a cheque for $623 dated 26 January in payment of my recent claim .However, I wish to tell you how upset I have been by the way your Claims Assessor, Mr.Michael Tan, handled this claim. When Mr.Tan first called me, he specifically told me that he believed I had been overcharged, and he would expect to pay that price for work on a double garage, rather than a single garage like mine.Mr.Tan suggested that I neither use nor recommend _ again.He continued to tell me it was unlikely for me to receive full payment.Never during this conversation did he mention that the reason for not receiving full payment was because of the nature of my insurance policy. Consequently, I wrote to Mr.Lance Ashe to complain about his pricing, stating that I was very upset thinking that he could have taken advantage by overcharging a 73-year-old woman.Mr.Ashe telephoned me immediately and explained his charges in detail.He later reported back to me that Mr.Tan explained that I would not receive full payment because of the type of policy I hold, which does not cover wear and tear.This was the first time this issue had been brought to my attention, so you can imagine my surprise. When I received Mr.Tan's letter of 2 February, this situation was explained.If this had been explained in the first place I would have accepted it and would not have questioned Mr.Ashe's charges.Instead, by telling me initially that I had been overcharged for this work, he caused a great deal of upset, not only for me but also for Mr.Ashe. I believed this claim was handled badly by Mr.Tan from the beginning.Therefore, a great deal of embarrassment has been caused over this issue. I felt you should know how disappointed and upset I am.I trust you will look into this and ensure that such claims are handled more appropriately in the future. Yours sincerely, Mrs.Richard The author could not receive full payment because _ . her policy doesn't cover some of the items After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches on their cars, Japan's Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing---a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days. The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin that is able to heal minor marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris or even on-purpose destruction. The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works. Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they're gone, there is no trace that they were ever there. The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period. Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents. But the complete auto-healing won't come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $ 100 U.S. to the price of a car. It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its X - Trail SUVs in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven't been made yet, if it's a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores, as well. What can be inferred from the article? The paint might work better in summer than in winter. Have you ever had a doctor write you a prescription for three laps around a local trail ? How about a prescription for sit-ups? These treatments may not be as typical as the drugs that are usually used to treat our problems, but maybe they should be: a new report shows that regular exercise can be just as effective as prescription drugs for patients with depression and anxiety. "Individuals who exercise report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lower levels of stress and anger, " said the paper's co-author, Jasper Smith, director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University. " Exercise may help patients with depression re-establish positive behaviors. For patients with anxiety disorders, exercise reduces their fears of fear and related bodily sensations such as a racing heart and rapid breathing." In a separate study, published in Physical Therapy journal, scientists studied 161 women who' d recently given birth to babies, and decided them into two groups. New mothers tend to develop post-partum depression , and the scientists wanted to find out whether exercise could prevent such problems. One group of women was given specialized exercises as part of an eight-week parenting education program, while the other was given only written education. The physical element seemed to do the trick; the researchers report that the number of women identified as "at risk" for post-partum depression was reduced by half in the exercising group. Another recent study shows that even when a patient has a chronic illness like cancer or a heart condition, regular exercise can dramatically increase wellbeing by reducing anxiety. Researchers from University of Georgia analyzed 40 clinical trials involving almost 3,000 patients, and found that the patients who reported exercising regularly had a 20% reduction in symptoms of anxiety compared to those who didn't exercise. As a result, they were more likely to follow their recommended treatment plan. Of course, there are still some situations where prescription drugs are necessary, and we recommend you leave it to your doctor to determine when that may be. But in many cases, the best medicine may simply be to get up off the couch and go for a walk. Why does the writer mention another two studies? To prove the theory: regular exercise can reduce people's depression and anxiety.
One of the most famous writers from England by far is Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie's real name was Agatha Miller. She was born in England in 1890.She married Archibald Christie when she was 24 years old, and she changed her family name to Christie. She sold her first mystery book in 1920. This book was the first time that the world met Mrs.Christie's famous detective Hercule Poirot. Ten years after that, Mrs. Christie wrote her book with her second famous detective, Miss Marple. In 1928, Mrs. Christie's first marriage broke up. She married M.E.L. Mallowan in 1930, but she still wrote her books under the name Agatha Christie. In her life, Agatha Christie wrote 60 books, 16 plays, and more than 100 short stories. She passed away in 1976 when she was 85 years old. Her books can still be found on sale in bookstores all around the world. What happened in 1976? Scores on a national test released on November 1 show that students in the U.S.A. have improved in math over the last two years, but mostly stayed the same in reading. This year, 422,000 fourth graders and 343,000 eighth graders took the exams between January and March. Students were asked to read grade-appropriate materials and answer questions for the reading test. For the math test, students answered questions about geometry, algebra, number properties, measurement and other topics. The U.S Department of Education released the scores in a report called The Nation's Report Card (NAEP). This year, students earned the highest scores ever recorded on the math exam, which has been given since 1990.Fourth graders scored an average of 241.That is a one-point increase from 2009and a 28-point increase from 1990. Eighth graders made similar progress. Then average score this year was 284,up one point from 2009 and 21 points from 1990. In reading, fourth graders scored an average of 221 points, the same average score since 2007.That score is four points above those from 1992, when the first reading test was given. Eighth graders scored an average of 265 points, up one point from 2009 and five points from 1992. Education experts say reading is a harder subject to improve in the classroom than math. While math is largely learned in classrooms, reading results depend on how much kids read outside of school and how much they read in other subjects, such as history and science. On the NAEP, math scores were the highest among students who have limited use of calculators during math lessons, compared with students who have unlimited use or no use. Reading scores were the highest among students who said they read for fun on their own time almost every day. According to the test, students in the U.S.A _ . Henderson Island is a coral island raised above the South Pacific Ocean, No people live on it. The island is 9. 6 km long and 5. 1 km wide. It has an area of 37, 3 square kilometers. It became a World Heritage Site in 1988 because of its bird life. All the four kinds of special land birds can only be seen on Henderson Island. There are also fifteen non-local seabirds. Other local things include nine kinds of plants, four kinds of land snails, and one butterfly. Although no people live on the island, archaeological evidence suggests that a small Polynesian group lived here between the 12th and 15th centuries until it disappeared. The reasons for its disappearance are unknown, but are probably related to the similar disappearance of the Polynesians on Pitcairn Island. Then Hendersonians would have depended on them for many of the basics of life. On January 29* 1606, Henderson Island was discovered by Portuguese sailor Pedro Fermandes, who named it San Joao Baptista. On January 17, 1819, the island was rediscovered by British Captain Henderson, who named it Henderson Island. On March 2* 1819* Captain Henry King, sailing on the Elizabeth, landed on the island to find the Union flag already flying. His crew scratched the name of their ship on a tree, and for some years the name of the island was Elizabeth or Henderson. In the early 1980's, American businessman Arthur expressed interest in buying Henderson Island, and establishing a small settlement with an airport, farm and large houses. But the British government refused it at last* after environmentalist groups persuaded them to protect the natural ecology and environment of the island which became a World Heritage Site later. What can you see if you walk on the Henderson Island today? In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, "No, thanks. I've got a good horse under me." The city planner decided to build an underground drainage system, but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city. An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced me the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12 feet. This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements, and the second stories into main floors, or _ the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building? That's where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews beneath the building's foundation. One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews. At Pullman's signal each man turned his jackscrew the same amount at the same time, thereby raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening. Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river. The author mentions the joke to show _ . People often say that an Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal. Most people in Britain live in houses rather than in flats, and many people own their homes. They can paint and change them in any way they like. In a crowded city everyone knows that he or she has _ space that is only for himself or herself and for invited friends. People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting on a beach or a train or in a library? If you are on the beach you may have spread your sands around you; on the train you may have put your coat or a small bag on the seat beside you; in a library you may have one corner or chair which is your own. Once I was traveling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us. The man sitting opposite me had his bag on the table. There was no space on my side of the table at all. I was made rather angry. Maybe he thought that he owned the whole table! I took some newspapers out of my bag and put them on his. When I did this he sat up straight at once, opening his eyes wide. I had invaded his space! A few minutes later, I took my newspapers off his bag in order to read them. He at once moved his bag to his side of the table. The writer put his newspapers on the man's bag in order to _ .
It was the beginning of the school year a few years ago and I had a little boy in my class who came from a non - English speaking home, He was very quiet and shy, I wasn't sure how much he understood during the school day and I was especially concerned that he just stood by himself at break time and did not play, If I tried to talk to him , he would turn away and tightly shut his eyes to hide from me. After a day or two of this, I decided to seek the help from one of my outgoing and friendly little girls, I called her over and she ran to me , ready to help. I immediately began a long speech about what I needed from her, I asked her if she would try to get him to play, and I started talking quickly about all these suggestions on how she could start communication with him , I explained she could do that , she could try this idea, she could try that idea, "Don't worry, I speak kid" And she ran off. I stood there all alone, silently watching her, It took less than a minute for the two new friends to urn off, hand in hand , happily joining a game of tag taking place all over the gym. I often think of that small moment, about what I learned and how important it is for all teachers to speak kid --- big kid, little kid and middle kid , I know my focus must be on teaching students how to think , how to approach problems ,and how to figure out solutions and teaching them never to let _ away , We must be ready to learn from our students because those "teachable moments "during the school days are for us , the teachers, as well as our kids. What can we learn from the passage? A Gold will shine everywhere B Children are more friendly than adults C Teachers' thoughts are different form students' D You learn something every day if you pay attention Answer: D There are many colors in nature. But do you know if a color has weight? I think you'll say "no". But I am afraid you are wrong. If you don't believe, you may do a small experiment. First, put two objects with the same weight into two boxes. Then cover the box. Third, wrap one box with a red piece of paper, the other with a white piece of paper. OK. Now hold the boxes with your hand one by one. It is certain that you will think the red one is a little heavier. Why do you think so? A scientist found that different colors have different weights in a man's mind. So he did many tests and at last he got the result. That is to say, every color has its own weight in our mind and their order is the same. The heaviest color is red, then blue, green, yellow and white. The scientist told us that colors also have smell. Can you smell the color? Of course not. Then why did the scientist say so? That is because every color stands for a kind of light with a certain wavelength . It reaches our brain through sense organs . According to this discovery, scientists say that people accept the colors they like, and refuse the colors they hate. So your body and mind will be healthy by using the colors you like. Or you'll be nervous or ill. For example, if you stay in a room with red windows, wallpapers and furniture for two hours, you'll feel you have been there for four hours. But if the room is blue, you'll feel you have been there for only an hour. Another example, if a person walks out of a red room and into a blue room, his temperature will fall. That means our body temperature will change with different colors. This passage is probably a _ . A book review B history textbook C travel magazine D science report Answer: D What is the basic unit of life? A atom B cell C element D nucleus Answer: B It is well known that the United States' population come from all over the world. The immigrants can learn the language, English, to keep this country united, but it is unnecessary to change their culture for an American way of life. I believe that recent immigrants should learn English in order to live in the country. They should learn the "public language". If they don't learn English, they won't be able to communicate and do what they want. For example, my mother's friend came to the United States from Ecuador three years ago. She doesn't speak English. One day, her daughter, Anita, couldn't breathe. Anita didn't know what was going on, but she told her mother to call an ambulance. When her mother called the hospital, she couldn't communicate. The operator couldn't understand what Anita's mother was saying. Fortunately, her mother's sister arrived and called the ambulance. The doctor told her sister that if she hadn't arrived at the hospital on time, Anita could have died. A pill had gotten stuck in her throat. Immigrants should learn English to speak with the public, but they can also keep their language at home. The children of immigrants should learn how to speak their parents' language. It is very important to communicate with our relatives and family. If we learn English only and forget our private "language", we won't be able to communicate with our parents. For example, Florence, my co-worker, speaks English only. Her mother didn't teach her Spanish (her mother's mother language). Now, Florence can't communicate with her grandparents or other relatives in Puerto Rico. She has lost her mother's mother language, tradition and culture. Immigrants have the freedom to keep their culture and values. Immigrants should know where they come from and what their family's culture is. In this way, they can transmit it to future generations. In conclusion, immigrants should learn English in order to communicate with the public and to keep the country united, but they shouldn't give up their own culture. If immigrants in the United States can't speak their parents' language, what trouble might they have? A They can't ask for help when they get lost in the United States. B They can't call police for help when they are in trouble in the United States. C They can't make themselves understood while in their original country. D They can't go shopping by themselves conveniently in the United States. Answer: C 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. What do we know about Sir Ludwig Guttmann from the passage? A He is an early organizer of the games for the able-bodied B He is welcomed by the British government C He is an injured soldier. D He is from England. Answer: B
No matter what he is doing,every human being gives body heat.The usual problem is how to _ it.But the designers of the Johnstown campus of the university of Pittsburg set themselves the opposite problem--how to collect body heat.They have designed a collection system which uses not only body heat but also the heat given off by such objects as light bulbs and refrigerators as well.The system works so well that no conventional fuel is needed to make the campus's six buildings comfortable. Some parts of most modern buildings--theatres and offices as well as classrooms-are more than heated by people and lights and sometimes must be air-conditioned even in the winter.The technique of saving and redistributing it is called "heat recovery".A few modern buildings recover heat,but the university's system is the first to recover heat from some buildings and reuse it in others. Along the way,Pitt has learned a great deal about some of its heat producers.The harder a student studies,the more heat his body gives off.Male students emit more heat than female students,and the larger a student,the more heat he produces.It is tempting to conclude that the hottest prospect for the Johnstown campus would be a hard-working,overweight male genius. According to the passage,the following statements are true EXCEPT_. the heat from human bodies,other heat-omitting objects is only used in cold winter Award-winning director Steven Spielberg will head up this year's Cannes Film Festival jury,the organizers announced Thursday,just days after he missed out on his third best-director Oscar. Spielberg,66,one of the most powerful and respected film-makers in Hollywood,said he was flattered by the appointment. "The memory of my first Cannes Film Festival,nearly 31 years ago with the debut of E.T.,is still one of the most vibrant memories of my career,he said in a statement."It is an honor and a privilege to preside over the jury of a festival that proves,again and again,that cinema is the language of the world," he added. Ever since E.T.screened at Cannes in l982, "I've often asked Steven to be jury president,but he's always been shooting a film,"said the festival's president,Gilles Jacob. The festival is one of the highlights in the international cinema calendar and this year runs between May l5 and May 26.Spielberg's works cuts across a wide range" between entertainments films and serious reflections on history,racism and the human condition",festival organizers said in the statement. Spielberg has directed more than 50 films in his five-decade career,including pop culture touchstones such as "Jaws,"E.T.," "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park." But it was not until he turned to darker subjects that he won his first Oscars.He won his first best director award in l994 for" Schindler's List" and his second best director Oscar in l 998 for "Saving Private Ryan." This year's "Lincoln "led the nominations ahead of Sunday's Oscar ceremony with l2 nods,but took home only two prizes.Ang Lee beat Spielberg to best director for "The Life of Pi". Because of his films,he's year-in year-out the equal of the very greatest Hollywood filmmakers. Steven Spielberg's works cover _ . all the above It is not clear who first fried potatoes in hot oil. However, it is widely agreed that French fries were prepared as early as the 1700s in Europe. Most people believe that it was the Belgians , instead of the French, who invented "French"fries. They think that French fries got this name from the cooking word "to french" --- to cut green beans into long thin strips . When Thomas Jefferson traveled to France, he enjoyed the deep-fried potatoes very much and brought them home with him. Ever since he served French fries to his guests at a Whitehouse dinner in 1802, the dish has become very popular in America. In the summer of 1853, an American Indian called George Crum worked as a cook at Moon Lake Lodge, a hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York. He was good at making French fries. One evening, a dinner guest found Crum's French fries too thick and sent them back to the kitchen. Crum then cut and fried some thinner French fries, but _ . This time, the cook got angry. So he decided to play a trick on the guest. He finally made fries that were too thin to eat with a fork. To his surprise, the guest loved the browned, paper-thin chips. The browned chips, then called Saratoga Chips, became one of the most popular dishes of the hotel. Soon they were being sold, first in local restaurants, then throughout New England. Which of the following would be the best title for the text? The History of French Fries Las Vegas cab driver Gerardo Gamboa thought someone must have left a bag of chocolates in the back seat of his vehicle,but it turned out to be $300,000 in cold hard cash. Now,Gamboa is winning honors for honesty after turning in the money he found Monday.The money was returned to an unidentified poker player working in a club.Yellow Checker Star Transportation named Gamboa its driver of the year and rewarded him with $l,000 and a dinner for two at a restaurant. A message left Wednesday to interview Gamboa at the cab company wasn't immediately returned. Gamboa told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he had another passenger by the time he began wondering what kind of chocolates were in the brown paper bag.He cast a glance inside the bag at a traffic light. "I told my passenger,'You are my witness on this,'"the 13-year taxi driver told the Las Vegas Sun,"and then immediately called my company." Gamboa took the six bunches of $100 bills to the company's main office,where Las Vegas police and the club officials returned it to the poker player. Gamboa saidthemangave him a $5 tip after a trip from the Cosmopolitan Resort to the Palms Place Tower,and Gamboa then drove to the Bellagio Resort,where a doorman helping a passenger into the car noticed the bag. It took several hours to check the identity of the owner and return the cash.He took Gamboa's information,but didn't leave a reward. "If he doesn't give me anything,that's OK,"Gamboa told the Sun."I'm not waiting for any kind of return.I just wanted to do the right thing,and I appreciate what the company did for me." Who proved the driver found $300.000? A passenger. A country that has limited resources would most likely focus on the development of technology that includes water treatment.
Girls can easily get sad. If your friend is feeling blue and calls you, what will you do? Here are some tips on how you can make her smile again. Listen to her. When people feel sad, they often have the feeling of needing to be heard. So, listen carefully to what she is saying and do nothing else. Your friend will surely thank you for being the shoulder she can cry on. Once you are done with listening, you can offer some advice or remain silent and let her feel everything and let it all out by crying. As a friend, you might think you should give her some advice. But if you have no idea about what to say, just remain silent and be there for her. In order to be able to help your friend in need, don't be sad for yourself. How can you help your friend when you are also feeling down? A hug can make a difference in the word. It makes you feel warm and special. A hug makes you feel safe. So give your friend a hug when she needs it the most. Spend more time with your friend who wants to be happy. Do things together like washing dishes, cleaning, or going out for fun. The more time you spend together, the stronger your friendship will become. Sometimes, it is much better that you avoid a crying friend in your life. But by doing so, you are also keeping your friend at a distance and will make her wonder if you are her true friend. If you are there when she needs you, your friendship will be much stronger. We can learn from the passage that _ . Giving a hug to a sad friend is very helpful. The state of a gas vaporized from a surface liquid under increased pressure and higher temperatures is part of how nature replenishes, purifies and recirculates water Body language is one of the most powerful means of communication, often even more powerful than spoken language. It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying. Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy! Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still! Posture . A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down, you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased. Face. When you lie, you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly, allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness, sadness, disgust and fear to come through. What can we infer from the passage? Body language can express more meanings than words do in communication. Last week,Bill Gates retired from full-time work at the world's biggest computer software company, Microsoft.He will remain chairman of the company he established with Paul Allen in nineteen seventy-five. Mister Gates leaves Microsoft at a time of change in the computing industry.Microsoft grew at a time when personal computers,or PCs,were replacing big mainframe computers as the main computing tools.He showed that huge profits could be made in software as PCs increasingly were found "on every desk and in every home." Early on,Microsoft understood the importance of the "network effect." That is, software is the kind of product that increases in value as more people buy and use it. Now,free Internet software threatens to replace PC-based software.Devices like "smart phones" connect people to the Internet.Google has become a 1eader in Internet Web searching and advertising.Microsoft has struggled to change with the new computer environment.Its efforts to sell music and its latest operating system,Vista,have not been big successes.And an attempt this year to buy Yahoo for over forty-seven billion dollars failed. In the last several years,Bill Gates has slowly given control of Microsoft to others.In two thousand,he gave the job of chief executive officer to Steve Ballmer, a friend of his since their years at Harvard University.Mister Ballmer has been with Microsoft since nineteen eighty.Still,it is hard to overestimate the influence of Bill Gates on computing.He developed the business model that put the Windows operating system on about ninety percent of the world's one billion PCs.Microsoft now has almost ninety thousand employees. At fifty--two years old,Bill Gates is currently the third richest man in the world.He is worth about fifty-eight billion dollars.He remains Microsoft's biggest shareholder. Mister Gates will now spend most of his time working at his charity organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.The foundation is the world's largest charity with over thirty-seven billion dollars.It provides money for health, education and other projects,mostly in developing countries. Microsoft grew at a time when_. Personal Computers were on every desk and in every home What if I took that big jump on my bike?What's the worst thing that could happen if I go out at midnight?Should try smoking?The teen years can play out like a choose-your-own-adventure novel. Teenagers must act on an endless parade of choices.Some choices.including smoking.Come with serious consequences.As a result, adolescents often find themselves trapped between their impulsive tendencies(-Just try it!)and their newfound ability to make well-informed and logical choices(-Wait, maybe that's not such a good idea!). So what makes the teenager's brain so complex? What drives adolescents-more than any other age group-to sometimes make rash or questionable decisions? If you have ever thought that the choices teenagers make are all about exploring and pushing limits, _ . Experts Experts believe that this tendency marks a necessary period in teen development.The process helps prepare teenagers to confront the world on their own. It is something all humans have evolved to experience-yes, teens everywhere go through this exploratory period.Nor is it unique to people:Even laboratory mice experience a similar stage during their development. For example,laboratory experiments show that young mice stay close by their mothers for safety. As mice grow.their behavior does too."When they reach puberty,they're like,'I'm gonna start checking out how this environment looks without my mom,...explains Beatriz Luna,of the University of Pittsburgh. As a developmental cognitive neuroscientist,Luna studies those changes that occur in the brain as children develop into adults.She and other researchers are showing how the teen experience can lead to powerful advantages later in life.Take mice again:Young mice that explore most tend to live longest----that is,unless a cat eats them,Luna adds. What does the writer want to tell us by taking mice for example? Mice also experience a period to explore the world.
Anais Nin was a famous writer. Nin was born French-Cuban but lived in the United States in her later years of life till she died. Nin's works had her relationships with authors,artists,and other figures as the main subject. Some of her writings were made into films. Nin was also a visiting lecturer in several colleges and promoted Women's Movement with her strong writings. Anais Nin was born in France in 1903. Her father was a Spanish artist and a composer living in Cuba where he met her mother, a French singer working in Cuba. As a child Nin was brought up in Spain. When her parents separated, Nin and her two brothers moved to New York with their mother. At the age of 16 Nin decided to give up studying and started to work as a dancer and model to reduce the financial burden on her mother so that her brothers could go on with their studies. In 1923 Nin got married to her husband,Hugh Parker Guiler in Cuba. In 1924 Nin and Hugh moved to Paris where Hugh continued with his banking career and Nin started writing. Nin wrote her first book in print,D. H. Lawrence:An Unprofessional Studyin 16 days. In 1939 Nin left Paris as it was a French government's request to its residents to leave Paris because of the coming war. Nin returned to New York with Hugh and sent her written books to Frances Steloff of the Gotham Book Mart in New York for safekeeping. In 1931 Nin wrote her bookHenry and June from the Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin. In 1936 Nin publishedHouse of Incestwhich was a 72-page fiction novel. Nin also appeared and was a part of various films. In 1973 Anais Nin was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Philadelphia College of Art. In 1974 Nin was elected to the United States National Institute of Arts and Letters. In 1977 Nin died in her Los Angeles home after battling with cancer for three years. Why did Nin and her husband move back to New York in 1939? A. Because they expected to enter the film industry. B. Because the couple wanted to stay away from the coming war. C. Because they intended to have her books published. D. Because they both meant to promote the sales of new books. Answer: B BBC Sports program Sunday. We are currently planning our Volunteer Program, which will ensure volunteers are trained and ready to go for 2012.Up to 70,000 volunteers will be needed to help put on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our program will aim to encourage a wide range of people to join in. We will provide the training to make sure our volunteers' skills are of the highest standard. London 2012 is an opportunity to inspire everyone to develop their interests and volunteer--in sport and also more widely within their community. Applications will open in the late 2011.We'll recruit volunteers from across the UK--from a range of communities and backgrounds. Our recruitment process will be open and fair. Our goal is to select applicants who meet our standards and who will bring passion, enthusiasm and energy to the Games. Previous volunteering experience is not necessary. We'll give each successful applicant a specific role, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the Games. There will be two kinds of Games volunteer--specialist and generalist. Specialist volunteers will have specific existing skills or qualifications that are needed for them to complete the role, for example, sport or medical training. Generalist volunteers will not need any special skills or qualifications and will receive full training. They might be given roles in areas such as event services, uniform distribution and village operations. All volunteers will be expected to attend training events that will give them the knowledge they need to carry out their role. There are lots of charities and sporting organizations that are looking for volunteers to help them. While you are waiting for applications for the London 2012 volunteer program to open in the late 2011, why not consider getting involved locally? You can find opportunities to volunteer in a range of activities in your local area by following the links on the right hand side of this page or make local enquiries about the needs in your community. Who can apply to become a volunteer in the 2012 Olympics? A. People from some English-speaking countries. B. People with volunteering experience. C. People who meet the standards. D. People with a knowledge of the Olympic history. Answer: C Anna Craig, 11, has a paper doll covered with stickers. Each sticker is labeled with a word such as creative, cheerful, smart or kind. "We choose stickers that best describe us and put them on our dolls," explains Anna. "All these words are what makes me beautiful!" The activity is part of a program called Beautiful Me. The Hance Family Foundation, which was created to honor three sisters killed in a car accident, offers the program for free to schools. The program's goals are to help girls and young women build healthy levels of self-esteem and develop skills for handling problems and relationships with others. Beautiful Me explains that self-esteem means how you feel about yourself and what you think your value is as a person. "Girls of all ages benefit from recognizing what makes each of us valuable and different," says Kate Tuffy, who helped create Beautiful Me. "Our goal is to offer the program to as many girls as possible across the United States." About 6,000 girls have benefited from it due to her efforts. Beautiful Me organizers train teachers to present the program material to small groups of girls. It includes hands-on art activities, role-playing games about understanding body language and discussions on how to build friendships. Schools and groups present the program when they are ready. "The Beautiful Me program helps girls understand their feelings, solve problems and get along better in and out of school. Girls and women who have built healthy levels of self-esteem are more likely to be better friends to others and know how to solve conflicts," says Tuffy. Anna says she has learned all of that from the program. But most importantly, she has learned to appreciate the special qualities in people and that it's important to feel good about yourself. "When you feel good about yourself," Anna says, "it is easy to make others feel good, too! For what purpose is the text written? A. To introduce a program on beauty. B. To praise girls like Anna Craig. C. To show several outdoor activities. D. To discuss if beauty lasts forever. Answer: A Who do you think are the most important people in your life, your parents, your sisters or your brothers, or your friends? I think your answer must be "my friends". Some teenagers often say their parents don't understand them. In large families, brothers and sisters often argue with each other. So most of us think friends are the most important people in our lives. It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. As for the reason, it may be because we can discuss some private things with friends. Of course we won't tell these thi ngs to our family members. However, parents often try to choose friends for us. They may even stop us from meeting some of our best friends. In fact, they do it just because they care for us too much. But they often neglect our real feeling. How can you solve this problem? I think the best way is to find a right time to talk with parents about our real feelings. Many teenagers think _ are the most important people in their lives. A. parents B. friends C. family members D. brothers and sisters Answer: B Catalin Baciu from Romania wanted to make money in Germany. So, he and his wife, Oltita went to Bucharest, the capital city of Romania to get legal papers to move to Germany. However, when they arrived, they were surprised by what they saw. "Hundreds of street children were living in a busy and dirty city of two and a half million people. Many of them were using drugs. They all seemed lost. Most of them were under ten years old. Oltita had tears in her eyes," Catalin said. Many of these streets children were orphans . They had grown up in the government orphanages, but had run away. They thought any place would be better than the orphanages. But the streets were cold and hard. The winters were freezing. The children had to sleep in warm sewers under the ground. Many of the children even became involved with crime and violence . The Baciu's did not like the sight of so many pitiful children in Bucharest. They wanted to leave immediately and go to Germany. However, that night, Catalin and Oltita stayed with a friend in Buchares. "The friend we were staying with was working with street children. I was deeply touched by what he and his fellows were trying to do...they were sacrificing their jobs and lives to save street children, " Catalin said. After that visit, the Baciu's completely changed their life plan. Instead of moving to Germany, they began working with street children in Bucharest. They started by opening a home called House of Hope, which provided a warm and loving place for children who needed to get away from the streets. Many hospitals and business workers called House of Hope when they found troubled kids. Everyone knew the House of Hope would help. Which of the following can best describe the couple's friend? A. Kind-hearted. B. Short-sighted. C. Hard-working. D. Self-confident. Answer: A
There is some unwelcome news for students preparing for exams and officers putting in long hours-----you don't need the break as much as you may think that makes you feel less tired. Scientists have long assumed that willpower is a limited resource, which is why you feel the need to have a rest, have a snack and come back to a task when you're feeling better. They argued that the only way to restore willpower was by rest, food or entertainment. But psychologists have challenged this theory, saying weak willpower is all in your head. They found that people's beliefs in willpower determine how long and how well they'll be able to work on a tough mental exercise. "If you think of willpower as something that's limited, you're more likely to be tired when you perform a difficult task," said Prof.Veronika Job. "'But if you think of willpower as something that is not easily used up, you can go on and on." The researchers designed four experiments to test students'-beliefs in willpower. After a tiring task, those, who believed or were led to believe that willpower is a limited resource, performed worse on standard concentration tests than those who thought of willpower as something they had more control over. They also found that leading up to final exam week, students who believed the limited resource theory ate junk food 24 percent more often than those who believed they had more control in resisting temptation . Mr. Job said. "The theory that willpower is a limited resource is interesting, but it has had unintended consequences. Students who may already have trouble studying are being told that their power of concentration is limited, and they need to take frequent breaks. But a belief in willpower as a non-limited resource makes people stronger in their ability to work through challenges.'" The findings could help people who are" battling temptation. Willpower isn't driven by a biologically based process as much as we used to think. The belief in it is what influences your behavior. Which of the following best helps the students to prepare better for their exams? Everyone agrees that all the creatures want happiness and are afraid of pain and grief. The question, however, is "What is real happiness?" The desire for happiness has no meaning without understanding the real nature of happiness. Generally, ordinary beings consider sensual pleasures as happiness, and their actions are directed toward gaining these. According to them, searching for happiness means searching for pleasures of the senses. The question, "What is happiness?", does not arise in their hearts, because in their hearts they think of a life full of sensual joys as a happy life. Some thinkers say, "Happiness does not lie in the objects of enjoyment; happiness or unhappiness lies in the imagination." To prove their belief they give examples like the following one. A man has a two-storey house. When he thinks of those who have a house with three storeys or more, he feels unhappy. When he thinks of those who have just a _ , he feels happy. Such happiness does not lie in possessions , but in the imagination. They advise people to take inspiration from those who have few possessions but are quite happy. If you only consider people wealthier than yourself, you will always be unhappy. If you want to be happy, they say, look at the poor. But it is unreasonable to hold that happiness lies in the imagination. And it is inappropriate to think that someone is happy if he only imagines himself better than the poor and the unhappy. This attitude also satisfies the sense of pride of possession. This can never be called happiness. Unless we find out where happiness lies, we cannot really become happy. Some ask people to do this or that, and say, "This way your desires will be satisfied. That way you will get what you want and become happy." People holding these views regard happiness as satisfaction of desires and unhappiness as denial of such satisfaction. The best title for this passage would be " _ ". Saturday was going to be a special day for Sara. It was her birthday. No one had mentioned her birthday so far, and it was already Wednesday. " _ ", Sara thought to herself. Sara went to school and told her friend, Jenny, that Saturday was her birthday. "I know," said Jenny. "Lynn told all the girls about your birthday." "Wow, I didn't realize everyone knew," said Sara. Saturday finally came and Sara got up early. "Good morning, Sara," said Mum. "Hi," said Sara. She looked around, but didn't see anyone _ her birthday. "What are you doing today?" asked Mum. "Just stay at home," said Sara, feeling a bit sad. She didn't want to tell Mum it was her birthday. "Why don't you come with me to the Recreation Centre?" asked Mum. "What will I do there?" asked Sara. Mum said they needed help with a community project. That afternoon Sara and her mum went to the Recreation Centre. When they opened the door, people shouted, "SURPRISE!" Sara couldn't believe it. There were friends from school and her family. She saw Uncle Rick, Aunt Claire, and many cousins along with Grandma Joan. The walls were decorated with colourful balloons. There was a big cake sitting on the table along with many presents. A small band played the songs Sara and her friends liked to dance to. Sara was called to cut the first piece of her birthday cake. She felt so special. "This is the best birthday I've ever had!" said Sara. "Thank you to everyone." Sara had her birthday party at _ . There's always a lot to do to get the kids ready to go back to school, let alone trying to get them excited about the idea. To help your kids get ready, save a few dollars in the process and have some fun with them in the dying days of summer, try a few of these fun filled activities. ********************************************************************************* UP-CYCLING Every student needs school supplies. But a lot of what they need is already littering around your house. If you don't have reusable school supplies at home, you might have the materials to make them. Try up-cycling with your kids and change old or useless products into new ones. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Sew blue jeans into pencil cases. Turn shoeboxes into arts storage boxes. Use an old belt as a books belt. Wrap book covers in old posters. Up-cycling is a great way to develop artistic talent and creative thinking in your children. ********************************************************************************* PLAN TO PACK AHEAD Most teachers and schools reward green behavior among students. To help your kids stay green, be sure to have these items on hand so you can pack them litter-less lunches. Here's what you need: Reusable lunch containers. A firm lunchbox and thermos . Reusable napkins . ****************************************************************************** MAP IT OUT Across the country, kids are thinking about how they'll get to school. Do I walk? Do I bike? Either way, avoid driving them if at all possible. Kids need to stay active and want to connect with other local kids on the way to school. Help your children map out their route or get them involved with a local walking school bus. A walking school bus is groups of children walking to school with one or more adults. ******************************************************************************* We hope these activities will help you and your kids get ready for the new school year, and that you'll have some fun in the process. Last but not least, some activities may require encouragements ... may we suggest some organic chocolate ice cream. The passage is most probably intended for _ . Perhaps the most extraordinary building put up in the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of goods were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, traveling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it was burnt down in 1936. People from many countries came to the Crystal Palace mainly to _ .
Bullied kids face a high risk of mental health problems as teens and as young adults. Indeed, kids troubled by bullying may be worse off than those who had suffered physical abuse or neglect, as the study found. Until recently, most studies of child victims focused not on bullying but on maltreatment , Dieter Wolke says. Maltreatment includes physical or emotional abuse, neglect or other behaviors that can harm a child. Wolke's team wanted to better understand bullying's long-term effects compared to those due to maltreatment. They focused on 4,026 children in the United Kingdom and 1,420 more in the United States. Information about bullying and maltreatment was collected for American children to age 13. They collected the same information for British youth up to age 16. The researchers also gathered data on each individiial's mental health as a young adult. Among the Americans, 36 percent of bullied kids had mental problems later. Those problems included anxiety, which is a state of excessive worry. They also included depression. That is a feeling of hopelessness that can last a long time. Among kids who had been maltreated by adults, 17 percent later suffered mental health problems. That was less than half the rate seen in people who had been bullied as school kids. In the U.K. group, the difference was less dramatic. Roughly 25 percent of the bullied kids reported mental health problems later, compared with about 17 percent who had been maltreated. But however you look at it, the findings are disturbing. And that's why Wolke says schools,health services and other agencies must work together to end bullying. Studies like this are important, says C.orinna Jenkins Tucker. They bring attention to the lasting impacts of bullying. Tucker does, however, question the value of comparing bullying to other types of abuse. Such an approach can make it seem like one type of bad experience is worse than the other, she says. In fact, both types have short-term and long-term effects on health. She'd like to see researchers study the big picture. They should try to understand how all ofthese negative experiences together shape children--and sometimes harm them. The purpose ofthe author's writing this passage is to_. A advertise B inform C Compare D Entertain Answer: B The United Nations is warning that the world is not prepared to deal with the fast growth of cities. The World Economic and Social Survey 2013 calls for new ways to meet the needs of city populations. More than 6.5 billion people are expected to be living in cities by 2050. Most new city dwellers will be in developing countries. The United Nations says the effect on limited resources in many countries will be huge. The World Economic and Social Survey points to the increasing demand for energy, water, sanitation, public services, education and health care. The world population is expected to rise to more than nine billion by 2050, two-thirds of all people are expected to live in cities. The United Nations says about 80 percent of this growing urban population will be found in Africa and Asia. The report says sustainable development of urban areas requires coordination and investments to deal with important issues, these include land-use, food security, job creation and transportation. Willem Van Der Geest is with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, he says cities need to work closely with rural communities, so that food supplies can be secured, and the environment can be protected. "We need enough integration(,) with cities... An integration between the rural and urban economies is absolutely vital for issues of nutrition, food security, and environmental sustainability." The report says development in a sustainable way is important to end poverty. The report also examines the problem of food insecurity, which affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. One in eight people still severely lack nutrition. UN officials say some things are clear. The Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Shamshad Akhtar, says world food production will have to increase by 70%, that increase will be needed to feed the additional 2.3 billion people expected on the planet by the middle of the century. She says an important part of meeting that need is to waste less food. "There has to be efforts to reduce food wastage. ." Food and nutrition security are core elements of the sustainable development agenda. What is the best titile of the passage? A The World Economic and Social Survey 2013. B City Population Will Increase to 9 Billion. C Cities Need to Cooperate with Rural Areas. D The World Is Not Prepared to Deal with the Fast Growth of Cities. Answer: D "We leave at dawn and head out overland by jeep towards Base One. We will get as far as we can before proceeding on foot," Mark explained. The others sat and listened. Sarah, particularly, as a "casualty of events", wouldn't have known what to say or suggest even if she'd been asked. But Harry had a lot to say. "We'll never make it," he protested . "We'll still be crossing the desert when they catch up with us. They'll know where we're heading for and they seem to know every move we make or are going to make." Mark said nothing, but spread his hands out as if to say "Well, what do we do then?" "We wouldn't be in this mess now," Harry went on, almost ignoring Mark's gesture, "if we hadn't stopped to rescue Sarah."( He glanced at her briefly.) "But since we did, we must get on--but not across the desert. There is the sand, and deep ravines which are almost invisible until you're right on them and then the heat. You have to be used to going out there, and none of us is. This is no 'morning at leisure' on some pleasant holiday, you know! If we went north instead and made for the river,..." He broke off and looked around at the others, feeling somehow that his argument was pointless. No one said anything. "Good," said Mark, look around with authority, and returned to checking their stores. A beautiful sunrise was about to burst over the horizon as the jeep headed out towards Base One. What's Mark's plan? A To drive across the desert. B To make for the river on foot. C To drive as far as possible and then walk. D To leave before dawn and leave Sarah behind. Answer: C A petition on change.org with some 75000 signatures is asking a Florida school district to change the name of a high school that is named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a founding member of the original Ku Klux Klan. The KKK was a secret American political organization of white men who opposed people of other races or religions. According to Marsha Oliver chief of communications for the Duval County School District, it doesn't matter how many people sign the petition because the process for changing a school's name is community-based and the final decision is up to the school board . The school board was asked by the School Advisory Council in April 2007 to change the name but the board voted 5-2 against it. Its membership has changed since then. The school was named after Forrest when it opened with white students only in 1959, a name suggestion that came from an organization called Daughters of the Confederacy. Now, more than half of the school's students are African-American. The change.org petition was drawn up by a man named Omotaya Richamond, who wrote the following to explain his action: I moved to Jacksonville from Long Island 12 years ago. Since then, I have put down roots here. I have helped raise a beautiful daughter here. This place is my home now. Jacksonville is home to Nathan Bedford Forrest High School, named in honor of a founding member of the original Ku Klux Klan. I don't want my daughter, or any student, going to a school with such a name. Five years ago, the school board voted 5-2 to keep the name. But a lot has changed in five years. All five members who voted for Nathan Bedford Forrest High School have been replaced. There is a new school superintendent who publicly stated that he would support a push from our community to change the name. Now is the time to correct a historical wrong. African-American Jacksnville students shouldn't have to attend a high school named for someone who killed and terrorize their ancestors one more school year. Please support changing the name today. What can we learn about Nathan Bedford Forrest High School? A It is located in Long Island B Most of its students are white now. C Its name was changed in 1959 and 2007. D The Daughters of the Confederacy chose its name Answer: D Do you know Shirley Temple? She is an American film and television actress. She was born on April 23, 1928. She is also good at singing and dancing. She becomes a child star in the 1930s. What does she look like? She has a round face with big eyes. Lost of people like her curly blonde hair very much. She is lovely and smart. At the age of 6, she makes her first film. Before she is 12, she plays over 40 films. She is also the first Award Oscar in the history of children. Her mother has no job and her father works in a bank. When she is very young, her mother asks her to learn to sing, dance and act. In September 1931, her mother takes her to Meglin's Dance School in Los Angeles. Shirley Temple passes away on February 10, 2014. President Franklin D. Roosevelt says, "It is a great thing that for just fifteen cents, you can go to the movies and look at the nice face of a girl and forget your problems." We can learn that Shirley Temple _ . A can sing and draw very well B becomes a star when she is very young C is the second Award Oscar in the history of children D goes to Meglin's Dance School in Los Angeles in 1930 Answer: B
A recent study concluded that about 90% of all large predatory fish such as tuna have disappeared from the world's oceans in the past 50 years. Which of these is most likely the direct cause of this loss? Answer: Commercial harvesting from the ocean World leaders from nearly 200 countries have signed an important historic agreement to fight global climate change. The agreement came after two weeks of talks between the leaders at the 21st Conference in Paris, France. As part of the Paris agreement, countries said they would cut down on pollution However, according to the terms of the deal, countries that don't do this will not be punished, or fined. Instead,the document is meant to show that governments around the world take climate change seriously and are willing to work together to fight global warming. World leaders have met many times to discuss climate change. But, the 21st Conference of Parties, or COP21, which began on November 30 in Paris, was the first time they agreed on a global, legal pact . Before the conference, each nation was asked to create plans on how to reach the shared goal. The pact that was signed allows countries to decide the best way to cut down their gas pollution. No matter how they decide to go green, each country must report honestly on all of their efforts. Every five years, nations must look at the work they've done and submit new plans on how they will improve over the next five years. In the pact, the countries pledge to limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity to the levels that trees,soil and oceans can absorb naturally. It urges countries to spend trillions of dollars on creating new energy sources, like solar and wind power. It also requires countries to raise at least $ 100 billion each year to help developing countries. However, critics of the pact say it is not detailed enough, and doesn't include specifics about how the plan will be enforced and how improvements will be measured. The pact does include one large, specific goal: how countries will aim to keep global temperatures from rising more than 3. 60degF(20degC) by 2100. Nonetheless,the agreement is considered by many world leaders to be a major victory. The U. N. has been working more than two decades to convince governments to work together to reduce man-made emissions. "History will remember this day," U. N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said. "The Paris agreement on climate change is a monumental success for the planet and its people." The pact is thought to be imperfect because _ . 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The wild things make Max their king, but he sails back to his own room where he finds his mother and his supper waiting for him. Which of the following is fit for 5-year-old Rose who is interested in pet stories? Answer: If You Give a Dog a Donut Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores , or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you've started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying, "Do your chores now", you'll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores,just say, "If chores are't done by 4 p.m, here are the consequences." Then it's up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don't argue or fight with them,just say, "That's the way it's going to be." It shouldn't be punitive as much as it should be persuasive. "If your chores aren't done by 4 p.m, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that's going to be your loss." On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your child says they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off. When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you're trying to talk to him, make no bones about it; he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don't try to communicate with him when he's wearing headphones--even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you're talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature . It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: parents shouldn't give in to their kid when he shows no sign of respect Tears are nature's way of making us feel more comfortable. When our eyes is made uncomfortable by some small pieces of pollution, or when we are cutting onions, or when we are exhausted and "red-eyes" from over work and late hours, tears form in our eyes to clean and refresh them. Tears are also a sign of strong emotion . We cry when we are sad and we cry when we are happy. And tears seem to be uniquely human. We know that animals also experience emotion fear, pleasure, loneliness, but they do not shed tears. Biologically speaking, tears are actually drops of saline fluid, which is a little bit salty, produced by a gland in the body. Because salt is an important component, tears may actually constitute the most conclusive evidence that the human animal is the end product of a long evolutionary process that began in the sea. And it is clear that, in addition to the emotional benefits, the shedding of tears has a specific biological function as well. Through tears, we can eliminate from our body certain chemicals which build up in response to stress and create a chemical imbalance in the body. Crying actually makes us feel better by correcting that imbalance and making us feel good again. And thus the emotional and the biological functions of tears merge into one and make us even more "human" than we would otherwise be. According to the article, which of the following is unique to humans? Answer: The ability to shed tears.
Which of the following best explains what will occur when a population grows larger than the carrying capacity of its environment? Answer: The death rate will increase. Life is like the four seasons. Now I am very old, but when I was young, it was the spring of my life. After I was born, I played a lot, and then I started school. I learned many new things. Like a flower, I grew bigger every day. There were happy days and _ ldays: some days the sun shone, and some days it didn't. In my twenties, I had a good job. I was strong and happy. Then I married and had a child. In those days, I didn't have much time to think. Every day I was busy and worked very hard. And so, I started to get some white hairs. The summer of my life passed quickly. Then the days got shorter. Leaves fell from the trees. My child was a university student, and then an engineer. My home was much quieter. I started walking more slowly. One day I stopped working. I had more time. I understood this was my autumn, a beautiful time when the trees change color and give us delicious fruits. But the days kept getting shorter and colder. Winter has come. I am older and weaker. I know I do not have many days left, but I will enjoy them to the end. According to the passage, which of the following ages is during the summer of his life? Answer: 33. For thousands of years, people have used plants to make medicines. They used different parts of the plants --the roots, the leaves, the flowers, and the bark . Today, doctors have rediscovered more medicinal values of some plants. Let's look at some examples. Foxglove is a common plant. People have used it to make the heart slow down. Recently scientists have developed another drug from it. This new drug helps prevent other heart problems. In some areas, _ has been a problem. Scientists have learned that the bark of a South American tree, the cinchona, can be made into a drug to prevent malaria. For a long time, the Chinese have known that a special plant, wormwood, can also fight malaria. Scientists have been working with it to develop new drugs against malaria. In Germany, some scientists studied garlic for four years. They found that it helps prevent the build-up of plaque because too much plaque is bad for health. This very common plant continues to be studied. As we know, there are about 250,000 kinds of flowering plants in the world. Scientists have only studied little more than one percent of plants for their medicinal value. Maybe medicines for AIDS and cancer will be made from the other 99 percent. What can foxglove be used for? Answer: Preventing heart problems. A mental professor walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired : "How heavy is this glass of water?" Different answers called out from the audience. She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "The stress and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed--incapable of doing anything." It's important to remember to let go of your stress. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down! Comments Aye Chan Aung---October 27, 2015 at 11:37 am Short but valuable! It has clearly taught me how to deal with stress. Nelson Malicdem--October 28, 2015 at 8:23 pm Wow! Thanks to the author and to the one who submitted this article. I am experiencing a challenge, as I read this it gives me peace. What exactly is in the article is what I am doing. My burden actually paralyzes me without my knowing it. I should put down the glass of water that I'm holding. Thank you so much! From what the professor says, we can know a small problem _ . Answer: can cause much stress Human beings have spread to every continent, sometimes driving other animal species to extinction in the process.It has become the most widely spread species on the planet, occupying mountains and valleys, deserts and jungles, shorelines and islands, yet always finding some good means of living in these widely differing environments. The total weight of all living members of the species is far heavier than that of any other animal, and the human population is now growing so rapidly that it will double within the next thirty-five years. What accounts for the success of our species? The answer, in a word, is culture. We create culture, but culture in turn creates us.We are consequently no longer the victims of the environment.We make our own social environment, inventing and sharing the rules and patterns of behaviour that shape our lives and we use our learned knowledge to make the natural environment more suitable to live in. Our shared culture is what makes social life possible. Without a culture transmitted from the past, each new generation would have to solve the most basic problems of human existence over again. It would have to think up a family system, to invent a language, to discover fire , to create the wheel, and so on. Culture frees us from relying on the slow and accidental process of physical evolution by offering us a new, purposive , efficient means of adapting to changing conditions. If we waited for natural selection to enable us to live at the North Pole, to fly to the moon, or to live under the sea , we would wait forever. Unlike other animals, we can self-consciously adapt to our environments and can adapt environments to meet our own needs. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: family systems belong to culture
Middle school students have far too much homework. They usually have to sit up three or four hours every night doing their homework. Now one school in my hometown has made a rule of limiting homework. The homework is limited to an hour a day and the students have no homework on the weekend. I think this is an excellent idea that will allow students to live better and healthier lives. Less homework will give students more time to enjoy other pastimes .I have many books which I received as gifts from my parents and friends. They have been kept there on my shelf for several years! Because of homework, I will have not read a single one of them. With less homework, students will be freer to develop their interests in art, music and other hobbies. More time free from homework will get our physical health better. Many students like sports, but they have little time to play football, basketball, volleyball and so on. They hardly have time to have a trip or take part in any social activities. They must spend so much time solving math problems and doing grammar exercises. Besides, staying up late to finish their homework leaves many students exhausted in the morning. Not getting enough sleep is not only unpleasant; it also makes students more likely to get colds and other illnesses. The author of the passage may be _ . Answer: a student On Saturdays, most people are busy shopping. Some of them go to the shops, and some go to the supermarkets. But in American, most shoppers enjoy shopping in the shopping malls. A mall is a group of many shops. There you can buy clothes, furniture, and everything you need. Shopping malls provide parking for your cars. Usually, the mall is under one roof so the shoppers do not get cold or wet from rain, wind, or snow. After shopping, you may get tired. You can walk into the sitting-room for a short rest. If you go into the dinning rooms in the malls, you can have a good meal. Now more and more Americans like to go shopping there. Most people like to do shopping _ . Answer: on weekends Exhausted and unhappy, you still have to squeeze a smile to your friends, or teachers. That's just life, you may think. But new research suggests that putting on a fake smile can worsen people's mood and even lower work efficiency. Lead researcher Brent Scott with other researchers studied a group of bus drivers for two weeks. They tried to find out what happened when the drivers were involved in "surface acting" or fake smiling, and the opposite, "deep acting" which means people put on real smiles by recalling pleasant memories or thinking about their current situation more positively. The results showed that on days when drivers were forced to smile, they felt depressed and didn't want to work. On days when they smiled due to positive thoughts, their mood improved a lot as well as their work efficiency. The research goes against the popular belief among companies that employees should be cheerful to customers at all times. They include employees of shops, banks, call center workers and others who have face-to-face contact with members of the public. "Smiling for the sake of smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion and coldness, and that's bad for the organization," Scott told the Daily Mail. The study also showed that women were harmed more by fake smiling than men. Their mood and work performance both worsened more. But they were helped more by deep acting -- their mood became better and they worked more efficiently. However, while deep acting seemed to improve mood in the short term, Scott says it's not a long-term solution for unhappiness. "There have been some suggestions that if you do this over a long period that you start to feel inauthentic ," Scott said. "You may be trying to cultivate positive emotions, but at the end of the day you may not feel like yourself anymore." We can conclude from the article that the researchers think that _ . Answer: people should be true to their feelings The name might sound like that of a superhero, but Pooperman's task is much more basic. He, or she, is trying to shame the irresponsible dog owners of Lincoln into cleaning up behind their pets. Pooperman sticks notes into dog waste that owners have failed to clean up, warning them not to do it again. The typed notes read, "Don't leave it. You might be the one who steps in it the next time you walk this way." While welcoming the purpose of the message, local government officers have _ Pooperman for producing even more rubbish. They say they would prefer it if people told them when there was a problem rather than adding to the rubbish problem. The city of Lincoln government's environmental officer, Tony Garner, said, "The public can help instead by observing dog owners to make sure they clean up after their pets, perhaps asking them to remove the waste if they try to leave it." "If this doesn't work we can take action -- people can tell us who the owner is, give us a description of the owner and the dog, or simply tell us when and where they allow their dog to produce the waste." "We can then focus our patrols and take action against irresponsible owners." Sue Grace, a dog owner from Birchwood, Lincs, said, "I always clean up after my dog. It's very irresponsible if you don't." "There's nothing worse than stepping in dog waste or dragging your long lead through it, but I don't know that putting notes on it is the answer." "It's good that the local government is fighting against dog waste, though it might take one or two prosecutions to make any difference." What does Pooperman try to do? Answer: To have irresponsible dog owners remove dog waste. It's a too long story -- 17 months to be exact -- with an ending that's short and sweet. Ruthie has, finally and happily, been reunited with her family. The story goes back to October, 2005. Ruthie, 8 months old, was sitting on the back seat of the family car when her owner walked hurriedly into a Long Island store. When Nancy Noel returned a few minutes later, Ruthie was nowhere in sight. Nancy Noel and her husband, Lincoln Werden, got in touch with Nassau County police, put up flyers around their Manhasset neighborhood. But no sightings of Ruthie were reported. Until last week, that is, someone sent Ruthie to a Manhattan shelter after finding her walking slowly around the Bronx -- 25 miles from where she was taken on that fateful October day. And then, shelter workers searched Ruthie for a possible microchip -- she had one fixed under her skin. It showed her family's name and address. Ruthie was immediately reunited with Nancy Noel and her daughter, Sara Werden. "We never thought we would see her again," said Sara Werden. "We were just amazed." She's no longer the tiny pup they last saw. In fact, Ruthie gained 10 pounds during her months away from home. She's on a diet now, and has already lost one and a half pounds. Ruthie also has a new friend to play with. The family had got another dog, named Holly, after losing the hope of ever finding their beloved Ruthie. Which of the following can be inferred according to the passage? Answer: Ruthie had enough food during the days when she was lost.
Plants may use leaves, especially waxy ones, in order to Answer: collect and hold on to dampness Driving to a friend's house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend's rooftops. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it was that most city people, myself included, usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors. My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life. I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest-house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply. Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fibre-glass. We have televisions, cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers. Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought: before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains And perhaps write, but not in anger. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touch the moon. What impressed the writer most in the mountainous jungle of northern India? Answer: The nice moonlight Online educational learning games is an effective way with endless option for teaching kids of all age groups, and children are also able to operate it without much assistance. Parents find it easier to teach kids through these programs, who become familiar with operating the computer. Kids have fun learning phonetics, spelling and even a new language. Children are not willing to learn math tables or difficult words at school. They find it fun to sit in front of a computer and learn language and solve mathematical problems. In this age of computers, computers are becoming an important part of the child's daily curriculum with parents opting to teach these children new things each day with the help of online educational games. Computers are also known to improve the motor skills in children. In addition, the level of these games can be adjusted according to the level and learning ability of the kids. The makers of the games keep the kids' interest in mind while designing them so that their interest is maintained. Another advantage of these games is that you can find free online games and do not have to invest in these expensive products. Other activities that are available on the internet include online coloring games. This is also a constructive way that children can use to pass their leisure time. Another advantage is that the children can lay in the comfort of their homes. Kids who are fond of playing on the computer can spend their time learning educational material instead on video games that teach violence. Parents have to keep an eye on their kids and make sure that they do not spend their time on the computer playing games that could be harmful for them. It is essential to direct the kids to educational sites that have beneficial games and are known to help the progress of these children. What is the main idea of this text? Answer: Online games can be helpful to kids. Many television programmes are very realistic. One who watches TV often feels that whatever happened in the film could well happen to him. With only a little imagination, every man in the street becomes a thief, a spy or a murderer. Jane had been watching a spy film at her friend's house. In it, a young girl had been followed and murdered. She felt a little frightened, walking to the station. She took a train back to the centre of the city. There were a lot of people traveling with her, so she felt much safer. A man sitting opposite her, reading a newspaper, glanced at her. She thought nothing of it until she saw him staring at her. Remember the film and feeling very uncomfortable, she got off the train and went to the bus stop. When he got on the same bus as she did, she found that he was following her. As long as she had been with other people she wasn't frightened. But when she got off the bus, the streets were almost empty. She walked as quickly as she could. She could hear footsteps following her but she didn't dare to look around. After what seemed to have been hours, she was unable to find them, because she was so frightened. The footsteps stopped behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Instead of feeling hands round her neck, however, she heard a pleasant voice. "I apologize if I frightened you. I'm your new neighbour. I thought I recognized you in the train, but I wasn't sure." Jane's friend lived _ her. Answer: a long way from Hello, everyone! Welcome to Haikou. You are going to stay in Mandarin Hotel, a 5-star hotel. It was built in 1998 and is one of the best hotels in Haikou. It is near Wanlu Garden on Binhai Road. It is 5 minutes' walk from the seaside and 10 minutes' ride from the city centre. Buses No. 7 and No. 41 can take you there. The hotel has large rooms with computers, TV sets and telephones. Hot water is offered 24 hours. There is a shopping center which is open from 9 am to 22:30 pm. The coffee bar is open at the following time 10:00-23:00. _ . You can enjoy yourselves there. Hope that you will have a great time during your stay in Haikou. Mandarin Hotel is _ . Answer: A, B and C
Jane Scott is fourteen and the year before last she began to study in a middle school. She likes dancing and singing and spends a lot of time on them. But she hates math and does not work hard at it. She thinks it difficult to learn. She falls behind her classmates and once failed the math exam. She decides to drop it. Her father is angry with her when he knows about it. It was Sunday. Mr Scott gave a call to his sister, who teaches math in another school. He hoped she would come and tell his daughter how to learn math. The woman came quickly and said. "You're a clever girl, Jane. I'm sure you'll soon do well in math if you work hard at it." "I'm afraid I can't, Aunt," said Jane, "Girls can't be good at math." "I don't think so," said the woman. "I was good at it when was a girl. You must do more exercises and practice a math problem again and again until you master it. Remember: Practice makes perfect. Well, it's a math problem. Think about it and practice it again, and you'll work it out." "OK," said the girl, "Let me try." About an hour later, Jane took the exercise book to her aunt and said, "I've done the problem ten times." "Well done!" her aunt said happily, "What result did you get?" "Ten answers." Jane Why does Jane fall behind classmates in math? A. Because it's too difficult to learn. B. Because she isn't clever. C. Because she spends much time on any other lesson. D. Because she doesn't study it hard. Answer: D. Because she doesn't study it hard. My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, WE USED 2go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :-@ KIDS FTF. ILNY, its gr8. Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad: neither could the middle school teacher in England who received this as homework. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or cellphones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great. School teachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted . Everyone should just relax, say linguists . They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says. "Kids who are now doing text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents." Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can _ that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted"; they simply change to meet the new needs. However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia McVey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future." Perhaps, we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Text is just for fun." Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. Cynthia McVry points out teenagers can deal with Netspeak properly. B. Geoffrey Nunberg believes Netspeakers can write Standard English. C. David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing. D. James Milroy says that language is changing and improving. Answer: C. David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing. An ape has a larger brain than any animal except man, though it is much smaller than a man's brain. Apes all belong to the hot countries of the world--tropical Africa and South--east Asia. The gorilla is the largest of the apes. He is as tall as six feet when standing upright. Many people think that gorillas are very fierce. They are often described as standing upright like a man, beating their fists and roaring. In their home, in the forests of Central Africa, however, they are not at all like this, They are peaceful animals and never use their great strength unless attacked. Even then, they retreat if they can. Gorillas have black faces and long, black, hairy coats. They feed during the day on plants and fruit. At night the old male often sleeps on the ground at the foot of a tree, while the others each make a sleeping platform in the tree bending the leafy branches. Besides this, gorillas climb trees very seldom. Apes live in _ . A. different parts of the world B. the cold countries C. South America and Africa D. the countries of Africa and south--east Asia Answer: D. the countries of Africa and south--east Asia In the bushes of Northern Africa, a baby lies warm and safe in a cave . He lies among baby wolves , next to Mother Wolf, and he is not afraid. Outside the cave, Shere Khan, the man-eating tiger, shouts angrily, wanting to kill. "No!" says Mother Wolf. "He belongs to me. He will live to run with the other wolves and be like my son. And I will call him Mowgli." The years pass, and Mowgli--the man's baby, grows up with the wolves. He learns the Law of the Jungle from his teachers, Baloo, an old brown bear and Bagheera, a white elephant. He has many adventures , and many friends among the animals of the jungle. But he still has an enemy. Shere Khan the tiger has not forgotten him. He waits for the day when he can catch the man's child--and kill him. If you want to know more about the story, just read The Jungle Book! Shere Kham is _ . A. a wolf B. a tiger C. a bear D. an elephant Answer: B. a tiger News Review Head- on Train Crash On May 18, two trains had a head-on crash near New York City. Over 250 people were on the trains then. About 60people were hurt, but no deaths were reported. Travel Time Tourists came together to the Taishan Mountain, on May1. Over 180,000tourists visited the place of great interest from April 29 to May 1, during the three-day holiday. Brave Volunteer Liao Zhi , a dance teacher from Chengdu who lost her 1-year-old daughter and her legs in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, arrived in Ya'an 13 hours after the earthquake. The dancer said she had had a terrible time herself and knew what people needed most, so she decided to come and offer help. Tomato Competition A tomato competition was held in Huainan, Anhui Province, on April 16. The best tomatoes were chosen according to their shape, color and taste. The competition hoped to encourage the farmers to grow better tomatoes. A lot of people visited the Taishan Mountain _ . A. 13 hours after the earthquake B. on May 18 C. during the May Day holiday D. on April 16 Answer: C. during the May Day holiday
We like people who look like us, because they tend to have personalities similar to our own. And, a new study suggests, the longer we are with someone, the more similarities in appearance grow. Researchers set out to study why couples often tend to look like one another. They asked 11 male and 11 female participants to judge the age, attractiveness and personality of 160 real-life married couples. Photographs of husbands and wives were viewed separately, so the participants didn't know who was married to whom. The test participants rated men and women who were actual couples as looking alike and having similar personalities. Also, the longer the couples had been together, the greater the similarities. The researchers guess that the sharing of experiences might affect how couples look. The idea that there is a connection between appearance and personality might seem strange at first, but there could be biological reasons for a link, said study member Tony Little from the University of Liverpool in England. "The face displays our emotions and over time, emotional expressions may become written in the face," Little told Live Science. For example, someone who smiles a lot may develop lines and muscles that are suggestive of someone who is happy. Other studies have shown that partners who are genetically similar to each other tend to have happier marriages. The new study indicates that people have different features when using facial appearance to make decisions about someone's personality, and that the particular cues focused on change from face to face. Vital to the decision, however, are eyes and smiles. "Smiles are important social cues that may tell us whether or not someone is friendly, and eyes are also a traditional focus of attention," Little said. Overall face shape can be important too. For example, the combination of large chins and strong brow ridges can create an impression of disagreeableness and being unwilling to cooperate, Little said. Why do we like those who look like us? A. Because they tend to like us. B. Because opposites usually attract each other. C. Because their personalities are similar to ours. D. Because we often marry those who look like us. Answer: C Gabriel Garcia Marquez ,who was awared the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982,passed away at the age of 86 on April 17,2014. The world paused to remember the cultural giant . Garcia Marquez was born in Colombia ,but he spent most of his adult life in Mexico City . As one of the most famous writers ,he was widely regarded as "a giant of 20th-century literature " . Garcia Marquez wrote in a style called "magical realism "In such works,people live a daily life in a certain period of time in history . But meanwhile ,magical things happen to them . Garcia Marquez is best known for his 1967 novel ,One Hundred Years of Solitude ,which has sold about 50 million copies . It tells the tale of the small and _ town of Macondo which was separated from the outside world -of its founding and its troubled history over a hundred years . The story is a metaphor for the development of Colombia since the 19century . As Colombian President Juan Manuel Santons said , Garcia Marquez wrote about "the very essence of the Latin American beings " . Which of the following is NOT TRUE about Garcia Marquez? A. He was the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 B. His novel One Hundrend Years of Solitude was a great success. C. He was widely known as "a girl of 20th-century literature ". D. Magical things happened to him during his stay in Mexico City. Answer: D The hole in the Earth's ozone layer has until now protected Antarctic from the worst effects of global warming, but scientists have warned that as the hole closes up in the next few decades, temperatures on the continent could rise by around 3degC on average, with melting ice contributing to a global sea level increase of up to 1.4 meters. In the past decades the western Antarctic has seen rapid ice loss as the world has warmed, but the other parts of the continent have, , been cooling, resulting in a 10% increase in ice in the seas around the region. This is because the hole in the ozone layer has increased cold winds in Antarctic, making much of the continent surface colder than usual. But now that the gases that cause the ozone hole have been banned, scientists expect the hole to repair itself within the next 50 to 60 years. By then the cooling effect will have faded out and the Antarctic will face the full impact of global warming. This means an increase in average air temperatures of around 3degC and a reduction in sea ice by around a third. The biggest threat to the continent comes from warming seas. Robert Johnson, a scientist who monitors Antarctic ice sheets, said, "The ice sheets in Antarctic are hundreds of meters thick. But once warm ocean waters start flowing underneath, the ice will begin thinning and could break up very quickly." Thinning ice sheets cause ice to break away from the continent and to melt even faster. Escaping ice from western Antarctic has already resulted in a 10% rise in global sea level in recent decades. Johnson believes that international action to reduce global warming is required immediately or it may be too late. "Everything is connected----Antarctic may be a long way away but it is an important part of the Earth's system," said Johnson. "It contains 90% of the world's ice, 70% of the world's fresh water and that is enough, if it melts completely, to raise sea levels by 63 meters." Even in a worse-case situation scientists don't expect the ice to entirely disappear, but predict that, because of the melting ice sheets, average sea level rise will be around 1.4 meters higher by the end of the century. What do scientists think is the biggest danger facing Antarctic? A. Rising sea levels. B. Warming sea water temperature. C. Water pollution. D. Growing ice sheets. Answer: B BC Social Report, August 14, 2010 Scandinavians may spend a lot of the winter in darkness but they are the happiest people in Europe, according to a study showed this month. Countries like Denmark and Finland scored highest on the study of happiness in Europe carried out by Cambridge University, which also found that the sunny southern countries of Italy, Portugal and Greece got the least joy out of life. The survey entitled: "No Man is an Island" showed that countries where people enjoy time with friends and family, have trust in government and national institutions were more likely to be happy than those living in a sunny climate. The study rated respondent on their overall sense of happiness and life satisfaction on a _ of one to 10. Danes --who expressed a high level of trust in their politicians and public institutions--came top of the field at 8.3. Italians--who reported lower levels of satisfaction with their national quality of government--came last at 6.49.' "Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany and France report the lowest levels of happiness while the Scandinavian Countries, Netherlands and Luxembourg report the highest," the study said. Although Europeans are generally four times wealthier than their fathers and grandfathers, their levels of happiness are either equal to or lower than 40 years ago. The study also looked at factors contributing to happiness within countries and surprisingly found that an interest in politics actually increased happiness. Lead researcher Luisa Corrado said tax cuts and throwing money at social problems appeared to have no effect on the happiness of citizens when compared with government policies which strengthened and supported wider social networks. "People are less naive ( ) than one would expect, politicians need to adapted their policies and target specific problems in specific areas," she said. Which of the following factors increases happiness? A. Interest in polities B. Wealth C. Health D. Websites. Answer: A Students who say they never or hardly ever used dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes. The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every word do not read fast. Therefore they do not have time to read much .Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give one or two words as a translation of English. But one English word has many English translations in Chinese. The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them often, When they are reading these students first try to get the general idea and understand the new words from the context .Then they read and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. Also if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form or a verb might have an unusual past form, they check these in a dictionary. This article mainly tells us_. A. Those students should use small two-language dictionaries. B. What were the effects of small two-language dictionaries? C. Why students should use large college edition dictionaries? D. What kind of dictionary students should choose and how to use it? Answer: D
SHE dresses in saggy pants and is crazy about the pop star, Rain. Bin Xue is in love with South Korean culture. The 19-year-old from Sichuan Province feels a strong connection with the neighbouring country. "The two nations have a long history of friendship and there are many similarities between them," she said. "But Koreans are iron-willed, and we could learn this quality from them." Bin is not the only Chinese deeply affected by Korean culture. A recent survey shows that most Chinese teenagers think highly of their eastern neighbour. However, Koreans do not view the Chinese in the same good light. In a recent survey, only 5.5 per cent of Korean teens thought the Chinese people friendly. The survey among high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the United States, was conducted in 156 high schools. More than 7,000 teenagers were questioned on success, family, their self-identity , as well as their opinions about the world at large. Results showed that most Korean teens gave a low score to the Chinese for patriotism , responsibility and honesty. In their eyes, Chinese people are not hard-working and don't obey the rules. "The result is surprising, but it does reflect a real information gap between teenagers in the two countries," said Lei Li, a psychology professor from the Capital Normal University. Experts say that Chinese students' positive feelings about South Korea were a result of the booming popularity of Korean pop music. Korean movies and TV series have flooded China. And 73 per cent of the Chinese respondents said they watched Korean TV serials and cartoons. On the other hand, Lei added, Korean teenagers don't have much access to China. The survey found that only 6.7 per cent of Korean students have ever read Chinese books or news magazines or watch Chinese TV programmes.1 Professor Lei thinks that Chinese teens should give themselves a better basis for appreciating the cultures of their neighbours. It's not enough to simply enjoy their music, TV and fashion sense. "The survey shows that Chinese teens should make friends with their foreign peers . They shouldn't judge other countries by their media alone," said Lei. Luo Xi'er, 17, from Hunan Province, hopes Chinese people can improve their image. "In my opinion, it is the bad behaviour of Chinese tourists which has destroyed our image abroad," she said. The girl has read several online articles in which Koreans put Chinese tourists' bad manners under the spotlight. "I would like to go to South Korea some day and show them that most Chinese are good-mannered." We can infer from the survey _ . Answer: it is necessary to strengthen cultural communications Arctic areas are covered with snow and ice for much of the year. Which color rabbits would be safest from foxes there? Answer: white TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 Frequently Asked Questions What is TEENSGIVING? TEENSGIVING is an exciting yearly event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives! When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010 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 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 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (aged 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010. 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 credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be "thanked" with a light 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 2010 T-shirt. This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org(subjet: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. An adult volunteer may get _ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010. Answer: aT-shirtandagiftcertificate Many centuries ago, Scotland was ruled by a king named Robert Bruce. He was a wise king and a brave soldier. When the English army invaded Scotland, Bruce took up arms and led his people in defence of his country. Battle after battle was fought, Bruce led his little army against the enemy, and six times his men were beaten. His army was scattered, and he was forced to go into hiding----in the woods or in lonely places in the mountains. One rainy day, Bruce lay on the ground in a small house, listening to the sound of the rain on the roof .He was tired and sad, and ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that it was no use trying to do anything more. As he lay thinking, he saw a spider over his head, trying to spin a web . He watched as she worked slowly and with great care. Six times she tried to reach the opposite wall to fix her thread, but six times she failed."Poor thing," cried Bruce, "You ,too, know what it is to fail."But the spider did not lose hope. With still more care, she tried for the seventh time. Bruce almost forgot his own trouble as he watched her swing herself out upon the thin line. Would she fail again? No, the thread was carried safely from one wall to the other."I, too, will try a seventh time," cried Bruce. He got up and called his men together. He told them his plans, and sent them out with message of cheer to his discouraged people. Soon there was an army of brave Scotsmen gathered around him. Another battle was fought. This time the Scots won and the English invaders were driven out of Scotland. It was _ who taught King Bruce a useful lesson. Answer: the spider Bigger-brained birds survive better than their feathered friends with smaller brains, according to a study published on Tuesday. Scientists have suspected that birds with large brains in relation to their body size lived longer because they were able to adapt their behavior to environmental challenges. Now they have provided evidence that it does. "We have tested the hypothesis that the brain can buffer animals against the environment and help them to survive when they face environmental challenges," said Daniel Sol of the Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications in Barcelona, Spain. After comparing death rates, brain size and body mass of 236 species of birds from different regions of the world, Sol and scientists in Britain, Hungary and Canada discovered that the bigger the brain the better. Crows and parrots have the largest brains, while pheasants have a relatively small brain. Earlier studies have shown there is a relationship between the size of the brain and an animal's capacity to create new behavior and adapt more easily. "The idea is that if you have a big brain, you are more capable of adjusting behavior and responding to environmental changes. This can help you to survive," said Sol, who reported the finding in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Tamas Szekely of the University of Bath in England and a co-author of the report, said birds were ideal to test the hypothesis because they are the only species in which brain size and behavioral response to environmental challenges such as climate and habitat destruction is understood. The finding of bird's brains recently refers to _ . Answer: the bigger brain the birds have, the abler they are to deal with environment
This summer, experience the true meaning of awe . Feel the sudden excitement through your body. And blog it all in real time for your friends back home. On a Discovery Student Adventure you will have the chance to jump the tourist barriers and enter places few travelers go, the true sites where amazing cultures flourish beyond the tourist's stare. Once there, you won't idly observe; you'll launch into the daily life of the locals, trying new customs, sharing laughs, and _ interesting meals. You'll even have the opportunity to give back, participating in local efforts to replant the rainforest; save the wombat's habitat; or researching the Great Barrier Reef-just to name a few. The crazy thing is that you'll be taking this all in, growing wiser to the world, and learning without even knowing it.Requirements and Expectations for Student Participants How do you recognize a Discovery Student Adventure student? Our participants are: In 5ththrough 12thGrade Curious about the world Open-minded and excited to learn about new places and cultures Responsible students who maintain a good academic status Active participants, ready to challenge themselves and experience new adventures. Students should be reasonably fit before travel to take part in some of the more adventurous activities. These vary by itinerary , but may include: Hiking 3-5 miles a day over uneven terrain(, ) in various weather conditions Exciting overnight experiences, including camping, sleeping on ships, or even staying in a snow cave in New Zealand. Mountain biking. Rafting Swimming *Snorkeling To ensure students' health and well-being, we ask each participant to complete a confidential health form. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: You will feel crazy about the different cultures. Star, who played the lead role in a television soap opera, was seriously injured in an automobile accident caused by Danton's negligent driving. As a consequence of Star's injury, the television series was canceled, and Penn, a supporting actor, was laid off. In an action against Danton, can Penn recover for his loss of income attributable to the accident? Answer: No, because Danton's liability does not extend to economic loss to Penn that arises solely from physical harm to Star. NEW YORK PLUMBING & HEATING Since 1968 Plumbing and Heating Fixing LARGE OR SMALL 24 Hours 7 Days Service Tel: 56568833 268 Pine Street 5 Avenue Which of the following is NOT clear in the reading? Answer: How big P & H is. In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the film-maker Walter Disney. He had an unusual voice and he wanted to work in Disney's cartoon film for children. When Walter Disney heard Nash's voice, he said, "Stop! That's our duck!" The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film, The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and worn his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audiences liked him because he was lazy and greedy, and because he lost his temper very easily. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey's eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn't a goody-goody, like Mickey. In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto made hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational film about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared--there were no more new cartoons. Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today's Children can still see the old cartoons on the television and hear that famous voice. When did the first Donald Duck film appear? Answer: In 1934 Above your head, the daylight sky is gloomy and dark, despite the hour of day. The wisest thing to bring with you on this summer afternoon is Answer: an umbrella
When I was nine years old, I wrote my first poem. My mother read the little poem and cried. "Buddy, it's a beautiful, beautiful poem!" My mother poured out her praise. "What time will Father be home?" I asked. I could hardly wait to show him my poem. My father had begun his movie career as a writer. He would be able to appreciate my poem even more than my mother. I confidently put the poem right on my father's plate on the dining table. My mother said he would be home around 7. But My father got home an hour later than expected. He sat down at the table and noticed his plate. "What is this?" I heard him say. "Ben, Buddy has written his first poem. And it's beautiful, so amazing!" Mother said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to decide that for myself," Father said. I kept my face lowered to my plate. It was only 10 lines long. But it seemed to take hours. "I think it's bad," my father said. I couldn't look up. My eyes were getting wet. "Ben, sometimes I don't understand you," my mother was saying. "This is just a little boy. He needs encouragement." "I don't know why," _ "Isn't there enough bad poetry in the world already? No law says Buddy has to become a poet." I ran from the dining room, threw myself on the bed and cried. A few months later, I read that first poem. It was a bad poem. I worked up the courage to show him a short story. My father thought it was not good but hopeful. I was learning to rewrite. As I worked my way into other books and plays and films, I realized how lucky I was to have a mother who said, "Buddy, it's wonderful!" and a father who shook his head "I think it's bad." Both are love that forces me to improve. In fact, all of us in life need both loving force. Which of the following is right? A. A few months later, the writer stopped writing. B. After years the writer hated his father very much. C. That day Father didn't come home until a quarter past eight. D. The writer was confident that Father would praise his poem. Answer: D. The writer was confident that Father would praise his poem. Even people who don't understand English can enjoy Chaplin's films because they are mostly silent. It isn't what he says that makes us laugh. It depends upon actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world. He is _ of the art - a kind of world language. As a young man, he and his brother traveled to America in a small company of actors. Chaplin was then invited to join a new company that was making film comedies. Very soon he had made dozens of short films for this company. And it was in his second film that he wore the clothes which made his reputation - black hat, tight coat, baggy trousers, huge shoes, moustache and walking stick. He intended simply to make people laugh. But the odd make-up made him look both comic and sad. By the time he was thirty, Chaplin was the greatest, best known and best loved comedian in the world. He received thousands of dollars for each film he made. He had formed his own manner of acting. He was welcomed by excited crowds wherever he went. But he worked very hard and had few close friends. Perhaps that is why the sad side of the little tramp began to show more clearly in the films he made. The little man began to want more than food and a roof over his head. He began to want love. In one of his most famous films "The Gold Rush" a girl plays tricks on the little man. Then she begins to feel sorry for him and treats him kindly. He mistakes her pity for love. The girl in "City Lights" is blind. She thinks he is the most wonderful man she has ever met. But then she recovers her sight and sees what a foolish figure he is. This sadness gives Chaplin's films a depth of human experience which few comedians can equal. After living in America for forty years he moved to Switzerland. There he died on Christmas Day 1977. He once described himself as a citizen of famous pictures that were made during the 1920s and 1930s, the time of the silent films. But, to many people all over the world Chaplin will always be the king of comedy. Which one is wrong according to the passage? A. The little man didn't want love. B. Chaplin made a lot of money. C. He didn't live in the same country. D. He became famous in a short time Answer: A. The little man didn't want love. When Jason's parents saw him for the first time, they were shocked .This lovely little baby with shining blue eyes and curly hair was born disabled . But soon the young couple accepted this fact: Jason's arms are just half without hands and his legs aren't fully grown either. They even forgot to think of him as disabled. At the age of six, he told his mother he wanted to get down from the prosthetics and play with other kids. This was the last time Jason had worn them. He now has an electric wheelchair , but he never uses it at home or when it is easy for him to move using only his body. Jason learned handwriting and coloring at school, holding the pen between the ends of his arms. He also learned to eat with forks at home. When he was ten, he fell in love with football. He never had a pair of shoes in his life because of the shape of his feet. He only wore socks on the football field. He never won a match, but he refused to give up. His strong arms and body, as well as some fantastic ways made him a respected player on the school team. He went to a famous university after high school. Now Jason still faces many _ in life, but he will make you believe that you can do what he has done. "Never be afraid of any difficulty", Jason often encourages others in his speeches. Jason learned to write and color by holding the pen _ . A. between his legs B. between his arms C. between his teeth D. between his hands Answer: B. between his arms On a field trip, a student holds a frog and reports that it has slippery skin. This is an example of A. a measurement B. a prediction C. an explanation D. an observation Answer: D. an observation My Best Enemy Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Lisa. That's where the similarities ended. I was tall and she was small. My thick black hair had been recently cut short into an untidy style. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was 12 and one of the oldest in the class while she was 11 and the youngest. I was awkward and shy. She wasn't. I couldn't stand her, considering her my enemy. But she liked me and wanted to be friends. One day, she invited me over and I said yes--I was too shocked to answer any other way. My family had moved six times in six years, and I had never managed to develop any friendships. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school. She lived in a fun part of town that had two pizza places, an all-night bookstore, a movie theater and a park. As we walked from the school bus stop through her neighborhood, I tried to guess which house might be hers. Was it the white one with the perfect lawn or the three-story house with a front porch? I got very surprised when she led me into an old apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother,her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister. When we got into the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Babies, which was my next surprise. I had never played with them. We sat on the floor,laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Babies. We found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon. Lisa was loved by the whole neighborhood. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines; the movie theater gave her free tickets... Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other's houses and spent every free moment together. Lisa, my first real friend since childhood, helped me get through the rough year of early adolescence and taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: that your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend. The writer and Lisa were similar in the way that _ . A. they were of the same age B. they had the same hair styles C. they were both tall D. they were both new students Answer: D. they were both new students
Let Baby Cry The parents with their three-year-old son went to see a film. When they walked into the cinema, the attendant said to them, "you'll have to go out if your son cries. But we'll refund you the tickets." About half an hour later, the husband asked his wife, "What do you think of the film?" "I've never seen such a boring film." His wife answered. "It's not worth seeing." "I don't think much of it, either." The husband said. "Wake the child up and let him cry." Blindfold Them Stan: I won 92 goldfish. Fred: Where are you going to keep them? Stan: In the bathroom. Fred: But what will you do when you want to take a bath? Stan: Blindfold them! Einstein and God Einstein climbs to the top of Mt. Sinai to get close enough to talk to God. Looking up, he asks the Lord... "God, what does a million years mean to you?" The Lord replies, "A minute." Einstein asks, "And what does a million dollars mean to you?" The Lord replies, "A penny." Einstein asks, "Can I have a penny?" The Lord replies, " _ ." In the first story, why did the husband want to wake the child up? A. Because he wanted to go back home due to the boring film. B. Because he thought he could get back his money. C. Because it was time for the baby to have a meal. D. Because the film came to an end. Answer: B Max is a very happy cow. He's dark brown, with big blue eyes, and a soft pink nose. He lives in a huge field during the summer, with beautiful, and tasty, buttercups and hay. During the winter he lives in a nice, warm barn. The hay isn't as tasty then, but it keeps him fed until summer comes back. One winter day Max wanted to see what was happening outside when it turned cold and bright. He had never gone out during the winter because the Farmer always locked the barn door behind him. But today the door was wide open, and Max could see the sunshine reflecting off the bright ground. He had to know why! So Max pushed open the gate to his little house with his nose and walked over to the door. Max was surprised and confused by the ground outside, it was so white and sparkly. His breath started fogging in the air, and the ground was cold and crunchy. "What is this?" He asked the rooster sitting on the fence. The roosters name was Omaha, and he was all white except for a big red puff on his head. "It's snow, son! Did you grow up in a barn?!" The rooster laughed and flew away towards his little rooster house. "It's so pretty!" Max said. He pushed it with his nose. "Oh! It's so chilly!" He started to take a bite of the crunchy white bits. He wanted to see if they had a good taste, when he heard the farmer. "Max! What are you doing out here?" The farmer, named Bob, asked. He was loud, but not mad. "It's much too cold for a small cow like you, we better get you back inside!" He pushed Max inside the barn, and this time locked the barn door tight. Who told Max that it was snow? A. The Farmer B. The Rooster C. The Spider D. Another cow Answer: B 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 is the best title for the story? A. The love for the cocoon. B. The joy of helping each other C. The lesson of the cocoon D. The expectation for the butterfly Answer: C London Photography Mystery Tour Here's the tour that's voted "3rd best tour in London" on the Best Things to Do on Trip Advisor! Hairy Goat is the best rated and most original tour company in London. Do you like walking around a city and discovering something that makes a great photo? It can be statues, elaborate doors and lamp posts, hidden gardens, headstones or interesting architectural features. We all know where the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Cathedral and Trafalgar Square are, but London is full of quirky and interesting photo opportunities and maybe you need someone to lead you to them. You won't know where you are going until we get there, but I promise there will be something you won't have noticed before. The tour is ideal for team events, families, groups of friends and school or college classes. Bring: A fully charged camera and plenty of memory cards or film, a drink and wear comfortable walking shoes. Dress for 3 hours walking outside. Prices: All tours are to be booked and paid in advance. Please call or email for details. PS40 per adult (18yrs and over). PS35 per child (12-15yrs) and fulltime students (student ID required) All tours to be booked and paid in advance. Please follow the links on the website or call Corinna on +44 (0) 7540 832771 Meet: Meet in front of the Royal Exchange Building at Bank Tube Station. Take exit 3 or 4 from the tube station. When: see the website for scheduled dates For more information call Corinna on 07540 832771. Duration: 3 hours, at a comfortable walking pace Finish: by a tube station within the city, location varies daily If you are interested in participating in London Photography Mystery NIGHT Tour, please note, Night tours start at different times and locations each month. Participants will be taken to _ . A. attractions like the Houses of Parliament B. somewhere big enough for groups C. places that might be unfamiliar to them D. what is most typical of London Answer: C All the 6,000 medals for the 2008 Olympic Games have arrived in the capital from the Shanhai Mint,ready for their debut on August 8.For the,first time in Olympic history,the medals for the Beijing Games mix metal and jade. The technology of inlaying jade into metal can date back to the Han Dynasty almost 2,000 years ago.It is not easy to bond jade perfectly with metal.The key to the process lies in the inner layer of the metal and the groove of the jade ring.A seal ring is put between the inner layer and the groove to join the metal and jade together. Jade rings used for casting Olympic medals have been subjected to strict quality controls,and those not up to the standard have been thrown away. To make use of those jade rings that do meet the quality criteria,metal medals were produced to fit the jade tings,and more than ten different sizes of seal rings were designed. To avoiding any loosening of the jade rings due to aging of the seals,glue has been used in casting the;Olympic medals,which is a painstaking manual process. Experts from the International Olympic Committee(IOC)were concerned about the risk of fragility when the jade ring design was proposed.The IOC required that jade rings should be strong enough to withstand a 2-meter drop test.The Shanghai Mint raised that standard to 3- meters.Medals call survive a 3-meter drop test with only minor cracks on the jade rings. What the International Olympic Committee(IOC)were concerned about is that _ . A. the medals will be worth less B. the medals are too difficult to make C. competitors don't like the design D. jade is fragile and easy to break up Answer: D
JOLIN Tsai , a famous singer, has become an English teacher! But she is not staying in a classroom to give you talks in English.Instead, she has published a new book, "Jolin's English Diary Book".It came out in Taiwan in March.Jolin is helping you learn English in a _ way and give you useful words for life outside your textbooks. "I hope it's a happy English book," she said, "When you learn English in a fun way, you will keep on doing it." This certainly doesn't mean just reciting words.Jolin has a lot of clever ways of learning.She likes to listen to English songs or find friends to talk to in English.She has been good at English since Grade 3 in primary school .Because of this, she hosted news programme on the radio herself. Jolin knows it's important to put English to good use.So, in her English diaries, she wrote something about her everyday life, like study, fashion , travel and family.After each diary, she gives you lots of notes.You can use them often, too! Jolin also asks you to keep diaries like hers. From the passage we know that _ . A she is not only a famous singer but also an English teacher in a primary school B you don't have to keep English diaries C she teaches us how to be a famous singer in "Jolin's English Diary Book" D Jolin Tsai shows us how to learn English in a fun way Answer: D I usually get up at 5:00. I make coffee, go to my desk and work. When my boys get up, I'm theirs. I follow the min to the kitchen and make them breakfast. While they're eating, I make their lunch, pick out their school clothes and get the little one dressed. My wife takes them to school. I bring them home. I am not the only father at the school gate. The boys and I walk the 12 blocks home unless the weather is terrible. Then we take the subway. I remind them of looking out, like an animal looking after their babies. At home, they play on the computer and the little one will draw, sometimes for hours. When their mother comes home, they run to her. She has been in the official day and tired, but her attention is all on them. I have made dinner. We sit down and eat together. After they do their homework, Karen takes them to bed. I listen to the noise of the boys' and their mother's voice. One afternoon when we were on the way home from school, the boys and I stopped at the clothing store. The saleswoman looked at the boys and said to me in a low voice, "You're Mr. Mom, aren't you?" I felt very angry. I'm not Mr. Mom. That's not how I look at myself. The boys have a mother, a wonderful mother. She works outside the home, I work in the home. We are parents together. I'm a father! This passage tells us _ . A never to call a man Mr. Mom B the man doesn't enjoy working at home C something about the children's school life D what kind of people the man and his wife are Answer: D The only way for mammals to have a family is to A steal children B adopt C lay eggs D reproduce Answer: D Recently,scientists attending a meeting in Chicago presented new studies showing how food and its production affect global warming.They offered some suggestions for how to eat in a more environmentally friendly way. For many years,scientists have warned us that our planet is getting warmer.If current trends continue,animals may start to die off and life could get very difficult for everyone.The temperature is rising because humans have been releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,which surround the planet and keep heat from escaping.One of these gases is carbon dioxide. Most carbon dioxide we produce comes from the process of making and eating food,the scientists reported in Chicago.The production of meat contributes to a lot of carbon dioxide.And much of meat's contribution comes from beef,which is responsible for releasing even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The process of making a hamburger,for example,requires a lot of energy.A cow has to be fed and raised,and cow's wastes are a major source of greenhouse gases.After the cow is killed,the meat has to be processed and shipped to a consumer,which takes fuel.And most of the cow won't even be used for meat people eat. By the time a hamburger finally lands on a dinner plate,it has taken a heavy toll on the environment.It is believed that the process of making a halfpound allbeef burger adds about 19 times the weight of hamburgers in carbon dioxide. The message is clear:We can greatly reduce the production of greenhouse gases by eating less beef.Other kinds of meat like pork and chicken do less harm to the environment--at least in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases released.Nathan Pelletier,a scientist at Dalhousie University in Canada,reported that if everyone in industrial countries ate chicken instead of beef,we would cut the Earth's greenhouse gases by more than half. All kinds of meat,the scientists reported,are harder on the planet than vegetables.To grow and eat a pound of potatoes,for example,sends less than one quarter pound of carbon dioxide into the air.So shifting our diet to less meat and more vegetables may do the world some good. The author believes one effective way to fight global warming is _ . A we should eat no pork and no chicken B we should eat more chicken than beef C we should eat not meat but vegetables D we should eat less meat and more vegetables Answer: D The winter vacation is coming. I don't want to spend more time playing. I decide to work to make money for the next term. But I don't know what work I can do. Now, my mother is writing a book. She is busy and tired. I want to type for her for pay. When I tell her, she is very happy. She agrees to pay me 5 yuan for 1,000 words. But she asks me to do it carefully. It is a hard job for me. I type so slowly that I can type only 800 words a day. But I don't want to give up. I will keep typing all day long. I think I can type faster and faster. I plan to finish the work in two weeks. Then, I will do my winter homework. I begin to know how hard it is to make money. And I really know the meaning of "Where there's a will, there's a way." What does his mother do? A Maybe she is a teacher. B Maybe she is a writer. C Maybe she is a doctor. D Maybe she is a bank clerk. Answer: B
Jack is an 11-year-old boy. One day he was playing with a ball. The ball went into the street, and Jack ran for the ball. A car hit him. Jack's parents took him to the hospital. The doctors told them, "Jack's head is hurt. Maybe he will wake up very soon. Maybe he will never wake up." Every day Jack's parents went to see him and talked to him. But Jack never talked to them. He just slept. One day Jack's father said, "Wake up, Jack. Let's go home and play with Cody." Cody is Jack's dog. When Jack's father said "Cody", Jack moved his arm. Then Jack's parents had an idea. They told the nurse, "We want to bring Jack's dog to the hospital. Is it OK?" "A dog in the hospital?" the nurse said. "That's very unusual. But. yes, it's OK." The next day, Jack's parents brought Cody to the hospital. When they put the dog on Jack's bed, Jack opened his eyes. Jack's parents brought Cody to the hospital every day. Cody jumped on Jack's bed and touched Jack's arm. Jack said his first words, "Bad dog!" After seven weeks Jack was well. He left the hospital and went home with Cody. What happened to Jack one day? A. He felt ill. B. A car hit him. C. His ball was missing. D. He hit a dog Answer: B Peng Jiangya, a 24-year-old girl, was born in Guizhou Province. She lives in a village of the Yinjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County at the foot of the Fanjing Mountains on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau . Twenty-two years ago, One day her parents were out, she fell into a fire stove at home, and the fire burned her fingers badly. The family was too poor at the time to afford the expensive medical treatment ,at last she lost all her fingers. "When I was a child, I was unable to hold chopsticks. My parents taught me for a long time. It was really difficult, but I tried it over and over again ,and at the age of seven, I overcame it. From then on I knew that one had to put great efforts into what she was doing," said PengJiangya. As a child , PengJiangya often saw others make cross-stitch and then she decided to learn how to make it herself. " Of course, it took me many years to do that, when I was 18, I got it." Said Peng. Now she can make as good cross-stitch works as her companions ,but she is faster than other people. Her hometown of Yinjiang Tujia at the foot of the Fanjing Mountains on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateauhas become a tourist attraction. As for her future, Peng Jiangya said: "I will gather a few other people to embroider the beautiful landscape of our hometown as a souvenir and lasting memory for tourists. At the same time, we can make more money." When Peng Jiangya was a child, she learned to _ without fingers A. use chopsticks by herself B. make more money by herself C. make cross-stitch by herself D. help her parents hold chopsticks Answer: A Some people may be born happy, while others are genetically negative, scientists have suggested in a study published late February in a British journal. Earlier research had already established that the gene known as 5-HTTLPR plays a key role in determining how the neurotransmitter serotonin works within the brain. Serotonin, a hormone , passes chemical messages between nerve cells. It has been closely linked to mood. Several anti-depressant drugs regulate serotonin levels. Scientists had also identified three variants of the gene. Two so-called "short" variants were linked to a higher risk of depression and suicide attempts. Unlike the two "short" variants, the "long" variant of 5-HTTLPR showed a clear dislike of negative images, such as fierce animals, and a clear liking for positive ones, such as flowers. Researchers from the University of Essex in Britain showed participants a series of images, which were divided into three kinds: negative ones aimed at inspiring fear or stress such as a snake or person about to commit suicide, pleasant ones and neutral ones. The participants who had the long variant of the 5-HTTLPR gene "showed a clear dislike of negative material alongside a careful attention for positive material," the researchers found. They paid close attention to the pretty pictures, and ignored the frightening ones. On the other hand, the short variant groups had the opposite reaction. In January, the Australian government organized "happiness workshops", teaching government staff how to be happy. The department that held the "happiness workshops" said unhappy staff weren't productive staff. Australian political opposition parties have argued that the "happiness workshops" are probably a waste of money and couldn't increase productivity as intended. However, whether the workshop will have a happy or disappointing result, we will have to wait and see. It can be learned from the article that _ . A. drugs can be used to control people's serotonin levels B. happiness is more important than sadness C. nothing can affect our mood D. people with the short variant of 5-HTTLPR prefer a flower to a snake Answer: A Robert Fredy was general manager of a large hotel in Ashbury park. New Jersey. One cold day two years ago when he stopped his car at a traffic light, Stephen Pear man, an out-of-work taxi and truck driver, walked up to Fredy's car hoping to earn some change by washing his windshield.Like many motorists who try to keep the beggars off, Fredy turned on the wipers to show he wasn't interested. Pearman put his head close to the window."Come on, mister.Give me a chance.I need a job," he said.Something in Stephen Pearman's voice moved Robert Fredy.In the seconds before traffic started moving again, Fredy handed a business card and told him to call if he was serious. "My friends told me he was just pulling my leg, "said Pearman."But I said, " No, he's a businessman.I need to give it a shot." Two days later,29-year-old Pearman appeared in the manager's office of the big hotel.Fredy gave him a job and housing and lent him pocket money while training him. Today, Pearman works full time setting up the hotel's dining halls for business meetings.In the past two years, he has found a flat, married and repaid Fredy's loans. "Mr.Fredy gave me a second chance, "says Pearman, " And I took advantage of it.I could have just come here a while, eaten up and left.But there is no future in washing windshields." Ordinarily, Fredy keeps away from the street people."But Pearman seemed so honest and open, asking for a chance rather than just money," Fredy says, "I don't hand my business card to just anybody.But I'm glad I did in this case." When Fredy told Pearman to call if he was serious, he meant if_. A. Pearman was really hardworking B. Pearman was really looking for a job C. Pearman's conditions were truly scrious D. Pearman was really interested in washing windshields Answer: B Robert Frost was one of America's best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life. He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America's Civil War. The general's name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general. Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost's childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost's father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim of his anger. Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert's grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry. Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing. In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy's Will. When it appeared in 1913. Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country. Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost's second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston. What's the passage mainly about? A. Robert Frost's unhappy childhood. B. Robert Frost's first and second book. C. Robert Frost's family and jobs. D. Robert Frost's life and poetry. Answer: D
London's transport services offer you a special experience of the city. Here's a round-up of the transport choices available to you. * London Underground There are 11 colour-coded Underground lines. Services run regularly from around 5:00 to 00:30 (Sunday 07:30 to 23:30). Visit tfl.gov.uk/tube for more information. Tip: Always stand on the right when using the escalators at Tube stations. It can get hot and busy on the Tube during peak travel times, so you may prefer to travel outside these hours. * Buses A cheap and easy way to travel around London. They generally run from 5:00 to 00:30. Night buses operate on many major routes from around midnight to 05:00, and some operate a 24-hour service. It is not possible to pay for your London bus fare in cash. Instead you can pay with a Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card, Travelcard or UK-issued contactless payment card. A single bus journey is PS1.50 with an Oyster card or UK-issued contactless payment card. To help you get home, if you don't have enough credit on your Oyster card, you will be able to make one more bus journey. After this you will need to add the credit on your card before you use it again. If your contactless payment card has been issued outside the UK, please check tfl.gov.uk/contactless before you use your card to travel on our bus services. For more information visit tfl.gov.uk/buses. Tip: Some bus routes are especially good for sightseeing --- try routes 9, 14, 15 and 22. The New Routemaster bus featured in the James Bond film Skyfall and runs on routes 9, 11, 24, 38 and 390. If you find only PS1.00 left on your Oyster card for your home journey, you _ . Answer: When Barbra Streisand discovered in 2003 that a photograph of her California beach house was among 12,000 photos on theInternetas part of a collection by photographer Kenneth Adelman, she did what any famous person would do:hit him with a $50 million lawsuit. But in trying to hold back the images, she caused a different outcome. Her legal actions led to almost half a million people visiting the website, viewing and copying the photos within a month. Ever since then, the effect of letting public know something you are trying to keep secret has been called the"Streisand effect". The problem for anyone trying to _ information is that the Internet is the world's biggest and most efficient copying machine. Put a document on to a connected machine and it will spread. So when you want to be famous, you can't, but if you find yourself in the spotlight and want to erase yourself, you cannot. There is no shortage of examples of the Streisand effect. Nine-year-old Martha Payne created a simple blog, posting the meals her school served. She took a photo of what was barely a filling meal by anyone's standards. With the photo, she filled a comment, "Now Dad understands why I am hungry when I get home." The thing did not go too far, until the local authority banned little Martha from doing that again. Martha posted a supposedly final post called "Goodbye", explaining everything. Once the media found this out, things went from bad to worse for the authority. Now the blog has more than 9.5 million page views. Martha has even expanded her blog by including pictures of school meals taken by other kids from all over the world, like Germany and Japan. We can find similar examples throughout history, to be frank. Man has experienced the Streisand effect ever since the birth of mass communication. Why does it exist? Every time you are told not to see what's in the secret shiny box wrapped in gift paper, you're going to do everything in your power todo exactly that! Just realizing that knowing something about someone is harmful to their status, we will want to know that piece of information. This is exactly the human nature. This is what lawyers and authorities should be familiar with. Unfortunately, a few of them fail to grasp it. What speeded up the spread of Martha's story? Answer: One day Mrs. Wilson went shopping with Tracy and Ben. They went to the supermarket in the new shopping center." Why do you buy things here?" Tracy wanted to know. "Because they are cheaper here than at the corner store near our home," Mrs. Wilson said." Help me check the prices, please." The Wilsons were not rich and Mrs. Wilson was always careful with her money. She looked carefully after the prices of things. She bought lots of things in the supermarket. When they got home, the children said," We don't think you saved money by going to the supermarket." "Of course I did," Mrs. Wilson said. " Everything was cheaper there." "We know," the children said," but we came home by taxi because we had too much to carry. The taxi fare was more than the money that you save! " Mrs. Wilson added everything up. Her children were right. From the passage we know the children were _ . Answer: The first step in exercising for most people is determining whether or not they should. This is particularly true with anyone over thirty-five, especially if they have been heavy smokers. Likewise, young adults who have been very inactive should proceed slowly and with caution. A physical evaluation from a physician is recommended, preferably one that includes an exercise-stress test. While a person is exercising, a stress test detects cardiovascular problems that might not show up when the body is at rest. This is done by monitoring blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygen consumption, and the heart's electrical activity while exercising. Whatever exercise program is selected, it is important to start with warm-up periods. These should include stretching exercises, jumping jacks, or active walking. The idea is to increase heart rate and circulation slowly without placing a sudden strain on the heart or the muscles that are starting to work. The next phase in developing an exercise program is to determine the amount of exercise that is enough to condition the muscles and cardiovascular system without excessively exhausting the body. This involves taking one's pulse and finding one's target zone. This target zone, or safe-training pulse rate, is established by subtracting one's age from 220 and then taking 60 percent to 80 percent of that total. If you are just starting to exercise, 60 percent is recommended; 80 percent is recommended if you are already in good condition. In order not to place much strain on the body, if you are a beginner and at the age of 45, the safe training pulse rate suggested would be _ . Answer: Mr. Green worked in an office in London, but he lived in the country and came to work by train every day. The station was not very far from his office, and he always went on foot from the station to his office and back from his office to the station. Every evening he walked past a poor man near a bridge. The man sat at the road and sold matches, and there was a dog near him. There was a piece of wood round the dog's neck, and the words "I AM BLIND" were on the piece of wood. Mr.Green was a kind man. He always stopped and gave a penny to the man, but he did not take any of his matches. One day, Mr.Green had a lot of work in his office and left the office very late. He came to the man and his dog, but he did not stop. The poor man stood up quickly, ran after him and said, "You're always very kind to me. Give me a penny today. I'm a poor man." Mr.Green stopped and he was surprised. Then he said, "You're a blind man. How did you see me?" The poor man said, "No, I'm not blind. My dog is." One day Mr.Green did not stop and give the poor man a penny because _ . Answer:
Pemberton and three passengers, Able, Baker, and Charley, were injured when their car was struck by a truck owned by Mammoth Corporation and driven by Edwards. Helper, also a Mammoth employee, was riding in the truck. The issues in Pemberton v Mammoth include the negligence of Edwards in driving too fast and failing to wear glasses, and of Pemberton in failing to yield the right of way"Pemberton's counsel proffers evidence showing that shortly after the accident Mammoth put a speed governor on the truck involved in the accident. The judge should rule the proffered evidence A admissible as an admission of a party. B admissible as res gestae. C inadmissible for public policy reasons. D inadmissible, because it would lead to the drawing of an inference on an inference Answer: C. inadmissible for public policy reasons. He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. "He should be punished for the killings," an Israeli official said, "He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups." But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea. Arafat himself said: "They can kill me, but never get me out of my country." He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time. For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive. What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat's bodyguards _ his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat. But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel. All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others. But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell. What's the writer's attitude towards Arafat's future, judging from the last sentence of the passage? A Hopeful. B Interesting. C Satisfactory. D Doubtful. Answer: D. Doubtful. Scientists have made the world's first human-sheep----with the body of a sheep and half-human organs . Amazing, but true. The sheep is15percent human and 85 percent sheep. The breakthrough makes it possible to use animal organs in human bodies in the future. Professor Esmail Zanjani of University of Nevada, US, has spent seven years And over $9 million on the work. Zanjani took stem cells from the human body and put them into the sheep while it was still in its mother's body. The stem cells made other cells that grew into organs. Zanjani believe that in the future such sheep might be used to help humans. Two months later a human-sheep is born, it has a liver , heart, ling and brain that are part-human. These organs could be used to help people in need of them. There are different opinions about his work, however. Some say that scientists don't have the right to create new creature . Using animal organ might bring animal viruses into human bodies. Others are afraid that the work might change sheep. But Professor Anjani has said that this is impossible. According to the passage, " _ " is not true. A The world's first human-sheep is 15% percent human and 85% sheep B The world's first human-sheep has many organs that are part-human C Zanjani created the world's first human-sheep to make the sheep grows faster D The world's first human-sheep is a sheep with the body of a sheep and half-human organs. Answer: C. Zanjani created the world's first human-sheep to make the sheep grows faster My first performance in front of an audience was coming up soon. I tried as hard as I could to remain calm, but my heart was racing. I stared down at my sweat-covered, shaking hands. I looked up again at the audience, realizing that these were real people. They were not just my mum and dad, who would say, "Good job!" even if I messed up the entire piece. What if I had the wrong music? What if I played the wrong notes? As it turned out, I was never able to answer these questions because the spotlight was waiting for me. I grasped my hands tightly together, drying off the sweat. Slowly I walked to the mud-brown piano in the center of the room. It contained 88 demanding keys, which were waiting impatiently to be played. I swallowed the golf-ball-sized lump in my throat and sat down. Slowly, I opened the music. Next, I rested my still shaking hands on the ivory keys. As my fingers played across the keys, I was becoming more unsure of my preparation for this moment. But the memory of my years of training came flooding back. I knew that I had practiced this piece so many times that I could play it backwards if requested. Although at one point I accidentally played two keys instead of the intended one, I continued to move my fingers automatically . My eyes burned holes into (were fixed on) the pages in front of me. There was no way that I was going to lose my concentration. To keep this to myself, I leaned forward and focused carefully on the music. When I came to the end of the page, a warning went off inside my head: DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN YOU TURN THE PAGE! Needless to say, I obeyed myself with all my heart and mind. And, proud of my "page-turning" feat , I finished the rest of the piece without making a single mistake. After the final note died away, a celebration went into action inside my head. I had finished. I had mastered the impossible. The author was nervous before the performance because _ . A her mother and father weren't present B the strong spotlight was shining onto the stage C she hadn't mastered the entire piece D she had never performed in public before Answer: D. she had never performed in public before In which of the following situations is Defendant most likely to be not guilty of the charge made? A Police arrested Thief and recovered goods he had stolen. At the direction of the police, Thief took the goods to Defendant. Defendant, believing the goods to be stolen, purchased them. Defendant is charged with attempting to receive stolen property. B Defendant misrepresented his identity to secure a loan from a bank. The banker was not deceived and refused to grant the loan. Defendant is charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretenses. C Believing that state law made it a crime to purchase codeine without a prescription, Defendant purchased, without a prescription, cough syrup containing codeine. Unknown to Defendant, the statute had been repealed and codeine could be legally purchased without a prescription. Defendant is charged with attempting to purchase codeine without a prescription. D Defendant, intending to kill Selma, shot at Selma. Unknown to Defendant, Selma had died of a heart attack minutes before Defendant shot at her. Defendant is charged with attempted murder. Answer: C. Believing that state law made it a crime to purchase codeine without a prescription, Defendant purchased, without a prescription, cough syrup containing codeine. Unknown to Defendant, the statute had been repealed and codeine could be legally purchased without a prescription. Defendant is charged with attempting to purchase codeine without a prescription.
Nobody likes having to deal with an upset child. If your little one is hurt, scared or sad, your heart breaks for her. If she's mad, it can make you mad. You want to be there for her and comfort her, but the best way to do that will depend mainly on two things: why she's upset and how old she is. Be calm and open-minded when trying to comfort your upset child. Try to find out why your child is upset, because that affects how you should respond and what will be most effective in trying to comfort her. Take her aside and sit down to talk on her level, physically and emotionally. Be sure she knows she has your complete attention while she's telling you about the friend who wouldn't share her new toy and so on. Even if you've got 20 other things you need to get done, make yourself take a break and focus on her for a few minutes. Listen carefully to what your child says, and also pay attention to what she's not saying. If she says she's upset because "she hates her stupid school", you must "choose to accept it" -- to read between the lines. Maybe she's struggling with her studies, or the teacher scolded her in front of everybody. Patiently listen and try to _ so you know what kind of problem you're dealing with. Sometimes just knowing someone hears her pain goes a long way toward comforting an upset child. Don't make excuses or blame others, just let her know her feelings are natural and understandable. Give her permission to feel sad for a little bit or even cry a little, and give her a big hug. Then help her think of ways to get over the hurt and refocus her attention on another activity or friend. When faced with an upset child, the parents _ . may feel at a loss what to do next When a book is dropped onto a wooden desk, the molecules in the wood begin to vibrate from the force of the book. Which of these is produced by the vibrations? sound waves Most people, when they travel to space, would like to stay in orbit for a few days of more. And this stands to reason, if you' re paying $20,000 for your trip to orbit! Strain order for tourism to reach its full potential there' s going to be a need for orbital accommodation--or space hotels. What would a space hotel actually be like to visit? Hotels in orbit will offer the services you expect from a hotel--private rooms, meals, bars. But they' ll also offer two unique experiences: impressive views--of Earth and space--and the endless entertainment of living in zero gravity--including sports and other activities that make use of this. The hotels themselves will vary greatly--from being quite simple in the early days to huge luxury structure at a later date. It s actually surprising that as later as 1997, very few designs for space hotels were published. This is mainly because those who might be expected to design them haven' t expected launch costs to come down far enough to make them possible. Lots of people who' ve been to space have described vividly what it' s like to live in zero gravity. There are obviously all sort of possibilities for dancing, gymnastics, and zero-G sports. Luckily, you don' t need to sleep much living in zero gravity, so you' ll have plenty of time for relaxing by hanging out in a bar with a window looking down at the turning Earth below. Of course all good things have come to an end. Unfortunately, and so after a few days you' ll find yourself heading back enough you' ll be much more expert at exercising in zero gravity than you were when you arrived. You' ll be thinking how soon you can save up enough to get back up again--or maybe you should change jobs to get to work in an orbiting hotel. When traveling in space, most people would like to stay in orbi t for a few days because _ . It is expensive to travel in space You probably know who Marie Curie was,but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson.Of the outstanding ladies listed below,who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years? Jane Addams(1860-1935) Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank.Addans helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need In 1931,Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Rachel Carson(1907-1964) If it weren't for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today.Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world's lakes and oceans. Sandra Day O'Connor(1930-present) When Sandra Day O'Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952,she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator and ,in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O'Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court. Rosa Parks(1913-2005) On December 1,1955,in Montgomery,Alabama,Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison.But it also set lff the Montgmery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. "The only tired I was, was tired lr giving in,"said Parks. What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text? They are pioneers. Australian colour consultant Kylie Bartnicki is talking with a group of women in Pudong, Shanghai, who are interested in how colours affect people's confidence and help form people's first impressions . Kylie traces back her interest in colours to when she went for her first job interview at age 18. "My mother bought me a new red top to wear to my interview and she said, "Wear this, and it will be lucky."' Kylie recalls. "I wore it, had a great interview and got the job. Ever since then I started thinking about how powerful the colour is, how it makes us look and how it makes us feel." "When we wear clothes in a good colour, the colour will make our skin, hair and eyes shine and we look happy and smart," Kylie says. Winter and summer are "cool colourings" and autumn and spring are "warm colourings". Someone who loves "cool colouring" might have red or golden hair, brown eyes and gold or yellow skin. Chinese women belong to the "autumn season" if they have darker, peachy skin. Chinese women belong to the "winter season" if they have pale skin. Kylie says that Chinese women who have dark eyes and dark hair will look best in deep, rich colours. Light pinks and blues should be avoided because they may wash our Chinese skin tones . Their talk usually lasts one and a half to two hours and costs 600 yuan (89 dollars). Kylie says her customers are as young as five years old and as old as 90. The customers between their 30s and 50s always want some fresh ideas on developing their own personal style. Chinese women who have dark eyes and dark hair won't look beautiful in _ . light blue
Question: An Invisible Smile Mr. Dawson was an old grouch, and everyone in town knew it. Kids knew not to go into his yard to pick a delicious apple. Old Dawson, they said, would come after you with his gun. One Friday, 12-year-old Janet was going to stay all night with her friend Amy. They had to walk by Dawson's house on the way to Amy's house, but as they got close, Janet saw him sitting on his front porch and suggested they cross over to the other side of the street. Like most of the children, Janet was scared of the old man. Amy said not to worry. Mr. Dawson wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, Janet was growing more nervous with each step closer to the old man's house. When they got close enough, Dawson looked up with his usual frown , but when he saw it was Amy, a broad smile changed his entire face as he said, "Hello Miss Amy. I see you've got a little friend with you today." Amy smiled back and told him Janet was staying overnight and they were going to listen to music and play games. Mr. Dawson said that sounded fun, and offered them each a fresh picked apple off his tree. They gladly accepted. Mr. Dawson had the best apples in the whole town. When they left, Janet asked Amy, "Everyone says he's the meanest man in town. How come he was so nice to us?" Amy explained that when she first started walking past his house he wasn't very friendly and she was afraid of him, but she pretended he was wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him. It took a while, but one day he half-smiled back at her. After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started talking to her. Just a "hello" at first, then more. She said he always offers her an apple now, and is always very kind. "An invisible smile?" questioned Janet. "Yes," answered Amy, "my grandma told me that if I pretended I wasn't afraid and pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I smiled back at him, sooner or later he would really smile. Grandma says smiles are _ If we remember what Amy's grandma said, that everyone wears an invisible smile, we too will find that We're always on the go trying to accomplish so much, aren't we? It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life that we forget how simple it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving a smile away takes so little effort and time, let's make sure that we're not the one that others have to pretend to be wearing an invisible smile. What is the main message that the writer intends to send us readers? A. Always wear an invisible smile. B. Smile whenever we can. C. Try our best to transform others. D. Pretend that we are happy even if we are not. Answer: B Question: Soccer is played by millions of people all over the world, but there have only been few players who were truly great. How did these players get that way---was it through training and practice, or are great players "born, not made"? First, these players came from places that have had famous stars in the past---players that a young boy can look up to and try to imitate. In the history of soccer, only seven countries have ever won the World Cup---three from South America and four from Western Europe. There has never been a great national team---or a really great player---from North America or from Asia. Second, these players have all had years of practice in the game. Alfredo Di Stefano was the son of a soccer player, as was Pele. Most players begin playing the game at the age of three or four. Finally, many great players come from the same kind of neighborhood---a poor, crowded area where a boy's dream is not to be a doctor, lawyer, or businessman, but to become a rich, famous athlete or entertainer. For example, Liverpool, which produced the Beatles, had one of the best English soccer teams in recent years. Pele practiced in the street with a "ball" made of rags. And George Best learned the _ that made him famous by bouncing the ball off a wall in the slums of Belfast. All great players have a lot in common, but that doesn't explain why they are great. Hundreds of boys played in those Brazilian streets, but only one became Pele. The greatest players are born with some unique quality that sets them apart from all the others. The Brazilian streets are mentioned to show that _ . A. a great soccer player may be born in a slum area B. people in poor areas are born with some unique quality C. children in poor areas start playing football at the age of three or four D. famous soccer players live in slum areas Answer: A Question: When Kathryn was 6 years old, she sat outside for three hours at her home and did not make a sound.Her parents wondered why she was so quiet, only to discover that she was drawing a picture of a flag outside. She recalled. "That's what I wanted to do that day," said Kathryn, who is now 23 years old. And in the future, she continued to do art as a hobby. Recently, Kathryn was named Lake Placid's first artist in the neighborhood. She will be there for at least four weeks and possibly more. During that time, she will teach an art class and focus on her own art. Much of her work includes creating photos. She said: "There is always something there that you haven't included, so you can never stop when painting a photo." Kathryn ended up as the first artist just by chance. She said her sister was on vacation in Florida and looking for a job in Lake Placid. The sister got the job and moved there. Kathryn said she visited her sister and was ordered to do wall paintings inside a building. Later, her sister saw a demand for an artist on line and suggested she should apply. Kathryn said she's the first artist in her family, but added that her parents are creative. Her father loves to create things from wood, she said. "Anything you can make out of wood, he has made it," she said. Her own creativity with art continued through college. While at college, she was once employed to recreate a photo of a couple on a vacation to Florida and one of a sunset in either North Carolina or South Carolina. Kathryn said she's looking at other forms of art. The time she spends here will help her to "figure out who I am as an artist," she said. Talking of her father, Kathryn _ . A. praised him for his wood art B. was ashamed of his form of wood art C. was greatly proud of him D. felt pity for his creative talent Answer: C Question: A particular organism is able to survive in an environment due to a thick layer of fat beneath its skin. In which situation would the layer of fat most likely be a survival advantage? A. swimming in arctic waters B. eating large amounts of fish C. being preyed upon by other animals D. living in an environment with high temperatures Answer: A Question: Where are you most likely to see a healthy amount of pollinating insects? A. Where water is plentiful and flowers are everywhere B. Where water is plentiful and flowers are few C. Where flowers are everywhere and spiders are hungry D. Where water is depleted and flowers are everywhere Answer: A
when a person pushes a bike pedal it will make the bike accelerate it forward rapidly If you haven't seen or heard anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you've probably been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon, considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive dnriving or Road Rage recently if you drive at all. While drunk driving remains a critical problem,the facts about aggressive driving are surely as disturbing. For instance,according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, 41,907 people died on the highway last year.of those deaths,the agency estimates that about two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior. Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now and why is it something that seemed almost nonexistent a few short years ago?Experts have certain theories,and all are probably partially correct.One suggestion is over crowding.In the last decade,the number of the cars on the roads has increased by more than 11 percent,and the number of miles driven has increased by 35 percent.However,the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent.That means more cars in the same amount of space;and the problem is even serious in urban areas.Also,people have less time and more things to do.With people working and trying to fit extra chores and activities into the day,street levels have never been higher.Stress creates anxiety,which leads to short tempers.These factors,when combined in certain situations,Can _ Road Rage. You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively,but you might be surprised.For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver,sounded the horn long and hard at another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing?If you recognize yourself in any of these situations,watch out! Whether you are getting angry at other drivers,or another driver is visibly upset with you,there are things you can do to avoid any major conflict.If you are easily influenced to Road Rage,the key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way.If You are the target of another driver's rage,do everything possible to get away from me other drive safely,including avoiding eye contact and getting out of their way. www.sdzxlm.com Which of the following is"aggressive driving"? Shouting loud at another driver. Born in 1936 in Oak Park, Illinois, the American Richard Bach is the direct descendant of J.S. Bach, the famous composer. He attended Long Beach State College in 1955. As an airplane pilot, Bach got married to his first wife and had six children, but divorced later and then left his family because he didn't believe in marriage. Everything concerning airplane was his field, including an aviation technical writer and flight instructor. Though aviation was his true love, Bach always wanted to write. During his high school years, one of his teachers made him realize his potential. In 1959 he had this idea of a bird learning to pass beyond the walls of limitations--Jonathan Livingston Seagull. In almost all his books he used airplanes as a way to pass the message. In Running from Safety, Bach shares with us his childhood: at age 8, he lost one of his brothers: Bobby. In 1970, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a story about a seagull who flew for the sake of flying rather than merely to catch food, was published by Macmillan Publishers after the manuscript was turned down by many other publishers. The book, which included unique photos of seagulls in flight, became a best-seller. In 1973, the book was turned into a movie. It's said that Bach charged the production with changing the movie without his permission. In fact, those who saw the movie noticed that his name wasn't mentioned. Who probably led Richard Bach to his writing career? His teacher In some ways, the United States has made some progress. Fires no longer destroy 18,000 buildings as they did in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, or kill half a town of 2,400 people, as they did the same night in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Other than the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire in Kentucky in 1977, it has been four decades since more than 100 Americans died in a fire. But even with such successes, the United States still has one of the worst fire death rates in the world. Safety experts say the problem is neither money nor technology, but the indifference of a country that just will not take fires seriously enough. American fire departments are some of the world's fastest and best-equipped. They have to be. The United States has twice Japan's population, and 40 times as many fires. It spends far less on preventing fires than on fighting them. And American fire-safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children, who die in large numbers in fires but who, against popular beliefs, start very few of them. Experts say the error is an opinion that fires are not really anyone's fault. That is not so in other countries, where both public education and the law treat fires as either a personal failing or a crime. Japan has many wood houses; of the 48 fires in world history that burned more than 10,000 buildings, Japan has had 27. Punishment for causing a big fire can be as severe as life imprisonment. In the United States, most education dollars are spent in elementary schools. But, the lessons are aimed at too limited a number of people; just 9 percent of all fire deaths are caused by children playing with matches. The United States continues to depend more on technology than laws or social pressure. There are smoke detectors in 85 percent of all homes. Some local building laws now require home sprinklers . New heaters and irons shut themselves off if they are tipped. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? There has been only one great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that led to high death rate. The United States is the world's largest consumer of energy. We use electricity, gas and oil to light and heat our buildings and run our cars. The demand for power is growing. But we may not need to build new power plants or find more oil. The best way to increase our supply of energy is to be more efficient. Did you know that when you leave your video-game console on, it consumes more electricity than two refrigerators? Or that those funny-looking, twisty bulbs use 75% less power than traditional light bulbs? We have the tools to save money, reduce pollution and even help our planet, simply by wasting less energy. As President, Barack Obama plans to make energy efficiency in American a major goal. He has promised to cut 15% of all energy used by the Federal Government. In a speech, he called for 75% of government office buildings to be updated for better efficiency. He pointed out that energy-efficient buildings and homes will save consumers billions of dollars on energy bills. An "extra benefit", he added, will be "a cleaner, safer planet." Gas, coal and oil are called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have been the world's main source of energy for hundreds of years. But burning them releases dirty gases, which cause pollution. There are two main ways to save energy. The first is to use more efficient machines. Hybrid cars use less gas. New appliances are designed to use less electricity. Today's refrigerators are three times more efficient than those before 1973. Laptop computers consume much less energy than desktop computers. The second is to use machines more productively. According to the US Department of Energy, in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power electronic equipment is standby power . That means power flowing to plugged-in appliances whether or not they are being used. Homeowners can avoid wasting power by pulling the plug on appliances when they are not in use. Efficiency experts argue that today's best techniques could cut US oil and gas use in half, and reduce our electricity use by three-fourths. It can be inferred from the text that _ . everyone can make a difference by wasting less energy
Australian Flag Designs by Readers of the Sun-Herald We received dozens of responses after inviting readers to send in their designs for a new flag. The designs we received include: James Anthony, Drummoyne James reduces the Union Jack down in size and changes its shape to become a reminder of the British tradition rather than canceling it altogether. At the same time he suggests enlarging the stars of the Southern Cross. His design attempts to use the best of both worlds in a newly designed flag. As he says, "the British part of the Australian Flag is too big and the Australian bits are too small. When you make the stars bigger the Australian flag can look impressive." Joe Bollen, Turranmurra Joe's flag has the main elements of a risen sun, white horizon , red earth at the base and the Southern Cross. He intends to make the risen sun a special Australian symbol on the flag. He believes it represents life. The Southern Cross shows that we live in the Southern Hemisphere. Maria Ieraci, Sydney Maria deleted the Union Jack but otherwise kept the flag as is with the Southern Cross and Federation Star. She says, 'There is only one correct way to change the Australian flag" and that is "to drop the Union Jack ---- when Australia becomes a Republic", which she hopes will be before 2010. Ron Bennett, Sydney Ron recommends using the Aboriginal colors but replacing their image of the sun with the map of Australia. He says, "Australia is unique being an island continent with an instantly recognizable outline at that" and "this will leave no doubt as to which country the flag belongs." What does the Union Jack refer to? A. the British flag B. A former British ruler C. group of stars D. A former symbol of Australia Answer: A. the British flag Young children whose mothers talk with them more frequently and in more detail about people's thoughts and feelings tend to be better at taking another person's perspective than other children of the same age. That's what researchers from the University of Western Australia found in a new study published in the journal Child Development. "Parents who frequently put themselves in someone else's shoes in conversations with their children make it more likely their children will be able to do the same," said lead author Brad Farrant. Researchers of the UWA's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research looked at the influence of how parents interact with their children to learn more about how people develop the ability to take another's perspective. The two-year study involved more than 120 Australian children aged between four and six, including children with typically developing language and others delayed in language acquisition . The children completed tasks which were designed to assess their language skills, ability to infer others' beliefs and use these to predict others' behavior, and their ability to shift flexibly between different perspectives. Among children with typically developing language, the researchers found that mothers who talked more often and in greater detail about people's thoughts and feelings -- commenting on how another person might react to a particular situation as well as their own feelings about the topic -- had children with better language skills and better perspective-taking skills. Children with delayed language acquisition were also delayed in their development of perspective-taking skills. This displays the role played by language as children develop the ability to take another's perspective. "Solving the many challenges that the world faces today requires us all to get better at taking the perspective of other people," said Brad Farrant. According to the text, to help children gain better perspective-taking skills, parents should _ . A. give their children more chances to express themselves B. talk more with their children about people's feelings C. encourage their children to guess other people's thoughts D. spend more time playing with their children Answer: B. talk more with their children about people's feelings The Olympic Games are seen as the greatest test of an athlete's ability and are supposed to celebrate the spirit of fair play. But in fact, sportsmen have been using drugs to cheat their way to victory since the Games first began. In the early years, athletes ate mushrooms and plant seeds to improve their performance. Nowadays, this kind of cheating has a name doping . Just last month, Britain's top sprinter Dwain Chambers and several American athletes tested positive for the drug THG. Until a coach secretly gave a sample of THG to scientists, no one knew how ho test for it. "We're like cops chasing criminals--athletes are always adapting and looking for areas we haven't investigated," said Jacquew de Ceaurriz, a French anti-doping expert. Since the first drugs test was carried out at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, many cheats have been caught out. The most famous case in history is that of Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson. He broke the 100 meters world record in winning gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But days later, he tested positive for drug use, lost his gold medal and was banned from the sport. Five years later, he returned to action--only to be found positive again and banned forever. China has also had problems with drug cheats. At the 1994 Asian Games, 11 Chinese athletes--seven of them swimmers--tested positive for banned drugs. Sports organizations promised that cheating on this scale would not happen again. Experts are also worried that doping can damage a person's health. It is believed to increase the risk of liver and kidney diseases, and women may experience reproductive problems. As long as they can stay ahead of the scientists, it is unlikely the cheats will stop. But experts say there is a limit to what can be achieved and that athletes will not be able to change their bodies using gene technology. "For the moment, genetic doping does not exist," said de Ceaurriz. "Even in 10 or 15 years it will not be done easily--the scientific community will not let it happen." Which of the following is not the way that some athletes cheat to their better sports achievements? A. Eating mushrooms. B. Taking drug THG. C. Taking genetic doping. D. Eating plant seeds. Answer: C. Taking genetic doping. Money spent on advertising is money spent as well as any I know of. It selves directly to bring about a rapid sale of goods at reasonable prices, so setting up a firm home market and so making it possible to provide for export at good prices. By drawing attention to new ideas it helps greatly to raise standards of living. By helping to increase demand it causes an increased need for labor, and is therefore a nice way to fight unemployment. It lowers the costs of many services: without advertisements your daily newspaper would cost four times as much, the price of your television program would need to be doubled, and travel by bus or subway would cost more. And perhaps most important of all, advertising provides a promise of reasonable value in the products and services you buy. Besides the fact that twenty-seven Acts of Parliament govern the terms of advertising, no regular advertiser dare promote a product that fails to live up to the promise of his advertisements. He might fool some people for a little while through misleading advertising. He will not do so for long, for the public has the good sense not to buy the poor article more than once. If you see an article frequently advertised, it is the proof I know that the article does what is promised for it, and that it has good value. Advertising does more for the good of the public than any other force I can think of. There is one more point I feel I ought to touch on. Recently I heard a well-known television person declare that he was against advertising because it persuades rather than informs. He was telling us the real difference. Of course advertising tries to persuade. If its message were nothing but information, that would be difficult to get more people to buy, for even a detail such as the choice of the color of a shirt is a bit persuasive-advertising would be so boring that no one would pay any attention. But perhaps that is what the well-known television person wants. By the first sentence of the passage the writer means that _ . A. he is fairly familiar with the cost of advertising B. everybody knows well that advertising is a waste of money C. advertising costs more money than everything else D. money spent on advertising is worth while Answer: D. money spent on advertising is worth while Why don't so many Americans accept the theory of evolution? A 2001 Gallup Poll found that 45 percent of Americans agree with the statement "God created the human being pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so ", while 37 percent preferred a mixed belief that "Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process", and only 12percent accepted the standard scientific theory that "Human being have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process". There are at least four reasons to make people resistant to accepting evolution. 1. The warfare model of science and religion. The belief that there is a war between science and religion where one is right and the other is wrong, and that one must choose one over the other. 2. The belief that evolution is a threat to specific religious tenets . Many people attempt to use science to prove certain religious tenets, but when they do not appear to fit, the science is rejected. 3. Misunderstanding of evolutionary theory. A significant problem is that most people know so little about the theory. In the 2001 Gallup Poll, for example, a quarter of the people surveyed said they didn't know enough to say whether they accepted evolution or not, and only 34 percent considered themselves to be "very informed " about the theory. 4. The fear that evolution degrades our humanity. Darwin revealed us to be "mere animals", subject to the same natural laws and historical forces as all other animals. Believers should embrace science, especially evolutionary theory, for what it has done to uncover the magnificence of the divinity in a depth never dreamed by our ancient ancestors. We have learned a lot in 4,000 years, and that knowledge should never be denied. Instead, science should be welcomed by all who cherish human understanding and wisdom. Which of the following is NOT the reason why people don't accept evolution? A. There is always a war between evolution and religion. B. Some religious tenets can't be proved by science. C. Many people don't know enough about evolution. D. They fear that we will become "mere animals". Answer: D. They fear that we will become "mere animals".
As I made my way to my office last Thursday, I noticed an A4 poster stuck to the lift door. Then I noticed one on the wall, one on the noticeboard, and then one on my classroom door. In fact, they were stuck to nearly every available surface along the corridor. And they all had the same statement:"All I'm asking for is a little respect seeing I pay you PS9,000 a year." I still don't know what led to this flyer campaign -- it is said that it's linked to a group of students who were not given extra assignment grade for their examination -- but I could not help but become annoyed at the impolite language. I started to think about the ways that my students act and speak, and the way I acted and spoke during my time at university. I will admit that I didn't do all of the readings, and yes, I may have missed a couple of lectures throughout the year, but I completed all assignments and followed the guidelines presented to me, without expecting my lecturers to chase after me. I wish I could say the same for my students. As I walked through the car park with a colleague at the end of the day, we discussed the unrest that the posters had caused:"If you ask me,"he said,"all universities are going to need a customer services department before long."And there it was, plain and simple, the issue that I hadn't been able to explain: these young people weren't behaving like university students, they were behaving like customers. I recalled the student who told me he was disappointed with his low grade because he had"paid so much money". My colleague topped it: when one of his students was asked to leave a seminar for not completing the reading, he responded:"I pay you to teach me what's in the article, not the other way around." Last week I sent out the first round of grades for a module and had 12 emails of complaint within an hour. One in particular stood out for its misunderstanding of what it means to be a scholar. The student said the grade must be incorrect because he had turned up to all the lectures -- as if simply hoping what I had taught him deserved a 70+ grade. As I attempted to make a polite and supportive response, I considered a few things. When did it become an expectation that turning up to lectures is worthy of reward in itself? Moreover, when I was studying would I have ever had theballsto contact my lecturers and not only question their ability to grade my work appropriately but imply that my low grade was their fault? I find that as time goes by, my students become increasingly reluctant to engage in any academic behavior that does not have a direct effect on their assignment grade. That is, after all, what they are paying for. And so I am not regarded as an academic. I am not an expert in my field, a person with 10 years' worth of industry knowledge. I am a service provider. I wish I'd had the gusto to reply to those posters."Hey student -- all I'm asking for is a little respect, seeing how much you pay makes no difference to my wages, yet the level of support I am forced to offer you takes up 80% of my time in spite of the fact that teaching is still only equal to 33% of my workload. But I'll be in the office until 9 pm anyway because if I don't publish two papers by the end of the year, I'll be fired." What did the students really want to say through the flyer campaign? Answer: New software is able to analyze exactly how many hairs there are in a patch of skin and could help in testing the effectiveness of baldness treatments and depilatory creams, say Australian researchers. Researchers from CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences in prefix = st1 /Sydneyreport their findings in the November issue of the journalSkin Research and Technology. The software, developed with a UKcompany, will make it easier for researchers developing hair removal creams to accurately assess how well they work, says Dr Pascal Vallotton. "Up to now they were counting the number of hairs that survived after treatment by hand. That's hard work and it's difficult because you may count a hair twice or you may miss it." he said. The software relies on images captured by a small flatbed scanner pressed onto the skin. Using a mathematical algorithm , the software then identifies and traces each individual hair based on an understanding of a hair's unique features, such as its straightness. The software is able to distinguish between hairs and other features on the skin such as wounds or moles . "Our skin irregularities make it difficult to say this is a hair or this is a mole," Dr Vallotton said. Comparison between earlier and later images can also determine if hair is growing quickly or slowly, he says. Unfortunately, to check the accuracy of the software, the researchers still had to adopt the old-fashioned method of counting hairs, helped by volunteers from neighboring labs who put their skins on the line for science. "We had 12 volunteers, mostly from neighboring labs, and we acquired images of hair before and after treatment," Dr Vallotton said. To ensure an accurate count, the individual hairs had to be marked off as they were counted, but after such a laborious process, the researchers were pleased to discover the software results were comparable to the manual count. Dr Vallotton says the software could also be useful in testing the effectiveness of balding treatments and counting or tracing substances other than hairs, that are long and thin and otherwise difficult to image. What plays a key role in counting the number of hairs with the software? Answer: Thid is a true story of a mother's sacrifice in an earthquake. When the rescuer reached the ruins of a young man's house, they saw her dead body through the cracks. Her pose was somehow strange--she knelt on the ground like a person who was worshiping ;her body was leaning forward, and her two hands were supported by an object. However, the cold and stiff body told them that she had passed away for sure. The rescuers left this house and were going to search the next collapsed building. For some reason, the team leader was driven by a strong force to go back to the ruined house. Again, he knelt down to search the little space under the dead body. Suddenly, he screamed with excitement, "A child! There is a child1" The whole team worked together; carefully they removed the piles of ruined objects around the dead woman. There was a 3-month-old little boy wrapped in a blanket under his mother's dead body. Obviously, the woman had made great sacrifice in order to save her son. When her house was falling, she used her body to make a cover to protect her son. The little boy was still sleeping peacefully when the team leader picked him up. A doctor came quickly to examine the little boy. After he opened the blanket, he saw a cellphone inside the blanket.There was a text massage on the screen. It said, "If you can survive, you must remember that I love you." Everybody that read the massage cried After reading the text massage, everyone felt quite _ . Answer: Few students would dream of getting a job as a shoe shiner working along the street. College students, in their own eyes and in the eyes of the public, are expected to get at least a proper job, if not working in a high-income or white-collar position. Cai Yong's decision to work as a shoe shiner shocked not only his parents, who had high hopes for him, but also his girlfriend. "It is right for young graduates to be ambitious . But they have to start in a solid and down-to-earth way," Cai said. Cai is not alone in making such a choice. The company has got 12 college students in all. "I come for the 800yuanmonthly pay," said Xiao Ji, who is a student from Nanjing University. "I have grown up and no longer live on my parents," he said. "Working as shoe shiners can mean a bright future," Cai said. Not everyone can accept this job choice. Cai's girlfriend left him because she felt ashamed to be with a shoe shiner, and Cai accepted the fact. "This is the price to be paid for a job," he said. A former shoe shiner, Zhong Haibo, from a medical college, believes it was a good training for the rest of his life. "There is nothing I can't do after working as a shoe shiner," Zhong said, meaning that such kind of experience in early life is helpful in a future job. Why did Cai's girlfriend leave him? Answer: Scientists explain why people often blame others when things don't work out. Researchers say that when it comes to fixing blame, we can't always trust our own judgment .When things go wrong and we're to blame, we 're supposed to feel guilty. Right? Not necessarily. It turns out that when we do something that causes a negative result, we actually feel less responsible for our actions. But we see the entire situation differently if things turn out well. The "blame game" is nothing new. Behavior experts have long known that people push responsibility to others, or to outside factors, when things don't work out. But the new research shows that this reaction is more than about wanting to escape blame. We actually don't believe that what happened is our fault. To learn more about the "blame game", researchers conducted a study. They asked 34 people to press keys that produced three different noises. The noises were positive (amusement, laughter), negative (fear, upset, or anger), or neutral . The volunteers were asked to try to judge the time that it took between when they pushed the button and when they heard the sounds. Volunteers felt there was longer time between their actions and the negative sounds than that between their actions and the positive ones. In their minds, the negative results were separate from their actions. Therefore, they were able to feel less responsible for them. The findings suggest that perhaps more of us need to realize that unpleasant or negative situations may actually be our fault - even if we don't see it that way. And taking more responsibility for our actions could lead to better relationships with others. This passage is likely to be selected from a book of Answer:
The Ocean Institute welcomes people to the City of Dana Point's Festival of Whales celebration on both weekends.The event celebrates the migration of the whales off our coast.Respected ocean scientists of the ocean Institute introduce visitors to the world of whales.The speakers are arranged as the following. Saturday,March 5,12:30 pm Dr Gwen Goodmanlowe from Califomia State University is a full-time lecturer in the Department of Biology,and advises students working on degrees in marine biology.She received her doctorate in zoology from the University of Hawaii-Honolulu. Sunday,March 6,12:30 pm Matt Leslie,from Scripps Institute of Oceanography,has studied whales off the coast of Australia.Some of his current research projects include population structure analysis of whales using performance testing.He will lecture on guides for treatment of marine animals. Saturday,March 12,12:30 pm Dr Merkens,from Scripps Institute of Oceanography,will present her latest research on how sound or music can be used as a means to identify characteristics of whales and to find out how whales communicate with one another in the environment. Sunday,March 13, 2 pm Robert L. Pitman is a marine ecologist working for the National Marine Fishing Service.He began his career 35 years ago,studying seabirds and whales,and spends much of his time at sea on vessels at locations all over the world.His main interest is the ecology of the Antarctic killer whale. The Festival will allow visitors to know about new discoveries in marine animal research and to explore a variety of information on whales.Visitors will have the opportunity to listen to underwater whale sounds,and enjoy hands-on activities.Guests will tour the tall ship Pilgrim. Cost:$6.50 adults,$4.50 children(ages 4-12).For more information, please visit www.ocean-institute.org or call(949) 496-2274. If you only have time after l pm on weekends,you can listen to a lecture delivered by _ . A. Gwen Goodmanlowe B. Mart Leslie C. Merkens D. Robert L.Pitman Answer: D Experts say the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole appears to have fallen to 100C, meaning it is now producing steam, not magma . But officials warned that it was too early to say whether the eruption was over completely. Ash clouds from the volcano grounded thousands of flights last month. Steinunn Jakobsdottir, a geophysicist from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the BBC that the volcano was "kind of not active for the moment". "The history of the volcano is such that it calms down and then it gets energy again," she said. "There are still earthquakes under the volcano, and the small earthquake is still not quite down to what it was before the eruption." 'Difficult to say' Magnus Gudmundsson, of Iceland University, flew over the volcano on Sunday and said information from heat cameras showed the temperatures at the crater had fallen below 100C. But he told the AFP news agency that nothing was promised and that the previous eruption at the volcano had lasted 13 months, from 1821-23. "It stopped and started again several times with different intervals , so it's difficult to say, difficult to give a timeline," he said. He also said it was impossible to say whether the neighbouring Katla volcano - a much larger mountain - might also erupt. At the height of its activity, the volcano sent out huge clouds of ash, which led to airlines grounding their planes for fear it could _ plane engines. It was the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe since World War II, and affected at least 10 million passengers worldwide. What do you think the main idea is? A. the biggest action of closing airspace in Europe B. the temperature in Eyjafjallajokull's hole C. The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland D. The earthquake in Iceland Answer: C FRANCE has destroyed the hopes of those who had planned to take refuge in one of the few places on Earth which some believe will be spared when the world ends on December 21 .Local officials banned access to the Pic de Bugarach,a mountain in the southwest where rumor has it that the hilltop will open on the last day and aliens will appear with spaceships to save nearby humans. Eric Freysselinard,the state's top representative in the area,said he was blocking access to the mountain for public safety reasons to avoid a rush of New Age fanatics ,sight-seers and media crews. Believers say the world will end on December 21,2012,the end date of the ancient Mayan calendar,and they see Bugarach as one of a few sacred mountains sheltered from the cataclysm . Mr Freysselinard said the 100 police and firefighters will also control approaches to the tiny village of the same name at the foot of the mountain,and if too many people turn up,they will block access there too."We are expecting a few people who believe in this end of the world,but in extremely limited numbers," he said in the. nearby city of Carcassonne."We are expecting greater numbers of people who are just curious,but in numbers we cannot determine. Above all,we are expecting lots of journalists,"he said. Films,documentaries and websites have promoted the idea that the ancient Mayan calendar predicts that doomsday is on December 21.The culture ministry in Guatemala-where half the population are of Mayan descent-is hosting a massive event in the capital just in case the world actually does end,while tour groups are promoting doomsday-themed getaways. Many people plan to go to Pic de Bugarach mainly because _ . A. they want to take refuge on December 21,2012 B. they want to meet aliens with spaceships to save humans C. they want to visit the scenery of the mountain D. they want to make profits by attracting tourists Answer: A Does your older brother think he's cleverer than you ? Well, he's probably right. According to a new research published in the journal Intelligence, the oldest children in families are likely to have the highest IQs and the youngest the lowest. A number of studies have suggested that IQ scores decline with birth order. In the most recent study, at Vrije University, Amsterdam, researchers looked at men and women whose IQ had been tested at the ages of 5,12 ,and 18. The results , which show a trend for the oldest to score better than the youngest in each test, involved about 200,000 people. That showed that first-borns had a three-point IQ advantage over the second-born, who was a point ahead of the next in line. The order of birth can also affect personality, achievement, and career, with first-borns being more academically successful and more likely to win Nobel prizes. However, eldest children are less likely to be radical and pioneering. Charles Darwin, for example, was the fifth child of six. Exactly why there should be such differences is not clear, and there are a number of theories on environmental influences on the child. The so-called dilution theory suggests that as family resources, both emotional and physical, as well as economic, are limited, it follows that, as a result , as more children come along, the levels of parental attention and encouragement will drop. Another theory is that the intellectual environment in the family favors the first-born who has, at least for some time, the benefit of individual care and help. The theory which enjoys the most support is that the extra time and patience that the earlier-borns get from their parents, compared with those arriving later, gives them an advantage. What is the passage mainly about? A. IQ scores have little to do with the order of birth. B. Intellectual families favor the first-born C. The order of birth can have an effect on IQ D. The order of birth can affect personality, achievement, and career. Answer: C If a puppy is given only water for a very long time, it will A. starve B. need to hydrate C. dehydrate D. be thirsty Answer: A
Here are four famous festivals aroud the world .Are you familiar with all of them? Christmas is on 25 December.On the night before the festival ,young children hang up their stockings for the gift that Santa Clause gives .This festival is for the birth of Christ.All the people like this festival. In North America ,Halloween is on the last day of October . Families make lanterns from pumpkin .In the evening , children dress up well and go form house to house to ask for sweets or have parties at home. Mid-autumn Festival is a Chinese festival in the autumn . People wait to see a big around moon in the night sky . They eat moon cake and light lanterns . The longest day in the northern hemisphere is on 21 or 22 June each year . This is the middle of summer .There is a flower festival for four days each June in California , USA .There is a parade and people go to flower fields to look at the flowers. Christmas is in _ . A January B June C October D December Answer: D The Roman Emperor Claudius II was fighting many wars. He wanted a strong army, but many men did not want to be soldiers. Claudius thought the men wanted to stay at home to be with their wives and children instead of leaving to fight wars. Claudius thought of an _ solution to his problem. He decided to cancel all marriages! No one in all of Rome could get married. Claudius thought that if the men couldn't get married, the men would ignore the women and want to be soldiers. Valentine, who was a priest , believed that people needed to get married. He thought it was wrong for people to live together without being married. So he secretly and illegally married couples anyway. He performed the weddings in secret places, so the Roman soldiers would not find out. But they did find out. Valentine was arrested and brought before the Emperor. The Emperor thought Valentine was a well-spoken and wise young man, and encouraged him to stop being a Christian and become a loyal Roman. Valentine would not deny his beliefs, and he refused. He was sent to prison and was finally killed. While he was in prison, he sent out letters to his friends and asked to be prayed for by writing Remember your Valentine. Valentine was killed on the 14th or the 24th of February in the year 269 or 270. We celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th in honor of St. Valentine. The Emperor Claudius II wanted men to _ . A live at home and work for the empire B become loyal Roman citizens C go to other countries and raise families D fight wars in other lands Answer: D Greenwich is on the River, five miles from the middle of London, and its history is two thousand years old. The first English people were fishermen there, and they named the place Greenwich, meaning "green village". Later the English kings and queens lived at Greenwich in their beautiful places. The name of the earliest palace was Placentia. Henry VIII lived there. He knew that England must be strong at sea. So he started two big ship-yards at Greenwich. But trouble was coming to Greenwich. In 1649, a war started in England and for eleven years there was no king. The men who had worked for him at Placentia decided to live the place themselves. They sold all its beautiful things. Finally, the war ended and King Charles II came back. But Placentia was falling down. So King Charles built a new and bigger palace, which is now open to the public. At this time, Charles was worried about losing so many of its ships at sea: their sailors did not know how to tell exactly where they were. So in 1675, Charles made John Flamsteed, the first astronomer in England, try to find the answer. Flamsteed worked in a new building on the high ground in Greenwich Park. From it with a telescope which he made himself, Flamsteed could look all round the sky. And he did, night after night, for twenty years. Carrying on Flamsteed's work a hundred years later, an astronomer called Harrison finally made a clock which told the time at sea, and helped sailors to know where they were. You can see Harrison's clock, still working, in Greenwich's museum of the sea. Because of Flamsteed's work, every country in the world now tells its time by Greenwich Time. What kind of trouble came to Greenwich in 1649? A Placentia was destroyed. B King Henry died. C Ship-yards were built. D A war started in England. Answer: D When did you last see a polar bear? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, air temperature was 3degC, and the water temperature was a bit higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island , New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group, this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February. Doctors do not agree about the medical effects of cold-water swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter. The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming. The main benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming are probably mental . The Polar Bears love to swim year-round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says,"When I go into the water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away ." The passage is mainly about _ . A a group of cold-water swimming lovers B the polar bears' life C doctors' ideas about cold-water swimming D the requirements of the Polar Bear Club Answer: A Which relationship is true? A wind is renewable; metal is nonrenewable B wind is recyclable, metal is other C wind is happy, metal is other D wind is nonrenewable; metal is renewable Answer: A
It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society, where there is a huge demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover, an increase in industrial production is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase needs an abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy is endless and economical. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power, except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run by ly few technical and managing staff. The nuclear power station represents a large step in our scientific research and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, those who disagree with nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to the human race. Furthermore, it is doubtful whether finally nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have, for example, been very costly accidents in prefix = st1 /AmericaandRussia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium and the cost to ensure its safety could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy may bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive, we cannot afford nuclear energy. Though nuclear energy programmes are expanding, which assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. It is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue. Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and environmental reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power. Some people claim that nuclear energy is necessary because_. it can meet the growing demand of energy in an industrially developing society About us Summer Camps offer many programs that develop athletic skills, teamwork and healthy habits to kids. We create a safe and noncompetitive environment for learning and making friends. Our counselors are required to complete much training. Directors and head counselors are certified in CPR and First Aid and so on. Full-day Camp (ages 6-13) A typical camp starts with soccer, kickball, basketball or field games. After lunch, the kids do three activities. Depending on location, there are swimming, science and nature, arts and crafts, rope courses. Li'1 Rascals Day Camp (ages 3-5) Preschoolers get all the fun of full-day camp in half the time. Activities include arts and crafts, sports, games and relays. Each week has different themes. All participants must be able to be taught to use a patty . Specialty camps (ages 14-16) These specialty camps build many athletes. Our experienced staff will help your child be excellent in his or her favorite sport. Tennis Basketball Soccer Dance *Cheerleading Fee: $120 Contact Information Call: 068-990-3224; E-mail: summercampsforkids@hotmail.com or Write to: 125 Seventh Avenue South New York, NY 10014 What the parents from last year say about the camps: "All the activities were perfect. My son definitely wants to return next year and I will recommend the camp to others." --Kate "I think this is one of the best camps that my children have attended. The counselors and directors are enthusiastic and friendly. The programs are excellent and it is the only camp that they ask to go back to." --Jack "My children had an excellent time at your camp. I was very impressed by both your friendly, helpful counselors and directors and the excellent way that the entire camp was organized and run. I will consider next year! Many thanks." --Mary The children in Summer Camps may do the following EXCEPT _ . know how to survive in the wild What will you do if you get five million ? Different people give different answers. Sally If I get five million, I want to do business. I will do a lot of things for my family. For me nothing is more important than my family. I will buy a new house for them and travel around the world. Joe If I have five million, I will use the money to do everything I like. First, I will use two million to open my own shop. And I will use another two million to buy some new houses. In the future, the houses which I buy will become more expensive, and I will sell them to other people. Finally, I will use one million to buy some presents for my family and my best friends. Anna If I have five million, I will put three million in the bank and spend two million. I will visit Paris, London and New York. I will eat delicious food, play games, and build a house with a swimming pool. Jack I will buy an island if I have five million. Then I will be the king of the island. I will invite my friends to my island. ,. What will Anna do if she gets five million? Put three million in the bank and spend two million. In an action brought against Driver by Walker's legal representative, the only proofs that the legal representative offered on liability were that: (1) Walker, a pedestrian, was killed instantly while walking on the shoulder of the highway; (2) Driver was driving the car that struck Walker; and (3) there were no living witnesses to the accident other than Driver, who denied negligence. Assume the jurisdiction has adopted a rule of pure comparative negligence. If, at the end of the plaintiff's case, Driver moves for a directed verdict, the trial judge should deny the motion, because, in the circumstances, negligence on the part of Driver may be inferred. Surviving the boredom of a school day can be bad enough, but when you have to worry about school gangs as well it's enough to make any student want to stay at home and under the covers! Unfortunately, gang culture can be found in many British schools, and it brings with it negative, and dangerous, side effects. The presence of weapons at or near school, the appearance of graffiti on buildings and lockers, and pressure to blow off school work and exams all follow where the gangs lead. None of these things contribute to a good education, but for school gangs that's exactly the point - school is for being popular and having fun, not learning anything or preparing for the future. Keep these tips in mind and say goodbye to school gangs. Know your own mind. Often it is those with low self-esteem and a poor self-image who become victims of school gangs. These students don't know their own mind or have a clear picture of what they would like to do in the future, so it is easy to be influenced by those who don't want to do any work today. Keep yourself busy. School gangs often hang around at or near schools with no real reason. Students who have nothing scheduled can easily be sucked into these groups, but if you are busy, busy, busy and always on the move there will be less chance that you'll have the time to stay and "play". Choose your friends wisely. With a core group of like-minded friends, it is much easier to stay away from school gangs because you simply don't need them. Remember that gangs are a source of power for members, but they can also be a source of intimidation. Work hard and have fun. No one likes a teacher's pet, but school gangs in particular hate them. Work hard and have fun at school, but don't annoy anyone with extreme goody-two-shoes behaviour. School gangs can be a nightmare if you must deal with them constantly. Stay away from gang hangouts and gang members, and don't involve yourself in any gang related activities. What can be inferred from the passage? Those who focus on study are more likely to stay away from school gangs.
A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let's see you fell this tree." The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman said, "You can start Monday." Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday went by -- and on Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your wages on the way out today." Shocked, the young man replied, "I thought you would pay me on Friday." "Normally we do," said the foreman. "But we're letting you go today because you've fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you've dropped from first place on Monday to the last place today." "But I'm quite hardworking," the young man disagreed. "I am the first to arrive and the last to leave and even have worked through my coffee breaks!" The foreman thought for a minute and then asked "Have you sharpened your axe?" The young man replied, "No, sir. I've been working too hard to take time for that!" Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to "sharpen" the axe. In today's world it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp? There's nothing wrong with hard work. But we shouldn't get so busy that we ignore the truly important things in life. We all need time to relax, to think, to learn and to grow. If we don't take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. The young man got the job by _ . Answer: showing skills Steve Jobs, the designer of Apple Computer, wasn't smart when he was at school. At that time, he was not a good student and he always made trouble with his schoolmates. Then he dropped out . But he was full of new ideas. After he left college, Steve Jobs worked as a video game designer. He worked there for only several months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and give him a change in life. Steve Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India. In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the Apple computer with his friend . He chose the name"Apple"just because it could help him to remember a happy summer he once spent in an apple tree garden. His Apple computer was such a great success that Steve Jobs soon became famous all over the world. ,. Steve Jobs chose the name "Apple" because _ . Answer: he wanted to remember the happy time Where would a short-beaked animal likely die? Answer: in a habitat with only insects who live in tight spaces It's 10:00 pm. A man leaves a restaurant, gets into his car and drives away. 200 meters further he's stopped by a police officer. Officer: Good evening, sir. We're testing drivers for drunk driving. Would you please blow into this machine? Man: I'm sorry, I can't do that. If I blow into that machine, I will get out of air. Officer: Please come along to the office and we can give you a blood test. Man: I can't do that. If you give me a blood test, I will bleed to death. Officer: Then you'll have to get out and walk five metres along this white line. Man: I can't do that, either. Officer: Why not? Man: Because I'm dead drunk! I can't open the door. The man is stopped _ metres away from the restaurant. Answer: 200 I was on the escalator in a market. There was an old man who was about five or six people in the front of me. People behind him were all in a hurry and saw him as a rock. The old man knew these clearly and tried hard to step aside. I remember...Sometimes when walking or driving behind an older person, I've gotten impatient and upset. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me!" said the old man, "I don't mean to hold you up." He then tried his best to get off the escalator. I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. I felt sick to my stomach. The old man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have helped him to calm his fears. One by one, people went around him quickly. By the time I got to him, I asked, "Sir, can I help you?" The man thought for a while, then said, "Well, yes, thank you!" I placed my hand under his left arm and walked away from the rush of people quickly. "So what are you shopping for, sir?" "Oh, today is Mother's Day. I want to buy something for my neighbor. She's a single mother and she is always so nice to me." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his pocket. "Oh, it's here! I always carry them with me," he said. Then he took out some business cards and handed me one which read: "John Smith. Friend to all...enemy to no one! I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!" "That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man." "My friend, you helped me. I discovered why I was unhappy with the world. Now I know how to solve the problem. No more with me!" The writer felt sick to his stomach most because _ . Answer: the old man was apologizing to everyone
Question: A new semester has just started and a number of parents are registering to change their children's names, in the hope that it will change their temper or help their children drop bad habits, like addiction to the Internet. One mother surnamed Shi renamed her son, a primary school student, Hengfu, which means eternal happiness in Chinese. She decided to change the boy's name because he always did poorly in study. She has had him tutored after school, but he always earns low marks in school. So Shi turned to a name-giving master. "I hope the special recipe could bring him good luck," the mother said. Teachers in the city say a few students in every school, most nearing graduation, change their names at the start of every new semester. A naming agency said it has found names for nearly 1,000 students since setting up the shop in 1998. The store said its professionals analyzed the defects of a person's original name, and suggested a new one based on the person's birthday and other fortune-telling skills. Buying a new name costs between 800 yuan and 10,000 yuan. Parents also have to register the name at the local police department for a small fee. This will legally change their child's name on all documents, including ID cards and passports. Hu Jie, a university student who changed her name in her final year of high school, said the new name confused her. "I always had no idea who my classmates were calling when they used my new name," Hu said, adding that she wished she had kept her old name. But parents may be ignoring one thing: name changes might encourage kids to believe that fate is more important than their own efforts. What is the writer's attitude towards parents' renaming their children? A. Negative. B. Positive. C. Doubtful. D. Interested. Answer: A. Negative. Question: Ann is my classmate. She comes from New York, and she lives in Shanghai with her parents now. Every morning, she goes to KFC to have breakfast. Sometimes she buys a hamburger for me. She can't speak Chinese well. In the evening, her father often helps her with it. He's a teacher in our school. He can speak Chinese very well. Ann thinks the school life in China is very interesting. Ann likes reading Chinese books because she wants to know more about China. She tries to talk with her Chinese friends in Chinese. She hopes to speak Chinese well. She is very happy to live in China. She loves people here. What is Ann's hope ? A. To get fat. B. To have more friends. C. To speak Chinese well. D. To live in New York. Answer: C. To speak Chinese well. Question: Johnny is a nine year old boy. On one hot summer day, Johnny is outside his house playing with his dog. He is very hot and wants to have some ice cream. He looks in his freezer and sees that he does not have ice cream. Johnny then hears the song of the ice cream truck. Johnny runs outside but does not see the ice cream truck. He looks down the street but the ice cream truck is nowhere to be found. The music of the truck starts to get softer and then louder. Johnny waits outside for an hour. Johnny then thinks that he needs money when the ice cream truck comes. He runs inside and finds five dollars in his room. He then hears the ice cream truck song get very loud. He runs back outside and sees the truck pass his house. Johnny runs after the truck and catches up with it. Johnny buys 4 ice cream pops and some candy. He gives his five dollars to the ice cream man and gets one dollar back. He walks home and happily eats all of his candy and ice cream. How old is Johnny? A. nine B. eight C. four D. seven Answer: A. nine Question: Inventors Can you patent and profit from your idea? We have been assisting inventors since 1975. Full range of patenting and marketing services. Confidentiality guaranteed American Inventors Corp. Call for free information: 1-800=338-5656 or visit www.aic.com Parents Can you afford to raise your hearing impaired child without the insights this highly valued book has to offer? Make life easier for you and your child! Bradford Publications For information: 1-800-354-2760 or visit www.bpublications.com Earn up to$25,000 a year as a Medical Transcriptionist! No experience is needed, Work the hours you choose. Train at home in your spare time. The medical profession needs skilled transcriptionists. So if you can type, or are willing to learn, we can train you to work at home doing medical transeriptions from tapes dictated by doctors. Get free information! At-Home Profession Corp. Call Toll Free 1-800-475-0100 or visit www. athome. Com Globe Insurance Company Since 1951, Globe has grown in financial strength and reputation With over 2.8 million policies in force. Globe is committed to providing affordable life, health and accident insurance for the entire family. It only costs$1 to start your Long Life coverage. Globe Insurance Company Call Toll Free, Seven Days A Week, 24-hours A Day. 1-800-358-1945 or visit www.globeic.com From the advertisements above, we can learn that_. A. Globe Insurance Company has a history of 51 years B. as a medical transcriptionist, you may earn$25,000 a month C. Bradford Publications offers a treatment to hearing impaired parents D. you can visit www.aic.comwhen you invent a new model of hearing aid Answer: D. you can visit www.aic.comwhen you invent a new model of hearing aid Question: Today is fine. The sky is blue, Now it's nine o'clock in the morning. There's a sports meeting in the forest on the big mountain. Look,a horse, a panda and a cat are running. Over there a dog and two tigers are jumping. Two monkeys are climbing the trees. Four birds are flying around and singing. There are some other animals there, too. The elephants are standing. A monkey is sitting on an old elephant. The monkey has a flag in his hand. Polly is sitting in the tree. A fox, a baby panda and some small animals are sitting under the tree. They are all watching. There're _ at the sports meeting. A. not any birds B. a lot of animals C. many people D. many monkeys Answer: B. a lot of animals
Question: Susan was very happy to get some money from her grandmother. She spent all morning at her grandmother's house doing chores for her. Grandmother was getting older, and sometimes she needed help with small things around the house. The first thing that Susan did was clean the big window in her house. It was afternoon and the sun was shining, but it was hard to tell because the window was so dirty! Susan used water and soap to clean the window. It was very clean when she was finished. Next, she swept the front porch. She put all of the dirt and leaves into a big bin in the front yard. That was a lot of work. Susan was going back in the house for lunch when she saw that the light in the hall was out. She asked her grandmother to show her where the light bulbs were at so that she could change it. Since she was so short she had to get a stool to stand on. Her grandmother stood by to make sure she didn't fall. This was her last job of the day. After all of her hard work her grandmother made her a ham sandwich with no cheese. Susan did not like cheese. Then her grandmother gave her five dollars for helping. This was a whole dollar more than she got the last time! How long did Susan spend doing chores? A. The whole afternoon. B. All Friday night. C. Two afternoons. D. All morning. Answer: D Question: With winter fast approaching, flu season is here. People can easily catch the flu bug and they try to fight it with western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine or some homemade secret recipes. Yet some of these strategies are ineffective or even harmful, the best way to counter the flu is to protect us from contracting it. So here are some good habits to protect people from contracting flu from the very beginning. During the day, keep the bedroom window open to let fresh air in. Wash your face with cold water in the morning and wash your feet with hot water in the evening. This practice can help boost blood circulation and improve the body's resistance. Do some exercises in the morning. such as jogging or shadowboxing for 10 minutes. Rinse your mouth with salt water or tea every morning and every evening. This can help kill flu bacteria, clear phlegm and keep the mouth fresh. Wear more clothes when it's cold and take some off when it's warm Get a bottle of vinegar or Chinese white wine at hand and smell it now and then. Their pungent smell can help people get refreshed and improve their body's resistance. * Drink two kinds of beverages before going to bed, which can help people stay away from the flu: soup made of radish and vinegar, and tea made of fresh ginger . *Close the doors and windows and put a pot of boiling vinegar in the room Vinegar steam is a good way to kill flu bacteria in the air. What would be the best title for this passage? A. Eight habits to keep the flu away B. The cause of contracting the flu C. Winter and flu D. How to cure the flu Answer: A Question: There are robots all around us. Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. and some do one simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on, water pours in. The machine waits until the water is warm enough for washing clothes. It does this by "feedback" . Information about what is happening is feedback into the robot to tell what to do next. Our eyes, ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us. So robots are like human beings in two ways. They work and they have feedback. In some ways robots are better than human beings. They work quickly and do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over and over again. And they never get tired. So robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brain must be shown how the job is done. A person moves the robot's "arms" and "hands" through each part of the job. The most intelligent robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their fingers can feel shapes and sizes of the objects. These robots have computer brains linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. The expensive robots are used in scientific research. They do such job as handling radioactive materials. The robots used for scientific research _ . A. are not very clever B. are very cheap C. are very big D. are very costly Answer: D Question: Planet Earth would be a scary place for humans if dinosaurs still ruled the world. Though there are still some traces of life from the Jurassic Period, the Age of Dinosaurs more than 65 million years ago. This mass extinction is believed to be the result of an asteriod hitting Earth. A new report by the journal Biological Reviews called " The Extinction of Dinosaurs" concludes that this impact was, indeed, the cause of the dinosaurs' _ . But the space blast wasn't the only reason these creatures aren't still around today. Dinosaurs need food to survive. Meat-eating monsters like the Tyrannosaurus Rex were at the top of the food chain, and fed off plant eaters like the horned Triceratops . These herbivores were decreasing in population after the asteroid hit Earth, which left the meat-eating species less food to survive on. "In any ecosystem where you remove links to key species, that community has problems," Richard Butler, one of the review's authors, told National Ceographic. While the herbivore population was going down, Earth's temperatures were rising when volcanoes erupted. Hot vapors and gases began wiping out some of the dinosaur population and weakening the survivors. These changes made the asteroid's impact especially powerful. It caused more volcanoes to erupt, heated up Earth's atmosphere, and led to a sharp drop in the level of oxygen in the oceans. With the dinosaurs gone, mammals began to evolve into bigger and more diverse species. Many animals we see today, like birds, sharks, and even some cats and dogs, appeared after the asteroid hit Earth. But none rule Earth quite like the dinosaurs did.. The text is mainly about _ . A. the evolvement of mammals on Earth B. the gradual process of climate change C. the importance of the balance of ecosystem D. the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs Answer: D Question: Publicity offers several benefits. There are no costs for message time or space. An ad in prime-time television may cost $250,000 to $5,000,000 or more per minute, whereas a five-minute report on a network newscast would not cost anything. Publicity reaches a mass audience within a short time and new products or company policies are widely known. Credibility about messages is high, because they are reported in independent media. A newspaper review of a movie has more believability than an ad in the same paper, because the reader associates independence with objectivity. Similarly, people are more likely to pay attention to news reports than to ads. For example, Women's Wear Daily has both fashion reports and advertisements. Readers spend time reading the stories, but they skim through the ads. Furthermore, there may be 10 commercials during a half-hour television program or hundreds of ads in a magazine. Feature stories are much fewer in number and stand out clearly. Publicity also has some significant limitations. A firm has little control over messages, their timing, their placement, or their coverage by a given medium. It may issue detailed news releases and find only portions mentioned by the media, and media have the ability to be much more critical than a firm would like. For example, in 1982, Procter & Gamble faced a massive publicity problem over the meaning of its 123-year-old company logo. To fight this negative publicity, the firm had a spokesperson appear on Good Morning America to disprove the rumor . The false rumors were temporarily put to rest. However, in 1985, publicity became so troublemaking that Procter & Gamble decided to remove the logo from its products. All of the following advantages of publicity are mentioned EXCEPT _ . A. time saving B. attentiveness C. credibility D. profitability Answer: D
More than 200 activities have been held so far during the Chinese Language Year in Russia. It has not only made Chinese culture popular in Russia, but also improved understanding and friendship between Russians and Chinese people. More and more Russians begin to enjoy Chinese food and operas, watch TV programs to leam Chinese, and travel in China. Since the Chinese Language Year program in Russia started, so many events such as movie weeks, operas, Chinese language classes, language contests and teaching programs have been popular in Russia. Through the activities, Russian people have had a chance to leam more about the Chinese culture, literature, history and its life today. For example, the first group of 500 Russian students visited the Chinese cities of Beijing, Dalian and Qingdao. There they painted both countries' landmarks, including the Tian' anmen Square, the Great Wall, the Kremb ,the Volga River and the Red Square. When the Russian students returned, they took part in a photo contest and a writing contest to show their love for China. And Russians, especially young people, have become more and more interested in learning Chinese. To date, more than 130 universities in Russia are offering Chinese courses. More than 20 middle and primary schools have also taught Chinese as their first foreign language. What did the first group of Russian students do in China? Answer: Yucai Middle School will have a School Day on Friday.Students don't need to have any classes.Instead,they are going to do a lot of things for fun.Here is a poster for it. The most wonderful game of the year Meet our school basketball stars Basketball Court 3:00 p.m.-- 5:00 p.m. Tel:375 -- 7682 Water Sports It's really cool! Xingsha Beach The whole afternoon Tel:375 -- 7442 Talent Show Are you good at singing,dancing,acting or playing the guitar? Come and show yourself! Music Hall 7:00 p.m.-- 9:00 p.m. Tel:375 -- 9876 Chess is fun! Different kinds of chess Who will win at last? Chess Club 8:00 a.m.-- 10:30 a.m.1:00 p.m.-- 3:30 p.m. Tel:375 -- 7465 For further information,please call the school office.Just do it! Enjoy yourself! You can have water sports _ . Answer: Here's a movie-a sharp, sugar-rush of fun that's guaranteed to entertain the entire family. With some terrific computer-generated effects, a great cast and a fun-packed storyline, Robots is the best animated film since The Incredibles. Yep, it really is that good. Set in a world populated by robots, Ewan McGregor plays Rodney Copperbottom, a young robot who leaves his small-town home to pursue his dream of becoming an inventor. But after arriving in Robot City, his hopes of getting a job at Bigweld Industries are destroyed when he learns the firm has been taken over by the evil Ratchet (Greg Kinnear). Egged on by his controlling mum, Madame Gasket (Jim Broadbent), Ratchet plans to reduce half on Robot City's citizens to scrap metal by refusing to sell the spare Pans they need to survive. Instead, he wants to make a fortune selling expensive upgrades that few can afford. As he says, "Why be you when you can be new?" Aided by a few misfit robots known as the Rustles-including Robin Williams as the cowardly Fender ("I'm made of a metal called Afraidium")-Rodney must track down the firm's founder, Bigweld (Mel Brooks), and convince him to save the city from Ratchet's plans. The first thing that'll strike you about the movie is the thought that's gone into creating Robot City. It's a wondrous world full of mechanical marvels including wind-up cars and walking streetlamps. Also terrific are the special effects. This might be animated movie but at times you'll catch yourself thinking it's really a live-action film. Of course, there have been plenty of animated movies that looked the part but were let down by a weak storyline(see Shark Tale, for example). But Robots grips right from the start thanks to a heart-warming and thoroughly engaging plot that never bores. My only complaints are with Williams who, as usual, has a one-in-10 success rate with his jokes. Also a letdown is a romantic subplot between Rodney and a shapely robot called Cappy (Halle Berry) that doesn't go anywhere. Complains aside, this is a mechanical marvel that'll have you bolted firmly to your seat. BEST QUOTE :Fender:"Even though you had a discouraging day, just remember there's another one coming tomorrow. BEST BIT:Check out those amazing images. WORST BIT:Robin Williams' character does an unfunny Britney Spears dance routine. IF YOU LIKED...Ice Age, The Incredibles, Toy Story...YOU'LL LIKE THIS. The cast of Robots is made up of all the following actors or actresses EXCEPT _ . Answer: When I was growing up, I was ashamed to be seen with my father. He was severely disabled and very short, and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on. It was difficult to coordinate our steps--his slow, mine impatient--and because of that, we didn't say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, "You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you." He never talked about himself as an object of sympathy, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a "good heart", and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him. I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don't know accurately what a "good heart" is. Unable to join in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. I now know he participated in some things indirectly through me, his only son. When I played ball (poorly), he "played" too. When I joined the Navy, he "joined" too. And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, "This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different." Those words were never said aloud. He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my unwillingness to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about small affairs, when I am envious of another's good fortune, when I don't have a "good heart". At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain my balance, and say, "You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you." It can be inferred from the text that _ . Answer: Which pair together could cause a rainbow? Answer:
What is an example of navigation? What is your favorite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist , a leader or an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grey and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined . You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference , and the effect that colours have on human beings .They tell us that we don't choose our favorite colour as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing . Light and bright colours make people not only happier but also more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark grey . Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colourful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colours they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief or a lampshade . The writer believes that in realizing the four modernizations of our country, we need more people who love _ . Doctor Carl was a very busy man. He always worked hard. He often forgot his families' birthdays. Yesterday afternoon he remembered it was his wife's birthday. He loved his wife. He wanted to give her a present. On his way home from hospital, he bought some beautiful flowers in a shop. When doctor Carl got home, he gave his wife the flowers and said, "Happy birthday to you, dear!" "It's April 20th today. I remembered your birthday this year." Mrs. Carl laughed and said, "My birthday was the day before yesterday, but thank you all the same. Better late than never!" Why did Carl forget his families' birthday? Because _ . China is a country with a long history. It has great traditional culture, especially Chinese characters. Chinese characters usually have more than one meaning and some of them are very interesting. Here are six ones. We use "pinyin" here because "pinyin" is the Chinese spelling way for the characters. For example, "fu" is the "pinyin" for good luck in Chinese. "pinyin" "fu" is only the phonic part of the character and if you want to know the meaning of good luck "fu", you must read Chinese character because "fu" also represents other Chinese characters that sound the same. "fu" means blessing, good fortune, good luck. Chinese _ "fu" is one of the most popular ones used during Chinese New Year. Chinese people often put up "fu" upside down on the front door of a house or an apartment. The upside down "fu" means good luck comes since the character for upside down in Chinese sounds the same as the character for "come". "lu" is used to mean official's a pay in old China. "shou" means long life, age or birthday. "xi" is happiness, The doubled character "xi" means double happiness. It is usually put up everywhere at Chinese weddings. "cai" is weath or money. Chinese often say " money can make a ghost turn a millstone". It is to say money really can do a lot of things. But, money can't buy everything. "he" is an important part of Chinese culture. It means good relations with other people, when you have "he", things will be a lot easier for you. The top six lucky Chinese charaters. "fu" "lu" "shou" "xi" "cai" "he",are particularly loved by Chinese people. People in China most probably put up the Chinese Characters _ on the front door at their wedding. Molly Daniels opened the door so hard that the door nearly broke it. Then she looked through the window at her neighbor across the yard. " She is in my garden again. Those are my strawberries, not hers. Maybe I should call the police." Her friend, Doris, was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hands. "You want to call the police because she picks your strawberries?" she asked. "Of course," Molly answered angrily. "What would you do if your neighbor walked into your yard without your _ and picked your strawberries?" "I would say, better here the bees." "The bees don't take my strawberries." "But the birds do," Doris continued. "That old lady only picks a few strawberries every year, and the only ones she picks are those you leave to the birds. Why don't you pick some of your good strawberries and give them to her?" "Are you crazy? What are you thinking?' "Don't you remember what happened when you were in hospital last year? She went to see you and gave you a pot full of chicken soup. When you give her the strawberries you can tell her that you still remember that." Molly was shocked. She had almost forgotten that little kindness because she was too angry. Then she picked a basket of good strawberries and went out. Through the window, Doris could see that the anger on Molly's face changed into a bright smile. Molly opened the door very hard because _
LONDON (Reuters) -- Children are dying for lack of drugs tailored to their needs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which launched a global campaign on Thursday to promote more research into child medicine. More than half of the drugs currently used to treat children in the industrialized world have not been specifically tested on youngsters. The problem is even worse in developing countries where price remains a major barrier and 6 million children die each year from treatable conditions. In the case of HIV/AIDS, the few existing pediatric therapies developed for children generally cost three times more than adult ones. As a result, clinicians lack clear guidelines on the best drug to use and often have to guess at the correct dose. Fortunately, the WHO has drawn up the first international List of Essential Medicines for Children, containing 206 products considered safe for children. "But a lot remains to be done. There are priority medicines that have not been adapted for children's use or are not available when needed," said Dr Hans, the U.N. agency's director of medicines policy and standards. Medicines that need to be adapted to children's needs include many antibiotics, pain drugs as well as combination pills for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The agency is building an Internet entrance linking to clinical trials carried out in children and will launch a Web site with the information early next year. Testing medicines on children has always been a controversial issue, since good ethical practice requires informed agreement from people participating in clinical trials, which is difficult to obtain in the case of children. As a result, research-based drug companies have been _ of developing child-friendly medicines and general companies have been slow to produce them at lower cost. In an attempt to deal with the issue, both Europe and the United States now have special rules offering extended patent protection for drugs that have been tested on children. Why has testing medicines on children always been a controversial issue? Answer: It is hard to get informed agreement from children tested. Nowadays, lots of students in Shenzhen complain that they have too much homework. Because of this, they feel unhappy about learning at school. According to a survey, a pupil has to spend two hours finishing the homework every day. It usually takes three hours for a middle school student and four hours for a high school student to finish the homework every day. Students in Grade Nine often do their homework until midnight. And all of them have to get up at as early as six o'clock the next morning. Mr. Li, a doctor in a hospital, told me yesterday, "Half of the students in Shenzhen are sub-healthy . The lack of sleep makes them tired and their health is becoming poorer and poorer." Many parents worry about _ . According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? Answer: Students in Grade Nine often do their homework until 12:00 at night. Kids at the Interlake School Division were the first Canadian students to take part in a program to send experiments to the International Space Station.(ISS). Jordan Schott and three other sixth grade students came up with the idea to test royal jelly in space . Their experiment came very close to be tested on the space station. "We were seeing if we could send it to space, and if it would lose its nutritional value" faster and or slower, "said Schott. Schott is one of the 18 students in the Space Knights Club at Woodlands Elementary School, part of the Interlake School Division. Over 450 students from the Division took part in the program. "I thought we were just students and we couldn't do much in the way of that. It's a way to communicate with people up there ," said Braeden Clark, a seventh grade student who is also in the club. The astronauts shared what they learned with their school with a full day of activities all about science and space. Teacher Maria Nickel is the organizer of the club. She said the day was great for students to learn what they could do. "Space is one of those great things that get kids excited, but it also gives them the chance to do so much. They can be an astronaut; they can be an engineer, "She said. The day was held in honour of Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut now in the Internal Space Station. "It gives kids someone more to look up to. Here's a real hero to look up to who's doing it all, doing it through education," said Nickel. Jordan Schott thinks it's really cool. "To me it seems so cool how people can go up to space, and science is something I've always liked," She said. Schott says she wants to follow in the footsteps of Hadfield and be an astronaut when she gets older. One of the winning experiments in the competition was produced by students from Argyle, Manitoba. It will travel to the space station in the fall of 2013. We can infer from the text that Maria Nickel _ - Answer: thinks Chris Hadfield sets a good example to the students 1Art exhibition: The 16th Asian International Art exhibition from Dec.18, 2005 to Jan.10, 2006 at the Guangdong Museum of Art. The exhibition will highlight over 300 works from Japan, Korea, China Mainland, China Hong Kong, China Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippine, Indonesia and Australia. RMB 70, 90, 100 Booking Tel: 88677766 2Concert: Christmas Concert performed by German organist Thorsten Macder and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yu Feng. RMB 80,120,180,230 8pm on Dec 23 Symphony performing Hall. Guangdong Xinghai Concert Hall. Booking Tel: 87352222 3Thailand cuisine festival: In the Greenery Cafe at Garden Hotel from Dec.20, 2005 to Feb 20,2006. Booking Tel: 87675443 4Performance: At Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall; 8pm on December 6,7,9 RMB 100,160,200,260 Tel: 89785656 The group of the advertisements are mainly about _ in Guangzhou Morning Post. Answer: city guide If a person is avoiding sugar, they will stop eating Answer: bread
Mr. King goes to a dinner party. He is wearing old clothes. He comes into the room. But people in the room do not look at him. They don't ask him to sit at the table. Mr. King goes home and puts on his good clothes. He goes back to the party. Everyone in the room stands up and smiles at him. They give him the very good food to eat. Mr. King takes off his coat, and puts it in the food and says, "Eat, coat!" The other people ask, "What are you doing?" He answers, "I'm asking my coat to eat the food. I am wearing my old clothes. You do not look at me. You do not ask me to sit down. Now, I am in these clothes. And you give me very good food. Now I see, you give the food for my clothes not for me!" Mr. king takes off his coat, and _ . The financial crisis is reminding Americans of a lesson they first learned in childhood: Share and share alike. They are sharing or swapping tools and books, cars and handbags, time and talent. The renewed desire to share shows up in a variety of examples: A car-sharing service has had a 70 percent membership increase since the crisis occurred. Some companies encouraged his employees to take vanpooling. Governments are putting bikes on the street for public use. How-to-swap Web sites are increasing quickly. The economy reflects the way Americans have cut back, especially on daily items: Department store sales dropped 1.3 percent in June. People are not buying cars, and as a result, auto sales dropped 27.7 percent last month. They are not paying others to do what they can do themselves -- Home Depot reports increased attendance at in-store do-it-yourself clinics. And although paint sales are down in general, according to Sherwin-Williams, individual consumers are still buying. When Tom Burdett needed to cut some tiles at his home outside Annapolis, he refused to buy expensive tools. So he asked his neighbors and friends for help. Sure enough, someone had just what he needed. And when that friend needed help fixing a satellite dish, Burdett volunteered to help. The sharing mind-set is not new to the American culture, but many Americans give it up when the nation changed from an agricultural society to an industrial one, said Rosemary Hornak, a psychology professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. They moved farther from their families and did not have time to connect with new neighbors because they worked so much, she said. Neighborhood conversations tell more of the story as the movement grows organically in communities across the Washington region and the nation. On one street in Arlington, for example, neighbors are collecting their separate money for mulch and dividing it among themselves. What is the text mainly about? It's common for parents to feel emotional when the moment comes for their child to leave home and go to university. Even parents who don't speak about the event are likely to feel a sense of sadness because it's the end of an era where you and your family were at the centre of your child's world. As a parent you'll probably continue to support your child in different ways, but the main job of raising your child is over. It's a huge change for everyone involved. There are a few things that you can do to make the transition easier. Plan carefully for your child's departure and think about how you can help. Many parents take their child to university for the first time. If you decide to do that, be ready to feel a real wrench when the time comes to say goodbye. Your child will probably be as nervous as you are about the moment when you finally say goodbye - but that might not show! Be positive and cheerful about the choice your child has made to continue studying, and plan to leave once you've unpacked the car and looked around your child's new living accommodations. If you can, save your tears for the car - you'll make things easier on your child and yourself. The more you've invested in being a parent, the more you'll feel a sense of loss, so the sadness you feel now is a sign that you've been a good mom or dad. Remind yourself that parenting is all about raising an independent and confident child who functions well without you. If your child quickly settles and starts enjoying himself, you should congratulate yourself. It's also only fair to allow yourself some time to grieve . Don't expect to pick yourself up and move on straight away. But you may decide to find a hobby or sport to fill your extra time. Perhaps you've always wanted to learn a new language, go to yoga classes or take up swimming. You may decide to spend more time with family and close friends, who are likely to be feeling the absence of your child as well. Agree on the best approach to staying in touch before your child leaves, and stick to your agreement. Try not to panic if your child doesn't respond immediately - remember, they're starting a new and busy life.. What's not advised as the way to recover from your child's departure? Once upon a time, a lion, a tiger, a bear, and a duck finished school. So, they moved out of their parents' houses and set out to get jobs. The lion flew on a red airplane. The tiger rode an orange train. The bear rode a yellow bus. And the duck sailed on a blue boat. The train went to Ohio. The bus went to Iowa. The boat sailed to Hawaii. And the airplane flew to Utah. The lion wanted to be a fireman. The tiger wanted to be a nurse. The bear wanted to be a doctor. And the duck wanted to be President. But none of them could find the job they wanted. So, they all became artists instead. The lion bought a crayon to draw with. The tiger bought a pen. The bear bought a pencil. And the duck bought a paintbrush. The crayon was red. The pen was yellow. The pencil was green. And the paintbrush was blue. Where did the bear go? In Britain you may often hear "Drop in any time" or "Come to see me soon", but you can't really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says "RSVP", you should reply to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go. You should never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying "Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to come. " If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting you as soon as possible that you will not be there. Although it is not necessarily expected that you give a gift to your host, it is considered polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift are all appropriate. A thank-you note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express your appreciation for the invitation. Which of the following is considered impolite in Britain?
It is often said that you cannot "teach an old dog new tricks", but three New Zealand dogs have decided to prove otherwise by learning a skill --- driving a car! What's even more impressive is that the three who have become skilled in just eight weeks are not special dogs that belong to some rich owners, but abandoned ones at New Zealand's SPCA. To get their training started, 10-month old Porter, 18-month-old Monty and one-year-old Ginny were selected from a pool of seven potential candidates and moved to Animal Q, a talent agency that teaches animals tricks for movies and television shows. The driving classes began with teaching the dogs some basic driving techniques like turning the steering wheels and applying the brakes. After that the dogs practiced everything they had learnt behind the wheels of a motorized car. Then finally, it was time for the big test--- driving a real car! Human cars are not really built for four-legged animals, so the car they drove was adjusted so that the dogs could sit comfortably and easily reach the steering wheel with their paws. Though they all seemed to do very well, the real test came on Monday night when Monty, the best driver of the three, showed his great driving skill on live television. Why would the SPCA go through so much trouble to highlight the skills of homeless dogs? The reason is to show that adopting a dog from a shelter does not mean owners are getting a pet that is worse than one purchased from a keeper. The CEO of the SPCA is hoping that this unusual event will be enough to convince the residents of New Zealand to consider them, when searching for a pet. We surely hope so, meanwhile we are almost certain that these three pioneers have at least landed their names in the Guinness World Records, creating a category that probably does not even exist today! Why does the SPCA decide to teach the three dogs to learn to drive a car? A. To prove old dogs can learn new tricks. B. To teach them performing tricks for movies and television shows. C. To provide amusing performances for homeless children D. To encourage people to adopt the abandoned dogs. Answer: D. To encourage people to adopt the abandoned dogs. Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of models because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made a great many cars of exactly the same kind. Ford's father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit where he worked as a mechanic .By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous "Model T" did not appear until 1908-----five years after Ford had started his great motor car factory.This car showed to be so well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty years.Since Ford's time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would otherwise be very expensive. Ford was able to sell millions of cars,because _ . A. he made many great cars B. his cars are many C. he made lots of cars of the same kind D. both A and B Answer: C. he made lots of cars of the same kind Boys and girls,as we all know,most people,especially young people ,tend to care about their hair much because hair plays a very important role in our appearance.But can you imagine what other uses hair has?Do you have any idea that human hair may become a new solar energy soutce?Before we begin with the new content of our Physics ,let me tell you a new invention first. It's reported that a Nepali teenager has designed a $32 solar panel using human hair. Milan Karki,who is 18 years old and lives in a village in rural Nepal,used human hair to replace silicon ,which is a common but expensive componet of solar panels. By using hair as a replacement,Karki says that solar panels can be produced for around $32,a price that could be halved if they were mass-produced. The solar panel works,because melanin ,which gives hair its colour,is light sensitive and can act as an elecrtical conductor.Kaiki was inspired to think of the idea by a Stephen Hawking book ,which explained how to create elecrtic energy from hair. The device that Karki has invented is capable of producing 9V or 18V of energy--plenty to charge a mobile phone. "Half a kilo of hair can be bought for only 16p in Nepal and lasts a few months;whereas a pack of batteries would cost50p and lasts few nights,"according to The Daily Mail. The solar panel is claimed to be easy to service as the hair is easy to replace. Karki has now seng out several devices to other disrticts near his home for tetimg .He said,"First I wanted to provide elecricity for my home,then my village .Now I am thinking for the whole worle." So next time when you have a haircut,do remember to keep your hair cut down to use for energy.Perhaps you can also provide elecrticity for your home,even your village using your own hair. Which of the following is true about Milan Karki? A. He is good at his study. B. He hasn't been to a big city. C. He is a man good at thinking. D. He has earned much money from his invention. Answer: C. He is a man good at thinking. Which of the following can be caused by weathering? A. cracks forming in a boulder B. rocks melting to form magma C. glaciers forming on a mountainside D. pebbles combining to form a large rock Answer: A. cracks forming in a boulder If someone asks you, "What do you usually do with your QQ?'' You may say, "I just chat ." Niu Lianzhong teaches PE in a middle school and he sets up a QQ group. However, his purpose is not to chat or show himself. He doesn't want to do anything for fun, either. He just wants more people to know the QQ group. He hopes to help others and now he saves more than 400 people's lives. We all know there are four blood types-A, B, AB, and O. But in fact, a few people's blood types are very special . Niu is just one of them. Since he sets up his QQ group, more than 100 special-blooded people in China join in it. Now, when a patient or a hospital needs some special blood, they just call Niu for help. And Niu contacts his members of the QQ group quickly. Till now, he has donated his blood for about 20 times. Niu hopes that more people will join his group to help others. Which of the following is TRUE from the passage? A. There are three blood types. B. He donated his blood for about 10 times. C. More than 100 special-blooded people join in his group. D. Just the patient call Niu for help. Answer: C. More than 100 special-blooded people join in his group.
Every time you go online you leave a digital footprint. This is just like a real footprint. It tells where you have been, how long you stayed on line and what you have been doing there. It's easy to get the information and show your digital footprint every time when you send an email, messages and photos. You shouldn't worry about it too much but it is better to be careful about your digital footprint when you are online. There are five tips for taking care of your digital footprint. Don't forget to close the pages with your information when you leave a website, especially if you are using a shared computer. Don't tell anyone your password and don't write them down in a place that everybody can see. Make them more difficult by using both letters and numbers. Remember your favourite websites by looking over the history and the bookmark on your computer or your mobile phone. This is a way that your digital footprint can work in your favour, remember to clear your history from time to time. If you want to post some words on line, you don't have to use your own name. You can use a nickname instead. You can also use a picture instead of a real photo. Protect your personal information online. Be careful about who you share your own information with and always think twice before sharing email, home address, school or phone number with someone. All kinds of people are interested in your digital footprint. It's now quite common for people to look over some personal information online before they offer someone a job. There are cases of people having missed out on jobs and places because their digital footprint didn't make them look good. So remember: keep safe, don't put too much personal information online and always think carefully before you post something. Ask yourself, 'would I be happy for everyone to see this?' According to the passage, why are people interested in digital footprints? Answer: Because it gives you more information. it's important to recycle metals because they are Answer: nonrenewable A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft, The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. "You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application form to fill in, as well as the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer or an e-mail." "I'm sorry,"said the HR manager, "If you don't have an e-mail, that mean you do not exist. And the one who doesn't exist cannot have the job." The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do. With only $10 in his pocket, he decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door . In less than two hours, he succeeded in making his money double. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60. The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started earlier and returned late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, h e bought a cart, then a truck and then he had his own _ to send food . Five years later, he became one of the biggest food sellers in The US. He started to plan his family's future, so he called an insurance broker to Have a discussion. When the conversation was over, the broker asked him for his e-mail. The man replied again,"I don't have an e-mail." The broker answered in surprise, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded building an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I would be an office boy at Microsoft ,. Why was the man refused by the Microsoft? Answer: He didn't have a computer or an e-mail. An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget,save and make their own decisions.Children remember and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly. How large an allowance is suitable? Experts say there is not right amount.Actual amounts differ from place to place,and from family to family. To set an appropriate allowance for your child,work up a weekly budget .Allow for entertainment costs such as movies and snacks.Next,include everyday expenses such as lunch money,bus fare,school supplies."If you make the child responsible for these'ills',"says Josephine Swanson,a consumer specialist,"he or she will learn to budget for necessary expenditures." Finally,add some extra money to make saving possible.If you can,keep your child's allowance in line with that of his friends.A child whose purchasing power falls away below _ can feel left out. It can be hard,but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance.When Brooke Stephens was ten and growing up in Jacksonville,her mother gave her $ 5 a week,$1.75 of which was for bus fare and lunch."If you lose your money,"Brooke's mother told her,"you walk home." One week the girl spent all her allowance in a candy store,then she called home for a ride."Mom made me walk home,"recalls Stephens,now a financial planner in Brooklyn."At first I was angry.But I finally realized that she was trying to teach me an important lesson." Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied directly to a child's daily chores.Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family.You might,however,pay a child for doing extra jobs at home,which can develop his or her initiative . What is the implication of the story of Stephens,a financial planner in Brooklyn? Answer: Teaching somebody the careful management of money at an early age is very important. Some people are so rude! Who sends an e-mail or a text message that just says "Thank you"? Who leaves a voice mail message rather than texts you? Who asks for a fact easily found on Google? Don't these people realize that they're wasting your time? Maybe I'm the rude one for not appreciating life's little politeness. But many social agreed standards just don't make sense to people drowning in digital communication. In texts, you don't have to declare who you are or even say hello; E-mail, too, is slower than a text; Voice mail is a now impolite way of trying to connect. My father learned this lesson after leaving me a dozen voice mail messages, none of which I listened to. _ , he called my sister to express his dissatisfaction that I never returned his phone calls. "Why are you leaving him voice mails?" my sister asked. "Just text him." In the age of the smartphone, there is no reason to ask once-acceptable questions about: the weather forecast, a business's phone number, or directions to a house, a restaurant, which can be easily found on Google Maps. But people still ask these things. And when you answer, they respond with a thank-you e-mail. How to handle these differing standards? Easy: Consider your audience. Some people, especially older ones, appreciate a thank-you message. Others, like me, want no reply. The anthropologist Margaret Mead once said that in traditional societies, the young learn from the old. But in modern societies, the old can also learn from the young. Here's hoping that politeness never goes out of fashion but that time-wasting forms of communication do. Why didn't the writer reply to his father? Answer: He liked text messages better.
Bottled water has become the choice for people who are healthy and thirsty. Bottled water is all over the world. But some say the planet's health, and people's health may be suffering from it. The idea that bottled water is safer for humans may not be true. The Natural Resources Defense Council of America said, "There is no promise that because water comes out of a bottle, it is cleaner or safer than water from the tap." Another New York City-based action group added that some bottled water is "really just tap water in a bottle--sometimes more clean, sometimes not." It is not proven that bottled water is better than tap water. Nick Reeves from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management said, "The high mineral content of some bottled water makes them not good for feeding babies and young children." Also, most bottled water doesn't have fluoride , which can make teeth stronger. Kids are drinking more bottled water and less fluoridated tap water, and some say that's behind the recent rise in bad teeth. Storing is another problem. Placed near heat, the plastic bottles can produce bad chemicals into the water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used worldwide to bottle water each year. The plastic can take between 400 and 1,000 years to break down. In terms of energy use, plastic bottles are also not cheap. One report said that if water and soft drink bottlers had used 10 percent recycled materials in their plastic bottles, they would have saved about 72 million gallons of gas. So, if you are worried about the effect of bottled water on the Earth, you can take the following steps. Drink from your tap. Unless your government warns against this, it should be fine. Get a container . Carry your tap water in a steel or a lined drinking container, and clean it between uses. Keep it cool. Don't drink from a bottle that has been sitting in the sun, don't store it near chemicals, and don't reuse plastic bottles. Choose glass containers over plastic if possible. When finished, recycle! Which of the following about tap water is NOT mentioned in the article? Answer: There are a lot of problems storing tap water. In China, many students spend their weekends studying at school or doing homework at home.What are the students doing on weekends in America? Kathy: We're washing people's cars. My friends and I are working together. The money we get is for our school basketball team . Tom: I'm watching an interesting movie with my friend. It's noon. My friend is laughing at something, so now I am laughing , too. We're laughing at the interesting dog in the movie. Tony: I'm with my grandmother in the park. My parents are working today. We're playing and talking. She and I are good friends. She's telling me interesting stories. Kitty: I'm sitting in bed with my notebook computer. It's 11:00 at night. I'm writing letters to my friends. They are in other countries . When I think of them, I'm very happy. What is Tony doing? _ . Answer: Listening to his grandma's stories A Tale of Two Cities was written by the famous English writer Charles Dickens. The tale is mainly about the French Revolution in 1789, where the poor rose up against the king and the nobles. Dickens showed deep sympathy for the poor and deep hatred for the cruelty of the upper class, though he wrote quite a lot about the love triangle between Lucie, Charles and Sydney. In this novel, Dickens wrote some lively characters like Sydney and those crazy revolutionaries. In this tale, we can't see any absolute roles. Charles, though he's a brave and good man, obviously he hasn't as much ability as Sydney. Sydney, a typical tragic man, a man like him, usually has great ability. But he has some weak points on characters and the worst is that he always loves a woman he shouldn't love and 99.99% die for her at last in an extremely heroic or tragic way. The revolutionaries are not as full of justice as usual. They get mad when they can get revenge for their unfair treatment. The fire of hatred burns everything. When they're at the bottom of the society, they're calling for justice, for fair treatment, for freedom, but when they're in charge of the society, their world is up-side-down. They hate everything that is connected to the very people against them, even including Charles' wife, Dr. Manette's daughter. So _ have no difference from those former governors at heart. Though Dickens told us how the authority is recycling over and over again in some way, the novel is about something good. Love from Sydney to Lucie is one of the only few bright points in the novel and it's really great. A man can sacrifice his life to save his lover's husband. He doesn't have any personal purpose and just for his lover's happiness. So Dickens may imply us, only love can solve the problems between people, between the poor and the rich, love is everything. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Sydney loves a woman he shouldn't love. When you visit America, you will see the word Motel on signs and notice boards. It is made up of "motor" and "hotel" and it is really a hotel for people who arrive by car (how-ever, you don't need a car to stay at one). You have to pay when you arrive for your room, which usually has a bath. Meals are not provided, but there will certainly be a cafeteria . Americans eat a lot of salads and sandwiches. Along the main roads there are a lot of motels. Each tries to offer more than next. Some provide television in every bedroom; others have swimming pools; and so on. Motels are especially useful when you are in the country, far from a town or city. You will also find them in the big National Parks. In these great National Parks, you may meet guests you don't expect to see. An American friend told me a little story. In the middle of a moonless night she heard strange noises outside her motel window in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Thinking it might be a thief, she jumped out of bed, opened the door and _ towards a dark shadow . As she got close, she saw the thief. She was dreadfully frightened: it wasn't a human thief -- it was a big black bear. The bear was turning over some empty tins with its paw, looking for tasty bits of food. My friend decided to leave that particular thief alone! There are also, of course, places called "rooming houses", where they receive lodgers . You will see such signs as Tourists or Rooms Rent, and you could try one of these. A word of warning -- looking for a room in New York during the tourist season is like looking for gold on the moon! Which of the following is NOT provided by motels? Answer: Meals. I want to tell you the story of one of my old friends called Bob. His teachers called him A Troublemaker. They also said that he had no future and no hope. But now he owns a small second-hand bookstore store which makes him enough money to live on and also to support his mother. He told me that after he finished grade nine, he went to study at a technical college. He was a pretty bad student so he became one of the gang leaders there. Many of them got caught many times for fighting. It looked like nothing could change his life. That was until one sad day when his father died. That changed everything. After his father died, his mother had to work very hard to make enough money to support the family. He told me that he really pitied his mum after his dad died. He felt that he needed to earn some money rather than let his mum work alone. He loved reading cartoon books and had been collecting them for years. As his family was short of money, he decided that he should sell them. He did this by the side of the road where his mother was selling food. Soon he realized that his books were very popular. So he decided to set up his own business. He started his business by going around buying cartoon books from other people. He bought them for 25% and then sold them for half price. He could make enough money to help support the family. He was a troublemaker to his teachers but he is a hero to me. If you are judged as a bad student or as someone being stupid, I suggest you pay no attention to what they say. Just do your best in everything. Don't give up so easily. Believe in yourself. If you think that you can do it, then you can. Believe me, one day you could be more successful than those persons who looked down upon you. What does the author want to tell the readers? Answer: People can change when they are determined to.
Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to thumb rides, and not just to school. It's awkward to be refused when you call a friend and ask for a ride. But with Twitter, you just look for other people heading the same way. It may sound risky, so many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don't branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern. "I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things on line, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they've been very used to sharing," said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College. The sharing economy got big during the recession , allowing people to access more goods, services using technology and even to share costs. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom, like what my friend Earl says, "The symbol of freedom isn't the car any more because there's technology out there connecting you to a car." According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver's license compared to six in ten today. So it's not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn't rushing to get a license but an iPhone. "Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that's a negative. So if they could sit in the passage side and still be connected, that's going to be a plus." Schor continued. To me, another plus is that ridesharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter. The American teens like me, prefer to possess an iPhone as a birthday gift because _ . A it is most fashionable and cool B they are bored with driving cars C they are fond of being connected D it is much cheaper than a car Answer: C Hi! I'm Alan.This is my dream house .It has a small but nice room.Some pictures are on the wall.There is a bookcase in my room.There is a desk and a chair in it.My schoolbag is on the desk.Oh!Where is my pencil case?It is under the chair.There are some pencils and a ruler in the pencil case.My shoes and a basketball are under the bed.I like my dream house very much. Alan's room is _ . A not small B not big C very new D very old Answer: B I was twenty years old, and my parents were looking forward to the day when I would be earning my own living. Unfortunately, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted my future occupation to be. The only thing I did know was that I did not want to spend the next 45 years teaching, being a nurse or sitting in an office. But that was before the postman delivered a catalogue of courses that were being offered at the local college. As I looked through it, I was attracted by a page that talked about the difficulties faced by deaf people in their everyday lives and how students could help by learning sign language. It went on to say that graduates of the course usually find work in different organizations, such as law companies, the Stock Exchange, insurance companies and banks. Then I saw something that really caught my eye: "Singer" are also needed for sporting events, concerts, theatrical performances and, believe it or not, circuses! By the time I got to the bottom of the page, I knew I had found the perfect occupation. I enrolled on the course, which to my parents' great delight was free of charge. The course was brilliant. My favourite part was the final lesson, when our teacher asked us to sign our favourite song. It was really difficult because not only did we have to sign the words, but we also had to find a way of showing whether the song was happy or sad and whether the beat was slow or fast. It was the hardest thing I have ever done--but also the most rewarding. The part of the course the writer enjoyed the most was when _ . A she should sing a song with a fast beat B she should sign a song for the last lesson C her teacher sang a very sad song to the class D she realized that her parents didn't have to pay Answer: B Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The long, cold winter is over. The weather is warmer and sunnier. The trees again have leaves and the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope, joy and beauty. At this time, many people think of this classical music piece -- Spring, which shows happiness. Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote it in the seventeen hundred. However, not all songs about spring are happy. This song written and sung by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded I Dream of Spring in 2008. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote It Might as Well Be Spring for the movie State Fair in 1945. Frank Sinatra sings it. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring. Richard Rodgers also wrote Spring Is Here, this time with Lorenz Hart. Ella Fitzgerald sings this song about feeling lonely during this season. Frank Loesser wrote the sad song, Spring Will be a Little Late This Year. Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer's lover has left her. Sarah Vaughn released her version of the song in 1953. By now you may be thinking, "Enough with the sad songs, already!" Ok, then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of America's most famous singing cowboys. He recorded When It's Springtime in the Rockies in 1937. And finally, we'll leave you with a sunny song called Up Jumped Spring. Freddie Hubbard wrote this jazz song in 1977 and Billy Taylor Trio performs it. Which of the following songs was first written or recorded? A Spring. B I Dream of Spring. C When It's Springtime in the Rockies. D Spring Will be a Little Late This Year. Answer: A John Muir would likely set aside an area for A superheroes and villains B oaks and chipmunks C bankers and politicians D cars and boats Answer: B
Ogilvie the detective arrived. Both the Duke and Duchess were extremely nervous. The Duchess went to the door herself. The detective's piggy eyes surveyed her. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-decorated room, and the Duke. "Pretty neat set-up you've got."Ogilvie said slowly. The Duchess said sharply, "Imagine you didn't come here to discuss the decoration." "No, Madame. I like nice things, though. Like that expensive car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel." "In what way does our car concern you?"The Duchess had sat in a straight-backed chair. "Now," he said."You two were in the hit-and-run." She met his eyes directly. "What are you talking about?" "Don't play games, lady. You saw the newspapers. There's been plenty on radio, too." Ogilvie's words spat forth with sudden strength. "You listen to me. This city's mad -- everybody. When they find who killed that kid and her mother, and run away, what will they do? Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be police here. But I come to you first, so you could tell your side of it to me." The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. "If you want it the other way, just say so." The Duchess--three centuries and a half of in-born pride behind her--did not give in easily. Springing to her feet with great anger, gray-green eyes burning, she faced the detective straightly. Her tone would have frightened anyone who knew her well. "You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!" Ogilvie said nothing. But the Duke cut in, "It's no go, old girl, I'm afraid. It was a good try." Facing Ogilvie, he said, "What you accuse us of is true. I was driving the car and killed the little girl." "That's more like it," Ogilvie said, "now we're getting somewhere." The Duchess sank back into her chair. She asked, "What is it you know?" "I'll tell you, I got a curious nature. You and your wife drove home, you were driving, after a drink. Last night I saw you come in--through the basement, looking shaken, the pair of you. I got wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature." The Duchess breathed, "Go on." "Late last night the word was out about the hit-and-run. I went over the garage and took a quiet look at your car. On your car you got a damaged headlight. There's plenty of blood." "Oh, my God!"A hand to her face, the Duchess turned away. Her husband asked, "What do you suggest?" The fat man rubbed his hands together, "Like I said, I come to hear your side of it." The Duke said desperately, "What can I possibly say? You know what happened. You'd better call the police." "There's no way bringing back the kid nor her mother. Besides, what they'd do to you, Duke, you wouldn't like it at all. I was hoping," Ogilvie said, "that you could suggest something." The Duke said uncertainly, "I don't understand." "I understand," the Duchess said. "You want money. You came here to blackmail us." The house detective shrugged . "Whatever names you call things, they don't matter to me. All I come for is to help you people out of trouble. But I've got to live too." "You'd accept money to keep silent about what you know?" "I think so." "How much do you want?" The piggy eyes blinked."Ten thousand dollars." "What would we receive in return?" The fat man seemed puzzled. "Like I said, I keep quiet about what I know." "No." The statement was clear. "We will not pay you." Ogilvie's round face reddened, "Now listen, lady...." She cut him off. "I won't listen. Instead, you will listen to me. We won't pay you $10,000. But we will pay you $25,000. In return, you will drive our car north." "$25,000," she repeated. "$10,000 now. $15,000 more when you meet us in Chicago." The fat man's piggy eyes were focused upon hers. The silence hung. Then, he gave the slightest of nods. By saying "This city's mad--everybody" Ogilvie wanted to _ . A frighten the Duke and his wife B ask for money for the victims C show concern for the couple D punish the law-breakers himself Answer: A John Smith was a writer, who wrote detective stories for magazines , though he never dealt with criminals . One evening he could not finish an end for a story. He sat in his study , but he had no ideas. So he decided to go to the cinema. When he came back, he found that he had had a visitor. Someone had broken into his house. The visitor had had a drink, smoked several of his cigarettes and had read his story. The visitor left him a note. "I have read your story and I don't think it is very good. Please read my suggestions and you can finish it. By the way, I am a thief. I'm not going to steal anything tonight. But if you become a successful writer, I will return." John read the thief's suggestions. Then he sat down and wrote the rest of the story. He is still not a successful writer, and he is waiting for his "visitor" to return. Before he goes out in the evening, he always leaves a half-finished story in his study. John went to the cinema because _ . A he was too tired B he wanted to look for a thief C he could not finish his story and hoped to get some ideas D he wanted to enjoy himself in the cinema Answer: C A little old couple walked slowly into McDonald's one cold winter evening. They were so old that they looked out of place amid the young families and young couples eating there that night. Some of the customers looked admiringly at them. You could tell what the admirers were thinking. "Look, there is a couple who has been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more!" The little old man walked right up to the cash register, placed his order with no hesitation and then paid for their meal. The couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of French fries and one drink. The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink, his wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them. As the man began to eat his few bites of hamburger the crowd began to get restless. Again you could tell what they were thinking, "That poor old couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two of them." As the man began to eat his French fries one young man stood and came over to the old couple's table. He politely offered to buy another meal for the old couple to eat. The old man replied that they were just fine. They were used to sharing everything. Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady hadn't eaten a bite. She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking turns sipping the drink. Again the young man came over and begged them to let him buy them something to eat. This time the lady explained that, no, they were used to sharing everything together. As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly with a napkin the young man could stand it no longer. Again he came over to their table and offered to buy some food. After being politely refused again, he finally asked a question of the little old lady. "Ma'am, why aren't you eating? You said that you share everything. What is it that you are waiting for?" She answered, " The teeth". How much food did the man get? A One hamburger, one French fries and one cup of tea B One hamburger, two French fries and two cups of tea C One hamburger, one French fries and two cups of tea D One hamburger, two French fries and one cup of tea Answer: A Dear editor( ), Can't your newspaper do something about the custom of hitchhiking? A short time ago, on a car travel I counted at least 50 people standing beside the road, asking for rides. Many of them were young women. Don't they understand how dangerous it is to get into the car driven by a stranger? How much do they know about the driver? Is he a good driver or not? They know nothing! Many of these young hitchhikers may come from good families. Don't their parents teach them anything about the world? I always taught my children not to talk to strangers. I never let them take rides from people they didn't know. Isn't there enough crime today without asking for trouble by hitchhiking? On the other hand, hitchhiking may bring some traffic trouble. Don't you think what I said is true? A Worried Grandfather The Worried Grandfather _ . A was hit by a car when he was standing by the road B is a good driver and often gives free rides to strangers C is in trouble now and he wants to get some help from the newspaper D sees much of the world and he is very careful Answer: D In the life cycle of a fly, which stage comes after the larval stage? A egg B adult C nymph D pupa Answer: D
This is an old story. One day, a man was not happy when his six-year-old daughter made a box with some paper. The family didn't have much money. So the father thought his daughter wasted the paper. The next day, the little girl gave the box to her father and said, "Dad, today is your birthday. This box is for you." The man was happy. But he was not happy again when he found there was nothing in the box. "Why didn't you put anything for me in the box?" He asked his daughter. The little girl looked at him and cried, "Dad, I put my love in the box. _ 's all for you!" The man felt sad and said sorry to his daughter. Sometimes, we can't see love with our eyes. Which of the following is TRUE? A The family had lots of money. B The daughter wasted the paper. C The father didn't like his daughter. D The daughter loved her father. Answer: D. The daughter loved her father. Malaysia is a country of exciting beauty, with a tropical climate. Malaysia's weather is hotter in the lowlands and cooler in the mountains and highlands. Temperatures vary between 20 and 30 centigrade. Rainfall can be expected at any time, with an average of between 200 and 260 centimeters. The Malaysian population consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians. Its main religions are Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Christianity. Its national language is Malay. English is widely spoken and is used all over the country. Other languages spoken in Malaysia are some Chinese dialects, Tamil, Portuguese and Arabic. Malaysia is an exciting and fascinating place for tourists, with something special planned throughout the year. The natural attractions are plentiful, with magnificent mountains lying in green, large stretches of sandy beaches and hospitable and friendly people. Malaysia's economy is the most advanced in this part of the world. The annual income is M$1, 680, one of the highest in the whole of Asia. Malaysia is the world's leading exporter of rubber, tin, tropical hardwood, palm oil, pepper, tea, coffee and cocoa and has vast resources of oil. Malaysia's capital is Kuala Lumpur in the southwest of the Malay Peninsula. Kuala Lumpur arose in the 1860s when tin was discovered, grew and spread very quickly. It became the state's capital within forty years of its founding. Now it is home to over one million inhabitants , about 56% of whom are Chinese, 28% Malays and the rest are from anywhere and everywhere. Though Malay is Malaysia's national language, _ . A over half of its population speak Chinese B English is also a popular language C people don't know Malay D it's only spoken by Malays Answer: B. English is also a popular language June 5 is World Environment Day. This makes us pay more attention to our environment and the need to protect it. When Wang Boxuan, a Beijing high schoolboy, uses up his exercise books, he does not throw them away. Each one is stored at his school with hundreds of exercise books given by other students. Then they are sold to a Beijing paper making factory. The paper is recycled and used again by students and teachers in the school. At the same time, the money made from the sales goes towards schools in Inner Mongolia for planting trees and grass. This place is one of the sources of the sandstorms that often attack Beijing during springtime. Wang's school is one of the schools in the capital that take part in the "Green Promise" --environmental protection activity. So far, nearly 210,000 students have taken part in the activity, collecting more than 87 tons of waste paper. Students are eager to help make the capital a more pleasant place. Which is the best title for the passage? A Planting Trees. B Green Promise. C Collecting Waste Paper. D Making Money. Answer: B. Green Promise. Last weekend, our family went to have Christmas dinner in a restaurant. We were the only family with a baby in the restaurant. Suddenly, my baby Erik became excited when we were enjoying our meal. I looked around and saw an old man with old clothes and dirty old shoes. His hair was unwashed. He was smiling at my Erik. "He might hurt my Erik," I thought. Everyone in the restaurant looked at us and the old man. Then we decided to leave. The old man sat between the door and us. As I walked closer to the man, I turned my back. Suddenly, Erik leaned over my arms, reaching with both arms in a baby's pick-me-up position . Before I could stop him, Erik had escaped from my arms to the man's. Soon the very old smelly man and my young baby developed a kind of friendship. Erik put his little hand on the man's face, and I saw the old man closed his eyes and tears running down his face. His aged hands held my baby so gently . A moment later, the old man opened his eyes, passed me my baby and said, "Thank you, Madam. You've given me the best Christmas gift." I cried, with my face burning hot. A child saw a soul , but a mother saw only a kind of clothes. We can learn from the passage that Erik _ . A showed kindness to the old man B had seen the old man before C was popular in the restaurant D was hurt by the old man Answer: A. showed kindness to the old man Today's youth seem content to take the easy route and enjoy the ride of life. When tough situations arise, they often get annoyed and complain. How you live your teen years will have a profound influence on the rest of your life. You must learn to use your time wisely. You may not see it now, but developing leadership characteristics at a young age is very important. As we get older, it becomes harder to overcome bad habits and replace them with good ones. Possessing leadership qualities is essential, both in this life and in the world to come. There are certain qualities that one needs to develop in order to become a leader: justice, judgment, dependability, initiative, decisiveness, tact, integrity, enthusiasm, poise, unselfishness, courage, knowledge and loyalty. You may recognize these as good qualities to have, without realizing how they apply to leadership. The more these qualities are part of your nature, the more productive and enjoyable your life will be. All of these are qualities that one must possess to one degree or another. Contrary to popular opinion, leadership is something that is learned. No one is born a leader. We are all capable of exhibiting the leadership qualities mentioned above -- some just choose not to. Of course, not veryone can be the "top dog", _ . However, everyone does have the capacity to lead in some way -- but action is required! Understand that learning is a fact of life--learning to ride a bike, learning to drive, learning to type, learning mathematics, etc. All of these activities require action. While we are born with many different abilities, if we do not use and develop them, those abilities will never come to fruition. Youth is an excellent time to start developing leadership characteristics. Take the time to study each one in detail. Put them into practice as you interact with other people. Determine which areas you are weak in, striving to always improve. Observe the leaders, and how they handle situations and carry themselves. Also, study the lives of great leaders. The results will serve you in this life -- and beyond! What is the best title for this passage? A Learn to be a leader. B Everyone can be a leader. C Leadership characteristics. D Leadership is something that is learned. Answer: A. Learn to be a leader.
Since American students have been introduced into the era of the Massive Open Online Course, the opportunity for cheating appears greater than ever. The all-knowing Google search engine is within easy reach. So how can a teacher handle such a large number of examinees so far away, let alone searching out cheaters taking tests across the Internet? Using technology, of course. While special services via webcam and cheating detecting software have been developed now, Mettl, an online company, has developed advanced techniques for netting cheaters, which the company claims are even more reliable and easier to use. Whatever small attempt to cheat, he or she will be found out. Mettl has adopted a mass of technologies on its test-taking platform, creating a mini monitoring state in an exam. Here's how it works: A test-taker signs on to Mettl and selects his/her exam from the site's library of pre-loaded tests. Facial and keystroke recognition technology confirm the person that has signed in is the very person, and the system records both the test-taker (through the webcam) and the test-taker's screen throughout the test. Mettl's technology uses the test-taker's webcam to detect how many people are using the computer. Soon, it will track eye movement well enough to sense whether the test-taker is looking away from the screen, perhaps to consult a smart phone or a friend in secret. Mettl also monitors the test-taker's screen and can detect when the test-taker has changed a computer or moved from the test. The system will soon be able to record sound, detecting whether the test-taker is talking or being talked to. If any wrongdoings are detected, the system flags the incident and reports it back to the test's administrator. This can bring any number of things, depending on the test-giver's wishes: a complete shutdown of the exam, a warning message that appears on the test-taker's screen, even human instructions from the control center. Mettl is hoping its technology will help it break into the country's big MOOC markets. We can conclude from the passage that the technology of Mettl is _ in the MOOC era. A unreliable B promising C wasteful D instructive Answer: B. promising I made a pledge to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts. The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical passage about husbands being considerate towards their wives. Then he went on to say, "Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love." To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change. And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, "That new yellow sweater looks great on you." "Oh, Tom, you noticed," she said, surprised and pleased, maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, "Evelyn's been alone here with the kids all the week and now she wants to stay with me." We walked on the beach when the children flew their kites. So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that's how the whole vacation passed, I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love. There was that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. Last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression. "What's the matter?" I asked her. "Tom," she said in a voice filled with sorrow, "do you know anything I don't?" "What do you mean?" "Well...that checkup I had several weeks ago...our doctor...Did he tell you anything about me? Tom, you've been so good to me... Am I dying?" It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing. "No, honey," I said, wrapping her in my arms. "You're not dying; ." By saying "I'm just starting to live", Tom means that _ . A he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of work B he is just beginning to enjoy his life as a loving husband C he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change D he is beginning to feel sorry for what he did to his wife Answer: B. he is just beginning to enjoy his life as a loving husband Every ten years there is a national census to count the number of people. The Census Office asks every household to answer questions on a census form. The census counts... * the number of people in each area * the numbers of men and women and whether they are single, married, widowed or divorced * how many children there are, how many teenagers, people in their twenties, thirties, forties... retired people and so on The census counts people by... * the kind of housing they live in * the country in which they were born * the kind of job they do and how they travel to work Some uses of the census: Housing: to work out present and future needs we must know how people are housed now, and the sizes and ages of their families. Hospitals, schools and other local services: the size of annual grants made by the Government to these services depends largely on the numbers and needs of people in the area. Many of the figures come from the census. Planning: the census shows how many people have moved from one area to another and how the local workforce is changing. This information is used when factories, offices, shops, public transport and places for leisure are being planned. In strict confidence The census is taken in order to provide figures about the nation as a whole; it does not give information about any named person, family or household. Names and addresses are needed to take the census accurately, but they are not fed into the computer. After the census, the forms are locked away and will not be released to anyone outside the Census Office for 100 years. The answers you give on your census form will be treated in strict confidence. NO one outside the Census Office will see your completed form. Everyone working on the census is sworn to secrecy and can be charged if he or she improperly reveals information. The writer is mainly _ in this passage. A persuading people to support census B giving information about the importance and practice of census C showing the government's determination in conducting census D warning people not to provide inaccurate information Answer: B. giving information about the importance and practice of census The Basics of Math--Made Clear Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of arithmetic and to prepare them for Algebra and beyond. The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents , the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically. Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The lectures offer students the chance to "make sense" of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about this amazing--and completely understandable--field of study. By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They will be able to clear away the mystery of mathematics and face their studies with more confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and exciting mathematical challenges. Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as "the best math teacher in America," is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is master in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary. With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for future primary school teachers. If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other course that we offer. Or you can get your money back. What benefits can students expect from Basic Math? A Stronger imaginative ability. B Additional presentation skills. C More mathematical confidence. D Greater chances of becoming teachers. Answer: C. More mathematical confidence. There are many wetlands in China and some of them are the world's important wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are among them. They are in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, the east of China. They are homes for many different kinds of birds and animals. The world's largest Milu Deer Nature Reserve is in them. More than 700 milu deer live freely there. There are not many red-crowned cranes in the world, but every winter you can see some in the Red-Crowned Cranes Nature Reserve in the Yellow Sea Wetlands. The temperature in the wetlands is usually neither too high nor too low. There is a lot of rain and sunshine, too. They are really good places for wildlife. Offering food and home for some special kinds of animals and birds is not the only reason why we need to protect wetlands. Wetlands are important because they also prevent flood. But some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife. Luckily, more and more people are beginning to realize the importance of wetlands and wildlife. Every year, on February 2, people hold many activities to tell more about wetlands. Which is the best title for the passage? A China's wetlands have all entered the world's list B Wetlands--home for wildlife and humans C Special animals in the Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands D Wetlands--valuable resources of land on the earth Answer: D. Wetlands--valuable resources of land on the earth
Bicycle Safety Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus . Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions. Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack -- even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It's fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen. Equipment Brakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly. Helmet A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly. Lights Always have a front headlight -- visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea. Rules of the Road Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go. Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such spots can result in a fine. If Things Go Wrong If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for: No bicycle registration ............................................. $25 Bicycle parking banned .............................................$30 Blocking path with bicycle ........................................$40 Violation of bicycle equipment requirement ......................$35 If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined _ . A $30 B $35 C $40 D $25 Answer: A. $30 A Trap Mr. Smith left his car outside his apartment one night as usual, but when he came down the next morning to go to his office, he discovered that the car wasn't there. He called the police and told them what had happened, and they said that they would try to find the car. When Mr. Smith came home from his office that evening, the car was back again in its usual place in front of his house. He examined it carefully to see whether it had been damaged, and found two theater tickets on one of the seats and a letter which said, "We're very sorry. We took your car because of an emergency." Mr. and Mrs. Smith went to the theater with the two tickets the next night and enjoyed themselves very much. When they got home, they found that thieves had taken almost everything they had had in their apartment. What did he do then? A He got in and drove it. B He closed the door of his car. C He called the police. D He looked everywhere for it. Answer: C. He called the police. Man has always wanted to fly. Some of the greatest men in history have thought about the problem. One of these, for example, was the great Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci. In the sixteenth century he made designs for machines that could fly. But they were never built., Throughout history, other less famous men have wanted to fly. An example was a man in England 800years ago. He made a pair of wings from chicken feathers. Then he fixed them to his body and jumped into the air from a tall building. He did not fly very far. He fell to the ground and broke every bone in his body. The first real step took place in France in 1783. Two brothers, the Mongolfiers, made a very large "hot air balloon". They knew that hot air rises. Why not fill a balloon with it? The balloon was made of cloth and paper. In September of that year, the King and Queen of France came to see the balloon. They watched it carry the very first air passengers into the sky. The passengers were a sheep and a chicken. We do not know how they felt about the trip. But we do know that the trip lasted 8 minutes and that the animals landed safely. Two months later, two men did the same thing. They rose above Paris in a balloon of the same kind. Their trip lasted twenty-five minutes and they traveled about 8 kilometers. Leonardo da Vinci _ . A said that man would fly in the sky one day B built a kind of machine which never flew C drew many beautiful pictures of the birds D made designs of flying machines Answer: D. made designs of flying machines While watching a swimming competition one night, I came across an unbelievable sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of courage. The event started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started, so they were disqualified. That left only one to complete. In fact, it is difficult enough, not having anyone to race against. I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that something was wrong. I'm not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was obvious that the man was not out for gold -- his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. The crowd started to laugh. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor. I listened to the crowd beginning to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was exhausted. But in those few awful strokes, the crowd had changed. No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shout "Come on, you can do it!" and he did. This young man finally finished his race. The crowd went wild. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in swimming history, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors. Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to the competition. In a competition, we usually watch the brilliant athletes competing for medals, but _ . According to the passage, "it is nice to watch an underdog" probably means _ . A it's amusing to watch a skillful swimmer swimming B it's amazing to watch a good loser challenging himself C it's good for athletes to act proudly D it's difficult for some athletes to remove medals Answer: B. it's amazing to watch a good loser challenging himself Thousands of people began pouring into Pennsylvania from other states. They wanted to buy lottery tickets. The tickets cost only $0.9each. But that small spending could bring them a reward of $90 million. That was the second largest lottery jackpot in history. More than 87 million tickets were bought for the Pennsylvania lottery drawing . Those who bought tickets had to choose seven numbers from 1 to 80 The chance of winning was one in 9.6 million. But that little chance certainly did not affect tickets sales. In the last few days before the drawing , tickets were selling at the unbelievable rate of 500 per second . Experts say many people buy lottery tickets because they just want to have a piece of the action .Others say the lottery is a stock market for poor people . It allows them to dream about wealth they will probably never have . But many people believe lotteries are no better than legalized gambling . Some critics note that most people who play are poor and may not be able to afford the tickets .There are also many addicts who take the game seriously, They may pour their life savings into lottery tickets .Some clubs have been formed to help them kick the habit. Politicians like lotteries because they provide money that would otherwise have to come from new taxes. The profits from lotteries are usually used to pay for education or programs for senior citizens. But critics say this arrangement just allows states to legalize vice under the name of social progress . No matter whether you regard state lotteries right or not , you can not refuse to accept their extreme popularity with many Americans . In just one hour in the last few days , the Pennsylvania lottery sold tickets totaling about _ . A $1.62million B $90 million C $9.6million D $87million Answer: A. $1.62million
Your brain isn't a muscle, but you can treat it like one Many people focus on physical fitness, but few know that brain fitness is also something you can work on. In fact, you can exercise your brain as often as you do to your arms or legs-and the results can be positive and empowering. To improve your brain, you can't simply repeat the same exercises over and over. Just as lifting a two-pound weight will stop challenging you, so will repetitive exercises such as crosswords or Sudoku. Once you master easy exercises, you must move on to harder ones in order to push your brain-like your muscles-to a new level. The science behind brain training Scientists once believed that your mental abilities were fixed in adulthood. Since studies have shown just the opposite, millions of people around the world have adopted the new practice of brain training. The most popular of these brain training products is made by the San Francisco-based Lumosity. Lumosity's scientists with an experienced team of game designers have developed a fun,effective online brain training program that measures, tracks, and adapts to your progress, so you'll always be challenged. Promising studies on the effects of brain training In a 2013 Stanford study, a treatment group of 21 breast cancer survivors used 12 weeks of Lumosity training to work on processing speed, mental flexibility, and working memory tasks. On average, those who trained improved on tests of these abilities, compared to a group that did not train with Lumosity. There is even some evidence suggesting that Lumosity may be beneficial to normal, healthy adults. In a 2011 study by Lumosity and San Francisco State University researchers. 13 people who trained over 5 weeks improved working memory scores by 10%and attention scores by 20%. Brain training is designed to meet real-life needs The design of brain train ing is targeted at real-life benefits instead of improving game scores. Better attention, for example, can mean greater focus in the classroom or at an important business meeting. With improved processing speed, you might react and adapt faster to the demands of a busy life. And a better memory could mean stronger, longer relationships with the people closest to you. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: Once upon a time,a hippo lived in a river next to a big tree. One day,a bird came and nested in the tree.The songs of the bird filled the hippo with so much envy that he couldn't think of anything else.Every day he would think why he wasn't born to be a bird even though the bird told him many times he was so lucky to be so big and such a good swimmer. Finally,the hippo made up his mind that he would come out of the river,climb the tree and start singing.However,when he tried to climb the tree,it was very clear that the hippo didn't have wings,nor claws to climb with. Realizing that he would never climb up the tree,he angrily hit the tree until it came crashing to the ground.Then he stepped onto the leaves of the fallen tree,and began singing. Unfortunately,hippos can't sing,either.All that came from his mouth were terrible noises,and when the other animals heard this,they all came around to make fun of the hippo. He was so ashamed by this.He also felt bad about having knocked the tree over.He used all his strength to raise the tree back up again,and look after it until it completely recovered. . The best title of this passage may be" _ ". Answer: In opposing President Barack Obama's opening to Cuba, Florida's Republican senator, Marco Rubio, explained, "This entire policy shift announced today is based on an illusion, on a lie, the lie and the illusion that more commerce and access to money and goods will _ political freedom for the Cuban people." Rubio has correctly touched on the hottest issue. But theory, logic and history suggest that he's wrong in his conclusions. I would recommend to Rubio one of the classics of conservative thought, Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom." He doesn't have to spend too much time on it. The first chapter outlines the "relation between economic freedom and political freedom." The point Friedman makes in the book is one that America's founding fathers well understood. Drawing on the political philosopher John Locke, they believed that the freedom to buy, sell, own and trade were primary elements of human freedom and individual autonomy . As they expand, liberty expands. This is not just theory, of course. Over the last two centuries, the countries that embraced "more commerce and access to money and goods" in Rubio's phrase -- Britain, America, then Western Europe and East Asia -- have moved toward greater prosperity, but also political freedom. If you exclude oil-rich countries, where money is not earned but dug from the ground, on the whole there has been a strong connection between economic freedom and political freedom. In Latin America today, democracy and markets have acted to strengthen each other, transforming the continent, which 30 years ago was almost entirely ruled by dictatorships to one that is today almost entirely ruled by democracies. After opening up its economy in the 1970s, Chile began to grow, but that growth then produced a stronger civil society that over time contributed to the end of the dictatorship within the country. Yet Cuba is an outlier, one of the last regimes in Latin America that has embraced neither markets nor ballots. The Obama administration is acting on the theory that more commerce, capitalism, contact, travel and trade will empower the people of Cuba and thus gives them a greater voice in their political future. And so the first point to make is that it will help Cubans economically -- it will raise their incomes, their standard of living, and boost access to technology. These are all good things in and of themselves. But easing the embargo will also help Americans, who will benefit from being able to trade with a neighbor. This is the reason that conservatives have long understood that free trade is not a gift bestowed on someone. It helps both countries and in particular, helps the United States. That's why the Wall Street Journal's editorial page -- bastion of conservative thought -- has been an advocate on lifting the trade embargo against Cuba, which is a far larger step than Obama's normalization. What message does the writer try to deliver through this passage? Answer: You've probably heard of working dogs that help police officers, or horses that help farmers. Did you know that carrier pigeons can be trained to help people too? Here are some examples. Mailman Carrier pigeons can be trained to carry messages to people. The note is placed into a small can. The can is tied to the pigeon's leg. Then the pigeon flies off with the note. Lifeguard From high up in the sky, specially trained pigeons can find orange life jackets in the ocean. Sometimes it is difficult for humans to find people lost at sea, especially when the weather is bad. However, pigeons can fly quickly over a large area of water to look for people. Spy Many years ago, carrier pigeons were used to help our country during wars . "Spy pigeons" had small cameras that were tied to their feet. As a pigeon flew over enemy land, the camera took photos of the land below. This would allow our soldiers to see where the enemies were and what they were doing. So next time you see a pigeon, stop and watch it closely. What might look like an ordinary bird to most people, might actually be helpful. What is the purpose of writing this article? Answer: The United States is not part of the Kyoto Protocol.But since 2005 more than 1,000 mayors across the country have agreed to sign their own version of the protocol. It is called the United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.Local leaders have agreed to follow the suggestions of the Kyoto Protocol in their communities.They have also agreed to urge state and federal governments to follow these suggestions.One goal is to reduce air pollution to the 1990 levels by 2012. A "green" city might work on several kinds of environmental goals and programs.These include air quality,reducing electricity use, green building, public health, the reuse of materials, water quality and clean transportation. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect the environment through action, law and science.One of its online projects is called Smarter Cities, which lists some cities that have made important environmental steps. Washington,D.C.is also a leading city for green roofs,with over 92,000 square meters of green rooftops.The city also launched a program called "Skip the Bag,Save the River."Stores charge people a fivecent tax for using plastic or paper shopping bags instead of reusable bags.Money from the tax will be used to clean up a local river. New York City is using water as a renewable energy source.For several years, the city has experimented with water in the East River to create energy.Officials operating the program recently asked for permission to put into place 30 river turbine devices. The people of Portland, Oregon are among the top recyclers in the nation.People living there recycle over half of the waste they throw out.The city has also worked to provide green transportation by providing safe bike paths and free parking spaces where electric cars can get recharged. In Oakland, California, you can ride on one of several public hydrogenpowered buses.These buses release zero pollution into the air.However,they cost about five times more than common buses. New York City is cited as an example of _ . Answer:
American country music is also known as country western music .It has a very long history . It comes from the folk songs of immigrants from Britain. Country music users simple music and words to express everyday feelings such as loneliness, love , and sadness . That is to say , country music describes life . It talks about friends and enemies , trucks and roads , farm and crops.. People in many parts of the world like country music, because everyone can understand what the music is about . Country western music became popular first among cowboys in the American west countryside . Cowboys had to take care of cows day and night. When they were alone with the cows, they often sang beautiful and peaceful songs to _ and to overcome their own fear .They were not well-educated and so they sang about their daily life in very simple words .They played guitars, violins. and other instruments. In the south of America , many people added instruments from their homes , like bottles and spoons, When cowboys visited their friends and families on holidays like Thanksgiving , they usually sang and played country western music . In recent years ,many musicians have made country western music a little different from the one in the past.These changes make the songs sound even better.Today singers such as Carth Brooks.Reba McEntire. Emmylou Harris. Lyle Lovett,Eddie Rabbitt, LeAnn Rimes,Randy Travis and a group called Alabama are singing and playing in different styles.They have brought country western music more and more fans from all over the wold. ,. The best title for the passage is _ . Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted , inspired, and motivated to work towards a common goal. An effective leader makes others feel good about themselves, as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what he or she wants to achieve, and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it. One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he or she plays makes a contribution to the final result. Good leaders are positive and optimistic when they speak about the future. Their enthusiasm wins them plenty of supporters who help make their vision a reality. Good leaders also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenge with an achievable goal. And employees are motivated by hearing how they will be part of a team of people working together. Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job titles. They refer to employees as team members, companions, or colleagues, never as "servants". Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization. Good leaders believe that every team member matters and set up environments that make everyone feel important. It is no wonder they can attract the support they need to help them achieve their goals. We can infer from the passage that _ . Chelsea Clinton, the 31-year-old daughter of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is stepping into her own spotlight. According to the New York Times, NBC has hired Clinton to become a full-time special correspondent for NBC News. Her feature stories will reportedly be used in the "Making a Difference" series, which _ on "NBC Nightly News". The sections attract people who volunteer to improve the lives of others in their communities. When Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992, the first lady asked the press to keep Chelsea out of the public eyes. As a young adult, Chelsea continued to avoid media attention in order to attend college and quietly enter the business world. Once her mother decided to run for the presidency in 2007, however, Chelsea made hundreds of public appearances, mostly on college campuses, to support the campaign. More recently, she has worked for New York University and promoted her father's latest book. She is currently pursuing a doctor's degree at Oxford. Clinton is the second daughter of a president hired by NBC News; Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush, works as a correspondent for NBC's "Today" show. Chelsea Clinton continued to stay out of media attention to _ . What is something that could be made from iron? The Greens are English. Now they are in Beijing. This is their first visit to China. They are going to stay in China for three weeks. They want to visit some big cities and villages. They want to learn some Chinese. Mr Green is driver. He likes driving in Beijing very much. Mrs Green is a teacher. She is visiting a middle school near Beijing. Their son Jim is a middle school student. He meets some Chinese students, and he likes to speak English with them. They take a lot of photos in China. When they are back in English, they are going to show the photos to their friends. They want the English people to know more about China. The Greens take many photos in China because they _ .
If your cellphone suddenly stops working, don't blame the service provider.The malfunction might well have been caused by something bigger -- a solar storm.Experts expect that Earth will see more solar activity in the near future.The malfunction of electronic devices will just one of the effects. Sunspots serve as an indicator of the sun's activity.For the past two years, sunspots have mostly been missing.Their absence, the most prolonged in nearly 100 years, has taken even seasoned sun watchers by surprise. When the number of sunspots drops at the end of each 11-year cycle, solar storms die down and all become much calmer. This "solar minimum" doesn't last long. Within a year, sunspots and solar storms begin to build toward a new crescendo, the next solar maximum. What's special about this latest cycle is that the sun is having trouble starting the next solar cycle. The sun began to calm down in late 2007, so no one expected many sunspots in 2008. They should return in 2010. Scientists have predicted that the next solar cycle could be the most active on record: more sunspots and more solar storms. However, sunspots are mostly missing now. Since the earth is in close contact with the sun, strong solar activities can bring trouble to our life. People of the 21st century rely on high-tech systems for the basics of daily life. Air travel and radio communications can be affected by strong solar activities. A big solar storm could cause 20 times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina. What the sun will do next is beyond our ability to predict. Most astronomers think that the solar cycle will go on but at low level. However, there is also evidence that the sun is losing its ability to produce sunspots. By 2015, they could be gone altogether. The sun watcher feel surprised at_. Answer: When thinking about quitting... List all the reasons why you want to quit. Every night before going to bed, repeat one of the reasons 10 times. Decide surely that you want to quit. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be. Develop strong personal reasons in addition to your health and duties to others. For example, think all the time you waste taking cigarette breaks, rushing out to buy a pack, hunting a light, etc. Set a date for quitting--perhaps a special day like your birthday, or a holiday. If you smoke heavily at work, quit during your vacation. Make the date seriously, and don't let anything change it. Begin to prepare yourself physically: start a modest exercise, drink more water, get plenty of rest. Immediately after quitting... The first few days after you quit, spend as much free time as possible in places where smoking is forbidden, e.g. libraries, museums, theatres, department stores, etc. Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice. Try to avoid wine, coffee, and other drinks, which remind you of cigarette smoking. Start a conversation with someone instead of asking for a match for a cigarette. If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else--a pencil, a pen, or a ruler. If you miss having something in your mouth, try toothpicks or a fake cigarette. If the article is in a newspaper, which section is it in? Answer: A "match of the century" between human champion of the Chinese board game Go and Google's computer program kicked off in Seoul on Wednesday, which drew great attention. The first game of the five-game match started at about 1 p.m.local time (0400 GMT) at Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul.It will run through next Tuesday to determine the winner between South Korean Lee Sedol, the world Go champion in the past 10 years, and AlphaGo, developed by Google's London-based subsidiary DeepMind. The match of the century drew great attention from news organizations, Go fans and the general public across the world as well as in South Korea as it is seen as a representative match between humans and artificial intelligence (AI). The Korea Baduk Association, a body for South Korean Go professionals, had received advance applications for an explanatory event of the match, but the limit of 60 seats had already surpassed. South Korea's public broadcaster KBS plans to broadcast live the match from 12:40 to 5 p.m., extending its initial plan to air it for two hours from 3 p.m.due to great interests from the general public.It is unusual for the public broadcaster to broadcast live the Go game for more than four hours. Cable channel TV Chosun will broadcast the match's development every 10 minutes on Wednesday and Thursday, while planning to air live the whole matches on Saturday and Sunday. The match is being aired live through YouTube around the world, while various Internet websites and TVs are broadcasting the landmark match. Hundreds of journalists from around the world gathered at the venue to report on the match between Lee and AlphaGo. AlphaGo took the world by surprise as it defeated European Go champion Fan Hui in October last year.Some experts had predicted it would take decades of years for AI to defeat humans at the ancient Chinese board game. Go, which originated in China more than 2,500 years ago, has been viewed as a grand challenge for AI due to its complexity and intuitive nature.It involves two players, who take turns putting markers on a grid-shaped board to gain more areas on it.One can occupy the markers of the opponent by surrounding the pieces of the other. Why did the match draw so much attention in the world? Answer: The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid--we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink. However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk. Basilicus, a lizard native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate "hitting. " But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a "non-Newtonian" liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour. Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice, if you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink--and take a shower afterward! What is the author's attitude toward the idea of humans' walking on water? Answer: The First of May is a Bank Holiday--the first public holiday of the year in England. Most people consider it a special day ,the beginning of summer ,a day when the light lasts long into the evening ,and when we can look for warm weather .We don't always get it .We feel disappointed ,but not surprised if there are cold winds and frosts at night in May .Winter should be over .Most people know that in the past ,when farming occupied almost everyone ,the changing seasons were of great importance .In that older time there was every reason to celebrate May Day .Customs of those celebrations remain. Of these customs ,the best known is the choosing of a May Queen and the dancing round Maypole .Even these customs are little more than memories now--but in the last century it was quite common in villages and small towns ,and even in schools and colleges ,for a pretty and popular girl to be chosen Queen of the May .It was a great honour to be chosen .For a day she wore a light and flowery dress, carried garlands ,and was ceremonially crowned with flowers .She presided over a procession ,as a rule with a number of attendants ,and over the Maypole dancing and all kinds of entertainment .The Maypole was slender tree trunk ,cut off its branches, with beautiful ribbons fastened to the top .The dancing was designed in such a way that the dancer's movements move the ribbons into a pattern. This, as you can imagine ,required skill from the dancer ,and was not achieved without practice . It's the Celtic people who celebrated the First of May as a spring festival .Their celebration seems to have had little to do with taking pleasure in early ,beautiful flowers and in warmer weather! They called it Beltane--the fire of the god Bel .They lit fires ,in the expectation that their blaze would help the sun in its struggle to regain its strength. They drove their cattle between banks of flame in the expectation that the terrified beasts would be purified and protected from disease .A tree ,which must have been blackened with smoke ,stood in the middle of the fires ,and is thought to have been the origin of the Maypole .Their priests made sacrifices to the goods in the hope of good harvests and sufficient store of food for the winter. There was dancing certainly ,but it was noisy and cheerful ,since its purpose was not to weave a pattern of colored ribbons ,but to drive out evil spirits from the earth and to arouse those kind spirits. The main purpose of the passage is to show _ . Answer:
A farmer was put in prison . One day, he got a letter from his wife. "I am worried about our farm," she wrote. "It's time to plant potatoes, but I can't do all the digging by myself." The farmer thought over and then had an idea. He wrote to his wife, "Don't dig the fields. This is where my gold is. Don't plant potatoes until I come home." A few days later, the farmer got another letter from his wife. It said, "Two days ago, about ten prison guards came to our fields. It looked as if they were looking for something. They have dug our field." The farmer wrote to his wife at once. "Now you can plant our potatoes," he wrote. The farmer told his wife _ first. A. not to dig the fields B. to dig the fields C. to ask the prison guards for help D. to find the gold in the fields Answer: A. not to dig the fields The Loss of Innocence Innocence is such a precious gift. It's explained as freedom from guilt or wrong doing. Just imagine never having to worry about anything and having a guilt-free mind. Some people wish to save this kind of innocence from being lost from childhood to adulthood. What would the world be like if innocence were never lost? One way it would benefit humanity is the lack of hatred among the world. During youth, there may be an occasional argument, even a little physical fight, but nothing like firing a handgun at a fellow human being. And children are blind towards the racial differences of others. A kid will hang out with any other kid. It is the lack of innocence and the ignorance we learn from adults that influence children otherwise. Another benefit is the constant desire for fun and adventure. With very little if any time at all for fun, the adventurous mind is lost in time with the responsibilities placed upon adults. If innocence were kept alive, these ambitions would never depart from our lives. However, other people actually hate the idea of innocence lasting for ever. They feel that the lack of organization and mental power of those with innocence would cause extremely destructive consequences to society in general. A large number of individuals would never have the urge to learn, work, and act upon the necessary needs for humanity to survive. Without a proper education which is usually provided by those who no longer live in a world of innocence, people would not have the desire to succeed, get a good job in life, or provide income for their families, which would hurt the lives of children. The lack of a good education and career would also harm the economy. As long as innocence is kept alive, no one would be terribly angry at the lack of effort people put out in the workplace, resulting in a strong decline in production and quality of needed goods. Maybe it is wrong in wanting to save innocence. It sure is a nice thought, though. Perhaps innocence was meant to be lost. It was god's will to make things the way they are, and there is a good purpose for everything. All that remains to be said about innocence is to enjoy it while it lasts. Lifelong innocence would be beneficial to society in that _ . A. proper education would be provided B. there would be no racial discrimination C. there would be more happy families D. people would realize their childhood dreams Answer: B. there would be no racial discrimination Which are in opposition for similar chow? A. cats and mice B. dogs and sycamores C. bears and salmon D. lions and hyenas Answer: D. lions and hyenas Google has kicked off Google Science Fair (GSF) _ , its annual online competition for bright, creative and ambitious teenagers who want to change the world with science. While the project is led by Google, it also has the backing of the Lego Group and world-famous publications National Geographic and Scientific American. The competition is open for students aged 13 to 18, who can sign-up now, form a team and begin working on a submission. The winner will be rewarded with a ten-day exploration to the Galapagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavor, as well as a VIP tour of 'Spaceport America' in New Mexico. Google is also throwing in a $50,000 scholarship and $10,000 for the winner's school to purchase cutting-edge science lab equipment. Google suggests that each project should be "an in-depth investigation of a science question or engineering problem" but otherwise, it's up to students to pick and develop an idea that follows the competition rules. Completed projects need to be submitted by May 12, 2014 at 11:59 PDT. Google will announce the regional competitors in June, ahead of global finalists in August and the competition winners in September. Interested? Here are the _ . If you want to enter the competition as an individual , you should register first. Complete requested information about yourself and your project in the registration section before creating your project. You may edit this later. Click the box stating that you have read, accept, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules and Terms. Upon completion of registration you may begin working on your project. The project must follow the technical, creative, and legal entry requirements set out in these Official Rules and the Googlesciencefair.com Site. You will be required to complete all sections of the Project Site. You may begin working on your project after completing the registration process, however, you may not submit it for judging until you have requested and received parental consent . Once you have done this, your parent or guardian will receive an email from Google with instructions on how they can give their consent for you to participate. The project will not be judged unless this consent is received. The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A. offer tips on how to enter GSF B. provide information about GSF C. persuade teenagers to enter GSF D. show teenagers the importance of GSF Answer: B. provide information about GSF A recent report found 46% of parents agreed that their child knew more about the Internet than they did. And now new research shows parents are turning to their children for lessons in technology. The new study of around 1,000 parents showed that 67% of parents have asked their teenager children for technology-related advice. 44% have asked their teenager for help using the Internet, and 41% have received teen advice about how to use the TV or home entertainment system. Ahad Surooprajally, a father of five children, says his children help him with technology in the home. "They've grown up surrounded by technology," he explains. "We have four computers and four iPads in our house. If I want to know something technical they're the ones I go to." He says his nine-year-old son Habeeb is the only person in the house who really understands the TV. So he tells Habeeb which film he wants to watch and Habeeb connects his mobile phone to the TV. "You teach your kids everyday life lessons, but the tables are turned when it comes to technology," says Ahad. As well as learning how to use technology properly, there is another advantage of parents asking their children to help them understand the digital world. They may be able to get a better understanding of what their kids are doing online. Will Gardner of the charity Childnet International says, "We have to continuously encourage parents to find out more about what their children are doing online. If the kids are using a social networking site, get them to show you around it if you are not using it already." What do we know about the new study? A. Few parents trust their children to give them advice. B. About half of the parents have no idea how to use a computer. C. Most teenagers know more about the Internet than their parents. D. Over two-thirds of parents turned to their teenagers on tech matters. Answer: D. Over two-thirds of parents turned to their teenagers on tech matters.
Most types of cacti survive the dry conditions of a desert because they hold water in their stems. This is an example of Answer: Stephen Hawking knew what he wanted to do by the time he was eight years old. His parents lived in London where his father was researching medicine. He did not want to follow his father as his parents hoped. Mathematics was not available at University College, so he did physics instead. Stephen was interested in studying the universe. When he was 21, however, he was told that he had ALS --an incurable nerve disease, which affects walking, speaking, breathing, swallowing, and many other things. The doctors predicted that he had only a few years to live, but he didn't die. Instead, as his physical condition became worse, Hawking became more well-known in scientific circles. Hawking himself said that his disease was a big reason why he focused his attention on what turned out to be his real strength: theoretical research. "What the doctors said made me determine to get the most from life, and life was no longer boring for me," Hawking says today, speaking from his wheelchair through a computer. In 1988, Stephen Hawking published a book called A Brief History of Time. The book tries to explain many of Hawking's physical and mathematical ideas and calculations without using maths. The book became a best-seller. His later books are Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays and most recently in 2001, The Universe in a Nutshell. Of the three, the first one was made into a film in 1991. Hawking says, "Nowadays, muscle power is out of date. What we need is mind power --and disabled people are as good at that as anyone else." What did Hawking's parents want him to study in the university? Answer: There are always times in the day when you catch yourself clenching your teeth if you are trying to focus on something important or concentrating on something. Of course, if you are doing this in your sleep you won't be able to catch yourself and stop. The good news is that there are things you can do to help relieve the pain that is caused from bruxism and help keep your teeth healthy as well. If you wake up in the moming with sore jaws, pain in your neck and shoulders, or a persistent headache, you are more than likely to have bruxism. A lot of medical professionals think that a major aspect of bruxism is from stress. Everyday life can be filled with stressful situations and this stress gets released at night when you are sleeping. If you suffer from stress on a regular basis you can try a relaxation technique before you go to bed. The hope is that by relaxing your body and mind you will let go of the stress that will cause you to grind your teeth while you are sleeping. This routine has worked for millions of people and is a good thing to try first. While relaxation to relieve stress sounds pretty good, there are people that this technique doesn't work for. For these people, there are mouth guards that you can wear while you are sleeping that will help protect your teeth. These mouth guards will put a protective layer between your teeth in order to ease any issues that grinding your teeth may cause. If you want to get the best possible relief you should try both the relaxation techniques and a mouth guard. The mouth guard will keep your teeth from damage and the relaxation techniques will help ease the stress that your body might be feeling. Nothing can be better than relieving both pain and stress when you need it most, while you are sleeping. We can NOT know from the text that _ . Answer: The British are being encouraged to holiday at home as a major tourism drive offering Olympic themed discounts is launched next week. A new campaign offering 20. 12% discounted bills at participating venues will be announced publicly for the first time by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday to encourage "staycations". The scheme includes hotel accommodation, meals, guided tours and entry to attractions, with discounts funded by the industry. Government officials said more than three million hotel rooms were already lined up under the project, which is being backed by a range of companies, including Butlins. Attractions, such as the London Eye and Alton Towers, are also taking part. Reduced prices will also be offered on stays on the Royal yacht Britannia, now harboring in Leith, Edinburgh, and visits to Chatsworth, the historic house in Derbyshire. Tourists will be able to take advantage of the discount by using a dedicated website before the end of the Paralympics on September 9 to make bookings for this year and 2013. Mr. Hunt said, "With the Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games, this year is the perfect opportunity for more of us to holiday in the UK " Mr. Hunt has travelled the UK, urging companies to take part in the scheme, telling them, _ We will never have a year like 2012 to show the world that this is, quite simply, the most exciting, vibrant, cosmopolitan city on the planet. The unavoidable complaints in the run up to an Olympics must not cloud the scale of the opportunity --including our biggest ever tourism marketing campaign to make sure we get a lasting benefit from being in the global spotlight. " The scheme will be promoted by a PS3 million television advertising campaign -- the first of its kind in the UK. The government hopes the " Holidays at Home are Great" campaign -- launched by Visit England -- will create 12, 000 jobs, create 5.3 million extra short overnight breaks, and generate PS480 million in extra spending over three years. How will the "Holidays at Home are Great" campaign probably benefit London? Answer: When people think of food in the United States, they think mostly of fast foods like hamburgers and hot dogs. In fact, in the U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles, there are thousands of different kinds of restaurants with foods from all over the world. So if you like to try different foods, the United States is the place for you. The United States has people from all over the world, and they bring with them typical foods from their countries. You can eat tempura in Japanese restaurants, tacos in Mexican restaurants, paella in Spanish restaurants, pasta in Italian restaurants, and you can also eat America's most popular food, pizza. Yes, pizza! Pizza is from Italy, but today it is an important part of the U.S. menu. There are about 58,000 pizzerias in the United States--that's about 17% of all restaurants in the country, and the number is growing. The United States has eating places for all tastes--and all pockets. You can buy a hot dog on the street and pay one or two dollars. Or you can go to a four-star restaurant and pay $200 for a dinner Many people think _ , but they are wrong. Answer:
April 21st in 2006 was the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. She is one of the most famous women in the world. Here are some interesting stories about the Queen. Queen Elizabeth IIis the fortieth monarch since 1066. She has been the queen of Great Britain for 54 years. During her 54-year reign , she has made over 250 official visit to 129 different countries, including China in 1986. She has also hosted more than 90 formal dinners for those important people from foreign leaders. When she visits foreign countries or hosts formal dinners, the Queen often receives presents from foreign leaders. Some unusual presents include animals like jaguars and sloths from Brazil, and black beavers from Canada. The Queen is a great animal lover and she is known for her love of dogs. So far, the Queen has had more than 30 dogs. She is also really fond of horses and good at feeding horses. Her horses have won major races several times. The Queen usually sends a telegram of congratulations to her people who are 100 years old on their hundredth birthday. Perhaps she will send herself on in twenty years. It's not impossible, since all her family members have enjoyed a long life. The Queen's mother died in 2002 at the age of 101. At the age of 100, any person in Britain may _ . Answer: receive a telegram from the Queen Once upon a time, a boy was walking through a wood and he thought he could hear a sad cry. Following the sound he came to a big, round, mysterious, grey fountain. The sad sound seemed to be coming from the fountain pool. The boy swept aside the pool's dirty surface water and saw a group of grey fish swimming in a slow circle through the pond. Amused by this, the boy tried to catch one of these incredible talking fish. But when he stuck his arm into the water it turned grey right up to the elbow. As this happened, a huge sadness entered into him, and he suddenly understood how sad the fish were feeling. He quickly pulled his arm out of the water, and ran from that place. But the arm stayed grey, and the boy continued feeling sad. He tried so many times to cheer himself up, but nothing worked. That was, until he realized that if he were to make the Earth happy then that happiness would be, in turn, transmitted back to him, through the earth on his arm. X\|k \| B\| 1 . c\|O \|m From then on, he set about looking after countryside. He cared for the plants, and he did what he could to keep the water from being polluted. He encouraged others to do the same. He was so successful that his arm started to _ its normal color. When the grey had disappeared completely, he started feeling happy again, and he decided to go and visit the fountain. When he was still some way from the fountain he could hear the fish singing happily. What is the best title of the passage? Answer: The Grey Fountain. We like people who look like us, because they tend to have personalities similar to our own. And, a new study suggests, the longer we are with someone, the more similarities in appearance grow. Researchers set out to study why couples often tend to look like one another. They asked 11 male and 11 female participants to judge the age, attractiveness and personality of 160 real-life married couples. Photographs of husbands and wives were viewed separately, so the participants didn't know who was married to whom. The test participants rated men and women who were actual couples as looking alike and having similar personalities. Also, the longer the couples had been together, the greater the similarities. The researchers guess that the sharing of experiences might affect how couples look. The idea that there is a connection between appearance and personality might seem strange at first, but there could be biological reasons for a link, said study member Tony Little from the University of Liverpool in England. "The face displays our emotions and over time, emotional expressions may become written in the face," Little told Live Science. For example, someone who smiles a lot may develop lines and muscles that are suggestive of someone who is happy. Other studies have shown that partners who are genetically similar to each other tend to have happier marriages. The new study indicates that people have different features when using facial appearance to make decisions about someone's personality, and that the particular cues focused on change from face to face. Vital to the decision, however, are eyes and smiles. "Smiles are important social cues that may tell us whether or not someone is friendly, and eyes are also a traditional focus of attention," Little said. Overall face shape can be important too. For example, the combination of large chins and strong brow ridges can create an impression of disagreeableness and being unwilling to cooperate, Little said. Why do some old lovers look alike according to the researchers? Answer: Because their similar experiences might affect their appearance. My topic today is the internet. It was prompted by the first letter, which I am unable to answer fully for the reasons given! Dear David, I am a middle school student. Now I am preparing for a writing competition. Could you please check the mistakes in my article about using the Internet and give me some advice? Thank you. No name David writes: I am very sorry to say that I think it would be very unfair for me to help you win a competition-- unfair to the other competitors! But I will say that your article is very interesting and I wish you good luck. Your article makes some good points that deserve talking about in this column! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear David, I'm now learning English by myself. Can you introduce some useful websites where I can make friends with foreigners? Please help me. moonlight David writes: Well, dear moonlight, I bet you made a good choice by using the Net in your self-studies. Two very good websites I would suggest to you are: www.britishcouncil.org.cnandwww.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish. By the way, for those readers interested in the teaching of English, there is an Internet discussion group called ELTCSChi-L (English Language Teaching Contacts Scheme prefix = st1 /China List). And also, a healthy warning to all my readers: If over-used, the Internet can be a WOMBAT-A Waste of Money, Brains and Time! David is probably a _ . Answer: language expert After breakfast Mrs. Beckman started packing the bags. She bought the tickets to London. Her husband works there. She and her children are going to fly there to see him. Thomas and Katy can't help her and she told them to play outside. "It often rains in London in autumn," the woman said to herself, " I'd better take the umbrellas. So I won't buy any when it rains there." Suddenly , she heard Thomas crying and ran out at once. She asked, " What's the matter?" "Katy pulled my hair," the boy said in tears . "Don't be angry," said the woman. "She's too young. She doesn't know pulling hair hurts " And then she went to the house again. After a short time there was more crying. She had to come out to see what the matter was. This time Thomas said, "Now she knows." _ , so they can't help their mother. Answer: The two children are too young
While you may think that being smart and talented would logically make someone successful in running a business, unfortunately, this is often not the case. This problem starts back in school when the stressful "group projects" are first assigned .The smartest don't want to risk their grade in the class by dividing the work equally and hoping that an average student does his part well. They just take over and do the whole project themselves. And thus begins the smart-people work cycle. The smartest people do just about everything better than most everyone else until it comes to running a business. They are not better. A smart person who can't stand someone else doing a job badly does everything himself. Then, he is stuck with the one-man band "job-business" and ends up not being able to grow. However, it is quite interesting and strange that some "slackers" ( a person who is lazy and avoids work) are better suited to be a business leader than the "smart" people. Smart and talented people often have a gift for the unusual, complicated or different. They don't like to follow the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid), which is required to make a business succeed. Maybe you think the global presence of McDonald's complex, but in reality, in the company, every single task is broken down into easy-to-follow steps and everything has been standardized. These successful companies have just a few smart enough people to run the majority of the tasks in a way that can't be screwed up by their average employees. So, being smart or talented isn't going to help you unless you can use those smarts to figure out a way to simplify those tasks that will make a business successful. Another issue with the smart people starting businesses is that they often have the most to lose. The smarter you are, the more options you have available to you. You will be able to make a lot of money in various fields and have room in your career to become promoted. This means that when you start a business, you have a lot more to risk than those who are not equally smart. This is often referred to as the _ dilemma. So, don't be surprised when the person "MOST Likely to Succeed" from high school ends up as an employee and it is one average student that finds success in his or her own business. McDonald's is used as an example to prove that _ . Answer: simplified tasks are required for the success of a business Welcome to Franklin Hotel. To make you stay as enjoyable as possible. We hope you will use our facilities to the full. Dining Room:Breakfast is served in the dining room from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Also the room staff may bring breakfast to your room at any time after 7 a.m. If this happens, please fill out a card and hang outside your door when you go to bed. Lunch is from 12 to 2:30 p.m. Dinner from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Room service:This operates 24 hours a day; phone the reception desk, and your massage will be passed on the staff. Telephones: To make a phone call. Dial "0"for reception and ask to be connected. We apologized for delays if the lines are very busy. These are also public telephones near the Reception Desk. Tell Reception if early calls are needed. Shop: The hotel shop is open for presents, gifts and goods from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Laundry: we have a laundry in the building, and will wash, iron and return your clothes within 24 hours, ask the room staff to collect them. Bar :The hotel bar is open from 12 to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Banking: The reception staff will cash cheques and exchange any foreign money for you. You have arrived at the hotel at 2.a.m. and want a quick meal, what should you do? Answer: Hang a message outside your door You're rushing to work and a man ahead of you collapses on the sidewalk. Do you stop to help? In a study of by-standers, it was found that some people avert their gaze and keep on walking rather than stop and get involved. "There is a tendency to decide that no action is needed." says a psychologist. "The first thoughts that pop into your mind often keep you from offering help. In order to take action, you have to work against them." Here are some common thoughts that might prevent you from helping. * Why should I be the one? I'm probably not the most competent person in this crowd. You might think someone older or with more medical knowledge should offer assistance. * What if he doesn't really need my help? The fear of embarrassment is powerful; no one wants to risk looking foolish in front of others. * No one else looks concerned- this must not be a problem. We can follow the people around us, but most people tend to hold back their emotions in public. "If you spot trouble and find yourself explaining inaction, force yourself to stop and evaluate the situation instead of walking on," says the psychologist. "Then retry to involve other people; you don't have to take on the entire responsibility of being helpful. Sometimes it's just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying, 'It looks like we should do something.' Or asking someone if an ambulance has been called and, if not, to call for one. Once you take action, most people will follow you." In order to offer others your timely help, you need to _ . Answer: work against the first thoughts that prevent you offering help The leftovers in the fridge smelled a little unusual, but you ate them. You were so hungry that you didn't even heat them up. Later, you started to feel sick. Powerful waves of pain rumbled through your stomach. They went away, but not for long, then you even threw up. That sounds like the case of food poisoning. No one put poison in your food, but bacteria probably grew in the food in the fridge and those bacteria made you sick. Food poisoning can be mild and last just a short time or can be more serious. Food poisoning comes from eating foods that contain germs like bad bacteria, which are poisonous substances. Bacteria are all around us, so mild cases of food poisoning are common. You may have had mild food poisoning with diarrhea and an upset stomach --- but your mom or dad just called it a stomach bug or stomach virus. You might think the solution is to get rid of all the bacteria, but it isn't possible and you wouldn't want to do it, even if you could. Bacteria are all around us, including food, and sometimes they can be good for you. It's confusing, but one thing is for sure ---- You can, however, learn how to avoid those bad germs in food. Foods from animals, raw foods, and unwashed vegetables all can contain germs that cause food poisoning. The most likely source is food from animals, eggs, milk, and shellfish. To avoid food poisoning, people need to prepare, cook, and store foods properly. According to the passage, if you want to avoid food poisoning, you'd better _ . Answer: fully heat up the foods from the fridge even if they aren't rotten I like watching TV very much, for I think it has many advantages . First of all, watching TV is a good rest(;). After a day of hard work, we need a good rest. Watching TV can make our mind and body not tired any more because of the pleasant music and TV plays. Besides , watching TV is entertaining . There are many kinds of entertainment, such as sports activities, singing and dancing, plays and films all over the world at every time. It's not possible for us to go to every place to enjoy all the activities within a short time. We need at least over ten hours to fly from New York to Paris, a week by train from Beijing to Moscow and an hour to drive from Queens District to Manhattan District.)But within just one second, TV can bring us from an NBA game in New York to a fashion show in Paris by changing the channels . Most importantly, watching TV is educational. Our children can learn every kind of subjects through the educational programs and the special reports on TV, and it's easy for them to learn Chinese from a Chinese teacher in Beijing and to learn Russian lessons from a Russian teacher in Moscow. At the same time, a teacher can teach quite a lot of students without a large classroom. According to the writer what is the most important reason for watching TV? Answer: We can learn something useful.
When you are little, it's not hard to believe you can change the world. I remember my enthusiasm when, at the age of 12, I addressed delegates at the Rio Earth Summit. "I am only a child," I told them ."Yet I know that if all the money spent on war was spent on ending poverty and finding environment answers, what a wonderful place this would be. In school you teach us not to fight with others, to work things out, to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to hurt other creatures, to share, not to be greedy. Then why do you go out and do the thing you tell us not to do ? You grown-ups say you love us, but I challenge you, please, to make your actions reflect your words." I spoke for six minutes and received a standing _ . Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I've sat through many more conferences, I'm not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual's voice to reach them has been deeply shaken. When I was little, the world was simple. But as a young adult, I'm learning that as we have to make choices -- education, career, lifestyle -- life gets more and more complicated. We are beginning to feel pressure to produce and be successful. We are taught that economic growth is in progress, but aren't taught how to pursue a happy, healthy or sustainable way of living. And we are learning that what we wanted for the future when we were 12 was ideal and innocent. Today I'm no longer a child, but I'm worried about what kind of environment my children will grow up in. I know change is possible, because I am changing, still figuring out what I think. I am still deciding how to live my life. The challenges are great, but if we accept individual responsibility and make sustainable choices, we will rise to the challenges, and we will become part of the positive tide of change. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: the writer's belief does not change when he grows up. Students who want to attend an American university must explain how they will pay for their education. They have to show that they will be able to pay for each year of study. Students have to consider not only the tuition, the cost of classes, but also meals and a place to live in, which is known as room-and-board. They also need money for books and supplies. And they need money to spend on social activities and other things. Educational advisers say foreign students should have enough money in a local bank to pay for at least two months of expenditure . So how much will a year at an American school cost? Generally speaking, the answer is: a lot. A leading state university in the Pacific Northwest will serve as an example. The University of Washington says foreign students are paying more than $36,000 this year. This major research university currently has 2,600 foreign students from more than 100 countries. There are many schools that cost less, but also others that cost more. Its web site says the University of Washington does not offer financial assistance to international students. This is generally true of American schools, especially at the undergraduate level. The international application for the university includes a Statement of Financial Responsibility that must be signed. Students must also provide a bank letter or statement from within the past six months. And they have to name someone who will help with payments. These people must send proof from a bank to show that they have the money. Your government or employer may be able to help you pay all or some of the college costs. A good idea is to ask at least eighteen months before you want to start classes in the United States. Our Foreign Student Services, including links to web sites discussed in our reports, can be found at www.unsv.com. To learn more about higher education in America, the State Department has a special web site: educationusa.state.gov. The University of Washington _ . Answer: is a key university in the Northwest of the US A woman went into a shop one evening to buy a new blouse. A strange man followed her into the shop and stood about while she was at the counter. Suddenly she screamed and the man turned and ran out of the shop, right into the arms of a passing policeman. Then he was caught by the policeman because he was a wanted robber. "Mrs Jones, if you hadn't screamed, I would certainly have been robbed," said the shopkeeper, "I didn't know it," answered Mrs Jones. "I screamed when you told me how expensive the blouse was." From the passage we know that_. Answer: the woman didn't know the man was a robber at all Two classic car collectors from the US state of Idaho found the wallet after it fell out of the back of a vintage car they were planning to restore. After an Internet search they found and contacted the owner, Glenn Goodlove. Mr. Goodlove said he probably lost the wallet in the back seat of his 1946 prefix = st1 /Hudsoncar while kissing a girl when he was home on leave from the US Navy. Jon Beck, 61, and Chuck Merrill, 72, bought the now-vintage vehicle in Idahoafter placing an ad in a local newspaper to buy a classic car in need of restoration. Driving the car home after buying it, the collectors stopped at a restaurant and saw something from below the back seat. "Like a couple of kids, we thought we had a goldmine," Mr. Beck said. Instead, they found some small change -- the leather wallet held a $10 bill, Mr. Goodlove's military ID, his social security card, his driver's license and several jewellery receipts from 1952. But they were all in the name of Glenn Putnam. After searching online, Mr. Beck discovered that Mr. Putnam had since changed his name to Glenn Goodlove and moved to San Diego,California. He called Mr. Goodlove, asking to speak to a man who used to drive a '46Hudson. "There was a silence for about 15 seconds," Mr. Beck told the Twin Falls Times-News. "Then he said, 'Who is that?'" Mr. Goodlove, now 75, says he did not even remember losing the wallet, but the find has brought memories of his youth inEverett,Washington, flooding back. "I could see the house and the car and the town and all the good stuff from living there," he said. "They've been flowing ever since he talked to me." Which of the following happened last? Answer: Some personal belongings were found Hello! I'm Paul. I'm from America and I' m in China with my parents now. I like China and Chinese food. I have breakfast at home. I eat an egg and some chicken for it. I don't like salad, but Mom says that it's healthy. I should eat it. I have lunch at school. The lunch in my school is good. I can eat different food. I eat a hamburger, a banana and some vegetables. Sometimes I have chicken and French fries . I have dinner at home and I like to eat some fruit and ice-cream. Paul has lunch _ . Answer: at school
There have been discussions about retire age limit recently. Does it make sense to make people retire at a particular age, say, 55? 60? Some people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations while other people, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their fifties or even earlier. Here I will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage. Some people think there are several reasons for allowing older people to continue working. Firstly, older employees are more experienced and their knowledge can be lost to his company or business if they are made to retire. Secondly, older employees are often extremely loyal and more willing to carry out company policies than younger staff. Another point is related to our society's attitudes to the old. To force someone to retire at 50 or 60 indicates that the society does not value the contribution of these people, which may be regarded as age discrimination. However, others believe that allowing older people to work indefinitely is not a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Old people are ambitious workaholics. Many young employees are more skillful than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. _ . In addition, without age limits, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans. Another reason is that older people should be rewarded by society for their life's labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. We now have youngsters who can't find jobs because old people refuse to retire. This new generation of "old people" may think they will never die due to modern advances in medicine. With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, older workers are expected to retire. However, this can affect their right to work. I feel that giving workers more flexibility and choice over their retirement age will benefit both society and the individual. The author is likely to agree that _ ' Answer: when to retire should depend on the employees themselves California sea lions are the fastest of all the sea lions, reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometers an hour when swimming. Males are much larger than females, measuring 2 to 2.5 meters and weighing 200 to 453 kilograms. Females only measure 1.5 to 2 meters and weigh 50 to 113 kilograms. They can also move fairly well while on land. California sea lions can be found living along the Pacific coast of North America. They prefer to live in waters near rocky and sandy shores. On land, they often gather in large groups as many as 1,000 of them. While at sea, they travel in much smaller groups of around 10 or more. They communicate with one another through a series of sounds. Their diet consists of a wide variety of fish and other sea animals. They are able to hold their breath for up to 10 minutes by slowing down their heart rate, allowing them to hunt for their prey for a longer period of time. They have been known to continuously hunt for up to 30 hours at a time, with their eyesight and hearing playing an important part in finding their food. Being so large, they do not have that many natural predators that they need to be on the lookout for. Eleven months after getting pregnant, the female will give birth to one baby on land. If the baby can survive long enough, they can live to be 20 to 25 years old. California sea lions are not listed as an endangered species. This is largely because of laws such as the US Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Hopefully such acts will continue to show results. California sea lions slow down their heart rate in order to _ . Answer: stay in water for a longer time Although man has known asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers , was responsible for(...) the opening of that first mine. Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport (carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein , in the province of Quebec in Canada. Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres . Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads , but they have found thousands of users of this fireproof material, of the so-called "cloth of stone". The author's main purpose in writing this passage was to _ . Answer: present facts about asbestos There was once a forest made up of tiny trees that were all growing up together. They had been planted by a very old gardener who took care that they would all grow up to be straight and healthy. However, the area was hit by strong winds, and the little trees preferred to avoid the annoying winds, so they bent their trunks and branches to protect themselves. The old man, knowing they could never grow well like this, decided to straighten them out, and spent many hours tying their tiny trunks to supporting poles , hoping his beloved trees would understand he was doing this for their own good. But those naughty trees disliked all the wind. They always avoided the gardener's help by bending themselves, hiding from the wind. One of those trees, one standing right in the middle of the forest, forced itself to grow up straight, patiently bearing the annoying wind. Three years passed, and the old man died. And from then on the trees could grow however they liked, bending from the wind just as they pleased, with no one bothering them about it. All, that was, except the single straight tree in the center of the forest, who decided to grow up just as a tree should. But as the forest grew, and the trees got thicker and stronger, they began to hear cracks from inside. Their branches and trunks needed to keep growing, but the trees were so twisted that the growth they were experiencing only brought them pain and suffering. And it was a place with a special beauty since, right in its center, surrounded by thousands of short twisted trees, rose one impressive tree that was long and straight like no others. And that tree, the only one that never cracked, continued growing, without a worry for the changeable wind. Why did the trees bend their trunks and branches? Answer: Because they protected themselves from being destroyed. There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama came from ritual . The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then kept and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths , coutinued to exist and provided material for art and drama. Those who believe that drama came from ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the "acting area" and the "watching area." In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in performing, religious leaders usually undertook that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often imitated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and used gestures about the desired effect, success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities. Another theory traces the theater's origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales about the hunt, war, or other feats are gradually added in detail, at first through imitation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely-related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama? Answer: Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.
To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains.But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against rain.Its first use was as a shade against the sun. Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times.Probably the Chinese were the earliest to use it in the eleventh century BC.We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade.And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor and authority.In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices. In Europe, the Greeks were the earliest to use the umbrella as a sunshade.And the umbrella was allowed in common use in ancient Greece.But it is believed that the earliest persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans. During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared.Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century.And again, it was considered a symbol of power and authority.In around 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later on in England. By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe.Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight.It wasn't until the twentieth century that women's umbrellas began to be made in a whole variety of colors. This passage talks mainly about _ . A. when and how the umbrella was invented. B. why the umbrella was so popular in Europe. C. the development of the umbrella. D. the history and use of the umbrella. Answer: D Most Chinese people share a few common surnames, like Zhang, Wang, Li, Liu and Chen. The Chinese expression for "ordinary people" literally means "the old one hundred surnames". But Cheng Yinglian, a retired worker living in Changsha, the capital of Hunan, said his interest in rare surnames was piqued after reading a newspaper many years ago and discovering a person with the surname Gui, which literally means "ghost", the report said. Since then, he has scoured newspapers, books and other publications to find similar rare surnames, coming up with about 2,000 to date. Those he has found include Ling (zero), Cu (vinegar), Miao (second) and Yi (one). Cheng said in order to collect and find out the origins of the strange surnames, he bought many ancient works and dictionaries for study. This February, he also published a book based on his surname collection. "I may apply for the Guinness (Book of World Records)," said Cheng. He said most of the surnames he collected are not included in the Hundred Surnames, a classic Chinese text composed of common surnames in ancient China. According to the latest statistics available from the Ministry of Public Security in 2007, nearly 93 million people in China are surnamed "Wang", taking the largest proportion among all surnames. And people with the top 100 common surnames in China take up 84.77 percent of the whole population. Chinese people attach great significance to people's names and many parents go out of their way to give their children _ names that suggest they will grow up to be healthy, strong and rich. ,. Which one is the rare surname? A. Huang B. Ling C. Zhu D. Liu Answer: B Heat exposure at higher temperatures without ability to regulate internal body temperatures will result in the expiration of which of these? A. ace of spades B. bored ghosts C. large bridge D. gila monster Answer: D A mother returned home from the store very tiredly.As she put down all of the things on the kitchen table,her 8-year-old son ran up to her.He was waiting for her and wanted to tell her what his younger brother had done. "While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,Tyler took his crayons and wrote on the wall! It's on the new wallpaper you just hung up in the living room.I told him you would be mad at him for doing it again,but I couldn't stop him." She let out a long sound and asked, _ "He is in his room,"the son answered quickly. She walked to the younger son's room.She called his full name as she entered.Then,she found Tyler.He was trying to hide.He knew that the worst moment was corning! For the next 10 minutes,the room was full of her shouting about the expensive wallpaper.She punished the little boy for his bad behavior. Then,she headed for the living room to see what happened.As she saw the wall,her eyes flooded with tears at once.It said"I love Mommy"and was surrounded with a heart. Well, the wallpaper remained,just as she found it,with an empty picture frame hung around it.A reminder to her and to all:Take time to read the handwriting on the wall. So when you are sure that something goes wrong,have you ever had any doubt that there might be a misunderstanding? Take some time to give it a second thought. What did Tyler do before his mother came back? A. He had a big fight with his elder brother. B. He broke all his crayons and threw them away. C. He played games with his elder brother in their house. D. He wrote something on the new wallpaper with his crayons. Answer: D When going through major life changes, like changing careers, I would change the people with whom I spent the most time. We've all gone through periods when the people in our lives have changed--graduation, moving to a new city, getting a new job, joining a new club, etc. I don't think I need to convince you just how much influence other people can have over your identity. If you've ever experienced a major switch in your people environment, then you know that you change as well. Most people don't make these choices consciously, though. You might consciously decide to spend more time with a certain friend, or you may ask someone out on a date to begin a new relationship. But few people choose their existing friendships deliberately. _ . People are always dropping into and out of each other's lives. Associations grow into friendships, and friendships fade into associations. You don't get rid of anyone. The truth is that in order to make room for new people and new experiences, you may need to loosen up some of your existing connections. What about loyalty? Shouldn't you always be loyal to your friends? Once you have a close friend, even if his influence on you is slightly harmful, shouldn't you stick by him? Loyalty to a friend sometimes means having to let go. It means being loyal to his highest and best self as well. If someone is destroying his health by smoking, for example, you aren't showing loyalty by smoking right along with him. True loyalty sometimes requires that you break damaging connections, get yourself back on solid ground, and then decide what you can really do to help your friend. It can take a lot of courage to tell someone, "I'm sorry, but I can't have you in my life anymore." But even though this might seem like a selfish act at times, it's often the best thing for the other person, too. If a relationship is holding you back in some way, understand that it's also hurting the other person. For example, if you work for a violent boss, your acceptance of that situation is considered to be silent approval, encouraging your boss to continue to behave violently. How should we behave when employed by a violent boss? A. We should accept what we are told to do. B. We should stay silent and be in favor of him. C. We should bravely disobey him if he is wrong. D. We should give our boss courage to continue. Answer: C
One way that scientists learn about man is by studying animals.In this lab, the scientists are studying the relationship between diet and health. They are studying the relationship between the amount of food the mice eat and their health.The mice are in three groups.All three groups are receiving the same healthy food.The first group is eating one cup of food each day, the second group is eating two cups, and the third group is eating three cups. After three years, the healthiest group is the one that is only eating one cup of food each day.The mice in this group are a little thinner. But _ are more active.Most of the day, they are running, playing with one another.Also, they are living longer.Mice usually live for two years.Most of the mice in this group are still alive after three years. The second group of mice is healthy, too.They are active, but not as active as the thinner mice.They are only living about two years. The last group of mice is receiving more food than the other two groups.Most of the day, these mice are eating or sleeping.They are not very active.These mice are living longer than the scientists thought-about a year and a half.But they are not healthy.They are sick more often than the other two groups. The best title for the passage is _ . Answer: 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. What can we learn about Charlton Heston according to the passage? Answer: The space shuttle Discovery has had a long and busy career. For 27 years, it has worked for NASA, carrying astronauts to space and back on 39 missions. On March 9, 2011, after returning from its final voyage, the world's most traveled spaceship was retired. A crowd of shuttle workers, reporters and schoolchildren waited to greet Discovery at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Three minutes before noon, they watched as the shuttle appeared in the sky and made one last touchdown. "For the final time: wheels stop," Discovery's commander Steven Lindsey said when the shuttle rolled to a stop. Discovery's final trip was to the International Space Station (ISS), a giant space lab in the sky. Discovery's crew took care of the last U.S. construction project at ISS. They delivered 10 tons of supplies for the ISS. The six-person crew also dropped off an unusual companion for ISS's researchers: a human-like robot named Robonaut 2. Astronauts will assemble R2 at the ISS over several months. Now, NASA is its shuttle programme. NASA is to begin work on new spaceships that can travel longer distances. Discovery's retirement is the first of three. Endeavor, another shuttle, is scheduled to make its final voyage soon. And Atlantis's last trip is planned for the end of June. Museums across the country have requested the retired shuttles. The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, in Washington, D.C., was the lucky recipient of Discovery. The museum's collection contains hundreds of NASA artifacts. Where will the other shuttles go? You'll have to wait to find out. NASA will announce its decision on April 12, the 30 anniversary of the first space shuttle launching. Stay tuned! As part of the final mission, Discovery's crew _ . Answer: The ChinaDailynewspaper group is looking for English-language senior business editors, senior copy editors, copy editors and graphic designers to strengthen its international team. We offer a competitive salary package, free accommodation with utilities paid for, 90 percent medical reimbursement , a seven-day paid leave, eleven-day public holidays and a return ticket to the country of residence. Senior Business Editor You must: assist the business editor in setting goals and working on achieving them; be an excellent team person who can generate ideas and think creatively and be able to rewrite totally if needed and mentor junior staff; ideally have been working or have worked in a position of responsibility and understand what leadership entails; have had at least five years' editing experience working on editing the Business Desk and be familiar with industry software. Senior Copy Editor You must: work on shifts in the Business Desk and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print; edit or rewrite copy and give snappy headlines and captions ; have had at least two years' editing experience working on editing desks and be familiar with industry software. Copy Editor You must: be good at editing or rewriting copy and writing snappy headlines and captions; be able to work on shifts for different pages, and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print; have two years of editing experience working on copy desks, and be familiar with industry software. Graphic Designer You must: have excellent skills in information graphics; be good at illustrations and freehand drawings; be experienced in newspaper or magazine layouts; have a good sense of typography ; have good news judgment; be well-versed with Macintosh software, including InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop; be fluent in English. For enquiries or to apply, write to job@chinadaily.com.cn. What is the purpose of this passage? Answer: One day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road. These men were lawyers, and they were going to the next town to attend court. There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft. Water was dripping from the trees, and the grass was wet. The four lawyers rode along, one behind another, for the pathway was narrow, and the mud on each side of it was deep. They rode slowly, and talked and laughed and were very cheerful. As they were passing through a group of small trees, they heard a great fluttering over their heads and a weak sound made by small birds in the grass by the roadside. "Stith! Stith! Stith!" came from the leafy branches above them. "Cheep! cheep! cheep!" came from the wet grass. "What is the matter here?" asked the first lawyer, whose name was Speed. "Oh, it's only some old robins !"said the second lawyer, whose name was Hardin. "The storm has blown two of the little ones out of the nest. They are too young to fly, and the mother bird is worried about them." "What a pity! They'll die down there in the grass," said the third lawyer. "Oh, well! They're nothing but birds," said Mr. Hardin. "Why should we bother?" "Yes, why should we?" said Mr. Speed. The three men, as they passed, looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold, wet grass. They saw the mother robin flying about, and crying to her mate. Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds. But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands. They did not seem frightened, but cried softly, as if they knew they were safe. "Never mind, my little fellows," said Mr. Lincoln "I will put you in your own cozy little bed." Then he looked up to find the nest from which they had fallen. It was high, much higher than he could reach. But Mr. Lincoln could climb. He had climbed many a tree when he was a boy. He put the birds softly, one by one, into their warm little home. Two other baby birds were there that had not fallen out. All cuddled down together and were very happy. Soon the three lawyers who had ridden ahead stopped at a spring to give their horses water. "Where is Lincoln?" asked one. All were surprised to find that he was not with them. "Do you remember those birds?" said Mr. Speed. "Very likely he has stopped to take care of them." In a few minutes Mr. Lincoln joined them. His shoes were covered with mud; he had torn his coat on the thorny tree. "Hello, Abraham!" said Mr. Hardin. "Where have you been?" "I stopped a minute to give those birds to their mother," he answered. "Well, we always thought you were a hero," said Mr. Speed. "Now we know it." Then all three of them laughed heartily. They thought it so foolish that a strong man should take so much trouble just for some worthless young birds. "Gentlemen," said Mr. Lincoln, "I could not have slept tonight, if I had left those helpless little robins to die in the wet grass." Abraham Lincoln afterwards became very famous as a lawyer and statesman. He was elected president. Next to Washington he was the greatest. The reading passage is a story mainly about _ . Answer:
Like most English children,I learned foreign languages at school.When I made my first visit to the United States,I was sure I could have a nice easy holiday without any language problem.But how wrong I was. At the American airport,I was looking for a public telephone to tell my friend Jenny that I had arrived.A worker asked if he could help me."Yes,"I said,"I want to give my friend a ring.""Well,that's nice.Are you getting married?"he asked."No,"I replied."I just want to tell her on the phone I have arrived.""Oh,"he said."There is a phone downstairs on the first floor.""But we're on the first floor now,"I said."Well,I don't know what you are talking about.Maybe you aren't feeling too well after your journey,"he said."You just go and wash up,and you will feel a lot better."And he went off,leaving me wondering where on earth I was:at home we wash up after a meal to get the cups and plates clean.How can I wash up at an airport At last we did meet.She explained the misunderstanding:Americans say "to give someone a call",but we English say"to give somebody a ring".When we say"to wash your hands",they say"to wash up".And Englishmen start numbering from the ground floor,so the first floor is the second for Americans. Both the English and Americans say"give somebody a ring", _ . but they mean two different things Tiny nits may be seen best when using a vision enhancing aid The office has always been a place to get ahead. Unfortunately, It is also a place where a lot of natural resources start to fall behind. Take a look around next time you're at work. See how many lights are left on when people leave. See how much paper is being wasted. How much electricity is being used to run computers that are left on. Look at how much water is being wasted in the rest-rooms. And how much solid waste is being thrown out in the rubbish cans. We bet it's a lot. Now, here are some simple ways you can produce less waste at work. When you are at the copier, only make the copies you need. Use both sides of the paper when writing something less important. Turn off your lights when you leave. Use a lower watt bulb in your lamp. Drink your coffee or tea out of your _ instead of single-use cups. Set up a recycling box for cans and one for bottles. And when you're in the bathroom brushing your teeth or washing your face, don't let the tap run. Remember, if we use fewer resources today, we'll save more for tomorrow. The main purpose of the passage is to tell people _ . to save resources when working in an office Nobody Benefits NEW YORK--America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history.Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen, and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings. But just a short walk from Manhattan's skyscrapers, George Brown sits on the side-walk, cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel. Brown is homeless -- one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street. During the day, Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece.At night, he sleeps on the street. "I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that," said the 62-year-old former construction worker. Brown admits he's had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine.But he said he still wants a more stable housing arrangement.He could afford it just with the money he earns by collecting cans and small pieces of metal, if only truly low-income housing were available. However, he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York. With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demand. A US report shows rents in New York city rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month. One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up. The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable housing help. But few housing companies have been built for the poor.Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1,500 a month or more. Brown, the homeless New Yorker, said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her.She is angry about his drinking and won't allow it in her house. Smiling, he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he'd like to see more often. "All I've got to do is clean up my act," he said. It can be inferred from this passage that _ . the poor can't benefit from the increasing economy 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 other, it was more than $100,000. It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $ 3 milliorr-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 Darents 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----hat was Ish and Arlene Hatch's story. According to the text,the Fusses_. worked in a school cafeteria
Forty-three 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 home town when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it stays in my memory, for she taught me a lesson of forgiveness that I shall never forget. On a winter afternoon, a friend and I were throwing stones onto the leaning roof of the old lady's house from a spot near her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the stones changed to missiles as they rolled to the roof's edge and shot out into the yard. I found myself a perfectly smooth rock and threw it out. The stone, however, slipped from my hand and headed straight for a small window on the old lady's back porch. At the sound of fractured glass, we knew we were in trouble. We ran as fast as possible. I was too scared about getting caught to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window in winter. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn't been discovered, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile each day when I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortably in her presence. I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money, and after three weeks I had the seven dollars that I thought would cover the cost of her window. I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the cost. I put the letter through the letter slot in her door. My soul felt _ and I could have the freedom of, once again, looking straight into the old lady's kind eyes. 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 gave me a bag of cookies. I thanked her and felt an envelope in it. When I opened the envelope, inside it were the seven dollars and a short note reading, "I'm proud of you." What's the best title for this passage? _ . A. An old lady B. My first job C. My childhood D. An unforgettable incident Answer: D. An unforgettable incident 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 think 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 obvious 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 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 answered 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 ten pounds," he said. "That's big enough," Mrs. Parker said. The butcher worked out the price. "At $ 4.99 a pound that will be $ 49.90, please. Would you like me to cut it into small 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 said 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 liked." . Why did she ask for ten pounds of steak? A. she wanted to buy some for dinner. B. She wanted to lose weight C. Her doctor had told her to eat steak. D. She wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like. Answer: D. She wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like. A timber company is dividing a 10,000 hectare forest into 5 sections. Which unit is most appropriate to use when showing the area of the divided sections? A. square inches (in.^2) B. square meters (m^2) C. square kilometers (km^2) D. square centimeters (cm^2) Answer: C. square kilometers (km^2) The police do many things for us. They help keep our things and us safe. They help keep cars moving safely. They take care of people who are hurt. Then they see these people get to a doctor. The police go around town to see that everything is all right. They get around town in many ways. Some of them walk or go by car. In some big cities,some of the police ride on horses. It is strange to see these animals in the street. As they go around town,the police help people. Sometimes they find lost children. They take the children home. If the police see a fight,they put an end to it right away. Sometimes people will ask the police how to get to a place in town. The police can always tell the people which way to go. They know all the streets and roads well. Some police stand at crossings. They tell the cars when to go and when to stop. They make sure that the cars do not go too fast. They help children cross the street. They also help people who can't walk too well. Without the police,our streets would not be safe. Cars might go too fast and hurt people. Lost people might never be found. The police do a good job. We need them. And we should thank them for a job well done. 25. How do some of the police get around in some big cities? A. By taxi. B. On horses. C. By bus. D. On bikes. Answer: B. On horses. UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best. On a UK course you will benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies. With such a good reputation for research and education, universities and colleges in the UK attract some of the world's leading academics and professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself. The attention to quality is reflected in the UK's excellent results: Four of the top six universities in the world are in the UK. The UK is a world-leading research nation. 54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as either "world-leading" or "internationally excellent". At the most recent inspection, 97% of further education colleges were judged satisfactory or better, for their overall effectiveness. In the recent BIS Tracking International Graduate Outcomes survey, more than 88% of international higher education graduates said they were satisfied with their UK learning experience. Likewise, in the Higher Education Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively. For English language students, you'll find the UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning the language through fun and participation: Instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills. The UK's boarding schools also offer excellent teaching, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), a teacher has just 9.4 pupils on average, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. This is reflected in the results: 91% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education. How do the students learn English in the UK? A. By listening to the teacher. B. By working in the class. C. By teacher's support. D. By playing and discussing. Answer: D. By playing and discussing.
The journey two naval officers made some time ago to the very deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be explored.The two men went down 7 miles to the bottoms of the Pacific Ocean inside a small steel ball called a "bathyscaphe" to find out if there are any ocean currents or signs of life.Above the ball there was a special tank full of petrol which was slowly emptied into the water to make the bathyscaphe heavy enough to complete its journey. It was necessary to set out early, so that the bathyscaphe would come to the surface in daylight, and so be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it.The divers began preparations at dawn and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water. The divers felt as if they were going down steps as they passed through warm and cold layers of water.In time, the temperature dropped to freezing point and the men shivered inside the ball.They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone describing how they felt.Then , at a depth of 3,000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world.All went well until some four hours later at 30,000 feet, the men were startled by a loud, cracking noise; even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death.Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that badly broken.Soon afterwards, the bathyscaphe touched the soft ocean floor raising a big cloud of "dust" made up of small, dead sea-creatures.Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by the enormous pressure.But they didn't dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from the lights made the water boil.Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the faint but clear voices of the officers were heard on the mother ship 7 miles away.After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none the worse for their experience. According to the passage, two naval officers made a journey to the bottoms of the Pacific Ocean _ . Though my career as a banker was financially rewarding, I was never content with the work. I was annoyed by my workmates' coldness and endless counting. Gradually, I began to envy my wife Julie's teaching career, which was full of passion and challenges. However, I admitted that leaving a secure(, ) position and going to school needed courage. One winter evening I heard Julie complaining about a student's bad academic performance. She said, "Baxter used to do his homework very well, but it has dropped recently." The next evening when I arrived home, Julie asked, "Will you drive me to Baxter's house? I want to talk with his family about his homework." After an hour, a hut stood before us. Baxter was busy gathering firewood in the front yard. Seeing us, Baxter was surprised, but greeted us happily. Julie asked, "Where are your parents?" Baxter said they were not in. We found that it was dark in the hut. On our way home, Julie cried, "His work was good in the early autumn when the days were longer. But now, in the dark, he can't do his homework." Then she decided to help him so that he could focus on his studies. I was moved by her kindness and I wanted to help poor students. At the end of the month, I said goodbye to the bank. Now I am teaching the students and I love my job. Which of the following might be the most proper description about Julie? Every human being has a unique arrangement of the skin on his fingers and this arrangement is unchangeable. Scientists and experts have proved the uniqueness of finger-prints and discovered that no exactly similar pattern is passed on from parents to children, though nobody knows why this is the case. The ridge structure on a person's fingers does not change with growth and is not affected by surface injuries. Burns, cuts and other damage to the outer part of the skin will be replaced in time by new one which bears a reproduction of the original pattern. It is only when the inner skin is injured that the arrangement will be destroyed. Some criminals make use of this fact to remove their own finger-prints but this is a dangerous and rare step to take. Finger-prints can be made very easily with printer's ink. They can be recorded easily. With special methods, identification can be achieved successfully within a short time. Because of the simplicity and economy of this system, finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving criminal case. A suspected man may deny a charge but this may be in vain. His finger-prints can prove who he is even if his appearance has been changed by age or accident. When a suspect leaves finger-prints behind at the scene of a crime, they are difficult to detect with the naked eye. Special techniques are used to "develop" them. Some of the marks found are incomplete but identification is possible if a print of a quarter of an inch square can be obtained. If your fingers are wounded by knife, fire or other means, the structure of skin will _ . Singles' Day ---- the Chinese opposite of Valentine's Day has turned into a massive online shopping event. It is a day when single people are supposed to buy themselves presents. But there are sociological reasons behind China's "celebration" of single life. And the imbalance could have big consequences for the country. There were 34 million more men than women in China in 2011. Part of that is natural - usually there are 105 boys born for every 100 girls. But the Chinese gender ratio at birth is much more obvious. It was 116 boys to 100 girls in 2012. The one child policy is largely to blame. Brought in to limit population expansion, the policy allows only one child per family. But because male children are seen as more valuable, as well as more likely to support their parents in old age, some parents choose to have a son over a daughter. The result is that large numbers of men will likely never get married. In fact, one study has predicted that by 2030, 1 in 5 Chinese men in their 30s will never have married, while another states that 94% of unmarried people in China are men. Traditionally, China has seen high levels of marriage, usually among the young. Besides, the increased education and career opportunities for women have meant that marriages are happening later. It is also traditional that women often marry men of a higher socioeconomic status than themselves. So women at the top and men at the bottom find themselves alone. One study has even suggested a link between an imbalanced gender ratio and growth in violent crime in the country. Singles' Day can't solve all the problems China's singles face. Indeed, it is possible that it is causing even more problems, as men resort to increasingly risky lines of work to increase their chances of gaining money and thus a wife. I am worried that as money starts to overcome romance, there is evidence that China's marriage market is increasingly materialistic. In 2012, if 50 girls were born, how many boys were probably born? Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the website you've visited or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping calling habits In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen. Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself partly to friends, family and lovers at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to know who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret. The key question is: Does that matter? For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no". When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. 60 percent of respondents say they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me". But people say one thing and do another. Only a small number of Americans change any behavior in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. Privacy economist Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will give up personal information like social security numbers just to get their hands on a 50-cents-off coupon. But privacy does matter-at least sometimes. It's like health: when you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret"?
Which is a characteristic of a dog that is most likely a result of its environment? A. its color B. its length of ears C. its food preference D. its ability to see in the dark Answer: C. its food preference In which of the following situations is the defendant most likely to be convicted, even though he did not intend to bring about the harm that the statute defining the offense is designed to prevent? A. Defendant was the president of an aspirin manufacturing company. A federal inspector discovered that a large number of aspirin tablets randomly scattered of aspirin tablets randomly scattered through several bottles in a carton ready for shipment were laced with arsenic. Defendant is charged with attempted introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce. B. Defendant struck Victim in the face with a baseball bat, intending to inflict a serious injury. Victim died after being hospitalized for three days. Defendant is charged with murder. C. Defendant burglarized a jewelry store, intending to steal some diamonds. As he entered the store, he short-circuited the store's burglar alarm system, thereby preventing a warning of his entry to police. The smoldering wires eventually caused a fire that destroyed the store. Defendant is charged with arson. D. Defendant wanted to frighten Victim's friend by placing a plastic rattlesnake in his lunch box. When Victim mistakenly took the lunch box and opened it, believing it to be his own, the plastic rattlesnake popped out. As a result of the fright, Victim suffered a heart attack and died. Defendant is charged with manslaughter. manslaughter. Answer: B. Defendant struck Victim in the face with a baseball bat, intending to inflict a serious injury. Victim died after being hospitalized for three days. Defendant is charged with murder. Not long ago, many doctors in the West laughed at the suggestion that they might learn something from traditional Asian systems of healing. Most of them thought that Asian herbal medicine and acupuncture were believed in only by simple people who knew no better. Western doctors relied mainly on chemical cures as the safest and surest way to treat illnesses. The scientific age of antibiotics , "miracle drugs" and heart transplants encouraged the public to believe that there must be a pill for every illness. It was true that often the drug companies provided what the public wanted: a speedy temporary cure and did not remove the real cause of the illness. Moreover, some people actually became ill through taking too much medicine. Many people in the West are now beginning to look for more natural cures for their illnesses and often they turn to the ancient wisdom of the East. There are some doctors in Britain now who offer their patients acupuncture treatment. Recently an Indian company which produces a natural medicine based on the biba root has sold some to Germany. The World Health Organization(WHO) encourages doctors not to rely too greatly on expensive Western medicines but to choose them carefully and also use their traditional herbal cures. The mixture of Eastern and Western medicine has been practiced very successfully in China. China is still the only country in the world where the traditional doctor using herbal medicine and acupuncture is as respected as the Western-trained doctor. Through China all types of doctors are expected to work together. Western-style doctors are required to take at least a one-year course in traditional medicine, and the acupunctures must also study the basics of western medicine. China's way of "having the best of both worlds" has greatly impressed many visiting doctors from the West. Experts from the WHO have decided that the time has come to study herbal medicine very carefully and to decide, by carefully controlled scientific experiments, what good these medicine might do. They are especially interested in finding cures for illnesses which Western medicine has found "incurable". Six WHO units have been set up in Hong Kong, Seoul, Sri Lanka, London and Chicago, and so far the results have been encouraging. What do you think a Chinese doctor should learn? A. Chinese medicine only. B. Western medicine only. C. Both with different emphasis. D. Both equally. Answer: C. Both with different emphasis. Mary was a 911 operator in Los Angeles. One Thursday morning, she was surprised to get a call from a young child who said, "Mom is ill, Mom is ill", again and again. Mary hurried to find the address of the call. She called the police. In a minute, the policemen and doctors arrived at the house. They broke the door open, and they couldn't believe their eyes. The little child was so young that maybe she could not walk! She was sitting beside her mother and holding her mother's hand. Tears were running down her face. The doctor gave the woman some medicine and soon she woke up. Later, she told people , "Everyone was surprised that my daughter could call 911. One Monday I tried to teach her how to call 911." "It's the first time I've seen a two-year-old child call 911." How did she feel when she answered the little girl's call? _ A. She was worried. B. She was sorry. C. She was surprised. D. She was happy. Answer: C. She was surprised. Frankly, I very much appreciate myself. Yes, I admit I'm in many respects not as good as other people, but I don't think I'm always not good. When I find what I've done or written is okay, I'll remain pleased with myself for quite a few days, and in case I receive praise for it, I'll even become so excited as to add a few words to glorify myself. True, I'm not modest at all. People may call me conceited . But I think otherwise. I also appreciate other people. I appreciate anything good. Isn't it unfair to forget appreciating myself while appreciating others? We Chinese generally tend to be modest, and we take pride in being so. For example, a Chinese will call his own wife zhuojing, meaning "my humble wife", and his own writings zhuozuo, meaning "my poor writings". But if you should call his wife a "rustic woman" or his writings "trash", he would, I'm sure, slap the table in a rage and declare he would make a clean break with you. As a matter of fact, there is probably no difference at all between what is said by him and you respectively. I don't think it's wrong for you to freely praise yourself if you're really worthy of praise. As we know, there is an old Chinese saying disparaging a melon peddler , named Lao Wang, who keeps praising his own goods. Well, why can't he praise his melons if they are really sweet and juicy? Friends, Lao Wang sells melons for a living. How could he carry on business if he, by imitating the affectations of us intellectuals, were to show false modesty about his melons? He would sure enough die of starvation. Self-appreciation is therefore key to professional dedication and enjoyment of work. One will lose confidence in continuing with writing when he pauses to admire his own essays. Needless to say, the same is true of those who make a living with their pen. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. If I find what I've done or written is wrong, I'll appreciate myself. B. I never appreciate other people because I think others are foolish. C. If you think poorly of your friend's writings, perhaps he'll be angry at you. D. Lao Wang will die of starvation because he never praises his melons. Answer: C. If you think poorly of your friend's writings, perhaps he'll be angry at you.
Question: One day, my wife and I went shopping. We took the car as we had a lot of things to buy because my brother and his family were going to spend the weekend with us. We stopped the car in front of the shop. An hour later we came back to the car with a lot of things. Then the trouble started. We could not open the car door. "Oh, dear," said my wife. "What are we going to do?" "Let's ask that policeman," I said. The policeman was very kind and glad to help us. Soon he got the door open. Just at that moment an angry man came up and shouted. "What are you doing with my car?" We looked at the number of the car, and our faces turned very red. They spent _ in the shop doing their shopping. A. half an hour B. four hours C. one hour D. eight hours Answer: C. one hour Question: Why College Is Not Home The college years are supposed to be a time for important growth in autonomy and the development of adult identity. However, now they are becoming an extended period of adolescence, during which many of today's students and are not shouldered with adult responsibilities. For previous generations, college was decisive break from parental control; guidance and support needed help from people of the same age and from within. In the past two decades, however, continued connection with and dependence on family, thanks to cellphones, email and social media, have increased significantly. Some parents go so far as to help with coursework. Instead of promoting the idea of college as a _ from the shelter of the family to autonomy and adult responsibility, universities have given in to the idea that they should provide the same environment as that of the home. To prepare for increased autonomy and responsibility, college needs to be a time of exploration and experimentation. This process involves "trying on " new ways of thinking about oneself both intellectually and personally. While we should provide "safe spaces" within colleges, we must also make it safe to express opinions and challenge majority views. Intellectual growth and flexibility are fostered on debate and questioning. Learning to deal with the social world is equally important. Because a college community differs from the family, many students will struggle to find a sense of belonging. If students rely on administrators to regulate their social behavior and thinking pattern, they are not facing the challenge of finding an identity within a larger and complex community. Moreover, the tendency for universities to monitor and shape student behavior runs up against another characteristic of young adults: the response to being controlled by their elders. If acceptable social behavior is too strictly defined and controlled, the insensitive or aggressive behavior that administrators are seeking to minimize may actually be encouraged. It is not surprising that young people are likely to burst out, particularly when there are reasons to do so. Our generation once joined hands and stood firm at times of national emergency. What is lacking today is the conflict between adolescent's desire for autonomy and their understanding of an unsafe world. Therefore, there is the desire for their dorms to be replacement homes and not places to experience intellectual growth. Every college discussion about community values, social climate and behavior should include recognition of the developmental importance of student autonomy and self-regulation, of the necessary tension between safety and self-discovery. According to the author,what role should college play? A. to develop a shared identity among students B. to define and regulate students' social behavior C. To provide a safe world without tension for students D. To foster students' intellectual and personal development Answer: D. To foster students' intellectual and personal development Question: 475 Riverside Drive New York N.Y. 10027 Jan.15, 2011 Dear John, I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you. All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time. Love, Jane What does Jane think of John? A. He is a good actor, and some day he will be successful. B. He is too easily discouraged to become a good actor. C. He is a better actor than the person who has got the part. D. He is as unlucky as the other actors. Answer: A. He is a good actor, and some day he will be successful. Question: When an object moves, how will its kinetic energy be affected? A. lower B. reduced C. escalate D. lessen Answer: C. escalate Question: Rodd and Todd were lucky children chosen to see Santa Claus himself up at the North Pole. Some elves come in and said, "Santa Claus is very busy. You'll only be able to see him for a short while, so make the most of it." Santa Claus appeared, carrying all the toys the two boys had ever wanted. While Todd ran to hug Santa Claus, Rodd went over to the bicycle he had always dreamed of having. Santa was only there for a few seconds, and disappeared before Rodd had even looked at him. He cried and complained, but within a few hours the two boys had been returned to their homes. From that day on, every time Rodd saw a toy he felt the excitement of receiving a present, but he would instantly look around to see what else of importance he was missing. And in this way, Rodd helped those who had nothing, giving love to those who almost never received it, and putting smiles on the faces of the unhappy. All by himself, he managed to change the atmosphere of his town, and no one could know him without being grateful to him. One Christmas, while he was sleeping, he felt someone pulling his leg. Rodd opened his eyes and saw the long white beard and the soft red suit. "Forgive me. I didn't know how to choose what was most important," said Rodd. But Santa Claus answered with a smile. "I chose to spend some time with the best boy in the world, just before I leave you the great gift you've earned for yourself. Thank you!" And the next morning, there were no presents under the Christmas tree. That Christmas, the gift had been so big that it couldn't fit down the chimney; the only place it could fit was in Rodd's heart. What was the people's attitude towards Rodd in the town? A. They were grateful for his help. B. They didn't know him well. C. They treated him as Santa Claus. D. They gave him many presents. Answer: A. They were grateful for his help.
Spring is an inviting season for outdoor activities. But be careful--the warm weather is also a hotbed for viruses and disease. This March, the influenza A(H7N9) virus hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It was reported that by April 11 at least 35 people had been infected with the H7N9 virus, and nine of them had died. The influenza A (H7N9) virus is one type of influenza A H7 viruses. Influenza A H7 viruses normally spread among birds. This is the first time human infections with H7N9 viruses have been reported in China. Earlier reports were about H5N1 and H1N1. All the three viruses are influenza A viruses but they are not the same. H7N9 and H5N1 are animal influenza viruses that could infect people. However, H1N1 viruses can be divided into two groups. One group can normally infect people and the other normally infects animals. Also, H1N1 can spread from human to human, but H7N9 probably can't, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most people infected with H7N9 looked like they had the common flu. Some people had bad pneumonia . They suffered from a fever, a cough and shortness of breath. But don't be afraid - it is not easy to be infected with the virus. One of the possible reasons is close contact with sick poultry waste. People may also be infected through breath, according to National Health and Family Planning Commission. Here are some tips from the WHO that can protect you from being infected. Wash your hands with soap and running water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after touching animals or animal waste. When coughing or sneezing cover your mouth and nose with a mask ,tissue or a sleeve. Get a good rest and do exercises, which will help make your body strong enough to stand up to the virus. What's the name of the influenza virus that hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang this March? Answer: It is the H7N9 virus. What's your favorite English letter ? Many of you may say Q. Why ? Because so many of you chat with your friends on QQ . What do you like about QQ? What do you talk about ? The CCTV reporter ,Miss Wang interviews three kids . Let's listen to what they say . When do you chat on QQ ? What do you talk about ? Lin Yuhan , Xi'an : On weekends . We talk about homework and chat with each other . Tang Yuting ,Shanghai : On weekends and when I don't have much homework .We exchange test answers and chat . Yang Yuhang , Dalian : Our class goes online together at 4--6pm on weekends , We complain about homework ,chat and talk about computer games . What do you put on your QQ blog ( )? Lin : I put good articles. I have found online on my blog . I also write articles myself . They are about funny things that have happened in my class . Tang : I put pictures on my blog . Not my own photos , but pictures from my favorite Japanese cartoons likeTennis Prince and Conan . Yang: I put DV films on my blog . I shoot ( )them during sports meetings and school parties .The most popular one is about a dancing teacher .It is so funny that everyone watches it . How do you like QQ? Lin : It's a good place for us to make a record of our lives of both good times and sad times . Tang : My friends and I may not have time to chat at school .But we can do it on QQ. It's very helpful to our friendships . Yang : If you chat with your friends on the telephone ,your parents sometimes listen in on your convercation . There is no such problem with QQ . You can relax and talk freely . How many kids are interviewed about QQ? Answer: Three If you go to England, you may want to visit Big Ben. Big Ben is not the name of a man but a name of the clock in London. It has a long history of about 150 years. It is at the north end of the Palace of Westminster . The big clock has four faces. So you can read the face of the chock everywhere.The hands of it are about four meters long.When the new year comes, it _ to welcome the start of the new year. There are also many fireworks over the clock tower. The big clock makes a very loud sound "Ding dong.Ding dong"-the clock gives the sound every 15 minutes of an hour. How long are the hands of Big Ben? Answer: 4 meters Which term is used to describe a physical property of a mineral? Answer: solid Do American children still learn handwriting in school? In this age of the keyboard, some people seem to think handwriting lessons are on the way out. Steve Graham, a professor at Vanderbilt University, says he has been hearing about the death of handwriting in the past fifteen years. So is it still being taught? Steve Graham says, "If the results of a survey we have published this year are accurate, it is being taught by about ninety percent of the teachers in grades one to three." Ninety percent of the teachers also say they are required to teach handwriting. But studies have yet to answer the question of how well they are teaching it. Professor Graham says one study found that about three out of every four teachers say they are not prepared to teach handwriting." Steve Graham says, "And then when you look at how it's taught, you have some teachers who are teaching handwriting by providing instruction for only ten to fifteen minutes a day, and some teachers who basically teach it for sixty to seventy minutes a day, meaning the death of handwriting." Many adults remember learning that way-by copying letters over and over again. Today's thinking is that short periods of practice are better. Many experts say it should be used as a way to get students to express ideas. After all, that is why we write. Professor Graham says handwriting involves two skills. One is legibility, which means forming the letters so they can be easily read. The other is fluency-writing without having to think about it. The professor says fluency continues to develop up until high school. But not everyone can master these skills. Teachers commonly report that about one-fourth of their kids have poor handwriting. Some people might think handwriting is not important any more because of computers and voice recognition programs. Why do about one-fourth of kids have poor handwriting in America? Answer: Each reason mentioned above is possible.
One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?" The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests. Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable. Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. _ are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use. Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen. Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late. Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer. The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is _ . opposed Tug-of-war is not only popular in China, but in many other countries. Their tug-of-war match is a little different from ours. They have eight players for each team, while we may have the match between two sides with equal men or women players. Of course, they are usually tall, strong and heavy. For a tug-of-war match, we need a long thick rope. Each team stands at one end of the rope, holding it. Then they try to pull the center of the rope, marked in the ground towards each of their own sides. The team which succeeds in pulling the center of the rope away through a certain distance is the winner. Many foreign sport experts think we don't have to be tall, heavy and strong to play tug-of-war. We needn't have endless energy, for a match lasts only a few minutes. The secret is good hands. The players must have big, strong and hard hands. Before they start the match, they put a mixture of oil and petrol on their hands so they can hold the rope better. Many foreign experts say the best hands for tug-of-war belong to the sons of farmers. This is because they have to work hard when they are still very young. Farming is a good practice for this sport! The foreign experts think a good tug-of-war player must _ . have big, strong and hard hands At the time of his death last week, Test owned Blackacre, a small farm. By his duly probated will, drawn five years ago, Test did the following: (1) devised Blackacre "to Arthur for the life of Baker, then to Casper"; (2) gave "all the rest, residue and remainder of my Estate, both real and personal, to my friend Fanny." At his death, Test was survived by Arthur, Casper, Sonny (Test's son and sole heir), and Fanny. Baker had died a week before Test. Title to Blackacre is now in Casper, in fee simple. A meteorite flew fast across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured l,200 people. People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave. According to Russian space agency Roscosmos, the fireball, travelling at a speed of 30km per second, had burnt very brightly across the horizon, leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200km away. Car alarms went off, thousands of windows shattered and mobile phone networks were disrupted. "I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident of Yekaterinburg in the Urals Mountains. "I felt like I was blinded by headlights." The meteorite, which weighed about 20 tons and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30-50km above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences. The energy released when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was about several thousand tons, the academy said, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding. No deaths were reported, but the Emergencies Ministry said 20,000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to the region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease the disruption and help the victims. The Interior Ministry said about l,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them children, and most from broken pieces of glass."While events this big are rare, an impact that could cause damage and death could happen every century or so. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop impacts." When did the meteorite incident happen? In the early morning. Australian cities can keep their native wildlife -- but only if they can kick their habit of urban sprawl . That's the finding of a new study by leading Australian environmental researchers Jessica Sushinsky, Professor Hugh Possingham and Dr Richard Fuller of The University of Queensland. "While urban development usually reduces the number of birds in a city, building more compact cities and avoiding urban sprawl can slow these reductions greatly," says lead author Jessica Sushinsky. "Compact housing development leaves birds' homes untouched, leading to fewer losses of birds." The researchers surveyed native and wild birds in Brisbane's urban areas, including living and industrial areas, public parks and gardens, major roadways and airports. They then used statistical modeling to find out what will happen to the birds as the city grows. The first setting was compact growth -- where multiple homes are built on land that previously had only one house. The second setting was sprawling growth -- a familiar pattern where homes are built here and there beyond the city's current boundaries. The team's forecasts showed that a much greater diversity of species was lost over 20 years in the sprawling setting compared to the more compact setting. "Urban sprawl resulted in the disappearance of many urban-sensitive birds -- birds that only live in areas where there is native vegetation , such as parklands and woodlands," Ms Sushinsky says. "On the other hand, we found the city with the compact development attracted more birds because it kept more of its parks and green areas." Now the Queensland Government has adopted the more compact urban growth strategy, which, Dr Richard Fuller says, is good news for Australia's native birds. These birds are environmental specialists -- they need a particular environment to do well. "While compact development means smaller backyards, it can also make our entire cities more biodiverse," according to Dr Fuller. "The study shows that we should hold on to our green spaces instead of clearing them for sprawling development." This is the first time science has modeled the effects of different urban growth strategies on birds, the researchers say. "Statistical models like these are important because they help us to understand the ecological consequences of a particular decision," says Dr Fuller. What can we learn about the study from the passage? It suggests leaving more green spaces for birds.
Bruce and his other two friends, Bruno and Dick lived in the same city in England. They were free in their summer holiday. So they came to a village by a large lake. They liked fishing very much. Then the next day after they got there, they got to a boat and went fishing in the lake. They boated farther and farther. They came to an out-of-way place. They were very happy because there were a lot of fish. When it was time for them to go home, Bruce said to his friends: "We'd better make a mark here so that we will easily find the place tomorrow." "You're right." Bruno said happily ."Let me do that." "How foolish," said Bruce. "If it rains tonight, the rain water will wash the line off, and how can we find the mark tomorrow. You must cut a line with your knife." Dick came up to them and said angrily. " Neither of you is clever. How can we find the place if we have another boat tomorrow? We should not go back tonight." The boys wanted to go to the place again tomorrow because _ A it was a good place B there were a lot of fish C there was a mark on the side of the boat D they were good at fishing Answer: B. there were a lot of fish Don Ritchie, a famous Australian man. For nearly 50 years, he successfully stopped 160 people from killing themselves at a cliff called 'the Gap' - with just a kind word and a smile. Ritchie had served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. In 1964, he moved into a house on Old South Head Road. He began saving strangers soon after. Ritchie was a real gentleman who purposely chose to live right across the street from 'the Gap', just because he wanted to continue saving lives. He would wake up every morning and look out of the window for anyone standing too close to the edge of the cliff. If he saw someone and thought they might jump, he would simply walk over with a smile and say, "Is there something I could do to help you?" That sounds very simple, but it worked - Ritchie tried to have a talk with these people and ended up inviting them back to his house for tea or breakfast. In 2006, Ritchie was given the Medal of the Order of Australia for all his saving lives. In 2010, he and his wife were named Woollahra Council's citizens of the year and in 2011, he was given the Local Hero Award for Australia by the National Australia Day Council. In a situation where most would turn a blind eye, Don has taken action. With such simple actions Don has saved a number of lives. Don's story touched the hearts of all Australians and challenged us to rethink what it means to be a good neighbor. What can we learn from the passage? A It's important for him to get these prizes. B He saved people through giving them money. C We should rethink how to be a good neighbour. D He stopped 210 people from killing themselves. Answer: C. We should rethink how to be a good neighbour. Hookworms live inside the intestines of dogs. As the dog eats, the hookworms consume partially digested food. As a result of this nutrient diversion, the dog can become malnourished and weakened. Which best describes the relationship between the hookworms and the dog? A a parasitic relationship B a mutualistic relationship C a predator-prey relationship D a producer-consumer relationship Answer: A. a parasitic relationship One thing that British and Chinese cultures share is a love for fine tea. Today, when we think of Western tea culture, we often think of the English and beautiful china tea cups. Afternoon tea People believe that an English lady, Anna, first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the English ate only two main meals each day: breakfast and a heavy supper that would last for several hours in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long wait between these two meals. To solve this problem, Anna came up with the clever idea of inviting some friends to join her for an afternoon meal between four and five o'clock. This meal included cakes and sandwiches. And tea was served to wash down the food. In order to make this afternoon meal important, fine china cups and plates and silver teapots, knives, forks and spoons were used. Soon, afternoon tea parties became popular social occasions. Today, afternoon tea parties continue to play an important part in the social life in modern Britain. Will you come for coffee? Coffee also has an important role in British culture. People often use the words "Will you come for coffee" to mean "Would you like to come to my home for a chat?" Normally, several different drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or a soft drink like orange juice will be served as well as coffee, and you will be asked what you would like. However, you will not normally be offered wine at a "coffee" party. Coffeehouses and the London Stock Exchange In the 17th century London, coffeehouses were busy and noisy places. Businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses to do their business, as well as to drink coffee. In fact, the London Stock Exchange is believed to have started from these coffeehouses. Anna introduced the idea of drinking afternoon tea because she _ . A enjoyed chatting with her friends at home B loved fine tea and beautiful china tea cups C wanted to share nice food with her friends D found people felt hungry during the long wait between the two meals Answer: D. found people felt hungry during the long wait between the two meals I shall never forget the night,a few years ago,when Marion J.Douglas was a student in one of my adulteducation classes. He told us how tragedy had struck at his home,not once,but twice. The first time he had lost his fiveyearold daughter. He and his wife thought they couldn't bear that first loss;but,as he said,"Ten months later,God gave us another little girl and she died in five days." This double bereavement was almost too much to bear. "I couldn't take it," this father told us,"I couldn't sleep,eat,rest or relax. My nerves were entirely shaken and my confidence gone. "At last he went to doctors;one recommended sleeping pills and another recommended a trip,but neither helped. He said,"My body felt as if it was surrounded in a vice ,and the jaws of the vice were being drawn tighter and tighter." The tension of grief --if you have ever been paralyzed by sorrow,you know what he meant. "But thank God,I had one child left--a fouryearold son. He gave me the solution to my problem. One afternoon as I sat around feeling sorry for myself,he asked,'Daddy,will you build a boat for me?' I was in no mood to build a boat;in fact,I was in no mood to do anything. But my son is a persistent little fellow!I had to give in. Building that toy boat took me about three hours. By the time it was finished,I realized that those three hours spent building that boat were first hours of mental relaxation and peace that I had had in months!I realized that it is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking. In my case,building the boat had knocked worry out of the ring. So I determined to keep busy." "The following night,I made a list of jobs that ought to be done. Scores of items needed to be repaired. Amazingly,I had made a list of 242 items that needed attention. During the last two years I have completed most of them. I am busy so that I have no time for worry." No time for worry!That is exactly what Winston Church ill said when he was working eighteen hours a day at the height of the war. When he was asked if he worried about his huge responsibilities,he said,"I am too busy. I have no time for worry." Marion felt his body as if it was caught in a vice because _ . A he couldn't earn enough money to support his family B he was suffering from sleeplessness disease C he couldn't get out of mental pressure D he felt tired of adulteducation classes Answer: C. he couldn't get out of mental pressure
An American architect was visiting London.He wanted to see all the famous buildings there so he stopped a taxi and asked the driver to take him to all the old and famous buildings in London. The driver drove him to the Tower of London. "This is the Tower of London.It was a prison in the old days," he said. "It is so small.In America we could build this in a day." said the American. The taxi driver took the American to Westminster Abbey.He said, "This is a famous church.Kings and queens get married here. The American looked at the old building and said, "Huh... we could build this in two days." The driver decided to take the American to a bigger church so he drove him to St Paul's Cathedral.He stopped outside the church and said, "This is the most famous church in England.The great architect Christopher Wren built this church." The American got out of the taxi and looked at the church. "Huh.We could build this church in three days," he said. Next the driver took the American to the House of Parliament. "This is where British politicians meet..." "Huh." The American said, "We could build this in four days." The driver said nothing and drove past Buckingham Palace, the home of Queen Elizabeth.As the taxi passed the palace, the American said, "Hey! What is this building? I have never seen such a beautiful one." The taxi driver looked at the palace and said, "I don't know.It wasn't there this morning." Where do the British kings and queens get married? Answer: A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps. One should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men. A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting us in age. Men often discover their similarity to each other by the common love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third. There is an old proverb, "Love me, love my dog." But there is more wisdom in this: "Love my, love my book." The book is a truer and higher bond of union. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author. _ A good book is often the best container of a life preserving the best that life could think out; for the world of a man's life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which become our steady companions and comforters. Books are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay , but good books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author's minds, ages ago. The great and good do not die, even in this world. Preserved in books, their spirits walked abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens. which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: An area where snow falls more of the year is often Answer: Every year, thousands of new high school graduates pack their bags, move to new cities, and sign papers accepting loans, the money borrowed from a bank or lenders etc, which they might not be able to pay back. Without proper education on personal finance, especially as it relates to paying for college, young adults are guided into improper loan plans that result in years of debt after graduation. In order to set students up to succeed financially, it is important to educate students and parents on their financial options before school in the fall. The best way to support families heading for college is to require that every high school student take a personal finance class before graduation. This will help smooth the transition into adulthood. The average student takes out at least one loan to cover the costs of their education each year. In 2014 the average student graduating from college carried a negative balance of about $20,000 in debt, which often spread over multiple lenders. Upon graduation, students rarely know exactly how much money they owe, and even though they are in the state of being unable to pay their debts, they cannot wipe out student loans. These students spend much of their adult lives paying off the gradual increasing debts. A personal finance course would teach students how to manage their income and expenditures, while helping to significantly reduce the amount of debt students carry into adulthood. By teaching students how to save money and live within their means, this course will provide the next generation with a foundation to progress financially. Students choosing to get a job straight out of high school would also benefit from finance education for these very reasons. With education on how to manage their finances, all young people will have the knowledge to make healthy decisions, leading them to improve good credit and purchase needed items like cars and homes with skill and confidence. While not every young person makes financial mistakes, those who do can face years of difficulty trying to get their finances back under control. Rather than help them through these hard times when they happen, we should try to prevent them from happening at all. Making the completion of personal finance coursework a requirement for graduation would ensure that young people are at least aware of the basics of preserving a financial stability. After graduation from college, many young people _ . Answer: Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. All believed that they were the most important. " Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. Without me, all animals would die. " Green said. " You only think about the earth," Blue interrupted, " but consider the sky and the sea. The sky gives space, peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing. " Yellow shouted, " You are all so serious. I bring laughter and warmth into the world. Without me there would be no fun. " Orange started next , " I am the color of health and strength. My beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you. " Red could stand it no longer, he shouted out, " I am the ruler of all of you. I am the color of danger and of bravery. Without me, the earth would be an empty as the moon. " Purple rose up to his full height. He was very tall and spoke with great pomp , " I am the color of loyalty and power. I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey. " Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, " I represent thought and reflection . You need me for balance and contrast . " Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning. Rain started to pour down and speak " You should stretch across the sky in a great bow of color. Remember to appreciate one another. Only the rainbow is the most beautiful. " Green thinks he is _ according to the passage. Answer:
Once upon a time, there was a wonderful old man who loved everything on the land ---- animals and plants. One day while walking through the woods, the old man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He took it home. A few days later, a small opening appeared; he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled 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 farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and cut the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then came out easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, or they would be smaller. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and hurry did not understand was that the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening was nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any difficulties, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly. The old man cut the cocoon in order to _ . A. kill the butterfly B. play with the butterfly C. make the butterfly come out easily D. have the butterfly Answer: C. make the butterfly come out easily Every year, I tell my sons what I'd like for Mother's Day: a letter. Something written from the heart and offered freely rather than bought from a store and wrapped neatly. I don't always get my wish, nor do I always take the time to write to my own mother. This year, my boys will be in two different states on Mother's Day. My mom and dad will be away together, and I'11 be driving home from a writer's workshop in Massachusetts. Thinking of the fact that many friends have already lost their mothers and that a few have lost children, I am deeply grateful that what separates us, for now at least, is merely distance. It won't always be so, and there is no way to prepare for that fact other than to appreciate the moment that is. My sons know that they can please me on Sunday with a phone call or an e-mail, and that is enough as I love their words. The very best gift they can possibly give me is their own happiness, the very fact of their busy. full and well-lived lives. Still, knowing that my years of staying with my sons are over, I do Feel _ . The truth is, I miss being the center of the universe to two little boys. And this holiday can be a bit painful. I wonder if my own mother ever felt nostalgic ('VTIH WJ) for the passing of my childhood. I wonder if she realizes that she is still at the center of my universe and always has been. I don't often pause to think about it. but of course she is the one who has been right there, at my side from the moment I drew my very first breath. How to ever fully appreciate the woman whose presence and 1ove and example have shaped me into the adult I am? How to describe even a small part of the sharing. sacrificing. and support she has given me over the years? According to the author _ A. young people nowadays tend to ignore their parents B. parents should not give their children too much freedom C. children's happiness and success are the biggest comfort to parents D. parents are not the center of their children's universe when children grow up Answer: C. children's happiness and success are the biggest comfort to parents To be a good teacher, you need some of the _ of a good actor: you must be able to hold attention and interest of your students; you must be a clear speaker, with a good, strong, pleasing voice which is fully under your control; you must be able to act what you are teaching, in order to make its meaning clear. A good teacher doesn't sit still before his class; he stands all the time he is teaching; he walks about, using his arms, hands and fingers to help him in his explanations, and his face to express his feelings. Listen to him, and you will hear the loudness, the quality and musical note of his voice always changing according to what he is talking about. The fact that a good teacher has some of the gifts of a good actor doesn't mean he will indeed be able to act well on the stage, for there are very important differences between the teacher's work and the actor's. The actor has to speak words he has learnt by heart; he has to repeat exactly the same words each time he plays a certain part, even his movements and the ways in which he uses his voice are usually fixed beforehand. What he has to do is to make all these carefully learnt words seem natural on the stage. A good teacher works in quite a different way. His audience takes an active part in his play--they ask and answer questions, they obey orders, and if they don't understand something, they say so. The teacher therefore has to meet the needs of his audience. He can't learn his part by heart, because their brains couldn't keep discipline: they couldn't keep strictly to what another has written. In what way is a teacher's work different from that of an actor's? A. The teacher must learn everything by heart. B. He has to deal with unexpected situations. C. He has to use more facial expressions. D. He has to control his voice better than an actor. Answer: B. He has to deal with unexpected situations. Gills allow A. flounder to intake oxygen B. giraffes to breathe underwater C. respiration for seals and herons D. respiration for sea going birds Answer: A. flounder to intake oxygen Everywhere man is altering the balance of nature.He is facilitating the spread of plants and animals into new regions, sometimes deliberately, sometimes unconsciously.He is covering huge areas with new kinds of plants, or with houses, factories, slag-heaps and other products of his civilization.He exterminates some species on a large scale, but favours the multiplication of others.In brief, he has done more in five thousand years to alter the biological aspect of the planet than has nature in five million. Many of these changes which he has brought about have had unforeseen consequences.Who would have thought that the throwing away of a piece of Canadian waterweed would have caused half the waterways of Britain to be blocked for a decade, or that the provision of pot cacti for lonely settlers' wives would have led to Eastern Australian being overrun with forests of Prickly Pear? Who would have prophesied that the cutting down of forests on the Adriatic coasts, or in parts of Central Africa, could have reduced the land to a semidesert, with the very soil washed away from the bare rock? Who would have thought that improved communications would have changed history by the spreading of disease-sleeping sickness into East Africa, measles into Oceania, very possibly malaria into ancient Greece? These are spectacular examples; but examples on a smaller scale are everywhere to be found.We make a nature sanctuary for rare birds, prescribing absolute security for all species; and we may find that some common and hardy kind of bird multiplies beyond measure and ousts the rare kinds in which we were particularly interested.We see, owing to some little change brought about by civilization, the starling spread over the English country-side in hordes.We improve the yielding capacities of our cattle; and find that now they exhaust the pastures which sufficed for less exigent stock. What have spread diseases? A. Disease-sleeping sickness. B. Measles. C. Improved communications. D. Malaria. Answer: C. Improved communications.
Just then the police radio says there was a robbery in a supermarket nearby. The police told Mr. Brown to stay there and they would be back soon. Then the police ran to the supermarket. Mr. Brown didn't wait but drove home. When he got home, he was tired and went to bed. Mrs. Brown found a police car in front of their house and the lights were still on. . Mr. Brown went home _ . A. on foot B. by car C. in his friend's car D. by taxi Answer: B Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today. The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon . Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers are still on the move in Alaska. Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988. Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off. Over 60 people -campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers--were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash. Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous. But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now _ is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests. But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature's pattern of change, and man has little power to control it. We can infer from this article that _ . A. Washington and Oregon are neighboring states B. Colorado River runs through Yosemite Valley C. The eruption of Mt St Helens also caused trouble with the Yellowstone Park D. Scientists never knew Mt St Helens was active Answer: A Bicycle sharing systems are also known as yellow bicycle programs, white bicycle programs, public bikes, or free bikes. They are increasingly popular in Europe now. Paris has the world's largest urban cycle rental system. This is a bike rental station in Paris. The worker is showing how to use a new self-service bike. They say that Paris will become "a green capital of bikes" and they plan to park 20,000 bicycles at 1,600 stations. Paris created this plan to improve the city traffic environment and reduce the waste gas displacement . At a rental station, you only have to put your credit card into the machine to rent a bike. It provides French, German, English and Chinese services. If you ride the bike for only 30 minutes to relax, you needn't pay for it. A two-hour bike rent only costs you 4 euros. These stations work for 24 hours every day, so a bike is rented for 10 to 14 times a day. In this way there are 200,000 people using bikes a day, In the past few years, Paris has encouraged its people to ride bikes, but something unhappy has happened now and then. Some people break the traffic rules during rush hours. Some park their bikes everywhere. So how to park bikes is a problem that Paris will face. But this project is still a helpful way to improve its traffic environment. Don't you think so? Paris built many rental systems to _ . A. relax travelers B. improve the environment C. reduce traffic accidents D. get money Answer: B One day I was walking home along the street with my iPod on, when suddenly my headphones were knocked off my head and a man threw his arm around my neck, saying "Just be quiet." I was being attacked, and this man's arm was gripping onto me! I started screaming and tried to pull him off me, but failed. He was forcing me to walk towards the back of an auto repair shop and he just kept saying: "Be quiet." My mind froze with fear. Then I heard my great-grandmother's voice in my head. She was saying: "Come on now, I know you are stronger than that!" She was the rock in our family until she died four years ago. I have never had any self-defense training, but I went for it--I let out a loud scream as I kicked my leg back into his shin ! He let go of me and I ran off. When I looked back to see if he was running after me, I saw he was running in the opposite direction. Then I ran like crazy to a nearby drugstore. I asked the girl at the counter for the phone and called my mom. She picked me up five minutes later and I explained what happened through sobs. "I am calling the police!" She exclaimed. When we got home, two officers were waiting for us and I told them what had happened. After my experience, I was afraid to do anything. Things slowly got better, but I still don't like anyone going near my neck. The fear isn't totally gone--after all, the guy is still out there somewhere. But I had a new understanding of my own strength. I never expected to be able to fight off an attacker. I am stronger than I realized. After the author escaped from the man, _ . A. she called the police B. she called her mother C. she screamed to get more attention D. she looked back to remember his appearance Answer: B Jose, a young musician, is a rising star in Bolivia. He has already performed in some of the countries' top venues including the Legislative Palace. What's so great about that? Jose is just seven years old and he is blind! Jose is musically talented. At the age of 4, he picked up the drums and showed surprising talent. Later he moved on to the piano and his musical talent became undeniable . By the age of 5, Jose had formed his own jazz trio . The young boy knows every jazz song in his book and can play _ all with great confidence. And it is not the only kind of music he enjoys. He also loves listening to blues, heavy metal, etc. Roberto Montano is clearly a proud father when speaking of his son Jose. He said that he had nothing to do with his son's unusual talent. In fact he didn't even know much about jazz until Jose started to play. He believes the young boy is just born with a "music chip" inside him. Although Jose is a rising superstar, he lives a life like other children do. Just like his classmates, he goes to school, does homework and even does chores at home. What can we learn about Jose's father? A. He is a blind man B. He is a great musician. C. He is very strict with Jose D. He is very proud of Jose. Answer: D
When John Milton, writer of "Paradise Lost", entered Cambridge University, in 1625, he was already skilled in Latin after seven years of studying it as his second language at St. Paul's School, prefix = st1 /London. Like all English boys who prepared for college in grammar schools, he had learned not only to read Latin but also to speak and write it smoothly and correctly. His pronunciation of Latin was English, however, and seemed to have sounded strange to his friends when he later visitedItaly. Schoolboys gained their skill in Latin in a bitter way. They kept in mind the rules to make learning by heart easier. They first made a word-for-word translation and then an idiomatic translation into English. As they increased their skill, they translated their English back into Latin without referring to the book and then compared their translation with the original. The schoolmaster was always at hand to encourage them. All schoolmasters believed _ . After several years of study, the boys began to write compositions in imitation of the Latin writers they read. And as they began to read Latin poems, they began to write poems in Latin. Because Miltonwas already a poet at ten, his poems were much better than those painfully put together by the other boys. During the seven yearsMiltonspent at university, he made regular use of his command of Latin. He wrote some excellent Latin poems, which he published among his works in 1645. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. Milton's classmates learned Latin harder but worse than Milton B. Milton hadn't learned any foreign language except Latin before going to college C. Milton's Italian friends helped him with Latin when talking D. Milton's training in Latin was similar to that of the other boys Answer: D There are many types of reports. A report is simply an account of something that has happened. The commonest are new reports. We get them in newspapers, over the radio and on television. Sometimes cinemas also show us newsreels . The main purpose of a newspaper is to provide news. If you examine a newspaper closely, you will find that there are all types of news: accidents, floods, fires, wars, fashions, sports, books, etc. The news covers everything that happens to people and their surroundings. Sometimes there are news items which are very amusing. A news report is usually very short, except when it is about something very important, but it contains a lot of information. It is also written in short paragraphs. The first paragraph is, in fact, a summary of the news item. It gives all the necessary information--what, when, where, how and why. The other paragraphs give full details of the subject. There may also be interviews with people. The words actually spoken by them are within inverted commas . Often there are photographs with the news to make it more interesting. In this passage, which of the following is mentioned as sources of new reports? A. Cinemas, television and Internet. B. Television, Internet and newspapers. C. Internet, newspapers and cinemas. D. Radios, television and newspapers. Answer: D From Earth, we see the sun in the day sky and other stars in the night sky. Nighttime stars look like tiny points of light. Which statement explains why nighttime stars appear so much smaller than the sun? A. The stars are much smaller. B. The sky is much darker at night. C. The stars are much farther away. D. The moon blocks out most starlight. Answer: C Jim is a little boy. He stays with his grandma. He likes sweets and cakes. He always eats some food with sweets before he goes to bed. And as soon as he gets up in the morning, he can find some cakes on the table in his bedroom. One morning, before Jim got up, his grandma took some cakes to his bedroom. She saw Jim crying in bed. "What's the matter, dear?" his grandma asked in a hurry. "I've a bad toothache," said Jim. So his grandma had to take him to the dentist's. The dentist pulled out the bad tooth for him at last. Two days later Jim felt better and was at school again. Mrs. Hunt asked, "What was the matter with you those days, Jim?" "I had a bad toothache, madam," answered Jim. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Mrs. Hunt. "Is it better now?" "I don't know, madam. I left it with the dentist." Jim stays with his _ . A. father B. mother C. grandma D. uncle Answer: C Parents fear they are putting too much pressure on their daughters to reach their academic potential, the president of a girls' school body has said. Incoming Girls School Association head Jill Berry said parents were worried about achieving a balance between school achievement and happiness. Mrs. Berry also said that girls could put themselves under a lot of pressure. A poll of 1000 parents surveyed for the association said their top concern was their daughter's education. Girls tend to outperform boys in all stages of their education, and this can lead schools to assume all girls will do well. Mrs. Berry said, "There is no doubt that many mothers and fathers are worried about getting the balance right between their daughters realizing their academic potential while at the same time being happy and safe." Mrs. Berry said in her experience girls had very high expectations of themselves. "That's a positive thing and we want them to aim high. But sometimes we do find a girl is being unrealistic in her aspirations or putting herself under unreasonable pressure. It's not necessarily pushy parents--it can come from the girls themselves." But parents, too, wanted support to get the balance right between caring and being involved in their children's lives and not being "helicopter parents", she added. Women could be perfectionists and it was important to encourage girls to listen to their body, which could give warning signs of too much stress, she added. "Bright motivated high achieving girls with high expectations of themselves are more susceptible to eating disorders," Mrs. Berry said, "But girls' schools are usually very good at dealing with these things." It was a teacher's job to help girls "to have it all", but to help them deal with inevitable disappointments as well, she said. According to the poll, parents' top concern was their daughter's _ . A. happiness B. safety C. education D. health Answer: C
(part of Yanglan's speech in Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic games) Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon! Before I introduce our cultural programs, I want to tell you one thing first about 2008. You're going to have a great time in Beijing. Many people are fascinated by China's sport legends in history. For example, back to Song Dynasty, about the 11th century, people started to play a game called Cuju, which is regarded as the origin of ancient football. The game was very popular and women were also participating. Now, you will understand why our women football team is so good today. With a concept inspired by the famed Silk Road, our Torch Relay will break new ground, traveling from Olympia through some of the oldest civilizations known to man-Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Byzantine, Mesopotamian, Persian, Arabian, Indian and Chinese. Carrying the message "Share the Peace, Share the Olympics," the eternal flame will reach new heights as it crosses the Himalayas over the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma, which is known to many of you as Mt. Everest. In China, the flame will pass through Tibet, cross the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, travel the Great Wall and visit Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and the 56 ethnic communities who make up our society. On its journey, the flame will be seen by and inspire more human beings than any previous relay. I am afraid I can not present the whole picture of our cultural programs within such a short period of time. Before I end, let me share with you one story. Seven hundred years ago, amazed by his incredible editions of a far away land of great beauty, people asked Marco Polo whether his stories about China were true. He answered: What I have told you was not even half of what I saw. Actually, what we have shown you here today is only a fraction of Beijing that awaits you. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that Beijing will prove to be a land of wonders to athletes, spectators and the worldwide television audience alike. Come and join us. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you all. Which of the following is not the promise that China will keep to the world? Spring is coming.People in different countries like different outdoor activities.Leo,a reporter from Learning English in interviewing some students.Here is what they have said. Mary (13, America) I want to go out of the city to a beautiful field. It's happy to smell beautiful flowers, touch green grass and take some photos. And I like to have a picnic in the field, It's interesting! Jim (14, Canada) The weather turns warmer and they days become longer in spring. It's a good time to go camping. It would be fun to sleep in a tent. I enjoy the comfortable weather too. Tony (13, England) In spring, I like going cycling alone. It can not only make me enjoy the beautiful season but also help me became stronger. I can write something about what I see on the way. Wang Fang (12, China) I'm good at making all kinds of kites. And in spring. I like flying kites with my family or my friends in the park. One of us holds the kite. and another one catches the line. It's exciting to see the kite flying high in the sky. Mary maybe lives in the _ . When you are in England, you must be very careful in the streets because the traffic goes on the left. Before you cross the street, you must look to the right first and then the left. If the traffic lights are red, the traffic must stop . Then the people on foot can cross the road. If the lights are green, the traffic can go and people on foot mustn't cross. In the morning and in the evening, when people go to or come back from work, the streets are very busy. The traffic is the most dangerous then. When you go by bus in England, you have to be careful, too. You must always remember the cars drive on the left. In many English cities, there are big buses with two floors. You can sit on the second floor. From there, you can see the city very well. That'll be very interesting. In England, you can see some buses _ . Which of the following is the most important safety practice when using a rock hammer on a geology field trip? Jayson McCarthy, 12, was born without fingers on his left hand. That didn't stop him from being able to do many tasks. But Jayson could not grasp more than one object at a time. So Jayson 's father, Paul, created a Prosthesis , using a 3D printer. Now Jayson has fingers that open and close. "It was a do-it-yourself, father-and-son adventure," says Paul. When Jayson was a baby, his doctor advised his parents not to give him a prosthetic hand until he was in his early teens. "The doctor said Jayson should first learn to get full use out of the hand he was born with," says Paul. As Jayson got older, his father looked into _ a prosthetic hand, which can cost as much as $30,000. Paul found a more affordable solution. One day, Paul discovered a video on the Internet about Robohand, a prosthesis created with a 3D printer. He downloaded the free instructions and called Robohand's creators for advice. They told him all he needed was a 3D printer--which costs around $2,000--and some materials. Luckily, Jayson 's school had recently purchased a 3D printer and it offered to help Paul build the hand for Jayson n. "We used a soccer shinguard , cardboard , and tape. They cost about $10," says paul. With his new hand, Jayson can do things better. "I can help my mom more, because now I can carry two grocery bags," he says. Jayson 's father has already built several hands for Jayson. Jayson helps design each one. He says there's one thing in particular that he wants to do with a future prosthesis. "The goal," he says, "is to be able to tie my shoelaces ." Jayson 's father managed to get Jayson a new hand by _ .
It was Saturday, and every Saturday all the children on the block would have a bicycle race. Juan rode his new red bicycle to the dead end street where the race was held. He knew he would win. His new bicycle would be faster than anyone's. Anita was there on her white bicycle. Todd was riding a blue bicycle, and Jasper soon arrived on a yellow bicycle. The race began, and Juan was in the lead. He heard Anita crying behind him. He turned to see her chain was broken, and she had fallen from her bike into the green grass. Juan stopped and turned around to help Anita. Jasper and Todd rode past them, and it was soon clear that Todd would win the race. Juan walked Anita home, and she thanked him for being a good friend. What caused Anita to fall? A Crashing into another bicycle B A broken chain C Slippery grass D Jasper's cheating. Answer: B. A broken chain Imagine putting a seed in a freezer, waiting 30,000 years, and then taking the seed out and planting it. Do you think a flower would grow? Amazingly, scientists have just managed to do something very similar. They found the fruit of an ancient plant that had been frozen underground in Siberia for about 31,800 years. Using pieces of the fruit, scientists successfully cloned 36 more of the plant and grew them in a lab. The new flowers have beautiful white petals . They are also the oldest flowering plants that researchers have ever revived from a deep freeze. "This is like creating a dinosaur from tissues of an ancient egg," University of California biologist Jane Shen-Miller said. The plant has a long history, back when mammoths ( an animal like an elephant, that lived a long time ago but no longer exist) wandered the land. It was buried in an underground hole. The ground has remained frozen since then. The ice-age plants look similar to a modern called Silence stenophylla. But the ancient flowers are slightly different: their petals are a bit narrower. It's possible that the regrown plants belong to a different species. It's important for scientists to know that plant tissues can still be revived after being frozen for a long time. That's because many researchers are trying to store the seeds of modern plants by freezing them and then storing them in very big lockers at various spots around the globe. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, an underground facility in Norway, stores hundreds of thousands of seeds. If a plant becomes extinct, scientists could revive it by pulling its seeds from Svalbard or other underground rooms. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A Svalbard Global Seed Vault is located in Russia. B The ancient flower dates from the age of mammoths. C Scientists have created a dinosaur from an ancient egg. D Silene stenophylla and the ancient flower are of the same species. Answer: B. The ancient flower dates from the age of mammoths. Tibet is in the southwest of China. It is the home to many natural wonders, such as valleys, mountains, lakes and even deserts. Tibet is very large, so it is perfect for traveling, especially the bike tour . You can start the wonderful bike tour in Tibet's capital, Lhasa. It is 3600 metres above the sea level. It's very high, isn't it? So it is important to spend a few days there to get used to the thin air there, or you may feel sick and get hurt. The bike tour will pass rivers, large open grassland and high mountains, including the world's famous Mount Everest . After finishing the bike tour, people will feel quite successful. They will also have hundreds of photos of the wonderful places. People often have _ when they finish the difficult journey. A a bad cold B a broken bike C hundreds of photos D a lot of new friends Answer: C. hundreds of photos It is surprising that eating three meals a day -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- has been a custom only since 1890. Before this time, they only had two meals a day -- breakfast and dinner. In the 16th century, breakfast was only to break one's fast . But 200 years later it had became a large meal, not just for family, but for numbers guests as well. It was a social event. It began at 10 a.m. and lasted until 1 p.m. Then breakfast began to be less popular. It became, instead, a lighter meal and was taken at a much earlier hour. By 1850 it had been pushed back to 8 a. m. and became a family meal. Dinner, however, went to the other way. In the 16th century it was eaten at 11p.m.Years later, it had moved to the early afternoon, then to 5 p. m. By 1850 dinner time had reached 7 p. m. Lunch is a recent idea. It first appeared as a snack to fill the gap between breakfast and dinner. English people did not have lunch _ . A after 1890 B until 1890 C in 1890 D by 1850 Answer: B. until 1890 Have you dreamed of building your own machine? Do you wish you could invent something new? Here we look at a few British inventions of recent times. Adaptable glasses Do you wear glasses? If so, can you imagine life without them? In 1985, Joshua Silver, a professor at Oxford University, asked himself, "Can I invent a pair of glasses that could be changed by the wearer?" He designed two plastic lenses that are filled with a special liquid. Using syringes you change the liquid between the lenses until you can see clearly. The glasses are not beautiful but they are easy to use and cheap to make. The wind-up radio When you switch your TV on tonight, think about all those people without electricity. Thinking about this, Trevor Baylis came up with the idea of designing a radio that could be powered by hand. In common with Joshua Silver he wanted his invention to be cheap and easy to use. He wanted even the poorest people in developing countries, who don't have electricity and cannot afford batteries, to use it. The radio has a generator which is powered by turning a handle. In 1996 it won a BBC Design Award for Best Protect and Best Design. The Dyson cleaner In many homes around the world you can see a cleaner that looks like a spaceship. This is the Dyson vacuum cleaner which uses something called "cyclonic separation" to separate the dirt. You do not need a bag for your cleaner and it does not get blocked so it is very practical. The idea came to Sir James Dyson after he kept having problems with his vacuum cleaner. He decided he could design a better one and in 1993 he opened his own factory. The Dyson is now one of the best-selling cleaners in the UK and Dyson is believed to have earned over a billion pounds. The Zapata fly-board Ever dreamed of zooming through the water and leaping in the air like a dolphin? Now you can thanks to a fly-board, built by water sports enthusiast Frank Zapata. With it you can dive back in the water and out again. It's possible to jump to incredible heights out of the water -- over 30 feet. The basic fly-board model comes in at PS4,200. So keep dreaming and inventing. One day you might get it right. Which invention won an award? A Adaptable glasses. B The wind-up radio. C The Dyson cleaner. D The Zapata fly-board. Answer: B. The wind-up radio.
Long, long ago there were only a few thousand people in the world. These people move form place to place over the land, hunting animals for food. No one knows how or when these people learned about growing food. But when they did, their lives changed. They did not have to look for food any more. They could stay in one place and grow it. People began to live near one another. And so the first village grew. Many people came to work in the villages. These villages grew very big. When machines appeared , life in the villages changed again. Factories were built. More and more people lived near the factories. The cities grew very big. Today some people are moving back to small towns. Can you tell why? We can learn from the text that _ . some people don't like to live in big cities Do you want to know about my staying in America? It was really an eye-opening experience. In China, I had English classes five times a week. However, I didn't know how different textbook English was from daily English until I went to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut. When I first studied English, I was told to say "I'm fine" when people say "How are you?" But in America, I found that people said "I'm good" or "I'm tired." One day, someone greeted me with "What's up?" It made me _ . I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say. To my surprise, American girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun. However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin whiter. I'm also surprised by how hard-working American students are. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard. But in America, a good student gets good grades, does a lot for the public and plays sports or music. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? American girls love to have white skin. The Red Panda isn't much bigger than an average size house cat. At first you may think it's a bear because of its name. They're actually a member of the raccoon family which you can tell if you look at their appearance. The Red Panda has a long bushy tail that is useful in two ways. It helps them stay balanced when they are high up in the trees and it keeps them warm in cold weather. Their fur is thick and reddish brown, which may be why they're known as the fire fox. The Red Panda can be found in forested mountains. They're originally from the forested mountain in the Himalayas in India, Nepal and Southern China. Bamboo is the most important part of their diet. They only eat the young leaves and shoots of a bamboo plant. Red Pandas have a very low metabolic rate in order to deal with their low energy diet and cool environmental temperatures. They're very shy and gentle and don't hang around the wild too much during the day. If they feel endangered, they'll stand on their back legs and make a hissing sound. Red Pandas are good climbers and spend most of their time living mainly in trees. Their claws are very strong and help them hold onto the branches. They sleep in an unusual way by curling up tightly and wrapping their tails around their heads while sitting on a branch. Sometimes they'll sleep with their head beneath their chest and behind their back feet. This is the same position as an American raccoon sleeps. The Red Panda holds onto the branches with its _ . claws I shook hands with my father in the truck, and for a long time he looked straight ahead and didn't say a word.But I knew he was going to say a little to me."I can't tell anything." he finally said."I never went to college, and none of your brothers went to college.I can't say don't do this and do that, because everything is different and I don't know what is going to come up.I can't help much with money either, but I think things will work out." He gave me a new check-book ."If things get pushing, write a small check.But when you write one, send me a letter and let me know how much.There are some things we can always sell." In four years all the checks I wrote were less than a thousand dollars.My part-time jobs such as reading to the blind student and sitting with the teachers' kids filled in the _ . "You know what you want to be, and they'll tell you what to take," my father went on."When you get a job, be sure it's honest, and work hard." I knew that soon I would be alone in the big town, and I would be missing the cool winds and a life where your thinking was done for you. Then my dad reached down beside his seat and brought the old, broken Bible that he had read so often, the one he used when he wanted to look something up in a friendly quarrel with one of the neighbours.I knew he would miss it.I knew, though, that I must take it. He didn't say read this every morning.He just said," This can help you if you will let it." Did it help? I got through college without being a burden on the family.I have been able to make money since. What is the writer's main purpose in writing this passage? To tell the readers what present he got from his father. Nanjing-style paper cutting is an important part of Chinese paper cutting. It is known for its different designs, simplistic but graceful shapes, finely cut lines and unique skills. Zhang Fanglin is a leading figure in the Nanjing-style paper cutting. Zhang was born in a paper-cutting family. He is the fourth generation to continue the family's paper-cutting skills. Taught by his father, he began to learn paper cutting in his childhood. In 1963 when he was only 14 years old, he started his artistic career in a local folk handicraft factory. Over the past decades, Zhang has created many works and developed excellent skills. In 1985, Zhang was admitted into Nanjing Municipal Fine Arts Company, creating and designing paper cuts. Throughout his artistic career, Zhang has absorbed characteristics and elements of various styles of paper cutting and created a large number of creative paper-cutting works. Thanks to his great contributions, he won many national prizes and was awarded the title of "National Master Artist in Handicraft Art". As a leading figure, Zhang Fanglin has been invited to more than 30 countries and regions around the world, showcasing his paper-cutting skills. In the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Zhang showcased his new creations of gold foil-embedded paper cutting works. What is the passage mainly about? A paper cutting artist.
Ma Weidu is the founder and curator of Guanfu Museum, which is the first private museum in China. With mainly Chinese artifacts on exhibition, the museum was founded on Jan. 18,l 997.It was not well-known by the public until 2008. On Jan. l,2008,Ma Weidu was invited to be the guest in the flagship CCTV program "Lecture Room". He talked about his museum and more importantly, he introduced Chinese artifacts and their underlying historical, cultural significance. In 2009,Ma Weidu initiated Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation. Creating a culture foundation had been Ma's dream for many years. Beijing Guanfu Cultural Foundation is committed to spreading Chinese traditional culture, funding the development of Guanfu Museum, heritage research and conservation projects, building a platform for public culture, promoting and guiding the public in the spirit of "charity&culture sponsorship ". Guanfu Museum is currently located at No.18 Jinnan Road, Zhangwanfen, Dashanzi, Chaoyang district, Beijing. But due to the city planning, it has to move. Guanfu Museum, which has experienced relocation for three times, is now looking for a new place. According to Mr. Ma, it should be around 20,000-30,000 square meters. Guanfu Museum, according to the city government, _ . A. will be painted B. has to hold a new exhibition C. has to move to a new place D. has to be enlarged Answer: C Students want to plant a lemon tree at their school, but the cold winter temperatures in Massachusetts would kill the tree. Which of the following is the best solution to this problem? A. planting several lemon trees together in a row B. building a greenhouse to shelter the lemon tree C. giving the lemon tree extra fertilizer in the winter D. tying a stake to the lemon tree for support during the winter Answer: B We're unleashing the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending November 15, 2014. We don't get any new songs this week...but things do get shaken up a bit. It all starts in fifth place, where Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj dip a notch with "Bang Bang." Jessie says she wanted to assemble this lineup for a long time - she says she only met the other two after the song went to number one on iTunes. Jessie also says she wanted to use Nicki five years ago on her debut single, "Do It Like A Dude." Taking over fourth place is Maroon 5 with "Animals." This band has been around for 20 years...but not always under this name. The Los Angeles group formed in 1994 as Kara's Flowers, and released one album under that name in 1997. Four years later the members re-grouped as Maroon 5, and the rest is chart history. Holding in third place is Tove Lo with "Habits (Stay High)." Where did that name come from? This Swedish artist's real name is Ebba Tove Elsa Nillson. "Lo" is Swedish for lynx - a species of wildcat that Tove says she fell in love with as a little girl. After eight weeks, Meghan Trainor falls off the Hot 100 pedestal: "All About That Bass" falls to second place. Last week, she and Miranda Lambert sang this song at the Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, and Meghan kicks off a headlining North American tour next February in Vancouver, Canada. Taylor Swift re-takes the Hot 100 title, with "Shake It Off" - giving her three total weeks at the top - but that's only the beginning of her phenomenal week. Taylor's 1989 album just opened at number one by selling 1.2 million domestic copies. That's the largest sales week since The Eminem Show sold 1.3 million copies, way back in 2002. That's a wrap for this week, but as you know, the chart is always changing. Come back in seven days for an all-new lineup. We can infer from the passage? A. Taylor's 1989 album created the largest sales. B. The chart is updated every week. C. Meghan kicks off a headlining North American tour next February. D. "All About That Bass" has never taken the Hot 100 title. Answer: B The Maldives faces the threat of extinction from rising sea levels, but the government said on Thursday it was looking to the future with plans to build homes and a golf course that float. An increase in sea levels of just 18 to 59 centimeters would make the Maldives -- a nation of tiny coral islands in the Indian Ocean -- virtually uninhabitable by 2100, the UN's climate change panel has warned. President Mohamed Nasheed has vowed a fight for survival, and last month he signed a deal with a Dutch company to study proposals for a floating structure that could support a convention centre, homes and an 18-hole golf course. "It is still early stages and we are awaiting a report on the possibility," a government official said. The company, Dutch Docklands, is currently building floating developments in the Netherlands and Dubai. There was no immediate comment from the firm but its website said it undertook projects that make "land from water by providing large-scale floating constructions to create similar conditions as on land". The Maldives began work on an artificial island known as the Hulhumale near the crowded capital island of Male in 1997 and more than 30,000 people have been settled there to ease _ . The city, which has a population of 100,000, is already protected from rising sea levels by a 30-million-dollar sea wall, and the government is considering increasingly imaginative ways to combat climate change. Nasheed, who staged the world's first underwater cabinet meeting in October to highlight his people's dilemma , has even spoken of buying land elsewhere in the world to enable Maldivians to relocate if their homes are flooded. He has also pledged the Hulhumale to turn his nation into a model for the rest of the world by becoming "carbon neutral" by 2020. His plan involves ending fossil fuel use and powering all vehicles and buildings from "green" sources. Which statement is true about the Hulhumale? A. The Hulhumale is a natural island near the capital of Male. B. The Hulhumale is an artificial island to be built near the capital. C. The Hulhumale was built in 1997 and has settled over 30,000 people. D. The Hulhumale is protected by a 30-million-dollar sea wall. Answer: B There once was a giant orange farm in space. No human had ever been there before. It could not be reached by plane, spaceship, car, or any other means of travel. The farm was run by large squirrels, and was started in 1032. They owned the planet the farm was on, called Etopit. In the year 2037, one brave man named Hugo wanted to travel to Etopit to see the farm. On Earth, it was known the squirrels grew better oranges than any other animal, including rabbits, dogs, and horses. Hugo wanted to learn the squirrels' secrets and bring them back to Earth. Hugo was no normal man. He could sneeze so hard that it would send him flying into the air. Hugo put on a squirrel costume, and had his friend Ralph tickle his nose for 7 hours. Hugo sneezed so hard he flew into space and landed in Etopit. The squirrels did not know he was a human because of his costume. Hugo met Rufus and Xenon, 2 of the most power squirrels in space. He told them his name was Tiddlywink, and that he was sent by the squirrel king from Etopit's moon Rebeti to help them grow even more oranges. Rufus and Xenon told him all their secrets. Hugo wrote all of them down, then sneezed so hard he went back to Earth! With his help, Earth has now become the best place to grow oranges. How did Hugo get to Etopit A. Spaceship B. Car C. Plane D. Sneeze Answer: D
A student was going to spend his holiday in a cool mountain village. That evening he stayed at an inn near the railway station . Before going to bed, he went to the boss of the inn and said, "Excuse me, sir. Will you please wake me up at a quarter to five tomorrow morning? I'll take the five o'clock train." "Oh, sorry, sir," the boss said in a hurry, "I'm afraid I can't. I won't be able to get up so early." The student was disappointed . When he began to return to his room, be stopped and asked, "Have you got an alarm-clock ? Maybe it can help me." "Wait a minute, then." The boss said and brought out an alarm-clock. "Here you are, sir." "Thank you very much." The student said happily. But he found it was rusty when he had a look at it. And it sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. He asked, "Will it ring in time?" "I don't know, either." said the boss, "But it doesn't matter. You just give it a good shake at a quarter to five. And it will ring on time." The student asked the boss to wake him up the next morning because _ . A the boss had the habit of getting up early B the boss had promised to help him in every possible way C he was afraid he would not wake up in time to catch the train D it would take him a long time to walk to the railway station Answer: C As Artificial Intelligence(AI) becomes increasingly sophisticated, there are growing concerns that robots could become a threat. This danger can be avoided, according to computer science professor Stuart Russell, if we figure out how to turn human values into a programmable code. Russell argues that as robots take on more complicated tasks, it's necessary to translate our morals into AI language. For example, if a robot does chores around the house, you wouldn't want it to put the pet cat in the oven to make dinner for the hungry children. "You would want that robot preloaded with a good set of values," said Russell. Some robots are already programmed with basic human values. For example, mobile robots have been programmed to keep a comfortable distance from humans. Obviously there are cultural differences, but if you were talking to another person and they came up close in your personal space, you wouldn't think that's the kind of thing a properly brought-up person would do. It will be possible to create more sophisticated moral machines, if only we can find a way to set out human values as clear rules. Robots could also learn values from drawing patterns from large sets of data on human behavior. They are dangerous only if programmers are careless. The biggest concern with robots going against human values is that human beings fail to so sufficient testing and they've produced a system that will break some kind of taboo . One simple check would be to program a robot to check the correct course of action with a human when presented with an unusual situation. If the robot is unsure whether an animal is suitable for the microwave, it has the opportunity to stop, send out beeps , and ask for directions from a human. If we humans aren't quite sure about a decision, we go and ask somebody else. The most difficult step in programming values will be deciding exactly what we believe in moral, and how to create a set of ethical rules. But if we come up with an answer, robots could be good for humanity. How do robots learn human values? A By interacting with humans in everyday life situations. B By following the daily routines of civilized human beings. C By picking up patterns from massive data on human behavior. D By imitating the behavior of property brought-up human beings. Answer: C Film cameras and digital cameras work in a similar way. Film cameras After all, a film camera is basically a light - proof box. It has a lens system to focus light onto the film at the back of the camera. Let's suppose that we are outside on a beautiful summer day trying to take a picture of the family dog. We are using a film camera. We finally get the dog to lie still. You point the camera at him. What happens? Light goes into the camera lens and hits the shutter. In other words, nothing happens yet. Now let's say that the dog looks really cute and you decide to snap a picture. What happens? When you press the button, the shutter opens for a very short period of time. A small amount of light passes through and hits the film at the back of the camera. This creates an upside-down and reversed image on the film. When you finish the roll of the film, you can take it to the photo shop to develop it and you will have a great picture of your dog! Cameras come with different lens lengths. Why does it matter? Many small cameras have shorter focal lengths, which means that there is a small distance between the lens and the place where the light focuses at the back of the camera. This gives you a large view of the area you are taking a picture of. Lenses with a long focal length show a smaller area but allow you to focus on distant objects and make them bigger. They are often called telephoto lenses. A good example of a long focus lens is one that is used by sports photographers to get photos of football players as if they were standing right beside them. Digital cameras In digital cameras, the light falls not on film but onto a sensor called a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). This digitally converts light and color into a digital information or pixels . The CCD is the heart of any digital camera and usually the most expensive part ---- depending on how good it is. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A Both digital and film cameras focus light onto the film. B All cameras have a sensor. C Digital cameras and film cameras have something in common. . D Small cameras usually have longer focal lengths. Answer: C When I spent Christmas away from home in Europe for the first time, I was only 14 and it was absolutely terrible. I am now married and live in the US. So there is little possibility for me to go home for Christmas. Now I am able to get through Christmas with some moments of joy: First, you are advised to search your area for stores that carry items from your home country or town. Buy food, candles and some other things that mean something to you. Hold on to the traditions from your home that you think are important even if other people think they are stupid. But keep in mind to be open for new traditions from wherever you might be, because those traditions are as important to those people around you as yours are to you. For me that includes celebrating Christmas on the 24th. Call, write Christmas cards, buy gifts and mail them to loved ones, just as if you were there. If you try to pretend as if the holiday doesn't exist, you are just going to make it worse. Introduce your traditions to your loved ones, especially your kids. It will only enrich their celebration of the holiday to have some unique traditions in their home. Little by little it will become their tradition and it's fun for them to try something new. Find clubs, churches or organizations that are from your home country. Chances are that they will have some celebration with some of your traditions which you can join in. Food is one of the most important factors in any kind of tradition. Find the recipe of that cake your grandmother used and make it your tradition to bake that particular cake. Call up your parents and get them to send you some of your favorite childhood ornaments for your tree. Pay attention to new traditions, talk to your family about which ones you want to make your own and stick with them. If you are far away from home, Christmas can never be the same as you experienced it before, but it is important to remember these traditions while appreciating the new ones. Keep an open mind and find a compromise between old and new traditions. The author spent his 14th Christmas _ . A unpleasantly in the US B joyfully in the US C unpleasantly in Europe D joyfully in Europe Answer: C In late March,Southwest University became the first school in China to open a 24-hour hotline providing suicide-prevention counseling. College suicide is a heart-breaking and argumentative topic.Chinese college students have long been the focus of public attention:their youth,education and,most importantly, bright futures make them the envy of society. However, in recent years,we've read more reports of student suicides.Perhaps that's simply because of society's attention with youth.But it could also signify the increasing troubled mental state of college students. Many studies have sought to find out the causes of student suicides.Not surprisingly, the top factors usually include psychological and physical sickness,emotional trouble and peer pressure. Despair about their futures is also quickly becoming a leading factor:Many students say they feel hopeless and confused about the direction of their careers in a crowded job market. Thankfully, more and more universities and colleges are providing counseling services to address students'mental and psychological problems.These at least offer some comfort to students facing tough job prospects and personal difficulties. From appointing in-house student counselors to setting up hotlines and recruiting students to help their troubled peers.many universities are making efforts to fight student depression.There is no denying that much remains to be done,but such efforts are already working,helping students and saving lives. However, the most important front in this battle lies with the students themselves.Whatever efforts school officials make,it is up to students to realize their problems and ask help.Unfortunately, many students considering suicide refuse to seek help.By shutting themselves away, they can easily fall into vicious cycles ,becoming ever more vulnerable to.personal difficulties and the pressures of the outside world. While establishing better on-campus psychological education and outreach programs are a step forward,students themselves must actively reach out for help.These dangers are a reality for every student not only those who feel confused and depressed. Which of the following can be the best title for the article? A Help is at hand for suicidal students. B More college students commit suicide. C How can students avoid committing suicide? D Why do college students feel depressed? Answer: A
My parents want to take me to visit Beijing this summer holiday. I want to plan a good trip. So I must learn something about Beijing on the Internet. Beijing is a beautiful city. Autumn is the best season. There are many places of interest in Beijing. We want to visit the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace. Beijing Duck is very famous all over the world. I hope I could have a try. We can get to Beijing by train. I want to buy a gift for my good friend. I also want to send a postcard to my teacher. I think I will have a great holiday. What does the writer want to buy? Answer: Henry was a carpenter of our village. Once I asked him to make a table for my family. A week later, Henry sent us the table and the bill as well. My wife said to me, "It's a beautiful table, dear, isn't it?" "I won't decide about that until I see the bill." I said. Henry was drinking a glass of water. He laughed and gave me a piece of paper. It said, Bill One dining table June 10, 2011 Cost of wood 17.00 Paint 1.50 Work, 8 hours (1 an hour) 8.00 Total 36.50 When I was looking at the bill, Henry said," It's a fine day, isn't it? Quite sunny." "Yes," I said. "I'm glad it is only the 10th of June." "Me too, " said Henry." You wait. It will be a bit hotter by the end of the month." "Yes, hotter and more expensive. The table will be 20 more expensive on June 30th, won't they, Henry? " I said, "If it isn't too much trouble, please add it up again. You can forget the date." "OK, man. You are such a guy." Henry said with a smile in his two blue eyes, and he left with the money he should get. The table was made of _ . Answer: An increase in the number of suicides in prefix = st1 /South Korea, has led policeman Yoo Byoung-jong to a new job. He patrols Seoul's bridges to stop desperate people from throwing themselves into the river. According to South Korea's health ministry, suicide rates have doubled in a decade and are now the leading cause of death for people in their 20s and 30s. The country has the fourth-highest suicide rate among the 30 industrialized countries in the Organization for Co-operation and Development (OECD). It recorded 22.8 suicide deaths for every 100,000 people in 2003. That's lower than Hungry, Finlandand close neighbourJapan. But the number is growing by about 1 percent each year, faster than for all other OECD nations. In a move to cut suicides by a fifth by 2010, the health ministry is running a television ad campaign. It opens with a lonely man walking on a bridge. A voice over says: "Think five minutes more before you give it all away. Don't forget you have a loving family." Other ministry plans include setting up more hotlines and training more suicide counselors. Authorities are also limiting websites that provide suicide methods and sometimes even sell toxic chemicals. Distressed individuals range from students worried about poor grades to people in debt as well as disgraced politicians. Experts say the rising toll in some way can be blamed on media coverage of recent high-profile suicides. These include top business leaders and celebrities who apparently lead a number of people to copy their actions. "We saved 50 lives this year when people turned to bridges as a place to die after news reports of such deaths by 'big shots'," said the 38-year-oldYoo, in December. Last July, the government and civil associations urged media to avoid reporting specific methods and locations of suicides. But it is difficult to clearly give reasons for the suicide increase. The passage is mainly about . Answer: Step into Pat Lundin's home and you'll be greeted by 500 smiling faces of dolls. Lundin, 82, describes herself as "doll crazy". And she's not alone. As a member of Timeless Treasures Doll Club of Largo, she frequently meets with 25 other women who share her hobby. Once a month, they gather at the Palms of Largo to show off their latest finds and catch up on news in the world of doll collecting. On Saturday, the club will hold the Palms of Largo Fifth Annual Doll Show. The program will include 37 vendors with both classic and contemporary dolls for sale. "Timeless Treasures is a club that's open to doll lovers regardless of the age of the doll," said Judy Smith, president of the organization. "Some doll clubs require members have a certain number of antique dolls, but we don't. we make sure we are not terribly formal." Smith, 71, is a retired schoolteacher who owns Judy's Doll Hospital, a part-time business she operates out of her home. She will have a table offering repair and appraisal services. Smith firs began studying and collecting dolls in her early 20s,in Glassboro, New Jersey, she does not know how many dolls she owns, or how many repairs she has made over the years. But she does know the age of her oldest doll. "She's 129," Smith said. "It is a German-made doll that belonged to my grandmother , and it sits in my living room." The show is for both the beginner as well as the experienced collector, said Anita Munson, one of the show's organizers. Over the years, Munson, 82, has learned how to identify a valuable doll. "Generally speaking porcelain dolls are the most valuable," she said. "But the porcelain will not be shiny." Smith believes many people will attend to find out how much their dolls are worth. She wants them to know more. "Because the dolls reflect what the children were wearing and doing at a particular period of time, they can be a great history lesson for children now," she said. The passage is written mainly to _ . Answer: When people in the U. S. have company or when they're invited to (formal or informal) get-togethers, they usually make a point of trying to make others feel comfortable and relaxed. On the whole, they tend to be informal. Men shake hands, but usually only when they're introduced. Male friends and business associated who haven' t seen each other in a while may shake hands when they say hello. Women usually don't shake hands when being introduced to each other. When a woman and man are introduced, shaking hands is up to the woman. Americans rarely shake hands to say goodbye, except on business occasions. American women are used to being independent. They are used to going to places by themselves, making their own money, and often living alone. Sometimes they will ask men for help, but they usually don" t want to be protected. Since the women's movement started, it's not always clear whether women expect men to open doors or help them into their coats. American women may start conversations with men or even ask them to dance. There are a lot of Americans who don't smoke or drink, and many who don't want people to do those things in their houses. It" s always best to ask for permission before you bring alcohol to a dinner or before you light up a cigarette, if you are with people you don't know very well. Non-smokers have become more militant about smoking in public places. Many restaurants, for example, have set up special areas for smokers. Houseguests may bring gifts when they come to visit, and they often offer to help in some way. As a guest, you may want to ask your host or hostess if there's anything you can do to help in the kitchen. In many cases, _ . .When American people are introduced to each other, _ . Answer:
A light bulb turns on when it receives energy from Answer: Hunter and Nina are husband and wife. They get up at about 4:50 in the morning. When many people are still sleeping in their warm beds, they are working. They work outside and clean something. They don't work when it is raining. They also work on weekends Her name is Sara. She sometimes goes to work in the morning, and sometimes goes to work at night When she is onduty. She works in a big building. There are many sick people in it. She wears a white hat and a white dress. She says, "I help doctors. I meet many people every day. I look after them. They need my help. That's my job. It's hard, but I like it." Her name is Ann. She goes to work by bus every day. She works in a building. It opens at 8. a.m and closes at6.p.m.. There is a lot of good food, nice drinks and other things when she works. Children like to go there. She meets a lot of people every day. She often says, "Can I help you?" when she meets people. She says, "My work is not easy. I must stand all day and be friendly to everyone. He is Jim's father. He usually leaves home very early. He doesn't work in a factory. He goes to work on foot or by bike. It is far from his home. He usually works in the day and has his lunch outside in the sun. His work is very hard. What does this passage talk about? Answer: "People are ruder today because they are rushed and more 'time poor' than ever before," says Patsy Rowe, " _ " Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder more people don't wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with a complaint about the noise. Here are some examples of rudeness. Some people prefer to do almost everything over the internet. To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward. It feels very slow because humans don't work at 4G speeds. When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone. We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life-changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with. What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous rude messages by email. However, rudeness is never acceptable. Don't assume it is OK to be rude if the person you're in touch with won't recognize you. If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it. Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and annoying. We shouldn't blame technology for our shortcomings. Technology is here to help us, but we should not allow it to take over our lives. An important step is admitting our shortcomings. People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we'd publicly recognize good manners when we see them. Some people are less willing to deal with humans because _ . Answer: The size of a persons head is Answer: If you are heading for Paris this year, be sure to include at least one of these shopping malls in your schedule. Au Printemps Tel: 01133014282 Located near the Paris Opera, this huge store is well-known for household goods as well as its fashion. The store also offers many services to overseas visitors, including shipping, translation and a personal shopping service. Au Printemps, whose name means springtime, hosts several free fashion shows each week. The store's beauty department has one of the world's largest selections of perfumes . Galeries Lafayette Tel: 01133014283 The Galeries Lafayette was built in 1906. It is as much fun to look at as it is to shop in this 10-storey shopping palace. In fact, the flagship store is the second most visited attraction in Paris, after the Louvre Museum. This shopping palace specializes in women's clothing. Make sure to take in the view from the tea shop on the top floor; it's well worth the visit. Le Bon Marche Tel: 01133014439 This stylish Left Bank department store was Paris' first such store. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, Le Bon Marche is particularly known for its food hall, its wedding shops and its selection of modern clothes. La Forum des Halles Tel: 01133014476 This modern, underground shopping center was built in 1979. La Forum des Halles, the three-storey-tall shopping center offers everything from souvenirs to haute couture to entertainment, such as first-run movies and street performers. The shopping center is attached to the busy La Halle-Chatelet metro station and can be easily reached from all over Paris. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer:
For years I fought with the bird's nest that sat on top of my head-my Medusa hair.No matter what I did and how hard I tried, in no way could I make my unruly hair to my satisfaction. Growing up in a Russian-Jewish home with parents who thought North American styling products were something illegal such as drugs, I was never allowed to put them in my hair. "Why buy hair gel? Your hair is so beautiful naturally." my mother would say.The teens at school did not agree.From boys' not wanting to kiss me when we played spin the bottle in Grade 7 to being called the mop, I suffered from my hair. When I got to university, I believed my hair was a wall that stood between me and everything---finding a part-time job, getting a boyfriend, etc. If only I could find a way to manage the curls and put it behind bars, I told myself, I would feel secure and sexy.I tried everything: rollers, hairspray, gels and, at one point, an iron.Then, in my second year, a miracle happened.I was asked to be a hair model for Japanese hair straightening, a process by which the molecules of my curls would be broken and reset in a bone-straight position.I was the perfect candidate, the hairdresser told me.Although they said how hair relaxing could damage the scalp , for the next five years I didn't find them to be true. All of the hairdresser's promises were fulfilled: With my hair straight and smooth, I was no longer the " mop". However, there was extreme damage done to my wallet. To keep up the straightening cost $ 700 every six months, and that was considered cheap. While some people thought I was crazy, I was willing to do anything to never again feel like that anxious, curly-headed girl in Grade 7.But when I moved out of my parents' house at age 26 and rented an apartment, the upkeep of my new image became too costly. I couldn't hide from my inner Medusa any longer.It was time to hug her and let her fly.Seeking a choice, I turned to the Internet, Google.After hours of searching, I hit upon a "curly haired" salon, a place designed for girls like me. I doubted these so-called "Curl Ambassadors" could do anything without using machine of some sort, and though I bought the service called the "Curly-Doo", I suspected I'd have the same unruly mop at the end of the appointment. I dragged my feet so hard getting there that I arrived 45 minutes late.I secretly hoped they would turn me away.Instead, my stylist simply said: "You are very late.Let me see your hair". At that moment, my world and beliefs about myself were turned upside down along with my hair. As my head was in a basin full of freezing-cold water, then covered with a jelly-like jam, I wondered what I had got myself into. "Do you really think this will work?" I asked the stylist, Jones." My curls are a disaster." "No curly hair is hopeless," she replied."They just haven't found a way to work with it, that's all." After the hour was over, Jones had completed her work.She had styled my hair using only her hands, water and a mixture of organic jam.I couldn't believe what I was seeing in the mirror: a naturally curly, Medusa-free me.You could argue that hair is just hair. Yet, it is just such physical features that have such a large influence on how we view ourselves. According to Jones,75 percent of the population have a wave or curl in their hair and don't know what to do with it.Men cut theirs short.Women flat-iron theirs to death.When I read through a beauty magazine or take the subway to work, it makes me sad to see so many people repressing their natural beauty. Since then, my world has changed.I have always been outgoing, but these days I seem to be more outspoken and confident than ever.On top of that, friends and co-workers tell me I am looking better than ever, but they don't know the source of the change. I don't need to tell them. My Medusa hair speaks for herself. What can we learn about the writer's hair in the first place? It happened in one of those color1ful Danish inns which offer service specially for tourists and where English is spoken. I was with my father on a business-and-pleasure trip, and in our leisure hours we were having a wonderful time. "I wish Mother were here, " I said. "If your mother had come with us, " said Father, "it would have been wonderful to show her around." He had visited Denmark when he was a young man. I asked him, "How long is it since you were here?" "Oh, about thirty years. I remember being in this very inn, by the way." He looked around, remembering. "Those were pleasant and enjoyable days..." He stopped suddenly, and I saw that his face was pale. I followed his eyes and looked across the room to a woman who was setting drinks before some customers. She might have been pretty once but now she was fat and her hair was untidy. "Do you know her?" I asked. "I did once," he said. The woman came to our table. "Drinks?" she asked. "We'll have beer," I said. She nodded and went away. "I couldn't believe it! How she has changed! Thank heaven she didn't recognize me," father said in a low voice, mopping his face with a handkerchief. "I knew her before I met your mother," he went on. "I was a student, on a tour. She was a lovely young girl, very graceful. I fell madly in love with her, and she with me." "Does Mother know about her?" I said suddenly, without thinking. "Of course," Father said gently. He looked at me a little anxiously. I felt embarrassed for him. I said, "Dad, you don't have to..." "Your mother would tell you if she were here. I don't want you wondering about this. I was a foreigner to her family. I was dependent on my father. If she had married me, she wouldn't have had any prospects . So her father objected to our romance. When I wrote to my father that I wanted to get married he cut off my allowance . And I had to go home. But I met the girl once more, and told her I would return to America, borrow enough money to get married and come back for her in a few months." "We know," he continued, "that her father might stop and seize our letter, so we agreed that I would simply mail her a slip of paper with a date on it, the time she was to meet me at a certain place; then we'd get married. Well, I went home, got the loan and sent her the date. She received the note. She wrote me: 'I'll be there.' But she wasn't. Then I found that she had been married about two weeks before, to a local innkeeper. She hadn't waited." Then my father said, "Thank God she didn't. I went home, met your mother, and we've been completely happy. We often joke about that youthful love romance. I suggest that one day you write a story about it." The woman appeared with our beer. "You are from America? "she asked me. "Yes," I said. She smiled happily, "A wonderful country, America." "Yes, a lot of your countrymen have gone there. Did you ever think of it?" "Not me. Not now," she said. "I thought so one time, a long time ago. But I stayed here. It's much better here." We drank our beer and left. Outside I said, "Father, just how did you write that date on which she was to meet you." He stopped, took out an envelope and wrote on it. "Like this," he said. "12/11/13, which was, of course, December 11, 1913." "No!" I _ . "It isn't in Denmark or any European country. Over here they write the day first, then the month. So that date wouldn't be December 11 but the 12thof November!" Father passed his hand over his face. "So she was there!" he sighed, "and it was because I didn't show up that she got married." He was silent a while. "Well," he said, "I hope she's happy. She seems to be." As we continued walking I said, "It's a lucky thing it happened that way. You wouldn't have met Mother." He put his arm around my shoulders, looked at me with a heartwarming smile, and said, "I was doubly lucky, young fellow, for otherwise I wouldn't have met you, either!" Which of the following can best complete the son's words "Dad, you don't have to..."? Chemicals used for industrial processes often create dangerous forms of waste. The amount of these chemicals has risen heavily in the past few years, as more areas of the world industrialize and new products are produced. Over 80,000 different chemicals are used in industries world wide. Around the world hundreds of millions of tons of harmful waste are produced each year. Often, it is difficult and expensive to get rid of these chemicals or to store them in a way that does not endanger human life and the environment. Every year, major health problems result from harmful waste. Sadly, it is often when someone has died or, become seriously ill that governments will take action and reduce levels of dumped harmful waste. In 1989, a school inprefix = st1 /New Jerseyhad to be closed because students there had suffered too much exposure to chromium. It was later learned that large amounts of chromium had been dumped nearby and blown over to the school area. Research has been done to provide information on the effects of every chemical. Because waste chemicals often mix together, it will also be necessary to learn how the combinations of these chemicals affect human health. Some governments have realized how serous the problem is and are making laws to get rid of harmful waste. They are also trying to limit the amount of waste industries are allowed to produce. Not only governments but the public as well must form part of the solution. They can choose not to buy those products which require the production of harmful waste, attempt to affect policymakers, and produce less harmful waste themselves. Many scientists think that waste production can be cut. The waste can be reduced by at least one-third using existing technologies and methods. Which of the following least matches the solution the writer refers to? According to a new US study, couples who expect their children to help care for them in old age should hope they have daughters because they are likely to be twice as attentive overall. The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, a sociologist at Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members. Her analysis of the family networks of 26,000 older Americans concluded that gender is the most important predictor of whether or not people will actively care for elderly parents. In a paper being presented at the annual conference of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, she concludes that simply having a sister makes men statistically likely provide less care. Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade, she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours. "Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face, such as employment or childcare, sons'caregiving is associated only with the presence or absence of other helpers, such as sisters or a parent's spouse ," she explained. "Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother." "This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters." In the UK, the 2011 census showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities - a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade. But many are doing so at the risk of their own health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full- time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts who are not carers. The US study finds that _ . Sales of electric bicycles, or e-bikes, a hot item in consumer green tech, are expected to grow by more than 50% in North America during 2013. Actor William Shatner, who is no stranger to futuristic tech, recently purchased two e-bikes for him and his wife. I've been shopping for an e-bike now for a few weeks, and I've had my eye on the folding electric bike. I've had folding bikes in the past and love the convenience of being able to throw my bike into my car. The e -bike market is ready to go mainstream in the U.S. The price for e-bikes has come down greatly in recent months. At one time, most e-bikes with good components and proper weight were in the $3,000range. Now you can find reasonable quality e-bikes in the $1,000range. With gas prices at all-time highs, e-bikes are an attractive, low-cost option to gas efficient vehicles. E-bike owners are finding that they are great for commuting to work, as traditional bikes can be a problem with office dress and sweat. People who use e-bikes range from commuters to casual cyclers who like a little help with hills and wind,to those who decided to save money on buying a motor bike.These are not for the serious road cycler or professional mountain biker. If you're considering all e--bike, it pays to do some research first.Cheaper e-bikes are going to be heavier and have less battery--power.Higher priced bikes will be made from lighter materials and have better batteries. Another consideration is local motor vehicle laws.For example,according to US federal law,as long as your electric bike is under 750 watts and does not go over 20 MPH then it is a bicycle and not a motor vehicle.Most consumer e--bikes in the $1,000 range don't fit the motorized vehicle description. What is the best title for this passage?
What is the rainy season in north america? Answer: Which part of an atom occupies the majority of the volume? Answer: This is my room. What's this? It's a blue pen. What's that? It's a ruler. And it is blue, too. What's this in English? It's a quilt. It's red. It's my quilt. And this is my jacket. What color is it? It's black and white. What's that on the wall? It's a map. ,. The _ is on the wall. Answer: I study in the No.5 Middle school. It is a big and nice school. In the school there are more than one hundred teachers and about 2000 students. They all walk very hard. I am in Class 8,Grade One. There are 35 girls and 36 boys in my class. Our classroom is very big and bright. There are four windows in the wall of the classroom. They are very big. On the back wall there is a map of China. On the front wall there is a map of China. In the front of the blackboard there is a big desk. It's for our teachers. In the classroom there are seventy-one desks and chairs. All the desks and chairs in it are new. We go to school at seven in the morning. Classes begin at half past seven. We have eight lessons a day. We study Chinese, English ,maths and other lessons. All of us like English very much. Some are very good at it. In the afternoon we have sports. At six o'clock we go home. In the evening we often do our homework. Sometimes we watch TV. The English teacher must be a very _ teacher from the passage. Answer: Compared to an area with farmland, an area with housing developments has more Answer:
This is a story from 28 years ago. My dad was a used car salesman. Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA for an auction . Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it at the auction. One day I was riding with my dad when he noticed a hitch-hiker with a backpack. Without hesitation, he pulled the car over and offered him a ride. Dad asked him his name, and proceeded to talk to him about all sorts of things. Dad asked him where he was going. The hitch-hiker told him that he was heading for the west. I can't recall why but he told Dad a lot of things that had occurred to him and that persuaded him to make _ . He talked about the tragic events that occurred to him several years before. He was low in spirits, but t could see that the hitch-hiker's attitude was changing as someone was really listening to him. We drove 45 minutes before the hitch-hiker got off. We pulled over and Dad told him to keep his head up and things would start looking up for him soon. He reached into his pocket and handed the hitch-hiker a twenty-dollar bill. The guy smiled. He nearly lit up right there on the cold, dark highway. We drove on and my dad did not say a single thing. I was still completely amazed by what I had just witnessed. I was always told by everyone never to pick up a hitch-hiker and yet my dad did it every single time he saw one. While reflecting upon that story I came to understand that just one single kind act could change someone's life, and I am sure that my father's deed made that poor man's day. Which of the following words CANNOT be used to describe the father? A Willing to help. B Easy-going. C Far-sighted. D Full of sympathy. Answer: C. Far-sighted. Miss Williams is a teacher, and there are thirty children in her class. They are nice children, and Miss Williams like them all, but they often lose some of the clothes. It's winter, and the weather is very cold. The children's mothers always take them to school with warm coats and hats and gloves . The children come into the classroom in the morning and take off their coats and hats and gloves, and put the gloves in the pockets of their coats. Last Tuesday, Miss Williams found two small blue gloves on the floor in the evening, and the next morning, she asked the children, "Whose gloves are these?" But no one answered. "Haven't you got blue gloves, Dick?" she asked him. "Yes, Miss Williams," he answered, "but those can't be mine. I've lost already." Miss Williams found the gloves _ . A in the chair B on the floor C on the road D on the desk Answer: B. on the floor One day an Australian farmer,Joe,saw a bright light in the sky.The light came nearer and nearer and suddenly Joe saw that it was a spaceship landed in a field nearby. The door of the spaceship opened and two strange beings climbed out.They seemed to be half man and half bird.Joe was afraid of them.He tried to run away.But the spacemen walked towards him,picked him up and carried him into the spaceship. They asked him questions about Each."We're from Venus ,"they said,"but it is getting very hot there.A lot of our people are dying and we haven't much time left.We ale trying to find a new home." After some time they freed Joe and at last the spaceship took off and could not be seen. Joe told his friends about the spacemen,but no one believed his story. "You will believe me one day".Joe told them."The spacemen will come back..." People didn't believe Joe because _ . A he told a lie B it hadn't been seen before C they didn't welcome the strange beings D they wanted to see the strange beings very much Answer: B. it hadn't been seen before What better way to welcome spring than by helping to clean up the town we all live in! Here in Rockland we have a Spring Cleanup Day every year in April. The Cleanup Day 2014 will be April 20th. It will start with a town cleanup at 8 o'clock in the morning, and a tree planting activity at the Rockland Park is to follow in the afternoon. One thousand young trees are sure to make the park greener and prettier. We will divide the people coming to help into eight teams for eight different areas. As usual, we will provide gloves, rubbish bags and other cleaning tools. You will also get free lunches and Tshirts when the cleanup ends at noon. We are going to have a friendly competition to see which team can pick up the most rubbish. Bring your kids with you. It is a great chance to teach them to care for the environment around us. We have free drinks and chocolate candies for the children at the park. Meeting: At the gate of Rockland Park, the town hall at 330 Jones Street, or the corner of Palace Street and North Street. Signup : Call 5862397 on weekdays, or visit our website below any time you like. www.springcleanup.com From the poster, the activities are a chance to teach the kids to _ . A protect the environment B get free drinks and candies C pick up the most rubbish D do cleaning and plant trees Answer: A. protect the environment My interest in Chinese food started many years ago, when I had my first job. I was a young reporter for the Daily Journal in San Francisco. Our office wasn't far from Chinatown. I usually managed to arrange my time so that I could go there at least two or three times a week for a good meal. The first time I ever ate Chinese food I loved it. And since then, it just tastes better and better to me. The first thing I noticed was the fresh tastes of the meat and vegetable. When I learned more about the food, I began to understand why it has this special feature. About 5000 years ago, China lost much of its wood because of over population and poor management of its forest. This loss was very bad for the country, of course, but it turned out to be very good for the food. Wood became very expensive and hard to get, so the Chinese had to learn how to use it better. In order to use less wood in cooking, they started to cut their meat and vegetables into small pieces before they put them in the hot oil. That way, the food cooked faster and they saved their _ . The food prepared in this manner kept its fresh flavor --and it's this flavor that attracts people to the art of Chinese cooking. I often wonder if the Chinese appreciated their solution to that ancient energy problem as much as I do now -whenever I eat Chinese food. This passage is mainly about _ . A why Chinese food tastes fresh B what Chinese food tastes like C how Chinese food is cooked D what makes Chinese food special Answer: A. why Chinese food tastes fresh
Sunlight can Answer: During a career planning class, Brenda Fabian asked how many students use Facebook, a popular online networking community for college students. Almost everyone in the room raised a hand."Then I asked how many knew that employers are reviewing Facebook for hiring purposes,"says Fabian,director for Center for Career Services at Susquehanna University."No hands were raised, and their faces revealed the students' surprise." Although some parents do keep track of their teen's online activities,most teenagers don't realize that websites may be monitored by schools,prospective employers or anyone else who might be interested in the teenager's lifestyle not just today but anytime in the future. Most of us don't realize that the information that gets posted on the Internet may be deleted,but it doesn't disappear permanently."The stuff is there forever,"says Jamie Riehle,director of Web Publishing at Lycos."It is backed up on servers and doesn't go away." As company recruiters,college admission officers,law enforcement personnel and parents become more Web savvy ,it becomes even more vital for teenagers to be cautious when posting any information on their websites. Even though sites that are private can be seen only by a preselected list of friends,there are companies that,for a fee,can dig deeper into cyberspace and find anything. Even government officials who thought that deleting email would exonerate(......) them from wrongdoing are discovering that,on the Web,there is no such thing as private or gone forever. Steven Rothenberg,president and founder of College-Recruiter.com,suggests that teenagers think of their Web posts as tattoos . "Inherently ,there is nothing wrong with them if they are private,"he says."But if they are visible or offensive, it can affect the way others see you." Steven Rothenberg believes that _ . Answer: At school many things happen to us. We may feel excited when we have success in a school play. We may feel sorry if we lose an important game. We want to keep the memory for the rest of our lives. How to keep the memory? Our English teacher, Miss Wang, has taught us a good way of remembering things to make our own yearbook. What is a yearbook? A yearbook is a kind of book which is used to keep the memory of exciting moments. It's usually made at the end of the year. Last December, we began to make our yearbook. First we chose the persons who had done something special, then some students interviewed them, some wrote down their stories, others took photos of them. Everyone in our class had something to do. Finally our teacher helped us to put the things together. We had our first yearbook. All of us put a lot of love into making the yearbook. It is so wonderful that not only the students but also our parents and teachers will remember the special time for ever. Miss Wang's good way of remembering things is to _ . Answer: Just because you are in a wheelchair doesn't mean you can't enjoy the competitiveness --the all-around fun --that playing sports offers you. More and more wheelchair users are playing sports every day --some even on a professional level. The following are just a few examples of the different choices you have. Wheelchair basketball is a very common wheelchair sport. It was started over forty years ago as part of a medical recovery program. Over the years it has grown rapidly. Today wheelchair basketball is a professional sport that has more than 180 teams across the United States. In order to play wheelchair basketball, it is essential to have a lightweight wheelchair. Several different kinds of sports wheelchairs are on the market today just for sports fans. Another wheelchair sport, quad rugby , was specifically designed for people who can't move their arms or legs and are unable to play wheelchair basketball. It is a mixture of wheelchair basketball and ice hockey. To play the game you must have two teams of four players each. Power soccer is another fun wheelchair sport that can be very fun and exciting. Players in power soccer must have an electric wheelchair. Two teams have two 30-minute halves to push the soccer ball over the other team's goal line. The first team to reach the other team's goal line most frequently wins. Based on the sport you choose to take part in, there are several things you can buy for your wheelchair, including belts, gloves, bags for carrying things, drink holders and special back supports. In the beginning, wheelchair basketball was started for the purpose of _ . Answer: Telephone: 2706030 Address: 9020 Bridgeport road Open: Mon. to Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. NEW YORK MUSEUM Telephone: 7364431 Address: Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. New York, America's largest museum specializing in American history and part of our native people Open: Mon. to Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday free) Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. LANSDOWNE PARK SHOPPING CENTER Telephone: 3562367 Address: 5300 No. 3 Road Open: Mon. Tues. and Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wed. Thurs. and Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. SKYLINE HOTEL Telephone: 2785161 Address: 3031 No. 3 Road (at Sea Island Way) Hangar Den: Wed. to Sun. Lunch from 10:30 a.m. Coffee Shop: Mon. - Fri. 6:00 a.m., Sat. 6:30 a.m. and Sun. 7:00 a.m.; Mon. - Wed. to 10:00 p.m., Thurs. - Sun. to 11:00 p.m. Suppose you want to enjoy yourself on Sunday mornings, you can go to _ . Answer:
Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt that Napoleon was a major influence. The French had used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition. The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand rivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic traveled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift to the right. A driver would sit on the rear left horse in order to wave his whip with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they traveled on the right. One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (one reason, stated in 1908; the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially... if there is a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world's few remaining holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left as well -- thought many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? A Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right. B People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays. C The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970. D All the Asian nations use the left at present. Answer: C. The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970. How long you live has a lot to do with your environment and lifestyle, but exceptional long life may have even more to do with your genes. For the first time, researchers have discovered a genetic recipe that accurately predicts who may live to 100 and beyond. Analysis shows that 90% of the participants who lived to 100 had at least one of the signature genetic clusters . Dr. Thomas Perls at the Boston University School of Medicine said, "We realize this is a complex genetic puzzle. There is a long way for us to go to understand how the integration of these genes--not just with themselves but with environmental factors--is playing a role in this long life puzzle." Perls has studied many factors that contribute to long life, and he is the first to acknowledge that living longer isn't likely to be simply a matter of genes. His previous work has shown, for example, that among most elderly people who live into their 70s and 80s, about 70% can owe their long life to environmental factors such as not smoking; eating a healthy, low-fat, low-calorie diet; and remaining socially engaged and mentally active throughout life. It seems clear that those who live extremely long are benefiting from a special DNA. In fact, Perls believes that the older a person gets, the more likely it is that his or her genes are contributing to those extended years. Perls may most likely agree that _ . A most people living extremely long benefit from not smoking B living longer just depends on certain genetic recipes C environmental factors play an important role in long-living D being mentally active has nothing to do with living an old age Answer: C. environmental factors play an important role in long-living Hello! I am Oliver Smith. I am from UK. I can speak English well but my Chinese is not good. I like doing sports after school. My favorite sports are running, basketball and swimming. I like to be a sports star when I grow up. I have good eating habits. I don't eat ice-cream, hamburgers or cola because I know they are not healthy. I also don't like to be fat, so I like eating vegetables and fruit. I have a good friend. His name is Chen Lin. He is not good at sports, but he's good at art. He sings well and draws well. He drew a nice picture for me on my birthday. I was excited. We sometimes play games together after school. We always have much fun. If you like us, join us! We can be friends and have a great time together! Oliver is _ and can speak English very well. A Chinese. B American. C English. D Japanese. Answer: C. English. A group of old classmates, who have succeeded in their work, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaining about the stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and many cups-china , plastic and glass, some plain looking, some expensive and some lovely. The professor told them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "Can you notice all the nice looking expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones? While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress." "What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups." "Now think about this: life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and do not change the quality of life. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cups, we fail to enjoy the coffee. So don't let the cups drive you, enjoy the coffee instead." What can we learn from the old professor's words? A We should use the plain and cheap cups to drink coffee. B We should concentrate on the appearance of cups. C We should concentrate on life itself but not other unimportant things D We should learn how to work out problems in our work and life. Answer: C. We should concentrate on life itself but not other unimportant things A bag is useful and the word "bag" is useful, too. Here is an interesting phrase , "to let the cat out of the bag". In meaning it is the same as "to tell the secret ". And there is an old interesting story about _ . Long ago, when farmers wanted to sell chickens at the market, they would usually just throw the chickens in cloth bags. But cats were cheaper than chickens at that time, so many farmers would put cats into the cloth bags but not chickens. One day, a woman asked a man for a chicken. The man gave her a cloth bag in which there was a cat. _ When the man opened the cloth bag, a big black cat ran out. Not a chicken! The man's secret was out and everyone knew it. Now when we say someone gives away a secret, we say "he lets the cat out of the bag". And that is the story where the interesting phrase came from. The farmers put cats but not chickens in the bags to _ when they sold chickens. A tell the secret B sell the cats C get more money D keep the cats quiet Answer: C. get more money
Which is the best explanation why the remains of a small reptile living millions of years ago have been found only in Brazil and South Africa? Jack gets to the bus station very early. The bus for Beijing is leaving at twelve. He sees many people at the station. Some are waiting in line, and others are walking around. Jack looks around but there is no room for him to sit in. He walks into a restaurant. He looks up at the clock there. It's only 11:30. Then he finds a seat and sits down. At that time, Tom, one of his friends, comes in and sits in front of him. They talk and drink. After a while, Jack looks up at the clock again. "Oh, my God. It's still 11:30. The clock doesn't work at all." Jack becomes very sad because he misses the bus. Tom is _ . Beach owned a tract of land called Blackacre. An old road ran through Blackacre from the abutting public highway. The road had been used to haul wood from Blackacre. Without Beach's permission and with no initial right, Daniel, the owner of Whiteacre, which adjoined Blackacre, traveled over the old road for a period of 15 years to obtain access to Whiteacre, although Whiteacre abutted another public road. Occasionally, Daniel made repairs to the old road. The period of time to acquire rights by prescription in the jurisdiction is ten years. After the expiration of 15 years, Beach conveyed a portion of Blackacre to Carrol. The deed included the following clause: "together with the right to pass and repass at all times and for all purposes over the old road." Carrol built a house fronting on the old road. The road was severely damaged by a spring flood, and Carrol made substantial repairs to the road. Carrol asked Daniel and Beach to contribute one-third each to the cost of repairing the flood damage. They both refused, and Carrol brought an appropriate action to compel contribution from Beach and Daniel. In this action, Carrol will Family relationship, love and friendship are the three most important emotions in the world. Family relationship is the inborn connection, which you can't avoid or choose at will. Love, for a student, is not always within our reach and as for friendship, personally, it's most important. Nowadays, it is common to see friendship in colleges or middle schools. What is difficult is how to deal with personal contacts between different sexes. The key is to know how to tell love from friendship. The term, friend, covers a much wider range of meanings. It can be a nodding acquaintance, a comrade, a confident , a partner, a playmate, a brother, etc. Everyone needs friendship. No one can sail the ocean of life single handed. We need help from, and also give help to, others. In the modern age, people attach more importance to relations and connections. Without stars, the night sky won't be so beautiful; without friendship, our life won't be meaningful. With friendship, life is happy and harmonious. So, friendship may be a quiet walk in the park with the one you trust if possible, while love is the company you are always feeling like keeping. And friendship is when someone gazes into your eyes, you feel only care and calm while love is when someone gazes into your eyes, you will not keep calm. Love is not a word spoken out easily. In a way, love is selfish, while friendship is selfless and extensive. Love is not necessarily to be returned. But friendship needs something in exchange. You can't wish "let there be love in our hearts", for love needs enough time to sow, to water and to take good care of and also needs a rosy, calm, relaxed, emotional and private atmosphere. With such heavy feelings of high pressure and nervousness, do you think the schoolyard the proper field for us middle school students to sow our love? Why is it difficult for the students to deal with personal contacts between different sexes? My teenage son Karl became _ after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six failing grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked. One night I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. "I want to talk to you about Karl's absences." Before he could say another word I choked up and said sadly, "I love my son. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands." For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, "Thank you for your time." and hung up. Karl's next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. He was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting. I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, "Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?" I nodded. "That was me. I thought I'd play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That's when I knew I had to make you proud. According to the first report card, Karl _ .
Question: Sir Edmund Hillary is best known for being the first, along with climbing partner Tenzing Norgay, to reach the top of Mount Everest . However, he also made many visits to Antarctica . In 1957, he led the first trip over ice to the South Pole. Hillary also helped his home country, New Zealand, build a research center on Antarctica, called Scott Base. He visited it in January 2007, when he was 87 years old. In the 1900s, many people like Hillary saw Antarctica as an exciting place. Scientists are interested in how glaciers flow and melt. They also worry that global warming is making glaciers melt faster. It has caused a 75 percent increase in ice loss in the last 10 years, according to a new study. Scientists say ice loss could cause water levels around the world to rise faster than expected. Ice is melting faster than expected because of global warming. Researchers in Antarctica are studying many other subjects too. Some use the cold weather and clear air as a way to study things that affect other parts of the globe. Antarctica has the cleanest air in the world. That allows scientists to compare the air there to the air in polluted places. Antarctica is the darkest place on earth, so it is a great place to study the stars. Some scientists are even studying penguin droppings . They have developed a new test to learn more about penguins' diets. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Edmund Hillary B. Antarctica--Best Place for Scientific Research C. Global Warming D. Studies on Antarctica Answer: D. Studies on Antarctica Question: Among rich countries , people in the United States work the longest hours. They work much longer than in Europe. This difference is quite surprising because productivity per hour worked is the same in the United States as it is in France, Spain and Germany, and it is growing at a similar speed. In most countries and at most times in history, as people have become richer they have chosen to work less. In other words they have decided to "spend"a part of their extra income on a fuller personal life. Over the last fifty years Europeans have continued this pattern, and hours of work have fallen sharply. But not in the United States. We do not fully know why this is. One reason may be more satisfying work,or less satisfying personal lives. Longer hours do of course increase the GDP . So the United States has produced more per worker than, say,France.The United States also has more of its people at work,while in France many more mothers and older workers have decided to stay at home.The overall result is that American GDP per head is 40% higher than in France,even though productivity per hour worked is the same. It is not clear which of the two situations is better.As we have seen, work has to be compared with other values like family life, _ often get lost in interest.It is too early to explain the different trends in happiness over time in different countries. But it is a disappointing idea that in the United States happiness has made no progress since 1975, while it has risen in Europe. Could this have anything to do with trends in the work-life balance ? Which of the following would be the best title for the text? A. Americans and Europeans B. Staying at Home C. Work and Productivity D. Work and Happiness Answer: D. Work and Happiness Question: Lemon juice turns litmus paper red, is corrosive and tastes sour. Lemon juice is classified as A. an acid. B. a base. C. an element. D. More information is needed to classify lemon juice. Answer: A. an acid. Question: A few days ago,I went to school with lots of books,hoping to get a locker .Suddenly,it started raining heavily. I hurried to pay for my locker,but I was disappointed when they informed me they only accepted cash. I was $7.00 short,which meant I had to carry the books back home. It would be an exhausting twohour journey back home with all those books. An elderly gentleman nearby noticed my problem. He asked how much cash I needed. When I told him I was $7 short,he quickly took out the money from his wallet. "You don't have to pay me back,"he said. I was speechless;I didn't know whether to take the money or come back with the books the next day. A young student who was working there noticed my hesitation. "He's really nice," said the student. "I was starving this morning and he bought breakfast for me. He always helps people in different ways." The next day,I went to him and thanked him for trusting me and lending me the money. He said he forgot about it and didn't expect I would give it back. "I'm very happy,"he said,"not because I'm getting my money back,but because this is the right way to go--whatever you get from this world,give it back as much as you possibly can. Spread kindness around the world with the smallest things you can do." Later,I found out he wasn't involved with any charity organizations. He has been performing these types of acts for years. Earlier,someone had done something incredibly kind for him and he has been spreading the kindness ever since. He taught me a very important lesson in life--we come to this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. Whatever we own,it will become somebody else's and whatever we leave,it will become somebody else's. Why had the gentleman been doing acts of kindness? A. He wanted to join the charity organizations. B. He managed a lot of other people's money. C. He had received help from others before. D. He thought money was of little importance. Answer: C. He had received help from others before. Question: Even if you are an experienced backpacker or climber,you need to know what to do if something goes wrong.It is not that Alaska is that much more dangerous than other places.It is no more _ than elsewhere,as long as the proper precautions are taken.So, being prepared is crucial to ensure a safe trip. First of all,make sure you pack everything you will need for your trip.Even if you are traveling by car,pack clothes and gear for backpacking.Because of the bad weather, cars break down frequently. Pack a survival kit full with:a down coat, boots ,mittens, a hat, snow-pants,sleeping bags,candles,a flashlight,and high-energy food. If you are traveling by car , also pack extra belts, a shovel, and a chain. If you are camping or hiking,make sure you know how to avoid bears.If you are lost in the wilderness, there is no doubt you will encounter them. However,there is no need to be nervous.Just take these precautions:make noise as you walk,bears will avoid you;cook your food away from where you sleep,and store your food away from where you sleep,so the bears are not attracted.Both of these should keep the bear away.However,if you do encounter a bear,there are two different schools of thought.One is to make noise and scare the bear away.The other is to stand still and speak softly to get the bear to leave.If you are dealing with a brown bear,you can climb a tree,since it cannot follow.But,black bears can climb.If for some reason the bear attacks,play dead.Try to protect your head and neck,and hopefully the bear will leave its"dead" prey. All the following can most probably protect you EXCEPT that _ . A. you can try to make noise as possible as you can B. you can say something in a soft voice to the bear C. you can try to learn to climb up a tall tree nearby D. you can pretend to be dead when you are in danger Answer: C. you can try to learn to climb up a tall tree nearby
Five years ago, Wang Baoqiang was a nobody to most Chinese people. However, he is now a household film star in China. Wang is the youngest child of a poor family in Hebei province . Dreaming of becoming an actor, he left home at the age of 8 to study kung fu at Shaolin Temple, since kung-fu actors seemed to appear most often on the big screen. At 14, he moved to Beijing for his acting career for the first time, with little money in his pocket. He worked at a construction site for 20 to 25 yuan per day, and spent his free time standing in front of the Beijing Film Studio, eager to be chosen as temporary actors. This was the most difficult time for the boy. His opportunity finally came one day after he went for a role in the movie "Blind Shaft". He was chosen to play a young coal miner. The movie won him three prizes in Thailand, France and Taiwan. But his success didn't make any difference to his life. That year, he went home for the Spring Festival. He gave his family his earnings from the movie, around US$250 and then returned to Beijing with 500 yuan, the same amount he had when he first set foot in the city. His life was as simple as before. Thanks to his natural performance in "Blind Shaft," he was invited by the famous director Feng Xiaogang to act in the film "A World Without Thieves" in 2004, which made him famous immediately. People called him "Shagen," the name of his character in the movie. Wang's latest work, "Soldiers' Sortie" has made him the most popular actor on the Chinese mainland . For the actor, it's a dream coming true. "Dreams come true. I think my life is exactly a course of pursuing dreams. No matter how tough one thing is, I can make it as long as I put great effort into it," he said. What would be the best title for this passage ? A. The Movies about Wang Baoqiang B. Pursuing Dreams C. How to Become Famous D. Overnight Well-known Answer: B A father isn't happy with his only son. He doesn't think his son is clever. One day, the father gives his son a task. He says, here is a coin. Go to buy one thing. That must be something to eat, something to drink, and something to plant. "What can I buy with one coin? It is too hard!" Then a girl finds the boy is not happy and comes up to him. "Can I help you? " The boy tells her that hard task. "I know what you can do, " she says. "Go and buy a watermelon with this coin. " It will give you everything your father wants." The boy thanks the girl and then runs to buy a watermelon. When the father sees the watermelon, he is very happy. "Good Job!" "In fact, that's not my idea. A girl helps me", says the boy. The father then says, " _ is more important than cleverness." ,. The father is _ when he sees the watermelon. A. sad B. happy C. excited D. angry Answer: B A piece of talc is rolled over on a black chalkboard and A. burns the board B. wipes a spill C. makes a streak D. makes a dent Answer: C A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspaper. "Last week, " he said, "my umbrella was stolen from a London church. As it was a present, I spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn't get it back. " "How did you write your advertisement? " asked one of the listeners, a merchant. "Here it is, " said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper. The other man took it and read, "Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella. The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No. 10 Broad Street. " "Now, " said the merchant, "I often advertise, and find that it pays me well. But the way in which an advertisement is expressed is of extreme importance. Let us try for your umbrella again, and if it fails, I'll buy you a new one. " The merchant then took a slip of paper out of his pocket and wrote: "If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the City Church last Sunday evening doesn't wish to get into trouble, he will return the umbrella to No. 10 Broad Street. He is well known. " This appeared in the newspaper, and on the following morning, the man was astonished when he opened the front door. In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors, and his own was among them. Many of them had notes fastened to them saying that they had been taken by mistake, and begging the loser not to say anything about the matter. The story is mainly about _ . A. a useless advertisement B. how to make an effective advertisement C. how the man lost and found his umbrella D. what the merchant did for the umbrella owner Answer: B The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Why is skin considered to be an organ? A. It is made of cells. B. It acts as a barrier. C. It is made of tissues. D. It is part of an organism. Answer: C
Each time I see a balloon , my mind flies back to a memory when I was a six-year-old girl . It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died . I asked my mum if my dad had gone to heaven . " Yes , honey . Of course , " she said . " Can we write him a letter ? " She paused , the longest pause of my short life , and answered , " Yes . " My heart jumped . " Can the mailman go there ? " I asked . " No , but I have an idea . " Mum drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon . I asked her what it was for . " Just wait , honey . You'll see . " Mum told me to write my letter . Eagerly , I got my favorite pen , and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink . I wrote about my day , what I learned at school , how Mum was doing , and even about what happened in a story I had read . For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive . I gave the letter to Mum . She read it over , and a smile crossed her face . She made a hole in the corner of the letter to tie it to the balloon . We went outside and she gave me the balloon . It was still raining . " Okay , on the count of three , let it go . One , two , three . " The balloon , carrying my letter , flew upwards against the rain . We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds . Later I realized , like the balloon , that Dad had never let his sickness get him down . He was strong . No matter what he suffered , he'd keep on , fly up , and finally go beyond this cold world and his sick body . He rose into sky and became something beautiful . I watched until the balloon disappeared into the grey and white and I prayed that his strength was passed on . I prayed to be a balloon . When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father , she _ . A became excited B jumped with joy C started writing immediately D didn't believe her mother Answer: A Ever thought of moving to a new country? How about starting a new country? Patri Friedman is planning to do just that. He left Google years ago to set up the Seasteading Institute. And his dream is to build seasteads-----floating micro-nations in the middle of the ocean. So, what will life on a seastead be like? Probably a bit like life on a cruise liner , but much larger, with shops, gyms, swimming pools, schools and other areas. In fact, the early seasteads may actually be specially-rebuilt cruise liners. But as science advances, Friedman believes they'll become more like floating cities, with several hundred people. Seasteading raises a lot of questions. First of all, how will the new countries make money? The Seasteading Institute has suggested several money-making ideas, including ocean-based theme parks, casinos and fish farming. There's also the questions of safety. With storms, typhoons and pirates , the high seas are a dangerous place. However, the Institute says that it can stand bad weather and prevent crimes with its well-designed systems. So, is this just a day dream? Well, maybe not. One of the people behind the project is Peter Thiel. He founded PayPal and was one of the first investors in Facebook. So far, he's donated $ 500,000 to the project. And Friedman isn't wasting any time. He recently announced the creation of the Poseidon Award. This will be given to the first seastead with fifty people. Friedman is hoping to hand out the award in 2015. What can we infer from the passage? A Friedman is planning to move to a new country. B Friedman is worried about the safety of seasteads. C Friedman has got some supporters for his project. D Friedman has already won the Poseidon Award. Answer: C Born as the only child in the family, I am the "king" of the family. My parents are both businessmen and they come home every two weeks. Because they don't spend much time with me, they always feel guilty* and will buy me many expensive things and let me do whatever I want. My grandparents never let me do any chores because they want me to do my schoolwork. I used to take everything for granted. I never said "thank you" to people. As time went by, I found that my classmates didn't like me and my best friends left me. one day, I asked Leo, who used to be one of my best friends. He said that I was selfish, rude and bad-tempered. "No one wants to make friends with a person who always receives but never gives anything!" he said. I was shocked at his words. "Oh, no! Please don't leave me. I need friends! I will be lonely and unhappy without friends!" I locked myself up in the room and cried. "I want my friends back. But how?" Then I noticed that all the popular kids in the class friendly to others. They always smile and say "thank you" to others. They do whatever they can to help when others are in trouble. Other kids like them and always play with them. "I need to change! I will get my friends back," I said to myself. From then on, I started to change myself. I learned to say "thank you" to others. I smiled and volunteered to help other kids. I tried to be as nice as I could. , I found that other kids liked to talk with me and they would ask me to play with them and even told me their secrets. My friends came back to me again. Now I have more friends than I used to do and I am happier than I used to be. What did the boy do to change himself? A He learned to say "thank you". B He always smiled at others. C He helped others as much as he could. D All of the above. Answer: D Nine out of 10 people have run up unsecured debt and many fear they will never be able to pay back what they owe, a survey has claimed. Around 89% of people aged between l\|8 and 35 said they owed money on a credit card, loan or overdraft, the research showed. A third of people admitted they did not think- they would ever be debt-free, 54% of whom said they would always need to borrow money in order to fund the lifestyle they wanted. One in five of these people also claimed they were not worried about the possibility of their debts being passed on to their next of kin if they died before they were repaid. Just over half who owed money said they did not feel in control of their debt, with 8% admitting they had needed to ask for help with repayments from a friend or family member.Eight out of 10 people also told the research for discount website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk that they thought it was too easy to borrow money through their bank or on credit cards. Farhad Farhadi, MyVoucherCodes.co.uk's personal finance expert, said: "The majority of British adults owe money m some way, shape or form, but to see that almost a third think they'll never be free c ^ from debt is quite alarming. "When borrowing money from any source, how you are going to repay it should always be in the back of your mind. "A lot of people don't-really think about 'die consequences of borrowing money and it can be easy to get complacent, but keeping it all under control should be a priority _ .Only borrow what you really think you can afford to pay back." What does Farhad mean by saying "the majority of British adults owe money in some way, shape or form"? A It is natural to owe money m Britain so there in no need to worry. B It is natural to owe money in Britain as long as you are in control. C It does not matter to owe money in Britain if you are rich enough. D It seems that the British enjoy owing money in some way. Answer: B The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day. I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood. In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe. American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It's certain that many things from America are as much a part of people's lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I've known about Coca Cola for my whole life. However, it's different with Western fast food. For example, I don't think McDonald's is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home. On the other hand, maybe McDonald's hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It's true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald's, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it's obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day. What plays an important part in the spreading of American culture in Spain? A American novels. B Hollywood movies. C McDonald's. D American music. Answer: B
Sir Emest Shackleton was not only a great explorer, but also an intelligent man. He once found himself and two of his men at the top of an icy mountain ridge . They had no way to get down to its side. Their destination had been the tiny Whaling Station of strummers, near the South Pole. Shackleton knew if they didn't get down from the ridge, no one would ever hear from them again. Shackleton knew there was only one thing to do. He explained that they would all have to slide down. He instructed the two men to wind their ropes into a coil .Then each of the men sat down on a coiled and slid down the icy slope into the darkness. When they found themselves at the bottom, unhurt, Shackleton said, "You know, we shouldn't do that kind of thing too often." The laughter broke the tension all the men were feeling. They arrived later than expected, but safely at the Whaling Station. They had _ way to get down the ridge. A many B two C only one D no Answer: D. no Look, this is a photo of Mr. White's family. The man in the photo is Mr. White, the father. The woman is the mother. They have two daughters. The girl behind Mr. White is Mary. She's 14. The girl behind Mrs. White is Jane. She is 11. Mary and Jane are in the same school, but not the same grade. Mary is in Grade2. Jane is in Grade 1. They are good students. Mr. and Mrs. White have _ . A one son and one daughter B two sons C two daughters D one son Answer: C. two daughters There is a very special wolf that lives in Africa. They are actually called, the African wild dog, of painted dogs. These animals live in open woodlands, or in the plains of Africa. Today, however, most of the animals can be found in eastern or southern Africa. These animals are beautiful. They have rounded ears instead of pointed like most dogs, and they have four toes on each of their four feet, also a unique characteristic because other dogs have five. Their fine fur is always different from each other. The fur is usually a combination of black, brown, red, and white, and sometimes even yellow. No wonder they're called the painted wolf. The African wild dog is a very social animal. They live in groups and have numbers from five to about twenty. The members of a group are always very close to one another. They communicate in their own language or body language. When someone is very old or sick, the others will help, and they are willing to share the food with the elders and with those who are weak, which is what we should learn from. The family does everything together, from raising young, to sleeping together, to hunting. When they hunt, they will work together suing team work to kill animals that are larger than them. They sometimes hunt farm animals. This is unfortunate, because both poachers , and people who own farms shoot the painted dogs who are just trying to survive. Before, there used to be many large groups throughout the land, but now the African wild god is very rare. They are also losing their population because of their own loss of habitat thanks to human's farming and forest cutting. From the text we learn that the African wild dog _ . A lives in the north of Africa B has sixteen toes altogether C has pointed ears like most dogs D lives in forests in groups Answer: B. has sixteen toes altogether Every day at noon, when it was time for recess, Mrs. Snooter would honk a loud horn. This was the signal that told her third grade class to go outside and start playtime. The students in Mrs. Snooter's class always tried to get to the front of the line in order to make sure they were the first outside. As soon as the doors opened, the whole class would race to the seesaw at the back of the playground. However, it was not an easy race. There were many things between the door and the seesaw that needed to be passed, and Mrs. Snooter's third grade class enjoyed the excitement that they added to the race. First, the students had to pass the kindergartener's sandbox. This may sound simple, but the kindergarteners would often trap students by digging large holes in the sandbox. If students jumped over the holes, they might have sand thrown in their eyes. If a student could pass the sandbox test, the next problem was the jungle gym. The fifth grade class came to recess before Mrs. Snooter's class and would hang out on top of the jungle gym. They thought they were cool because they were the oldest kids in the whole school, and would not let any other classes come near the jungle gym. It was difficult, but some students in Mrs. Snooter's class would make it past. Finally, there was a long run to the seesaw. Only a few students would still be racing at this point, and they would run as fast as they could. Every day, there was one boy who would push himself a little harder than the other students. Most of the time, he was the winner of the race, and would play on the seesaw with his friends. What grade did Mrs. Snooter teach? A kindergarten B fifth grade C third grade D second grade Answer: C. third grade If God could sing, his name must be Declan Galbraith. The boy was born on December 19, 1991 in the UK. He is an English singer of Scottish and Irish origin. His grandfather, who was in a band and played several instruments, often took Declan to concerts he was participating in. The mix of Scottish and Irish musical traditions inspired Declan and became his early musical influence. k%s5$u Declan's talent was publicly acknowledged for the first time when, at just 7 years old, he insisted on singing at the annual Rochester Dickens Festival, a two-day event where people were invited to dress up in Victorian costumes to celebrate the life and times of the famous novelist Charles Dickens and his links with town. Little Declan, dressed up as a chimney sweep, started singing. Soon after this, he started to enter local talent contests and within a year he had won 15 titles and more than PS1000. His first self-titled album, Declan, with Irish traditional songs and some specially written materials became a big success and charted in the UK and Ireland. Within the year of release , it had 200 000 copies in Germany. Although Declan is a British citizen and singer, Declan is better-known abroad, especially in China where his songs were chosen as part of the Chinese education curriculum for children learning English. In May 2008, Declan undertook a successful tour in China, and the cities included were Beijing and Shenzhen. What greatly affected Declan Galbraith in his early singing career? A His great success in Irish traditional songs. B His grandfather's band. C Musical traditions of Scotland and Ireland. D Charles Dickens' novels. Answer: C. Musical traditions of Scotland and Ireland.
On November18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the world famous violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Centre in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is not easy for him. He got polio as a child, and has to walk with the aid of two crutches now. That night Perlman walked slowly to his chair. Then he sat down and began to play. But, suddenly, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it break---it broke with a loud noise. People thought to themselves, "He would have to get up to either find another violin or 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 stopped. He played with such passion and such power. Of course, everyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. But that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that. You could see him changing and recomposing the piece in his head. When he finished, there was a silence in the room. Then people rose and cheered. We were all on our feet, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done. He smiled 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 make with what you have left." His words have stayed in my mind ever since I heard them. That is also the way of life. Perhaps our task in this quickly changing world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left. When Perlman had just begun playing, _ . Answer: Franz Kafka wrote that " _ "I once shared this sentence with a class of seventh graders, and it didn't seem to require any explanation. We'd just finished John Steinbeck's novelOf Mice and Men. When we read the end together out loud in class, my toughest boy, a star basketball player, wept a little, and so did I. "Are you crying?" one girl asked, as she got out of her chair to take a closer look. "I am," I told her, "and the funny thing is I've read it many times." But they understood. When George shoots Lennie, the tragedy is that we realize it was always going to happen. In my 14 years of teaching in a New York City public middle school, I've taught kids with imprisoned parents, abusive parents, irresponsible parents; kids who are parents themselves; kids who are homeless; kids who grew up in violent neighborhoods. They understand, more than I ever will, the novel's terrible logic--the giving way of dreams to fate . For the last seven years, I have worked as a reading enrichment teacher, reading classic works of literature with small groups of students from grades six to eight. I originally proposed this idea to my headmaster after learning that a former excellent student of mine had transferred out of a selective high school--one that often attracts the literary-minded children of Manhattan's upper classes--into a less competitive setting. The daughter of immigrants, with a father in prison, she perhaps felt uncomfortable with her new classmates. I thought additional "cultural capital" could help students like her develop better in high school, where they would unavoidably meet, perhaps for the first time, students who came from homes lined with bookshelves, whose parents had earned Ph. D.'s. Along withOf Mice and Men, my groups read: Sounder, The Red Pony, Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. The students didn't always read from the expected point of view. About The Red Pony, one student said, "it's about being a man, it's about manliness. "I had never before seen the parallels between Scarface and Macbeth, nor had I heard Lady Macbeth's soliloquies read as raps , but both made sense; the interpretations were playful, but serious. Once introduced to Steinbeck's writing, one boy went on to readThe Grapes of Wrathand told me repeatedly how amazing it was that "all these people hate each other, and they're all white." His historical view was broadening, his sense of his own country deepening. Year after year, former students visited and told me how prepared they had felt in their first year in college as a result of the classes. Year after year, however, we are increasing the number of practice tests. We are trying to teach students to read increasingly complex texts, not for emotional punch but for text complexity. Yet, we cannot enrich the minds of our students by testing them on texts that ignore their hearts. We are teaching them that words do not amaze but confuse. We may succeed in raising test scores, but we will fail to teach them that reading can be transformative and that it belongs to them. Why were the students able to understand the novel Of Mice and Men? Answer: What is the nature of the scientific attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, medicine or any other science? We all know that science plays an important role in our societies. However, many people believe that our progress depends on two different aspects of science. The first aspect is the application of the machines, products and systems of knowledge that scientists and technologists develop. The second is the application of the special methods of thought and action that scientists use in their work. What are these special methods of thinking and acting? First of all, it seems that a successful scientist is curious - he wants to find out how and why the universe works. He usually pays attention to problems which he notices have no satisfying explanation, and looks for relationships even if the data available seem to be unconnected. Moreover, he thinks he can improve the existing conditions and enjoys trying to solve the problems which this involves. He is a good observer, accurate, patient and objective and uses the facts he observes to the fullest. For example, trained observers obtain a very large amount of information about a star mainly from the accurate analysis of the simple lines that appear in a spectrum . He does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available. He rejects authority as the only basis for truth. Scientists always check statements and make experiments carefully and objectively. Furthermore, he does not readily accept his own idea, since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientific instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation. Lastly, he is full of imagination since he often has to look for relationships in data which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete. Furthermore, he needs imagination if he wants to guess how processes work and how events take place. These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts. Which of the following statements about a curious scientist is TRUE? Answer: Do you know the famous pop singer, Han Geng ? He was born on Feb. 9, 1984.In fact, he is really a handsome boy. He is 181cm high. He can dance, sing , and do a little Kungfu He is in the famous group of Super Junior. I think he sings best .He is my favorite singer. He not only loves singing and dancing very much but also can dance 56 kinds of dances. And he can also play in the movie very well. He loves the stage very much and he loves his fans very much ,too. Everyone who knows him says he is really a kind boy. His best friend is Kim Heechul, who also belongs to the Super Junior. They are best friends in the group. How many kinds of dances can he dance? Answer: At what level of organization does damage compromise the function of the whole system? Answer:
Years ago, I worked for a trucking company as a driver. It was my habit to go to company on Saturday and spend a couple hours maintaining my truck. As I was under the truck, I noticed the owner's elderly father making his way over to his grandson's truck next to mine. The old man asked the kid to take him fishing. But the grandson told him all about how much he'd love to, but he couldn't due to the prior promises. The old man then walked away. Some minutes later, the father came out and asked his son what the old man had wanted. After telling the story, the kid ended it with saying, "I'm not taking that old man fishing. It's worse than taking a kid." That just broke my heart. I quit working immediately and headed home. I loaded up something like a lawn chair, a pole , and headed back to the yard. On the way I bought a big bobber and some worms. When I got there, I knocked on the door and invited him fishing. If I was like taking a kid fishing, I had determined to take him where I'd take a kid. When we got there I put him in the lawn chair beside the water, baited and cast the line, and handed him the pole. Soon that big old bobber started to dance; he set the hook, drew the fish in skillfully. And handed the pole to me. I unhooked the fish, re-baited and cast, and again handed it to him. This went on for about half an hour at which point he informed me he was tired and needed to go home. Then I got home. When I got him home I gave the fish to his daughter-in-law with instructions to make sure he got them for dinner and then left. Two weeks later, the old man died. His family told me later all he talked about during that time was his fishing trip. While I get the satisfaction of knowing I took an old man on his last fishing trip, his family has to live with the knowledge that a stranger took their grandpa on his last fishing trip. Whenever you get the chance, don't forget about taking grandpa fishing, you may be in the same place and you'll want your family to care about you too. Which words can describe the author most properly from the story? A. Responsible and kind B. Clever and brave C. Warm-hearted but poor D. Hardworking and lonely Answer: A The singer, Mick Jagger, of the Rolling Stones sings a song that tells people they can't always get what they want but if we try sometimes we can get what we need. The past years in my life my parents have told me this saying many times. I've always complained about the quote . Although over time I have told myself to learn from it. This year my girlfriend flew off to college in West Palm, Florida. This has been a killer for me because I haven't been able to see her and she is having a rough time in school. The last two months have been hard but we are working through it. I have been trying to get my dad to buy me a plane ticket to go down there. My dad told me if I brought him some money he would help me pay for the ticket. I started to complain to him because I had no way of getting any money to give him. I spent several days and nights thinking of ways to earn money to go see my girlfriend. I finally came to the conclusion that I would get a job and work hard to earn some money to give to my dad. I applied to Safeway and I ended up getting the job. I have been working at Safeway for about a month now and work hard to earn money to go see my girlfriend. The other day my mom had surprised me and told me that she asked her boss if she could use their business miles to buy me a ticket down to Florida for two weeks. I was very thankful and told her I would help pay for anything that I have to. The thought of me working hard and getting a job showed my mom that I really cared and was trying my best to be a successful person. I believe that you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you get what you need. What can we infer from the passage? A. The author was lazy and unwilling to work hard. B. The author's father was too mean to give him money. C. The author's actual action won support from his mother. D. The author was unable to tear himself away from his girl friend. Answer: C When I was 4, my parents decided they could no longer live together. That same year, my mom moved to Los Angeles (L.A.) and a therapist was hired to decide where I would live. Playing with a dollhouse in her office, I showed her the mother's room on one side and the father's room on the other. When she asked me about the little boy's room, I told her the little boy didn't know where to sleep. The therapist finally decided I would stay with my dad during the school years and visit my mom on long holidays and for summers. I began flying between two cities and leading two different lives. I remember my last school day in Grade Six. My friends made plans to go to the beach together, but I couldn't join them because I had to fly to L.A. It wasn't that I didn't want to see my mom and stepdad; I just didn't want to leave my friends. It wasn't easy to put up a wall, and pretend I didn't hate saying goodbye to them. In the morning, my dad drove me to school with my packed bags, and after school, my friends went together, and I went to the airport. What has come of this in the end is that I'm always missing somebody. When I'm in northern California, I miss my mom and stepdad, while in L.A. I miss going out with my friends, my dad, and my little brother and sister. But after so many flights, I've learned that it's also fun traveling between two cities and experiencing different lives. Other children may not have the opportunity to experience so much. What would be the best title for the text? A. Always Miss Somebody B. Travel on My Own C. My Divorced Parents D. My Lonely Life Answer: A A hare was very popular with the other animals who all said they were her friends. But one day she heard the hounds getting close and hoped to escape them with the help of her many friends. So, she went to the horse, and asked him to carry her away from the hounds on his back. But he refused, because he had important work to do for his master. He felt sure that all her other friends would come to help her. She then came to the bull, and hoped that he would _ the hounds with his horns .The bull replied," I am very sorry, but I have an appointment with a lady; but I feel sure that our friend , the goat, will do what you want." The goat, however, feared that his back might do her some harm if he took her upon it, The sheep, she felt sure, was the proper friend to ask for help. So she went to the sheep and told him the situation. The sheep replied, "Another time , my dear friend. I do not like to have anything to do with it , as hounds have been known for eating sheep as well as hares." The hare then went, as a last hope, to the calf ,who regretted that be was unable to help her , as did not like to take the responsibility upon himself. By this time the hounds were quite near, and the hare started to run and luckily escaped. What do we know about the hare? A. She was strong enough to face all the dangers. B. She was friendly and all animals loved to help her. C. She was ready to help the other animals when necessary. D. She got along well with the other animals and had a lot of friends. Answer: D Singles Day falls on every November 11th, and as the name indicates, this relatively new holiday is one exclusively for people who are still living the single life. I was a bit surprised when I googled "Singles Day" on the Internet, to find that China is the only country in the world that has set aside a special day for singles to celebrate their lives. To find out more about this celebration, please read on. An old story goes that once there were four single men, leading very boring lives. None of them were married, or had lovers, or did anything exciting. They just sat around all day and played Mahjong. One day they played Mahjong from 11 in the morning until 11 at night. During the game, no matter who won, the winning card was always the "four columns" card (the card shows four independent, parallel columns in two lines). Even more of a coincidence, it was Nov 11, or 11/11. In order to commemorate the day, they nicknamed it Singles Day. Singles Day was first celebrated at various universities in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province during the 1990s. It got the name Singles Day because the date consists of four "ones". These college students have since graduated, and carried their university tradition into society. Singles Day is now a special day for all fashionable youths. The main way to celebrate Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends, but it's important that each person pay their own fee to show their independence. People also hold "blind date" parties in an attempt to say goodbye to their single lives. Many singles also choose to say goodbye to their single lives on this day. Many attend "blind date" parties and many people choose to marry on this day. In addition to meaning "single" the four "ones" of the date can also mean "only one" as in "the only one for me." Some people will use this date and this meaning to tell their special someone that they are the only "one" in their heart. Singles Day got its name because _ . A. the persons who play Mahjong are four singles B. the date consists of four "ones" C. only single persons celebrate the day D. it was first celebrated at universities in Nanjing Answer: B
Jeffrey Bezos, founder, president and chairman of the board of Amazon.com, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother's ancestors were early settlers in Texas, and over the generations had acquired a 25,000 acre farm at Cotulla. Jeffrey spent most summers of his youth working with his grandfather on their farm. Jeffrey showed intense and varied scientific interests at an early age. He set up an electric alarm to keep his younger sisters and brothers out of his room and changed his parents' garage into a laboratory for his science projects. After he graduated from Princeton University with a degree in computer science and electrical engineering, Jeffrey Bezos found employment on Wall Street, where computer science was increasingly in demand to study market trends. He rose quickly, becoming a senior vice president, and looked forward to a bright career in finance, when he made a discovery that changed his life, and the course of business history. In 1994, there was still no internet commerce to speak of. One day that spring, Jeffrey Bezos observed that Internet usage was increasing by 2300 percent a year. He saw an opportunity for a new circle of commerce, and immediately began considering the possibilities. Bezos founded Amazon.com in 1994, setting up the original company in his garage. The company was called Amazon for the seemingly endless South American river with its numberless branches. It started as an online bookstore but soon diversified to all kinds of products. His work with Amazon eventually led him to become one of the most excellent dot-com entrepreneurs. He was namedTimemagazine's Person of the Year in 1999. In 2008, he was selected byU.S. News & World Reportas one of America's Best Leaders. Bezos' Amazon has become "the Earth's biggest anything store". Amazon.com is now called "one of the smartest strategies in business history". Today, Jeffrey Bezos lives north of Seattle and is increasingly concerned with charity activities. "Giving away money takes as much attention as building a successful company," he said. Which of the following isn't mentioned in the passage? Answer: How hard Bezos studied in Princeton University. Once upon a time in Greece, there lived a young man called Narcissus. He lived in a small village on the sea and was famous in the land because he was quite handsome. Villagers would turn up on the streets to stare at the beautiful child . When he grew up , people always said "How handsome Narcissus is!" Villagers thought that Narcissus could not be any more handsome than he already was. But as years passed Narcissus became a teenager. His beauty grew and became so great that he was known all over country of Greece. As he grew ,Narcissus was very proud of his good-looking face. "Oh! You are so handsome ,Narcissus!" Narcissus said one day as he looked into a pool."There's nobody more handsome in the whole world ! I'd love to kiss you . And that's just what I'll do!" He leaned closer to the water . Suddenly he lost his balance and fell into the pool . Narcissus tried to reach the bank of the pool, but he could not swim and he drowned. The story is mainly about _ . Answer: a man who thought himself to be better than he really was Spain is famous for its tomato festival, called La Tomatina. It happens in a small town Hanoi on the last Wednesday of August every year. During the festival there are all kinds of activities, but the most exciting part is the tomato fight. It takes place at the end of long celebration . You are encouraged to throw tomatoes in the fight. There're many stories about how the festival began. One of the stories goes that during the 1940's, some friends started a tomato fight, while another story is about a local band. Anyway, everyone in Bunol seems to have a different story. Before the tomato fight, there are parades ,musical bands, street parties and so on. On the day of the fight, shopkeepers cover their windows and doors in order to keep away from the tomato fight. At the same time, thousands of tourists and local people come to the town square together. Then large trucks full of tomatoes arrive. From theback of the large trucks, a great town band start to throw tomatoes at others. Then the crowds fight back, throwing the tomatoes at anything and anyone. Soon the streets are in the sea of red tomato juice. Everyone is supposed to obey a small number of rules: You must squash the tomato before throwing it and you are allowed to throw nothing but tomatoes. It is usually over in less than half an hour. Everyone then sets off to the river to clearup. Sounds like fun! Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: The tomato must be squashed before throwing it. Ways to create reuseable energy could be: Answer: bodies I lost my red schoolbag in our library. My key is in it. I must find it. Please call me at 6755321. Thank you. Jason, Class 332 Brandy found a white watch under a desk in his classroom. Is it yours? Please ask Mr. Hanson for it. His telephone number is 8974588. Class 213 Alan, your baseball is on the table of our computer room. We found it under the bookcase. Please call 2315649 to get it. Computer Room Where is my pencil box? It's green. A black pen and an ID card are in it. I'm in Class 234. My phone number is 3541679. Please call me. Robert A_is in the schoolbag. Answer: key
A "Gap Year" is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working. It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills. Gap years are popular with European and Australian students, but remain less popular in America. However, in recent years, more and more American students are preparing for college by taking a gap year. The advantages of taking a gap year are as follows: Learn about the World and Yourself Although you don't have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better. Face Challenges and Have Fun A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn't always easy, but it is an important part of growing up. Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun. Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances There's a common thought that gap years are only for rich students,but it' s not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, at the end of a gap year, students are much more likely to know what to study in college. Clear learning goals ran keep the students working hard instead of wasting time and money playing. Imagine an admission officer trying to admit only one between two students. Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose? Besides having fun, gap year students have to face the _ challenges Now we're always hearing about road accident, and when we're in a car we try to drive carefully, but how many of us take the same degree of care in our homes? Any large hospital will tell you the number of the accidents that happen in the home is almost the same as those on the road. One of the commonest and most dangerous causes of home accidents is wrong and careless use of electrical equipment. People will continue to use a loose plug or pull out a plug without first turning off the power. In spite of warnings, one will carry an electric heater into the bathroom when he is going to have a bath. Sometimes one forgets to cut off the power before mending a lamp or something else. All this will cause accidents. So the rule about anything that work by electricity is:Switch off before you touch anything and don't pretend you know when you actually don't. If you've got children in the house, it's always best to keep medicines of any kind out of their reach. Otherwise, they may be taken for candies or a new kind of drink. When there are older people living with you, you have to take particular care in a number of ways in order to make them safe and happy. Fire, of course, is always a risk. So, remember not to dry clothes in front of fires, or leave stoves in the middle of rooms where they can easily be knocked over. And don't forget to keep the children away from fire. Smoking, too, may cause fire. So you'd better give it up. Safety first may mean a little more time and care, but it may save you a lot of trouble. The main purpose of writing the text is _ . to instruct people how to prevent home accidents Are there any foreigners in your city? How do you address them in English when you want to talk to these foreigners? The following may be some simple rules the beginners should follow. 1. When talking to strangers there is often no special form of address in English. In most cases, if you want to catch the attention of a stranger it is necessary to use such phrases as "Excuse me". 2. In British English "Sir" and "Madam" are considered to be too formal for most situations. They are used mostly to customers in shops or restaurants .While in American English "Sir" and "Madam" are not so formal and are commonly used between strangers, especially with older people whose names you don't know. 3. When you talk to some people you know, you can use their names directly. If you are friends, use their first names; if your relationship is more formal, use "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Ms.", etc, before their family names. 4. There are many other forms of address which can be used between friends and strangers. However, many of these are limited in use. For example, "pal" and "mate" can be used between strangers, but are usually only used by men talking to other men. If you meet foreigners, do remember not to address them in wrong ways. If John Smith is your best friend, according to the passage you should often call him _ . John When the man's wife died, their youngest baby was 2 years old. They had six other children -- three boys and three girls, aged from 4 to 16. The man's parents and his wife's parents came to visit. "We've been talking about how to make this work," they said. "There's no way you can take care of all these children and work to make a living. So, we've decided to place each child with a different uncle and aunt." The man refused. Over the next few weeks, he moved the family to a tiny town and opened a small business. His business developed quickly. He was happy to see people and serve them. He became popular with people for his pleasant personality and excellent customer service. People came from far away to do business with him. And the children helped both at home and at work. The children grew up and got married. Five of the seven went off to college. The children's success was a source of pride to the father. Then came grandchildren. No one enjoyed grandchildren more than this man. As they became toddlers , he invited them to his workplace and his small home. They brought each other great joy. Finally, the youngest daughter, who was 2 years old when the mother died, got married. With his life's work done, the father died. This man's work had been the lonely but joyful task of raising his family. This man was my father. I was the 16-year-old, the oldest of seven. ,. (5,2,10) Which of the following is TRUE? The man moved his family and opened a business. A small boy lived with his mother and grandmother in a big house. His father had died. A bucket of water fell on the small boy's left foot, and it began hurting a hot. His mother said, "I'm going to put something very hot on your foot tonight. That's always very good. Tomorrow your foot won't hurt any longer." In the evening, the small boy's mother came to his bedroom. She had a hot poultice in a bowl. The small boy looked at it and said, "I don't want that. I had one a month ago. Poultices hurt." His mother sat down on his bed and said, "You're going to have this poultice on." She pulled his sheets and blankets away, and put the poultice near his foot, but the boy pulled it away quickly, and poultice fell on the bed. His mother was angry. She went down stairs and came back with his grandmother and a stick. She said to her son, "Your grandmother's going to put the poultice on your foot, and I'm going to hold this stick. Now don't be a stupid boy." She held the stick over the boy, and the grandmother took his foot and put the poultice near it. The boy said. "Stop, you..." but his mother brought the stick nearer, and he did not say anything else. The grandmother brought the poultice near the foot again, and the boy stopped her again, but his mother was angry now and said, "I'm going to hit you." The boy did not finish his words, and his grandmother put the poultice on his foot. He let it there for a few minutes and then took it off again. The boy's mother and grandmother put the sheets and blankets over him again and he said, "My left foot hurts, but you put the poultice on my right foot. I stopped you twice, but you didn't listen to me." The small boy _ his mother. didn't agree with
Some people have to use public transport, some dislike it and still some love it. If everyone has a car and drives anywhere they want to go, there will be serious traffic problems on the road. Luckily, trains are a good form of public transport. British people use trains a lot. This is especially so for people who are travelling from London to Paris. Every day about 20 trains leave London. They travel at a very high speed and people feel glad that the trains take only 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach Paris. It's much faster to travel by train than by bus or by car. This is because people have to drive cars or buses very carefully and lowly for many reasons, such as speed limits and traffic jams. However, when you are travelling by train, the speed is almost the same and there is no traffic jam for a train. Besides, Londoners think taking a train is one of the safest ways of travelling on the ground. Trains take quite a number of quality tests while they are made. More importantly, they have to take many safety checks before they are used on the rail track. What's more, trains in Britain are comfortable and provide fine services for their users. When you are on a London train, you will find that the train has comfortable tables and seats where people can sit. They also provide food services and power plugs for personal computers or mobile phone. Londoners often travel by train because trains are _ . A. old and slow B. large, clean and powerful C. fine and important D. fast, safe and comfortable Answer: D. fast, safe and comfortable A person is wondering how much the steam from the pot of water that is boiling will measure. They are able to measure it in a definite way by A. making the liquid condense outdoors B. remembering how big steam clouds are C. burning the hot steam D. collecting the condensed liquid Answer: D. collecting the condensed liquid One day Mrs Jones goes shopping alone . When Mr Jones comes home in the evening, she begins to tell him about a beautiful dress. "I see it in a shop this morning," she says, "and..." "And you want to buy it," says Mr Jones, "how much is it?" "Fifteen pounds." Every evening, when Mr Jones comes back from work, his wife goes on talking only about the dress. And at last, after a week, he says, "Oh, buy the dress! Here's the money!" She is very happy. But the next evening, when Mr Jones comes home and asks, "Have you got the famous dress?" She says, "No." Why not?" he says. "Well, it is still in the window of the shop after a week. I think nobody else wants this dress. So I think it is not a good one!" Mrs Jones is very happy after _ . A. Mr Jones agree to buy it for her B. Mr Jones gives her the money for the pants C. she gets the beautiful dress D. she sees the dress is still in the shop window Answer: A. Mr Jones agree to buy it for her There are 365 days in a year. We sleep 8 hours a day, so we have 122 days for sleeping. Then our work time has 243 days left. But there are 52 weekends in a year. Each weekend is two days. We lose another 104 days a year for work. It takes us about one hour to have breakfast and supper. This comes to 15 days over a year. But we can't work all that time-we need a holiday. Let's say we have three weeks' holiday. We don't work all day. Four free hours each evening takes up 61 days. We have to remember that we get 2 days' holiday at Easter, 3 at Christmas and 1 at the New Year. There are also 4 Bank holidays. Take those 10 days away and we have 32 days for work. But then we have one and a half hours' lunch every day, and half an hour's coffee break. That comes to 30 days a year. This means that we have only a few days left for work every year! Which of the following is true? _ A. Each weekend is one day. B. We have 61 days for free time. C. We get 3 days' holiday at Easter D. Coffee break takes us one hour. Answer: B. We have 61 days for free time. It was the first snow of winter -- an exciting day for every child but not for most teachers. Up until now, I had been old enough to dress myself, but today would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher, had been through brst snow days many times, but I think she may still remember this one. I managed to get into my wool snow trousers. But I struggled won my jacket because it didn't fit well. It was a hand-mc-down from my brother, and if made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes, At least my hat and scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots . In her calm, motherly voice she said, "By the end of winter, you will all be able to put on your own boots." I didn't realize at the at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence . I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected grown-ups to do all the work. After much pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too. I announced, "They're on the wrong feet." She struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again. "They're my brother's boots, you know," I said. "I hate them". Somehow, from long years of practice, she managed to act as though I wasn't an annoying little girl, She struggle with me, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens ?" I looked into her eyes and said, "I didn't want to lose them, so I hid them in the toes of my boots. Why does the author Miss Finlayson would remember that first snow day? A. Because the little girl was in her brother's clothes. B. Because it was the most exciting day of the winter . C. Because the little girl played a trick on her. D. Because the little girl wore a pretty scarf. Answer: C. Because the little girl played a trick on her.
Question: The elephant was lying heavily on its side, fast asleep. A few dogs started barking at it. The elephant woke up in a terrible anger: it chased the dogs into the village where they ran for safety. That didn't stop the elephant. It destroyed a dozen houses and injured several people. The villagers were scared and angry. Then someone suggested calling Parbati, the elephant princess. Parbati Barua's father was a hunter of tigers and an elephant tamer . He taught Parbati to ride an elephant before she could even walk. He also taught her the dangerous art of the elephant round-up -- how to catch wild elephants. Parbati hasn't always lived in the jungle. After a happy childhood hunting with her father, she was sent to boarding school in the city. But Parbati never got used to being there and many years later she went back to her old life. "Life in the city is too dull. Catching elephants is an adventure and the excitement lasts for days after the chase," she says. But Parbati doesn't catch elephants just for fun. "My work," she says, "is to rescue man from the elephants, and to keep the elephants safe from man." And this is exactly what Parbati has been doing for many years. Increasingly, the Indian elephant is angry: for many years, illegal hunters have attacked it and its home in the jungle has been reduced to small pieces of land. It is now fighting back. Whenever wild elephants enter a tea garden or a village, Parbati is called to guide the animals back to the jungle before they can kill. The work of an elephant tamer also involves love and devotion. A good elephant tamer will spend hours a day singing love songs to a newly captured elephant. "Eventually they grow to love their tamers and never forget them. They are also more loyal than humans," she said, as she climbed up one of her elephants and sat on the giant, happy animal. An elephant princess indeed! Indian elephants are getting increasingly angry and they revenge because _ . A. they are caught and sent for heavy work B. illegal hunters capture them and kill them C. they are attacked and their land gets limited D. dogs often bark at them and chase them Answer: C. they are attacked and their land gets limited Question: Food for thought in the US Before I left for America, everyone warned me to watch my weight because it's easy to put on weight there. That's true. One thing I still cannot _ is the food and drink. Almost every American person loves sodas, especially those full of ice cubes. I remember the first day I came to my host family. When I asked them for a glass of hot water, they all looked at me and thought I was crazy! At my school there's no water dispenser but there's one in each classroom in China. All the American students drink water from taps outside the restrooms that are specially designed for drinking. The water is cold and the school doesn't have hot water. The most popular food here is hamburgers and French chips, which are junk food in China. Most students who eat at school prefer those to salads. They also eat lots of pizzas and hot dogs. As a result, you can always see some really fat people in school. Luckily, my host mom is really a great cook. She always makes food from different countries and eats a balanced meal every day. So I have a lot of fruit and vegetables. At my host family's home, they usually eat biscuits. These old-fashioned biscuits are low in fat and flavored with buttermilk, butter, and a bit of honey. Oh here comes the most interesting thing: the word "biscuit" in China actually means "cracker " here. Real biscuits are a kind of soft cake. I was also amazed by the rich kinds of food in American supermarkets and their reasonable prices. For example, one brand of yogurt has 20 kinds of flavors! You're sure to find one that you like. And most of the food provides you "light", "original" or "no sugar" options to choose from. What is the main idea of the article? A. To show how badly Americans need to change their diet. B. To tell about the American foods that she likes and dislikes. C. To show how much fun she has with her host family. D. To introduce food differences between America and China. Answer: D. To introduce food differences between America and China. Question: Mr and Mrs Brown are from America. They are now teaching English in Beijing .Their son Jack is with them. Jack speaks English. They want him to learn some Chinese. Jack is in Grade Three in a Chinese school .He likes to play with Chinese children every day. He listens to Chinese, speaks Chinese, reads books in Chinese and writes in Chinese. He is good at his Chinese. Where are Mr and Mrs Brown from ? A. Beijing. B. China. C. America. D. England Answer: C. America. Question: Thanks to a young waiter, I only recently discovered that a friend of 20 years was once a yo-yo virtuoso . "Oh, stop it!" Jackie said when I started laughing during our dinner. "I was, too. And I knew how to 'Walk the Dog.' " "Wow, really?" said our waiter, Jumario Simmons, flashing a big smile at us. "Don't encourage her," I said. "What else could you do?" he asked. "I did 'Round the World,'" Jackie said, now ignoring me completely. "That cradle thing, too." I'd asked Jumario what he did when he wasn't waiting on tables. The 24-year-old waiter was so smart that I knew there had to be more to his story. It turns out that he won a regional yo-yo competition last year. He also gives free lessons to kids. "It gives them something to do," Jumario said. "Keeps them off the streets." One of the great things about eating out is the table talk with strangers, which reminds us that everyone has a life and a name. But the other day I heard that some restaurants are ending this talk between diners and servers. I listened to the reporter describe how their improvements are allowing customers to text orders from their tables to speed up service. The reporter got my attention with this sentence: "Five minutes after typing 'I'm at table 3', a meal arrives at the table." But there wasn't a "please" with this order, which should have been a request, by the way. If you've ever waited on tables, you know that the last thing you need is yet another way for a customer to be unpleasant. Most servers are constantly mediating between customers' requests for substitutions and overworked cooks' accusations of treason. Except at high-end restaurants, servers also have to hover like mothers of preschoolers so that we might consider them worthy of a large enough tip to lift their pay to minimum wage. Texting a server from a table a few feet away is equal to moving our fingers and shouting, "Hey, you!" It was rude in 1957, and it's rude now. You won't ever find me texting a waiter or waitress. From the passage, the author's attitude towards texting a server from a table is _ . A. indifferent B. negative C. curious D. positive Answer: B. negative Question: When people reunite with their loved ones, it's usually all extremely happy moment. But what is their most common response to seeing them again? It may seem strange,but most of the time they break down in tears. Now a group of psychologists from Yale University say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body's way of keeping emotional balance. "They seem to take place when people are overtaken by strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions," Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher said. Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants' emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions and cute babies. Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things ---- to cry at happy moments and want to pinch a cute baby's face or even tell them "I want to eat you up!" But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly. There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction. At an exciting concert, fans scream at their idols . People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears. "These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationships with others, and even how well people work together." said Aragon. Which of the following agrees with the findings of the research? A. Crying at good news. B. Crying at a failure. C. Kissing a cute baby. D. Laughing at happy reunions. Answer: A. Crying at good news.
Patricia Blues, 29, has a new aim in life: to keep drivers' hands on their steering wheels and off their cell phones. On November 2, 2007, Blues lived through a horrible experience. A motorist dialing a cell phone drove through a stop sign at 45 miles per hour and ran into the side of Blues' car. Blues' 2-year-old daughter was killed immediately in the crash. Blues has since devoted her time top pushing for laws that would prevent this type of tragedy from happening again. Cell phones are not the only distractions that cause accidents. Eating, changing CDs, reading maps, talking to passengers, and just reaching for an object on the floor can be dangerous. Therefore, the emphasis should be on educating drivers to avoid all distractions. However, talking on cell phones might be easier to regulate than eating or changing music. At least 34 states have already passed laws to restrict cell phone use in moving cars. No state has banned it yet, but several US. cities. Worldwide, 13 nations, including Australia, England, Germany, Japan and China have banned drivers' use of cell phones in moving cars. To date, no scientific evidence has been published showing that talking on the phone affects driving safety. But according to a test by some high school students, "driving while on the phone does affect safety and probably shouldn't be done". What happened to Patricia Blues on November 2, 2007? She lost her daughter in a road accident. One day, Tomas Jefferson, the president of the USA, was crossing a river with a group of travelers. The river was overflowing its banks. So it was very dangerous to cross it on a horse. Each man was fighting for his life! Then another traveler came and he wanted to cross it, too. But he didn't have a horse. He watched the group and then asked Jefferson to take him. Jefferson agreed immediately. The man climbed on. After they were both safe to the other side of the river, someone asked the man, "Why did you ask present for help? Did you know him?" The man was shocked because he didn't know Jefferson was the president. "All I know," he said, "on some of your faces were written the answer NO, but there was the answer YES on his face." When the group were crossing the river, _ . water was flowing out of the river Greek Roman Festival Friday, April 28th You can join one group. As a member of the group, you will take part in at least ONE of the following activities. 1Compete in an Olympic event. Remember there is only small space for each event, so don't be late. Hercules Throw. Throw a football through a hoop 20 feet away. Three Headed Race Three people line up with touching legs tied. Then they run 100 metres in the playground. Toga Barrow Race This is like a wheelbarrow race. (Runners take hold of partners feet while partners walk on hands.) 2Make Greek or Roman food. Mrs Jones has a list of recipes from ancient Greece and Rome. You may make American food, but be sure to give it a special, mythological name. For example, call your chocolate cake "Zeus's Delight." This is a great way to practice your skills in the kitchen. 3Create a work of art for the museum. Be sure your artwork shows ancient Greek or Roman culture. Artworks may include sculptures, paintings, mosaics, drawings or models. The museum is a great place to show off your artistic talent. 4Perform a new short performance, song or dance for the talent show. Rewrite your favorite Greek myth by using modern language, or change the words of a popular song to tell a Greek or Roman story. Send your creative ideas to your English teacher for agreement. You must first perform for a group of teachers. The teachers choose the BEST performance groups for the talent show, so be sure your group has prepared for it. This timetable will help groups know when each event will take place and where to go. Group Number1:00-1:251:30-1:552:00-2:252:30-3:30IOlympics/ Playground Museum/Library Food Court/ Dining Hall IIFood Court/ Dining Hall Olympics/ Playground Museum/Library IIIMuseum/Library Food Court/ Dining Hall Olympics/ Playground Talent Show/ School Theatre What do Group III do right after watching the artworks? Taste food that students make. A prosperous moneylender bought a house located right next door to the house of a tanner .From morning till evening the tanner change hide into leather by treating it with tannin .From day one the moneylender was put off by the unpleasant smells of the tannery. So,he visited the tanner's house and offered to buy his house."I would love to sell the house if you buy it," said the tanner.He didn't want to do any such thing but he liked to play tricks."Give me a week or so to deal with some things,will you?"The moneylender agreed and went away. A week later,the overpowering smell coming from the tannery brought the moneylender to the tanner's doorstep again."I understand sir," said the tanner with wideeyed sympathy."But my mother is visiting me this week.I can't sell the house until she goes away.Please wait for a month." The moneylender agreed with great reluctance.He began to wait eagerly for the guest's departure.In the beginning he counted each day,impatiently waiting for one to finish and the other to begin.After a while,he found he was no longer so interested in the month coming to an end.He had simply forgotten about it. He did not ask the tanner to leave when they met next,either.You see,by then the moneylender had become accustomed to the tanyard's smell."What have you done to drive away that terrible smell?" he asked the tanner."Have you reduced the solution?" The tanner smiled and nodded.He had been waiting for the day the moneylender would get used to the smells from the tannery and stop bothering him.That was why he had asked the moneylender to wait in the first place. Why did the tanner asked the moneylender to wait? Because _ . he wouldn't sell his house from the bottom of his heart There is more than one reason for which you need to hire a business attorney . It is very important to hire some good attorney for your business especially because of the fact that you will need their knowledge and advice from beginning to all the time through your business. An attorney actually provides useful advice and guidance for your business and above all for your finance. When you start some business you need to hire a business attorney for helping you in decision making for which kind of business you are going to start. So, all steps and all legal requirements will be provided to you and you can work without any trouble. Therefore, you will be introduced to all that you need to know and how to organize your business. You will be made aware about what type of organization would be the most useful and the best for you. Moreover, it is very useful when you have business consultant and especially in the law area, because he will provide you with legal knowledge and direct about what is legal for business and what is illegal. At the same time, he will provide you with legal contract that you need to have for your corporate reports. Also, when you are a beginner in business it is very difficult to handle all kind of state taxes and fee; so a business attorney is here to help you with that. When there are some questions about auction, good and professional business-attorney will lead you through acquisitions , sale mergers and similar matters. These are only few reasons why you need to hire a good attorney, but there are more of them. So when you start some business, use advice of professionals and take the right decision. If you need a good and excellent attorney, you don't hesitate to get in touch with Arizona Business Attorney .Click here to find an Arizona Business Attorney Which of the following is the best title for the passage? Few Reasons Why You Need a Business Attorney.
When the sun rises, there is light and it is daytime. When is it night time? Answer: 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? A coral island looks like _ . Answer: Most people agree that it's important to have a sense of humour. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humour appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humour is good for you. Humourless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset. A sense of humour also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humour. People with developmental disabilities can sometimes have no sense of humour, or have a very strange one. A number of factors affect a person's sense of humour, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one's sense of humour. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful. Many people believe that a sense of humour is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to one's sense of humour. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children's jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humour. According to the passage, which of the following doesn't influence one's sense of humour? Answer: Is getting a black belt on your life's to-do list? Then this elderly woman in San Francisco just might be your hero. Just two years before her 100th birthday, Sensei Keiko Fukuda has become the first woman to achieve a tenth-degree black belt --- the highest rank in Judo . Fukuda is now one of only four living people who have earned the tenth-degree black belt. Throughout history, only 16 people have ever achieved this honor. Fukuda began practicing Judo in 1935 and is the only surviving student of its founder, Kano Jiguro. At her teacher's requirement, she learned English to help spread Judo internationally. During a time when getting married, building a family and becoming a housewife were the norms ,Fukuda broke from tradition, continuing Judo instead of getting married. "All I did was Judo ... This was my marriage," Fukuda replied tearfully to the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is when my destiny was set. I just imagined how long the road would be." She described the Jiguro's school as "old-fashioned and sexist about belts and ranks". In fact, an edict that prevented women from achieving any higher than a fifth-degree black belt kept Fukuda at that level for 30 years. She finally got the sixth degree in 1972 when a women's division was created. Fukuda thinks Judo and her life to be "gentle, kind and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically". Fukuda says this kind of beauty is not external . She explained. "I believe this inner beauty is true beauty... All my life this has been my dream." Her dream was turned into reality, and the 98-year-old Sensei Keiko Fukuda continues to teach Judo three times a week at a women's Judo training center. Which of the following best describes Fukuda according to the article? Answer: A person fills their tank with fossil fuels, and knows that in one hundred years Answer:
melting ice may be formed by A. the moon B. temp change C. an iceberg D. a reaction Answer: B. temp change I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive and exciting, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness. Many intelligent people still consider happiness equal to fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more lasting emotion. Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends. I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful people have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that brings "happiness". But in memoir after memoir, famous people expose the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun -- depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and extreme loneliness. Ask an unmarried man why he refuses to get married even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he's honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features. Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happiness. They can dine out whenever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with babies are lucky to get a whole night's sleep or a three-day vacation. I don't know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. The way people stick to the belief that a fun-filled, pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever achieving real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness, then pain must be equal to unhappiness. As a result, they fear the pain unavoidably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment and self-improvement. But, in fact, the opposite is true. More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain. The very efforts are the source of true happiness. Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations we can ever come to. According to the writer, an important role Hollywood stars have to play is to _ . A. give audience enough fun B. write memoirs to introduce their lives C. show unhappiness behind fun D. tell people what happiness is Answer: D. tell people what happiness is Wine drinkers tend to buy healthier food than beer drinkers, according to a Danish study published on Tuesday on the website of a weekly medical magazine. People who bought wine at the store were also more likely to buy fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meat and milk than beer buyers did, said the study. Beer buyers were more likely to buy frozen dinners, cold cuts, pork, sugary products, and soft drinks. The study was conducted by four researchers from the National Institute of Public Health over the course of six months. Alcohol researchers Erik Schulenburg and Marten Greenback and two other doctors collected 3.5 million receipts from 98 stores. The customers at the stores represented a large number of Danish people, they said. "Our results confirm international studies which show that wine drinkers tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish and rarely eat fats, compared to those who like other kinds of alcoholic drinks," they concluded. Wine buyers also tended to have higher education levels, higher earnings and be in better mental health, they added. Their interest in consumers' shopping bags followed a series of studies in the Danish media. The studies suggested that wine drinkers ran a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer than beer drinkers. According to the passage, beer buyers are less likely to buy _ . A. cold cuts B. pork C. soft drinks D. vegetables Answer: D. vegetables When I was a kid, my siblings and I used to have ice cream for dessert.Every day, we would choose which ice cream flavor to have, whether to eat it in a cone or a bowl. Then we would happily wolf down our treat as fast as we could. Once, though, when I was probably about 10 0r 11, our grandpa came to visit. Grandpa always had a unique view on things. On this particular occasion, my sister and I were making bets as to who could finish their ice cream first. With a smile, Grandpa said, "Why would you want to finish first? If you eat slowly, it will last longer. You should have acompetition to see who can finish last." Even now, I always try to taste my ice cream, but of course this is about more than just dessert. Too often, kids want to scramble for more, whether it's more ice cream, more toys, or more friends. This habit persists into our adult years, and we end up constantly scrambling for more. We never develop the skill of appreciating what we have. If we learn to recognize this pattern and change it, we can raise our kids a little differently, giving them the tool of tasting their proverbial dessert, which could lead to a happier life for them. What my grandpa taught me that day was really that if you take the opportunity to enjoy what's in front of you, the pleasure will last longer and be more rewarding than if you rush through life always trying to get the next treat. It's a lesson that, I think, has made my adult life happier, as well. These days, when I want something, I wait as long as I can before I allow myself to have it. Then, when I finally get it, I make sure to treasure it as long as possible, because I know that, no matter what it is, it will be gone all too soon. The author's grandfather advised her sister and her to _ . A. eat ice cream as slowly as possible B. stop eating ice cream C. stop the competition between them D. learn something from their way of eating Answer: A. eat ice cream as slowly as possible Alan worked in an office in the city. He worked very hard and really wanted to take a holiday. He usually went to the seaside, but one day he saw an ad in a newspaper. "Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at Willow Farm. Good food, fresh air, horse riding, walking, fishing. Good prices ." "This sounds like a good idea," he thought. "I'll spend a month at Willow Farm. I'll enjoy horse riding, walking and fishing. They'll make a change from sitting by the seaside." Four days later he returned home. "What's wrong with Willow Farm?" his friend Jack asked him. "Didn't you enjoy country life?" "Country life was fine," Alan said, "but there was another problem ." "Oh, what?" "Well, the first day I was there a sheep died, and we had roast mutton for dinner." "Fresh meat is the best." "I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner." "Lucky you!" "You don't understand," Alan said. "On the third day a pig died and we had roast pork for dinner." ' "A different roast every day," Jack said. "Let me finish," Alan said, "on the fourth day the farmer died and I didn't dare to stay for dinner!" What made Alan return so soon? A. He fell ill. B. The air there was not fresh. C. The prices were too high. D. He was afraid that they would have the dead man for dinner. Answer: D. He was afraid that they would have the dead man for dinner.
Discoveries in science and technology are thought by "untaught minds" to come in blinding flashes or as the result of dramatic accidents. Sir Alexander Fleming did not, as legend would have it, look at themold ( ) on a piece of cheese and get the idea for penicillin there and then. He experimented with antibacterial substances for nine years before he made his discovery. Inventions and innovations almost always come out of tough trial and error. Innovation is like soccer; even the best players miss the goal and have their shots blocked much more frequently than they score. The point is that the players who score most are the ones who take most shots at the goal--and so it goes with innovation in any field of activity. The prime difference between innovation and others is one of approach. Everybody gets ideas, but innovators work consciously on theirs, and they follow them through until they prove practicable or otherwise. What ordinary people see as fanciful abstractions, professional innovators see as solid possibilities. "Creative thinking may mean simply the realization that there's no particular goodness in doing things the way they have always been done." Wrote Rudolph Flesch, a language authority. This accounts for our reaction to seemingly simple innovations like plastic garbage bags and suitcases on wheels that make life more convenient: "How come nobody thought of that before?" The creative approach begins with the proposal that nothing be as it appears. Innovators will not accept that there is only one way to do anything. Faced with getting from A to B, the average person will automatically set out on the best-known and apparently simplest route. The innovator will search for alternate courses, which may prove easier in the long run and are sure to be more interesting and challenging even if they lead to dead ends. Highly creative individuals really do march to a different drummer. The most suitable title for this passage might be _ . Answer: What Are So Special about Creative Individuals Which statement describes animal embryos? Answer: represent the earliest stage of development An elephant on the plains and a diamondback in the desert will receive Answer: different amounts of precipitation "Get out of the plane!" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground,.... When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the grassland, flames were shooting more than five meters into the air. Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing. One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately. She questioned Justin, " Is there anyone in the plane?" "No," he said. "Where are you able to radio for help?" "There was no time." " I'm a distance runner." Kathy said, "I'll go for help." Looking at the seriously injured men, she said, "It may take me several hours to get out." She started out. When she was 23, Kathy set a women's-course record in a Marathon. She had run 42 kilometers. But now she was running the race of her life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help. Kathy had been running for two hours. This was far back into the wilderness. The trail grew unclear. She stopped to take a quick compass reading. She had run for more than 20 kilometers. Her heart fell, her muscle aching. Finally she saw her car in the distance. She jumped into the car and sped away. She reached a holiday house and called the police. During the wait she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a helicopter to reach her. They needed her for one more task. Now, she was running the race of her life means that _ . Answer: she was running for the lives of others Which can best be described as hibernation for most amphibians? Answer: a frog burying itself in mud for months
Along the seashore ,the tall coconut trees waved in he wind. The sand was white in the bright sun, and the ocean was dark blue. The houses in the town near the shore, were painted white. The boats had been pulled up on the shore. Usually they would all be in the water with hard-working fishermen. But today was a holiday, and everyone was preparing for the celebration that was going to take place that evening. In the distance, men could be seen climbing the coconut trees. They were singing as they worked. There were monkeys in the trees, too. The monkeys were jumping up and down and screaming angrily.The climbers just laughed at the monkeys and continued to pick the fruits. The boats had been pulled up on the shore because _ . A it was a holiday B the weather was too hot C there was going to be a storm D it was not the season for fishing Answer: A. it was a holiday Many Chinese students think American students enjoy more freedom than them at school. In fact, American schools also have their rules. If students break the rules, they will get punishment , too. On the first day of a new term, 128 students of Morton High School were sent back home for wearing the wrong clothes. There are altogether 1,200 students in the school. Usually only 20 students break the school dress rule every day. So the headmaster Theresa Mayerik said it was the worst new term she had ever seen. At Morton High School, students' favorite clothes such as wide pants and low-necked shirts are not allowed( ). Some students think they have the right to choose what to wear, but the headmaster doesn't think so." I'd be _ if half the school was sent back home ,because 99% will get the message that our school is for education" "Freedom" doesn't mean "free of restrictions ". That is to say, there is no total freedom in the world, no matter in the US or in China. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A In America, if students break the school rules, they won't get any punishment. B In Morton High School, there are usually 128 students breaking the school dress rules C The writer doesn't think there is freedom in America D The writer doesn't think there is total freedom in the world. Answer: C. The writer doesn't think there is freedom in America Puerto Rico may be part of the USA but its music and dance is a mixture of both Spanish and American rhythms . The country, as a result, is a mixture of the new and the old. It exhibits the open American way of life yet remains the more formal Spanish influences . This is showed in the buildings, not just the difference between the old and the modern in urban areas but also in the countryside, where older buildings sit side by side with schools and houses. It is found in the cooking, too many fast food restaurants together with local cooking which has its roots in the mixture of culture of all the Caribbean and in the music --- rock music is played in beach holiday centers but in the hilly center, Puerto Rican music can be heard. Old volcanic mountains, long motionless, take up a large part of the center, with the highest peak, Cerro de Punta, at 1,338 metre in the Cordillera Central. The mountains are surrounded by a coastal plain with the Atlantic shore beaches cooled all the year round by trade winds. The population is 3.8 million, of which about 1.5 million live in San Juan, although about another two million Puerto Ricans live in the prefix = st1 /USA. The average life is 73.8 years and GDP per person is US$12, 212, the highest in Latin America, although not up to the level of mainlandUSA. The people are largely a mixture of Amerindian, Taino-Arawak, Spanish and African. Most Puerto Ricans do not speak English and less than 30% speak it well. The people are very friendly and _ but there is law-breaking action, linked to drugs and unemployment. What's the character of Puerto Rico? A Either new or old. B A mixture of different peoples. C Too many fast food restaurants. D Either Spanish or American. Answer: B. A mixture of different peoples. Win a trip to the OREGON COAST----- Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean. Build the biggest sand castle on the beach. Search tide pools for sea life. Watch the bright orange sunset over the ocean. Whether you've been to the Pacific Ocean before or have only closed your eyes and imagined it, we want to know how you would explore the Oregon Coast if you had the chance to go this summer. JUDGING 1. Clear relationship between the Essay and the Drawing 40%. 2. Creativity and skill in design and form of the Drawing 40%. 3. Expression of the passion to draw and explore 10%. 4. Journalistic quality, uncluttered nature and overall quality of the Essay 10%. PRIZE By entering, you will have the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the OREGON COAST. Activities will include: Kite flying, studying beautiful sea creatures, searching for sea life on a boat, science exploration at a science center and roasting over a beach campfire. Who may enter: The competition is open to kids aged 6-14. TEAM: Entries must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2010. How to enter Surf traveloregon.com/kids to download and print out an entry form. Be sure to mark whether you have to or have not been to the Pacific Ocean in the form. Create a drawing of the Pacific Ocean on a piece of paper using a pen or paints. Write an article of 100 words or less to explain why you want to go, what you think you would see, and what you would explore if you have never been to the Pacific Ocean, or describe your favorite memories from your last visit. Send to Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean, NG1145 17th street NW, WashingtonD.C.20036. You can most probably read the passage in _ . A a textbook B a travel guide C a newspaper D a research book Answer: C. a newspaper You ought to have fun when you study English. That way, you'll want to spend more time using the language. One way to do this is to watch amusing TV shows in English. Chuck is an action comedy TV series about a character named Chuck. One day Chuck receives a classified e-mail from an old friend who is working at the CIA. The e-mail contains an entire database filled with classified U.S. government information. Chuck is the kind of person who naturally commits large amounts of information to memory, and all of the spy secrets are accidentally embedded in his mind. So Chuck becomes the most important person to the government. As a result, Chuck hides his identity and works as a computer expert at a store called Buy More. There are two secret agents who protect Chuck from danger. To ensure his safety, they also take undercover jobs as his girlfriend and a store employee. [:Z _ xx _ k.Com] Without a doubt, watching Chuck is going to provide you with hours of rib-tickling laughter while you learn English. This passage is probably taken from _ in a newspaper called 21stCentury. A Story land B Learning Desk C Magic World D School Time Answer: B. Learning Desk
The police do many things for us. They help keep our things and us safe. They help keep cars moving safely. They take care of people who are hurt. Then they see these people get to a doctor. The police go around town to see that everything is all right. They get around town in many ways. Some of them walk or go by car. In some big cities,some of the police ride on horses. It is strange to see these animals in the street. As they go around town,the police help people. Sometimes they find lost children. They take the children home. If the police see a fight,they put an end to it right away. Sometimes people will ask the police how to get to a place in town. The police can always tell the people which way to go. They know all the streets and roads well. Some police stand at crossings. They tell the cars when to go and when to stop. They make sure that the cars do not go too fast. They help children cross the street. They also help people who can't walk too well. Without the police,our streets would not be safe. Cars might go too fast and hurt people. Lost people might never be found. The police do a good job. We need them. And we should thank them for a job well done. The text is mainly talking about the _ of the police. American high school students are terrible writers, and one education reform group thinks it has an answer: robots. Or, more accurately, robot-readers-computers programmed to scan student essays and _ a grade. Mark Shermis, professor of the College of Education at the University of Akron, is helping to hold a contest, set up by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation ( WFHF), which promises $ 100,000 in prize money to programmers who write the best automated grading software. "If you're a high school teacher and you give a writing task, you're walking home with 150 essays, " Shermis said, "You're going to need some help. " Automated essay grading was first proposed in the 1960s, but computers back then were not up to the task. In the late 1990s, as technology improved, several textbook and testing companies jumped into the field. Today, computers are used to grade essays on South Dakota's student writing assessments and a handful of other exams, including the TOEFL test of English fluency, taken by foreign students. The Hewlett contest aims to show that computers can grade as well as English teachers---- only much more quickly and without all that depressing red ink. Automated essay scoring is "objective," Shermis said, " And it can be done immediately. If students finish an essay at l0 pm, they get a result at 10 :00 pm . " Take, for instance, the Intelligent Essay Assessor, a web-based tool marketed by Pearson Education, Inc. Within seconds it can analyze an essay for spelling, grammar, organization, and help students to make revisions. The program scans for key words and analyzes semantic patterns , and Pearson claims that it can understand the meaning of text much the same as a human reader. The text is written to introduce _ . Dust and ash entering the atmosphere as a result of volcanic eruptions can affect Earth's There was once a man called Mr. Flowers, and flowers were his only joy in life. He spent all his free time in one of his four glass-houses and grew flowers of every color, with long and difficult names, for competitions. He tried to grow a rose of a new color to win the silver cup for the Rose of the Year. Mr. Flowers' glass-houses were very near to a middle school. Boys of around thirteen of age were often tempted to throw a stone or two at one of Mr. Flowers' glass-houses. So Mr. Flowers did his best to be in or near his glass-houses at the beginning and end of the school day. But it was not always possible to be on watch at those times. Mr. Flowers had tried in many ways to protect his glass, but nothing that he had done had been useful. He had been to school to report to the headmaster; but this had not done any good. He had tried to drive away the boys that threw stones into his garden; but the boys could run faster than he could, and they laughed at him from far away. He had even picked up all the stones that he could find around his garden, so that the boys would have nothing to throw; but they soon found others. At last Mr. Flowers had a good idea. He put up a large notice made of good, strong wood, some meters away from the glass-houses. On it he had written the words: DO NOT THROW STONES AT THIS NOTICE. After this, Mr. Flowers had no further trouble; the boys were much more tempted to throw stones at the notice than at the glass-houses. Mr. Flowers had tried to _ to protect his glass. UK Attention, Harry Potter fans: The sixth novel in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter stories, , will go on sale in the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia on July 16, 2005 Italy According to a recent study, there are now more dogs and cats in Italian homes than children. There are at least 14.5 million dogs cats in Italian homes compared with 8.7 million children under the age of 15.Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. A psychologist said that pets were loved by many young Italians who could not have or did not want to have children. In Italy, spending on pets has increased by 20 percent in the past five years. US The start of a new years is time when many Americans like to think about ways to make improvements for the future. But this year, instead of the usually New Year's resolution to lose weight, quit smoking or exercise more, the US Department of Homeland Security is urging Americans to create a family emergency plan for any terror attack. France & Iraq The two French journalists who had been held hostage in Iraq for 124 days were freed last week. Christian Chesnot, 37 and Georges Malbunot, 41, were kidnapped along with their Iraqi driver on Aug, 20 in Iraq. French Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, said that the French government had not paid ransom for their release. From the news above we know that health is usually most being talked about in _
Some people like to listen to the Beatles.while others prefer Gregorian chants.When it comes to music , scientists find that nurture can overpower nature. A study shows musical preferences seem to be mainly shaped by a person's cultural upbringing and experiences rather than biological factors."Our results show that there is a profound cultural difference in the way people respond to consonant and dissonant sounds,and this suggests that other cultures hear the world differently," says Josh McDermott.a scientist in Cambridge. Some scientists believe that the way people respond to music has a biological basis and that this would overpower any cultural shaping of musical preferences , effectively making them a universal phenomenon.Some musicians.by contrast , think that such preferences are more a product of one's culture.If a person's upbringing shapes their preferences,then they are not a universal phenomenon. The trick to working out where musical preferences come from was to find and test people who hadn't had much contact with Western music.McDermott and his team travelled by aeroplane,car and canoe to reach the remote villages of the Tsimane' people,who are largely isolated from Western culture. In their experiments,McDermott and his colleagues investigated responses to Western music by playing combinations of notes to three groups of people:the Tsimane' and two other groups of Bolivians that had experienced increasing levels of exposure to Western music.The researchers recorded whether each group regarded the notes as pleasant or unpleasant. The Tsimane' are just as good at making acoustic distinctions as the groups with more experience of other types of music,the scientists find.Most people prefer consonant tones,but the Tsimane' have no preference between them."This pretty convincingly rules out that the preferences are things we're born with,'' McDermott argues. "Culture plays a role.We like the music we grew up with,"agrees Dale Purves,a scientist at Duke University."Nature versus nurture is always _ .''It's almost always a combination,he adds. McDermott would most probably agree that _ . Answer: One morning I was woken by my mother's angry voice. I opened my eyes and found it was seven forty, so I jumped out of bed and rushed to a nearby bus stop without breakfast. Fortunately the bus started going as soon as I got on it. I was sure I could reach the school before the bell rang. However, the bus suddenly stopped. There was something wrong with it and we had to get off and wait for another one. I felt I couldn't wait and the school was only fifteen minutes' walk, so I ran to the school as fast as possible. Just at this moment, it began to rain hard. I reached the classroom with all my clothes wet through. Mr. Smith, our physics teacher, had begun his class. I was always afraid of him. I hesitated for a moment, and then I opened the door. "It's you again, Jim," Mr. Smith said angrily. I've told you not to be late, but you ...". Then he suddenly stopped when he noticed my wet clothes. He quickly took off his own jacket and asked me to put it on. "I don't want you to catch a cold," he said kindly. I went to my seat with Mr. Smith's jacket on. It was a bit large for me but I felt very warm in it. I found, for the first time, Mr. Smith's physics class so interesting and I changed my mind, there and then, about being afraid of him. Jim found Mr. Smith physics lesson interesting that day because _ . Answer: A gas is heated and its temperature increases. What happens to the gas molecules? Answer: So, let's imagine you are walking down the street drinking a box of tea. You finish drinking the tea. Now, what do you do with the box? Do you drop it on the ground? Or, do you do the right thing and drop it in a trash can? Hopefully, you drop it in the trash can because, besides harming the environment, littering is also very impolite. Recently, a magazine published a list of the most polite cities in the world. They looked three things: did people litter, did shop clerks say thank you and did people hold the door open for the person behind them? The top three politest cities were New York, USA, Zurich, Switzerland, and Toronto, Canada. Hong Kong, China was number 35. Shanghai wasn't even on the list. Does that mean that Shanghai is not a polite city? Well, maybe. There are different ways to judge politeness but the survey was looking at how a visitor to a city would feel when walking around its public places. Visitors don't like to step over empty tea boxes as they walk down the street. They don't like it when they buy something and the shop clerk doesn't say thank you or even give them a smile. They also don't like it when someone lets a door slam into them instead of holding it open. Shanghai is a nice city but it is not always the most polite city. I don't think this is intentional . I think it's just a lack of awareness . China is becoming a popular place for tourists to visit. When they come to Shanghai they will find a friendly city: it would be nice if they also found a polite one. And, remember, being polite makes you feel good, too. It's nice to be nice. In the survey, it is looked to be impolite _ . Answer: Bobby Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen, a poor working-class neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side. But Hell's Kitchen lies right next door to Broadway, and the bright lights attracted Bobby from the time he was a teen. Being stage-struck was hardly what a street kid could admit to his partners. Fearing their making fun of him, he told no one, not even his girlfriend, when he started taking acting lessons at age 17. If you were a kid from the neighborhood, you became a cop, construction worker, longshoreman or criminal. Not an actor. Moresco struggled to make that long walk a few blocks east. He studied acting, turned out for all the cattle calls -- and during the decade of the 1970s made a total of $2,000. "I wasn't a good actor, but I had a driving need to do something different with my life," he says. He moved to Hollywood, where he drove a cab and worked as a waiter. " My father said, 'Stop this craziness and get a job; you have a wife and daughter.' "But Moresco kept working at his chosen career. Then in 1983 his younger brother Thomas was murdered in a killing. Moresco moved back to his old neighborhood and started writing as a way to explore the pain of Hell's Kitchen. Half-Deserted Streets, based on his brother's killing, opened at a small Off-Broadway theater in 1988. A Hollywood producer saw it and asked him to work on a screenplay. His reputation grew, and he got enough assignments to move back to Hollywood. By 2003, he was again out of work and out of cash when he got a call from Paul Haggis, a director who had befriended him. Haggis wanted help writing a film about the country after September 11. The two worked on the writing Crash, but every studio in town turned it down. They kept trying. Studio executives, however, thought no one wanted to see hard lives in modern America. Crash slipped into the theaters in May 2005, and quietly became both a hit and a critical success. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three -- Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Paul Haggis and the kid from Hell's Kitchen. At age 54, Bobby Moresco became an overnight success. "If you have something you want to do in life, don't think about the problems," he says, "think about other ways to get it done." Why Bobby Moresco did not tell anyone that he started taking lessons at age 17? Answer:
Even with the multimedia excitement of the web. Electronic Mail, email, is the most frequently used application of the Internet. Many people who have a chance to use the Internet at school, home, and work. They use the Internet for no other purposes than to send or receive emails. It's all very easy. You prepare the message, log onto the Internet, and send it. The message first goes to your Internet Service Provider's mail server, which in turn sends it to the recipient's mail server. On the way your message may go through several servers, each reading the name in order to send it to the right server. The message then remains in the recipient's mail email server until he requests it by "checking his mail". The benefits of emails are obvious: mostly it's quick. Also, many people feel that the rules for regular mails don't apply to email, making it less formal, which in turn make email easier to write and send. It's not just friends and coworkers that are receiving emails. Wherever you look, the Web is providing email addresses. This has made communication between strangers easier than ever. You can read an interesting article online and immediately send the author an email. Anyone who posts his email address on a Web page is saying he wants to receive email. There are places you can go if you don't know someone's email address. Check out Bigfoot, the Internet Address Finder, or Netscape's Email Directories for more information. Email is one of the services offered by your Internet Service Provider--a service that you're applying for every month. The passage is about _ . A recent study, while showing a generally positive attitude toward science, also suggests a widespread worry that it may be "running out of control". This idea is dangerous. Science can be a force for evil as well as for good. Its applications can be channeled either way, depending on our decisions. The decisions we make, personally or collectively, will determine the outcomes of science. But here is a real danger. Science is advancing so fast is so strongly influenced by businesses that we are likely to believe whatever decisions we come to will make little difference. And, rather than fighting for the best possible policies, we may step back and do nothing. Some people go even further. They say that despite the moral and legal objections , whatever is scientifically possible will be done ----somewhere, sometime. They believe that science will get out of control in the end. This belief is dangerous too, because it a fuels sense of hopelessness and discourages them from making efforts to build a safer world. In our interconnected world, the lack of agreement in and of the world of science can lead to the failure to control the use of science. Without a common understanding, the challenges of "controlling" science in this century will be really tough. Take human cloning for example. Despite the general agreement among scientists on its possible huge impact on traditional moral values, some countries still go ahead with the research and development of its related techniques. The outcomes are hard to predict. Therefore, discussions on how science is applied should be extended far beyond scientific societies. Only through the united efforts of people with hope, can we be fully safe against the misuse of science and can science best serve mankind in the future. According to the passage, what will happen if we hold that science is getting beyond control? Having a tattoo can reduce your chance of getting a job, but it depends on where the tattoo is, what it expresses and if the job involves dealing with customers, new research says. Dr Andrew R Timming told the British Sociological Association conference on work, employment and society in Warwick today that employers were likely to view tattoos negatively. Dr Timming of the school of Management at the University of St Andrews said he had spoken to 15 managers involved in hiring staff about their reaction to interview candidates with visible tattoos. "Most respondents agreed that visible tattoos are a stigma," Dr Timming told the conference. One woman manager told him that "they make a person look dirty." Another male manager told him "subconsciously that would stop me from employing them." The managers were concerned about what their organisations' customers might think, said Dr Timming. "Hiring managers realise that, ultimately, it does not matter what they think of tattoos -- what really matters, instead, is how customers might think of employees with visible tattoos. Dr Timming said: "The one qualification to this argument is there are certain industries in which tattoos may be a desirable characteristic in a job interview. For example, an HR manager at a prison noted that tattoos on guards can be 'something to talk about' and 'an in' that you need to make a connection with the prisoners." The negative attitude to tattoos did not extend to ones that could be easily covered by clothing. Dr Timming also found that in some of the organisations it was only certain types of tattoos that diminished the chances of getting a job at interview. One male manager told him: "If it's gang culture-related you may have a different view about the tattoo than if it's just because it's a nice drawing of an animal that they've done on their arm." Who would be most likely to be turned down by employers? Some animals are aided in finding food sources by Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets which other scientists had made. The orbit of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems. However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse . Now Halley set to work. He figured out(,)the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearance had been 75 to 76 years apart. This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again. It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain to make a prediction of what would happen in the future. He decided that this would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley's prediction could be tested. In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet had been called Halley's comet, in his honor. Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction in the year _ .

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