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In today's Internet age, the demand for online games continues to grow. Online computer game centers exist in many cities and towns throughout Asia. Facing the pressures of school and life, people tend to the virtual world, expecting a diversion from these problems. Too often, however, they can lead to problems and unhealthy addictions. This is most clearly seen in the example of South Korea. The country has the world's highest percentage of highspeed Internet services. It also has a high number of online game players and related problems. It was once reported that a young man collapsed and died while playing online games. He had been playing almost nonstop for 86 hours at an Internet cafe. Another young man killed his sister after becoming confused between the online world and real life. A 12yearold boy stole US $ 16000 from his father and ran away from home. He did this to continue his obsession with online game. Such problems, however, don't just happen in South Korea. They are spreading to other parts of Asia, as well. What kinds of people develop online game addiction? What does the problem look like? Dr SueHuei Chen, a clinical psychologist, researches Internet addiction. She discovered some signs of atrisk individuals such as lack friendship and good social skills. Those problem individuals feel it so compulsive to play online games that they could sacrifice things such as school and family. They feel the need to spend more and more time online. And they become upset if anyone tries to limit their online game playing. How many problem game players are there? In mainland China, the potential number of problem online gamers is alarming. Just in 2004, China has had 13.8 million online game players according to China Daily. Furthermore, it stated that 80 percent of these were under 25 and had signs of addiction. Such numbers point toward a growing problem among Chinese youth. Make sure to keep control over your online game playing. If you don't control it, it can get control of you. We can conclude from the passage that _ . A. the demand for online services continues to grow B. China is fighting a battle against online games C. the problems caused by online games don't just exist in South Korea D. in the year 2004 there were a total of 13.8 million Chinese visiting the Internet Answer: C The majority of astronauts from America have been men. At the start of the space programme there was strong resistance from some people against having women in space. However, some women were very keen to become astronauts and in the end they were successful. In 1978, NASA began the first training programme for women astronauts. Judy Resnick and Christa McAuliffe were both astronauts and they were both women, but in many other ways they were very different. Both of them were on Flight STS-5L-L. Judy Resnick was born in 1949 and studied engineering at university and went on to obtain a PhD in 1977. She was a member of the first group of women selected for astronaut training in 1978, and in 1984, she became the second woman in space. During that flight, she helped to launch three new satellites and she carried out a programme of research. She was, in many ways, a professional astronaut whose whole life was devoted to space travel. Christa McAuliffe was born in 1948 and she was an astronaut almost by accident. In 1984, NASA decided to find a teacher who could accompany astronauts into space. They hoped that she would be able to communicate with students from space and encourage every one of them to be interested in space travel. Christa was a secondary teacher in history and social studies. She was a gifted teacher and she was selected from over 11,000 applicants to go on flight STS-51-L. She was also a very good communicator and she immediately established a very good relationship with the news media(radio, television and newspapers). It was partly because of this that there was a great deal of interest and excitement about the flight. Thousands of students in schools and universities all around the country were looking forward to communicating with Christa in space. Millions of people were watching her flight with great interest. It is partly because of the excitement over McAuliffe's place in the flight that the disaster in 1986 had such an effect on people. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Two Astronauts B. Flight STS-51-L C. Travelling in Space D. The Training Programme Answer: A Happy birthday! Do birthday really make people happy? Of course they do. Birthday celebrate the day when we were born. Besides, that extra candle on the cake suggest another year of growth and maturity--or so we hope. We all like to imagine that we are getting wiser and not just older. Most of us enjoy seeing the wonder of growth in others, as well. For instance, seeing our children develop and learn new things makes us feel proud. For Americans, like people in most cultures, growing up is a wonderful process. But growing old? That is a different story. Growing old is not exactly for people in youth-oriented American culture. Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, "You're young as you feel." Older people joke about how many years young they are, rather than how many years old. People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom. But Americans seem to favor those that are young, or at least "young at heart". Many older Americans find the "golden years" to be anything but golden. Economically, "senior citizens" often struggle just to get by. Retirement at the age of 65 brings a sharp decrease in personal income. Social security benefits usually cannot make up the difference. Older people may suffer from poor nutrition, medical care, and housing. Some even experience age discrimination. American sociologist Pat Moore once dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets. She was often treated rudely--even cheated and robbed. However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect. Unfortunately, the elderly population in America is increasing fast. Why? People are living longer. Fewer babies are being born. And middle-aged "baby boomers" are rapidly entering the group of the elderly. America may soon be a place where wrinkles are . Marketing experts are ready noticing this growing group of consumer. Growing up is a wonderful thing because _ . A. people can celebrate their birthday B. people can receive many presents C. people can become more mature and wiser D. people will feel younger at heart Answer: C Three Boys and a Dad Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother.Expecting a whole day to relax,he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months."This will be like a walk in the park,"he'd told his wife."I'll look after the kids,and you can go visit your mom." Things started well,but just after eight o'clock,his three little "good kids"--Mike,Randy,and Alex--came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted "breakfast,daddy."When food had not appeared within thirty seconds,Randy began using his spoon on Alex's head as if it were a drum.Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat .Mike chanted "Where's my toast,where's my toast" in the background.Brad realised his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds. Life became worse after breakfast.Mike wore Randy's underwear on his head.Randy locked himself in the bathroom,while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants.Nobody could find clean socks,although they were before their very eyes.Someone named "Not Me" had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes.Brad knew the talk show had already started. By ten o'clock,things were out of control.Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter.Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils.Randy,thankfully,appeared to be reading quietly in the family room,but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands.Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible. At exactly 11:17,Brad called the daycare centre ."I suddenly have to go into work and my wife's away.Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?"The answer was obviously "yes" because Brad was smiling.(2012*,B) When his wife left home,Brad expected to _ . A. go out for a walk in the park B. watch TV talk show with his children C. enjoy his first day off work D. read the newspaper to his children Answer: C My name is David. I am an English boy. My families are in Beijing. My father and mother work there. I have a sister, but no brothers. My sister and I are students of a middle school in Beijing. We love China. We have a nice house in Beijing. My room is big. There is a bed, a desk and a computer in it. My books are on my desk and next to my computer. There are some pop singers' pictures on the wall. I like them. My room is _ . A. small B. bright C. big D. Nice Answer: C
Seals which return to where they were born display reproductive behavior by using that space to Answer: birth young The poorer mental function seen among alcoholics,many of whom also regularly smoke cigarettes,may be partly due to the long term effects of nicotine ,new research suggests. "People who are also smokers are at a much higher risk," Dr.Jennifer M.Glass of the University of Michigan's Addiction Research Center said. In her study,"Cigarette smoking has a bad effect on IQ and thinking," she said. This finding may seem counterintuitive ,since many smokers show that they feel quicker and focused after smoking. Indeed,research shows that improved mental functioning is one of the immediate effects of nicotine exposure. _ Studies show that up to 87 percent of alcoholics smoke cigarettes. Yet,few studies have looked into cigarette smoking as a factor that might explain the cognitive lack reported among alcoholics. To search for that association,Glass and her colleagues examined brain function among 172 men from the same area,including 103 men who abused alcohol. The team found that men with higher scores on the lifetime alcohol problems scale(LAPS)and those who reported a higher number of pack years of smoking both had lower IQ scores. Upon further research,the researchers found that smoking also appeared to be independently associated with weaker word and space reasoning. Thus,though smoking did not account for all of the decreased mental functioning observed among the alcohol abusers,it did seem to account for some of the effects,the report indicates. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Cigarette smoking contributes to decreased IQ and thinking. Emily and Zach are confused! Their parents told them they could choose between Massachusetts and Arizona for their vacation this summer. Emily has always wanted to visit Boston, the capital of Massachusetts. Zach and she both agree that walking along the Freedom Trail would enable them to see Boston's most famous places of historic interest, like the site of the school Ben Franklin attended and the Old State House. If Emily and Zach go to Massachusetts, they could spend a few days at the beaches on Cape Cod. Emily loves body boarding, and Zach is great at body surfing. They both enjoy building sandcastles with their mom and dad. Zach finds learning about Native Americans wonderful and has always wanted to travel along the Apache Trail in Arizona. This mountain highway passes Native American ruins in Tonto National Forest. Emily is not as interested in traveling along this trail as Zach, but they both would like to visit Phoenix, the capital, and then travel to Grand Canyon National Park and Meteor Crater .Zach learned in science class that Meteor Crater is a hole over 4,000 feet wide and 520 feet deep that was created when a huge object from space fell to Earth. The object went so deep that it has never been found. Zach would really like to try to discover it. But Emily thinks if experienced scientists and researchers cannot find it, Zach might as well not even bother to try. The only drawback for Zach and Emily if they choose Arizona would be the heat. It is very hot and dry in this southwestern state. Massachusetts, on the other hand, is in northeastern United States. Here Zach and Emily and their parents could enjoy mild temperatures. Their parents love hot weather, but Zach and Emily do not really like to sweat. How will they ever decide to which state they should travel? If only they could take two trips! Compared to Emily, Zach is more interested in . Answer: history Very few people enjoy exams. I don't, either. And although I tell myself not to worry about them, I always do! So I'm not surprised that my students worry about them, too, even though they usually don't need to. Because they are afraid of failing. However, since it is hard not to worry at all, we all must try not to worry too much. Why? Because worrying makes exams worse! How to do this? Ask the teacher about how to revise and about exam skills--how to work when you are in the exam. Good students don't wait until the week before an exam. They study all through the year. It is not possible to learn everything at the last minute. So don't leave it till then. If you start planning and working for each exam early and you make sure that you understand what you're studying, then, when it is over, you'll be able to say, "What a good exam that was!" Take a short rest during your time of work and revision. If your mind is tired, it won't remember well. Work at the time when you know you'll work at your best. If you're studying in the evening, don't go straight to bed afterwards. Your mind will still be "going round and round"--thinking too much. Do something else, maybe walk or get exercise. Choose something that will relax you, and make you think of other things. If you feel bad, talk to someone about your worries. But don't be too relaxed! Some stress over exams makes you work hard for them. How does the writer feel about exams? Answer: Worried. Which characteristic can a human offspring inherit? Answer: blue eyes
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Similarly, if we drink a little more water ever day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often. A healthy diet is made up of water and a great many different kinds of foods. We know that healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and fish, are important as they provide us with energy and fibre, without giving us too much fat and sugar. But why is water important? The human body needs water to survive. Water is important as it carries poisons and waste out of our bodies. However, doctors advise us to drink plenty of water, much more than the small amount we need to stay alive. Some doctors believe that water is important for our health in all kinds of ways. They believe that a great many illnesses and health problems stars as a result of dehydration--a lack of water in the body. Most people are dehydrated at least some of time, although they probably don't know it. It is surprising to learn that if we feel thirsty, we are already in the first stages of dehydration. In fact, we are advised to drink water before we feel thirsty. These doctors think that health problems such as headaches, high blood pressure and asthma could be helped if people drink more water. They also believe that drinking more water can help people who are overweight. Water contains no calories so it will not make us put on weight. If we drink water, we will probably drink less sugary soft drinks such as Coca-cola. Doctors also believe that drinking more water may stop people from overeating. They say that many people think that they are hungry when they are, in fact, thirsty. Doctors suggest, therefore, that we eat less food and drink more water. There are still many health problems that cannot be solved by drinking water, so we should not stop going to seeing the doctor completely. However, if we make a decision to drink water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often. We need _ for a healthy diet. A fibre B food C water D Water and different foods Answer: D The aims of the Illustrators Exhibition,staged as part of the Bologna Children's Book Fair,organized by BolognaFiere and held from 19 to 22.March 2012,are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers. QUALIFICATIONS Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December l994,whose artwork is intended for use in children's books,are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools. Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Non-fiction Category.Illustrators may only enter one category. Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered. The confirmation form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 26 September 2011. SHIPMENT Entries may be delivered by post,express delivery service or by hand.From abroad,please use the following forms:Form "A" for registered mail or post by air;Form "B" if using an international forwarding agent or airline. To avoid deiays, material should not be sent by normal post.Material should be sent "carriage paid",including any customs and delivery costs. BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork.All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number,publisher's name and address. REQUIREMENTS The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed the following dimensions: Fiction:3242cm(or 4232cm) Non-fiction:5070cm(7050cm) Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered,nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere.The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board,maximum thickness 2mm(for scanner separation purposes). SELECTIONPROCESS All artwork received by the stated deadtine and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group(whose decision is final),inclnding five members(from publishing houses and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere. ANNUAL Each illustrator selected by the Committee will be granted two pages in the Annual,for the reproduction of all or some of the illustrations as well as a space for the bibliography . BotognaFiere has the fight to choose the works to be published in the Annual and to make complete or partial reproductions. EXHIBITIONS ABROAD After the Bologna event,the illustrator Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY.The illustrator exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries,The Exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the illustrator Exhibition,and the provision of the regulations are extended to tile organizers of the exhibitions held abroad. RETURN OF ARTWORK All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere by the end of July 2012. The illustrators of the Illustrators Exhibitions _ A should be at least 16 and no more than 25 B may re-enter their artwork after it is returned C should state the category of their artwork clearly D may choose to attach a photo to the application form Answer: C Once upon a time a man became a great archer .He asked the king to _ him as the greatest archer of the country.The king was about to do so when an old servant of the king said,"Wait,sir.I know an old man who lives in the forest.He is a much greater archer.Let this young man go to him and learn from him for at least three years." The man could not believe that there could be a greater archer than him,but he went and found the old man and he was! For three years he learned from him.Then one day, when he thought he had learned everything,the thought arose in him:"If I kill this old man,then 1 will be the greatest archer." The old man had gone to cut wood and he was coming back carrying wood On his shoulder.The young man hid behind a tree,waiting to kill him.He shot an arrow.The old man took a small piece of wood and threw it.It struck the arrow and the arrow turned back and wounded the young man very deeply.The old man came,took Out the arrow and said. "I knew that some day or other you were going to do this.That's why I have not taught you this secret.There is no need to kill me.My Master is still alive, and I'm nothing before him.You must be with him for at least thirty years.And he is very old, so go fast! Find the old man!" The young archer wanted to kill the old man in the A he had nothing more to learn from him B he could then become the greatest archer C the old man refused to teach him everything D the king's old servant ordered him to do SO Answer: B Hidden in our subconsciousness is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls. But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles , condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. "When we reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. "When I'm 38." "When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!" "When I put the last kid through college." "When I have paid off the loan!" "When I get a promotion." "When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! " Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us. "Relish(appreciate) the moment" is a good motto, actually it isn't the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough. Why does the author describe the mental picture? A To lead us into a perfect world. B To let people enjoy the scenery. C To introduce an actual trip of his. D To compare it to our life's journey. Answer: D How can you get your hands on white blood cells? A paint a fence B join a gang C tour a jail D pop a pustule Answer: D
Sam:What's this?It's an American eraser .It's made{}in our hometown{}But it isn't mine .Hi! Jim, is this your eraser? Jim:No it isn't.. Maybe {}it's Ann's. Sam: Excuse me ,Ann. Ann;Yes? Sam: Is this your eraser? Ann: No, it isn't .I think it's Lucy's. Lucy, is this your eraser ? Lucy: Oh,yes. Thank you very much . Sam; That's all right. Jim: Look,! What are those? Lucy: I think they are oranges. Ann; No, they aren't . I think they are apples----yellow apples. Jim; Are they in a box ? Lucy: No, they are in a basket {} Sam: Whose are they? Lucy:Sorry ,we really don't know. Sam is a/an _ boy. America India has a population of 1.27 billion. Its population is the second largest in the world. China has the largest population of over 1.36 billion. One out of six people on this planet live in India. Although, the crown of the world's most populous country is on China's head for ten years. India will take the _ by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.58%, India will have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030. Now more than 50% of India's population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. About 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages. Some of the reasons for India's quickly growing population are poverty, illiteracy , decrease in death rates and immigration from Bangladesh and Nepal. India started taking measures to stop the growth rate quite early. India had the "National Family Planning Program" in 1952. It became the first country in the world to have a population policy. However, it failed to reach the final goal . Which of the following is TRUE? One out of seven people on the earth live in India. This object in your pocket is the most likely to shock you your phone Swimming and English Learning Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice. Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important when there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make. Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important. Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success. Easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way. What will you do with mistakes when you speak? Don't be afraid. Daniel stays home on workdays.He starts his personal computer in order to connect with the office which is about three hundred miles away in another city.After work, he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder, or plays baseball on the computer.On many days, Daniel doesn't talk to any other human beings, and he doesn't see any people except the ones on television.Daniel is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible.The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from contact with our fellow human beings. The world of business is one area in which technology is separating us.Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home.With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their jobs at display terminals in their own homes.They would never have to actually see the people they're dealing with.In addition, the way employees are paid will change.Workers' salaries will be automatically paid into their bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary.No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their checks.Personal banking will change, too.Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts.Many companies and consumers have already changed the way they sell or buy products.E-commerce, or business done on the Internet, is becoming more and more popular.This, therefore, makes it possible for people to do shopping without going out of their homes. Another area that technology is changing is entertainment.Music, for example, was once a group experience.People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings.For many people now, however, music is an individual experience.Walking along the street or sitting in their living-rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them.Movie entertainment is changing as well.Movies used to be social events.Now, fewer people are going out to see a movie.Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home.Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living-rooms. What is the main idea of the passage? Modern technology seems to be separating human beings.
In eighteen seventy-seven,the American government decided to move the Nez Perce Indians from their land. The government had set up a reservation for them in Idaho. Chief Joseph did not want to leave the land. It was holy ground. It contained the bones of his father and mother. But,like his father in earlier times,Chief Joseph knew it would be hopeless to stay and defend the land. There were too few Indians to win a war against the white men. And so in June of eighteen seventy-seven,the Nez Perce left their home in the Wallowa Valley. They left quickly. They were able to take only a small part of what they owned,and just a few cattle and Appaloosa horses. When the Indians reached the Snake River,the water was very deep and ran very fast with melted snow from the mountains. Chief Joseph and his people made boats from sticks and dried animal skins to cross the river. While the Indians were busy,a group of white men came and stole some of the cattle waiting at the edge of the river. The other chiefs demanded that Joseph call a meeting. Two of the chiefs,White Bird and Toohoolhoolzote,spoke for War,but Joseph held different opinion. Some of the young men in White Bird's group were very angry. That night,they rode into the countryside and killed eleven white persons. During all his years as chief,Joseph had tried to keep the peace. Now he saw there was no hope. Although he and his young men had taken no part in the killings,he knew that the white men would blame all of the Indians. Chief Joseph said,"I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of the white men." Many Nez Perce fled. Chief Joseph remained,because his wife was about to have a baby. After she gave birth,he and his family joined the others in White Bird Canyon to the south. Joseph wanted to lead the people to safety in the flat lands of Montana. But the United States army quickly sent horse soldiers to follow them. They were extremely tired when they reached White Bird Canyon. An Indian--carrying a white flag--walked forward to meet them. A soldier shot him. With that shot,war between the Nez Perce and the United States began. Which of the following is TRUE? For thousands of years, people thought of glass as something beautiful to look at. Only recently have they come to think of it as something to look through. Stores display their goods in large glass windows. Glass bottles and jars that hold food and drink allow us to see the contents. Glass is used to make eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, and many other extremely useful and necessary objects. Until the Second World War, most of the glass used for optical instruments was imported from Europe. However, during the war Americans could not get European glass, and they were forced to make their own. Therefore, new kinds of glasses were developed that had been previously unknown. These new effects were achieved by mixing other chemical elements with the sand. Some of these new glasses are very strong and can resist many kinds of shocks. Legend has it that a very hard glass was invented by a Roman who showed his discovery to the Emperor. When the Emperor saw the glass he feared that it would become more valuable than gold and sliver, making his treasure worthless. Therefore, he had the glassmaker killed, and the secret was not discovered again for hundreds of years. In the present century, safety glass was invented for use in modern cars and planes. Safety glass is made by placing a layer of plastic between two layers of plate glass. When the outside layer of glass is broken, the pieces do not scatter and injure people. Some glass of the type is strong enough to resist bullets . Although nowadays plastics have replaced glass under conditions where glass might be easily broken, there are new uses being developed, for the greatest advantage of glass is that its component parts are inexpensive and can be found all over the world. Why did Americans make their own glass during the Second World War? More than 40 years ago, John Williams gave away all of his belongings and went off to the mountains to live the way people lived 100 years ago. For food he traps wild animals, fishes in the rivers, and plants whatever he can. John lives in a cabin he made by hand, out of trees he chopped down with an ax. Though he has no s he knows of, he does have a deer he raised from a fawn. The deer lives in the house in the winter and goes with John when he goes into the forest for food. Nobody lives within fifty miles of his cabin in the mountains and John has not been out of the mountains during the entire forty years. One day last year I hiked in to see how John lives. It was like going back in time. There were no roads, no stores, no noise, no pollution, not even a post office. Most notable of all, there were no people and that's just the way John Williams wants to keep his part of the world--without people. But there is a paradox in his story. John is an educated man. He has books and nobody knows how he got them. Mostly he reads about his world, the forest, the animals, the plants, and the mountains. He has seen airplanes flying overhead but does not want to know about them. For him, electricity is lightning, not light bulbs, refrigerators, televisions, or washing machines. John Williams is 85 years old and had not had a sick day in his life. He attributes his long life to the fact that it has nothing to do with people and in order that he might enjoy many more years of health, happiness, and solitude, I will not tell you where his kingdom lies. There is no room there for you or me. John William's house is made of _ . Ks5u If I wanted to get energy after a hard work out I could do what? House For Sale Red Rose Garden, Pudong 3-storey home. 509 sqm total land area. 428.8 sqm built-in. 312.9 sqm garden. Asking for RMB 13 million. MP: 13761973547 Tel: 021-58609228 Fax: 021-58609728 Job Wanted Cherry, 24, a shining girl, good at oral English and Putonghua. Now I am working at an international trade company in Guangzhou. I am kind-hearted, hard-working and healthy, and would like part-time weekend work offering Putonghua lessons to foreign friends. If you are interested, please email me at cherrylf@hotmail. com. Beijing Snow World Ski Park Price: 18 yuan (Ticket). 50 yuan/hour on weekdays and 70 yuan/hour on weekends. 120 yuan/four hours on weekdays and 190 yuan/four hours on weekends. If an Australian student wants to learn Chinese, he or she can _ .
Question: Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What's more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy to hard and glasslike. Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates and Bisphenol-A , BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy . That's because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are. Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn't just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers are added to plastic during the manufacturing process. Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places. How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep out of the plastic. Even though we can't see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in. Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it. Which of the following products contains BPA? A. A soft plastic cup. B. A pencil eraser. C. A baby milk bottle. D. A new perfume. Answer: C. A baby milk bottle. Question: People often complain they face too many problems. Every day and everywhere there are problems. Many times we find it hard to stay happy. When one problem is solved, another one comes up. People have money problems, work problems, family problems, health problems..... the list goes on. And we usually think that people who are happy and successful are having fewer problems than us. Look at the successful people we often mention. They have money they need, they have jobs they love, they have good friends, they have obedient kids, they have the successful business, they have loving families etc. Everything goes well with them. That is why they are happy and successful. But in fact, the more successful you are, the more problems you have to face. More success means more challenges they have to face, and more success means more risks they have to take. Young and old, rich and poor, successful and unsuccessful, educated and uneducated, all have problems. The difference is that their problems are different from each other. Rich and successful have big problems. Poor and unsuccessful have small problems. Still they all have problems which they can face. Successful people are successful just because they are ready to face challenges larger than ordinary people. Winning the US elections makes Obama very happy. As a new US president, he has to face bigger challenges. He has to be more careful about his work he does, or he will lose his position . Looking at him, we may say he is lucky, happy and successful. But, I think, as the US president, he has more pressure than an ordinary person. You will be a/an _ person if you are afraid to face more challenges. A. ordinary B. successful C. famous D. educated Answer: A. ordinary Question: An international panel of experts will re-examine all data gathered in the nearly two-month hunt for the missing Malaysia jet to ensure search crews have been looking in the right place, officials said Monday. Senior officials from Malaysia, Australia and China met in the Australian capital to _ the details of the next steps in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which will center around an expanded patch of seafloor in a remote area of the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.The area became the focus of the hunt after a team of analysts calculated the plane's most likely flight path based on satellite and radar data.Starting Wednesday, that data will be re-analyzed and combined with all information gathered thus far in the search, which hasn't turned up a single piece of debris despite crews searching more than 4.6 million square kilometers of ocean. "We've got to this stage of the process where it's very sensible to go back and have a look at all of the data that has been gathered, all of the analysis that has been done and make sure there's no flaws in it, the assumptions are right, the analysis is right and conclusions are right," Angus Houston, head of the search operation, told reporters in Canberra. Investigators have been confused by a lack of hard data since the plane vanished on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.A weeks' long search for surface debris was called off last week after officials determined any debris that may have been floating has likely sunk. "Unfortunately, all of that effort has found nothing," Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss said."We've been confident on the basis of the information provided that the search area was the right one, but in practice, that confidence has not been converted into discovering any trace of the aircraft." Houston has warned the underwater search is likely to drag on for up to a year. What's the purpose of the re-examination of all data by the experts? A. To make assumptions and conclusions of the plane. B. To check whether the searching is in right place. C. To encourage the searching crews. D. To calculated the plane's most likely flight path. Answer: B. To check whether the searching is in right place. Question: which of these would be most healthy? A. a person eating three meals a week B. a person eating three meals a month C. a person eating one meal a day D. a person consuming 3 meals daily Answer: D. a person consuming 3 meals daily Question: I paid a visit to Cambridge last January. Though the trip took me 5 hours and it rained the whole day with strong winds there, the town deserved a visit. The bus started at 6:10 a. m. It stopped at 4 airports before we finally arrived,which wasted more time than we expected. Tired with long sitting,one passenger stood up to relax his numbed legs. The driver asked him to sit down but in vain. So he pulled up and said seriously, "Either you get off or sit down." To him, safety is the first policy. Cambridge consists of over thirty colleges. The oldest part of the university was built in the 13th century while the newest was founded in the mid 1960s.The number of the students is so great that many students live in lodgings and move into college for their final year. Cambridge is called a university town because there is no clear separation between the university buildings and the rest of the city. The university is not just one part of the town;it is all over the town. The heart of Cambridge has shops,pubs,and supermarkets,but most of it is university-colleges,departments,libraries,clubs and other places for university staff and students. Students fill the shops,cafes,banks and churches,making these as well part of the university. With over 10,000 undergraduates and postgraduates, the town is a busy place indeed. Students here are not allowed to keep cars. If you happen to be walking in the street during a break,better stop a moment to avoid the boiling sea of bicycles hurrying in all directions,carrying students from one college or lecture room to another. Why is Cambridge called a university town? A. It has 10,000 undergraduates and postgraduates. B. There are over thirty colleges in the town. C. All the students and staff live in the town. D. The university and town are fully combined. Answer: D. The university and town are fully combined.
Yao Ming was born in China in 1980. In his last season with the Shanghai Sharks, he scored 32.4 points per game. Now the big man from China is helping the Houston Rockets in the NBA. He is the son of two great basketball players and learnt how to play basketball when he was young. Now, as one of the stars in the NBA, he is working hard to make his dream come true and show the world that Chinese basketball players love this game too! Pele was a football player that everyone knew. He was born in Brazil in 1940. He started playing for Santos when he was only 16 and he didn't retire(v)until 1977. He played for Brazil 111 timesand he scored 97 internationalgoals. Pele came from a poor family. He started playing football in thestreet, like many people around the world do. He was soon picked to play for Santos and quickly became an international person. Steffi Graf was born in Germany in 1969. She won the tennis semi-final(n)at Wimbledon in 1985 when she was only 16, but she lost the final to another great tennis player, Martina Navratilova. People were surprised by the strength and power of her game. She soon became a famous tennis player and she has won most of the main matches several times. Which of the following is NOT true? _ Answer: Steffi Graf was a famous tennis player. In spite of ill health and a physical incapacity that threatened her career, Carson McCullers completed a novel in the summer of 1961 that made the best-seller list before its official publication; date by virtue of prepublication sales. In an interview at her home, the noted novelist looked back on some of her problems of recent years and spoke without emotion of her latest book, Clock without Hands, her first in fifteen years, "For many years I had been thinking of the novel and finally wrote it this passed year. ""The tall, frail novelist, forty-three years old in 1961, suffered a series of strokes in her twenties that left her partially incapacitated, and she also admitted that a mental block kept her away from writing for many years after the strokes. Mrs McCullers once wrote that "writing is a wandering, dreaming occupation. " But beyond the admission that she works" very hard" at her writing, she is shy about discussing her work. She is remote from literary fashions, and she has never learned to intellectualize her art, but she reads her critics and takes them seriously. Clock Without Hands depicts Mrs McCullers' native South and the slow passing of the old way of life through the lives of a dying pharmacist , a white judge and former congressman, his rebellious grandson, and two Negroes. Among her earlier noted works are Member of the Wedding, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and Ballad of Sad Cafe. According to the selection, Mrs McCullers _ . Answer: takes her critics seriously The invention of the electric telegraph gave birth to the communications industry.Although Samuel B.Morse succeeded in making the invention useful in 1837,it was not until 1843 that the first important telegraph line was constructed.By 1860 more than 50,000 miles of lines connected people east of the Rockies.The following year,San Francisco was added to the network. The national telegraph network strengthened the ties between East and West and contributed to the rapid expansion of the railroads by providing an efficient means to monitor schedules and routes.Furthermore,the extension of the telegraph,combined with the invention of the steam-driven rotary printing press by Richard M.Hoe in 1846,revolutionized the world of journalism.Where the business of news gathering had been dependent upon the mail and on hand-operated presses,the telegraph expanded the amount of information a newspaper could supply and allowed for more timely reporting.The creating of the Associated Press as a central wire service in 1846 marked the arrival of a new era in journalism. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: Morse's invention did not immediately achieve its full potential Today, nearly 400 animals are listed as threatened or endangered animals in the United States. Many are at risk of becoming extinct or disappearing permanently. Unless efforts to save these vulnerable animals succeed, many of the country's greatest creatures will be lost forever. From the facts listed, guess which animals are endangered. Click on the picture to find out more about each of these animals in trouble. American Crocodile American crocodiles are about 12 feet long. They live on land and in shallow water, swamps and marshes. American crocodiles like to float in the water with only their eyes and noses above the water surface. American crocodiles eat mostly small animals, which they grab with their strong jaws and sharp teeth. American crocodiles lay eggs. They hide their eggs under twigs and leaves, or bury them in the sand. Some crocodiles help their young hatch, and then carry them to the water in their mouth. Habitat Southern Florida, Mexico, Central and South American, Caribbean islands. Why It's Endangered Overhunted for its skin and habitat destruction. Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Bighorn sheep can weigh as much as 280 pounds and stand about 3 feet tall. They live in dry, desert mountain ranges, near rocky cliffs. Bighorn sheep eat grass, twigs and leaves. Male sheep are called rams and can be recognized by their huge, brown horns. The horns curl back over the ears, down,and up past the cheeks. They live in herds or groups. The male sheep with the biggest horns are usually in charge. Male horns can weigh as much as 30 pounds. Males will use their massive horns to fight. The fights can last as long as 24 hours. Females are called ewes. They are smaller than rams and have shorter, smaller horns. Habitat Nevada and California to west Texas and south into Mexico. Why It's Endangered Loss of habitat, hunting illegally, drought and disease. Rams make use of their massive horns to _ . Answer: fight with others Have you ever heard of a great Chilean poet? He was once referred to as the _ of poetry. Beloved by Chileans of all classes, he is one of the most widely read and respected poets in history. And this year is the 110th birthday of Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). Born with the name Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto, he was a tall, shy and lonely boy. He loved to read and started to write poetry when he was ten. The American poet Walt Whitman, whose framed picture Neruda later kept on his table, became a major influence on his work. However, his father did not like the idea of having a poet for a son and tried to discourage him from writing. To cover up the publication of his first poem, he took the pen name Pablo Neruda. In 1924 Neruda gained fame with his most widely read work "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair''. Yet his rich experience as a diplomat and exile made him go beyond the theme of love. His work also reflected the political struggle of the left and development of South America. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Neruda loved the sea which he saw as creative, destructive and forever moving. He found inspiration in the power and freedom of the waves and the seabirds on the coast. "I need the sea because it teaches me," he wrote. "I move in the university of the waves." He loved how the sea forever renewed itself, a renewal echoed in his work. Which of the following is not the theme of his works? Answer: Social reform.
Standing desks have become common across Silicon Valley, offering health benefits to those willing to work on their feet. However, due to their high price, they have failed to catch on until now. Recently, Ikea has brought out Bekant convertible standing desk that can become a normal desk at the touch of a button. The $500 adjustable desk can transform from a standard desk to a standing one, and Ikea hopes it could make the standing desk mainstream. Experts say that changing from a seated to a standing desk can improve productivity. Similar desks have become a common sight at tech firms such as Google, where some employees have even installed treadmill and bicycle desks. The desk is not the first "convertible" on the market. As early as 2013, Stir Kinect brought out an adjustable desk. The $3,890 Stir Kinect desk has a motor to raise and lower itself, converting it into a standing desk or a traditional desk. The desk can even be programmed to move up and down slightly, making it appear to take a gentle breath to remind the user to change their position. To move between sitting and standing positions, owners simply double tap on the screen. The desk can learn the user's preferences over time and suggest the best seating position. The Stir Kinect desk was created by a team of ex-Apple and Disney engineers. It has a built-in touch screen to control and track movement, and can tell users exactly how many calories they burn by standing during their working day. It also has devices containing power points and USB ports for charging phones, to keep cables hidden. "Ikea's height adjustable desk is great for opening up the lower end of the market, '' said JP Labrosse, founder and CEO of Stir. What can we infer from the last sentence given by JP Labrosse that _ . The tallest building in the United States, the One World Trade Center, opened on November 3, 2014 in New York. The building is 1,776 feet tall, making it the 3rd tallest building in the world. It has 104 floors. The building stands in the area where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. On September 11, 2001, a group of terrorists destroyed these twin towers and killed nearly 3,000 people. It took 8 years to build the new One World Trade Center. Does the height of the building in feet reminds you of something in history? _ is the year when the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. One problem with such a tall building is how to clean the windows. Well, a platform hangs from ropes, and workers on the platform clean windows. On November 12, while two men were busy cleaning windows, a rope of the platform broke near the 68th floor. The two men were saved by cutting a hole in the glass window. The two tallest buildings in the world are the BurjKhalifa in Dubai, UAE and the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. How were the workers on the platform saved when a rope broke? Do your parents ever say,"Act like a lady."or"Be a gentleman."to you? But in the eyes of today's teenagers, what should a lady or a gentleman be like? Let's take a look. What is a gentleman? The girls have their ideas: Huang Xiaoyu of Guizhou: A gentleman doesn't often get angry. He wants others to be well and happy. He is always ready to help. There is a boy in my class and I think he is a gentleman. If I don't do well in the English test, he will say,"You will do better next time."That makes me feel happy. Chen Tingting of Shenzhen: A gentleman always says,"Ladies first." When students clean up the classroom, he does the heavy work. He lets girls go into rooms first. There are no gentlemen in my class. When there is something to eat, the boys in my class always get them before girls! What is a lady?Boys tell us what they think a lady is: Wu Yifan of Dalian: A lady is quiet and kind, but she's not shy and she can talk about her ideas in front of others. To me, Jiang Yiyan, a film star, is a lady. She is pretty and kind. She does a lot for others. Wang Lichao of Tianjin: A lady is not just beautiful but clever. She never says bad words. She is quiet and kind to others. I don't think there is a lady in my class. Most of the girls are _ I think. Why does Wu Yifan think Jiang Yiyan is a lady? Do you learn from your mistakes? I hope so. But have you ever made the same mistake twice? I have.Sometimes I make the same mistake three or four times! Sometimes,good things happen because of mistakes.Once I got on the wrong train.That was a big mistake.But on that train,I saw a good friend.I was so happy I made that mistake! Another time I ruined a surprise.My mother planned a surprise party for my father.She told me it was a secret.But I was just a little boy and I couldn't keep the secret.I told my father about the party.At first,my mother was mad at me.But then my father said he was happy he knew about it.He said he didn't like surprises. When a good thing comes out of a mistake,that's a happy accident! What does the boy think of mistakes? Local businessmen are increasingly facing competition from on line retailers. Larry Pollock, owner of Camera Co/Op on South Congress, said he has been dealing with this kind of problem for years, even before the Internet. The struggle began with mail-order catalogues, which are similar to online retailers in that they have few employees to pay, no sales tax fees and no business venue to lease and manage. "Their overhead is lower, but they don't offer a service like we do," Pollock said. Pollock, however, said providing a valuable service to customers does not always guarantee continued sales. "We spend 30 minutes to an hour with somebody and they go home and buy it online," he said. According to the state comptroller's office, online shopping is developing at a more rapid rate than traditional businesses. In spite of how fair or unfair online shopping may be to the local businessmen, consumers will continue to turn to the Internet for its variety and accessibility, said Mitch Wilson, an online shopper. "You have a larger selection and it's easier to compare prices." Wilson said he built his personal computer and paid a third of the price by shopping online. "Before the Internet, I would have had to go and buy an assembled computer from somebody like Dell," he said. "Before I started shopping online I could never find all the pieces I wanted. No single store had everything needed, so shopping online saved me from having to buy from Dell." Janny Brazeal, a psychology freshman, said online shopping is too impersonal. "I'd rather see it in person, touch it, know that I'm getting it," she said. Brazeal also said she would not give out her credit card number or other personal information online no matter how safe the site claims it is. Mitch Wilson prefers to build his personal computer by shopping on line because _ .
At Defendant's trial for sale of drugs, the government called Witness to testify, but Witness refused to answer any questions about Defendant and was held in contempt of court. The government then calls Officer to testify that, when Witness was arrested for possession of drugs and offered leniency if he would identify his source, Witness had named Defendant as his source. The testimony offered concerning Witness's identification of Defendant is A admissible as a prior inconsistent statement by Witness. B admissible as an identification of Defendant by Witness after having perceived him. C inadmissible, because it is hearsay not within any exception. D inadmissible, because Witness was not confronted with the statement while on the stand. Answer: C. inadmissible, because it is hearsay not within any exception. Last year I went to Nepal for three months to work in a hospital. I thought I might as well take the chance to see as much of the country as I could, but it was difficult to travel around Nepal. The hospital let me have a few days' holiday, so I decided to go into the forest and I asked a Nepalese guide, Damal Rai, to go with me. We started preparing for the trip at six in the morning, and let two elephants carry our equipment. It was hot, but Kamal made me wear shoes and trousers to protect me from snakes. In the forest there was a lot of wildlife, but we were trying to find big cats, especially tigers. We climbed onto the elephants' backs to get a better view, but it is unusual to find tigers in the afternoon because they sleep in the heat of the day. Then in the distance, we saw a tiger, and Kamal told me to be very quiet. We crept near and found a dead deer, still bleeding. This was the tiger's lunch! Suddenly I started to feel very frightened. We heard the tiger a second before we saw it. It jumped out like a flash of lightning, five hundred kilos plus and four metres long. I looked into its eyes and face, and saw right down the animal's throat. It grabbed Kamal's leg between its teeth, but I managed to pull Kamal away. One of our elephants ran at the tiger and made it go back into the grass. So we quickly escaped to let the tiger eat its lunch. That night it was impossible to sleep. The writer started to feel frightened _ . A when he saw a tiger in the distance B when he heard there were snakes C when he went deep into the forest D when he saw the bleeding deer Answer: D. when he saw the bleeding deer Grandmother's Favourite Doll A little girl had a doll. She loved it so much that she would treat it with great care, even though her friends would laugh at her for being so careful. As time passed, the girl grew up, moved houses, became an adult, married, had children, and finally became a lovely little old woman with many grandchildren. One day, she returned to her hometown, found her _ house, and went in. Among hundreds of old things, the now-old little girl found her doll. It was as well looked after as before. She took it home with her and gave it to her granddaughter. Her granddaughter loved it. Each time the old woman saw her granddaughter playing with the doll, tears of joy would roll down her cheeks . She was so glad to see now it was in the hands of her granddaughter. The little girl had a _ and she loved it so much. A dog B doll C toy car D ball Answer: B. doll One morning, Charley, a little green frog, was sitting in a pond by the side of the road. Wanda, the neighborhood witch , was walking along the road. She was a good witch and dreamt to become a fairy godmother who can save people from trouble with magic powers. Wanda had been learning fairy godmother magic for 103 years. That morning, she decided to try the magic she had learned and bring happiness to others. Seeing Wanda, Charley cried, "Hi, Wanda." "Hi, Charley," replied Wanda, "I have a surprise for you." Then, Wanda waved her wand , said a magic word, and Charley turned into a prince! When Charley-turned-prince looked at himself in the water, he cried, "Hey! You turned me into a prince! It's a surprise all right, but I don't want to be a prince! Change me back right now!" "Oh, dear," Wanda said. "you shouted so loud that I forgot the way to change you back. But who wouldn't rather be a prince?" "I wouldn't!" cried Charley. "I want to be a frog!" He stuck out his tongue, missing a bug flying by the end of his nose. "Look at that, Wanda! I was a good fly catcher. But now, this tongue is too short! Please change me back!" "I can't, Charley. But you'll learn to be happy as a prince." She waved her wand, and suddenly a castle appeared. Out of the castle dozens of musicians were playing various instruments. "Charley! You'll have servants, eat delicious foods, and you can sing and dance and snap fingers ." "No!" Charley interrupted. "I don't want all these! I want bugs!" Charley cried. "I don't want to sing and dance! And why would I do something as silly as snapping my fingers?" "Snapping fingers!" cried out Wanda. "That's what I forgot!" She snapped her fingers, cried "Upsi-doodle!" and the castle and musicians disappeared and the prince became a little green frog." Charley looked at himself in the water. " _ , Wanda. Oh, happy day! I'm a frog." "I must apologize, Charley," Wanda said, "you are a happy frog. I should know this a moment ago." After the little green frog became a prince, he _ . A was grateful to Wanda B Wanted a great palace C couldn't recognize Wanda D became angry with Wanda Answer: D. became angry with Wanda Some people are lucky enough to be born with a good sense of direction and even if they have only visited a place once, they will be able to find it again years later. I am one of those unfortunate people who have poor sense of direction and I may have visited a place time after time but I still get lost on my way there. When I was young I was so shy that I never dared ask complete strangers the way and so I used to wander round in circles and hope that by some chance I would get to the spot I was heading for. I am no longer too shy to ask people for direction, but I often receive replies that puzzle me. Often people do not like to admit that they didn't know their hometown and will insist on telling you the way, even if they do not know it; others, who are anxious to prove that they know their hometown very well, will give you a long list of directions which you can not possibly hope to remember, and still others do not seem to be able to tell between their left and their right and you find in the end that you are going in the opposite direction to that in which you should be going. If anyone ever asks me the way to somewhere, I always tell them I am a stranger to the town in order to avoid giving them wrong direction but even this can have embarrassing results. Once I was on my way to work when I was stopped by a man who asked me if I would direct him the way to the Sunlight Building. I gave my usual reply, but I had not walked on a few steps when I realized that he had asked for directions to my office building. However, at this point, I decide it was too late to turn back and search for him out of the crowd behind me as I was going to meet with someone at the office and I did not want to keep him waiting. Imagine my embarrassment when my secretary showed in the very man who had asked for directions of my office and his astonishment when he recognized me as the person he had asked. Who showed the right way to the interviewee according to the passage? A Someone we don't know. B The writer did it for himself. C The secretary did so. D A warm-hearted old lady did such a thing. Answer: A. Someone we don't know.
There are many colours in nature. But do you know that a colour 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 boxes. Wrap one box with a red piece of paper, the other with a white piece of paper. 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 does it happen? A scientist found that different colours have different weight in a man's mind. So he did many tests and at last he got the result. That is to say, every colour has its own weight in our mind. The heaviest colour is red, then blue, green, orange, yellow and white. The scientists told us that colours also have smell. Can you smell the colour? Of course not. Then why did the scientists say so? That is because every colour represents a kind of light wave ------ a certain wavelength . It reaches our brain through organs According to this discovery, scientists say that people accept the colour they like, and _ the colour they hate. So your body and mind will be healthy by using the colours you like. Or you'll be nervous or even get ill. 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 one 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 when we see different colours. What will happen when you get into a cool coloured room from a warm coloured room? Answer: Your temperature will fall. I still clearly remember that day. I was on the side of the road for about four hours with my big jeep. I put signs in the windows that said, "Need a jack ." As I was about to give up,a truck stopped and a man got off. He looked at the situation, made a judgment and went back to take a jack. After about two hours, we finished the job with sweats. We were both dirty. His wife took a large bottle of water for us to wash our hands. I tried to put $ 20 in the man's hand, but he wouldn't take it, so I went to give it to his wife as quietly as I could. I asked their little girl where they lived, thinking maybe Pd send them a gift. She said they lived in Mexico. They were in Oregon now,so Mommy and Daddy could pick cherries for the next few weeks. After that, they were going to pick peaches and then go back home. After I said goodbye and started going back to my jeep, the girl ran to me and handed me a tamale for lunch. I thanked them again and walked back to my jeep. When I opened the tamale, what did I find inside? My $ 20! I ran to the truck and the guy rolled down his window. He started shaking his head, smiled, and with what looked like great concentration said in English, "Today you, tomorrow me. " Then he drove away, with his daughter waving to me from the back. This family, working on a seasonal basis where time is money, took a couple of hours to help a stranger while others passed by quietly. Since then I've helped many people like the Mexican family. I didn't accept their money. Every time I was able to help,I felt as if I was putting something in the bank. Why did the author hand the money quietly to the man's wife? Answer: Because the Mexican man had refused to accept it. Which is the best explanation for how air masses move across the United States? Answer: The prevailing westerlies move air masses from west to east across the United States but may be deflected by the jet stream. News 1 Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice, won the World Food Prize on Monday. Yuan developed the world's first popular and widely known hybrid rice. Hybrid rice plants can make more rice than regular ones. News 2 Have you ever got angry at books that are full of mistakes? Don't worry, things will get better soon. Last week, China started checking textbooks, dictionaries and children's books all over the country. The government said the results of the check would come out at the end of June. News 3 People will see a new "star" in the sky soon. China plants to send a satellite into space by December 2006.It will stay in space for one year. It will go around the moon and take pictures. It must be very expensive, right? That's for sure; 1.4 billion yuan! News 4 Have you ever thought of being able to fly around the world in a few hours? One day, maybe you can. Last Saturday, the American X-43A airplane made its first flight. It reached a speed of 8,000 kilometers per hour. This makes it the fastest plane in the world.X-43A is only three to four meters long, but it's very heavy. It weighs 1,270 kilograms. Yuan Longping won the World Food Prize because _ . Answer: he developed the world's first popular and widely grown hybrid rice For most people,below--freezing temperatures generally put a stop to outdoor exercise,but Siberian native Boris Fyodorov is not most people. Minutes after the calendar ticked over to this past 2014 New Year's Eve,Fyodorov set off on a solo,out--and--back marathon run from his home in the Siberian village of Oymyakon,completing the 26.2-mile course-his first marathon-in just over five hours.During the run he experienced temperatures as low as -38oC. And that was just the way he wanted it. "I heard about other marathons around the globe,naming themselves 'the coldest',like the most recent North Pole marathon with runners going at -28oC.'' Fyodorov told the Siberian Times."I thought surely this cannot be right.Our Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited place in northern hemisphere.Why don't we arrange a marathon here?'' Oymyakon is widely considered to be one of the coldest places on the planet,and its record-low temperature of-68oC, recorded in 1933,is tied for the coldest recorded temperature for any inhabited place on Earth.The average January temperature in the area is -50oC. Not only did Fyodorov finish the marathon in high spirits,but he also wants it to be colder the next time he tries it."I really want to organize next Oymyakon marathon in January when the air goes down to -50oC or -60oC,"he said. Fyodorov is not the first person to take on a cold--weather athletic challenge like this.In addition to the North Pole Marathon that he mentioned,the Antarctica Marathon is held every year in late February,taking runners on an out--and--back tour from Russia's Bellingshausen Station.A second Antarctica event--the Ice Marathon--has been held80F degrees south since 2006. What does Fyodorov think about the North Pole Marathon? Answer: It is not cold enough.
French lessons in France Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French. Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time. You will be taught by native French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques. Lessons are interesting and you will speak French on the first day both inside and outside the classroom. Learners * Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced * Over 18 years old Class Schedule * Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer. * Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test. It will help to place you in the right class. * Classes run from Monday to Friday each week. * Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level. * You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each. * You will have a short break between classes. Free Time and Tours * The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week. These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visits to Paris, cycling, movies and much more. * You will have plenty of free time toexplore the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference. Other Information * You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you. Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever. On the first day, the students should _ . Answer: take a language test Course A: Understanding computers 1. A twelve-hour course for people who do not know very much about computers but need to learn about them. You can learn what computers are, what computers can do and cannot do, and how to use them. 2. Course fee: $75, from June 1 to June 28, 9~12am every Sunday. 3. Equipment fee: $10. 4. Teacher: Joseph Saunders, professor of computer science at New Urban University, with twelve years of experience in computer field. Call 67801642 or 67801643 for more information. Course B: Learning to speak French 1. A course with a small class of less than 20 people, twice a week. Your French level is tested in the first class. Then you can begin practicing at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed, and prepares you to learn through situations of real life with a funny and easy method. 2. Course fee: $200, from June 1 to June 25, 4~7pm every Monday and Thursday. 3. Personal tutoring fee: $100. 4. Teacher: From the first day on you can have your own personal French teacher that corrects your exercises and assists you along the course, who has successfully taught French course before. Phone 67353019 for more information. Course C: Learning to swim 1. A course for people who have interest in swimming. We offer morning and afternoon classes, where swimming knowledge will be taught. Then you can gain swimming skills through practicing in water. 2. Course fee: $150, from June 9 to June 29, 10am~4pm every Tuesday and Friday.. 3. Personal tutoring Fee: $100 4. Teacher: Teachers from sports college and experienced swimming-loves. Very close to the Central Park. For further information call 67432308. Having a test in the first French class is to _ . Answer: know your French level for the course World Reading Day was set up by the UNESCO in 1995 to encourage people, especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor great writers, for example, William Shakespeare, born or dead on that day. Many countries celebrated World Reading Day. Take the UK as an example, on that day, millions of schoolchildren can buy book of special price, a much lower price than usual, in any bookstore. It has been done every year since 1998. World Reading Day 2010 in the UK will take place on Thursday 4th March. Please note that this date applies to the UK and Ireland only. The goal is so well set in schools there that they want to make sure that the Day happens in term time to really make the most of this opportunity to celebrate books and reading. Most other countries hold World Reading Day on 23 rd April every year. World Reading Day is also celebrated in China. Chinese former premier Wen Jiabao, an avid reader, does lots of reading every day though he is very busy. On World Reading Day 2009 he encouraged citizens to do more reading. Wen suggested that young people should spend more time reading. "Books cannot change the world, but people can change the world by changing themselves through reading." Reading can benefit people a lot. Reading helps us to follow the latest developments of science and technology. Reading gives us information about other cultures and places of the world. Reading is also one of the most important ways to learn a foreign language like English. "Reading makes a full man." (Bacon, 1597) Books, magazines, newspapers and other kinds of reading materials can help us to know more about the outside world and perfect us. Therefore, it is necessary for us to spend time on reading every day. According to the passage, reading can help people EXCEPT _ . Answer: improve their memory greatly At one time it was the dream of many little girls to become a nurse. Today, however, America is facing its worst nurse shortage since World War I. Recently about 2, 000, 000 nurses are needed and 60 percent of all hospitals in the US have shortages large enough to threaten the quality of care provided. The demand for nurses spreads widely throughout the nursing field. What has become of these women in white? The answer lies in not one but several causes. One possibility is the fact that women have greater career options . In the past, women who chose to work outside the home had two basic choices: nursing or teaching. Today, more women than ever are in the work force, but their options have greatly increased. There are women doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers. In fact, women today are found in nearly every field of work. Nursing has been left behind, as women move on to jobs with higher pay and greater status . A woman or man in the nursing field is often looked down upon as "merely a nurse". Teachers may be also at fault. Many high school students are actually being persuaded to keep away from nursing, told by teachers that they are "too bright to be a nurse". Americans are living longer than ever and requiring more medical attention. In fact, the number of elderly patients has almost doubled in the past twenty years. Obviously a larger population requires more nurses. AIDS and other diseases have caused more and more people to need nursing care. Usually fatal diseases mean long drawn-out hospital stay, that is to say, more nurses are needed to care for these patients. It is said that the demand for nurses will be doubled in the coming ten years. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Nursing used to be an ideal job for women in the US at one time. What a great Paralympic Games this has been. An outstanding Opening Ceremony, splendid athletic performances in perfect stadiums, the best-ever Paralympic Villages, amazing high definition television coverage, a never ending and self-generating supply of passion and emotion, superb organization, wonderful volunteers, millions of new Paralympic sports lovers both here in China and around the world. These are the greatest Paralympic Games ever. --Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee It was another spectacular show. Perhaps it's not quite as sublimely beautiful as the opening, but a fitting end to what has been a memorable 12 days in the Chinese capital. The Paralympics were inspiring. Not only the Paralympians themselves, but also the warmth of people in Beijing and the sense of self-respect among the disabled in China that these Games seem to have inspired, as well as a new attitude in general from the government and form Chinese society as a whole. -- Jeff Z. prefix = st1 /Klein,New YorkTimes It doesn't get any better for disabled persons living in Beijingthan September 2008, with increased access for them in public areas. But there are still problems. Some taxi drivers are not willing to pick up wheelchair users. Some companies deliberately break employment laws that ask them to employ a percentage of disabled persons. Many schools haven't opened their door to disabled students. During the past Paralympics, Chinese society has witnessed firsthand the abilities of disabled persons in sporting. And the next step will be for the abilities of disabled people on the Paralympics to be translated into a realization of their abilities to study, work and go about daily life in a barrier-free society. -- Eric Roeder, China Daily What is highly praised in all the three comments? Answer: The past Paralympics.
Art theft is an ancient and complicated crime. When you look at some of the most famous cases of art thefts in history, you see thoroughly planned operations that involve art dealers, art fakers, mobsters, ransoms, and millions of dollars. Here you can read about some of the most famous cases of art theft in the history. The First Theft: The first documented case of art theft was in 1473, when two panels of altarpiece of the Last Judgment by the Dutch painter Hans Memling were stolen. While the triptych was being transported by ship from the Netherlands to Florence, the ship was attacked by pirates who took it to the Gdansk cathedral in Poland. Nowadays, the piece is shown at the National Museum in Gdansk where it was recently moved from the Basilica of the Assumption. The Most Famous Theft: The most famous story of art theft involves one of the most famous paintings in the world and one of the most famous artists in history as a suspect. In the night of August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen out of the Louver. Soon after, Pablo Picasso was arrested and questioned by the police, but was released quickly. It took about two years until the mystery was solved by the Parisian police. It turned out that the 30x21 inch painting was taken by one of the museum employees by the name of Vincenzo Peruggia, who simply carried it hidden under his coat. Nevertheless, Peruggia did not work alone. The crime was carefully conducted by a notorious con man, Eduardo de Valfierno, who was sent by an art faker who intended to make copies and sell them as if they were the original painting. While Yves Chaudron, the art faker, was busy creating copies for the famous masterpiece, Mona Lisa was still hidden at Peruggias' apartment. After two years in which Peruggia did not hear from Chaudron, . Eventually, Peruggia was caught by the police while trying to sell the painting to an art dealer from Florence, Italy. The Mona Lisa was returned to the Louver in 1913. The Biggest Theft in the USA: The biggest art theft in United States took place at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. On the night of March 18, 1990, a group of thieves wearing police uniforms broke into the museum and took thirteen paintings whose collective value was estimated at around 300 million dollars. The thieves took two paintings and one print by Rembrandt, and works of Vermeer, Manet, Degas, Govaert Flinck, as well as a French and a Chinese artifact. As of yet, none of the paintings have been found and the case is still unsolved. According to recent rumors, the FBI are investigating the possibility that the Boston Mob along with French art dealers are connected to the crime. The passage is not finished, which subtitle could be the next? Answer: In 1990,22-year-old Christopher McCandless gave up his career plans,left behind everyone he knew,donated all his savings to charity,and went off on an adventure,hiking his way through America to Alaska. Of course,this is an unusual story most college graduates would not do so. However,studies show that in teenage years, people are more likely to try out new experiences.For example,instead of working his way up the same organization like his grandfather did,a 15-year-old may dream about becoming a travelleronly to find in his early 20s that this attraction of new places is fading and change is less attractive. The reason why people become less keen to change as they get older may be that people generally have similar life patterns and demands.Most people aim to find a job and a partner. As they get older,they may have young children and elderly family members to look after. These responsibilities cannot be achieved without some degree of steadiness,which means that new experiences and ideas may not have a place in the person's life.New experiences may bring excitement as well as insecurity,and so most people prefer to stay with the familiar. However,not every individual is the same. A child may want to play a different game every day and get fed up if nothing changes at the kindergarten.Another may play with the same children and toys on every visit. Young children who avoid new experiences will grow up to be more traditional than others. Psychologist argue that those who have more open personalities as children are more open than others might be when they are older and that young men have a greater interest in novelty than women,although as they age,this desire for new experiences fades more quickly than it does in women. What does the author think is the key factor that prevents people trying out new experiences? Answer: A disastrous competition is going on in England, with billions of dollars and hundreds of lives in danger. OK, that's not true. But competitors from around the world gathered on Thursday to compete for the title of 2012's World's Biggest Liar. Each participant is given up to five minutes to make up the best lie in the competition, which was started in honor of 19th-century Bridge Inn owner Will Ritson, who was reportedly famous for his lies. Competitors gather at the Bridge Inn every year for the competition, a small pub in northwestern England. Anyone can take part in the competition. Well, almost anyway; the reporters note that lawyers and politicians are banned, who is said to enjoy "an unfair advantage" in the proceedings . A study published this past July in the journal Evolution & Human Behavior found that nearly all lies are detectable through visible facial muscle reactions in the person telling a lie. "Thus, while interpersonal deception often is highly successful, signs of hidden emotional states are communicated clearly to the informed observer," the study concluded. A churchman of Carlisle reportedly holds what may be the greatest lie of all time in the competition, simply stating, "I have never told a lie in my life." In 2003, Abrie Krueger of South Africa became the first non-Brit to win the competition. Ironically, Krueger was accused by some of cheating. In 2006, comedian Sue Perkins became the first female to win the competition, telling a tale about people riding camels to work as a result of climate change. Last year's winning entry came from Glen Boyland, who told a lie about competing in a snail-racing competition with Prince Charles. _ is mentioned just because his or her lie was special. Answer: Luke Dollar is a scientist. He has spent many years in Madagascar studying lemurs . Here is an interview with him. Reporter: What were you like as a kid? Luke: As a kid, I was an explorer . I lived with my grandparents on a farm in Alabama. I spent a lot of time outdoors. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed that. From the time I was 6 to 16 years old I was an actor. My mom asked me to audition for a show in Birmingham. I asked my mom to buy me some video games and she agreed, so I went for it and finally got the part. Later, I became a professional actor. For many years I went all over the US performing on different stages. Reporter: How did you start to study lemurs? Luke: When I was on the farm, I was really a wild child and came to love wild things. I did a lot of photography in high school. I became a photographer and did photography for the local paper. Then I became a student of Duke University. At Duke University there is a center -- Lemur Center. I got a job there as a work-study student and met lemurs there for the first time. In 1994, I had a chance to go to Madagascar and decided to study lemurs there. Luke thinks that life on his grandparents' farm was _ . Answer: There are no days when men and women couldn't associate with each other. When we are asked if boys and girls can associate with each other, most of us will say, "Yes, of course. Why not? " If we want to deal with the association between boys and girls properly, here are some tips for you to follow. 1)Keep a normal and healthy state of mind . Our schools and classes are made up of boys and girls. It is very natural for the boys and girls to contact each other and build up the friendship with the students of the other sex. Generally speaking, we should broaden the circle of the association. We should make as many friends as possible. We should have more friends of the other sex instead of one or two. We should contact the students in public, not in secret. 2)Contact students of the other sex warmly, generously and sincerely. Don't be too nervous or too shy in contact with a person of the other sex, because no one likes a person who is too shy to say a word. 3)Don't fall into the ditch of early love. The boys and the girls at adolescence are rich in feelings and full of imagination . They are easy to regard the friendship as a sign of love and fall in love with each other at an early age. In my opinion, early love is a green apple that can't be eaten. An apple won't taste sweet until it is fully ripe . Do keep out of early love. We should contact the students of the other sex in the following ways EXCEPT _ . Answer:
Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of housework that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?" Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her. Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand-new dollar bill for her birthday. Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls. How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands . The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green! Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said. "Well, then, give me your pearls." "Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?" "Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night, little one." A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you." "Well, then, give me your pearls." "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to her father. "No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams." Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling." Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand. With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing. The reason why little Jenny wanted to give her father doll and toy horse is that _ . Answer: she loved her necklace too much It is difficult to imagine what life will be like without memory. The meanings of thousands of everyday perceptions(, ), the bases for the decisions we make, and the roots of our habits and skills are to be found in our past experiences, which are brought into the present by memory. Memory can be defined as the capacity to keep information available for later use. It includes not only "remembering" things like arithmetic or historical facts, but also involves any change in the way an animal typically behaves. Memory is involved when a rat gives up eating grain because he has sniffed something suspicious in the grain pile. Memory is also involved when a six-year-old child learns to swing a baseball bat. Memory exists not only in humans and animals but also in some physical objects and machines. Computers, for example, contain devices from storing data for later use. It is interesting to compare the memory-storage capacity of a computer with that of a human being. The instant-access memory of a large computer may hold up to 100,000 "words"--ready for instant use. An average prefix = st1 /U. S. teenager probably recognizes the meaning of about 100,000 words of English. However, this is but a fraction(, ) of the total amount of information which the teenager has stored. Consider, for example, the number of faces and places that the teenager can recognize on sight. The use of words is the advanced problem-solving intelligence of human beings. A large part of a person's memory is in terms of words and combinations of words. The comparison made between the memory capacity of a large computer and that of a human being shows that _ . Answer: the computer's memory's capacity is much smaller even than a teenager's Our planet is in trouble.Polluting industries and corporations are destroying our planet, resulting in increasing global temperatures, melting ice caps, and economic turmoil .All across the country, folks are waking up to the reality that if they do not ad now to solve the environmental problems of today, the consequences are unthinkable.If we don't i ct now, who will? Fortunately, an amazing team of young leaders are taking action.They a e getting involved with the Greenpeace Student Network! The Student Network has student leaders who deal with the most pressing environmental issues.We have organized and won inspiring campaigns.Convincing corporations to change their ways and politicians to do the right thing.All thanks to our team of leaders, known as Campus Coordinators. Campus Coordinators are located all across the United States, and even Canada! They work on Greenpeace Student Network campaigns at their schools and in their communities.They organize events like film screenings and days of action.They hold meetings with elected officials, work with the media, recruit volunteers, and mobilize their campus to take action! They do all of this with excellent training and expert support from our team of Student: Network staff.Campus Coordinators develop their leadership skins and become an unstoppable force for green solutions on pus and in their community. Currently, the Greenpeace Student Network is campaigning to solve the largest environmental threat to humankind: global warming.With only months until a new international treaty on global warming is decided this December, the time to stand up and take the lead has never been more important, If you are concerned with environmental issues, want to mobilize your scho4l and community, nd are ready to become a skilled organizer and strong leader, then the Campus Coordinator position is for you! We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2009-Spring 2010 academic year. Are you ready to be a leader on your campus? Apply to be a Campus Coordinator today! Why does the author write the passage? Answer: To call on students to apply to be Campus Coordinators, In reflecting on the events of my life that have impacted me, I returned to the night of August 1, 2006. I found myself in a hall in New York City sitting by my mother, not at all tired, although we had flown the day before, and driven five hours to the city for "An Evening with Harry, Carrie and Garp," a charity event with readings by three authors. The excitement rushing through me kept me awake and thinking; I was standing and applauding a woman as she prepared to read. The Harry Potter series was my gateway to my academic adolescence. I was so fascinated by the magic world that my mother began taking me to academic conferences focused on the books. Since 2005, I have attended presentations about the Latin origin of terms and spells, the ancient tales, and the idea of magic. These books opened my eyes to the whole world, and to knowledge itself. They kept my brain working over the summers. More importantly, they helped me adopt the ideas useful in school and beyond, that there is always another way to do something, or to understand an issue. With uncertainty and doubt come creative ideas and new ways to look at problems that may result in new, different, faster and easier solutions. And all this came from a little "magic" from a book that many people see as a series for children. I also attended lectures about Ms. Rowling's ability to beautifully write the story, with every small detail connected to something else, for example, details in books by Jonathan Swift to Chaucer to Dickens and Austin. I learned that like all great books, Rowling's stories encouraged a connection across mind, body, and soul. Although the series has been criticized by those who believe it encourages bad behavior in children, I was able to hear discussions by those who claimed that these books teach wonderful messages if one gets its deeper meaning. It is my generation's shared text; all college freshmen are familiar with the stories, and that gives us a set of common beliefs and ideas that help us start to learn new things. What can we know about the author? Answer: She may continue to read magic stories. A series of horrible earthquakes can effect deer populations by forcing Answer: relocation
Bringing a stray dog to live at your house when it lived outside all its life will be hard for it at first, but eventually, it will A. fly away B. start talking C. get acclimated D. tell jokes Answer: C The hottest place in the world is the Sahara Desert in Africa. But there are deserts in many other places: in America, in Asia and in Australia. In 1917 the temperature in Death Valley, in the United States, was over 48degC every day for six weeks. That's very hot! But deserts are not always hot. After dark, deserts are very cold. Not many animals and plants can live in a desert, because it doesn't rain very often. But one animal likes the desert -- the camel. It has big feet to walk on the sand. It can live for a long time without water. Sometimes it doesn't drink anything for weeks -- so it gets very thirsty! When it finds water it can drink 100 liters at a time. What's the weather like in a desert? A. Always hot. B. Always cold C. Warm and wind D. Hot in the daytime, cold in the night Answer: D Body language is quiet, secret and most powerful language of all. It speaks louder than words. According to specialists, our bodies send out more messages than we realize. In fact, non-verbal communication takes up about fifty percent of what we usually mean. And body language is especially important, when we try to communicate across cultures. Indeed, what is called body language is so much a part of us that it's actually often unnoticed. And misunderstandings happen as a result of it. For example, different cultures treat the distance between people differently. Northern Europeans usually do not like having bodily contact ,even with friends. And certainly not with strangers. People from the Latin American countries, on the other hand, touch each other quite a lot. So it's possible that in conversation it may look like a Latino is following a Norwegian all over the room. The Latino, trying to express friendship, will keep moving closer. The Norwegian, very probably seeing _ as rude behavior, will keep backing away, which the Latino will in return regarded as coldness. Obviously, a great deal is going on when people talk. And only a part of it is in the words themselves. And when parties are from different cultures, there's a strong possibility of misunderstanding. But whatever the situation is, the best advice is to obey the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Misunderstanding of body languages always happens because of the _ . A. languages B. friends C. cultures D. countries Answer: C Everyone who has eaten instant noodles before knows how it looks like. It is very easy to cook it instantly by putting the noodles into the boiling water and add in those MSG packets, together with your other ingredients like eggs or vegetables. However, have you ever wondered whether this is the correct way of cooking it? When you first took out the noodles from the packaging, you will notice that the noodles are joined together nicely as a piece. In order to make the noodles joined together nicely side by side, it needs some form of wax coating to achieve an attractive instant noodles in front of us. Many people who enjoy eating instant noodles frequently do not really bother too much of it, as it seems very normal to everyone to have it nicely displayed in front of us. However, researches have shown that the layer of wax coating on the noodles is quite harmful to our body and we should not eat it too frequently. It is advisable to have a break of 2-3 days before we start to eat another packet of instant noodles as our body need about 3 days to clear that layer of wax coating away from our body system. Do you know the danger of having too much wax coating stored in our stomach? It will lead to CANCER if it is stored in our body system for a long period of time. There are 2 keys points to take note while preparing instant noodles: 1) Wash the instant noodles with warm water first, stir it and pour away the water containing the wax coating. 2) Repeat Step 1 and try to stir the noodles again to wash away the wax coating on the noodles before cooking it in a new pot of water. Hope this article will let more people have self-awareness of the hidden danger of instant noodles and thus eat safely and stay healthy. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. The instant noodles are joined together in a mess as a piece. B. It is common to see the noodles nicely joined together. C. You can eat instant noodles as often as you like. D. Too much wax coating does no harm to our health. Answer: B I am wearing a small red ribbon this morning to remind myself and others around me that today is World AIDS Day. The red ribbon, an international symbol of AIDS awareness, is gaining increasing public recognition as more Chinese, from top leaders to movie stars, wear it today. Gone were the days when the topic of HIV/AIDS was a public and media taboo . Over the past few years, we have watched, read and heard many stories from doctors, volunteers and public health officials at the forefront of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. Quite a few people with HIV/AIDS have come forward to share their experiences on TV or in the media. The local and central governments have become more forthcoming (be helpful) with their new prevention and treatment programmes, and financial input. The _ rose from less than 1 million yuan (US$ 121,000) in 1986 to a pledge of 800 million yuan (US$98.8 million) in the year of 2006. The change from silence to public and media campaigns with official promises has been remarkable, especially since China battled through the SARS crisis. But have we got a full understanding on HIV/AIDS? What do we know about the extent of HIV/AIDS in China? The figures, ranging from confirmed cases to estimates, remain debated. After all, no more than a year has passed since the policy of free medical tests was make public. Unknown numbers from the high-risk groups drug addicts and people working in sex- related place as well as farmers who once sold blood could still be reluctant to come forward. Which of the following is Not true according to the text? A. The topic of HIV/AIDS was a public and media taboo in the past. B. The topic of HIV/AIDS is now still a public and media taboo. C. Now a lot of people with HIV/AIDS have come forward to share their experiences on TV. D. The writer wears a small red ribbon because today is World AIDS Day. Answer: B
If there's a child in your house who likes pixies , nature, or magic, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is sure to be a hit. This beautifully animated film is a first class production in every way, and features the familiar voices of Kristin Chenoweth, Anjelica Huston, Jane Horrocks, Lucy Liu, and Raven Symone. The movie offers up an adventure that's easy enough to follow, but complex enough to hold one's attention, and even throws in a nice little moral about friendship. What can I say? I'm pleasantly surprised. The up-and-coming Mae Whitman voices Tinker Bell herself, a far more dynamic character than we met in Peter Pan. Though Tinker still possesses her fiery temper, it doesn't manifest itself immediately, and takes a backseat to this pixie's many good qualities. As it turns out, Tinker Bell is extremely skilled at tinkering , so she is a natural choice to build a special scepter , for Pixie Hollow's Autumn Celebration. The scepter will hold the moonstone through which the light of the Blue Moon will pass, supplying Pixie Hollow with enough pixie dust for the year ahead. For days, Tinkers works hard on the perfect scepter design while her good friend Terrence does his best to assist. When Terrence accidentally breaks the Moon Stone, Tinker Bell "explodes" and sends him away. One of Tinker's more literal friends finds this extremely concerning, as she doesn't quite understand that the outburst was emotional rather than physical ----- very funny indeed. After hearing the legend of the lost treasure, Tinker Bell strikes out on her own to find a new Moon Stone. She faces many difficulties and meets new friends along the way, but when Terrence comes to the rescue at Tinker's darkest hour, she realizes the value of a truly loyal friend. Though the film is engaging and offers a positive message to young viewers, it's the animation that makes Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure stand out. Pixie Hollow is a charming, visually stunning world basked in lush color1s. It's so lovely, so detailed, so three-dimensional that you almost want to step inside. In the writer's opinion, the characteristics of Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure are the following EXCEPT_. Answer: Here are a few of our favorite entries so far in our "Your Life: The Reader's Digest Version" contest.After reading these, head over to Face book and sublimit your own story a-bout a special moment or lesson that shaped your life. "There's Always a John" By Darla Boyd My first year of teaching, there was a kid named John in my class. John was difficult to control and he nearly drove me crazy. While talking about him one day, an old teacher put his hand on my shoulder and said, "There will always be a John. Your job is to learn to discover what makes him different and help him succeed." The next year, there was indeed another John. But that advice taught me that there is something to appreciate in everyone. "An Early Key Lesson" By Elaine West Before I began my first teaching job, my mother, a teacher of 30 years, gave me a very special gift, five simple words that have had an effect on my entire life. "Make friends with the janitor ." Her wisdom taught me the respect for all types of characters and continues to enrich my life to this day. Just five little words but what an impact they can have when you take them to heart. "Raising Mommy" By Jan Davis Being a mother can always present challenges and rewards. Someone told me early that children will teach you everything you need to know. Being a mother is being raised. Our children become our advisers. Their dreams become our professors, as we are taking notes carefully. The sounds of their laughter and smiles are a great reward to us. Their tears remind us that it is okey to fail, and that we should wipe the tears away and try again. What did the old teacher mean by saying " There will always be a John " ? Answer: A recent study shows that a third of UK students aged between 16 and 30 are interested in overseas study. Among them, half wish to study at the undergraduate level. UK students have increasing interest in studying or working in a European country through the EU's Erasmus Program, an EU student exchange program started in 1987. Recent Erasmus statistics show that nearly 15,600 UK students spent up to a year in another European country through the program during 2013-2014 school year, up 115 percent since 2007. The figures reflect that more young people in the UK are realizing the value of receiving international experience. "The UK needs graduates who have the skills and confidence to compete worldwide, and can compete against foreign talent that may speak more languages and have wider international experience," said Rebecca Hughes, director of education at the British Council. Most UK students would like to go to the United States, followed by Australia, France, Canada and Germany, the findings show, but 42 percent of those who took the questionnaire were interested in traveling outside of the English-speaking world. Why do UK students want to go abroad? Among those who are interested in overseas study, nearly 50 percent want to have fun traveling and exploring different cultures, while 30 percent want to work for an international company and live overseas. About 15 percent said they wanted to go to the best university and get the best education offered worldwide. What's more, the high cost of UK university studies plays a role in over half of students' interest in overseas study. Also, the study found the biggest schooling check to studying abroad was a lack of foreign language skills--chosen by over half of those who were not interested or had not made a decision about studying overseas. But the top non-schooling check for students was the great cost. Which is the greatest reason why UK students are interested in overseas study? Answer: A boy is standing in the bathroom brushing his teeth, but the lights are off in the bathroom. However, his room is next to the bathroom and his bedroom light is on. The bathroom is still bright, because the mirror reflects Answer: _ Countries would probably pass 'no reproduction' laws to keep population balanced, but obviously not everyone would observe. The world's population would grow very quickly at that. Animals and plants would die out, because humans needed the food. There would be no room for more people in the world. Scientists would most likely try to create living 'communities' underwater, on the moon, and in space stations. The state of starvation and lack of space would be difficult to deal with. Natural selection would happen with humans, which is when certain types of animals or plants are selected for, or selected against. For instance, rich humans and strong, tough humans would be more likely to live, because the rich could afford to buy the limited food, and the tough humans could kill people for their food, and steal the food. This possibility relates directly to the assumption that humans would not die of diseases and such, but must be killed or run out of the necessities for living. If you mean that no one could ever die, even if they were shot, burned, starved and eaten, then that would never ever happen; _ . However, if that were the case, then at some point, if there were not more areas to live than the land that humans live on now, then we would end up so packed that it would be virtually impossible to move, and humans would be forced to be on top of other people. It would be ridiculously crowded. Although, if humans lived forever, then I assume that we would all be extremely smart, and would have figured out solutions to the living situations, like on another planet, on the moon, under water, etc. What is the author's main purpose of writing the passage? Answer:
Once upon a time, there was a poor fisherman in a village near the sea .He always dreamed of having a lot of money. One day ,he heard that a big ship with a lot of gold _ in the nearby water.Because of this , for a long time he often went to the sea and hoped to find the gold . One day, he was sitting on his boat daydreaming, he suddenly felt something heavy pulling on his fishing rod .He thought that good luck had come to him , and he pulled hard at it . "Wow! A big, gold chain !" He said happily when he saw the thing He then began to pull at the gold chain to try to get it all into the boat, but there seemed to be no end to it. When he got the more gold chain , the more water came into his boat . But, the fisherman did not know it .He began to dream of a big house , a big piece of land , buying horses and cows...... He kept pulling in the chain though the boat kept sinking. At last ,the boat went under the sea and the fisherman died What happened to the fisherman in the end ? Answer: He lost his life I really love this job because I enjoy working with small children. I also think my work is very important. But there was a time when I thought I would never have a job like this. I wasn't the best student because I didn't do much schoolwork. Just before I left school, I started thinking what I might do and found that there's not much I could do. I thought I wasn't that kind of person to have a career. I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls for a family. It wasn't difficult at first. But problems began when I agreed to live in, so that my boss could go out to work in the evenings. I got very tired because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children. One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Mary who used to go to school with me. I told her about my job. She said that I should get a qualification if I wanted to work with children. And it would help me learn more skills to look after children better without feeling too tired. _ . I decided to take part-time lessons. In that way, I had to leave the family. But all the lessons I took helped me look after children better and helped me get a job at a kindergarten . Now I have a job as a professional teacher at a kindergarten. I should be thankful to Mary. I would never have a career if it wasn't for her. What does this passage mainly talk about? Answer: The writer's own story of finding a job. Summer Camp 2013 Good news! Summer Camp 2013 opens between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on June 30th. And it will last for a week. All children aged 7-14 are welcome. Each child can take part in only one of the following activities and needs to pay 150 yuan for it. 1. Sports (basketball, football, table tennis, etc.) 2. Learn in groups (painting, singing, dancing, piano, computer, etc.) 3. English Worlds (songs, films, games, plays, etc.) Some American children are coming to the camp. If you really want to spend an interesting summer holiday, please join us for learning with fun. Act now! Book your seat as soon as possible either by phone or by e-mail. Register and pay before June 18th, then you can have a Mickey T-shirt as a member of the camp. Dongfang Children's Palace: No. 23, East Street, Changping Tel: 83212563 E-mail: dsbc1234@childrenpalace.net What can't you do in Summer Camp 2013? Answer: Climb mountains and see birds. Jerry was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Later, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, he forgot the password, nervous. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live." "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The doctors and nurses were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, strong nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes," I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets!" Over their laughter, I told them. "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Why was Jerry shot? Answer: Because he didn't open the safe in time. While other stars her age are partying at clubs, Selena Gomez takes the time out of her day to help those less fortunate. She has been such an impressive role model for younger generations that the 20-year-old Disney star was named Woman of the Year by US magazine Glamour this month, in recognition of her successful career and her charity work. An actress since the age of 7, Gomez has grown up on screen. She rose from the Disney Channel popular series Wizards of Waverly Place to hit movies like Monte Carlo (2011) to this year's comedy Hotel Transylvania. She is also no stranger to the music industry thanks to her band, Selena Gomez & The Scene. "Honestly, the feeling, if I can be selfish for a little bit, just makes me feel so good to be able to make kids smile... and educate them about what's happening in the world," she told the Associated Press. When she was 17, Gomez became the youngest goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). She has worked hard ever since. Over the past few years, she has traveled to poor countries such as Congo, Ghana and Chile to promote environmentally friendly behavior and help raise awareness about violence. Mature for her age, Gomez has a good handle on the problems facing the world's youth and is an outspoken advocate for change. Last month, she stepped up to show support for a 15-year-old Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai. Yousafzai was shot because of her fight for the right for females to have an education in her country. Sad about the story, Gomez wanted to make a difference. Changing her Facebook page icon to Yousafzai's face, she shared more stories about the girl and encouraged her fans to spread Yousafzai's message of females' right to an education. Her UNICEF work continues to highlight that 67 million school-age kids around the world are not in school, and that girls are less likely to enroll in school than boys. Gomez encourages her fans to donate to UNICEF's school programs in Pakistan. Praising Gomez's charity work, her friend Taylor Swift tells Glamour, "She's giving back to people who need help." Which of the following is mainly talked about in the passage? Answer: Gomez is a role model for younger generations.
A nickname is a shortened form of a person's name.A nickname can also be a descriptive name for a person,place or thing,Many American cities have nicknames.Nicknames can also be funny. Los Angeles,California is the second largest city in population,after New York City. Los Angeles has several nicknames.One is L.A.It is also called the City ofAngels because Los Angeles means"the angels"in Spanish. Los Angeles often has warm,sunny, weather.So another nickname is City of Flowers and Sunshine.New York is called The Big Apple.So Los Angeles is sometimes called The Big Orange because ofthe fruit that grows in that city's warm climate. Many films are made in the area of Los Angeles called Hollywood.Millions of people visit the area.So it is also called The Entertainment Capital of the World.No trip to Los Angeles is excellent without seeing the word"Hollywood"spelled out in huge letters on a hillside. Many movie stars live in Los Angeles.The city is sometimes called Tinseltown.This nickname comes from the shiny,bright and often unreal nature of Hollywood and the movie industry.Another nickname for Los Angeles is La--La Land,using the first letters of Los and Angeles. The city of Los Angeles is part of Los Angeles County .There are many smaller cities in the coBnty.A good place for watching unusual--looking people is Venice(after the Italian city of Venice),an area on the west side of Los Angeles. Many people love Los Angeles for its warm sunny weather,beautiful mountains and beaches,and movie stars. Los Angeles is called City of Flowers and Sunshine because _ . Answer: A scientist conducts an experiment on the growth rate of a specific species of plant. Which of these is needed for the data to be relied upon by other scientists? Answer: To do for you Baby and me St. Benedicts Family Medical Center's "Baby and me" classes, 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, at Jerome Public Library, 101 First Ave. E. This week's topic: story telling. The class is educational support for parents and babies. A baby scale is available each week. Free; 324-6133 Infant care Infant care class of St. Benedicts' prepared childbirth series , 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, at Jerome Public Library, 101 First Ave. E. Topics: baby care and early parenting. The class is offered separately, or as part of the childbirth series. Mothers may register even if their babies will be born at a different hospital. Cost is $5. Register: 732-3148. Self defense College of Southern Idaho's Community Education Center is offering a course "Self defense," 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, beginning this week to Dec. 16, in room 304 in the College of Southern Idaho gym. Bryan Matsuoka and Gary Phelps will instruct. Learn defensive skills and the coordination of mind and body. Cost is $105. Register: 732-6442 or communityed.csi.edu. Fitness for seniors South Central Public Health District is observing Fall Prevention AWARENESS Week Sept.19-25 to raise awareness of falls and reduce fall risk in south central Idaho. The health district will provide a Fit and Fall proof class leader training from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday at 1020 Washington St. N. in Twin Fall. Training is for individuals interested in volunteering. Volunteers aren't required to have a physical education degree but should have exercise experience. Register for the training by Wednesday: 737-5988. "To do for you" is a listing of health-related activities, events and education in the following Monday. Baby and me classes are held mainly for _ . Answer: There is a famous saying in the West: Eat breakfast like a king. It means breakfast should be the most important meal of your day. Why? The answer is in the word breakfast itself. Breakfast means "breaking of the fast ". There are about twelve hours between dinner and breakfast, so it's important to eat breakfast to keep in good health. Also, the food for breakfast will give you what you need in the day. Eating a good breakfast is important, but not many people are changing their eating habits. In the USA, about 60% of people have their main meal in the evening. For most Japanese and Australians, the evening meal is the main meal of the day, too. In Mexico, the main meal for many families is usually at 2:00 pm. In Switzerland, the main meal is also in the middle of the day. Many nutritionist say people should eat small, low-fat meals five or six times a day. However, most people think that what you eat is more important than when you eat it. Eating healthy foods like vegetables, fish, and fresh fruit is a good way to enjoy a healthy life. People in _ have their main meal in the middle of the day. Answer: There were times when it was only schoolchildren who felt sick before they got their grades.But now teachers in prefix = st1 /Germanyare scared, too, as they are being graded by their students. Many teachers are opposed to it.They don't mind being evaluated.But they are upset because the results are then being posted on the Internet and accessible to millions of Internet users.On the website www.spickmich.deduring the past four months students have posted evaluations of 100,000 teachers. The teachers are graded on categories such as "motivated", "good instruction," "easy examinations", or even "sexy." Many teachers think that their privacy has been violated. The creators of the website say that the students are only being offered the chance to provide teachers with some feedback about their classroom instruction.Bernd Dicks, who founded the website with three friends, says that the students are largely quite satisfied with their teachers.On a grading scale of one to six, the teachers' average grade is 2.7 and it has been improving lately.He often says the impression is that students are bullying their teachers.But there is also bullying of the students by teachers. "Teachers must also learn to live with criticism," he added.But still, the website is not totally immune from manipulation , as one teacher near the northern city of Hanover recently proved.He registered himself on the website as a student and then rated his own teaching colleagues highly.Within a few days, seven of his colleagues were listed in the top 10 rankings of Germany's best teachers. The founders of the website intended to_. Answer:
Question: When the weather is hot, you go to a lake or an ocean. When you are near a lake or an ocean, you feel cool. Why? The sun makes the earth hot, but it can not make the water hot. Though the air over the earth becomes hot, the air over the water stays cool. The hot air over the earth goes up, then the cool air over the water moves in and takes the place of the hot air. When you are near a lake or an ocean, you feel the cool air when _ moves in. You feel the wind and the wind makes you cool. Of course, scientists cannot answer all of our questions. If we ask "Why is the ocean full of salt?" scientists will say that the salt comes from rocks. When a rock gets very hot or very cool, it cracks , and rain falls into the cracks. The rain then carries the salt into the earth and the rivers. The rivers carry the salt into the ocean. But then we ask "What happens to the salt in the ocean? The ocean does not get saltier every year. " scientists are not sure about the answer to the question. We know a lot about our world. But there are still many answers that we do not have, and we are curious . The main idea of this passage is that _ A. people feel cool when they are near a lake or an ocean. B. scientists can explain many things, but not everything. C. scientists can explain everything about the ocean. D. the salt in the ocean comes from rocks. Answer: B. scientists can explain many things, but not everything. Question: The American local food movement has been all about buying seasonal food from nearby farmers. Now, thanks to the Web, it is expanding to include far-away farmers too. A new start-up, Foodzie, is an online farmers market where small food producers and growers can sell their products. Foodzie was started by Mr LaFave and two of his friends, who met during college at Virginia Tech, where they would pay frequent visits to farmers markets. Last year, while living in North Carolina, one of them, Emily Olson, now 24, came up with one idea. She was working as a brand manager for a _ grocery chain and realized that people who enjoyed fine food but didn't work in the business had no way to discover handmade foods outside their local farmers markets. Small farmers had no way of finding or selling to faraway customers, either. Mr LaFAve and the third co-founder, Nik Bauman, both 25, worked in corporate sales and software development. "With business, food and computer science backgrounds, we figured we had everything we needed." Mr LaFAve said. The three quit their jobs, and opened this site to the public in December and the site has had 43,000 visitors in the past month. So far, 29 sellers have opened shops and 41 are in the process of opening them. The founders recently hired a fourth employee to help Ms Olson recruit new food producers at farmers markets and food shows. Mr LaFAve is convinced that the recession will not reduce people's interest in buying locally grown and handmade food. "There is misunderstanding that all these foods are more expensive than mass-produced alternatives," he said. "People are pouring their heart and soul into these products, and they are of the highest quality." Why did the founders start the online farmers' market? A. Because it met the need of the market. B. Because the founders were interested in seasonal food. C. Because some people wanted to buy locally grown food. D. Because farmers wanted to sell their foods. Answer: A. Because it met the need of the market. Question: Scientists think that many animals cannot see colours. The world is black and white to them. Scientists want to find out if dogs can see colours. When the scientists give the dogs food, they show them a certain colour every time. The dogs get ready to eat when they see this colour. The scientists then show the dogs another colour. Again the dogs get ready to eat. The colours are all the same to them. Colours are not all the same to monkeys. For example, if we put food in a red box, and do this every day, a monkey will always go to the red box to get food. If we put food in a blue box, the monkey won't go to it. Colours are _ . A. all the same to monkeys B. not all the same to dogs C. different to dogs D. not all the same to monkeys Answer: D. not all the same to monkeys Question: When I lived in Spain, some Spanish friends of mine decided to visit England by car. Before they left, they asked me for advice about how to find accommodation . I suggested that they should stay at "bed and breakfast" houses, because this kind of accommodation gives a foreign visitor a good chance to speak English with the family. My friends listened to my advice, but they came back with some funny stories. "We didn't stay at bed and breakfast houses," they said, "because we found that most families were away on holiday." I thought this was strange. Finally I understood what had happened. My friends spoke little English, and they thought "VACANCIES" meant "holidays", because the Spanish word for 'holidays" is "vacaciones". So they did not go to house where the sign outside said 'VACANCLES', which in English means there are free rooms. Then my friends went to house where the sign said 'NO VACANCLES', because they thought this meant the people who owned the house were not away on holiday. But they found that these houses were all full. As a result, they stayed at hotels! We laughed about this and about mistakes my friends made in reading other signs. In Spanish, the word 'DIVERSION' means fun. In English, it means that workmen are repairing the road, and that you must take a different road. When my friends saw the word 'DIVERSION' on a road sign, they thought they were going to have fun. Instead, the road ended in a large hole . English people have problems too when they learn foreign languages. Once in Paris when someone offered me some more coffee, I said 'Thank you' in French. I meant that I would like some more. However, to my surprise, the coffee pot was taken away! Later I found out that 'Thank you' in French means 'No, thank you.' If you see a road sign that says 'Diversion', you will _ . A. fall into a hole B. have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself C. find that the road is blocked by crowds of people D. have to take a different road Answer: D. have to take a different road Question: It was May 5. It was Mary's birthday. She came home, and saw a card on the table. It said, "There's a present for you, Mary. Go and look for it in your room." Mary ran to her room. Her parents were watching her. They were smiling. On her bed she saw a new red box. She thought, "What's in the box?" She opened it. There was nothing but a card in it. Mary took it out and read. "Dear Mary, I'm your present. My first letter is in the word 'book', but not in 'look'. My second letter is in 'ink', but not in 'thank'. You can find my third letter in both 'ink' and 'book'. And my last letter is in 'she', but not in 'ship'. What am I?" Mary thought hard. B-I-K-E! She smiled and said, "Aha, I know, Mom. But where is it?" Her mother said, "Look at the back of the card." Mary turned it over and read, "Come and look for me in the garden." Mary hurried to the garden. There under a big tree she found her present--a nice new bike! "Happy birthday, Mary!" her parents said. "Thank you, Mom and Dad." Mary's present was _ A. on the back of the card B. on her bed C. in her room D. in the garden Answer: D. in the garden
Where do you think people will live in the future? Can you predict people will work and live in the sea? But how will people go to work then? By submarine! Some scientists believe that some day submarines will be as many as today's cars. A famous French driver says, " One day, man will work on the ocean floor as they do on the street!" If people want to live in the sea, they have to solve a lot of problems first. Some of these problems, similar to those of living on the moon, are lack of oxygen and weightlessness . Many questions are hard to answer. For example, what will happen to our bodies if we live in the sea for a very long time? Scientists are looking for answers. Maybe in 50 years man will be able to live in the sea, away from the crowded and noisy cities on land. Man will find it fun and interesting to live in the sea. And life in the sea is more comfortable. Don't you think so? Which is NOT true according to the passage? A. There are also some problems for people to solve if they want to live on the moon. B. The sea is noisy and crowded for man to live in. C. Some of the problems are very hard to solve. D. Some scientists believe submarines will be popular in the future. Answer: B. The sea is noisy and crowded for man to live in. What would you do if a stranger gave you some medicine and it would keep you slim or help you do well in exams? Would you take it? Students at Shenzhen Luohu Foreign Language Middle School have learned to keep themselves safe by saying "no". In fact, what those strangers want to give them are drugs . Drugs are dangerous to your health! "Because teens don't know much about drugs, they might want to try them," said Zhang Dongsheng, the director of Shenzhen Drug Control Office. Now, many schools arrange courses or organize some activities to help students know about drugs. Liang, 16, was a good student before trying drugs. One day, some old friends told him it would be fun. After taking drugs only once, he found it very hard to stop. Liang began to spend all his time and money on drugs. Soon, he stopped going to school and started stealing. In the end, he was put in prison. In China, taking drugs is becoming a big problem for teens. According to a survey, about one million people in China were using illegal drugs last year, and 72% of them were young people. Worse still, there are about10,000 drug users under 16 now. Zhang has some good advice on staying clean. He said, "Drugs are dangerous. Never try them, even if you're curious! It is the most important for you to keep safe and healthy." Teens wants to try drugs because _ . A. they are 18 years old B. they aren't curious about drugs C. they have enough money D. they don't know about the harm of drugs Answer: D. they don't know about the harm of drugs Indonesia's coral reefs are in trouble. Coral mining, Industrial pollution and poisonous agricultural runoff all play a role in their destruction, but the fishermen have been the worst offenders. They not only bomb fish but also poison them with cyanide, an equally destructive practice. The fishermen are also among the biggest potential victims . Two thirds of Indonesia's 7, 000 coastal villages are close to coral reefs and thus depend for their livelihood on the harvest of reef fish. The disappearing reefs are already leading to a dramatic decline in the productivity of coastal fisheries and to increasing fights among fishermen. Indonesia's reefs are vast - they cover 51, 000 square kilometers, surround 17, 500 islands and stretch 3,500 kilometers - but they are not infinite. Many foreign experts and Indonesians fear that the region's entire marine environment could be seriously damaged if the reefs keep dying at their present rate. "The overall picture is depressing," says Ian Dutton, Indonesian director of an environmental group. Depressing, but not hopeless. Despite the destruction, environmentalists have in recent years made significant progress in changing the hearts and minds of the fishermen. Working closely with local Indonesian authorities in North Sulawesi and less populated eastern Indonesia, where most of the country's reefs are located, they have succeeded in preventing destructive fishing practices and coral mining from overwhelming the reefs. Increasing numbers of fishermen are waking up to the threat and protecting the life-sustaining coral before it's too late. Nuhung, a 56-year-old fisherman, says, "I always knew blast fishing was harmful. Then I suddenly realized that by bombing the reefs I was destroying not only my own but my children's future." This passage may be taken from _ . A. a magazine B. a novel C. a newspaper D. a storybook Answer: C. a newspaper Europe's deadly outbreak of a rare form of E. coli bacteria has brought new attention to food safety issues. One of the problems when people get sick from food is that the simplest question is often difficult or even impossible to answer. Just what did the people eat that made them sick? Of course, one way to avoid these medical mysteries is to keep dangerous organisms out of the food supply. This is easier said than done, but scientists keep looking for new ways. Scientists in the United States have developed an experimental system that uses a high-tech optical scanner. The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants like soil or animal waste on fresh produce. These can be sources of E. coli. E. coli bacteria naturally live in the intestines of humans and many animals. Most kinds of E. coli are harmless but some can make people sick. The new scanner can also show damage and imperfections that might make the produce unappealing to shoppers. Scientists designed the system at a Department of Agriculture research center in Beltsville, Maryland. Moon Kim of the Agricultural Research Service led the team. MOON KIM: "We were requested, we were asked, to develop a method to detect contamination in produce. So we started with the apple as the model sample." The scanner uses a high-speed camera placed over the conveyer belt that moves the produce along. As the apples move along the belt, the scanner captures images of each piece of fruit. Moon Kim says the team hopes the system will be available before long. MOON KIM: "We are targeting for development in commercial plants for the next several years." The scanner can direct a sorting machine to separate the bad apples from the good ones. The system is currently able to show the surface of only half the apple as it speeds by. The inventers hope to improve the process so it can show the whole surface. What can be inferred from the text? A. The scanner needs to be improved. B. The scanner will be available in the next several years. C. Moon Kim is unwilling to develop the scanner. D. The scanner is connected to a sorting machine. Answer: A. The scanner needs to be improved. It was Sunday yesterday. Tom and his mother were at home. Tom woke up late and sat on the bed watching TV. And he ate much chocolate. Then it was noon. Tom had to get up. Mother and Tom sat at the table. They were having their lunch. "The soup is not good. I don't want to have it," said Tom and put down his spoon . Mother said nothing and took it away. After lunch, Mother and Tom worked in the garden There was much work to do, so Tom was tired and felt hungry soon. His mother gave him nothing to eat. In the evening, mother gave a bowl of soup to Tom "Oh, how delicious !" said Tom. "it's the same soup, Tom," said Mother with a smile. When Tom worked in the garden, _ A. he ate some chocolate B. he felt hungry soon C. his mother cooked soup for him D. his mother stayed in the house Answer: B. he felt hungry soon
A new study published recently in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Heart Failure reveals that according to a new large study, women who consumed five or more servings of baked fish had a thirty percent lower risk of heart failure in comparison to women who consumed less than one serving a month. Researchers examined the diets of 84,493 women from 50 to 79 years old. The women who consumed a lot of baked fish like salmon received stronger benefits than those who consumed mostly tuna, grouper or white fish. The consumption of baked fish also appeared to provide protection against high blood pressure cardiovascular disease . It also found that those women who consumed more baked fish tended to have a lower body mass index , exercise more and consume more fruits and vegetables in comparison to those who consumed fried fish. Researchers note that past research has discovered that the fatty acids in fish probably decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing inflammation and improving blood pressure along with heart and blood vessel functioning. This study does show the link between fish consumption and heart failure risk but it was not designed to show cause and effect. This study also showed that just by consuming one serving of fried fish a week was linked to a 49% greater risk of heart failure. It also found that the consumption of fried fish was linked to a lower fiber intake and a higher calorie intake. Dr Lloyd-Jones, associate professor with North-western's Feinberg School of Medicine, states frequent consumption of baked fish appears to be part of a suitable pattern that is greatly beneficial for numerous things. This advocates that fish is a very good source of lean protein that we should be increasing as a part of our diet. Recommendations from the American Heart Association suggest consuming a minimum of two 3.5 ounce servings of fish especially fatty each week. In which part of a website may this passage most likely appear? Answer: Health The continents currently experiencing winter will be the ones which are Answer: distant from sun From hitting the mall with your girl friends on a Saturday afternoon, to holiday spending on gifts that go under the tree, shopping could be called one of America's favorite pastimes. For most people, it means some new clothes for work or a small trinket for a friend. For others, however, shopping is much more than an enjoyable pastime, and in some cases, it is a real and destructive addiction that can turn into a financial disaster. Compulsive shopping and spending are defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out of control. Like other addictions, it basically has something to do with impulsiveness and lack of control over one's impulses. In America, shopping is embedded in our culture; so often, the impulsiveness comes out as excessive shopping. Sometimes this is referred to as "shopholism". Shopping addiction can damage a person's life, family, and finances. "No one knows what causes addictive behaviors, like shopping, alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling", says a professor of applied health science. Some of the new evidence suggests that some people, maybe 10%-15%, may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavior, coupled with an environment in which the particular behavior is triggered, but no one really knows why." Individuals will get some kind of high from an addictive behavior like shopping. What are the telltale signs that shopping has crossed the line and become and addiction? What should a concerned family member or friend look out for when they think shopping has become a problem? The behaviors can signal a serious problem: Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling angry, depressed, anxious, or lonely Having arguments with others about one's shopping habits Feeling lost without credit cards -- actually going into withdrawal without them Buying items on credit, rather than with cash Describing a rush or a feeling of euphoria with spending Feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed after a spending spree Thinking obsessively about money Spending a lot time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending "If someone identifies four or more of any of these behaviors, there may be a problem", experts say. Treating a shopping addiction requires a multifaceted approach. There are no standard treatments for shopping addiction. Medications have been used, but with mixed results. Therapists also focus on cognitive-behavioral treatment programs. There is no quick and easy answer that will immediately cure a shopping addiction, and while treatment is a necessary part of solving the problem, so is behavior change on the part of the addict. Some basic changes in behavior that will have a big impact on breaking a shopping addiction are recommended: Admit that you are a compulsive spender, which is half the battle. Get rid of checkbooks and credit cards, which fuel the problem. Don't shop by yourself because most compulsive shoppers shop alone and if you are with someone you are much less likely to append more. Find other meaningful ways to spend time. And keep in mind that while behavior change is clearly important to recovery, so is reaching out for professional help.(509) You should be carefully think about your shopping behavior if you _ . Answer: are overjoyed and overwhelmingly excited to go shopping. The quality of water supply in southern Beijing has been improving in recent years, an official said. In addition to improvements in the network of pipes, the government has been upgrading three recycled water plants in the south of the capital, said Zhao Lei, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. "The transformation of the three plants has increased the recycled water processing capacity by 160,000 cubic meters per day," he said. In addition, the city is also speeding up the construction of sewage treatment plants to further recycle the sewage, Zhao said. Zhang Xiang, a researcher from Nature University, an environmental protection NGO in Beijing, said recycled water use should be promoted, especially in water-scarce cities such as Beijing. Setting up more recycled water plants in the capital will not only promote efficient water use, but also reduce costs because recycling water is much cheaper than transferring it over long distances, he said. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital will set up 46 more recycled water plants citywide in the next three years while upgrading 20 sewage treatment plants. The treatment rate of domestic sewage in downtown Beijing will reach 98 percent by the end of 2015, it said. The capital's recycled water is mainly used for industry, landscaping and cleaning, Zhang said. Many new communities in southern Beijing are equipped with a network to recycle water. In the past, people were not enthusiastic about using recycled water. However, as the government has boosted the quality of recycled water and set up more recycled water plants, more residents are gradually accepting it. Residents in southern Beijing will also enjoy more clean energy, as the government will replace traditional coal-burning stoves with electric radiators as part of a three-year plan to develop southern Beijing from 2013 to 2015. Since 2010, Beijing has taken measures to develop its southern areas. Earlier efforts have seen the region, which used to rely heavily on low-end industries such as cement factories and small coal mines, being turned into a bustling commercial center and home to many educational institutions. Which is the best title for the passage? Answer: Recycled water flows to southern Beijing. It keeps your insides from falling out. It helps you warm up when you are cold, and it can cool you off when you are hot. It lets you feel things by touch. What is this? Your skin , of course! What does you skin ask for return for all the wonderful things it does? Just a little care! So let's learn how to take care of our skin. Like the heart and stomach, your skin is an organ .In fact, it is the largest organ in your body.Unless there's a problem, you may not think about your skin very much.But skin has an important job to do. Your skin is protecting you.Your skin keeps you from getting sick.When you take care of your skin, you are helping your skin do its job.Taking care of your skin today will help you have no problems in the future. Clean skin is happy skin! One simple way to take care of your skin is to keep it clean.Keeping your hands clean is very important.When washing your hands, use warm water.Wet your hands, and then use soap.You should wash your hands carefully everywhere. You'll also want to use warm water, but not too hot, when you take a bath.Use soap to clean your body.Don't forget under your arms and behind your ears! Your face needs attention, too.It's a good idea to wash your face once or twice a day with warm water. What does this passage mainly talk about? Answer: Taking care of your skin.
Ears are for hearing -- everyone knows that. But for a creature called the Cuvier's beaked whale, hearing starts in the throat, a new study found. The observation might help explain how all whales hear. The work might also help scientists understand how animals are affected by underwater sonar . This sonar, used by some ships, sends out sound waves to locate underwater objects. The Cuvier's beaked whale is a so-called toothed whale. Toothed whales dive deep into the ocean in search of food. As the whales hunt, they produce sounds that reach objects and then return to the whales. This allows the animals to "see" the shape, size, and location of objects, even when they're 1,000 meters under the sea, where it is totally dark. To better understand how the whale hears, researchers from San Diego State University in California took X-rays of two Cuvier's beaked whales. The whales had died and washed up on the beach. Ted Cranford and his colleagues used the images to make a computer model of a Cuvier's beaked whale's head. Then, they modeled the process of sound traveling through the head. The researchers knew that some sounds get to the ears of a toothed whale through a structure called "the window for sound". Found on the lower jaw, this structure is very thin on the outside and has a large pad of fat on the inside. When the researchers used their computer model to work out how sound waves travel in the whale's head, they were surprised to find that sounds coming from right in front of the whale actually travel under the animal's jaw. From there, sound waves move through the throat, into a hole in the back of the jaw, and finally to the pad of fat near the animal's ears. Cranford guesses that other types of whales may hear through their throats. Further testing is needed to be sure. Eventually, the insight into how whales hear might explain whether sonar testing by military ships is causing the animals to wind up on beaches. Which of the following describes the way taken by sound waves through a Cuvier's beaked whale? Washington -- The largest ozone hole ever observed has opened up over Antarctica, according to the scientists of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). They believe it is a sign that ozone -- destroying gases produced years ago are just now causing the largest quantities of ozone to disappear. This year's South Pole ozone hole spreads over about 28.5 million square kilometers, an area three times larger than the landmass of the prefix = st1 /United States. Pictures of the hole have been offered by NASA. The hole appears as a giant blue mass, totally covering Antarctica and stretching to the southern tip of South America. "The last time the ozone hole was close to this size was in 1998, when it spread over about 27.2 million square kilometers," NASA said. Paul Newman, who works with NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument on a NASA satellite, said ozone watchers had expected a big hole this year, but not this big. The Antarctica ozone hole, first observed in 1985, is caused by the depletion of Earth protecting ozone by human-made chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons, known as CFCs. "Even though these chemicals were not allowed to use from the beginning of 1987, they remain in the atmosphere and will continue to do so for years," Newman said. "This year's large hole may have been caused by a change in a swirling high-level air current over Antarctica, which circles the area and contains the zone hole," Newman said. The text is mainly about _ . While many teenagers may dream of meeting with pop star Jay Chou or NBA hero Yao Ming, Li Jing had a far more powerful person on her mind. The Senior 2 from Beijing No. 35 High School dreamt of meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. After more than a year of hard work and with a little good luck, Li fulfilled her dream. On October 11, 2004, the 16-year-old girl joined a team of Chinese Journalists who went to the Kremlin , Moscow, to interview Putin. Li felt nervous before talking with Putin."But his greeting and warm smile put me at ease," she said. Li admires Putin very much, because of his strong will and style of leadership. "He looks very cool," Li said. During her interview, Li asked Putin whether he plans to educate his two teenage daughters to be officials in the future. Putin smiled and answered he hopes they can do whatever job suits their interests and personalities. Although Li would only have several minutes, she started working on her interview questions last August after applying for the opportunity. "Journalists" work is by no means easy. You need to do lots of homework on your _ ,"she said. She read many books about Putin and Russia in her spare time. Li's parents encouraged her to be a student journalist. "We fully support her, as long as it does not affect studies,"said her father. Previous in her job for a student magazine, Chinese Young Journalists, she wrote a letter to President Hu Jintao during the SARS epidemic . Li has learnt a lot from her experience. She said learning to manage her time and develop the confidence to speak with important people were not things she could learn in class. Which of the following statements is Not True? If you lose your wallet, how often do you think someone will be kind enough to return it to you, with cash and credit cards? Some people may be greedy, and others are simply too lazy to bother with the trip to the post office to send back a wallet to a stranger. But according to a psychology study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, there's one thing that'll greatly increase your odds of being reunited with a lost wallet: a photograph of a cute baby. In the study, hundreds of wallets were scattered around the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. The psychologists wanted to see how many strangers would take the trouble to return them to the addresses listed on the drivers' licenses inside--but more than that, they wanted to find out what would make a person more likely to help out a stranger. To finish this, they included personal things in most of the wallets: some included a photo of a happy elderly couple, some contained a cute puppy, some contained a family portrait, and some held a photo of a lovely baby. Others had receipts showing that the wallet's owner had recently donated to a charity . Some contained no personal details. As the psychologists soon discovered, the sight of a smiling baby is enough to warm nearly any heart: only one in ten of the strangers who _ such wallets did not return them. In contrast, the second most successful image, the puppy, had a 53% return rate. When the wallet included no photograph, it stood only a one in seven chance of being returned to the owner. The success of the baby photograph shows a human compassion for the young that's been passed down through the ages, according to Dr. Wiseman. "The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective ," he told theTimes. To ensure our species' survival, scientists think that we must feel empathy and compassion for our young. Scientists say that this study supports the argument that we won't feel compassion only for our own babies, but for any that we see--hence, the strong desire a stranger would feel to return a wallet to the baby's parent. On a more basic level, the study also provides a great tip to help ensure that if your wallet is ever lost, you're more likely to get it back. "If you want to increase the chances of your wallet being returned if lost, gain a photograph of the cutest baby you can find and ensure that it is clearly displayed," said Dr. Wiseman. Why did people return a wallet with a photograph of a cute baby in it? In 2016, athletes from around the world will compete for gold medals in the Summer Olympics. Even though the games are three years away, Brazil's residents already feel like winners. The nation was named to host this important sporting event in October,2009. It will be the first Olympics held in South America. The games will take place in Rio de Janeiro. The city beat out three other sites, Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago, to host the event. When the International Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro, cheering people _ the city's streets. "This is huge for Rio and for the whole country," says resident Sueli Ferreira. The Olympics are expected to attract tens of thousands of people. Brazilian officials have already started to prepare for the crowds. " We know what we need to do," explains Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. " The words from now on are work, work and work." Officials want to fix up local sports centers before Rio de Janeiro steps into the spotlight. They also want to reduce the amount of crime. They hope hosting the games will improve life in Brazil. About 30 percent of people there live in poverty, or poor conditions. Tourism during the Olympics is expected to create more than 2 million jobs. " It's going to be good for the economy, good for the people," Ferreira says. " This gives us hope that things will be better here." The feeling of Brazilians can be described as _ .
Electrical devices could soon use power make by human energy, Scientists say they have developed an experimental device that produces electricity from the physical movement of a person walking , British scientist Max Donelan and other scientists in Canada and the United States developed the device. The device connects to a person's knee, As the person walks, the device captures energy each time the person slows down, To do this ,the device helps with the slowing sown movement of the leg, The movements of the walking person push parts of a small machine that produces electricity, Using the device, an adult walking quickly could produce thirteen watts of electricity in just a minute, Donelan says walking at that speed could produce enough power to operate a laptop computer for six minutes. There are several possible uses for the device ,Developers say it could help people who work in areas without electricity to operate small computers, The deice could also be used in hospitals to operate heart pacemakers ,It could even be used to assist in the movement of robotic arms and legs. The experimental version of the device weighs about one and a half kilograms, but it is too costly for most people to buy, But the researchers hope to make a lighter, less costly version.An improved version should be ready in one year. The developers hope the device will one day help developing countries, Nearly twenty five percent of people around the world live without electric power. A similar product was invented in 2005 by Larry Rome of the University of Pennsylvania,He created a bag carried on a person's back that also produces power from walking, The knee device does not produce as much electricity as the bag ,But the bag requires the walker to carry a load of twenty to thirty kilograms. From the passage, we can learn that the electrical device can _ . A help housewives operate the washing machine B make it much easier for us to go online C produce more electricity than that invented by Larry Rome D be applied in medicine to operate heart pacemakers Answer: D Carmen Arace Middle School is situated in the pastoral town of Bloomfield, Conn., but four years ago it faced many of the same problems as inner-city schools in nearby Hartford: low scores on standardized tests and dropping enrollment . Then the school's hard-driving headmaster, Delores Bolton, persuaded her board to shake up the place by buying a laptop computer for each student and teacher to use, in school and at home. What's more, the board provided wireless Internet access at school. Total cost: $2.5 million. Now, an hour before classes start, every seat in the library is taken by students who cannot wait for getting online. Fifth-grade teacher Jen Friday talks about different kinds of birds as students view them at a colorful website. After school, students on buses pull laptops from backpacks to get started on homework. Since the computer arrived, enrollment is up 20%. Scores on state tests are up 35%. Indeed, school systems in rural Maine and New York City also hope to follow Arace Middle School's example. Governor Angus King had planned using $50 million to buy a laptop for all of Maine's 17,000 seventh-graders - and for new seventh-graders each fall. In the same spirit, the New York City board of education voted on April 12 to create a school Internet portal , which would make money by selling ads and licensing public school students. Profits will also provide e-mail service for the city's 1.1 million public school students. Profits will be used to buy laptops for each of the school system's 87,000 fourth-graders. Within nine years, all students in grades 4 and higher will have their own computers. Back in Bloomfield, in the meantime, most of the _ have been worked out. Some students were using their computers to visit unauthorized websites. But teachers have the ability to keep an eye on where students have been on the Web and to stop them. "That is the worst when they disable you," says eighth-grade honors student Jamie Bassell. The habit is rubbing off on parents. "I taught my mom to use e-mail," says another eighth-grader, Katherine Hypolite. "And now she's taking computer classes. I'm so proud of her!" According to the writer, students in New York City's public schools will _ . A enjoy e-mail service in the near future B make money by selling ads on websites C all have their own laptops within nine years D become more interested in their studies with laptops Answer: A For a technology project, Kyle came up with an idea to build a model bridge. He wants his bridge to span 50 cm and to support a 1 kg object. According to the engineering design process, which of the following should be Kyle's next step? A construct prototypes of different kinds of bridges B research the different designs of bridges C gather the materials needed to build the bridge D make a drawing to show how to build the bridge Answer: B Most people graduate from school and then get a job. Everyone wants a job that pays well. How much money can you make? Ask yourself these questions: What can I do? What skills do I have? Also ask yourself: How much education do I have? For most jobs, the higher your education, the higher your earning power. In the United States, high school graduates make about $18,600 a year. If you do not finish high school, you make only $10,800 a year. You can make $7,800 more each year by staying in high school! If you stay in school, then you can make more money. A person with a high school degree makes about $18,600 a year. If that person goes to college and gets a bachelor's degree , he can make $42,000. With a master's degree , he can make about $53,000. If the person gets a PhD , he can make almost $79,000 or more a year. We can learn a very important thing from this information. If you want to work and make more money, get a good education. According to the passage, "earning power" means the ability to _ money. A save B spend C pay D make Answer: D The American Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or an open place and take turns in walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, it's an overnight event of up to 24 hours in length. History of Relay for Life: Relay began in 1985 when Dr. Klatt, a surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, Relay has grown from a single man's passion for fighting cancer into the world's largest movement to end the disease. Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 19 other countries, gather to take part in this global event and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. Requirements for Relay for Life: Anyone can participate in Relay for Life. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there's a place for you at Relay. The only requirement to participate in Relay for Life is the $10 registration/commitment fee per person. After that, anything you can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is accepted. It is recommended that each participant sets a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that's even better. Even if you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate. If you want to be part of Relay, you can start a team or join an existing team online. You can also make an online donation. By supporting Relay, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Online Help: Please check our Online Help&FAQ page for answers to commonly asked questions about online fundraising and about Bark For Life. Local Help: If you have questions that are not answered by the Online Help&FAQ page, or if you would like assistance from your local event representative, feel free to contact Jill Tetherow at (402) 310-2498, or jill.tetherow@cancer.org. Cancer Information&Help: For cancer information and support at any time, visit cancer.org or call 18002272345 to speak to one of our highly trained cancer information specialists. They can answer questions about all things related to cancer -- treatment, insurance, pain, nutrition, and many more. A person will be admitted into Relay for Life on condition that he/she . A has gone through cancer B has finished raising $100 C pays $10 when registering D has set up his/her own team online Answer: C
Many women write to me perplexed about why they can't form close friendships. They try new approaches, put themselves in all the right places, see therapists, and read relevant self-help books. They consider themselves interesting, loyal, kind and friend-worthy people. But for reasons unknown to them, they have a tough time forming intimate relationships. Many admit to not having even one close friend. A recent study published in the offers some clues as to how both nature (personality) and nurture (experience) impact our friendships. Researchers at the University of Virginia and University of Toronto, Mississauga studied more than 7,000 American adults between the ages of 20 and 75 over a period of ten years, looking at the number of times these adults moved during childhood. Their study, like prior ones, showed a link between residential mobility and adult well-being: The more times participants moved as children , the poorer the quality of their adult social relationships. But digging deeper, the researchers found that personality--specifically being introverted or extroverted -- could either intensify of buffer the effect of moving to a new town or neighborhood during childhood. The negative impact of more moves during childhood was far greater for introverts compared to extroverts. "Moving a lot makes it difficult for people to maintain long-term close relationships," stated Dr. Shigehiro Oishi, the first author of the study, in a press release from the American Psychological Association, "This might not be a serious problem for outgoing people who can make friends quickly and easily. Less outgoing people have a harder time making new friends." Families often have to relocate -- across town, across the country, or across the globe. Yet, in many cases, their kids and young adolescents haven't yet built up a bank of friendships. So the conventional wisdom is to try to minimize moves for the sake of your child, whenever possible , and to move at the end of the academic year. The passage is written mainly to _ . A. offer advice to women on how to form intimate relationships . B. explain how nature and nurture impact our friendships. C. explain how moves during childhood affect children. D. tell us how to help children make friends. Answer: B. explain how nature and nurture impact our friendships. It was 3: 45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on-line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history. The full import may take a while to sink in. The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right-to-life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia-where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part-other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia . In the US and Canada, where the right-to-die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling. Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death-probably by a deadly injection or pill-to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors. After a cooling off period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks, he says. When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means _ . A. observers are taking a wait-and-see attitude towards the future of euthanasia B. similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countries C. observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes D. the effect-taking process of the passed bill may finally come to a stop Answer: B. similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countries Item 78431 The Video Camera Pen $129.95; Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484 This is the pen that has a built-in video camera, capturing (,) videos or still images with a click of its button.Ideal for use while secured in a pocket, it can capture up to five hours of video. Its battery provides up to two hours of power before requiring a recharge. Item 78098 The Wristwatch Camcorder $149.95; Available for 3-day shipment; Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484 This is the men's watch with an unnoticeable camera located at the two-o'clock position, yet the watch's hands never make it covered.So you'll be always ready to capture a famous person or a pet's ridiculous actions. The camera's rechargeable battery provides up to two hours of use from a four-hour charge. Item 77918 The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater $249.95; Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484 This is the only personal media viewer that provides a private viewing experience just like watching a widescreen 55 inch television from 10 meters away.It connects to a video iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player with two AA batteries providing up to six hours of continuous operation. Item 77281 The Digital Phone Album Watch $99.95 Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484 This is the watch that vividly displays 120 of your favorite digital photographs.You can download digital photographs to the watch.The watch can be viewed in the Photo Album mode or digital mode (time and date view).A six-hour charge provides up to 10 days of use What do Item 78431 and Item 78098 have in common according to this passage? A. They both sell well. B. They are both cheap. C. They both have unusual appearances. D. They both can take photos. Answer: D. They both can take photos. Real-life Friends Most people know the saying: A man's best friend is his dog; and that Diamonds are a girl's best friend. However, dogs can't offer advice or make you a cup of tea when you need one; and precious stones are cold comfort when you need a hug, and a shoulder to cry on. What are Friends? There are many ways to describe a friend. Friends are the family you can choose for yourself. Friends are a much better medication than medication is, and people who spend time with friends are happier with their lives as they are less lonely. A good friend will put you to bed when you're lost consciousness. Ensure you're not laid on your back, and remember to remove your shoes. You should be able to tell a true friend anything without being judged by them. How do Friendships Begin? This is an easy question. Find someone else who has similar interests with you. You now have another person to talk to about your shared interest but remember they like to talk too, so be prepared to shut up and listen once in a while. Hopefully they will have other friends and will introduce you to them, thereby expanding your circle. Friendships which begin due to location, for example, next-door neighbors or school classmates, rarely survive transitions such as moving to other neighborhoods, schools, colleges, jobs, immigration, and so forth. Attend a school reunion and you'll wonder what on earth you ever had in common with these people other than your age, although it is possible to have a friendship with someone you met at school. Mutually maintain it, and eventually become godparent or "uncle" to each others' children. How Friendships are Maintained To have a friend you must also be a friend and be prepared to be there for them should they need you. Failure in this respect would label you and you would most probably be abandoned. Boundaries Like every other relationship you have in your life, there are boundaries you shouldn't cross with your friends. One of those is money: Don't lend to your friend and don't ask for a loan yourself. Friends are unpaid counselors ,but phoning them at 2 am because you're awake and would like a chat is not a good idea. Neither is phoning them at 10 am if you know they're a shift-worker. Friends are people who need some space and quiet time. Generally, it all boils down to mutual respect and understanding. It's not a good plan to interrupt your friend while they're on a date/on holiday/attending an orchestral recital/at a funeral. Trust Trust is the most vital element in any relationship. If you're not trustworthy then you probably don't deserve friends, so try to remember that you promised to see that dull film with them or applaud them at their first attempt at a karaoke or an Open Mic night. If you have promised to look after their clothes while they go for a bet, then make sure you do. You might like to carry enough cash to help them out too, as you never know when that situation might be reversed. Don't lie to your friend: if they know you well they'll know you're lying or will at least be suspicious. If you find out something that you know will hurt your friend, be tactful . Do they need to know? Would they appreciate knowing? Can you tell their mum so she can break the news? Cowardly, yes, but mums usually have a much better way with words. Remember, if you do decide to tell them and it's painful, they will probably need some time alone, after lashing out at the closest thing--you. In that case, play the waiting game. Then don't beat them up about it afterwards. A Friend for Life Strong friendships can last a lifetime with care and consideration. The benefits are multi-folds; you've got someone to share birthday cake with, and especially for single people, a pub meal or a trip to the cinema is no fun alone, is it? Plus it's always nice to know there's someone there for you, as you're there for them, through the bad times as well as the good. Altogether now: Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A. How to make friends. B. Friends and friendship. C. Ways to maintain friendship. D. Boundaries of friends. Answer: B. Friends and friendship. Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and Greek, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects. Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interested them. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one kind of school can't offer it all. On the whole, the passage is about _ . A. how to start a university B. the world-famous colleges in America C. how colleges have changed D. what kind of lesson each college teaches Answer: C. how colleges have changed
Last Saturday night Jenny was walking through a mall in London , texting on her phone. She wasn't watching where she was going , so she fell into a sewer and got trapped. Luckily she didn't hurt badly. She quickly climbed out and walked away. But her accident was caught on a mall camera. Then someone posted it on YouTube. The video was viewed almost 2 million times and received national attention. Jenny was angry with this, but she learned a deep lesson: Texting while walking is dangerous. This time I just fell into a sewer. Next time I didn't know what would happen. Maybe I would be knocked down by a car or something else. It was horrible. Jenny may be famous for her mistake. After that, she was laughed at by her friends and workmates. She _ what she had done. But it was too late. However, she wasn't the only one who got into trouble while texting on the phone. In 2008, more than 1000 Englishmen visited hospital for similar reasons. They were walking and texting or talking on the phone. Suddenly a wall appeared! Or a hole or something like that got in the way. There were cuts, bumps, broken bones and even worse result happened on them. So we must be careful when we are walking. Don't send messages or talk with somebody on the phone while walking. Or you may hurt yourself and become another Jenny in the future. In 2008 , _ had the similar accident like Jenny and visited hospital in her country. Answer: My family lives in London. In the morning, my father goes to work and we go to school. My father takes us to school every day. My mother stays at home. She does the housework. She always has lunch at home, and visits her friends in the afternoon. In the afternoon, we go home from school by bus. My father gets home from work late. At night my two brothers and I always do our homework. We go to bed at about ten. My father and my mother usually read newspapers. We can watch TV at the weekend. We can watch TV _ . Answer: Computers are very popular with students now. It's very easy for them to surf the Internet .Most of them go to the Internet bar and spend more than two hours there. They can do their homework,get some information for their study,download music,and send emails on the computer. But some of them spend too much time playing computer games,and it is bad for their study. Spending too much time _ on the computer is bad for their study. Answer: Last year I travelled to Paris by plane. I was very excited because I knew I would meet a lot of interesting people and see some amazing things there. On the night before I left, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep at all. When I sat on the plane the next day, I felt very tired. I wanted to have a good sleep during the 9-hour flight. Unluckily, there was a baby sitting next to me. It cried and screamed during the whole trip. How could I fall asleep with all of that noise? When I arrived in Paris at last, it was already 8 o'clock in the evening. I felt even more tired. After getting off the plane, I went to my hotel at once. I paid no attention to the beautiful evening scenery of Paris. I just wanted to have a good rest in my room. When I lay down on the comfortable bed, I fell asleep very quickly. A sudden noise woke me up at midnight. I didn't know what happened, so I turned on the light. What did I see? You wouldn't believe it! I saw two mice playing on the floor! What a terrible trip! Why did the writer feel even more tired when he arrived in Paris? Answer: Mrs. Ritter, a widow, recently purchased a new uncrated electric range for her kitchen from Local Retailer. The range has a wide oven with a large oven door. The crate in which Stove Company, the manufacturer, shipped the range to Local Retailer carried a label with a warning that the stove would tip over with a weight of 25 pounds or more on the oven door. Mrs. Ritter has one child Brenda, age three. Recently, at about 5:30 p.m., Brenda was playing on the floor of the kitchen while Mrs. Ritter was heating water in a pan on the stove. The telephone rang and Mrs. Ritter went into the living room to answer it. While she was gone, Brenda decided to find out what was cooking. She opened the oven door and climbed on it to see what was in the pan. Brenda's weight (25 pounds) on the door caused the stove to tip over forward. Brenda fell to the floor and the hot water spilled over her, burning her severely. Brenda screamed. Mrs. Ritter ran to the kitchen and immediately gave her first aid treatment for burns. Brenda thereafter received medical treatment. Brenda's burns were painful. They have now healed and do not bother her, but she has ugly scars on her legs and back. Brenda's claim is asserted on her behalf by the proper party."If Brenda asserts a claim based on strict liability against Local Retailer, she must establish that Answer:
Robots industry is developing so rapidly that there is no denying that we may one day find ourselves surrounded by robots. The humanoid (human like) robots with two legs such as Honda Motor Co. Ltd's ASIMO would likely have an easier time climbing up stairs inside homes than a robot that moves on wheels, developers say. But it will be some time before such devices make their way into people's homes. "They may look smart, but they are still quite stupid," Shimoyama said. "I don't think they will ever be as smart as humans." While safety is an obvious concern, robots also need to be sensitive to people's needs. Researchers at Fujitsu Frontech Ltd and Fujitsu Laboratories responsible for developing "Enon", a guide and patrol robot designed for use in shopping malls and corporate facilities , are working on this. Enon, which has a humanoid upper body but no legs, is equipped with a touch screen on its chest and space in its stomach to carry loads weighting up to 10 kg. In guide mode, it will check a newcomer and approach the person with a nod and a greeting: "Are you a visitor? Hello." Visitors requiring directions can point to icons displayed on Enon's chest screen. If the restroom icon is pressed, the screen will display a map that shows the way. The robot will then face and point in the direction of the restroom, although it won't actually walk the visitor there. Enon is now in use at four locations in Japan, including a shopping mall near Tokyo. The main goal is to make it more helpful for the elderly. "People who work in the transportation sector often ask whether we can build a robot that will find elderly people who look lost in train stations, and ask them if they are all right," said Toshihido Marita, director of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd's autonomous system laboratory. "Actually that is hard to do, very hard," he said. Most important of all, a robot should be made _ at present. A. safe and elegant B. safe and functional C. elegant and cheap D. sensitive and cheap Answer: B As I drive about the Sois in rural Thailand I catch little glimpses of things that barely register on the mind as the scenery flies by; strange things, beautiful things, sad things, interesting things. I wish I could hold on to these scenes; explore them in detail. I wish that I had the time to stop and investigate further as I'm driving by, but time is a commodity worth more than all the moneys in the world. I wish I had more. I once had a guy wave to me as I passed him. He yelled out something, almost in greeting, as if he knew me. I wonder if we knew each other once, in another place, another time, and he recognized my soul as I drove by in the truck, and just had to yell a hello. I wish I had stopped and said hello too. I saw two young girls, dressed in school uniforms. White blouses, blue skirts, books in hand. They were holding hands, talking, walking down the road, jostling(,)each other with their shoulders and teasing each other as they strolled along. As I passed the one closest to the truck looked up. She was close enough to touch almost. Her smiling face, her clear eyes and golden smooth skin are there in my mind's eye now. I can see her as if she were standing next to me. Once in a while her face just pops into my head. Why? Why is she still there? Sometimes I think maybe I'm a bit mad. I stopped at a road stop on a corner one time. An old lady standing by the roadside walked over to the truck and put her hand on my arm and smiled at me. Her palm was so cool. It must have been a hundred degrees out that day. She said something in Thai and giggled and walked away. Who was she? Why did she touch me? Why was her hand so cool? Why did I just sit there and let her touch me? I didn't flinch away. It was almost as if I knew her, and we were just saying a quick hello. Her cool touch almost seemed familiar; like my long dead grandmother's soothing cool touch remembered from when I was just a little boy. I need more time. I need to stop the truck more often, and just say hello. Things glimpsed along the road are often far more interesting and wonderful than that which seems to consume our daily lives. Slow down. Stop the truck. Get out, and say hello. The writer describes the two school girls in great details to show _ . A. his liking for them B. that he was kind of crazy C. his interest in observing people D. the deep impression they left on him Answer: D A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color1, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. "I Love You Darling" The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. Sometimes we spend time asking who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationship in giving each other support. After all, shouldn't forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don't multiply pain, and suffering by holding on to forgiveness. If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world. How did the mother probably feel at the boy's death? A. sad and calm. B. surprised and terrified. C. angry and sad. D. surprised and annoyed. Answer: B Her frozen fingers touched the flame trying to feel alive. She could feel the warmth but it was a cold heat, as if the candle was rejecting her. Her arms turned red because of the cold, her short sleeved shirt not giving her enough warmth. The winter air grabbed at her arms, causing her pain, but she didn't mind. She knew she should put her jacket on, it was winter in Connecticut, but that would be giving up. Up here, in this tree she felt safe. She looked at the candle, surrounded by hardening wax . She placed her fingers gently on the warm green wax. This candle was a reminder of her life inside that house, a life she would have to return to eventually. As a child, she had gotten this candle. She spent all she had on it. The beautiful crystal box had caught her eye. Five whole nickels had brought her that candle. She gave it to her mother for Mother's Day. Her mother had managed a smile and put it on a shelf. "It's very pretty, honey! I will put it right here." Since then that candle had never been moved, never been lighted, sitting dusty on a cluttered shelf that no one could see. Later on, her parents got divorced. By now the candle was colder than the air and the darkness was complete. The snow on the ground made the night lighter and less satisfying than it had been before the first snowfall. She liked the darkness because she felt safe in it. From the glances of her friends who liked the girl she used to be. From the boys who could never figure out who she was. From her guidance counselor whose endless worried looks never made her feel any better. No one was outside at this time of night. She was alone in the world, just how she liked _ Just as she was about to lean back against the branch, she heard a sound. She heard footsteps breaking the ice in the snow, heading toward her. He was making his way toward the white fence at the edge of the building, right against the road. Normally she would have ignored this person and stayed on her branch faraway from human contact, but this figure had something with him. He trudged toward the white fence carrying a case. The figure reached the fence, opened the case and took out a shiny object. She took her eyes off this figure only long enough to climb down the tree to get a better view of him. She reached the bottom and saw that the person had turned to face the street, sitting on the white fence that she and her friends once sat on. She stepped carefully on the ice, making her way toward him. And then a beautiful sound of music came from the shiny object. She stopped and listened to it. She started walking towards the guy again. Just as she was about to step onto the snow banks, she slipped on the ice crashing to the ground. The figure turned around in surprise and a sudden recognition fell upon them both. The girl was hiding in the tree at deep night to _ . A. keep herself from the cold B. wait for the boy to come C. want to be left alone D. seek safety from any hurt Answer: D In order to start a business online now, there are a few steps you need to complete. The very first step you need to complete is to have a product or service idea. A good idea to make money online should be an idea that excites you, an idea that others will be interested in, and an idea that not many other people are trying. Once you have your business ready to go, you need to go ahead and get a website. You will need to buy a domain name and host it with a company on the Web. Your domain name should be as simple as possible and it should be related to(...) your products. After this you can go ahead and get your site built up. You can either do this yourself or you can pay someone else to do this. The site itself doesn't have to be anything special. The final step for starting your business online is to have a way to make money. For this, you need to have a merchant account that will let you sell things and make money. Your merchant account should accept as many forms of payment as possible. Once your site is up and running, you can begin advertising the site. You need to create contents , such as articles, social networking sites, blog entries, etc. and then you can post it on the Internet so that you can attract as many potential customers as possible. That's how easy it is to start a business online now.Very soon you will be making money online. After reading the passage, we may know that _ . A. it costs no money to start a business online B. not everyone is allowed to start a business online C. you need to have as many merchant accounts as possible D. it is better if the website domain name is related to the products you sell. Answer: D
There are many rights to make sure that people will be treated fairly when they are suspected or accused of a crime. Sometimes these rights are called "due process of law". In using these rights, a person should have the help of a lawyer. You have a right to protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. The police generally may not search you or your home, or take things you own, without a "warrant". A warrant is a paper which states, very exactly, the place to be searched and the things to be taken. Sometimes, however, the police will not need a warrant to search you or your property. If an officer sees you committing a crime, or if he has a good reason to believe you have committed a serious crime, he may arrest you and search you and the area right around you without a warrant. If you invite a police without a warrant to come into your house and he finds proof of crime, the evidence may be used against you in court. If you do not want an officer to search you or your home and he does not have a warrant, tell him that you do not give him the right to search. However, if the officer will not listen, do not try to stop him. It is dangerous to resist and it may be illegal to do so. Any evidence which a policeman gets during an unlawful search and seizure cannot be used against you. Police officers must act reasonably and fairly at all times. They should use physical force only when it is needed to arrest someone to enforce a law. They may not use physical violence to "teach someone a lesson". The police can use physical force only when _ . A. they want to teach the habitual thief a lesson B. the criminal resists arrest C. they catch the criminal on the spot D. the suspect talks back Answer: B A new study has found some secrets of people's understanding of large numbers. Researchers studied a group of people who were born deaf and never learned any spoken language or a formal sign language, but they have developed a gesture system to communicate with people around them. The gestures let them express approximate amounts, but not exact numbers. "Up to three, they're fine," says Elizabet Spaepen, a researcher at the University of Chicago and an author of the study. "But past three, they start to fall apart." In one test, Spaepen would knock her fist against a study participant's fist a certain number of times and then ask them to respond with the same number of knocks. "If I were to knock four times on their fist, they might knock on my fist five times," she says. The finding offers a clue to just how much language affects our understanding of numbers. That has been a big question since 2004, when other researchers published data on two tribes in the Amazon whose members also lack words for big numbers. "What they have are words that mean one and two," Spaepen says, "and then they have a word to mean many." Members of the Amazonian tribes also had trouble matching numbers larger than three or four. But some scholars felt that these earlier studies failed to prove that language was the reason. They pointed out that the tribes lived in groups that didn't use money and had no need for exact numbers. The new research appears to answer that criticism. "It proves that the kinds of problems in understanding numbers that we found in the Amazonian tribes are not due to just the cultural or environmental circumstances," says Peter Gordon of Columbia University, one of the researchers involved in the earlier studies. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably find this passage? A. Science B. Health C. Politics D. Lifestyle Answer: A The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly at a huge pile of those trouble things --books. I was going to have my exam the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn't answer. And I could not. The clock struck twelve. "Oh, dear! Ten more books to read before I go to bed!" We students are the most wretched ones in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy. The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I did learn. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed , "My god, please let me pass the exam tomorrow. I will work hard next time, Amen." My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the books, I fell asleep. What do you think happened to the writer? A. He was late for the exam. B. He passed the exam luckily. C. He failed in the exam. D. He fell asleep during the exam. Answer: C Laura adds 50 mL of boiling water to 100 mL of ice water. If the 150 mL of water is then put into a freezer, at what temperature will the water freeze? A. 0°C B. 15°C C. 37°C D. 50°C Answer: A A Child's History of the World Our Price: $28.00 Item #: 010821 ISBN: 978-8-8828-7028-7 Grades: 4--Adult Product Description V. M. Hillyer, the first headmaster of Calvert School, spent many of his school years studying only American history. Believing that studying world history would broaden children's horizons and give them a better understanding of the world and history in general, he set out to write an understandable and comprehensive world history children could enjoy. A Child's History of the World functions to familiarize young children with some historical events and people of significance while reading like a good story. The subjects are covered in chronological order, from the beginning of the world through the end of the Cold War. This gives the child a linear view of world history that allows the details to be filled in later. A Child's History of the World is a basic reader and is not intended to be used as a supplementary reader. Customer Reviews This is a must-have book. It is a complete and engaging curriculum that is easy to use and understand. My girls are so close in age I was able to use it with all three at once and they loved it. And it's inexpensive! Love the way it is written. Katrena R. from Shingle Springs, CA This is a great book. Everyone (elementary/primary aged) should have this book in their homeschooling library. My kids (ages 4-9) have all enjoyed this book. It is engaging and well written for young ones. There is a lot of information packed into this book and it is presented in a way that is not boring for kids. It is kind of like The Story of the World. Patrice T. from Seattle We can know that A Child's History of the World _ . A. included many original historical pictures B. included many interesting historical details C. was introduced to Calvert School by V. M. Hillyer D. was first used as a history textbook at Calvert School Answer: D
Do you like traveling? Have you traveled to Los Angeles? Have you traveled to the moon? A rich man plans to live on Mars. Is it the beginning of a science fiction novel? In fact, it happens in the real world. Elon Musk is the founder and CEO of a private spaceflight company. He has said his plan is to live on the planet. He says he plans to live on Mars with a group of fewer than ten people. He will take them on a rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane . Each one should pay $ 500,000 to fly there. However, these passengers are not going there to travel, but they are going to work. They need to carry tools to build houses and grow crops there. Musk believes one person out of every 100,000 people may be interested in making the journey. Then Mars will have sixty-three thousand people in the future. What will these passengers do on Mars? A They will learn English there. B They will make friends there. C They will go there to travel. D They will build houses and grow crops there. Answer: D. They will build houses and grow crops there. These days, if you still think the cellphone is just for talking, you will get laughed at. Yes, it's true, voice-only handsets have become out of date. Today's do-it-all mobiles have a lot in common with the computer. The only difference may be that they fit in your pocket and you pay by the minutes to use them. Some of the things a cellphone can do for you will be available this year: Surf at speed Cellpones that let you use the Web have been around for years. So, what's new? Well, faster third-generation(3G) net works let you surf at anywhere. This then allows a carrier to send video, music, and games to your phone. Possible choices are from LG Electronic VX 8000 and Motorola V 1150. Listen as you go The problem with most cellphone MP3 players is that they hold only a handful of songs. But, that's about to change. Sony Ericsson's new W800i can hold around 150 songs in its 500 MB memory. And Sumsung's SPH-V5400 even comes with a 1.5 GB hard drive. Mobile phones may eventually replace mini-MP3 players, especially for teens. Say cheese Camera cellphones are not new either. But, most of them have limitations: around 1-megapixel . But new technology has made 2-megapixel units more common and 3-megapixel units are showing up soon. Some 2-megapixel models, like Sony Ericsson's K750i, offer limited zoom and focus controls. Others, like LG's recent MMA7110, can even capture 30 minutes of full- motion video. Portable TV You say you like "watching TV"? That's what Sumsung MM-A700 wants to give you. The new model lets users watch popular TV programs--for a fee. Other choices are Nokia's 6620, Sanyo's MM 7400 and NEC's N940.The NEC model lets you watch public TV--no fee. The above are just a handful of what you will see in the coming months. Further down the road, your mobile phone may play a host of other roles, such as mobile credit card, position locator... So what is there that a cellphone can't do? Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A All the functions of the models mentioned in the passage are completely new B Camera cellphones of 3-megapixel units will appear soon. C It is certain that a cellphone can do anything in the near future D Today's do-it-all mobiles have nothing in common with the computer Answer: B. Camera cellphones of 3-megapixel units will appear soon. Are you the only child in the family? If so, you are the most important in your family. Parents are the closest people to you in the world. But a lot of middle school students have a problem. They feel they are not as close to their parents as before. They even don't think their parents are fair to them. Some students complain that their parents often say a lot to them, but never listen to them. Some say their parents don't allow them to play computer games when other people are doing it. Others say when they are making phone calls to friends, their parents like to ask if they're speaking to a boy or a girl. These make them very unhappy. Some students even decided to leave home because they're afraid to tell their parents when they have done something wrong, particularly when they do badly in exams. Then they usually think running away is the only choice . But they don't know running away may bring them some more problems. Problems are parts of life. Here are some suggestions for you to solve your problems. Find a good chance to talk with your parents. Don't be afraid to tell them your feeling. Keep a diary to help you understand more about yourself and your feeling. Get help from others like good friends or teachers. Show your parents you are growing up. Then they will feel you are no longer a small child. If you follow the advice, you will have a happy life and never think of running away.21cnj*y We'd better _ if we have problems. A leave our parents B quarrel with our parents C talk with our parents D run away from home Answer: C. talk with our parents The world's largest travel website,TripAdvisor,released a survey on female travel on April 9.It revea1ed that 43 percent of Chinese women have holidayed alone,slightly higher than the global average of 41 percent. The survey covered 10 countries and regions,including China,the US, the UK,Germany,France,Italy and Spain,and aimed to explore woman's travel habits especially with regards to solo travelling. According to the survey,when choosing hotels,85 percent of Chinese women will compare prices on different travel websites,much higher than the wor1d average of 57 percent .However, 92 percent of women around the world regard online hotel reviews as an important reference while 71percent of Chinese female travelers do so,which demonstrates that global women travelers attach greater importance to hotel reviews to avoid unsatisfactory accommodation experiences. In contrast,though Chinese women do also check the ratings, they still prefer to be guided by 1ower prices. Interestingly,84 percent of Chinese women.Identified trying 1ocal food as one of the necessary activities when traveling alone,higher than the global average of 62 percent.Plus,76 percent of Chinese women and 73 percent of global females will take part in cultural and scenic activities.Surprisingly,only 30 percent of Chinese women list shopping as an indispensable must-do on their solo travel trips,lower than the average of 43 percent. Trip Advisor China President Zheng jiali said,"Globally speaking,solo travel has gradually become a trend among the young generation. And there is no denying that women must face the greater challenges of unknown environments by themselves on their solo trips in the future." For most Chinese women traveling alone,they not only focus on the journey process but also long for changes that travel can bring about in their minds . Among more than 9,000 respondents around the world, a majority spoke highly of independent trips which have caused significant changes in themselves, with 36 percent saying they have learned about different cultures,43 percent expressing that they are more confident than before and 56 percent feeling they become more independent.In addition,45 percent of Chinese female travelers think independent trips have helped reshape their outlook on life,well above the international average of merely 15 percent. About what do Chinese women care more when choosing hotels? A The on line reviews. B The security status. C The accommodation fees. D The nearby environment. Answer: C. The accommodation fees. In the process of photosynthesis, sunlight is converted into A chemical energy. B nuclear energy. C mechanical energy. D kinetic energy. Answer: A. chemical energy.
Question: Tattoos and body piercings have moved up on the trend list in recent years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and flesh ink. Like all other subjects, we'll surely be faced with such situation. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let's sit down and hear what they say. Kerstin Otto from Washington: The hotter it gets and the more layers of clothing disappear, the more tattoos and piercings appear on various places of the human body, I wouldn't be caught dead with a snake tattooed on my ankle or with a piece of metal stuck in my belly button. Erin from Indiana: I think body piercing is cool. In most situations, you don't really have to worry about it getting torn out. I go to Noblesville High School. I am a sophomore (that is the l0th grade). Body piercing can be cool, only if it is not taken to too much of an extent. I would not want to get my nose pierced, just because I think I'll look bad. But that is my personal opinion. I guess that type of thing is a cultural difference. Tiara from Indiana: I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them. I do, however, think that ear piercing, is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button. Lee from Illinois: Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs-up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at that on my leg. Most of them don't know what it is. They just think the work itself is great. Subotai from California: I'm not prohibitive of self-expression, but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's. Nagib from Washington: I wanted an earring. My friends had them and it looked like a cool thing. I wanted to get a nose ring, but my mum wouldn't let me. Now I'm glad I didn't get it. I just wanted a little stud, but I wouldn't have looked good with it. Jackson from Ohio: I don't think it's wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything --I think that's ridiculous. People who get the big dragons that cover your whole body--I don't think that's necessary. When I see naked chicks on guys, I think. "You have no respect for women." Brittney from New York: You don't want to do stuff to your body. You don t need to do that because you were made perfect. You don't need to add piercings. If it will make you feel beautiful and you really feel like you need to do it for yourself, then okay. If it really makes a big difference impacting your self-esteem and how you are towards others, then do it. But otherwise, don't mess with what you got. Maybe you should try something more substantial to find beauty in yourself. The best title for this passage is probably _ . A. Body Art or Damage B. Damage to the Youth's Body C. Young People's Different Curiosities D. A Great Anxiety About Young People Answer: A. Body Art or Damage Question: When I was a foreign teacher in China,every day I taught English to my students and they taught me about China.One day the topic mined to saying "I love you".I was shocked to learn that not one of my students had said this to their mothers,nor had their mothers said it to them."Does your mom love you?" "Of course,"they answered. "How do you know?" was my logical question.They responded that their moms cooked and Always told them what they were doing wrong to show their earning.I was strummed. So mom's cooking and criticizing read our as "I love you"."Then how do you say 'I love you to her?" They agreed that getting good grades, followed by good jobs would be how they showed their love. I come from a culture where most people are expressive enough,so I repeated these queries in clauses over time.Gradually,I began to get different responses.Some of them had exchanged those sentiments with their moms. One of my favorite stories of change came from a girl.When she came home from university,her mother met her at the door and hugged her.This had never happened before,but her mom said,"Now that you have gone I have more time to myself.I noticed that in some places mothers and children hug each other and I decided it was a good idea and that I would begin hugging you." In my family we all say "I love you" a lot.While it is true that we often say the words without having great depth of feelings at that moment,it is almost like a blessing we give each other. Those three little words carry a world of meaning,even when said as a greeting, but most especially if they are the lax words we say to or hear from those we love. Chinese people prefer to show love by _ . A. saying "I love you" B. cooking C. getting good grades D. doing something helpful Answer: D. doing something helpful Question: It's so difficult to follow the _ of a 2-year-old. One moment he's beaming and friendly; the next he's sullen and weepy, often for no apparent reason. These mood swings, however, are just part of growing up. They are signs of the emotional changes taking place as your child struggles to take control of actions, impulses, feelings and his body. At this age, your child wants to explore the world and seek adventure. As a result, he'll spend most of his time testing limits, his own, yours and his environments. Unfortunately, he still lacks many of the skills required for the safe accomplishment of everything he needs to do, and he often will need you to protect him. When he oversteps a limit and is pulled back, he often reacts with anger and frustration, possibly with a temper tantrum . He may even strike back by hitting, biting and kicking. At this age, he doesn't have much control over his emotional impulse . So his anger and frustration tend to erupt suddenly in the form of crying, hitting or screaming. It's his only way of dealing with the difficult realities of life. He may even act out in ways that unintentionally harm himself or others. It's all part of being 2. It's not uncommon for toddlers to be angels when you're not around, because they don't trust people enough to test their limits. But with you, your toddler will be willing to try things that may be dangerous or difficult, because he knows you'll rescue him if he gets into trouble. Whatever protest pattern he has developed around the end of his first year will probably persist for some time. For instance, when you're about to leave him with a sitter, he may become angry and throw a tantrum in anticipation of the separation. Or he may cry and cling to you. Or he could simply become subdued and silent. Whatever his behavior, try not to overreact by scolding or punishing him. The best tactic is to reassure him before you leave that you will be back and, when you return, to praise him for being so patient while you are gone. Take comfort in the fact that separations should be much easier by the time he's 3 years old. The "ups and downs" (Para. 1) of a 2-year-old refers to _ . A. his falling down and standing up B. his successes and failures in doing things C. his good and bad traits D. his mood swings Answer: D. his mood swings Question: Pollutants coming from automobile operation have begun to cause many environmental problems. It has been calculated, for example, that 70% of the carbon monoxide , 45% of the nitrogen oxides , and 34% of the hydrocarbon pollution in the United States can be traced directly to automobile exhausts . In addition, rubber, motor oil and other materials accumulate on roadways and are washed into streams, with effects nearly as serious as those of untreated waste water. In an effort to improve the situation, the U.S. government has made regulations on the use of the constituents of automobile exhaust gas that are known to cause air pollution. These constituents fall roughly into three types: hydrocarbons that pass through the engine unburned; carbon monoxide, also a product of incomplete burning; and nitrogen oxides which are formed when nitrogen and oxygen are in contact at high temperatures. Besides their own poisonous character, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight to form harmful smog. Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are rather easily controlled by the use of higher burning temperatures in engines. Unfortunately, the conditions that produce minimum emission of hydrocarbons tend to raise emission of nitrogen oxides. In a way this difficulty is solved by adding recycled exhaust gas to the fuel mixture, thus avoiding the oversupply of oxygen that favors formation of nitrogen oxides. California, which has the most strict air-pollution laws in the United States, requires further special compounding of gas to control emissions, and several states have ordered that alcohol be mixed with gas, as this will reduce emissions of the carbon monoxide by 35 per cent and the hydrocarbons by 15 per cent. Which of the following is NOT true according to the text? A. Carbon monoxide can be controlled in the engine. B. Smog will form when hydrocarbons meet nitrogen oxides in the sunlight. C. Hydrocarbons have no poisonous character themselves. D. The conditions that decease emission of hydrocarbons will increase emission of nitrogen oxides. Answer: C. Hydrocarbons have no poisonous character themselves. Question: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening, the official Xinhua news agency said, beginning a hotly anticipated week-long trip during which she will promote education and cultural ties. Obama, a Harvard-educated lawyer, is expected to spend Friday with China's _ first lady, Peng Liyuan, who is admired at home as both a glamorous songstress and fashion icon. Besides Beijing, Obama will visit the western historic city of Xi'an and the southern city of Chengdu, where she will visit a panda preserve. Obama's two daughters are accompanying her, as well as her mother. She also plans to visit American and Chinese students to promote education and cultural exchanges, and visit historical landmarks like the Great Wall of China. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the visit would help deepen ties between the world's two largest economies. "We believe that this visit will play an important role in increasing mutual understanding between the two countries and expanding friendship." Hong told reporters ahead of Obama's arrival. News of Obama's arrival spread fast on Sina Weibo, where users speculated on what the trip would bring - as well as what Obama would wear and eat. "Two intellectual women playing the game of great power politics - how beautiful." wrote one user. From this passage we know that U.S. first lady Michelle Obama _ A. is a Harvard-educated lawyer B. will visit China alone C. arrived in Beijing on Friday evening D. will promote laws and cultural exchanges. Answer: A. is a Harvard-educated lawyer
The National Dark-Sky Week (NDSW) is a week during which people all over the United States turn off their lights to enjoy the beauty of the night sky without light pollution. This even was started by Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia in 2003, and it is becoming more popular each year. It has been supported by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League. This even always occurs in April, during the week of the new moon so that the sky can be as dark as possible for the best viewing conditions. "It is my wish that people could see the night sky without other light in the sky as our ancestors saw it hundreds of years ago," explains Barlow. _ The main goal of NDSW is to increase awareness of the harmful effects of light pollution. It is not possible for all of the light pollution in this part of the world to disappear. However, it is possible to make a small difference in the quality of the night sky. Another goal of this even is to promote the use of better lighting systems that direct light toward the ground instead of up into the sky. Jennifer Barlow states, "The night sky is a gift of such beauty that it should not be polluted by wasted light. In this way, our children will not lose touch with the wonder of our universe." What is the main goal of the National Dark-Sky Week? A. To promote the use of better lighting systems. B. To help people realize the harm of light pollution. C. To cause all the light pollution in America to disappear. D. To help young children enjoy the wonder of our universe. Answer: D. To help young children enjoy the wonder of our universe. I'm a Chinese girl. My name is Li Ying. I'm twelve. I'm in No. 1 Middle school . Chen Hong is my friend . She is nine. Mr Wu is my Chinese teacher and Miss Zhao is my English teacher. Chen Hong is _ . A. seven B. nine C. eight D. ten Answer: B. nine Fallingwater is a house built over a waterfall in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, America's most famous architect, designed the house in 1935. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark. Guided House Tour This tour features all the major rooms of the house and lasts about one hour. Photography is not permitted during this tour. The Guided House Tour allows children six-year-old and older to enjoy the house with their parents. Adults --$$ 20. 00 with advance purchase. --$$ 23. 00 when purchased on site Youth (ages 6~ 12) -- $$ 14. 00 with advance purchase -- $$ 17. 00 when purchased on site Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm,except Wednesday. In-Depth Tour The tour is best if you desire a greater understanding of what Wright was seeking to create with his masterwork. The number of visitors on each tour is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. $ 65. 00 per person(Available by advance ticket purchase only) Daily from 10: 00 am to 4: 00 pm Sunset Tour As afternoon turns to evening, the changing light allows you to see Fallingwater from an entirely new perspective. The number of visitors is limited and photography is permitted for personal use only. Children under nine-years-old are not permitted on this tour. $ 110. 00 per person(Available by advance ticket purchase only) May, June, & September-Saturdays at 4:30 p. m. July & August-Fridays and Saturdays at 4:45 p. m. Brunch Tour The guests join their guide for brunch before they leave. Children nine years and older may accompany adults on this tour. Please allow three hours total for this experience. $ 115. 00 per person(Available by advance ticket purchase only) May through September --Saturdays & Sundays at 9:00 a. m What can we know about Sunset Tour? A. The number of visitors is not limited. B. It is not accessible in August. C. It is only open for teenagers. D. The ticket isn't available on site. Answer: D. The ticket isn't available on site. If you think you're too shy and want to be a little brave, try the followings: You can make it. Tell people you're shy. There's no need to hide it. When they get to know you're a shy kid, they'll understand you better. This also helps you feel more _ in talks. Try to smile more. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk. Remember that other people have feelings, too; and most people will stay away from an angry-looking face. Learn to be a good talker. If you find it hard to start talks, say something nice about people around you. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person? Get your attention elsewhere. Think more about ways to enjoy parties and games. Don't waste time, say to yourself "You did it". Keep trying and one day you'll never feel "shy" when you talk about yourself How many pieces of advice does the passage give us? _ A. Four B. Five C. Six D. Seven Answer: A. Four Explore Australia's Top End on a Northern Territory camping tour through Kakadu, Katherine Gorge and Litchfield national parks. This five-day-tour to the Top End's three most popular national parks takes you hiking to waterfalls, swimming in rock pools and spotting crocodiles on a private wildlife cruise. Experience the Top End's unique culture, spend evenings around the campfire and sleep under the stars at private campsites in a traditional Australian bedroll or a permanent safari tent. This small-group tour is limited to 16 people, ensuring a personalized experience with your guide, and operates seasonally from May to November. Additional Information: * Confirmation will be received at time of booking. * There is a possibility of cancellation after confirming if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund . * A moderate amount of walking is involved. * Minimum age is 5 years. * Please restrict luggage to 22 lbs (10kg). Excess luggage can be stored at your Darwin accommodation. * Please bring hat, sunscreen, water bottle. (1.5 liters), walking shoes/boots and swimsuit. * Take insect-resisting measures. * All camping equipment provided including sleeping bag, pillow, pillow case, towel and sheet. To enjoy the tour, you should bring _ with you. A. as much luggage as you can B. a comfortable sleeping bag for camping C. a private safari tent and a pillow D. a spray that keeps the insects away. Answer: D. a spray that keeps the insects away.
Speaking and Reading In learning a foreign language, one should first pay attention to speaking. It is the groundwork of reading and writing. You'd better try your best to speak. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. While you are doing this, a good exercise is to write --keep a diary, write notes or letters and so on. Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write. Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning a language. If you are slow in speaking, don't worry. One of the helpful ways is to improve your English by reading, either aloud or low to yourself. The important thing is to choose something interesting to read. It mustn't be too difficult for. When you are reading in this way, don't stop to look up the words if you can guess their meaning of if they are not important to the sentence. You can do that some other time. When you find some new words in reading, you'd better not _ . Answer: stop to look them up in the dictionary 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." How many old and famous buildings in London are mentioned in the passage? Answer: Five Jennifer Lynn is turning into a master storyteller. She writes about young adults brilliantly. However, I have got to say Stay With Me wasn't my favorite in this series, but I still really enjoyed it and I would absolutely recommend it to fans interested in the world of young adults. Stay With Me is the third book in Jennifer's Wait For You series, which features a couple that have been in previous books but have their own unique story and can be read as a standalone. I like that about this series. It's nice to be able to pick up a book and read it, finish it and move on to the next, but the Wait For You series has the added bonus of a more deeper character connection, as theyve appeared previously, you have more of a feel for them and you look forward to their story. Stay With Me is Calla and Jaxs story. Calla has a wreck of a mother, but she is finally coming to the end of college and is looking forward to a career in nursing. She has done pretty well up for herself and now it was her time to shine. Unluckily, it falls through when her mother robbed her of every penny and took her identity. Calla has to go back to her small home town and into the arms of Jax. Jax is handsome and cheerful! He is a waiter in a bar and knows Calla's mother very well and he agrees to help Calla. He is true alpha, with a sweet side and is very protective of Calla. I loved him, but not as much as Cam, sorry Jax! And that's why Stay with Me isn't as good as Cam's book, Wait for You. Don't get me wrong. Jax is an incredibly great character, well fleshed out and I did care for him, but he just wasn't as lovely as Cam. As for Calla, I liked her character, and I liked the connection between her and Jax. I loved how he _ and showed her to love herself, despite her unsatisfactory past. There are a lot of intense moments between these two characters and they are so well written. Jennifer's writing is addictive and she wrote the scenes between Jax and Calla beautifully. Calla has never been, what she would call boyfriend material, and so she struggles to see what Jax sees in her and she bats him off and ignores it. There's a lot of push and pull between them, and it's very charming. At times I did get a little annoyed with Calla, especially with her insecurity but Jax soon made up for that! Overall I really enjoyed Stay with Me. Anyway, they are a wonderful pair together. Despite all the troubles that Calla was going through, their relationship seemed more realistic and was made to last. The author shows a preference for Calla by _ . Answer: analyzing some plots from the book The Elysee Palace in France enjoys equal popularity in the world with the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, the Kremlin in Russia as well as the White House in the U. S. It is the residence of the president of the French Republic and the symbol of the supreme authority in France. The Elysee palace, with an area of 11,000 square metres, is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysee in the city of Paris proper and backed by a large and peaceful garden of more than twenty thousand square metres. Its main building, quite handsome and graceful, is a two-story classical stone architecture of European style, and beside it are two side buildings facing each other and with an extensive rectangular courtyard in the middle. There are altogether 369 halls and rooms of different sizes. The Elysee Palace, built in 1718, has a ling history of close to300 years to date. This house was at first a private residence of a count named d'Evreau, so it was called Hotel d'Evreau. It had later gone through many changes and its owners had been changed for many times, but all the residents in it were distinguished persons and high officials. The house was renamed Bonaparte Mansion when it was owned by Louis X V and Louis X VI successively when they acted as emperors. Napoleon I signed his act of abdication here when he had suffered defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Nopoleon III moved in the Mansion in 1848 when he was elected president, and the house became a Royal Palace when he declared himself as emperor. The Third French Republic issued a decree in 1873, appointing officially the Elysee Palace as the residence president of the French Republic. Over the hundred years since then, almost all the president of the French Republic worked and lived there. Starting from 1989, the Elysee Palace is open to the public every year in September on the French Castles Day. What's the purpose of the passage? Answer: To make an introduction of the Elysee Palace. The Internet has changed our habits, including our habit of sending greeting cards. There are many e-card websites that make it easy to find the right greeting cards. They have greatly changed the way we send greetings to each other. Our lives have become so busy that we have limited personal time. These e-card websites have allowed everyone to easily share their feelings with each other. They include plenty of greeting cards that can be used immediately. The users can choose any card they like, from festival greetings to birthday wishes. In fact, e-cards are perfect for any event. That's why more and more people like to send e-cards. If the users are interested in making their own greeting cards on the Internet, they can create a card within only a few minutes. They allow you to send your greetings on a special date. So you can plan for the occasion when you want to send the card. For example, you can send your e-card on a certain day and then visit the person with some flowers the next day. This will surely create a good impression on the persons you love and give them a great surprise. We have never forgotten the importance of saying sorry to our beloved ones. But sometimes we fail to do so, because we are not brave enough to face those we hurt. Some e-cards allow us to express our feelings in a more thoughtful way. Although some people still would rather buy traditional cards in the shops for the persons they love, especially when they want the cards to last a long time, more and more people are choosing to send greetings on the Internet. More and more people like sending _ to each other. Answer: e-cards
My daughter finally lost her first tooth. She waited for this moment for more than a year. Most of the kids in the first grade lost not only one tooth, but several. But my daughter kept waiting impatiently. Then, she finally got a loose tooth. I never saw her so happy -- except on Christmas, Children's Day or her birthday. Last Friday night, she was eating an apple, and the tooth started to become loose. Minutes later, my daughter shouted happily. The tooth was out! I cleaned it off and put it under her pillow . When she went to bed that night, my daughter wondered, "Will the tooth fairy let me keep the tooth?" I told her _ might and _ 'd have to wait and see. The tooth fairy comes from an old story. It's believed that when a kid loses his first tooth and puts it under his pillow, the tooth fairy will come to visit him when he is sleeping. If the tooth fairy sees the kid and loves him, she will leave some money under his pillow without taking away the tooth. If she doesn't think the kid lovely enough, she will still leave some money but take the tooth away. And then I put a dollar in my bag so that I'd remember to put it under my daughter's pillow. However, I forgot. Luckily, her dear dad remembered. What may be the best ending of the story? A. A new tooth grew during my daughter's sleep that night. B. My daughter woke up at midnight and saw the beautiful tooth fairy. C. The next morning my daughter was glad to find the money and the tooth. D. The other kids in the first grade laughed at my daughter because she lost a tooth. Answer: C. The next morning my daughter was glad to find the money and the tooth. Another small animal that tigers eat in Ranthambhore (a wildlife park in northern India) is the porcupine .These animals are spread widely across India in open areas and grasslands; they often live in the earth and between rocks.They are good diggers, and in Ranthambhore are nocturnal ; they only come out at night.They weigh 12 to 16 kilograms and reach the length of 80 to 90 centimetres.They live usually on vegetables and fruit and seem to have a good sense of smell.Porcupines defend themselves when attacked by moving backwards with their quills upright, often making a strange noise. Several times, I have found the remains of quills where a tiger has killed and eaten a porcupine, but I have never actually seen the kill.In spite of the quills, experienced tigers will try to kill clearly by biting the porcupine's head, its weakest spot.But the quills are very sharp and can give painful injuries to young tigers.If the quills have gone in very deeply or if they are stuck in the tiger's paw, it will try to pull them out.Often, it will be successful, and the wound will get better.But, if the quills have gone in very deeply or if they are stuck in the tiger's neck or mouth, where they cannot be reached, the wound will often turn bad.If this happens, the tiger is in pain and is less able to hunt animals.It has to look for easier prey and so may turn to cows on the edges of the forest.From this, it is a small step to becoming a man-eater. The word "quill" here means _ . A. teeth of a porcupine B. feathers on a porcupine C. long, sharp needle-like parts on a porcupine D. paws of a porcupine Answer: C. long, sharp needle-like parts on a porcupine Long before they became doctors, lawyers, CEO's or real estate developers, they played in garage bands and maybe even dreamed of becoming rock stars. That's why they signed up for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp. For nearly a week, the mostly middle-aged "campers" had practiced in the West 54th Street studios. They came from as far away as London and Tokyo and as close as Long Island and downtown New York to prepare for their moment of onstage glory. "I feel like I'm 18 again," said Jerry Goldberg, a 60-year-old investment banker and guitar player, whose family was in the audience." I admit that I felt a little uncertain when I first got here, but this has turned out to be a wonderful experience, one of the greatest of my life." Everybody has two businesses, their own business and show business. This can be a life-changing experience for them. Mr. Daltrey, who has appeared at several fantasy camps, was asked why he keeps coming back. "I've had people tell me that I shouldn't be doing this, that it's bad for my image," he acknowledged. "But that's rubbish. Look, it's all so positive, and everybody is having so much fun. So what's bad about that?" Jeff Munger, a drummer and rancher said. "I'm at a point in my life where I'm going to spend my money on things I'm passionate about, and I'm absolutely crazy about music." Most of the campers are successful executives or professionals: a founder of the Oracle Computer Company, a businessman whose father invented the Big Mac, a plastic surgeon, presidents of health care and seafood companies. What do the middle aged campers have in common? A. They are all interested in charity. B. They are all passionate about music. C. They are all retired business people. D. They were all rock stars when they were young. Answer: B. They are all passionate about music. British researchers have found that children's IQ predicts their probability of becoming vegetarians as young adults. Recent studies suggest that vegetarianism may be associated with lower cholesterol , reduced risk of overweight and heart disease. "We know from other studies that brighter children tend to behave in a healthier fashion as adults--they're less likely to smoke, less likely to be overweight,less likely to have high blood pressure and more likely to take exercise." lead author Catharine Gale said, "This study provides further evidence that people with a high IQ tend to have a healthier lifestyle." In the study, Gale's team collected data on nearly 8,200 men and women aged 30, whose IQ had been tested when they were 10 years of age. "Children who scored higher on IQ tests at age 10 were more likely than those who got lower scores to report that they were vegetarian at the age of 30."Gale said. The researchers found that 4.5 percent of participants were vegetarians. Of these, 2.5 percent were _ , and 33.6 percent said they were vegetarian but also ate fish or chicken. There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but also ate fish or chicken,the researchers added. One expert said the findings weren't the whole answer,however. "We don't know the beliefs or attitudes of the parents of the children,nor do we know if there was a particular event that led these children to becoming vegetarian in their teens or adulthood." said Lona Sandon, and assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. This study left some unanswered questions EXCEPT " _ ". A. Did the vegetarian children grow up in a family with a vegetarian parent? B. Did the children eat a primarily vegetarian diet at the age of 10? C. Were meatless meals regularly served in the participants' families? D. Did the vegetarian children really have a high IQ? Answer: D. Did the vegetarian children really have a high IQ? On October 31st, 2009, Chinese famous scientist Qian Xuesen, died in Beijing when he was 98 years old. He is famous as "the country's father of space technology and king of rocketry". Qian was born in 1911 in Hangzhou. He left for the United States after winning a scholarship to graduate school in 1936. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later at the California Institute of Technology. Qian began his career in the US and was regarded as one of the brightest minds in the new field of aeronautics before returning to China in 1955. After he returned, Qian set up the first missile and rocket research institute of China. The institute later helped start Chinese space program. He led the development of China's first nuclear-armed ballistic missile and worked on its first satellite. He retired in the year before Chinese manned space program was launched in 1992. But his research formed the basis for the Long March CZ -2F rocket that carried astronaut Yang Liwei into orbit in 2003. In August, 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Qian and _ him for devoting his life to Chinese defense technologies. Qian told him, "I'm trying to live to be 100 years old". Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Qian was born in 1936 in Hangzhou. B. Qian began his career in China. C. The long March CZ-2Frocket carried YangLiwei into orbit in 2009. D. Wen Jiabao visited QianXuesen in August 2009. Answer: D. Wen Jiabao visited QianXuesen in August 2009.
Now I'd like to talk to you about your final exam. The exam will be held next Thursday, the last day of the exam week. Remember to bring two of three pens in case you run out of ink. And unlike the midterm exam, this test will not include multiple --- choice questions; it will consist entirely of essays . You'll have to answer three of the five essay questions. The exam will be comprehensive , which means you'll be responsible for all of the subject matters we covered in class this term, I would suggest you review your midterm exam as well as textbooks and your class notes. The final exam will count as 50 percent of your grade of the course. The research project will count as 20 percent and the midterm exam 30 percent. I'll be in my office almost all day next Tuesday. If you run into any problems, please drop in. Good luck to you and I'll see you on Tuesday. When will the final exam take place? A. On Tuesday B. On a Wednesday C. On a Thursday D. On a Friday Answer: C. On a Thursday It's really true what people say about English politeness: it's everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle, people say "sorry". When getting off a bus, English passengers say "thank you" rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of interacting with people. People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one "thank you" in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough. Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized several times that none of their words were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This is also shown in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter are a bit tightfisted. What can we learn about customers and retail assistants in Germany? A. A customer never says thank you to a retail assistant. B. They may say thank you only once. C. It's always a retail assistant who says thank you. D. They always say thank you to each other. Answer: B. They may say thank you only once. A normal conversation between strangers involves more than talk. It also involves the dynamics of space interaction. If one person gets too close, the other person will back up. If the first person invades the other's space again, the other person will back up again. The person who finds himself or herself backing up is trying to increase the distance of the comfort zone. The person closing in is trying to decrease that distance. Most likely neither person is fully aware of what is going on. In the 1960s, American anthropologist Edward T. Hall was a pioneer in the study of human behavioral use of space. His field of study became known as proxemics.Hall said that personal space for people in the United States can be defined as having four distinct zones: the intimate zone within 18 inches of your body, for whispering and embracing; the personal zone of 18 inches to four feet, for talking with close friends; the social zone of four to 10 feet, for conversing with acquaintances; and the public zone of 10 to 25 feet, for interacting with strangers or talking to a group. Historians say that our standards of personal space began with the Industrial Revolution in the 18thcentury. In cities such as London and New York, people of different social and economic classes were suddenly crammed together, so they unconsciously developed a commonly understood code of courtesy to restrict the space around them. People exhibit nonverbal messages of discomfort when their zones are violated. Invaded people might tap their toes, pull at their hair, become completely rigid, or even become angry. As hall noted in his landmark work, a comfortable conversation needs to include the parameters of human personal space. This passage is mostly about _ . A. what nonverbal communication is B. human conversation C. the life of Edward T. Hall D. human behavioral use of space Answer: D. human behavioral use of space Jamie Wardley is a special kind of artist - an ice sculptor. He first trained as a sand sculptor. Later, he learned about ice sculpture. Now he does sand sculpture in the summer. And in the winter, he sculpts ice. When sculpting ice, Wardley has to work in cold temperatures. If the weather is cold enough, he can work outside. But winter in the United Kingdom is not always very cold. So often he works in a large freezer where the temperature is about -12degC. Wardley enjoys sculpting ice outside in the winter. When he sculpts in the open air, people can watch. They can be part of the creative process. Wardley makes ice sculpting sound simple. But the tools Wardley uses are sharp and dangerous. And the ice is very heavy. Each block of ice weighs 120 kilos. And some larger sculptures are made from several combined blocks of ice. Sometimes ice sculptures can be as big as buildings. In Kemi, Finland there is an ice hotel called the Snow Castle. Each year, Wardley helps build the Snow Castle. Inside the Snow Castle, the temperature is -50C. Even the dining tables are made of ice. So you have to wear winter clothes when eating and wear a hat when sleeping. "The ice hotel is built every year in January. Then it melts in April. Each year we rebuild it and create a new design," Wardley said. The Snow Castle is a large and amazing work of ice, but Wardley's smaller ice sculptures are special too. One winter, in the city of Bradford, UK, Wardley created several small sculptures. He used the sculptures to tell a story which contained an important message about good will and understanding. Ice sculptures are temporary works of art. When the temperature rises, they will melt. But that does not mean that their beauty is lost. The sculptures from that day in Bradford have now melted away, but their message of good will, understanding, and acceptance remains. What does the author think of ice sculptures? A. They never melt in people's hearts. B. It takes time to understand them. C. Their beauty doesn't last forever. D. They add more beauty to Bradford. Answer: A. They never melt in people's hearts. A holiday is any day when people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares. The word came from Old English. At first, holidays honored some holy events or persons. People in Great Britain and other countries speak of holidays as Americans speak of vacations. Every nation has its special holidays. China _ New Year's Day (January 1), May Day and National Day as legal holidays , as it was on Oct.1,1949 that the People's Republic of China was founded. The Chinese have long celebrated the Chinese lunar year. In the United States, congress has declared several days as legal holidays such as New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, Washington's birthday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrated special events in the development of a country, such as Greece's Independence Day, Italy's Liberation Day and India's Independence Day. In the United States, banks and schools usually close on a legal holiday. When such a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is usually observed. Schools and organizations often observe days known as traditional holidays, although schools and business do not close then. Those holidays include Valentine's Day and Halloween. Which of the following holidays has nothing to do with a country's development? A. China's National Day B. Valentine's Day C. Italy's liberation Day D. Independence Day Answer: B. Valentine's Day
Question: The Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the finest example of the late style of Indian architecture . It is at Agra in northern India. It lies beside the River Jumna in the middle of gardens with quiet pools. The Taj Mahal was built by the Mogul emperor Shah Jehan, who ruled India in the 17th century. It is used to honour his favorite wife, known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The building, which was completed between 1632 and 1638, was designed by a local Muslim architect , Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The whole building, with gardens and gateway structures, was completed in 1643. The Taj Mahal stands at one end of the garden tomb with marble path. The room is softly lighted by the light that passes through double screens of carved marble set high in the walls. The building now is kept in good condition. The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build. Shah Jehan planned a similar building, but in black instead of white, to lie on the other side of the river. But before it could be built, Shah Jehan was imprisoned by his son and buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal. Form the passage we can learn that _ . A. the Taj Mahal looks more beautiful than before. B. the Taj Mahal has become a place of interest C. the Taj Mahal has completely changed. D. the Taj Mahal doesn't exist now. Answer: B Question: Beavers producing offspring after Winter impacts their life A. neutrally B. negatively C. very little D. positively Answer: D Question: It is that time of year again. _ There is so much to do to get ready for the party. Planning a child's birthday party is necessary. It can be fun, exciting and sometimes busy. When planning a child's birthday party, there are many important details( ) to remember: First, you should decide on a theme. It is very important to plan a successful party. Without a theme there would be no party to plan. If the child is old enough, he can choose what theme he wants to have. He can also choose invitations, decorations, cake design, and even games. Next it is time to decide on a date, a place, and the time to have the party . Most people have the child's party on the weekend for conveniece of the parents' schedule . When you have already decided on a date and time, you need to choose a place to have the party. It should be a place your child will enjoy, such as a favorite park, a nice restaurant or your own home. Another important detail to keep in mind is the guest list. Always be sure to only invite people that your child knows and likes. Let the child help you write out the guest list. This helps avoid unwanted guests. The passage mainly tells us _ . A. when and where to have a birthday party B. how to plan a child's birthday party C. why a child's birthday party is necessary D. what a child should do on his birthday party Answer: B Question: The strong emphasis on educational achievement in China, Japan and other parts of South-East Asia may be coming at a heavy price. Researchers say that hard work at school plus the lack of exposure to outdoor light is damaging the eyes of almost nine out of ten students--with one in five at serious risk of visual impairment and blindness. The scientists say that young people need up to three hours a day of outdoor light, but many infants are also missing out as they nap during lunch time. Dr. Ian Morgan is the lead author of the study. "I think what's happened in South-East Asia is that we've got _ . We've got the massive educational pressures and we've got the construction of a child's day in a way that really minimises the amount of time they spend outside in bright light." The scientists say that genetic factors, long thought to play a big role in short-sightedness, are not as important as the environment. They point to Singapore as a place with several different racial groups, all of whom are now suffering high levels of short-sightedness. The authors suggest that compulsory time outdoors should be considered by educational authorities across South-East Asia as a way of dealing with the problem. The authors strongly believe that _ . A. we should spend enough time outdoors B. infants should not nap during lunch time C. students should not work hard at school D. educational authorities are to blame for short-sightedness Answer: A Question: When buried sediments are subjected to pressure, the mineral grains are squeezed together. What is the result of this action? A. volcanoes B. earthquakes C. new rock is formed D. layers rise to the surface Answer: C
If you go to Hong Kong by air, you will arrive at Kai Tak Airport. Because there was no enough land, it was built out into the sea. It is in the part of Hong Kong called Kowloon. Kowloon is one of the two big cities in Hong Kong. The other city is Hong Kong itself. It is on an island. You can get there by ship or through a tunnel under the sea. Much of Hong Kong is farmland and mountains. The population of Hong Kong is over 6 million. Most of them are Chinese. Chinese and English are spoken by many people there. Clothes, computers, radios and TVs are made in Hong Kong. You can watch dog-racing or motor-racing. Some places are quiet and beautiful. When you are hot and tired, there are small and cool gardens to rest in. There are also a lot of tall buildings to live in. Hong Kong is also a good place for Chinese cooking. You can enjoy many kinds of Chinese cooking, for example, fish, meat and vegetables. Beijing Roast Duck is famous as well. There is certainly a lot to see and to do in Hong Kong. In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to China. It's a part of China. The main idea of the fourth part is that _ . Answer: Has the recent economic downturn affected your life? For many young Chinese, it has driven them to embrace a far more frugal (economical) lifestyle. Wang Hao, 24, is a prefix = st1 /Beijingoffice worker. He made a resolution in June last year to limit his weekly living expenses to 100 yuan. That's the cost of eight Big Macs inChina. "The financial crisis has taught a spending lesson to young people in China, including me," said Wang, who posted his resolution on his blog, which has drawn over 200,000 hits. As the financial crisis affects the economy, white-collar workers speak of reducing salaries. Some are unemployed. And university students are facing the worst job prospects since China's economic reform began 30 years ago. To save money, people have started to share dinners, houses, taxis and other activities with strangers they meet online. Web users post their activities on sites, such as www.Pinkewang.com and invite others to join them. Lin Xiongbo, the founder of Pinkewang, said his website saw a 100 percent increase of visitors last November after the global financial crisis broke out. People are also using websites like Lin's to share other activity ideas such as training programs, sports, and entertainments. "Sharing activities with others can save a lot of money without lowering one's quality of life," said 27-year-old Xu Li. He's a manager at a public relations firm and a long-time user of websites like Pinkewang. It was on the Internet that Xu recently found another person to take part in an English training program with him. By joining the program with another person, he and his partner received a 10 percent discount for the course, saving them more than 1,000 yuan. Young Chinese born in the 80s used to be accused of being materialistic. They favored designer clothes and the latest electronic products, and many of them spent their monthly salaries rather than saving them. They became known as the "Yueguang group". However, since the economy slowed down, this lifestyle has lost much of its charm. Now, more and more young Chinese consider saving money to be more fashionable than spending. The frugal lifestyles these young Chinese are embracing seem to be accepted by the authorities too. In a commentary published in the People's Daily recently, the writer said frugality did not conflict with the government's demand-stimulating policies, as it called for reasonable rather than reckless spending. "Frugal lifestyles should become a fashion, especially in the financial crisis," said the writer Wang Jinyou. The passage was written to _ . Answer: Soup on my nose, a nearly spilled glass of wine and chocolate down my white blouse, as blind dates suggest, this was a really messy one. I have never made so much noise with plates and glasses, nor had I dined with a never-before-met companion. This blind date was quite different: we could see nothing. "Put your left hand on my shoulder, and then we'll take small steps forward," said Michael, the visually impaired server, in an East London accent. We three felt our way carefully bumping past heavy curtains before being arranged at the dining table, where we would eat and drink three completely secret and unseen courses. Welcome to Alchemy in the Dark, Hong Kong's first full-time restaurant in total darkness. Upon arrival, diners briefly tell the chef on their allergies , lock away their mobile phones and enter the windowless restaurant, which can seat 25. When the meal is over, the contents of the delicious menu are shown --- often to the diners' surprise. "This is definitely duck," my friend said, while eating chicken. "This soup," I declared, "is carrot and coriander." Even the too-close smell did not reveal the real tomato and cumin flavors. Dining in the dark changes everything: the sense of smell is heightened, manners go out of the window ----using your hands to feel around the plate becomes normal--- and there is a strange thrill in being able to ignore your facial expressions. Best of all? You don't have to spend hours beforehand wondering what to wear. Alchemy in the Dark is at 16 Arbuthnot Road, Central, (tel: 6821 2801) and is open Monday to Saturday, from 7pm to 11pm. Reservations are required. A three-course meal with wine pairing costs HK$700 per person. Five per cent of all profits go to the Hong Kong Society for the Blind. How did the author and her companion arrive at their dining table? Answer: Once upon a time, there was a man who was so famous that everyone in his country knew him. One day, the famous man was sitting in a restaurant with his sister. "It must be great to be famous. Everyone tries to please you, and you can do whatever you want to," said his sister. "It's quite the opposite sometimes, in fact. Because I'm famous, I can't do what I want to," he denied. "But look, we're sitting at the best table and eating the best food. We couldn't sit here and eat this if you weren't famous," said his sister. "I'll show you what I mean," said he. The next day, the famous man picked up his sister and took her to another country. "I'm not at all famous here," he said. "Let's see how we get on." Soon they found a restaurant, but it was very busy, so they had to queue. "This wouldn't have happened if you were famous," said his sister, but the famous man just smiled. When they finally got a table, it took the waiter years to bring what they ordered. And the food supposed to be hot was cold, and the food supposed to be cold was hot! Eventually, the famous man couldn't stand any more and asked to see the manager. "This food is awful. We had to wait an hour for a seat, and the service is also very poor. Look, even my spoon is dirty!" Showing his horribly yellow teeth, the manager, smiling, said, "Well, that's just bad luck for you." "Don't you know who I am?" asked the famous man. "I've no idea," replied the manager. So the famous man and his sister ran away, without paying. The famous man took his sister to another country to _ . Answer: I like to go to the park that is next to the hotel. The park is very big and has lots of ladders and slides. My favorite thing to do at the park is to swim in the lake. The lake is small but there are a lot of red fish that live in it. There are also some turtles and worms at the bottom of the lake. Sometimes the fish swim by my leg and make me laugh and feel happy. One time I stepped on a stick and cut my foot. That cut hurt and made me sad. The next time I went in the lake I was scared that I would get another cut. Another thing I like to do at the park is to feed the animals. There are lots of pigs, squirrels and raccoon living in the park. Sometimes I feed them bread and crackers. Their favorite thing to eat is ham. After I am done at the park I go to the store to buy some ice cream. Sometimes I see my friend Christopher and he eats his ice cream with me. Christopher also likes feeding the animals. His favorite animal at the park is the squirrel. What do I feed the animals at the park? Answer:
Tensions have erupted over some barren rocks in the Pacific that you may never have heard of, but stay tuned--this is a boundary dispute that could get ugly and some day have far-reaching consequences for China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States. The islands in dispute are called the Senkaku chain by Japan, the Diaoyu islands by China, and the Diaoyutai by Taiwan. All three claim the islands, which are really just five small islands and three barren rocks northeast of Taiwan, 200 miles off the Chinese coast. The latest conflict occurred when a Chinese fishing boat collided with two Japanese naval ships trying to stop it near the islands. The Japanese prevented the Chinese captain from leaving the place for questioning and the two countries have been exchanging angry protests. The reason to worry is that nationalists in both China and Taiwan see the islands as unquestionably theirs and think that their government has been weak in claiming this authority. So far, wiser heads have generally won the argument on each side, but at some point a weakened Chinese leader might try to gain the legal right with the public by pushing the issue and recovering the islands. It would be a dangerous game and would have a disastrous impact on China-Japan relations, but if successful it would raise the popularity of the Chinese government. In reality, of course, there is zero chance that the U.S. will honor its treaty with Japan over a few barren rocks. We're not going to risk a nuclear conflict with China over some islands that may well be China's. But if we don't help, our security relationship with Japan will be at the breaking point. So which country has a better claim to the islands? My feeling is that it's China, although the answer isn't clear-cut. Chinese navigational records show the islands as Chinese for many centuries, and a 1783 Japanese map shows them as Chinese as well. Japan _ to "discover" the islands only in 1884 and took control of them by force only in 1895 when it also grabbed Taiwan. The best approach would be for China and Japan to agree to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, but realistically that won't happen. And since some believe that the area is rich with oil and gas reserves, the claims from each side have become more insistent. As Chinese nationalism grows, as China's navy and ability to project power in the ocean gains, we could see some military conflicts over the islands. Taken from NewYork Times The latest conflict referred to in the passage occurred because _ . the Japanese kept the captain of a fishing boat from returning for questioning Vanilla is my best friend. She is a lovely girl with two big, beautiful eyes. But she always hides them behind a pair of black glasses. One day, though, I nearly ended our friendship. I remember that day clearly. We were sitting in class. The teacher was giving us our results for a Chinese test. I had done badly. I felt so sad that I wouldn't talk to anyone. At lunchtime, I even stayed in the classroom alone. Suddenly, I heard a voice. It was Vanilla. "You look very unhappy," she said. "What's wrong?" I looked up at her, but said nothing. I knew Vallina had got a good mark in the test. I thought she was making fun of me. I stayed silent , but Vallina didn't go away. She kept asking me questions: "Is it because of the exam? Do you want me to show you the right answers?" I looked away from her. When I looked up again, Vanilla had gone. And so had my exam paper! I didn't know what to do. I looked everywhere for me paper, but couldn't find it. In the afternoon, Vanilla came up to my desk and gave me my exam paper back. I looked at it and got a big surprise. Vanilla had written the right answer next to every one of my mistakes. My face went red. Vanilla had been trying to help me all along. How mean I had been to her when she was being so nice. I wanted to hug her, but all I did was to hold her hands and say, "Thank you." That afternoon, Vanilla and I walked home together. I felt so happy that I had to thank her again. We were still best friends. Vanilla left the writer because she _ . wanted to write the right answers for the writer STOCKHOLM - Mo Yan, the 2012 Nobel Prize winner for literature, said on Friday that diversity in global cultures makes human beings' cultural life interesting. Mo told a reception in the Chinese Embassy in Stockholm that it was a responsibility to protect the diversity in cultures while creating the diversity as well. He said that translation played a very important role in bridging different cultures, adding that without the translators who had translated his books he couldn't have won the Nobel Prize. "I think translation is much harder than writing itself," said Mo Yan, explaining that it only took 43 days to write the work Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out, while it took Swedish sinologist Anna Gustafsson Chen six years to translate the work. Earlier in the day he visited a Swedish middle school, where about 20 Swedish students who were studying Chinese welcomed him by singing the theme song in the movie "Red Sorghum" which was based on his novel of the same name. "Unlike the rough and husky voice in the movie, the Swedish students presented the song with a gentle and soft voice, making it rather a romantic song," Mo told the gathering at the Chinese Embassy. He said he hoped that there were going to be some outstanding translators among the students, adding that meeting them made him "extraordinarily happy." He said language was going to be "the most reliable way" for interaction between peoples because one had to know the language of a nation to understand the people's inner world and spiritual life. Lan Lijun, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden, said that Chinese literature had stepped into the spotlight worldwide after Mo Yan had won the Nobel Prize, which would help contribute to the literature communication and dialogue between China and the rest of the world. People in Sweden and other parts of the world were all welcome to know more about Chinese culture, he added. There were about 130 people attending the reception, including Per Westerberg, speaker of the Swedish Parliament. Mo Yan wrote all of the following novels except _ . Teahouse London has more than nine million visitors every year. They come and visit some of the most famous places in England: Big Ben, the Tower of London and the River Thames. You can see some of the most interesting places in London by getting on the tour buses. Or you can take a ride on the London Eye. This large wheel slowly takes you 135m above the River Thames. The River Thames is London's main waterway. It has shaped the capital's _ history and geography. So one of the best ways of knowing more about the city is to take a trip along the river. The clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, has become one of the main symbols of London. The sound of the bell, which you can hear at the beginning of many television and radio programmes, has become well-known throughout the nation. No visit to London is complete without a look at the Tower of London, in the eastern part of the city. After Big Ben, the Tower may be London's most visited tourist spot. Directly south is Tower Bridge, which is more than100 years old. Along all the palaces in London, Buckingham Palace is the most famous. It has been the main London home of the royal family since Queen Victoria moved there in 1873. You can visit some of the rooms in August and September. And most mornings of the year you can watch the soldiers outside changing the guard. About one hour by train out of London is the Tower of Windsor. Here you can visit another of the Queen's homes-Windsor Castle. There was a fire in 1992 and many of the rooms were badly burned. But now they are full of beautiful pictures, tables and chairs again. Sightseeing in London is great, but it can get very tiring. So, the best way to start the day is to fill up with an English breakfast. You can buy an English breakfast in nearly every hotel, and at many restaurants and cafes. An English pub is a good place to stop for lunch and a drink. You can get hot or cold food and try one of England's many ales . Fish and chips are also a traditional English meal. So look out for fish and chip shops in cities as well as by the sea. Or you can sit outside one of the many roadside pubs and cafes in London, and simply watch the busy world go by. Which place may be London's most visited tourist spot? Big Ben Mexico City is truly one of the most amazing cities in the world with a mixture of both the old and new world. From the moment your plane starts to land in this vast city, you know that your trip will be quite an adventure. Once in your taxi and the moment you leave the airport, you are amazed at the large amount of slow traffic. The volume of the traffic can be stressful to some. The "Paseo de la Reforma ", running southwest across the city, is one of the major tourist and business areas in Mexico City with many high quality hotels only walking distance from great restaurants and other tourist attractions. The only problem you will have is trying to see all of these sites during your vacation time. One of the most popular attractions in this area is the National Museum of Anthropology along the northwest part of the street. There are thousands of artifacts on display showing the history of the area and numerous items found from the many Aztec sites in the area. Walking southwest from the museum, you will soon reach the Mexico City Zoo, which is a great place to spend an afternoon. Across the street from the museum is the Chapultepec Castle, once an important site in the Mexican-American war. It's also a good idea to take the train up the hill to where the castle is located as the hill is steep . It's important to keep in mind that Mexico City is over 7,000 feet above sea level and some feel it difficult to breathe when walking. You can take a taxi to the Coyoacan market during the evening on a weekend. It's a great place to get some cheap souvenirs to bring back home and to enjoy some traditional Mexican cuisine. However, you must be careful where you eat and that the meat is well cooked. The tourists in Mexico City may not be satisfied with _ . the heavy traffic of the city
Have you felt annoyed when a cellphone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this.Now in New York City, USA,a rule is carried out in schools.Students can't even bring cellphones to schoo1.Is it a good thing or not? Anxious parents say that cellphones are an important tool in holding New York city's families together. "I worry about it," said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid. It's necessary in our everyday life.We have a washing machine. We have running water, and We have cellphones." Many American parents think cellphones connect them to their children on buses,getting out from subways, walking through unknown places. "I have her call me when she gets out of school,"said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl's mother. "No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cellphone" What about the cellphone owners, the students? Most of the students said cellphones were _ and the cellphone was like all extra hand or foot for them. "I feel so empty,"said May Chom,1 4.There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone.It will be a really, really boring trip." The article is about the _ in carrying out the rule not to use a cellphone in schoo1. There are many kinds of tigers in the world. The largest tiger is Northeast Tiger. Most Northeast Tigers live in the northeast of China, like Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province. Because there are many forests, the tigers usually like living there. In the forest, there are not many people getting out and coming in. So the tigers are very free. They can _ each other and eat some small animals. The Northeast Tigers are different from other tigers. The Northeast Tigers can swim very well, but can't climb the trees. They can hear very well. The number of the tigers is smaller and smaller, we should try our best to protect the tigers. Northeast Tigers can live _ . Thanksgiving Day is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.It is the most traditional American holiday.The first Thanksgiving was held in Massachusetts in 1621.After a year off great hardship,the colonist wanted to give thanks to God for their first harvest.They invited their Indian friends to join,them in a big feast . Today the holiday is still celebrated as a day for giving thanks.But it Wasn't a regular national holiday until President Lincoln declared that the last Thursday in November would thereafter be Thanksgiving Day in 1863.It is a day of reunion and it is customary to invite friends to share the meal.In some large cities,there are important football games that are played on Thanksgiving Day. For Americans,Thanksgiving Day is one of the few days of the year when the entire family gets together.Everyone is glad to see everyone else and there is a very busy exchanges of greeting.The women soon disappear into the kitchen to help prepare the dinner.The men,meanwhile,settle down to watch a football game on television,or to discuss business or politics.If weather permits,some of the more athletic men go outside to play ball with the children.Then everyone will sit down to dinner.in which traditional Thanksgiving foods such as stuffed turkey ,sweet potatoes,chestnuts ,and pumpkin pie are served. After dinner,people will sit around and talk. President Lincoln is mentioned because _ . We use passwords to keep our personal information secret and safe, but some passwords we use may not be as reliable as we think. Splash Data, a computer security company, recently released a list of the 25 worst passwords of 2011.This list is based on the research of _ files containing stolen passwords. According to the list, "password" is the worst and most common password. Many others on the list are numbers in order either forward (for example,1234) or backward. Letters on the keyboard in order, such as "qwerty" are also common, as well as some first names and animals. "Hackers can easily break into many accounts just by trying common passwords again and again, " said Morgan Slain, CEO of Splash Data. How can you make a strong password? It should be eight characters or more, with a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. One way to create a long and easy-to-remember password is to separate short words with spaces or numbers. Having safe passwords is necessary for surfing the Internet safely. But it's not the only thing you must do to keep safety online. Here are some other web safety tips: Never give out information that will allow someone to find you offline. That includes your full name, address and phone number. Don't include your real name as part of your online screen name. *Never meet people you met on the Internet in person. If you insist on breaking this rule, meet in a very public place and consider taking an adult with you. Top 10 worst passwords: 1.password 2. 123456 3. 12345678 4. qwerty 5. abc123 6. monkey 7. 1234567 8. letmein 9.trustno1 10. dragon What is "Splash Data"? Health experts have long known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. It may also help to protect the body against diseases such as diabetes and cancer. And now, researchers say vitamin D might help fight brain diseases called dementia . Dementia is a brain disease that damages thinking and memory processes, which scientists call "cognitive abilities." Dementia is difficult to treat. Taking care of someone who has dementia is extremely _ . And the disease is very frightening to sufferers. Chris Roberts suffers from dementia. He says the worst part of living with this disease was getting lost while driving. "The worst thing that I found was getting lost in the car, not just forgetting where I was going-- I wouldn't know where I was." More than 47 million people around the world suffer from dementia. The World Health Organization reports that 60 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries. We get vitamin D from some foods like nuts, lentils and fatty fish. We also get vitamin D from the sun. But that is not dependable. In some parts of the world, there is not enough sunlight to provide enough vitamin D. Also, sunblock prevents the vitamin from entering the body. To add to the problem, the skin's ability to process vitamin D weakens as a person ages. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are exploring the relationship between vitamin D and dementia. The team recently measured vitamin D levels and cognitive ability in older people. Nutritional sciences professor Joshua Miller led the team. He said cognitive abilities differed among the study subjects. He said tests showed that about 60 percent of the group was low in vitamin D. Where can we most probably read the passage?
Buckingham Palace is where the Queen lives. It is the Queen's official and main royal London home.Buckingham Palace was originally a splendid house built by the Duke of Buckingham for his wife. George IV began changing it into a palace in 1826. It has been the official London home of Britain's royal family since 1837. Buckingham Palace is also an office and used for the administrative work of the royal family. When the Queen is at home you can see her royal flag (the Royal Standard) flying from the flag pole on top of Buckingham Palace. The flag is divided into four equal parts. The first and fourth parts represent England and contain three gold lions waking on a red field; the second part represents Scotland and contains a red lion standing on a gold field; the third part represents Ireland and contains the gold coat of arms of Ireland on a blue field. In flag protocol , the Royal Standard which must only be flown from buildings where the Queen is present is supreme . It flies above the British Union Flag (the Union Jack ), and other British flags. It never flies at half mast. The guards of the Palace wear red jackets and tall, furry hats. When the first guards come on duty, there is a ceremony called the Changing of the Guard. A familiar sight at Buckingham Palace is the Changing of the Guard ceremony that takes place in the open space in front of it each morning. The Palace has around 750 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, 92 offices, a cinema and a swimming pool. It also has its own post office and police station. About 400 people work at the Palace, including servants, chefs, footmen, cleaners, gardeners, electricians, and so on. More than 50,000 people come to the Palace each year as guests to dinners, receptions and Royal Garden Parties. When can a visitor see the Changing of the Guard ceremony? Every morning. Some people love going to museums,while others absolutely hate it and would rather stay at home,enjoying their favorite TV shows.Increasingly,museums are being seen as outdated and boring by today's youngsters. I have just returned to the UK after travelling around the USA.While there,I visited lots of museums I must say,museums are typically educational, either to develop knowledge gained at school in particular subjects,or to enhance knowledge of other cultures In Chicago,we visited the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago.It was filled with paintings,drawings and sculptures by a huge variety of artists,such as Picasso,Monet,Matisse and Dali.There was a mixture of traditional and modern art,including colorful stained glass windows and abstract art. When we were in Washington D.C.,we visited a few of the Smithsonian museums. These are all free to visit-which is great if you just want to see a few things,and not spend all day inside.The Air and Space Museum was particularly good:it had lots of aircrafts and rockets on display,interesting information and also some interactive parts.We also went to the National U. S. Holocaust )Memorial Museum. Naturally,it was sad to read about the horrors of this tragedy which affected so many people in World War II .However,it was also incredibly interesting to read the stories of those who survived the Holocaust,as well as those who helped others. Last but not least,I also found the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to be of great interest. This museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives,as well as their families,when the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists in 2001 .It tells you how the terrorists planned the attack,how they hijacked the planes,and ultimately what happened as a result of their actions.Surviving pieces of the towers are shown in the museum,alongside damaged fire engines. It was a truly thought-provoking visit,which made me value my own life that little bit more. I think museums play an important role in preserving artifacts of historical importance for future generations.Whatever your interests,there is likely to be a museum for you. You can visit waxwork museums to see models of your favorite celebrities(and get photos with the Queen!),science museums for a more hands-on,interactive visit and so much more!Best of all,if you're ever in the UK,many of them are free! What is the writer's attitude towards museums? She suggests going to museums* There's been a lot of talk about white-and-blue collar workers, and you may have even heard of gold collar workers, but lately a new color of collar is making its way into China's urban vernacular --green. Green collars say no when work is life and life is work. They choose to get out of the fast lane , and explore new ways of living "green". Living green doesn't mean someone is working as an environmentalist, biologist or scientist. Instead it is more of a lifestyle choice. A typical green collar is well educated like a white-collar but physically tough like a blue-collar, likely born in the 70s or 80s of the last century and living in one of China's big cities, with a monthly income well above 5,000 yuan (about US $700). The life of a green collar may go something like this; Turn off the mobile phone after work, eat only healthy food rich in vitamins, go on hikes every weekend, and like to help _ Green collars even have their own club. In Beijing, the Green Collar Club is for people who share a "be happy, healthy and helpful" spirit. The club often holds charity parties and uses the donations for environmental protection and poverty relief projects in China. "They are successful in their careers, but do not miss the pleasures in life. They have a lot of money, but do not fall slave to it." said Zuo Shiguang, one of the founding members of the club. Green collars will _ after work. think nothing about work and more I am a tall boy. I can play basketball and soccer very well. Today is Sunday. I don't go to school. I watch a soccer match on TV. It's a good match. Beckham is my idol .He plays well in the match. In the afternoon, I play soccer with my good friends Jim,Ben, Peter, Gary and Kevin. Sarah is in the park, too. She is my good friend. She watches us play. We are hungry at 4:00, but we are happy. I play _ in the afternoon. soccer Hello! I'm Lily. I'm going to have a busy weekend. On Saturday morning, I 'm going to the Beach Park with my friends. We are going to ride bikes there because we can do some sightseeing on the way. We are going to play on the beach. At noon, we are going to have a picnic in the park. In the afternoon, we are going to visit our maths teacher. She wants us to go to her room and help us with our maths. In the evening, I'm going to visit my aunt with my mother, because it's my cousin's birthday. There is going to be a party in her house. On Sunday morning, I'm going to the bookstore with my good friends. I'm going to buy some storybooks. After lunch, I'm going to do sports with my brother. In the evening, I'm going to watch TV and clean my room. How busy I am! ,,. Lily is going have her lunch _ on Saturday. in the park
In December,2010,many American newspapers publish a list of the best books of the year. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is one of the most repeatedly praised books on this year's list of favorites. It tells about the ups and downs of the Berglund family over many years. Mr.Franzen fills the book with sharp observations about American politics, culture and society. Jennifer Egan's book A Visit from the Goon Squad takes place in 13 chapters over 40 years. The story moves back and forth in time,from different viewpoints. One main character is former rock musician Bennie Salazar who works for a record company. The other main character is a troubled young woman named Sasha who works for Bennie. The reader learns about their pasts and those of their friends. The main character in The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman is a failing English Language newspaper published in Rome,Italy. Each chapter of the book tells about a reporter or editor working for this paper. Their stories are filled with intelligence and great personality. Two of the most popular nonfiction books of 2010 were about rock and roll stars. Just Kids is by rock singer Patti Smith. It tells about her friendship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1960s and 1970s before they became famous. Life is the autobiography of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. It is an honest and exciting look at the development of rock and roll and the wild times this famous band has experienced. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells about a man named Louis Zamperini. She tells about his extraordinary survival story after his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during Would War Two. Stacy Schiff has received great praise for her book Cleopatra: A Life. It tells about one of the most misrepresented and famous women in his story, Cleopatra. She ruled ancient Egypt about 2,000 years ago. One critic said Ms. Schiff has brought Cleopatra to life again by unearthing her story from centuries of lies. If your major is the history of ancient Africa, you may pay attention to _ . A Freedom by Jonathan Franzen B Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand C The Imperfections by Tom Rachman D Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff Answer: D. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff If you have failed in the past to try to make big changes in life,try again now,one tiny step at a time. Every year it's the same.As December comes to an end,you think about the new year and all the ways you want to improve your life. But as you start to write down your hopes for the new year,you think about the last year.You excitedly write down all the changes you are going to make,but by the end of January those ideas get lost in your busy life. Here's a suggestion:Forget the too big,hard-to-achieve goals and just think about the small ones."We often think that we have to do everything in big steps, even though it's so hard for us to reach it." said Robert Maurer,who recently wrote the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life."What we try to do is to begin with such a small step that we can't find any excuse not to do it." "Kaizen",a Japanese word,is used to mean to change behavior and attitudes .During World War Il,American factory managers were able to increase productivity by trying small, continuous improvements instead of sudden changes.After the war,the idea was brought to a rebuilding Japan.It made Japan develop fast. The Japanese called it "kaizen", which means "improvement". Maurer studied the idea and did some experiments with it. "Kaizen" could possibly help people succeed in doing everything Which of the following is TRUE from the passage? A Robert Maurer studied "kaizen" and found it helpful. B You can achieve your goals if you are not too busy. C You can't find any excuse not to reach a big goal. D "Kaizen" was brought to Japan during World WarII. Answer: A. Robert Maurer studied "kaizen" and found it helpful. The bedroom door opened and a light went on, signaling an end to nap time.The toddle , sleepy-eyed, clambered to a swinging stand in his crib.He smiled, reached out to his father, and uttered what is fast becoming the cry of his generation: "iPhone!" Just as adults have a hard time putting down their iPhones, so the device is now the Toy of Choice for many 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds.The phenomenon is attracting the attention and concern of some childhood development specialists. Natasha Sykes, a mother of two in Atlanta, remembers the first time her daughter, Kelsey, now 3 but then barely 2 years old, held her husband's iPhone."She pressed the button and it lit up.I just remember her eyes.It was like 'Whoa!' "The parents were charmed by their daughter's fascination.But then, said Ms.Sykes (herself a Black Berry user), "She got serious about the phone." Kelsey would ask for it.Then she'd cry for it."It was like she'd always want the phone," Ms.Sykes said. Apple, the iPhone's designer and manufacturer, has built its success on machines so user-friendly that even technologically blinded adults can figure out how to work them, so it makes sense that sophisticated children would follow.Tap a picture on the screen and something happens.What could be more fun? The sleepy-eyed toddler who called for the iPhone is one of hundreds of iPhone-loving toddlers whose parents are often proud of their offspring's ability to slide fat fingers across the gadget's screen and pull up photographs of their choice. Many iPhone apps on the market are aimed directly at preschoolers, many of them labeled "educational," such as Toddler Teasers: Shapes, which asks the child to tap a circle or square or triangle; and Pocket Zoo, which streams live video of animals at zoos around the world. Along with fears about dropping and damage, however, many parents sharing iPhones with their young ones feel guilty.They wonder whether it is indeed an educational tool, or a passive amusement like television.The American Academy of Pediatrics is continually reassessing its guidelines to address new forms of "screen time." Dr.Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, a member of the academy's council, said, "We always try to throw in the latest technology, but the cellphone industry is becoming so complex that we always come back to the table and wonder- Should we have a specific guideline for _ " Tovah P. Klein, the director of a research center for Toddler Development worries that fixation on the iPhone screen every time a child is out with parents will limit the child's ability to experience the wider world. As with TV in earlier generations, the world is increasingly divided into those parents who do allow iPhone use and those who don't. A recent post on UrbanBaby.com, asked if anyone had found that their child was more interested in playing with their iPhone than with real toys. The Don't mothers said on the Website: "We don't let our toddler touch our iPhones ... it takes away from creative play." "Please ... just say no. It is not too hard to distract a toddler with, say ... a book." Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychology professor who specializes in early language development, sides with the Don'ts. Research shows that children learn best through activities that help them adapt to the particular situation at hand and interacting with a screen doesn't qualify, she said. Still, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek, struck on a recent visit to New York City by how many parents were handing over their iPhones to their little children in the subway, said she understands the impulse . "This is a magical phone," she said. "I must admit I'm addicted to this phone." The tone of the author towards parents sharing iPhones with their children is _ . A negative B subjective C objective D supportive Answer: C. objective Empathy lets us feel another person's pain and drives us to help. Do any other animals feel empathy? Scientists recently found that rats do, too. Most people don't like rats. In many people's eyes, rats are only bad. But Jean Decety and his partners at the University of Chicago did an experiment. It showed that rats are kind, warm-hearted animals. They can feel each other's pain. Scientists placed pairs of rats in plastic cages for two weeks. During this time they got to know each other. Then they put one of the rats from each pair into a small container in the cages. The small container had a door. It was so designed as to fall to the side when the free rat touched it. Many of the trapped rats squeaked to show their discomfort. The other rats of the pairs could see their suffering friends clearly. In most pairs, the free rats would become very worried about their friends. They kept trying to save their friends again and again throughout the month. Scientists put the rats' favorite chocolate in the cages, but the rats didn't eat it until they had saved their friends successfully. Scientists also found that female rats seemed to act more empathetic than male rats. "The results are the first to show that rats take action in response to another's trouble," Decety said. "Monkeys and chimpanzees have similar behavior. But unlike those animals, rats can be ready used in laboratory studies. They will help us to learn which parts of the brain lead to empathy and helping behavior and whether empathy is natural." A person with empathy is often _ . A kind-hearted B clever C active D strong Answer: A. kind-hearted It's most likely to rain when the color of the sky looks A Seven B eggshells C meteor strike D dark and Silvery Answer: D. dark and Silvery
Question: A middle-aged man with a long beard was caught by the police for bad behavior and property damage. The man, Bill Wild, checked into a hotel last night, telling the clerk he would pay cash in advance and would be staying for four nights. He then asked her where the nearest store was and she told him it was John-Johns. Wild went to the store and bought three gallons of honey and four gallons of chocolate syrup . The cashier asked him why he wanted these things and he replied, "I'm trying to become a sweeter person." The cashier smiled at the joke. Wild drove back to the hotel. He opened all bottles and poured them into the bathtub . He added warm water to the mix. He tuned the radio to an opera music station, took off his clothes, jumped into the tub, and started singing loudly with the music. Fifteen minutes later, the neighbor phoned the clerk complaining about the noise. The clerk knocked on Wild's door, but he just kept singing. She phoned his room, but he didn't answer. Then she called the police, who arrived quickly. They broke into the room. The floor was covered in water and the bathtub was full of chocolate and honey. "He seemed so nice and friendly. Who'd have thought he was a bathtub-singing nut?" said the clerk. The police said this was the third time that Wild had been arrested for this kind of behavior. What caused the clerk to call the police? A. Wild bought honey and chocolate syrup. B. Wild mixed the water with the things he bought. C. Wild made too much noise and disturbed his neighbor. D. Wild didn't pay for the check. Answer: C. Wild made too much noise and disturbed his neighbor. Question: Once upon a time a driver was taking some meat to the store. But he hit a turtle. Then he hit another turtle. The driver was sad. So he put the turtles in the trash. Then he felt better. The driver told his mommy that he needed to look in the mirror, so she said he could. The driver wanted to go back to work. On the way to work he saw a man with a firework. He watched the man light the firework. It was fun, but the driver needed to get back to work. This time he took a chair to the store. It was a fun job. The driver was very busy all day long. He wanted to go home and have fun, but he was busy working. The driver was a good worker and worked all day so he didn't go home and have fun. What did the driver take to the store the second time A. fireworks B. a chair C. turtles D. meat Answer: B. a chair Question: The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues that flesh receives. The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes. During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches , cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds. In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp , naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains--taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms . Arctic explorers may catch colds when _ . A. they are working in the isolated Arctic regions B. they are writing reports in terribly cold weather C. they are free from work in the isolated Arctic regions D. they are coming into touch again with the outside world Answer: D. they are coming into touch again with the outside world Question: A planned visit to Trinidad and Tobago sometime ago by a former American president, suddenly took an amazing turn form the initial plan. The presidential aircraft could not land in Trinidad and Tobago. It was reported that the runway of the airport was too short. Therefore, the aircraft had to land in a nearby country and they came into the country by road. Everyone has a runway by which events enter into his life. The events here could be favors, miracle, connections, job opportunities, etc. The size of your runway determines the level of results that will be attracted into your life. I have a story of two good friends. They finished high school together. One wanted to further his studies while the other decided to look for a job. As time went on, the one that wanted to work was always there to support the other one especially in the area of fees in school for a long time. As destiny would have it, they both lost contact and after a very long time, they met again but on a very different level. The one that added values to himself by going back to school had stepped up greatly to become the general manager of a big company and the other was just a little lifted. So, it was time to pay back. The one of general manager could only support him financially and make him the chief driving officer in the company. Even though he would have loved to give him a higher post he was not qualified especially in terms of skills, orientation , experience and so on. In other words, his runway was too short for such an opportunity. Everyone must increase in knowledge and training . You must step up in your education level, human, business and communication skills. Your relationship with people must improve by being a good person. Your runway is enlarged anytime you add values to your life. There are some jobs, opportunities, favor that cannot protect base in your life. They will have to be coming from other people into your life because you have failed to work on your own runway by improving on your abilities. It is not too late or too early to start in life because every stage in life is a good place to begin. What would be the best title for this text? A. Kindness Makes a Big Different B. Depend on Youself C. Competition Exists Everywhere D. Always Improve on Yourself Answer: D. Always Improve on Yourself Question: With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters. The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still _ , the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job. After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective , consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas. Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup , and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s. Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility hit during a multi-month lockout , where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (.) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand. Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down. Which one of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A. These Knicks' stars who were paid well saved the Knicks season B. The Knicks didn't satisfy its fans for nearly 15 years until this season C. The fans objected to dismissing Coach Isiah Thomas outside the Garden D. The owners and the players didn't agree on raising the TV ratings Answer: B. The Knicks didn't satisfy its fans for nearly 15 years until this season
One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream and listen to the singing of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their original position after the wind had died down. When I think about the bamboo trees' ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word " _ " comes to my mind. When used in reference to a person, this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other negative situation that stretches the limits of a person's emotions. Have you ever felt like you are about to lose control of your emotions? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it. During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health.You felt emotionally tired, mentally exhausted and you most likely bored unpleasant physical symptoms. Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend, but don't break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you. A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant moments. Will hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant moment may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having. If the situation gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo trees, bend, but don't break! Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? Answer: Whatever difficulties we may meet with in our life, we can bend, but can never break. Tigers and household cats are members of the same family; however, their sizes are vastly different. What is the cause of this difference? Answer: genetics Most students try to learn English grammar using grammar textbooks. They study grammar rules and take grammar tests. They use an analytical approach, attempting to memorize, and then apply, a great number of rules. However, research has proved this method inefficient and ineffective. The truth is, the human brain simply cannot consciously remember process and use hundreds of or thousands of grammar rules. Real speech is too fast. Native speakers do not learn grammar in this way, but rather intuitively and unconsciously. They learn in a complete way, not by attempting to memorize individual grammar rules. As a result, native speakers use correct grammar fluently and easily. Fortunately, it is possible for English learners to learn grammar this way. Language teacher Blaine Ray has developed a unique "intuitive" approach to teach English grammar. Her system uses "point of view" stories to teach the patterns of English grammar, allowing students unconsciously to acquire correct grammar without ever studying grammar rules. In this system, the teacher first tells a simple story from one point of view. It may be told about the past, then repeated, but beginning with "since he was a child"; then repeated again, but this time about the future. Listening to these stories allows students intuitively and effortlessly to learn English grammar and makes them be able to use it correctly when they speak. Point of View Stories is a creative new way to study English grammar, and offers hope to millions of frustrated English learners. Why shouldn't the English learners use an analytical approach? Answer: because Real speech is too fast. It is the duty of every man to work. The life of a lazy man is of no use to himself and to others. The man who is too lazy to work is the man who is generally most ready to beg or to steal. Every boy, when he is young, should learn how to do some useful work. But it is not enough that a boy should learn some kind of work. He should put his heart and soul completely into his work, and not waste his spare time. "Work while you work and play while you play" is as good a rule for young people as for the old! There is no better help to diligence than the habit of early rising, and this, just like all other good habits, is most easily formed in youth. There is an English saying, "Lost time never returns". This means that everybody must be diligent and make good use of his time. One must study hard when one is young so that one may make great progress, succeed in life and become useful to one's country. Those who are diligent will never become beggars. Therefore, we can say that diligence is the mother of success. One can't be successful in life unless he _ when he is young. Answer: is diligent in his study How green are you? Do you know how to be green? We all need a healthy environment, but we produce waste every day and it does harm to our environment. Though we are young,we can still do something to help. In fact, even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference to the environment. Here are some ideas for you. Reduce Reduce means "use less",Don't waste things. This saves money and reduces pollution and waste going into the environment. Before we buy something new, think whether it is really necessary--or maybe the old one will be just as good! When we do buy things, choose local products if possible, and try not to buy too many things from abroad. Reuse Reuse means "use again". Use things for as long as possible. When we buy things,make sure that they last a long time. We should look after them so that they will last, and we should repair them if we can instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. Don't use a paper cup or a paper bag. It's better to use a china cup and a lunch box because you can use them again. Recycle Recycle means "change things into something else". Though it takes energy to change something into something else, it's better than throwing things away or burning them. Find out what can be recycled in your neighbourhood and take part in recycling programmes. We should also buy products made from recycled materials,such as recycled paper, to help save trees. So please remember these three words:reduce, reuse and recycle. The passage may come from _ . Answer: a magazine
"Jin's new collection of short stories...shows he could teach some native-born writers a few things about the beauty of spare prose and the power of a few well-chosen words." -- USA Today "Amusing...Realistic...Rarely has China seemed less exotic and more accessible...The stories have the air of fable ." --Los Angeles Times "A vivid picture...of Chinese society in the era just after the Cultural Revolution." -- Chicago Tribune "Brilliant...delightful...Ha Jin's customs, ideas and landscapes might be of an Eastern persuasion, but his writing communicates universally. Without being didactic or condescending, these stories often resemble modern fables..." --Star Tribune (Minneapolis) "Beautifully understated short stories of life in modern China. Some of them are likely to break your heart." --People "A short story collection that offers readers...a dozen ways to enter the changing landscape of modern China...No one has ever captured the collision between the Communist society and the western culture quite like Ha Jin." --Baton Rouge Magazine All the statements can be used to help to _ . Answer: sell more books of Ha Jin The iPhone, the iPad, each of Apple's products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter "i" -- and many other brands are following suit. The BBC's iPlayer -- which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet -- adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear -- popular in the US and UK -- that plays music and video is called "iTeddy". A slimmed-down version of London's Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name "i". In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use. Most "i" products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent's "i", it's no surprise that they've selected this fashionable name. But it's hard to see what's so special about the letter "i". Why not use "a", "b", or "c" instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King's College, London, "i" works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses "i", no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. "Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn't have one clear definition," he says. "However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability ."adds Thorne. Clearly the letter "i" also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason. Along with "Google" and "blog", readers of BBC Magazines voted "i" as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade. But as history shows, people grow tired of fads . From the 1900s to 1990s, products with "2000" in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend eventually disappeared. We can infer that the Independent's "i" is aimed at _ . Answer: young readers A wild baby bison at Yellowstone National Park had to be killed because of tourists. The tourists thought that the baby bison looked cold. They put it in their car and drove to a park ranger station. A ranger described the action of the tourists as a "dangerous move" because adult bisons can look after their babies very well and they will attack to protect their young. Park rangers took the animal from the car and set it free. But, sadly, the baby was refused by its family because it had the smell from humans. Yellowstone National Park explained on Facebook that the smell from people can cause parent animals to refuse to accept their young. The park tried again and again to make the baby bison lives with its parents. After several times they had to give up. Many people expressed anger at both the tourists and the park. The park said that they did not have the ability to care for a young bison. They also said that it is "not the task of the park to save animals". The tourists were fined $110 for touching park wildlife. Park rules say that visitors to Yellowstone should stay at least 22 meters away from all wildlife, and at least 90 meters away from bears and wolves. One ranger said that Yellowstone recently added many safety signs that say staying near the wildlife there is dangerous to humans and animals as well. Those signs are written in English and other languages. The tourists took the baby bison to a park ranger station because they thought it looked _ . Answer: cold The world's native languages are dying out at an unprecedented rate, taking with them irreplaceable knowledge about the natural world, according to a new study. The study identified five global "hot spots" where languages are _ faster than anywhere else ---- eastern Siberia, northern Australia, central South America, the US state of Oklahoma and the US Pacific Northwest. "Languages are suffering a global extinction crisis that greatly goes beyond the pace of species extinction," linguistics professor David Harrison noted, who said half of the world's 7,000 languages were expected to disappear before the end of the century. Native people had an intimate knowledge of their environment that was lost when their language disappeared, along with other certain things often unfamiliar to us, Harrison stressed. "Most of what we know about species and ecosystems is not written down anywhere, it's only in people's heads," he said. "We are seeing in front of our eyes the loss of the human knowledge base." Harrison was one of a team of linguists who carried out the study. The researchers traveled to Australia this year to study native languages, some of the most endangered. According to Harrison, in Australia, they were heartened to see a woman in her 80s who was one of the only three remaining speakers of the Yawuru language passing on her knowledge to schoolchildren. He said such inter-generational exchanges were the only way native languages could survive. "The children had elected to take this course, no one forced them," he said. "When we asked them why they were learning it, they said,'This is a dying language, we need to learn it'." Also, while there they found a man with knowledge of the Amurdag language, which had previously been thought extinct. The researchers said all five of the hot spots identified were areas that had been successfully colonized and where a dominant language such as Spanish or English was threatening native tongues. Which of the following can be described as good news? Answer: A man was found with knowledge of the Amurdag language. Weekends are important for us. We can relax ourselves. Do you know what Americans in the early twentieth century (1900~1925) did on weekends? What do you do on weekends now? In the early twentieth century, people spent lots of time at home on weekends. Then, new inventions changed the weekends. People used electric streetcars to travel in the cities. On weekends, they rode the streetcars to the parks. Young people like roller coasters. The first movie _ only one minute. In the 1920s, movie theaters sold millions of tickets each week! In 1927, movies finally had sound. Sometimes people stayed at home and listened to another new invention --the radio. * People in cities worked indoors during the weekdays, so they wanted to be outdoors on weekends. Bicycling became a popular activity. * Now there are more inventions in our life. People have more time and money, too. So they have many ways to spend their weekends. * People travel by their own cars. Or they can visit big parks like Disney World and ride modern roller coasters and go higher and faster than ever before. * They can choose from lots of different movie theatres. Or they can watch videos at home. * More and more people begin to do all kinds of sports at gym. Others turn on their TV and watch sports on "Family Night". Which is TRUE about the weekends in America? Answer: The weekends are not the same in different times.
An earthquake is a trembling or shaking of the ground caused by the sudden release of energy stored in the rocks below the surface. Generally, earthquakes last only seconds. Strong ground shaking during a medium to large earthquake generally lasts about 10 to 30 seconds. Aftershocks can occur once in a while for weeks or even months. Many people think that there is an "earthquake season" or a kind of " earthquake weather ".As a matter of fact, there isn't. Earthquakes can occur at any time of the year and at time of day or night. Earthquakes occur under all weather conditions-sunny, wet. or cold without any special weather tendency . Also, you don't need to worry that the ground will open up and swallow people when earthquakes occur. Open ground cracks may form during an earthquake, for example, to land sliding or ground falling. However, such cracks tend to be open gaps (they don't " swallow") that a person could stand in afterwards. The safest place in an earthquake is an open field because buildings and falling objects can injure or kill you. If you are indoors, when you feel the ground start to shake, take cover immediately under a table or strong piece of furniture, placing something between falling objects and yourself. Don't " attempt to use the stairs or an elevator to get out of the building.. The reason why there isn't "earthquake weather" is that. _ . Answer: As we all know, nature has supplied every animal except man with some covering for his body such as fur, feathers, hair, and shells as a thick hide. But man has nothing but a thin skin. If someone were to ask you, "Why did human beings start to cover their bodies with clothes?" most would answer, "To keep themselves warm, of course." It is only when we begin to think about it a little that we realize that clothes are worn for a great many reasons that have nothing to do with our need for warmth at all. For example, we wear clothes to some degree in order to decorate ourselves -- to make ourselves, if possible, look more dignified or nicer. Clothes of a special kind are often worn to show that the wearer has authority or power. The individual wearing them is treated with respect because he occupies a certain office. The judge on the Bench, for example, might look a very ordinary and unimpressive figure without his wig and gown. Clothes are an important part of ceremony, whether it is connected with belief, the law, parliament, and royalty, the fighting forces or the state. How very different the Queen's Coronation ceremony would have looked without the robes, coronets and the cloth of gold. Sometimes, even in some modern countries people wear some article of clothing, or some jewel, because they believe that it will bring them luck or protect them from evil or illness, or because it is connected with their beliefs. None of these reasons for wearing clothes -- to decorate ourselves, to show our position in the world, for ceremonial purposes, for "luck", to give ourselves dignity and authority -- have anything to do with our need for warmth. According to the passage, the judge wearing special clothes on the Bench _ . Answer: Cities alarmed by deaths and injuries of pedestrians are taking efforts to make crosswalks safer for people on foot, especially seniors and children who need more time to cross streets. A pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident in the USA every 110 minutes;one is injured every nine minutes, according to official data. Crosswalk can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Among people 70 and older, 36% of pedestrian deaths in 2006 occurred in crosswalks, compared with 21% of those younger than 70, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Federal Highway Administration(FHWA)advises that next year states increase by nearly 15% the amount of time traffic lights provide for pedestrians to cross the street after the flashing orange hand appears . FHWA spokesman Doug Hecox says reasons for the change include an aging population that needs more time to cross, health-conscious Americans walking more, children encouraged to walk to prevent getting overweight and high gas prices pushing people to walk instead of driving. Pedestrian deaths went down by 12% from 5,449 in 1996 to 4,784 in 2006. But among those in 2006, 471 were killed in crosswalks, down slightly from 488 ten years earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says . Which of the following is true according to the text ? Answer: My mother once was a follower of traditional methods when it came to anything. She cooked traditional food, liked dressing up traditionally and thus was fond of traditional way of shopping. She loved going to the market and going from one shop to another to find out what suited her best. She could walk miles when it came to shopping along with her friends. She was familiar with all the local markets and shops and by now knows very well where she can get best discounts and material. However, now she begins to feel her age and gets tired when she goes out in the market. So one day I decided to introduce a new shop to her, a shop that is much bigger than her usual markets and where she gets better discounts. Yes, I am talking about the online gift stores. She has basic knowledge of computers and can operate a laptop. Initially she was doubtful about shopping from these online gift shops and wasn't too sure about the quality of the products. One fine day I decided to get some branded things for her first so that she could build trust in these shops. I ordered a Timex watch for her along with a Sisley handbag. She never bought things online but when they were delivered as a gift, she jumped for joy. She could not believe that I had ordered these gifts for her despite her being not very positive about online shops. However, after she saw both the products, she believed that these online gift shops would send the promised brand and products. She loved her new watch and the handbag. After this incident she ordered a gift for her friend's wedding anniversary. She chose a gift basket that could be made to her requirements. They sent a beautifully decorated basket with fine wines and chocolates. The basket was so carefully decorated that it immediately became her friend's favorite gift. Since then my mother has been often shopping online. Why did the author decide to introduce a new shop to his mother? Answer: Mr. and Mrs. Green lived in a big city, and one summer they went to the country for their holiday. They enjoyed it very much, because it was a quiet, clean place. One day they went for a walk early in the morning and met an old man. He lived on a farm, and he was sitting in the warm sun in front of his house. Mr. Green asked him, "Do you like to live in this quiet place?" The old man said, "Yes, I do," Mr. Green said, "What are the good things about it?" The old man answered, "Well, the people here know each other. They often come and visit me, and I often go and visit them. And there are also lots of children here." Mr. Green said, "That's interesting. And what are the bad things?" The old man thought and thought and then said, "Well, the same things, are they?" The old man thought _ and then said, "Well, the same things, are they?" Answer:
Question: Two men were sitting together on a ship. They were on a long travel. One of them was a professor. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while, and then the farmer said, "Let's do something to pass the time." "What do you want to do?" the professor asked. "We can ask each other riddles." The farmer said, "You start." "Let's make the rules first," the professor said. "That's not fair. You are a professor with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer." "That's true." The professor said. "What do you want we should do?" "If you don't know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. And if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50." The farmer said. The professor thought about this, then he said, "OK. That's fair. Who will go first?" "I will," The farmer said. "Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?" The professor man repeated the riddle, "What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that's a good one. I'm afraid I don't know the answer." He gave the farmer $100, then said, "Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?" "I don't know." The farmer said and gave him $50. Why did the professor agree to give more money if he lost? A. He made much more money than the farmer. B. He was better at playing riddle games. C. He was interested in making riddles. D. He thought he knew more than the farmer. Answer: D Question: Trembling muscles spasms in animals can be caused in party by A. temperature in single digits B. temperatures in triple digits C. finding the right temperatures D. being unaware of the temperature Answer: A Question: George had just moved into the street and he felt strange that he was not wanted. He knew that perhaps the other boys were trying to get an idea of what kind of a boy he was. This did not help to make him less lonely. He was new and he had to be tested. Still, proving himself would not be all that easy. He did not want to run with bad boys or get into something against the law to prove that he was strong . No!He must show what he was made of in a more helpful way. That was when he got the idea. The next day was Saturday. He knew that most of the boys would be down on the playground and choose up sides for the Saturday game. George knew he could play well and just might be enough to prove he was strong and to make friends with them. He arrived early and did his step exercises. He shot the ball several times and did some other exercises--the most difficult and most wonderful in basketball. Then the boys came. George went through what he had done before the game and showed what he could do. No one said a word. The boys just looked at each other and thought about it. In the end, when it was all over, the biggest of the group just smiled and nodded his head. George knew he had made it. Why would it not be easy for George to prove himself? A. Because he was not sure if he was really strong B. Because he was weak and was not wanted in the street C. Because he must choose the best one among different ways D. Because the other boys had found out what kind of a boy he was Answer: C Question: Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, has issued smog warnings for three days since Monday because of serious air pollution. The lingering smog forced construction sites to stop work and primary and middle schools to suspend outdoor activities. From Monday through Wednesday, the city's air quality index reading remained high, with the highest reading at 323, with PM2.5, or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns, as the main pollutant, according to the city's meteorological bureau. Any reading over 300 is considered "seriously polluted". The city experienced at least eight heavily polluted days in the first two weeks of December, with the air quality index reading reaching a high of 440, China News Service reported. Among those affected was a square dancing team in Jiang'an district, which had to stop daily practices after several members fell ill. Square dancing is a common open-air fitness practice across China, with most of the participants middle-aged or elderly women. Media reported the leader of one dancing team had to go to a hospital after she had an asthma attack on Dec 11. Identified only as Fang, 65, the dance team leader said she decided to suspend the practices after she learned her illness was caused by smog, and after several other members also fell ill, the report said. The city plans to invest 28 billion yuan ($4.61 billion) in air pollution control by 2017. The plan says the city will boost the development of clean energy vehicles for public transportation and remove all of the current 140,000 heavy-polluting vehicles from Wuhan's roads by the end of 2016. The air quality index reading of the city once reached to an extreme of _ . A. 300 B. 323 C. 440 D. 140,000 Answer: C Question: Lisa: My best teacher is my geography teacher in 10th grade. Why? Because we did school projects! Back then I wrote about India and never forgot what I had learned. He brought the culture to life by letting me become part of it. He also listened to us and was always ready with a kind word. David: My best teacher is my high school social studies and history teacher, Thomas Ladenburg. He respected us, though we were just teenagers. His class was never boring because he often asked us to discuss in class. He used his own materials which made the class very interesting. Henry: My best ever teacher is my biology teacher in high school. I really liked her class. She explained everything very clearly. She also checked our notebooks to make sure we had written down what she said. Now, many years later, I can still remember a large part of the things she taught! Susan: The best teacher I have ever had is my 10th grade social studies teacher. She was always in a good mood and kept us laughing. She was really young, so she acted like us teenagers, which made learning fun. If we needed to talk to an adult about a problem, we would always come to her because we knew she could help us. Tom: My favourite teacher is Mr. Yelle. He taught us math, science and music. He spoke to us "at eye level", and was very patient and kind. We did great projects for the science fairs. Forty years later, I still remember his lessons very well. By the way, though he was called Mr Yelle, he didn't yell . We can learn that Susan's 10th grade social studies teacher _ . A. was good at listening to her students' problems B. liked laughing at her students' problems C. was not happy when she had a problem D. didn't like taking her students as friends Answer: A
Question: Good afternoon! I'm Alice. My last name is Smith. I'm in a red jacket. I'm in Xingfu Middle School. My phone number is 569-2679. This is Cindy Brown. She is my good friend. She is in a yellow jacket. She is in Xingfu Middle School, too. What's her phone number? It's 865-2397. What's Cindy's last name? A. Smith. B. Brown. C. Alice. D. Cindy. Answer: B. Brown. Question: Tired of Working in Your Country! With over 500 instructors and 20 years of experience, we are the leader in the field of teaching foreign languages. We now have positions open in Osaka starting November / December 2016 for instructors of English, German, Spanish and French. Teach many different kinds of classes using the latest technology in small classes of up to 3 students. Accommodation , and other necessary documents will be ready before you leave. Applicants will teach their first language only. Excellent teacher training programs. If you are young with a university degree and are willing to experience different cultures, apply now. Experience in teaching is an advantage but not specially required. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not necessary but good English skills and practical computer knowledge are basic requirements. Apply with C. V. and send letters to: NOVA France, Mr. Sampy(IHT 3/2) 34, Bd. Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France Fax: 33148014804 Or visit our website: www. teachjp. com The manager expects to meet and talk with successful applicants in Paris in October. We know from the text that those who are going to Japan will _ . A. teach English only in Osaka B. receive a degree from a university C. have free accommodation D. get trained for the job Answer: D. get trained for the job Question: New Annotated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle Price: PS28.00 Publication Date: 30/11/2006 Publisher's description: Collect Doyle's fifty-six classic short stories, arranged in the order in which they appeared in late-nineteenth-and-early-twentieth-century book editions, in a set complemented by four novels, editor biographies of Doyle, Holmes, and Watson as well as literary and cultural details about Victorian society. Breaking Ground by Daniel Libeskind Price: PS16.00 Publication Date:11/10/2006 Brief description: This is a book about the adventure life that can offer each of us if we seize it, and about the powerful forces of tragedy, memory and hope. For Daniel Libeskind, life's adventure has been through architecture, which he has found has the power to reshape human experience. Although often relating to the past, his buildings are about the future. This biology of one man's journey brings together history, personal experience, our physical environment and a fresh international vision. In the Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman Price: PS16.00 Publication Date:02/09/2006 Brief description: On 11th September 2001, Art Spiegelman raced to the world Trade Center, not knowing if his daughter Nadja was alive or dead. Once she was found safe---in her school at the foot of the burning towers---he returned home, to mediate on the trauma , and to work on a comic strip . In the Shadow of No Towers is New Yorker Art Spiegelman's extraordinary account of "the hijacking on 9.11 and the following hijacking of those events" by America. Light on Snow by Anita Shreve Price: PS14.00 Publication Date:07/10/2006 Publisher's description: This is the 11th novel by Anita Shreve, the critically accepted bestseller. A moving story of love and courage and tragedy and of the ways in which the human heart always seeks to heal itself. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv Price: PS20.99 Publication Date:11/08/2006 Brief description: Camping in the garden, riding bikes through the woods, climbing trees, picking wildflowers, running through piles of autumn leaves... these are the things childhood memories are made of. But for a whole generation of today's children the pleasures of a free-range childhood are missing, and their indoor habits contribute to obesity, attention disorder and childhood depression. This book shows how our children have become increasingly distanced from nature, why this matters and how we can make a difference. Richard Louv is chairman of the Children and Nature Network and co-chair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He is the author of seven other books and has written for newspapers and magazines including the New York Times and the Washington Post. Who is the writer of the latest book published among the four books? A. Arthur Conan Doyle B. Daniel Libeskind C. Art Spiegelman D. Anita Shreve Answer: A. Arthur Conan Doyle Question: My husband and I both work from home.We have four children, so the times when I am alone in the house are few and far between.Like many work-at-home moms, when I do get a chance to be by myself ,I do something, whether it's related to my career or taking care of the household chores . One Thursday,things really came to a head.My husband was heading out to the gym,just thinking that I had nothing to do but watch the twins.My older boys were making plans with their friends without bothering me and they were expecting me to drive them there.The twins,being young,wanted my undivided attention.Even my customers seemed to be demanding that day.They sounded not satisfied with the products and wanted to cut down the prices more.Nobody bothered to ask if I might have plans of my own.But the truth was, I seldom did have any plans for myself, and everyone knew it. I always put their needs before my own.They took advantage of that. The next day,when the kids were at school, I headed for the movie theater--alone.I'd never been to the movies alone before.Would I look pitiful going to the theater by myself? Was I being silly by seeing a movie when so much work awaited me at home? I forced myself to take back these thoughts.And then I walked into the theater with my head held high and enjoyed every minute of the movie.For a couple of hours, I was nobody's wife or mother.I was just myself. From that point on,I decided that Fridays would be mine,at least for a couple of hours.Some Fridays, I head for the beach with a good book.Other Fridays, I go shopping.I really look forward to my Fridays after a long week of caring for my family. By forcing myself to slow down and put the needs of my family out of my mind, I feel closer to myself.I'm not completely responsible for caring for my family.I don't need to do it all myself. I just need to remember to spare some time to be with myself. How did the writer feel before she entered the cinema? A. Relaxed. B. A little excited. C. Hopeful. D. A little worried. Answer: D. A little worried. Question: My mother and I were in the kitchen fixing dinner. I was setting the table as she was cooking when we heard my father. We went into the living room to see what he needed. He could not find the keys to his truck. We all started looking all over the place and could not seem to find them. My father needed to go to work so he took the keys for my mom's van and left for work. We kept looking for them and when we were about to give up my little brother came walking out of the garage with them in his hands. He was in the garage playing with his bike. My mother called my father at work to tell him the great news. He was happy and we then ate our dinner. what did he end up driving? A. truck B. bike C. van D. car Answer: C. van
Question: For a while, my neighborhood was taken ever by an army of joggers. They were there all the time: early morning, noon, and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweats, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. "Come on!" My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. "You'll feel great." Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army, I'm not alone in my opinion. First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet need a real pounding running down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg, and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn't kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring _ out, as they did with me. Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn't my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, "I love being out there with just my thoughts" Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt. And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn't just the first week: it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn't fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog? I don't jog any more, and I don't think I ever will. I'm walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I'm getting exercise, and I'm enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging, and I've found a lot of better ways to stay in shape. Why did the writer give up jogging two months later? A. He disliked doing exercise outside. B. He found it neither healthy nor interesting. C. He was afraid of having a heart attack. D. He was worried about being left alone. Answer: B. He found it neither healthy nor interesting. Question: Perhaps you have seen them on the playground, at preschool drop-off or piano lessons, or even in TV shows like Up All Night. They are the stay-at-home dads, and lately, it seems they're everywhere. The latest research shows that 32 percent of dads regularly care for their children, and among those with preschool-age kids, one in five dads is the primary caregiver. In families where mom works, that figure rises to nearly one in three. Stay-at-home dads have become so common that even toy makers like Mattel are catering to them. A recent study finds that today's full-time fathers aren't trying to be "Mr. Moms". Instead, they're carving out their own unique roles as parents. I spoke with some experienced stay-at-home dads, who agreed that their parenting styles are different. "I do let the kids take more risks on the playground, while my wife tends to get nervous that they'll fall and hurt themselves," says Kyle, 38, an artist. Besides, as there are more and more stay-at-home dads, they are turning to each other for support. They have created Meet Up groups and held Dads Nights Out. Kyle admits he had noticed a change recently. "Several years ago, I was checking out at a store with the kids, and the cashier was very curious why I was buying food instead of my wife. I told her that I was a full-time dad, and she commented, 'Wow, I have never met one of you before.' Now, my next-door neighbor is a dad who works from home and we often trades off watching the kids after school. " As for my own husband, although he admits that being a full-time dad is encouraging, he's also proud of the strong bond with our daughter, which will offer her benefits that last for years. Children wit caring dads tend to have higher intelligence and more confidence, and do better in school. They also are less likely to experience depression or get into trouble, and have better social skills. Why toy makers catering to stay-at-home dads? A. Kids like playing with them. B. They influence the choices their children make. C. They are the money-makers in their families. D. Kids like toys bought by them. Answer: B. They influence the choices their children make. Question: A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to warm themselves up during one particularly icy cold winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years ago. They both had jobs, so it was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on a Thursday, and his wife would follow him the next day. Upon arriving as planned, the husband checked into the hotel. There he decided to open his laptop and send his wife an e-mail back in Minneapolis. However, he accidentally left off one letter in her address and sent the e-mail without noticing his error. In the same time: In Houston, a woman had just returned from her husband's funeral . He was a minister of many years who had been "called home to glory" following a heart attack. The woman checked her e-mail, expecting message from family and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted and fell to the floor. Her son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor and saw the computer screen which read: To: My Loving Wife From: Your Departed Husband Subject: I've arrived! I've just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then. Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was. P.S. Sure is hot down here. Why did the couple decide to go to Florida for weekend? A. To visit their family and friends B. To escape from the cold winter C. To escape from their busy work D. To attend a friend's funeral Answer: B. To escape from the cold winter Question: Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Millions of tourists visit this place every year. In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of travelling. There are intercity buses operated by KTEL that interconnect various cities of Greece, and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities. Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life. This country is really a vacation heaven. It is the perfect blend of history and art with adventure and romance. You can dive into deep blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history. Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable. All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route. Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful. Travelers never face any trouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations. Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop. Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists. Athens, the capital of Greece, has three bus terminals. Buses to different part of Greece leave from different terminals. Air-conditioned express buses also operated between major cities. They are faster and more comfortable than other buses. Tourists can choose guided Greece bus tour. These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country. Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving _ on the journey. The long-distance bus system is very cheap. Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars. They are also the best means of interacting with local people. You can sit next to a native Greece and get some information about the place. If you are a tourist of Greece from oversea , you'd better choose _ . A. taxis B. cars C. guided Greece bus tours D. air-conditioned express buses Answer: C. guided Greece bus tours Question: Reading is very important to help you learn English. To learn as much as you can from reading, you need to read different kinds of English. This book provides not only different kinds of English but also a good way to check your reading ability. There are four parts in the book : Part 1 is Messages : In this part somebody wants to send information in writing to somebody else. There is a test on timetables and a test on text messages . Part 2 is People : In this part all the tests are about people . For example, there is an informal letter between friends . There is formal English in biography . There is a job application as a model to help with your writing, as well as testing your reading . Part 3 is Places : In this part , too many different kinds of English are shown , some informal and some formal . There is the informal English of a holiday postcard . There is also the formal English in a letter of complaint . Part 4 is Things : You will find some descriptive writing in this part . There are descriptions of clothes and of a computer . You can do these tests in any order you like , or you can do all the tests with a formal or informal text . I enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy using it . The passage is most probably written for _ . A. test designers B. students C. test-takers D. teachers Answer: B. students
Winter is very cold in many countries. It's easy for you and me to keep warm. If we are cold, we can just buy a warm coat or use a heater and we will feel better. But what about animals? How do they keep warm in winter? Some animals migrate . This means they travel to places where the weather is warmer. Many birds leave before the winter starts. They fly in groups. If they fly together, the trip will be safer. They like to migrate to the same places every year. Do you know how they can find the same places? Scientists say that birds use the sun, moon and stars to help them. Other animals like moose also migrate. Fish and whales swim to warmer water. Some animals don't have leave their homes. They hibernate in winter. They fall into a very deep sleep. The animals' temperature drops and their breathing slows down. Before the winter, these animals must eat too much food that they get very fat. If they don't eat enough, they may die when they are hibernating. Which of the following is true? Some animals spend their winter sleeping. When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to go to face the music," it doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music, indeed, but it has to be faced. At some time or another, every one of us has had to "face the music", especially as children. We can remember father's angry voice: "I want to talk to you!" And only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was! The phrase "face the music" is known to every American, old and young. It is at least one hundred years old. Where did the expression come from? The first explanation came from the American novelist James Fenimore Cooper. He said, in 1851, that expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage. After they got their clue to go on , they often said, "It's time to go to face the music." And that is exactly what they did face the orchestra which was just below the stage. An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly, or perhaps unfriendly, especially if he forgot his . But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So "face the music" came to mean: having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice. The expression "face the music" means _ . have to go through something far less pleasant Mark got a letter from his granddaddy that said there was something cool to see. He called his granddaddy on the telephone and asked what it was. He was told that he needs to come over to see it for himself. After asking his parents if it was OK, Mark went to his granddaddy's house. When he got there, they turned off the television and lamp and went around to the backyard. In his granddaddy's backyard, there was a river and lots of plants and flowers. They followed the river and found a pond. The pond was full of goldfish because it was a goldfish pond. There were goldfish of every different color in the pond and it was an amazing sight. Mark had lunch with his granddaddy by the pond and thanked him for showing the interesting pond to him. After that, Mark went home and told his parents about how cool the trip was. What did Mark and his granddaddy find by following the river? A pond. People often ask me how, as a man, I became so devoted to improving the quality of women's lives. It wasn't until age forty that I realized what had started me down my career path. One morning more than thirty-seven years ago, I was awakened by the passing school bus. I was thirteen years old, living at home with my two younger brothers and our mother, Doris Joy Heavin. She had just passed her fortieth birthday. She was a mother of five children and had suffered emotional and physical problems most of her life. Her doctor had tried various treatments on her with little benefit. As I awoke to the sound of the passing school bus, my brother Paul came in and told me that I'd better come quickly because mother was sick. As I knelt beside her bed, I could feel the absence of warmth. I put my arms around her, first to feel for a sign of life, and then as a final hug. I took my younger brothers, aged eight and nine, in my arms and gently told them that our mother was in heaven. Her death was unnecessary. The high blood pressure causing the blood clot that took her life was unnecessary. Rather than _ , she could have dealt with the cause of her high blood pressure: we now know that exercise and proper nutrition will almost always reduce the causes of high blood pressure and most other chronic diseases. Many years later, while teaching a fitness and weight loss class to a group of about eighty women, I realized I was subconsciously searching the crowd for the face of my mother. What made the author devoted to improving the quality of women's lives. His mother's illness and death. Ice-climb in London The huge ice skating area at Somerset House has been drawing crowds each winter for years, but last November an ice wall was added for the first time, bringing even more danger and excitement. Standing more than 26 feet high is along line of pure ice, featuring three climbing faces of varying difficulty using crampons ,ice picks. and ropes. Using it costs about PS40 (020 7854600;www. somersethouseicednk. org. uk). It is open from late November to the end of January. Hang-gliding in Rio De Janeiro According to the hang-gliders of Rio, once you ' ve swooped over the city's streets,gazing at the Sugar Loaf, and the city of Niteroion, the other side of Guanabara Bay, you will understand why birds are peaceful animals. Accept the romantic idea on a 30-minute cycling flight from the 525-meter Pedra Bonita in the Sao Conrado mountain down to the Sao Conrado beach. It costs aroundPS55. Contact Air Adventures (021 98439006;www. rio-hanggliding, com). Sky-walk in Sydney This experience takes having a look at a nice view to the whole other level, as you are suspended more than 850 feet (260m)above street level,controlled to a glass viewing platform of Sydney Tower. It's the city's highest building. After a thorough briefing and being fitted with protective sky suits , sky-walkers make their way along two-purpose-built walkways and platforms, which have transparent floor,while a guide points out landmarks. Night time sky-walks. are also available. It costs PS46. Mountain-boarding in Leeds Riders roll down hills and fly off jumps, doing tricks. A number of special mountain-board parks have been opened around the country (see www. ridethehill. com). But the Leeds body of the Boarding Society practice at least twice a week in the city in locations that include Roundhay Park. Those with their own boards are welcomed to join them. Contact the society at www. scua. info. Alternatively, beginners can get lessons in Halifax at the Another World(014 22 245196; www mountainboarding.co.uk)mountain-board center for PS8 an hour with equipment. You have never tried dangerous sport, then you can get on _ to find some training information. www. mountainboarding, co. uk
Welcome to the Van Gogh Gallery--the definitive reference for information about the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh. As a post impressionist painter and one of the most famous artists of all time, Vincent Van Gogh has become an icon . From growing up in Holland and pursuing a life as a pastor, to moving to France and creating an incredible collection of artwork, this site takes an in-depth look at Van Gogh's life, his work and the impact he has had on our culture. Van Gogh had many influences on his life including his family and friends, as well as other artists such as Paul Gauguin and Edgar Degas. In addition, Van Gogh's health also had a major influence on his life. To see how each of these affected his life please visit the Important Figures, Artistic Influences and Health sections. For information about how Van Gogh's has impacted our society today view the Impact on Art, Cultural References, or News section. If you are interested in adding more Van Gogh to your life, the Van Gogh Gallery has plenty to offer. Download Van Gogh images of some of his most famous paintings as wallpaper for your computer, shop for Van Gogh posters or prints, or check out some of the additional resources available including links to Van Gogh museums and shows. There are even lesson plans from multidiscipline areas for those interested in educating others about Van Gogh's art and life. Van Gogh has influenced generations of young artists worldwide since his time. Today we can see his impact in painting, in poetry and in video. We are happy to display new examples of art that were influenced by Van Gogh in our Van Gogh Community Art section. Tragically , Van Gogh died not knowing the acclaim his art would receive. Today his legacy is immortal and he will be forever known as one of the greatest artists of the modern era. Through this website The Van Gogh Gallery aims to share his life and legacy with the world. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Welcome to the Van Gogh Gallery Most recently, it's very common in students who need a parent present for job interviews. Naturally, it's easy to blame the students in these situations, but the bigger problem is us. We--as parents--are so eager to shelter our kids that we fail to realize that this in itself is harming them.As the mother of two young sons, I have to remind myself constantly that the biggest responsibility I have as a parent is to help them develop the skills needed to live in, to live without me.So, I'll let them fail. I'll let them fail because as long as they are safe and warm inside their comfort zones, they will never grow.And failure -- along with loss, heartbreak, disappointment, etc.-- will be part of growth for them.Call me the anti-tiger mom, but leaving them alone, is my way of helping them become equipped to fit in this world as we know it today.From terrorism and seemingly endless natural disasters, to our national debt and beyond, if we expect the next generation to stand up to the very real problems of our time, we need to stop feeding them and start teaching them how to fish. My children now are becoming little masters of compromise, but they try to negotiate everything now.It's a small price to help them learn a skill they'll use for the rest of their lives, including when I don't accompany them on job interviews. Why does the author stress failure in kids' life? Answer: To help them grow in this tough world. Hello, I'm Lily. I am a student of No. 6 Middle School. I like singing and dancing. I can sing pop music very well. I like eating meat, because I think it's very delicious. I am good at English, because I like it very much. My mother is a shop assistant. She likes listening to Zhang Xueyou's songs. She always goes shopping with me. She's good at maths. When I have problems with maths she often helps me. My father is a manager. He always goes to the park with me. My father is good at Chinese and he also likes pets very much. My sister is a student of fourteen years old. She's a small famous singer in the city. She likes singing and dancing. She can sing very well. Who likes singing? Answer: Lily and her sister. John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six . He was reaching high school age , but his hometown offered no high school for blacks . Fortunately he had a strong -- willed , caring mother . John remembers that his mother told him many times , "Son , you can be anything you really want to be if you just believe ." She told him not to be dependent on others , including his mother . "You have to earn success," said she . "All the people who work hard don't succeed , but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard ." These words came from a woman with less than a third --grade education .She worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough money to take her son -- then 15--to Chicago . Chicago in 1933 was not the promised land that black southerners were looking for . John's mother and stepfather could not find work . But here John could go to school , and here he learned the power of words -- as an editor of the newspaper at Du Sable High School . His wish was to publish a magazine for the blacks . While others discouraged him , John's mother offered him more words to live by : " _ " She also let him pawn her furniture to get the $500 he needed to start the Negro magazine . It is natural the difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful . He always keeps his mother's words in mind: "Son , failure is not in your vocabulary ." Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America . What's the best title of the passage ? Answer: The mental support from a great mother I was catching a later flight to St. Louis, then on to Minnesota. A couple of seats in front and the aisle over sat a very pretty lady. She smiled back at me, I smiled at her noticing her pretty dress. The rest of the flight was uneventful, but as I was getting off the plane I noticed her again standing by the prompters seeing what flight she was to take and what gate. I stood beside her looking for my gate, and flight number. I commented to her that I had seen her on the flight and she had on a pretty dress. She said "Thank you", I asked what flight she was taking? She said to "Phoenix". I looked and she had a two-hour _ , I also had a two and a half hours layover and asked her if she would like to go to the cafeteria for something to eat or drink. She said "Sure". We introduced ourselves on the way, and she told me that her name was "Phyllis". I laughed and said "my name is Phyllis also". As we sat in the booth she began telling me that she had been told she was dying of cancer and had less than 6 months to live. She was on her way to visit her children and grandchildren before she began taking treatment. She then told me that she had never flown before and she had prayed a specific prayer. She was afraid she would get lost at the airport and not be able to find her way to the gate, and didn't know what she was going to do for the two hours she was there. She prayed, that someone would meet her at the gate and stay with her until she left the airport. She then asked me "Are you an Angel God has sent"? No, I assured her I was no angel, but did God use me to answer her prayer? Yes. Where did the writer notice the lady at first? Answer: On the flight to St. Louis.
Let's say a person gets up at 7:00 in the morning and goes to bed at 11:00 at night. He comes home from work about 6:30, and by the time he has finished with dinner it is after 8:00. He steps outside in the summer to relax -- but it's already getting dark! Not much time to enjoy the summer day. Now suppose you set the clock ahead one hour. This person still does everything at the same time -- but this time, when he steps out at 8:00 there's still plenty of light to enjoy. An hour of daylight has been "saved" for him! Daylight saving time doesn't, of course, add any hours to a day. This is impossible. All it does is to increase the number of useful hours of daylight during the seasons when the sun rises early. Daylight saving is most popular in cities. It allows the closing of offices, shops, and factories at the end of the working day while the sun is still high. Farmers, who do their work by sun time, usually do not observe daylight saving time. They cannot work in the field before the morning dew has dried or after it appears in the evening. Did you know who first thought of daylight saving time? It was Benjamin Franklin! When he was living in France in the 18th century, he suggested the idea to the people in Paris. But it was not adopted then. Daylight saving laws were first passed during World WarI, when materials for making electricity was hard to find, and when it was necessary to save on _ light. With daylight saving, the bedtime of many people comes soon after it gets dark, while without it, if people stay up until the same hour they may have to use artificial light. Germany was the first country to adopt daylight saving time in 1915. Then England used it in 1916, and the United States adopted it in 1918. What's the purpose of adopting daylight saving time? To make better use of daylight in certain seasons. Teaching is more than leadership. Some of the teacher's time and effort is directed toward instruction, some toward evaluation. But it is the teacher as a group leader who creates an effective organizational structure and good working environment so that instruction and evaluation activities can take place. A group that is totally disorganized, unclear about its goals, or constantly fighting among its members will not be a good learning group. The leadership pattern includes helping to form and _ a positive learning environment so that instruction and evaluation activities can take place. On the first day of class, the teacher faces a room filled with individuals. Perhaps a few closely united groups and friendships already exist. But there is no sense of group unity, no set of rules for conduct in the group, no feeling of belonging. If teachers are successful leaders, they will help students develop a system of relationships that encourages working together. Standards and rules must be set to keep order, make sure of justice and protect individual rights, but do not contradict school policy. What happens when one student hurts another's individual rights? Without clear regulations agreeable to the students and teachers, the classroom can become chaotic. Students may break rules they did not know existed. If standards are set without participation from the class, students may spend a great deal of creative energy in destroying the class environment or finding ways to break rules. No matter how skillful the teacher is in uniting students and creating a positive atmosphere, the task is never complete. Regular maintenance is necessary. Conflicts arise. The needs of individual members change. A new kind of learning task requires a new organizational structure. Sometimes outside pressures such as holidays, upcoming tests or sport competitions, or family troubles cause stress in the classroom. One task for the teacher is to recreate a positive environment by helping students deal with conflict, change, and stress. From the passage we can learn that _ . if rules are not acceptable both to students and teachers, the classroom can be a mess Several years ago, I read a book Your Money or Your Life, written by Joe Domingguez and Vicki Robin. The major theme of the book is the idea that if you want to cut your spending, you'll have to begin by stopping trying to impress other people. The authors divide people into two groups : people whose opinions you care about, and people whose opinions you don't care about one way or another. It's easy to stop caring about people whose opinions you don't care about. Who cares what they think ? As long as you're not doing something truly immoral ---- something that might potentially create a negative reputation for you ---- it doesn't matter what they think. But shouldn't you impress other people whose opinions you do care about ? Anyway, they are people you want to meet : customers, friends and family. The answer is that you don't need to impress those people with expensive, shiny things. The relationship you've built with them ---- or you're going to build with them ---- is based on you, not on the material items. They'll either like you for you or they won't. To put it simply, take care of the basics. Keep yourself clean. Keep your weight under control. Wear reasonable clothing. Work on your communication skills. If you have them covered, you don't need to invest time and money in impressing other people. Coming to this realization is incredibly valuable. It drops your clothing budget. It drops your automobile budget. It drops your electronics budget. It drops your housing budget. You don't need a shiny car, an iPhone, or a $50 haircut. Yes , you may actually still want one or two of these things, but the impetus comes from what your personal values are, not what other people around you seem to value or what marketing messages you receive. For some people, it seems impossible. Their social cues come from advertising-laden media and from friends who also get their cues from advertising-laden media.They believe they need a slick cellphone and $100 casual clothes. Their self-worth revolves around that little burst they get from impressing others. People should learn to break through that situation. In short, don't play socially by the tiring old rules that revolve around needing to impress people. Instead, spend your time on things that bring real value to you and give real value to others. As for people we care about, what does the author advise us to do ? To impress them in a proper way. According to US research, it can take up to ten years to become a near-native English speaker. Asian and Spanish students took between five and ten years to reach native speaker performance in English-only schools. Fluency obviously doesn't happen overnight. But time can definitely make you a better speaker. After testing his own memory, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that humans forget most of what they learn in the first 20 minutes. So cramming right before a speaking exam is not likely to be as effective as practicing regularly over time. The more you practice, the more familiar new words will become. In the classroom, studies have also shown that repeating oral tasks improves a speaker's performance. One of the best repetition exercises is the 4/3/2 technique. Speakers give the same talk to three different listeners with a progressive decrease in delivery time, starting at four minutes, then three, and finally two minutes. This exercise has been proven to help learners speak faster. It can also result in less hesitation and more grammatical accuracy. While time dose make a difference when it comes to speaking perfect English, it would not hurt to brush up on your other language skills. Studies have also shown that reading can increase your speaking vocabulary. After one month of an extensive reading program, a 27-year-old student of French became more familiar with 65 percent of the new words. Aside from choosing the right learning methods, having certain personality traits may also help. US Stephen Krashen believes those with high motivation, self-confidence and a low level of anxiety are better equipped for speaking success. Krashen says students who don't have these qualities are more likely to have a "mental block". "Even if they understand the message, the input will not reach the part of the brain responsible for language acquisition," he writes in his book Principles and Practice in second Language Acquisition. According to the passage, if you want to be a near-native speaker, you need _ . long-term speaking practice, much reading and certain qualities Paula sued for injuries she sustained in a fall in a hotel hallway connecting the lobby of the hotel with a restaurant located in the hotel building. The hallway floor was covered with vinyl tile. The defendants were Horne, owner of the hotel building, and Lee, lessee of the restaurant. The evidence was that the hallway floor had been waxed approximately an hour before Paula slipped on it, and although the wax had dried, there appeared to be excessive dried wax caked on several of the tiles. Horne's defense was that the hallway was a part of the premises leased to Lee over which he retained no control, and Lee denied negligence and alleged contributory negligence."If Paula offered to prove that the day after she fell Horne had the vinyl tile taken up and replaced with a new floor covering, the trial judge should rule the evidence admissible, because it is relevant to the issue of whether Horne retained control of the hallway.
A mum saved her daughter's life with her newly learned first aid skills. Sonya Hall, 33, of Denny Avenue, Lancaster, had only just attended one first aid class the day before when she found herself needing to use the skills on her three years old daughter Tilly. Sonya, who also has son Emmen, six, attended the first aid course at Lune Park Children's Centre in Lancaster. Then she was faced with every parent's worst nightmare when Tilly went blue in the face and stopped breathing. But thanks to her newly acquired skills, Sonya saved Tilly's life. Sonya said: "Tilly was playing with her brother and they were fighting over a toy. Emmen won the fight. Tilly fell backwards and her head was hit. She was face down and shaking and at first I thought she was upset. But then I saw she was blue in the face and had stopped breathing. I reacted without thinking and immediately started using the first aid skills I had learned the day before which were so fresh in my mind. I began doing mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions . It probably took about a minute before Tilly started breathing again, but to me it felt like a lifetime." After getting Tilly breathing again, Sonya called an ambulance and the doctors came. Since then, Tilly has been diagnosed with Reflex Anoxic Seizure . Sonya said: "The seizure can happen when there's any unexpected pain, fear or fright. It is just so lucky that the day before it happened, I had been practising first aid." The Empowering Parents First Aid course is run by Lancashire Adult Learning. Sonya said: "I am just so glad I did the course and learnt the first aid skills. I always feared I would not know what to do in a crisis situation, but luckily I had the knowledge and skills to deal with it." When Sonya found Tilly's shaking, she thought her daughter must _ . Answer: be very angry Advertising gives useful information about which products to buy. But modern advertising does more than gives news about products and services. Today's advertisements, or ads, try to get consumers to buy certain brands. Writers of advertising are so skillful that they can, sometimes persuade a consumer to wear a certain kind of clothing, eat a special kind of cereal, or see a movie. Consumers might never even want a product if they did not see or hear advertisements for it. For example, you probab1y do not need the newest cereal in the supermarket. There are probably many cereal brands on your kitchen shelves. You may not have space on a shelf for another. But if you see ads about a new cereal that is your extra-tasty and has a free prize in the box, you may want it. Advertising must get attention. To be effective, it must be exciting, entertaining, or provide some pleasure. The secret of writing good advertising copy is to offer a good idea as well as a product. The idea is what the ad is really selling. One example is an ad that says eating a certain cereal will make a person do well in sports. That cereal brand may sell better if consumers think it offers strength and energy. From the passage, we know that _ . Answer: cereal is a kind of food which is popular among people I never thought I would have a life-changing experience at Wal-Mart. Although my thoughts were only on speed, the checkout line I was standing in wasn't moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier. There stood a man in his seventies, wearing glasses and a nice smile. I thought, well, he's an old guy! For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before scanning the items. Sure, his words were the usual, "How's it going?" But he did something different--he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation. I thought it was odd. I has grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit. After a while, you don't give any thought to the question and just mumble something back. I could say, "I just found out I have six months to live," and someone would reply, "Have a great day!" But that wasn't the end. He gave them the change, walked around the counter, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. He looked the customers in the eyes. "I sure want to thank you for shopping here today," he told them. "You have a great day. Bye-bye." The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless. There were smiles and some sheepish grins. All had been touched by his simple gesture--and in a place they never expected. They would gather their things and walk out, smiling. Of course, he did the same to me and I got to know his name--Marty. Who was that guy? It was as if Sam Walton had come back from the dead and invaded this old guy's body. I had never walked away from that shop feeling like that. The checkout line the writer was standing in moved slower than expected because _ Answer: the cashier did more than scanning the items Shenzhen's fast development has made it become China's most crowded city! There are about 15 million people living on its 1991square kilometers. On each square kilometer averagely live 7500 people. It is 1080 more than that in Hong Kong, and nearly 800 more than that in Guangzhou. Besides, Shenzhen owns 2 million local vehicles, and about 300000 vehicles from other places also run on the local roads every day. The total length of the city's road is 6041 kilometers. It means each resident only owns 0.58 meters of road! As a result, the city is facing serious environmental and resource problems. One of the problems is water shortage. The amount of fresh water for each person of the city is only 25% of the country's average. What's more, most of the water drunk by Shenzhen people comes from other areas. According to the passage, which of the following makes Shenzhen so crowded? Answer: There are too many people Arthur Miller was born on October 17th, 1915 and died on February 10th, 2005.Over the course of seven decades of literature career , Arthur Miller created some of the most memorable stage plays in American Literature. He is the author ofDeathofaSalesmanandTheCrucible. Born and raised in Manhattan, Miller went through the best and the worst of American society. Arthur Miller's childhood:His father was a productive shopkeeper and clothing manufacturer until the Great Depression dried up nearly all business opportunities.Yet, despite being faced with poverty, Miller made the best of his childhood. He was a very active young man, in love with such sports as football and baseball. When he wasn't playing outside, he enjoyed reading adventure stories. He was also kept busy by his many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father. During other times in his life, he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in a car parts warehouse. College life: In 1934, Miller left the east coast to attend the University of Michigan. He was accepted into their school of journalism. His experiences during the Depression made him skeptical about religion. Politically, he began leaning towards the "Left".And since the theater was the cutting edge way for socioeconomic liberals to express their views, he decided to enter the Hopwood Drama competition. His first play,NoVillain, received an award from the university.It was an impressive beginning for the young playwright; he had never studied plays or playwriting, and he had written his play in just five days! Miller's later years: In 1987, his autobiography was published. Many of his later plays dealt with personal experience. In particular, his final play,FinishingthePicturemirrors the last days of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe.In 2005, Arthur Miller passed away at the age of 89. The passage is intended to _ . Answer: give us a brief introduction to Arthur Miller's life
What are the most popular courses at Harvard University, US? Unsurprisingly, Intro to Economics and Intro to Computer Science claim the top two spots. But what about Classical Chinese Ethical and Political Theory (<<>> ), a course focused on ancient Chinese philosophers and their theories? As the third most popular course, it has drawn so many students that Harvard had to move the class to its Sanders Theater, the biggest lecture hall on campus. According to The Atlantic, Professor Michael Puett requires his students to read original texts Such as Confucius' Analects (<<>>) and the Mencius (<<>>). But doesn't that make the class boring ?Not at all, says The Atlantic: "It' s clear that students are attracted by Puett's promise: This course will change your life." Puett introduce his students not just to a completely different culture worldview. More importantly , he puts Chinese thought "in the context of contemporary American life to help 18 and 19-year-olds figure out how to be good human beings and become successful people". Puett told The Atlantic that nowadays , more students are pressured to think big and achieve individual excellence. They usually direct all of their courses, and even their activities after class, towards practical career goals. www.ks5u.com However, Puett believed that being calculating about one's plans is the wrong way to make any sort of important life decision."The Chinese philosophers would say that this strategy makes it harder to remain open to other possibilities," he explained to The Atlantic."Students who do this are not paying enough attention to the daily things that actually inspire them."Our smallest actions ,said Chinese philosophers, have ripple effect .To really change our lives for the better, we have to start with mundane things."Holding open the door for someone or smiling at the grocery clerk can change the course of the day by affecting how we feel," said Puett."Paying attention to small clues can change everything that we can become as human beings." What are the things that students can learn in Professor Michael Puett's course? A. How to be a better person. B. The culture of ancient China. C. How to make their big dreams come true. D. A complete introduction to Confucius and Mencius. Answer: A. How to be a better person. Huckleberry Finn,the great character from the Mark Twain book,did not like school.He preferred floating down the Mississippi River on a raft and looking for adventure.That's why generations of schoolboys have loved reading Huckleberry Finn:they feel the same way about[ school as he did. For many boys,being forced to sit all day in a school room is like being punished for a crime they did not commit.There are endless hours of boredom spent learning things they have no interest in.That's why many boys do poorly in school and many give up on education altogether. Ironically ,the whole idea for schools was invented for boys.If a boy wanted to grow up to be a useful man,he had to be educated.By and by,people realized that educating girls was a good idea,too.And,ironically again,it was discovered that the school system suits girls just fine;so fine that girls now do much better than boys in school. No one really knows why that is.Some say that girls mature quicker than boys and adapt better to school life.Some also say that the school system and the curriculum have changed to encourage girls but _ . Educators are now trying to find ways to get boys to be more successful in school.There are suggestions to separate the sexes and teach boys separately.There are also suggestions to change[ the curriculum to make it more interesting for boys. Whatever the changes are,boys still will be boys,and dreams of floating down the Mississippi River will always be an attractive choice to just sitting in a classroom. Huckleberry Finn is _ . A. a boy of Mark Twain's B. a character in a book C. an American writer D. a river's name Answer: B. a character in a book How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site. Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet. Computers hackers have broken down security systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer , were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information. Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated. Ask about your credit-firm's on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending. And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra "s" stands for secure. If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone. Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Computer hackers sold the retailer's information to a web site to get money. B. A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system. C. You can depend on the password to protect your information. D. The on-line credit-card thieves stole your credit-card and paid with it. Answer: B. A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system. There is a brown female Canadian duck that weighs only four hundred fifty grams. The duck had flown to the southern state of Florida for the winter.A hunter shot it on January fifteenth and took it to his home in the city of Tallahassee.He put it in the refrigerator .Two days later the man's wife opened the refrigerator door.The duck lifted its head and looked at her.It was alive! The family took the duck to a doctor who treats animals.The doctor gave the duck to the Goose Creek Animal Sanctuary .Animal sanctuaries provide homes for animals and teach people about their care. The doctor said it was easy to understand why people thought the duck was dead. He said ducks generally do not move a 1ot,especially after being shot.And he said its low body temperature helped it survive in the refrigerator. _ was enough to make the duck famous around the world.The Tallahassee newspaper published the story that was re-printed in many different countries.But that was not the end of the story. Workers at the wildlife sanctuary named the duck Perky.And they got the doctor to give an operation to repair the duck's damaged wing.During the operation,Perky stopped breathing--not just once but two times.The doctor tried to save Perky by giving her oxygen.But he finally said the duck had died.A few seconds later, however, Perky began to move.Reports say the people in the operating room were so happy that they cried. Workers at the wildlife sanctuary say Perky will not have any more operations. It seems the drugs that were used had side-effects on her.Perky is expected to live at the sanctuary.And a local company has begun to sell T-shirts showing a picture of the lucky duck. Money from the sale of the shirts will help pay for Perky's care. What is the best title for the passage? A. Save the Duck B. The Lucky Duck C. Stop Killing Ducks D. The Poor Duck Answer: B. The Lucky Duck Many centuries ago, birthdays were considered a time when the bad spirits were able to harm you. It was believed that you should have your friends and family around you so that their good wishes and present-giving would keep the bad spirits away. People also believed that, by lighting candles, they were sending a signal or wishes to the gods. Later on, candles started to be used on birthday cakes. One story about the beginnings of the birthday cake is that it started with the Greeks, who made round cakes standing for the full moon for their moon goddess . They also placed candles on the cake to make it light, again like the moon. However, the Germans are said to have first used cakes and candles. They used a sweet cake and they put a large candle in the centre of the cake to mean "the light of life". The "Happy Birthday" song is more than a hundred years old. The music was written in 1893 by two sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, who were schoolteachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The music was first used as a morning greeting to their students with the title, "Good Morning To All". In 1935, the words legally belonged to the Hill sisters, and the copyright has been bought and sold for millions of dollars ever since. The present copyright is owned by Warner Communications. They bought it in 1989 for more than $22 million. Why did the Greeks put candles on the cake? A. To light up the dark room. B. To make the cake beautiful. C. To see where the cake was. D. To make it look like the moon. Answer: D. To make it look like the moon.
For 13-year-old Brooke Martin, seeing her golden dog Kayla has become much easier, even when she's not at home. Martin made a kind of machine--iCPooch. It allows pet owners to video chat with their pets and sends food from other places.2-1-c-n-j-y When a dog owner puts the iCPooch app on a phone, he or she can connect to the iCPooch machine at home and start talking. The owner's image and voice will be on the screen. When the owner pushes a button on the iCPooch app, the machine will give the dog some food that has been stored inside the box. How could Martin come up with the idea? The idea came to the Washington girl when she took a business class last year. That led her to think about helping her pet Kayla. Kayla always looked sad when she was left alone at home."I wanted to know how you could talk to your dog if you were not at home. And what if you were able to give them a treat while you were away?" Martin explained her idea. Now Martin and her family have set up a company. They've had investments from businessmen and asked a factory to make the product. They expected to sell 8,000 products by the end of 2015. Martin is satisfied with her success. "A year ago, I never thought that I would be able to start a business, or even having an idea for a business," she said. "I've learned that we are supposed to hold on to your dreams." Kayla felt _ when she was left alone at home. A. happy B. lonely C. exciting D. surprised Answer: B. lonely Cao Min couldn't believe she was experiencing exactly what she had seen years ago in the film "Titanic". Cao and her two children from Anhui Province were traveling on board the "Liaoludu 7" on February 22. They were among the first people on the ship who were rescued by lifeboats. Cao's one-year-old son was the youngest passenger on board. The "Liaoludu 7" was traveling in the Bohai Straits from Lvshun in Liaoning Province to the port city of Longkou in Shandong Province. It suddenly lost its power at 2:30 pm and tilted on its side. With 81 people on board, the ferry began to sink. "I was so scared that my legs couldn't move forward. They kept shaking even when I was asked to jump onto a lifeboat," Cao recalled. Upon receiving the mayday appeal , China Marine Search and Rescue Centre immediately informed the State Council. The center sent eight lifeboats to the fishing boats. After more than four hours of fighting strong winds and freezing ocean water, the passengers were recovered. All but four survived. These four died after spending too long time in the freezing waters, according to a spokesperson for the Beijing-based center. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? A. The film "Titanic" had been on show again in Shanghai. B. Cao Min and her children experienced the terrible accident. C. "Liaoludu 7" with all passengers on board were saved. D. The ferry began to sink on the way to the port of Liaoning. Answer: B. Cao Min and her children experienced the terrible accident. Hello!This Chinese boy is Li Lei. He's 12. He's in No.3 Middle School. He's in Class 2,Grade 1. His good friend is Jack. He's an English boy. He's in Li Lei's school. He's in Class1.Grade2. Mrs Read is an English teacher in their school.She's an English woman. Jack an Li Lei has a secret ----Jack is their English teacher's son. What's Li Lei's friend's name? A. Li Lei B. Read C. Jack D. Green Answer: C. Jack When we talk about music, we can think of different kinds of it. Some people like pop music very much, but it often comes and goes so quickly. It shows our deep feelings of love, hate, joy and sadness in daily life, so it is quite popular among young people. However, classical music is not so lucky among young people though it's the symbol of high music level. We know that classical music is serious music, so some people can't understand its real meaning. That's why it's not popular among youngsters. In fact, folk music is different from other music forms.It's more traditional than entertainment . In American history, fork music began to show up when people needed it most.The earliest folk songs were those like "Down by the Riverside", "We Shall over come" etc. Yhese are songs about hard life, but they are also full of hopes. Anyway , anybody can understand folk music and it also welcomes everyone to join. ,. What is the best title for the passage ? A. Pop music B. Classical music C. Folk music D. Some kinds of music Answer: D. Some kinds of music TLike most big projects, learning to manage your mother well is what you should do. Here are what I believe the best steps towards a better relationship with her. They are not necessarily surprising or revolutionary, but they have worked for many people. Try them. Remember your mother's age. As children, we often do not think of our mother as having an age. Even when we become conscious of her as an individual, age does not change our view; she is still our mother. Knowing our mother's age, not just in numbers of years but in terms of her psychological and physical state, often helps us to understand her better. Listen to your mother. I have found that sometimes the things my mother told me long ago are remarkably useful. If your mother knows that you respect her point of view, even if you do not share it, it will help her feel close to you. Remember that your mother has a past. A key step in managing our relationship with our mother is to find out about her early life. Niclle's mother suffered much during the Second War World War. "My parents are both Jewish-Turkish. They met in France and married young for love. They were in their twenties when war broke out and because they were Jews, they had to go into hiding. She does speak to me about the war, and I think it is important to know what she went through. It is a part of her life that must have affected her deeply. " Sometimes, in learning about our mother's past, we know that it can encourage us to think about her whole life. Ask your mother about your childhood history. My grandparents died when I was young. If you are fortunate enough to have living family, think of your life as _ and ask as many questions as you can to put the picture together. Understanding your roots and your childhood can help you now more clearly who you are, as part of a family which you share with your mother. Keep a sense of humor about your mother. When we hear about someone else's misfortunes with their mothers and are amused by them, our laughter is one of recognition. I have often listened to stories of difficult mothers and I have also listened to the following piece of advice they have found most helpful is: "Don't have a sense of humor failure about your mother. " Remember that managing your mother is really about managing yourself. Taking any measure to managing our mother is the issue of how we manage ourselves. No matter how difficult we find her, it is important to remember that is not her behavior it self that is causing us discomfort, but the way we feel about her behavior. We should follow the way of her life. At the heart of managing your mother is being able to accept your flawed self. Only then are you able to accept your mother---with all her failings. Which of the following is implied but not stated in the passage? A. It will help you have a better relationship with your mother if you respect her opinion. B. You should follow a most useful piece of advice----a sense of humor. C. The key measure of managing our mother is how we manage ourselves. D. It is unreasonable to expect our mother to change totally from the way she was brought up. Answer: D. It is unreasonable to expect our mother to change totally from the way she was brought up.
EVERYBODY in this world is different from one another. But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money? As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it's not easy to change later in life. Financial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances. This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money. According to our different values, experts put us in three categories. They are: the ant, the cricket and the snail. The ant--works first Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don't care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk. The cricket--fun first The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn't think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance. The snail--lives under pressure The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford it. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully. Of the three types of people, the one that has no weakness is _ . none of them Some kids can't sit still for long. They have a hard time paying attention to just one thing. They're easily distracted .They can get very impatient. They hate standing in line or waiting for their turn in a game or activity. They get bored pretty fast. They may also be impulsive--saying the first thing that comes to mind or interrupting someone else who's talking. For certain kids, this problem is so severe that doctors have a name for it: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Perhaps as many as 1 out of every 20 kids under the age of 18 have characteristics of ADHD. Often, these kids have trouble getting through school and face other difficulties later in life. Rizzo started developing the Virtual Classroom in 1999.He wanted to see if he could use it as a tool for testing and treating kids who have attention disorders. To diagnose ADHD, doctors typically test patients by giving them tasks that require attention. As part of one classic test, you watch letters flashed on a computer screen. Every time you see the letter "A" followed by the letter "X",you have to press the space bar. If you're paying close attention, you'll register all the times this combination occurs. If not, you'll miss some. The Virtual Classroom makes these tests more efficient, Rizzo says. In one experiment, he gave a group of kids the classic "A-X" test. Instead of looking at a computer screen in a doctor's office, though, the kids wore headsets that made it look like they were taking the test in a classroom. "Basically what we found,"Rizzo says,"is that, in 20 minutes of testing with virtual reality,we replicated a finding that usually requires a couple hours of standard testing with computer screens in the psychologist's office." Perhaps as many as _ kids have characteristics of ADHD. five percent kids less than 18 years old People who do not get enough vitamin A in their diet may develop night blindness.But in the developing world a lack of vitamin A causes much more serious harm to children.The World Health Organization links the lack of vitamin A to as many as 250.000 child deaths every year. One excellent source of vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes with orange flesh.Orange sweet potatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene ,which our body can change into vitamin A. Experts say orange sweet potatoes specially bred (,) for growing conditions in Africa could help solve the lack of vitamin A there. But, first, more people will need to be persuaded to eat them. Jan Low with the International Potato Center, a research organization says the sweet potato needs a better image in Africa. Jan Low says,... We do have an image problem with sweet potato in general in sub-Saharan Africa. It is seen as a crop of the poor. " Ms Low explains that sweet potatoes are mainly grown by poor women to feed their families in case another crop fails. The sweet potatoes commonly grown if Africa have white or yellow flesh. But, more importantly, they are low in vitamin A. Jan Low took part in a project to study how best to market orange sweet potatoes to Africans.She worked on an information campaign in Mozambique and Uganda.The campaign included radio messages about the nutritional benefits of the orange sweet potato.They advertised its ability to" fight diseases, make you strong, clear your skin and make you look healthy." In areas without radio, the campaigners spread the message through community theater.The performances included singing, dancing and storytelling.And everywhere they went, the campaigners wore orange T-shirts and hats.They even drove orange vehicles.Jan Low says the color1 made it easier to gain public attention. Dan Gustafson heads the Washington office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. He points to efforts in the past to increase the popularity of other nutritious crops. He says most of these efforts failed because organizers of the campaigns did not consider what people wanted to eat.But Mr.Gustafson sees a better chance for the efforts to increase the popularity of the orange sweet potato in Africa. For one thing, except for the color1, the vegetable is similar to what people already use. The passage mainly talks about _ . an image problem with orange sweet potato Much of the world does have electricity, though, and electricity makes using the Internet possible. Now that so many have Web access, you might have noticed that people don't write letters to each other very often. But that doesn't mean they have stopped keeping in touch. "Key pals," who use a computer keyboard and e-mail account instead of a pen and paper, still continue the pen pal tradition today. E-mail and handwritten letters have different advantages. With e-mail, your pen pal can receive your note almost instantly , and you can attach digital photos. Letters take longer to arrive, but you can include stickers, pictures, or drawings. Maybe you want to know more about what having a pen pal is like before you jump into the experience. If so, there are plenty of books that can give you a taste of different pen pal adventures. Look for them at a bookstore or library. There are things to remember when communication with pen pals, especially in the digital age: Make sure to share all letters and e-mails with your parents so they know you are safe. If something seems _ , stop writing letters. Never meet a pen pal in person unless a grown-up is with you. And, of course, have fun! Your pen pal could become your new best friend. Or a pen pal relationship could bring you closer to someone you already know. With a pen pal, you can have your own taste of far-away places, someone to share your own discoveries with, and the adventure of opening your mailbox to find a letter in it just for you. Why don't people write letters to their pen pals so often? Because they have used e-mails in place of traditional letters. "Tomorrow is my mother's birthday," Ellen thinks. She wants to buy a gift for her mother, but she doesn't have any money. "What should I do?" She thinks and thinks. Suddenly she has a good idea. She can make a gift by herself. So she uses a piece of paper to make a card. She draws a beautiful picture with birds and flowers. Then she writes, "To my dear mom. Happy birthday!" The next day, Ellen gives her mother the card. When her mother sees the card, tears run down her face . "Why are you crying ?" Ellen asks. "You don't like it, right? Her mother says, "I love it very much. I'm very happy." What does her mother do when she sees the gift ? She is happy and cries.
Ballet NY Dancing can provide an outstanding cardiovascular workout, but this week the members of Ballet NY come to Pittshurgh to dance for people whose hearts need help. The performance will benefit the Artificial Heart Program of the Heart, Lung and Esophageal Surgery Institute of UPMC. Ballet NY was founded 10 years ago by former New York City Ballet principal ballerina Judith Fugate and internationally famous dancer Medhi Bahiri, and former members of top dance companies. The performance starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Byham Theater, Downtown. Admission: $35~$125. The top price includes post-concert coffee and dessert reception with the dancers. Details: 412-453-7777. Classic rock, literally Mannheim Steamroller will bring a breath of "Fresh Air" to the Benedum Center, Downtown, Monday. The band, which blends classical and rock influences with electronic and ancient instruments, is on the road in its "Fresh Air" tour. The name comes from a series of eight albums with that title. Music begins at 8 p.m. Admission: $40, &50 or $60. Details: 412-456-6666. Expansive endeavors Outdoors adventure goes beyond fun. It is a way of encountering the weakness of our existence and seeing ourselves as rather small creatures after all. The Banff Mountain Film Festival helps us see that with movies that also are just downright good. Sponsored here by Venture Outdoors, the festival will be at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Byham Theatre, Downtown, with different films each night. Admission: $10, or $15 for both nights, in advance; $15 at the door. Details: 412-255-0564. In bloom Children with spring fever can find an outlet on Saturday at the Frick Art& Historical Center, which is hosting "Green Kids--What's up?" The program brings children aged 4-8 into the garden on Frick's Point Breeze grounds, so that they can see what flowers are coming up in the early spring. The program, which runs 11-11:45 a.m., is free and includes an interactive tour and take-home activity. Meet in the Visitors' Center at the Frick, 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. Details: 412-371-0600. If three adults go straight to the Byham Theatre and buy tickets just before the festival starts, how much will they spend? A $40. B $30. C $45. D $35. Answer: C. $45. Many years ago there was a huge oil refinery fire in a small town. Flames shot hundreds of feet into the air. The sky was thick with grimy black smoke. The heat was intense--so intense that firefighters had to park their trucks a block away and waited for the heat to die down before they could begin to fight the fire. However, it was about to rage out of control. Then, all of a sudden, from several blocks away came a fire truck racing down the street. With its brakes screeching, it hit the curb in front of the fire. The firefighters jumped out and began to battle the blaze. All the firefighters who were parked a block away saw this, and they jumped into their trucks, drove down the block and began to fight the fire, too. As a result of that cooperative effort, they were just barely able to bring the fire under control. The people who saw this teamwork thought, "My goodness, the man who drove that lead fire truck--what an act of bravery!" They decided to give him a special award to recognize him for his bravery in leading the charge. At the ceremony the mayor said, "Captain, we want to honor you for a fantastic act of bravery in leading the charge. You prevented the loss of property, perhaps even the loss of life. If there is one special thing you could have--just about anything--what would it be?" Without hesitation, the captain replied, "Your Honor, a new set of brakes of my truck would be great!" Why did all the firefighters park their trucks a block away from the fire? A Because they were waiting for the captain to arrive. B Because the smoke was too thick to see anything. C Because the fire was about to go out of control. D Because they had to wait for the intense heat to die down a bit. Answer: D. Because they had to wait for the intense heat to die down a bit. One night, Mrs. Riley, an elderly woman, was walking along a dark London street. She was carrying her handbag in one hand and a plastic carrier bag in the other. There was nobody else in the street except two youths. They were standing in a dark shop doorway. One of them was very tall with fail hair, the other was short and fat with a beard. The youths waited for a few moments, and then ran quickly and quietly towards Mrs. Riley. The tall youth held her from behind while the other youth tried to seize her handbag. Suddenly, Mrs. Riley threw the tall youth over her shoulder. He crashed into the other youth and they both landed on the ground. Without speaking, Mrs. Riley struck both of them on the head with her handbag and walked calmly away. The two surprised youths were still sitting on the ground when Mrs. Riley crossed the street towards a door with a lighted sign above it. Mrs. Riley paused, turned round, smiled at the youths and walked into the South West London Judo Club. The story tells about an elderly woman who _ . A often went shopping at night B was brave and wise C worked in a shopping center D had a skill of self-defense Answer: D. had a skill of self-defense Though she is already one of the most famous pop stars of the 21st century, you've probably never heard of a 25-year-old singer, song writer named Stefani Germanotta --- but that's only because almost everyone knows her by her stage name, Lady Gaga. Born in New York City in 1986, Lady Gaga enjoyed music, singing and dancing from an early age: she started playing the piano when only four years old and loved performing in musicals at high school. At 17, she went to a special school for the arts but later left because she wanted to become a professional singer as soon as possible. She became a global star with her first album The Fame in 2008 and followed it in 2009 with The Fame Monster. Earlier this year she released a single, "Born this Way," which broke the record for quickest sales for a piece of music on iTunes, with one million downloads in only five days. Her third album, also called Born this Way, went on sale in May this year. www.ks5u.com Because of how much money she earns, how much she is written and talked about in the media, and how many internet searches are made with her name, Forbes magazine recently put her at number one in its list of the "world's most powerful celebrities ." Most music critics say that what makes Lady Gaga's music stand out are her strong voice and also the strong electronic rhythm of most of her songs, which makes them popular in nightclubs. They also say her music often sounds like the work of other artists, and she herself is quite open about the fact that groups such as Queen and female singers such as Madonna have been a big influence on her. More original than her music, perhaps, is the way she looks. A big part of her image is her outlandish clothes, with her strangest piece of clothing probably having been a dress made partly out of meat, which she wore once in 2010. Part of what has made Lady Gaga so famous so quickly is the way she has used social media. She has over 30 million Facebook friends, for example, and almost 10 million followers on Twitter. Which of the following is true according to the text? A She released the single "Born this Way" in 2008. B She writes something on Twitter every day. C She says no other singer has been an influence on her. D She once came out first in the list of the Forbes magazine. Answer: D. She once came out first in the list of the Forbes magazine. Mike Myers is a teacher at Chauncey Rose High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. Last year, he taught his students about the world's rain forests. They learned that rain forests are important because the plants and animals of the rain forest give us food, wood, and medicine. Destruction of the world's rain forests is a serious problem. Unluckily, rain forests are disappearing at a rate of 80 acres per minute! As part of a class project, Myers' students bought three acres of rain forest in Costa Rica. They paid $25 per acre. The students hope that the land they bought will be protected and not destroyed. The students became so interested in rain forests that they decided to get a closer look at a real rain forest. So last June, Myers and four of his students took a boat ride down a river. They saw alligators and crocodiles. In the middle of the week, a guide took Myers and his students into the rain forest. "The monkeys were not happy that we were in their forest. They broke small branches off the trees and threw them at us," one of the students said, "It was a great learning experience for all of us," said Myers. Each student chose something specific about Costa Rica to study involving the plants, animals, food, and culture. During the last few days the group had time to do fun activities. They went whitewater rafting and horseback riding, and visited Costa Rica's active volcano. Myers hopes to make the trip every year with a different group of kids. How much did Myers' students pay for the rain forest they bought? A $25 B $75 C $80 D $2000 Answer: B. $75
Question: Short and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. "Football, tennis,cricket -- anything with a round ball, I was useless." he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in England's rural Devonshire. It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set his mind building up his body, increasing his speed, strength and endurance. At age 18, he ran his first marathon. The following year, he met John Ridgway, who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's school of Adventure in Scotland, where he learned about the older man's cold-water exploits . _ , Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions, then decided that this would be his future. Journeys to the Pole aren't the usual holidays for British country boys, and many people dismissed his dream as fantasy. "John Ridgway was one of the few who didn't say, 'You are completely crazy,'" Saunders says. In 2001, after becoming a skilled skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition toward the North Pole. He suffered frostbite, had a closer encounter with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit. Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he's skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other Briton. His old playmates would not believe the transformation. This October, Saunders, 27, heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, an 1800-mile journey that has never been completed on skis. It can be inferred that Saunders' journey to the North Pole _ . A. was accompanied by his old playmates B. set a record in the North Pole expedition C. was supported by other Arctic explorers D. made him well-known in the 1960s Answer: B. set a record in the North Pole expedition Question: In England, some food companies across the whole country have been told to carry out urgent tests on all beef products. Do you know why? That's because some food companies used horsemeat to make beef products. There are some examples about the horsemeat matter. In January, 2013, in a number of UK supermarkets, frozen hamburgers were found to have _ of horsemeat in them. Some frozen beef products made by food company FINDUS were found to contain horsemeat. All of the beef products made by this company have been removed from sale. The government said that there's nothing to suggest any health risk from the products. Food minister David Heath said people should not throw away frozen meat products and carry on eating meat. The government will tell people not to eat meat if the meat is not safe. Food safety has been an important matter all over the world. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure the safety of food. ,. What should people do with meat products according to David Heath's suggestions? A. Send them back to the food companies B. Throw them away. C. Never eat them D. Go on eating them. Answer: D. Go on eating them. Question: We believe that there is more to education than preparation for a job.Children must be prepared for all aspects of their adult life work,leisure,personal relationships,creative activities,dealing with money matters,independence,and parenthood. However,it would be unrealistic to provide an education which gave no consideration to the needs of employers. What type of training does the business world regard as important? Many young people applying for jobs were , in the employers' opinions,very weak in the basic skills of handwriting,grammar and spelling.Though further education at university level improved the student's general ability,a report states, "In basic skills the standards remained very low." It is doubtful whether standards have lowered in recent years.What is certain is that employers do not believe the standard is now high enough.Do technological changes make greater demands upon the students'abilities? We should also remember that the job expectations of young people have increased.The girls who would have once become shop assistants or hairdressers now want to be secretaries.Boys who sought an apprenticeship 20 years ago now desire to an engineering degree.But it is still _ with the same degree of ability.NO wonder there are problems in reaching the "necessary standards" of the business world. Many employers believed that it was important for teachers to have experience outside the world of college and school.They should work for a while at some other kind of job to see how the world of business and commerce is different from their own.The teaching profession and society in general needed a greater understanding of manpower needs and therefore of "the desired" direction of the education system. In the writer's opinion , education should _ . A. be suitable to all aspects of being an adult,including employment B. only meet the needs of employment C. centre on student' working ability D. pay more attention to grammar Answer: A. be suitable to all aspects of being an adult,including employment Question: For many years, Hawaii has been a magic name to people who like to travel. People on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, in Japan and in America, dream of seeing these beautiful islands in the middle of the ocean. Their dreams always include at least one scene of a sunset over the ocean. In the tropical lands, the sun drops, like a ball of golden fire, into the sea, and it droops so quickly that you can almost see it move. The sun leaves behind a glow that lights the skies and shines in the quiet water. People often have a quiet, peaceful time ---perfect for a leisurely walk along the water. This scene is not too different from the dramatic beauty that greeted the first strangers to these islands centuries ago. They were Polynesian people who came from Tahiti in canoes not much bigger than small boats. They found the beautiful white sand beaches and the waving palm trees, but there were no giant hotels like the ones we see nowadays. The first people came to Hawaii nearly two thousand years ago, but skyscraper hotels were only built in the last 25 years. Now jet planes make it possible to fly to for a weekend from Tokyo. Wherever the people come from, they really want to see the original beauty of Hawaii. They want to see the lovely beaches and the mountain called Diamond Head which is almost hidden by the tall hotels. On these beautiful islands, one thing that every traveler won't miss is _ . A. to swim in the quiet water B. to see the tropical plants C. to see the sunset D. a leisurely walk along the beach Answer: C. to see the sunset Question: If someone asks me: "Do you like music?" I'm sure I will answer him or her: "Of course, I do." Because I think music is an important part of our lives. Different people have different ideas about music. For me, I like rock music because it's so exciting. And my favorite rock band, the "Fox Ladies is one of the most famous rock banks in the world. I also like pop music. My classmate ,Li Lan, loves dance music, because she enjoys dancing. My best friend, Jane, likes jazz music . She thinks jazz is really cool. "I like dance music and rock very much,: says my brother, "because they are amazing." But my mother thinks rock is boring. "I like some relaxing music." She says. That's why she likes country music, I think. The writer's mother thinks that country music is _ . A. amazing. B. boring. C. relaxing D. interesting Answer: C. relaxing
It is common and usual to see people _ when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere. How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them. Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side. Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are. What's the writer's purpose to write the passage? Answer: Eddie McKay, a once-forgotten pilot, is a subject of great interest to a group of history students in Canada. It all started when Graham Broad, a professor at the University of Western Ontario, found McKay's name in a footnote in a book about university history. McKay was included in a list of university alumni who had served during the First World War, but his name was unfamiliar to Broad, a specialist in military history. Out of curiosity, Broad spent hours at the local archives in a fruitless search for information on McKay. Tired and discouraged, he finally gave up. On his way out, Broad's glance happened to fall on an exhibiting case showing some old newspapers. His eye was drawn to an old picture of a young man in a rugby uniform. As he read the words beside the picture, he experienced a thrilling realization. "After looking for him all day, there he was, staring up at me out of the exhibiting case," said Broad. Excited by the find, Broad asked his students to continue his search. They combed old newspapers and other materials for clues. Gradually, a picture came into view. Captain Alfred Edwin McKay joined the British Royal Flying Corps in 1916. He downed ten enemy planes, outlived his entire squadron as a WWI flyer, spent some time as a flying instructor in England, then returned to the front, where he was eventually shot down over Belgium and killed in December 1917. But there's more to his story. "For a brief time in 1916 he was probably the most famous pilot in the world," says Broad. "He was credited with downing Oswald Boelcke, the most famous German pilot at the time." Yet, in a letter home, McKay refused to take credit, saying that Boelcke had actually crashed into another German plane. McKay's war records were destroyed during a World War II air bombing on London -- an explanation for why he was all but forgotten. But now, thanks to the efforts of Broad and his students, a marker in McKay's memory was placed on the university grounds in November 2007. "I found my eyes filling with tears as I read the word 'deceased' next to his name," said Corey Everrett, a student who found a picture of Mckay in his uniform. "This was such a simple example of the fact that he had been a student just like us, but instead of finishing his time at Western, he chose to fight and die for his country." What made Professor Broad continue his search for more information on McKay? Answer: The boiling of water results in a physical change in matter from Answer: Every year, green sea turtles migrate approximately 2000 km to reproduce. This migration is an example of Answer: Red is dominant to white for flower color in a particular plant. If a red flowered plant (RR) is crossed with a white flowered plant (rr), what color will the offspring be? Answer:
Question: Joseph Francis Charles Rock (1884-1962) was an Austrian-American explorer, botanist, and anthropologist . For more than 25 years, he travelled extensively through Tibet and Yunnan, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces in China before finally leaving in 1949. In 1924, Harvard sent Joseph Francis Rock on a treasure hunt through China's southwestern provinces--the Wild West of their day. But gold and silver weren't his task: Rock, a distinguished botanist, sought only to fill his bags with all the seeds, saplings, and shrubs he could find. During his three-year expedition, he collected 20,000 specimens for the Arnold Arboretum . Botany, though, was just one of Rock's strengths. As an ethnologist , he took hundreds of photographs of the Naxi, a tribe in Yunnan province, recording their now-lost way of life for both Harvard and National Geographic, and took notes for an eventual 500-page dictionary of their language. His hand-drawn map of his travels through China's "Cho-Ni" territory, in the Harvard Map Collection, includes more than a thousand rivers, towns, and mountains indicated in both English and Chinese, and was so well made that the U.S. government used it to plan aerial missions in World War II. Scientist, linguist, cartographer, photographer, writer--Rock was not a wallflower in any sense. Arrogant and self-possessed, he would walk into a village or warlord's place "as if he owned the place," said Lisa Pearson, the Arboretum's head librarian. In declaring his successful return under the headline "Seeking Strange Flowers, in the Far Reaches of the World," the Boston Evening Transcript ran a large photo of the daring explorer wearing in a woolly coat and fox-skin hat. "In discussing his heroism including hair-raising escapes from death either from mountain slides, snow slides and robber armies, he waves the idea away as if it is of no importance." The Arboretum and Rock parted ways after 1927, mainly because his trip cost Harvard a fortune--about $900,000 in today's dollars. Fortunately, many of his specimens, many of his amazing photos, and his great stories remain. What is the passage mainly about? A. Rock's service for the U.S government. B. Rock's cooperation with Harvard. C. Rock's work as a botanist. D. Rock's exploration in Southwest China. Answer: D. Rock's exploration in Southwest China. Question: In China, if you are not married by the time you are 30, you are _ trouble: social blame and pressure from family and friends can get you down. And if you are a woman, it's even worse. Many young people get married simply to get other people off their backs . This is a serious compromise. One ends up not marrying the ideal partner. There are, however, a few young people who refuse to compromise: if they can't find a good marriage partner, they say, they would rather not marry at all. 34-year-old Kate is a university lecturer in English. She said she would not describe herself as celibatarian but simply a woman who hasn't come across the right man yet. She has sharp comments for the way in which the old generation looks at marriage. "Many people think marriage is a duty---to your parents, family and society. Nobody cares if your marriage is happy or not, she said, I think this is very wrong and I intend to live and act according to my own will." Happily for her, her parents are open-minded and not lay stress on her. But the same does not apply to her friends. They are constantly trying to get her together with some young man or another. She always refuses politely. Miss Kate refuses to get together with some young man or another because _ . A. she doesn't think he is the right man she wants B. he is either too old or too young C. he is either important or little learned D. he doesn't have good manners Answer: A. she doesn't think he is the right man she wants Question: If a person wants to watch the eclipse A. it's best to go without sunglasses B. it's best to use a telescope C. it's best to just look at it D. it's best to use eye protection Answer: D. it's best to use eye protection Question: Many people in the world have not seen snow. Some countries never have snow; some have only a little on top of the high mountains. In the north of England, there is quite a lot of snow every winter, but in the south of England, there is usually little. When a student from a warm country comes to England in autumn for the first time, he feels cold at first. There are often clouds, grey sky and cold rain in England in autumn, and most students from warm countries do not like this. But snow is different. It is beautiful. Perhaps, after several mornings, the student wakes up one day, and there is a lot of light in his room. He thinks, "Is it so late?" and jumps out of bed. But no, it is not very late. He looks out of the window and there is snow on the ground and on the houses and everywhere. Which of the following is true? A. Everyone in the world has seen snow. B. It often sunny in the south of England. C. Foreign students like the weather in England. D. The light of the room comes from clean, beautiful snow. Answer: D. The light of the room comes from clean, beautiful snow. Question: For many workers trying to lose weight, the weekend is a chance to do some exercise and eat something healthier than a supermarket sandwich at their desk. But some slimmers take a slightly different approach -- consuming more than half their weekly calorie intake from Friday night to Sunday. Away from the daily routine at work that helps them keep control of what they eat, they are snacking and drinking their way to a shocking 10,000 calories, a survey has found. Almost three-quarters of people trying to lose weight admit to over-eating at the weekend. A meal with friends or family, complete with alcohol, as well as a late-night snack before bed, can lead to adults consuming up to 3,500 calories in one day, a survey found. Men typically need 2,500 calories a day and women 2,000 calories. Consuming this amount would see men and women get through half their weekly calorie intake over the course of a 'bad' weekend. Women were found to eat less on a Sunday because of guilt over their consumption over the previous two days. Men had fewer doubts about a third day of excess. The biggest weekend diet danger comes from snacking between meals, the survey found. Some say they will often spend Saturday night in front of the TV with their families -- combining watching their favorite shows with crisps and biscuits. And seven in ten people admitted to having fattening takeaways at weekends, with pizza the most popular. Alcohol is another big factor in weekend bingeing.Around 70 percent still like to have a roast on a Sunday or a big meal with family or friends and a third of those will have second helpings. A spokesman from Forza Supplements, the diet company that conducted the survey, said, "We all have bad weekends where we have a lot of fun, but dieting goes out of the window." The 5:2 diet is becoming increasingly popular -- where we limit our calories for five days and allow ourselves a few treats on the other two days. "For many people, the two days off are Saturday and Sunday but they go way too far" Which kind of weekend diet does the greatest harm? A. Having a big meal with family and friends. B. Drinking a lot. C. Having fattening takeaways D. Snacking between the meals. Answer: D. Snacking between the meals.
How do you feel about watching other people work? Nothing is more refreshing on a warm summer day than watching someone else work. Right now,I'm sitting on my porch and watching young Beth baling the big field on top of the hill.She's been haying that field for over ten years.I know:I put her on the tractor when she was just twelve years old. She picked a great day for baling.It's not too hot,and there's a nice breeze.On Monday,when she cut the field,it was so hot I thought the corn would start popping in the field.Didn't stop her,though.She just stuck that big hat on her head,wrapped a wet handkerchief around her neck,and set to work.I remember when I would have done the same thing. While I'm here sucking a lemonade,Beth is driving the "hay train",a tractor pulling a baler and an old wagon.You'd think someone her size would never be able to see over the tractor.But somehow she manages.When she's finished,her tracks are very straight. The whole time she's haying,that dog of hers is working just as hard,running along beside her like he's afraid she'll drive away without him.Beth sure knew what she was doing when she trained him. The way the machine works is pure poetry.Each row is pushed into shape.When just enough hay is in a bale,it is wrapped up and fastened together.A second or so later,the bale comes flying out and into the old wagon.The person who invented that machine sure was some kind of genius. That's not to say it works perfectly.Every once in a while a bale misses the mark,especially when you are turning the machine at the end of a row.That means,of course,that you have to go back and pick up those bales and throw them into the wagon. I can remember when Beth's mother was her age.She looked an awful lot like Beth does now.Makes a man proud to see his daughter and granddaughter taking such good care of themselves. Well,I suppose I should get up and fill this glass again.Not much fun sitting here with an empty glass. Before thrown into the wagon,the hay must be _ . Answer: London's Chinese community dates back to the 18th century, when a small number of Chinese sailors moved to the city to work in Lime house, east London. As time went on, other Chinese people came to this area and Lime house began to be known as "Chinatown". At the start of the 20th century, there were just 545 Chinese people in Britain. However, this situation changed greatly after the Second World War. At this time, many farmers in Hong Kong lost their jobs, and decided to move to London. In the 1950s, a small Chinese restaurant opened in central London. Many British people visited it and said that Chinese food was wonderful. Suddenly, Chinese restaurants started opening in every part of the city. Instead of too little work, the new Chinese immigrants now found that they had too much. Most of the new immigrants enjoyed their life and the chances they were offered. Many asked their friends and relatives to join them from their hometowns, and a lot of families were reunited again at this time. As time went by, London's Chinese community became more and more successful. The sons and daughters of the first restaurant workers, encouraged by their parents, studied very hard at school and university. And most of them could get highly-paid jobs. As a result, increasing numbers of Chinese families left Chinatown and moved to the more expensive places. Chinatown, however, is still as lively as ever, and a must see place for every visitor to London. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: In the depths of my memory, many things I did with my father still live. These things come to represent, in fact, what I call joy and love. I don't remember my father ever getting into a swimming pool. But he did love the water. Any kind of boat ride seemed to give him pleasure. And he loved to fish; sometimes he took me along. But I never really liked being on the water, the way my father did. I liked being in the water, moving through it, having it all around me. I was not a strong swimmer, or one who learned to swim early, for I had my fears. But I loved being in the swimming pool close to my father's office and spending those summer days with my father, who would come by on a break. I needed him to see what I could do. My father would stand there in his suit, the only person not in swimsuit. After swimming, I would go inside his office and sit on the wooden chair in front of his big desk, where he let me play with anything I found in his top desk drawer. Sometimes, if I was left alone at his desk while he worked in the lab, an assistant or a student might come in and tell me perhaps I shouldn't be playing with his office things. But my father always showed up and said easily, "Oh, no, it's fine." Sometimes he handed me coins and told me to get myself an ice cream... A poet once said, "We look at life once, in childhood; the rest is memory." And I think it is not only what we "look at once, in childhood" that decides our memories, but who, in that childhood, looks at us. Which of the following statement is not true according to the passage? Answer: The Sweetest Sight I was in the most beautiful city in the world, yet I only wanted home. It was an amazing week for my husband and me--the trip of a lifetime. Months ago, when my husband told me that he would have a meeting in London, I told him my wish to go to Europe together with him. Then we asked his mother to look after our two children and started off. During the week's time, we visited London and Paris--as much as we could, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and so on. All these were beautiful places we expected to see before. We really had a fantastic time. On our last night in Paris, after we enjoyed the night sight of the Eiffel Tower, my husband called home. His mother answered the phone. In a second, my husband's face fell and looked so worried. I could feel there was something bad. "What's wrong?" I asked. He didn't answer and went on to listen. A few minutes later, he said sadly to me that Tony, our seven-year-old son, fell down from his bike and broke his leg. He must be sent to hospital at once. At that moment, Paris suddenly lost its charm . "I don't want to be here! I shouldn't be here! I should be home with my kids!" We hurried back to our hotel and then to the airport... Finally, we got home. We rushed into our children's bedroom. Seeing our two children, I suddenly understood the truth: There is no sweeter sight in the world than our children's faces that greet us at home. What can we learn from the article? Answer: A traveller was staying in an Egyptian village. One day, she held up her camera to take pictures of the children. Suddenly the young ones began to shout at her. The traveller's face turned red and she apologized to the head for what she was doing, and told him she had forgotten that people in some places believed a person would lose his soul if his picture was taken. She explained to him the operation of a camera for a long time. Several times the head tried to say something, but he couldn't. When she believed that the head didn't fear any longer, the traveller then let him speak. With a smile, he said, "The children were trying to tell you that you forgot to take off the lens cap!" The traveller explained how to use a camera to the head because _ . Answer:
Question: Wouldn't it be great if you could just look up at the sky and read the weather forecast right away? Well, you can. The forecast is written in clouds. If you can read that writing, you can tell something about the atmosphere. With some practice, you can become a pretty good weather forecaster. Who knows, you might even do as well as meteorologists . Meteorologists use much more information than just the appearance of the clouds to make their forecast. They collect data from all over the world. Then they put it into powerful, high speed computers. This does give the meteorologists an advantage, because they can track weather patterns as they move from west to east across the country. But you have an advantage, too. You can look at the sky and get your data directly. A meteorologist uses a computer forecast that's several hours old to make a local forecast. What are you seeing when you look at a cloud? "A picture of moisture is doing in the atmosphere," says meteorologist Peter Leavitt. There's moisture throughout the atmosphere. Most of the time you don't see it, because it's in the form of an unseeable gas called water vapor. Sometimes, the temperature of the air gets cold enough to cause the waster vapor to change to liquid water. It's called condensation , and we see it happen all the time (for example, when humid air from the shower hits the cold glasses of a mirror). When enough water vapor condenses , droplets come in the air. These droplets scatter light. A cloud is seen. Watching clouds over a day or two tells you a lot more than a single cloud about the weather to come. Changes in clouds show changes in the atmosphere. You should begin to notice patterns. Certain clouds, following each other in order, can signal an approaching storm. But don't take our word for it; see for yourself. According to the passage, an ordinary person might read the weather forecast as well as meteorologists _ . A. with some simple practice looking up at the sky B. with the help of the high-speed computers C. through complex instruments D. by visiting a weather station Answer: A. with some simple practice looking up at the sky Question: One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods from door to door found that he had only one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house. However, he became nervous when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything," she replied, "Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart." As Haward Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point. Years later, the young woman became seriously ill. The local doctors were _ . They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists could be called in to study her rare disease. Dr. Haward Kelly, now famous was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words, "Paid in full with one glass of milk." (Signed) Dr. Haward Kelly Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently, "Thank You, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands." After finishing the milk, the boy _ . A. felt angry because what he was really hungry B. regretted that he didn't ask for any food C. felt more hungry than ever before D. had a stronger faith in God and the human race Answer: D. had a stronger faith in God and the human race Question: On Tuesday, the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) set new limits on advertising food and drinks in schools. The rules ban advertisements for unhealthy foods in schools. The ad ban includes sugary drinks that account for more than 90% of unhealthy ads. An ad for Coca-Cola, for example, will be removed from a scoreboard at a high school football game. However, ads for Diet Coke and Dasani water, owned by the same company, are allowed to display . The new rules are part of the First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity . Her goal is to get kids to eat healthier food. The marketing limits came after new USDA regulations that put a limit on the calorie, fat and sugar in most school food items. "The idea is simple -- our classrooms should be healthy places," the First Lady Michelle Obama said. "Because when parents are working hard to teach their kids healthy habits at home, their work shouldn't be destroyed by unhealthy messages in schools." However, the healthier food rules are criticized by people who think the government should not control what kids eat and by some students who don't like the healthier foods. It is reported that food companies spend $149 million a year on marketing foods to kids, and many big companies are supporting the new rules. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have started to advertise healthier products. For schools, junk food ads like the Coca-Cola scoreboard will be taken down. "The new limits ensure that schools remain safe places where kids can learn and eat healthy food," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak said. The rules will help guide schools on ways to create standards for foods and physical activities. They will require parents and the community to be involved in the campaign. The "Let's Move" campaign aims to _ . A. instruct parents to cook healthy food at home B. let children keep away from sugar C. warn children of the danger of obesity D. keep American children healthy Answer: D. keep American children healthy Question: It's Sunday today. The Blacks(Black) are all at home. Mrs. Black is in the kitchen . She is cooking for the _ family. Mr. Black is in the living room. He is sitting in the chair and reading the newspaper. Their son Tom and his friends are in the garden . They are playing football there. Ann is Tom's sister and she is playing with a cat in her room. Her grandparents are watching TV in the room. How happy the family are! ,, _ is in the kitchen. A. Mr. Black B. Mrs. Black C. Ann D. Ann's grandma Answer: B. Mrs. Black Question: I have a friend. His name is James. He's an English boy. He is thirteen years old. He is tall. He has a round face, big eyes and a big nose. His mouth is wide, but his ears are small. His hair is short. ,. James comes from _ . A. Canada B. Japan C. China D. England Answer: D. England
Question: How are a tree and grass alike? A. Both make wood. B. Both have roots. C. Both need moonlight. D. Both have short lives. Answer: B. Both have roots. Question: The Homeless World Cup is an international football event, where teams made up entirely of people who are homeless compete. The event has been held annually since 2003. It was at the end of 2001 that Mel Young, a famous expert in the media inDustry, came up with the idea of the Homeless World Cup. 18 months later the first event took place in Austria. It was such a success that people decided to do more. There are some interesting and special rules of the event. For example, players(male or female at least 16 years old) must have been homeless at some time after the previous year's World Cup or make their main living income by selling newspapers in the street or be asylum seekers . Anyone can take part, regardless of his or her abilities. There are at most 4 players per team to compete in the field. Games are 14 minutes long. In 2007, 48 nations, 500 players took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their countries for true spirit and glory in Copenhagen, Denmark. The winner in 2007 was Scotland. The 2008 Homeless World Cup took place in Melbourne, Australia. And in 2009 it was held in Milan. The latest Homeless World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September 2010. Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup takes place August followed by the Mexico City 2012 Homeless World Cup. The success of the competition has been in two aspects--to attract the world's attention to the problems of homelessness and also to help participants live a better life. According to a survey by the Homeless World Cup Organization after 2006 Homeless World Cup, 92% of the players had a new motivation for life, 93 players successfully got rid of their dependency on drugs and alcohol, 44% improved their housing situation and 72% continued to play football. The aim of the Homeless World Cup is to _ . A. promote the cause of football B. help the homeless live a better life C. draw attention to those living in poverty D. call on homeless people to unite and compete for honor Answer: B. help the homeless live a better life Question: Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez, Principal Neddy Alvarez and her staff at Western High School, located in the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas. The school undertook a comprehensive effort to completely transform the culture of the school and added a motivated group of talented teachers. Western altered the school day to add opportunities for students to get additional credits toward graduation and created smaller learning groups. As part of these comprehensive changes, the school's leadership also focused on four main reforms to transform their school. First, improvements started with the change in the relationship between the school and students to create a caring atmosphere at the school. Using the "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies, school leadership and teachers began building a trusting environment and students and families described seeing changes aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every student. The school day was altered to add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses," so that smaller groups of teachers and counselors could create one-on-one relationships with students. Teachers and counselors said that the altered school day provides time to address student's individual concerns and develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. The school also made changes to encourage parents to support school and encourage real dialogues between parents and the teachers and leaders at Western. Funded in part through the United Way, the school created a family engagement center to get parents more involved in their children's education, particularly parents of English language learners. Parents like Ally Gaona and Martha Mendez told me that they had a voice and the tools to engage in their children's learning and that they recognize that the main responsibility for their children's learning must rest with the parents. Parents were passionate about these positive changes and said that these changes signaled to the entire the community that the school was serious about family engagement. How many main reforms are mentioned in the passage? A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five Answer: A. Two Question: Sea nomads' larger spleens let them A. eat every kind of poison on the planet B. hold their breath for longer underwater C. post low quality content on the internet D. time travel to the future Answer: B. hold their breath for longer underwater Question: Tommy was watching the shutters open and then shut, open and then shut. "Mom," he said, "may I go outside?" "Be careful," she said. "It's so windy today." Outside, leaves were flying here and there. Tommy watched in _ . "If I was a leaf, I would fly across the world," Tommy thought and then ran out into the yard among the colors. Mrs. Pennington came out. "Tommy, I have your jacket. Please put it on." However, there was no Tommy. He was a leaf. A maple leaf came to him and moved ahead. Tommy followed him. "Where do you think we are going?" Tommy asked the leaf. "Does it matter?" the leaf replied. "If you are blown in that direction, you will fly high into the air and see things that no leaf has seen before." "Okay," Tommy said, "I will go with you to the dump ." Suddenly, a car stopped. It was Tommy's mom. Mrs. Pennington didn't want to let her little boy run into the city dump. "Not so fast," she said getting out of the car. "You are not allowed to play there. Don't you see the smoke?" She walked over and took the leaf. She put it in her pocket. "There," she said, "it will be safe until we get home." Tommy smiled, ran to the car and got in. What would happen if Tommy really went to the city dump? A. He might be sold by the maple leaf. B. He might become an old man who collected trash. C. He might be killed by the smoke and the fire there. D. He might found lots of treasure and didn't need to go to school any more. Answer: C. He might be killed by the smoke and the fire there.
In December,2010,many American newspapers publish a list of the best books of the year. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is one of the most repeatedly praised books on this year's list of favorites. It tells about the ups and downs of the Berglund family over many years. Mr.Franzen fills the book with sharp observations about American politics, culture and society. Jennifer Egan's book A Visit from the Goon Squad takes place in 13 chapters over 40 years. The story moves back and forth in time,from different viewpoints. One main character is former rock musician Bennie Salazar who works for a record company. The other main character is a troubled young woman named Sasha who works for Bennie. The reader learns about their pasts and those of their friends. The main character in The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman is a failing English Language newspaper published in Rome,Italy. Each chapter of the book tells about a reporter or editor working for this paper. Their stories are filled with intelligence and great personality. Two of the most popular nonfiction books of 2010 were about rock and roll stars. Just Kids is by rock singer Patti Smith. It tells about her friendship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1960s and 1970s before they became famous. Life is the autobiography of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. It is an honest and exciting look at the development of rock and roll and the wild times this famous band has experienced. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells about a man named Louis Zamperini. She tells about his extraordinary survival story after his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during Would War Two. Stacy Schiff has received great praise for her book Cleopatra: A Life. It tells about one of the most misrepresented and famous women in his story, Cleopatra. She ruled ancient Egypt about 2,000 years ago. One critic said Ms. Schiff has brought Cleopatra to life again by unearthing her story from centuries of lies. The following books are related to music EXCEPT _ . A The Imperfectionists B A Visit from the Goon Squad C Just Kids D Life Answer: A A boy named Eduardo in a far away place is thinking about a girl he loves. He is cold. It is snowing where he lives. He lives in Argentina. It's warm where she lives in Hawaii. She eats fresh fruit. Her shower is outdoors under the warm sun as red birds fly around her. It is nice, but she misses him. She remembers he is very pretty. She wondered if he would really love her always, because she is older. He didn't care. Eduardo was poor, so he could not visit her. Maybe a time machine would help!! She can give back her birthdays! But she didn't want to bring back any dinosaurs back by accident. Like last time. Then an angel flew down from a star called the Pleiades to help her. His name was Eh. He said, "close your eyes! Then remember the most happy you have ever felt! Let go of any thing that feels like clouds. Imagine puppies hugging you, and kitties purring with you. Imagine you are eating chocolate ice cream! As long as you remember how to be happy you can ALWAYS be as young as Eduardo! And you can think of GREAT ways you can see him again!" It worked! She had an idea. Someone in a place called MR was buying stories that people wrote. She wrote one about her & Eduardo! It paid for her airplane ride. Wow. Then they were together again. Hugging each other in happiness, they said, "Thank you everyone, for helping us!" What is the name of the boy? A Pleiades B Argentina C Eduardo D Eh Answer: C Many people know the names Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. However, most people don't know the name of the man who invented the television, Philo Farnsworth. Philo Farnsworth was born in 1906 and grew up on a potato farm. As a boy, he loved to learn about science, and he read a lot of science books. When he was only thirteen years old, he drew a picture of a machine that could send pictures as radio sends sounds. He got the idea from the way the potatoes were planted in the field. The potatoes grew in long lines, side by side. This made a shape in Philo's mind. This shape helped Philo think of a way to send the TV picture onto a piece of glass. But he was poor, so Philo could not try to make his idea into a machine at that time. Later, Philo worked at many different jobs. He worked with trees. He worked on broken radios. He worked on trains. He also worked as a street cleaner. At last, two rich men heard about his idea for television, and they gave him the money to make it. On September 7th, 1927, they watched Philo test the machine he built. When Philo turned on the machine, a small line could be seen on the glass. Philo said, "There you have it, electric television." Later, a big company, RCA, said they had made the first television. Philo had to spend a lot of money on lawyers to fight them. Finally, he won. Then, World War Two started in 1939. During the war, Philo spent a lot of money helping the US army instead of _ his television company. After the war, other bigger, richer companies started making televisions. In the end, Philo had to sell his company. According to the text, how old was Philo when he finished his invention of TV? A 27 years old. B 21 years old. C 33 years old D 39 years old Answer: B College students constantly hear the praises of education.We have all become used to believing that a college education is always a guarantee of an easier life.I was nine years old when my fourth-grade teacher presented me with a task, to write down all of the things I wanted in my life.I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job.The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: " GO TO COLLEGE." For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier. However, education cannot promise all wishes, dreams, and desires.Society must reject the foolish idea that a college education's main purpose is to satisfy our desires and secure success.Like most challenging things, education is a gamble in which results depend entirely on people's ability to look past their wants to see the realism and reason behind their wants. For instance, my first year of college, I took a sociology class.In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor.We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries.I began to examine my own desire to be rich.To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all.Learning about other society's financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted. Through the process of education, everything once desired is tested.Wanting something no longer is enough; it's more important to examine why we want it and whether we really want it.When my desire for money changed, everything changed.I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them.I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them. Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life.Education is a source to expand our society to see beyond the superficial appeals and the "quick fixes" , leaving the belief of an effortless life behind in order to desire a meaningful one. What's the main idea of the passage? A College education promises an effortless life. B College education tests and guides our life desires. C College education offers solutions to social problems. D College education turns young people into gamblers. Answer: B It would be very exciting to be a reporter on a newspaper. As soon as a reporter's boss gives him a story to write, the reporter is on the job. He keeps his mind on what he is going to do. He does not begin writing the story until he knows what he should find out. He must know why he should write the story. At times a reporter must search hard to find all of the facts he needs for a story. The facts may not be right under his nose. To find the facts, he has to recognize important details. While gathering information for a story, he asks himself questions:Should I use this information? Is this an important fact? A reporter writes the story as fast as he can, so it can go right away into the newspaper. The story also needs a headline, which tells very quickly what the news story is about and is printed bigger and blacker than the rest of the news story. Every big newspaper has many reporters,because many stories are needed in the newspaper. Would you like to be one? Which is the writer's opinion? A A reporter's boss is usually very hard to his men. B The job of a newspaper reporter is exciting but not easy. C Everyone can write a good news story. D No one likes to be a reporter. Answer: B
In 1943, when I was 4, my parents moved from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Fairbanks, Alaska, where adventure was never very far away. We arrived in the summer, just in time to enjoy the midnight sun. All that sunlight was fantastic for Mom's vegetable garden. Working in the garden at midnight tended to throw her timing off, so she didn't care much about my bedtime. Dad was a Railway Express agent and Mom was his clerk. That left me in a mess. I usually managed to find some trouble to get into. Once I had a little Are going in the dirt basement of a hotel. I had tried to light a barrel of paint but couldn't really get a good fire going. The smoke got pretty bad, though, and when 1 made my exit, a crowd and the police were there to greet me. The policemen took my matches and drove me Mom and Dad were occupied in the garden and Dad told the police to keep me, and they did! I had a tour of the prison before Mom rescued me. 1 hadn't turned 5 yet. As I entered kindergarten, the serious cold began to set in. Would it surprise you to know that I soon left part of my tongue on a metal handrail at school? As for Leonhard Seppala, famous as a dog sledder , I think I knew him well because I was taken for a ride with his white dog team one Sunday. At the time I didn't realize what a superstar he was, but I do remember the ride well. I was wrapped heavily and well sheltered from the freezing and blowing weather. In 1950, we moved back to Coeur d'Alene, but we got one more Alaskan adventure when Leonhard invited us eight years later by paying a visit to Idaho to attend a gathering of former neighbors of Alaska. Which of the following is true? A. Leonhard was good at driving dog sleds. B. The author spent his whole childhood in Alaska. C. Leonhard often visited the author's family after 1950. D. The author suffered a lot while taking the dog sled in Alaska. Answer: A As a young man, Tom was a famous artist with a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son was ill. Tom and his wife thought it was nothing serious. But the boy died suddenly that night.. After his son died, Tom always felt very sad. To make matters worse, his wife also left him later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son, Emie. Sadly, he turned to alcohol for help. As time went by, Tom began to lose everything he had---his land, house, etc. A few months later, Tom passed away alone in a small bar. Hearing of Tom's death, I thought,"What a complete failure!" But later, I began to change my earlier opinion. I knew Tom's now adult son, Emie. He is one of the kindest, most caring men. I saw the love between Emie and his children. And I thought that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere. One day, I asked him what made him become such a specia1 person. Emie said quietly, "My father came into my room every night, give me a kiss and said,"love you, son." Hearing his words, I understood everything. Tom didn't leave many things behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and left behind his best love. What happened to Tom's wife later? A. She was mad. B. She went to work. C. She died. D. She was ill. Answer: C Living with other students can be a wonderful experience. Here are a few tips for student accommodations that can help ensure a great experience and build lifelong friendships: Screen your roommates carefully if you are given a choice. Combining the living spaces of several students into one location can be exciting and rewarding experience for the outgoing students. If you are on the shy side, or prefer a quiet group to study with, pick quieter roommates. Divide the bills evenly. Some students are far less responsible than their roommates and tend to let their part of the finance slide. Dissatisfaction is quick to build when everyone has to pay the bill for a fellow student who can't seem to pay his/her share of the money. Carry your part of the load. Everyone has to clean the bathroom and the kitchen sometime. Don't avoid your part of responsibility. Student accommodations can get messy and it involves everyone to keep them tidy and healthy. Think about someone else before you think about yourself. Put your roommates interests above your own. Life will be far enjoyable when everyone is concerned about the feelings property and studies of each other. Be open and honest. Hostilities and frustrations may cause problems that can't be fixed. Everyone brings different standards and expectations to group living and it's in everyone's best interest to put them into the open. Disagreements can be managed more warmly when your are willing to be both open and listen to others. The role "carry your part of the load" means every room member should _ . A. avoid making too much noise B. take turns to keep the room tidy C. take care of others when they are ill D. avoid staying up and oversleeping Answer: B Which was happens most near canyons A. the moon B. whales C. riverflow D. fear Answer: C Do you know what your child is going to do when the school bell rings at the end of the day? More than 14 million students leave school every afternoon and have nowhere to go, since they do not have access to affordable after-school opportunities. According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC), nine out of ten Americans think all youths should have access to after-school programs, but two-thirds of parents say they have trouble finding programs locally. The bad news is that situation may be getting worse. After-school hours are the peak time for _ crimes and risky behaviors, including alcohol and drug use. The NYVPRC states that children who do not spend any time in after-school activities are 49 percent more likely to use drugs and 37 percent more likely to become a teen parent. Kids are also at the highest risk of becoming a victim of violence after school, particularly between the hours of 2p.m. and 6p.m.. The highest amount of juvenile crime occurs between 3p.m. and 4p.m. , when most children are dismissed from school. The NYVPRC defines after-school programs as safe and structured activities that offer children opportunities to learn new skills. The skills students learn can range from technology and math to reading and art. Some programs also offer opportunities for internship , community services , or mentoring. These programs have been shown to improve academic achievements, as well as relieve the stresses on working families. A report by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of justice shows that students in after -school programs have fewer behavioral problems and more self-confidence , and can handle conflicts better than students who are not involved with these programs. In addition, according to the Harvard Family Research Project, after-school programs help students from low-income families overcome the inequities they face in the school system. The author of the passage probably _ . A. fully support after-school programs B. doubts the effects of after-school programs C. believes structured activities are useless for children D. thinks students today are too stressed Answer: A
Have you thought about what you want people to say about you after you're gone? Can you hear the voice saying,"He was a great man."or"She really will be missed."What else do they say? One of the phenomena of life is to engage in a work that will last long after death. Isn't that a lot like investing all your money so that future generations can get interest on it? Perhaps, yet if you look deep in your own heart, you'll find something drives you to make this kind of contribution -- something drives every human being to find a purpose that lives on after death. Do you hope to memorialize your name? Have a name that is whispered with reverent awe? Do you hope to have your face carved upon 50 feet of granite rock ? Is the answer really that simple? Is the purpose of lifetime contribution an ego-driven desire for a mortal being to have an immortal name or is it something more? A child alive today will die tomorrow. A baby that has the potential to be the next Einstein will die from complications at birth.The circumstances of life are not set in stone. We are not all meant to live life through to old age. We've grown to perceive life as a full cycle with a certain number of years in between. If all of those years aren't lived out, it's a tragedy. A tragedy comes about because a human's potential has never been realized. A tragedy comes about because a spark was snuffed out before it ever became a flame. By virtue of inhabiting a body we accept these risks. We expose our mortal flesh to the laws of the physical environment around us. The trade-off isn't so bad when you think about it. The problem comes when we construct mortal fantasies of what life should be like. When life doesn't conform to our fantasy we grow upset, frustrated, or depressed. We are alive; let us live. We have the ability to experience; let us experience. We have the ability to learn; let us learn. The meaning of life can be grasped in a moment. A moment so brief that it often evades our perception. What meaning stands behind the dramatic unfolding of life? What single truth can we grasp and hang onto for dear life when all other truths around us seem to fade with time? These moments are strung together in a series we call events. These events are strung together in a series we call life. When we seize the moment and bend it to our will, a will driven by the spirit deep inside us, then we have discovered the meaning of life, a meaning for us that shall go on long after we depart this Earth. The author thinks the risks in our life are . Answer: Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him. He had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with some clothes, a baseball bat and a glove. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the things. Since they were going the same way, he offered to carry some things for the boy. As they walked, Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill. He loved video games, baseball and history, but he was having trouble with some of his subjects. They arrived at Bill's home first. Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with some laughs and talk. Then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior school. Three days before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill reminded Mark of the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. "You see, I took away all my things from school. I had stored away some of my mother's sleeping pills . I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time talking and laughing, I realized that if I had died, I would have missed so many good time. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. " What would Bill probably say at last? Answer: A group of Russian criminals have stolen l.2 billion username and password combinations for more than 500 millione-mail addresses. It's the largest known theft on the Internet, according to a report of The New York Times. Cyber security firm Hold Security discovered the security breach( ). The firm found that the group of criminals collected personal information from 420,000 websites, including household names and small Internet sites. The criminals were based in a small city in south central Russia. They hacked websites inside Russia as well as big companies in the U.S. and other countries ,The New Times reports. The criminals found hundreds of thousands of weak websites and attacked their coding,Hold Security said. Alex Holden is chief information security officer of Hold Security. "The hackers did not just target U.S. companies;they targeted any website they could get," Holden said. "And most of these sites are still easy to attack". According to Hold Security, the criminals have been using the stolen information to send junk mail through e-mail and on social networks like Twitter. They can also use the 500 million stolen e-mail -addresses to plan other crimes. They could use information from bank e-mails to steal your identity or sell the e-mail address to other criminals to make quick cash. The reported break-ins are the latest events to raise doubts about security at big and small companies. Last winter, hackers stole 40 million credit card numbers and 70 million addresses, phone numbers and other personal information from the retailer Target Corp. The brand is still working to regain its shoppers' trust. John Prisco is a CEO of a security firm. He says security hacks are more common than many people and companies realize. " _ ," Prisco said in an e-mailed statement. So many cyber breaches today are not actually reported, because companies are losing information and they are not even aware of it. " Security experts believe hackers will continue breaking into computer networks unless companies become more protective of personal information. According to Alex Holden, the criminals entered some websites easily because _ . Answer: Hong Kong, a city of seven million--and growing fast. By the year 2050 Hong Kong's population will almost double. Where will these people live? There's only one place to go--up. Fast forward 50 years.This is the tallest man-made structure on the planet. Its name:Millennium Tower. It would stand twice as tall as anything built before. Over 60 thousand people would live or work here. Millennium's designers think it represents the best solution for the coming population explosion. It would cost ten billion dollars and consume more building materials than any single nation could produce. David Nelson, one of Millennium's key designers, said:"It would be a massive project and a world project. But to actually realize it, resources would have to come from all over the globe. The challenge and the motivation for doing it would be to realize one of the world's largest and most complex construction projects." Millennium would be more complex than anything ever built. So its builders won't know for sure the building is safe until it's up, and they can't afford to make an error. Massive earthquakes have brought down entire cities in this part of the world. Can Millennium's designers make it immune to these quakes of the earth? For Millennium, like all the other buildings, safety is just one concern among many. It will need to be a home, one that welcomes people in. Getting people into the building and making sure they have a great experience well be what makes Millennium successful, but how to do it? For the design team, the secret was to bring all the elements of city life within. Cafes and restaurants, theatres and stores would provide entertainment. Health clubs, even schools and medical clinics would also serve the towers' residents. Millennium's designers have proven something. Things that seem impossible today, might just become reality tomorrow. The engineering problems have, for the most part, already been solved. Our achievements are limited only by our imaginations. The success of Millennium mainly relies on _ . Answer: Yesterday I went to the nursing home to visit my grandma. She just got out of the hospital recently where she had some serious operations. I wanted to surprise her after work, so I stopped by for a quick visit. When I got there, she was happy to see me. We hugged, kissed and exchanged greetings. Then I heard a woman crying. It was my grandma's roommate. The curtain was drawn so I could not see her. She started calling out a name that wasn't mine but she was certainly talking to me, begging me to go to her side of the room. I ignored her at first and continued visiting with my grandma. Then she started begging and saying, "Please, come to see me!" So I went to see her. When I drew the curtain back, she looked so old but flashed me the biggest smile! She opened her arms wide for me to hug her so I bent low and gave her a hug. I sat on her bed and talked with her for a few minutes. She kept calling me by the other name but I did not correct her. She told me stories as if I had been there when they happened. Finally I went back to visit with my grandma. Then the woman started crying again, saying, "Please, come back." She finally slept. I stopped by the nurse's station and the nurse told me that the lady suffers from Alzheimer's. I mentioned the name she had called me. The nurse told me it was the lady's daughter's name. Then I understood why she wanted me to go to visit her. We will all get old some day. Some of us will have broken minds like he lady and some of us will have broken bodies like my grandma. As I was leaving I promised I would go back and visit the lady, even after my grandma moves back to her home. Why did the writer's grandma live in a nursing home? Answer:
Below are reviews for three books and two book series. Each has been read and loved by students across the country. The Outsiders This book, first published in 1967. has become a classic for teens across the nation. It focuses on Ponyboy , who has been labeled all his life as a greaser. The greaser's opposing group is the " socs ". kids who have lots of money and can break any rules without getting in trouble. As the novel develops, S. E. Hinton allows the reader to see exactly how these labels affect teens in both the greaser and the soc group. If you've ever watched the movie The Outsiders, this story may sound familiar, as the movie was based on the book . The Outsiders gives teens a look into life in the 50's and 60's, offering timeless lessons that still apply to today's youth. Out of the Dust Any student interested in the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl should read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Hesse is able to capture the mood and spirit of this era through the use of poetry. The main character of the book, Billie Jo, is growing up in Oklahoma, the heart of the Dust Bowl. Through free verse poetry, Billie Jo narrates her tale of poverty and survival during this difficult time. Out of the Dust is an excellent lesson in history . Due to the short length and writing style, the book is a quick but worthwhile read. By the end of the book, the reader is eager to start the story over again . Hesse is able to pack a lot of emotions and details into her short book , making the story very real and believable. The Giver The Giver depicts a perfect society in which citizens experience no pain, have never felt fear, and life is completely under control. However, as the reader progresses through the story, it's easy to see that this community is far from utopia . Instead, through the experiences felt by the main character Jonas, the reader learns there is a missing from life in this world.. During the Ceremony of the Twelves, each 12--year --old is assigned their life --long career in the community . Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories, a very special job assigned to one person at a time . When Jonas receives his training . he learns many truths about his community that change how he feels about his life, making him determined to do something to change it . The Giver is a good book for teens who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. The book makes you examine your own life, values, and beliefs, striving to find how you would define the perfect society. Anne of Green Gables This eight-book series depicts the life of Anne Shirley, an orphan that is adopted in Prince Edward Island, Canada . The books are set in the 1800s to the 1900s, the last one taking place during World War I. Anne is a loveable spirit who has many misfortunes and laughable experiences when growing up and going to college. The Anne of Green Gables series is fun to read. creating a strong attachment to the reader and making the last book a bitter -sweet experience. Teenage girls who are looking for a female role model will love Anne Shirley. Harry Potter J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has sold more copies than any other series in history. The series , which includes seven books in all , fallows a boy wizard named Harry Potter. Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witcheraft and Wizardy. The seven books follow Harry through seven years of wizarding school . During this time , readers experience the wizarding world through Harry's eyes and watch him make friends. Learn magic and fight a wizard. The Harry Potter books are an enchanting read for all ages. No matter who you are. you will find yourself absorbed in the magical world created by J. K. Rowling. Which of the following is written in a poetic style? A. The Giver. B. The Outsiders. C. Anne of Green Gables. D. Out of the Dust. Answer: D People who offer love, listening and help to others may be rewarded with better mental health themselves, according to a new study of churchgoers in the September/October issue of Psychosomatic Medicine. The study is one of the first to track the positive health benefits of altruistic behavior, says Carolyn Schwartz, Sc.D. of the University of prefix = st1 /MassachusettsMedicalSchool. "The findings really point up how helping others can help oneself," Schwartz says. Schwartz and his workmates analyzed the information collected by the Presbyterian Church for 2,016 church members. The members were asked about how often they "made others feel loved and cared for" and "listened to others", and how often they received this attention in return. The members also answered the questions about their mental and physical health. Most of the church members were in good physical and mental health to begin with, experiencing only normal levels of anxiety and depression. While the researchers did not find any significant differences in physical health clearly related to giving and receiving help, they concluded that giving help was a better predictor of good mental health than receiving help. But feeling crushed by others' demands can have negative psychological effects, according to the researchers. "Although our findings suggest that people who help others experience better mental health, our findings also suggest that giving beyond one's own resources is related with worse reported mental health," Schwartz says. Church leaders, older people, women and those who took satisfaction from prayer were more likely to be helpers rather than receivers, according to the study. People who give help to others may be less likely to focus inward on their own anxieties and depression or more likely to see their own troubles in mind, leading to better mental health, say the researchers. Alternatively, it may be that "people who are functioning well psychologically are better able and hence more likely to give help," Schwartz says. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. Older people are more likely to help others. B. The researchers got the result from those who were given help. C. Altruistic actions may result in better mental health. D. Feeling crushed by others' demands can be negative. Answer: B All hotels redecorate regularly. However, very few do it as frequently as Sweden's Icehotel. As the name indicates,the hotel that is located in the remote village of Jukkasjarvi, is built entirely from ice and,therefore,has to be rebuilt annually! The 26th version of Icehotel, which welcomed its first visitors on December 11th,features 69 rooms. To make them affordable for everyone, they range from expensive luxury suites to basic accommodations. Among this year's unique suite offerings is the"Elephant in the Room",which features a massive 3-m tall sculpted African elephant overlooking an ice--framed bed. The"Counting Sheep"suite features frozen sheep that may help those who don't sleep well get a good night's rest. Though the atmosphere between the luxury suites and the budget rooms may differ,they are all subject to the bone-chilling-5degCtemperatures. To get a good night's rest guests have to lie inside sleeping bags and keep their gloves and hats on. Though that seems a little uncomfortable,visitors say it is an experience like none other. The hotel also features a beautifully crafted ice church where over 100 couples will get married this year and an Ice Bar that will serve drinks in ice glasses. Though dining options are limited to the hotel's only restaurant,guests will have little to complain about with Michelin--trained chef Alexander Meier. To keep customers entertained,the hotel offers a variety of fun activities like snowshoeing,moose or snowmobile safaris,dog sledding,and even overnight wilderness camping. The 26-year-*old tradition began accidentally in 1989 when locals organized an art exhibition to draw winter visitors to the remote village that lies 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. Among the many tourists was an adventurous group and they announced their intention of spending the night in the place where the exhibition was being held. That's when the idea of building the icy accommodations dawned on the locals. What is unique about the hotel this year? A. It opens earlier than ever before. B. More expensive rooms are available. C. Room prices are more affordable. D. Some rooms have theme sculptures. Answer: D The Sewol ferry was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing. On Tuesday, one ordinary diver died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard. The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said. Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation , 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice related to company finances. Improper stowage and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn. The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations. Because of the national sadness, various events were canceled except _ . A. activities on Children's Day B. celebrating Buddha's Birthday C. enjoying a national holiday D. paying respects at the memorial sites Answer: D The Goldman Environmental Foundation recently recognized a group of individuals for their efforts to protect the environment. Each year, the American-based group honors environmental activists from six different areas. The first three winners of the 2012 Goldman Prize are from Kenya, the Philippines and China. The Goldman Environmental Foundation says Ikal Angelei is a hero to those who live around Lake Turkana. The Kenyan woman received the award because of her efforts to stop a dam project on a river in Ethiopia. Critics say the dam will harm the lake and restrict the flow of water for people who live nearby. The Philippine island of Mindoro is home to those who depend on the area's natural resources for food and jobs. Edwin Gariguez became concerned when a European company announced plans to mine for nickel on the island. The Roman Catholic minister said waste materials from the mining project would pollute the water and destroy the forests. So he started a campaign to stop the project. In China, Ma June is working with businesses to clean up their pollution. He formed a group that collects information about pollution, and publishes it on the Internet. The Goldman Prize was also awarded to activists from Argentina, Russia and the United States. Sofia Gatica of Argentina is from a town where farmers commonly use pesticide products to protect soybean crops from insects. The town also has a high rate of cancer. Miz Gatica believed that pesticide use was responsible for the death of her baby. She worked with other mothers to get government officials to ban the use of chemicals near populated areas. Evgenia Chirikova objects to the plans to build a road through a protected forest just outside Moscow. She has demanded that Russian officials redirect the road away from the forest. She and her followers have been arrested for their activities. However, their campaign has gained widespread public support. The sixth winner is American Caroline Cannon -- a community leader in Point Hope, Alaska. Miz Cannon is fighting to keep Arctic waters safe from oil and gas exploration. What do we know about Evgenia Chirikova? A. She plans to build a road to protect the forest. B. She is in charge of a project far away from the road. C. She persuaded the government to set her followers free. D. Her environmental action has been widely acknowledged. Answer: D
A drink of water is just a matter of turning on a tap for most of us. However, water for those in drought-stricken northwestern China can't be taken for granted. Its present shortage is a matter of life and death to them. The tragedy is the direct result of the drought that has hit a large area of northwestern China, and is affecting more than 50 million people. The drought began last spring, ravaging Gansu, Qinghai and Shaanxi. Experts say the drought is a result of less rainfall, insufficient water reserves, high temperatures, dated irrigation projects, environmental damage and global climate change. More than 15 million people are having difficulties getting safe drinking water. The drought is also affecting schoolchildren's studies. "I am worried that my family will get no harvest this year. In that case, my family will not be able to afford my living costs," an unnamed boarding schoolgirl at Naqing Primary School in Shandan, Zhangye, told Dazhong Daily. But thanks to measures taken under the leadership of the central government, the drinking water problem has been greatly eased. Each person in the five worst-hit provinces is being supplied with drinking water and 20 liters of water for other purposes each day. Local authorities are digging deep wells and creating artificial rain. Military personnel are helping to transport water from others province to Gansu and Qinghai, according to CCTV. In Shaanxi, locals are turning to drought resistant crops. Other parts of China are helping by giving water and donating other resources. What does the writer mainly want to tell readers in this passage? Answer: Beijing Half -Day Tour Languag We have more than 20 guides and they can speak English and Chinese. Time and place Our bus will wait for you at your hotel at 9:00 a.m.or2:00 p.m. And we'll drine you bdck to your hotel at about 1:00 p. m. or6:00 p. m. Itinerary First, visit the Drum tower dating from 1420 . you can climb up the big Drum Tower and look at the old Beijing buildings - hutong and siheyuan. Then drive to Mr. Kang's courtyard for a cup of tea. After the tea break, ride a bicycle to Dajinsi Hutong, the most famous hutong in the Shichahai area . Then walk to the prince Gong's Mansion . After that, you can go back to the hotel. ,. The visitors can visit_places. Answer: Long ago there lived a powerful king. Some of his ideas were good, but others caused people to suffer. One of the king's ideas was to set up a public arena . When a person was accused of a crime, his future would be decided in this arena. It had two doors, side by side, exactly alike. The accused person was taken into the arena and asked to open one. Behind one door was a hungry tiger, while behind the other was a lady chosen especially for him. To this lady he would be immediately married, in honor of his innocence. The king had a beautiful daughter whom he loved very much , and she secretly loved a young commoner . When the king discovered their relationship, the man was immediately put in prison, and a day was set for him to enter the arena. The princess knew behind which door stood the tiger, and behind which a lady. She also knew that the lady was one of the loveliest in the kingdom. The princess hated the woman behind that silent door. As he entered the arena and his eyes met the princess's, the young man knew that she knew behind which door waited the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. The princess raised her hand, and made a short, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw it. Every eye was fixed on him. He turned, and with a firm, quick step he walked across the empty space to the door on the right and opened it. Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady? The more we think about this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart. The soul of the princess loved the young man but also burned under the fires of sadness and jealousy . The question of her decision cannot be easily answered. And so I leave it with all of you: which came out of the open door? The lady or the tiger? From the passage we know that _ . Answer: It was midday when I got the call that my grandfather was not well and he was quickly getting worse. My family did not know how long he would stay in the world. I knew I had to get to the hospital to tell him how much I loved him. As I drove to the hospital, I pictured him before I got to tell him how much he meant to me. Trying to fight back the tears, I wanted to stay calm when I saw him. When I got to the hospital, I hurriedly looked for his hospital room. I found him in a semi-conscious state . On my knees, I said softly, "Hello, Grandpa." Still feeling shy, I decided not to leave his bedside without letting him know. While I asked about how he was, he told me, "I'll be fine, Henry." although we both knew that wasn't true. Then he asked me with a smile how I was doing. Hearing what my grandpa said, I was much moved. I made the decision that I had to show my _ for him. As I found all the courage I had, I hold his hand tightly. I cried out, "Grandpa. I just want to let you know how much I love you. I hope you already know that yet I just want to make sure." By this time, tears were rolling down my face. All those years of love that I had shut and not let him know, became free. Smilingly, he said, "I know. Thank you for telling me that. All I have on this planet is my family and my love for them. If there is anything I could ask of you, I want you to be good to your family, your mother, your father, and your brother. That's all I want of you." What I learned that day changed my whole life. From then on, I began telling people how much I love them, care for them, and respect them. I get in touch with, for example, my babysitter, my barber, to show my appreciation. I go down into the city once a week and serve pizza to the homeless. I wake up every morning and list everything I'm thankful to in my life. The author got the news of Grandpa's illness _ . Answer: Bernstein had been appointed Assistant Conductor for the New York philharmonic only a few months before that night. Just 25 years old, he was ly inexperienced. At the last minute, Bernstein was told he was to take Walter's place, so he didn't have any time to rehearse . The music he was going to conduct was very difficult. Plus, the concert was going to be broadcast nationally on the radio. Despite all these pressures, Bernstein rose to the occasion and received a standing ovation at the end of the concert. The event made national headlines, and Bernstein became famous overnight. Some people feel they do their best under the most stressful circumstances. What was it about Leonard Bernstein that made him do so well in such a difficult situation? Perhaps Leonard Bernstein did so well because music was his devotion. The son of a man who supplied hairdressing products, Bernstein became interested in music at the age of 10. By the time he was a teenager, he was performing in public. He became a soloist of the Boston Public School Orchestra, and for 13 weeks in 1934, he played classics on the radio. What might be the best title for the text? Answer:
Question: Dumont, a real estate developer, was trying to purchase land on which he intended to build a large commercial development. Perkins, an elderly widow, had rejected all of Dumont's offers to buy her ancestral home, where she had lived all her life and which was located in the middle of Dumont's planned development. Finally, Dumont offered her $250,000. He told her that it was his last offer and that if she rejected it, state law authorized him to that if she rejected it, state law authorized him to have her property condemned. Perkins then consulted her nephew, a law student, who researched the question and advised her that Dumont had no power of condemnation under state law. Perkins had been badly frightened by Dumont's threat, and was outraged when she learned that Dumont had lied to her. If Perkins asserts a claim based on misrepresentation against Dumont, will she prevail? A. Yes, if Dumont knew he had no legal power of condemnation. B. Yes, if Dumont tried to take unfair advantage of a gross difference between himself and Perkins in commercial knowledge and experience. C. No, if Dumont's offer of $250,000 equaled or exceeded the market value of Perkins's property. D. No, because Perkins suffered no pecuniary loss. Answer: D Question: Which effect do rapidly cooling temperatures have on the water cycle? A. Water droplets evaporate into vapor. B. Water vapor condenses into droplets. C. Condensation evaporates into precipitation. D. Precipitation condenses into water droplets. Answer: B Question: A "secret" message, unseen for almost 150 years and making the start of the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), has been uncovered in Abraham Lincoln's gold pocket watch, prefix = st1 /U.S.media reported on Wednesday. "Lincolnnever knew of the message he carried in his pocket," Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History said in a statement. The message, which was engraved by an Irish immigrant and watchmaker named Jonathan Dillon, is dated April 13, 1861, and reads in part: "FortSumpter[sic] was attacked by the rebels" and "thank God we have a government." "It's a personal side of history about an ordinary watchman being inspired to record something for _ ," Glass said. The museum decided to open the watch after being contacted by the watchmaker's great-great-grandson, Doug Stiles, who had received a letter from a in Ireland. It said that the family had found a letter Dillon had written about the purported message in the watch. Then Stiles, a 57 -year-old real estate lawyer in Waukegan,Illinois, searched on the Internet and found a New York Times article from 1906, where Dillon told the story at the age of 84. During the interview, Dillon said that he unscrewed the dial of the watch and wrote on the metal as soon as he heard the news about the first shot of the Civil War. "The first gun is fired. Slavery is dead. Thank God we have a President who at least will try." However, the actual message that the museum found is different from what Dillon recalled. It reads, "Jonathan Dillon, April 13-1861, Fort Sumpter [sic] was attacked by the rebels on the above date J Dillon, April 13 -1861, Washington, thank God we have a government, Jonth Dillon." Doug Stiles first knew about the message from _ . A. a in Ireland B. a report of New York Times C. the Internet D. Glass Answer: A Question: When I was sixteen years old, I made my first visit to the United States. It wasn't the first time I had been abroad. Like most English children I learned French at school. And I had often been to France, so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn't understand English. But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language barriers. How wrong I was! The misunderstandings began at the airport. I was looking for a public telephone to give my American friend Penny a call and tell her that I had arrived. A friendly old man saw me looking lost and asked if he could help me. "Yes," I said, "I want to give my friend a ring." "Well, that's nice," he said. "Are you getting married? But aren't you a bit young?" "Who is talking about marriage?" I replied. "I only want to give my friend a ring to tell her I've arrived. Can you tell me where there's a phone box?" "Oh!" he said, "There's a phone downstairs." When at last we met, Penny explained the misunderstandings to me. "Don't worry," she said to me. "I had so many difficulties at first. There are lots of words which the Americans use differently in meaning from British. You'll soon get used to all the funny things _ say. Most of the time British and American people understand each other!" Penny will agree with the idea that _ . A. Americans use words entirely differently from British B. Americans speak in a funny way C. It will be hard for the author to get used to American English D. Americans and British can understand each other in most cases Answer: D Question: Slate probably formed A. on top of a glacier B. somewhere in the Internet C. on a mountain top D. deep within the earth Answer: D
Car Talk When I got the driving license last summer, Mom and I took our first trip around an empty parking lot. Then I found that my mother was not the best teacher for me. It wasn't that she shouted, or told me that I was doing poorly. As you can imagine, my mother's "helpful instructions" only managed to make me more nervous. Since I could no longer practice with her, the job was placed in the hands of my father. The idea of learning from Dad was not one that thrilled me. I loved him dearly, but I just did not see Dad as someone I could be comfortable learning from. He almost never talked. We shared a typical father-daughter relationship. He'd ask how school was, and I'd say it was fine. Unfortunately, that was the most of our conversations. Spending hours alone with someone who might as well have been a stranger really scared me. As we got into the car that first time, I was not surprised at what happened. Dad and I drove around, saying almost nothing, aside from a few instructions on how to turn. As my lessons went on, however, things began to change. Dad would turn the radio up so I could fully appreciate his favorite Stones music. And he actually began talking. I was soon hearing about past failed dates, "basic body" gym class, and other tales from his past, including some of his first meeting with Mom. Dad' s sudden chattiness was shocking until I thought about why he was telling me so much in the car. In all the years that I had wondered why my father never spoke that much, I had never stopped to consider that it was because I had never bothered to listen. Homework, friends, and even TV had all called me away from him, and, consequently, I never thought my quiet father had anything to say. Since I began driving with him, my driving skill has greatly increased. More important, though, is that my knowledge of who my father is has also increased. Just living with him wasn't enough--it took driving with him for me to get to know someone who was a mystery. What surprised the author when the driving lessons went on? A Her Dad liked modern music. B Her Dad was the best teacher. C Her Dad was a chatty person. D Her Dad told her his sad stories. Answer: C Kim lost her hammer outside. When she found it a few months later, some parts of the metal were covered with flaky, brown rust. Which type of change occurred when rust formed on the hammer? A chemical B electrical C thermal D physical Answer: A These would likely be broken down and recycled A waste helium B waste hydrogen C pallets D waste oil Answer: C Learning to speak English well may be the best thing you can do to improve your life. That's right. If you can communicate in English, you can: Contact people from all over the world. Talk about your ideas and opinions on Internet discussion groups. Send email to interesting people.Learn about their life and culture. Travel more easily. Communicate with people wherever you go--English is spoken in more than 100 countries (source). Ask directions, have a conversation, or...ask for help. Who knows, maybe English will save your life someday! Push your career forward. If you want a good job in business, technology, or science, get out of that armchair and start learning English now! (If you already have a good job, start learning before you lose it!) Knowing English will let you: Put "excellent knowledge of English" on your CV. Get your dream job, and earn more money. Gain technical knowledge. English is the language of technology, especially high technology like computer science, genetics, and medicine. If you're going to read about technology, you'll probably have to do it in English. Learn computer science. Read technical articles without difficulty. Or write your own articles! Be a worldclass businessman (or woman). It's simple. International business is done in English. And all business today is international. So if you want to play, you have to know English--to contact other business people, go to conferences, read international business newspapers and magazines, etc. Become a better scientist. Contact scientists from other countries, go to international conferences, visit academic centers abroad. Learn about new scientific discoveries by reading papers, books, and magazines. Use your computer more effectively. Most computer applications are in English, so you will understand them better--and become a better employee. According to the passage, knowing English will let you _ . A travel in your country more easily B gain technical knowledge C contact people all over your country D watch television networks Answer: B Relation between the United States and Columbia suffered for many years because of an incident involving the Republic of Panama. By the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, many Americans felt that an easier and faster way was needed to get ships from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Some people in the United States first believed that a canal across Nicaragua was the answer. However, President Theodore Roosevelt decided that a canal through Panama would be a better choice. In order to build the canal , the United States had to negotiate a treaty with Columbia , which at that time controlled Panama . Roosevelt offered Columbia $ 10 million plus $ 250,000 a year for 99 years for a six-mile-wide strip of land across Panama. Columbia rejected the United States' offer. This ranged President Roosevelt, and negotiations with Columbia ended. In 1903, a revolution broke out in Panama. The United States ships were sent by President Roosevelt to protect the Panamanian revolutionaries from Columbian forces. The revolution succeeded, and Panama declared its independence from Columbia. The United States then negotiated with the newly formed government. A treaty was signed, and the United States began building the canal. As a result of the incident, Columbia and the United States remained on bad terms for many years. Not until 1921, when the United States agreed to pay Columbia some compensation for its territory, did relations between the two countries improve. The passage mainly gives us _ . A advice B information C humor D News Answer: B
Newspapers are not nearly as popular today as they were in the past. There are not very many people who seriously read a newspaper every day. Most people read only the sports pages, the advice or the gossip columns, the comics, and perhaps the classified advertisements. Most people don't take the time to read the real news. They attempt to catch the reader's interest with pictures and exciting headlines. These techniques are used on the front page because it is the first thing you see when you pick up the paper. The first page attracts attention and encourages the reader to look through the rest of the paper. This is why editors always look for a good first page story and headline to make them stop and look. If the headline is horrible enough or frightening enough or wild enough, perhaps they will go on to read the front page anymore. They may read the headlines, but that is all, then they turn to the sports page, or comics, or advertisements. It seems that people do not want the news from a newspaper anymore. They say they get the news on the television now. More people watch television news because it is easier and more interesting than reading a newspaper. What about you? Do you read news from a newspaper? Do you think it is easier to get the news from television? Or do you care about news at all? Would you mind if there were no news? According to the author, which of the following newspaper will most probably attract the reader's attention? Answer: The ones with interesting pictures and exciting headlines on the front page. All living things are made of parts that contain a Answer: nucleus Nighttime in the desert may cause animals to Answer: shiver It would be a totally dark world without your eyesight.However, there is a lot we can do to preserve our eyesight. Protect your eyes from the sun.Continuous exposure to the sun's UV rays can severely damage your eyes over time.The UV rays from the sun will result in brown spots in the eyes or some eye diseases, in order to prevent harmful UV rays.if you plan to be in the sun for extended periods of time, you need to wear protective eye wear. Practice disease prevention.Diabetes is among the few diseases that can cause blindness if left untreated, mistreated or undiagnosed.One of the best ways to prevent disease related blindness is to prevent or control your disease.For example, if you have diabetes it is highly recommended that you eat a healthy diet.check your blood sugar often and lake medicine if your blood sugar is above 150. Add vitamin A to your diet.This concept is usually taught during your younger years.Vitamin A is required for the production of rhodopsin which is an eye pigment highly sensitive to light that is used to see in poor lighting conditions.To get your healthy portion of vitamin A, you can go to your local grocery store and pick up carrots, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. Visit your eye doctor routinely.Visiting your eye doctor can keep you up to dale on your eye health.You should visit your eye doctor for an eye exam once every one to two years (more often if you wear glasses) to help you keep good eyesight.You are advised to see your eye doctor immediately if you experience eye diseases or symptoms like loss of eye vision, eye pain, redness and itching around the eyes because _ eye diseases can result in permanent eye damage or blindness. We can learn from the text that _ . Answer: Vitamin A can be more helpful when we are young This is a time of year when we think about giving and receiving presents. Can you find a little extra to give? On this page we suggest a few organizations you might like to help. Littleton Children's Home We DON'T want your money, but children's toys, books and clothes IN GOOD CONDITION would be very welcome. Also, we are looking for friendly families who would take our children into their homes for a few hours or days as guests. You have so much-will you share it? Phone Sister Thomas on 55671 Children's Hospice We look after a small number of very sick children. This important work needs skill and love. We cannot continue without gifts or money to pay for more nursing staff. We also need storybooks and toys suitable for quiet games. Please contact the Secretary, Little Children's Hospice, Newby Road. Street Food In the winter weather, it's no fun being homeless. It's even worse if you're hungry. We give hot food to at least fifty people every night. It's hard work, but necessary. Can you come and help? If not, can you offer a little money? We use a very old kitchen, and we need some new saucepans . Money for new ones would be most welcome indeed. Contact Street Food, c/o Mary's House, Elming Way. Littleton Phone 27713 Littleton Youth Club Have you got an unwanted chair? - a record-player? - a pot of paint ? Because we can use them! We want to get to work on our meeting room! Please phone 66231 and we'll be happy to collect anything you can give us. Thank you! The Night Shelter We offer a warm bed for the night to anyone who has nowhere to go. We rent the former Commercial Hotel on Green Street. Although it is not expensive, we never seem to have quite enough money. Can you let us have a few pounds? Any amount, however small, will be such a help. Send it to us at 15, Green St, Littleton. Please make check payable to Night Shelter. What kind of people are these organizations designed for? Answer: Less fortunate members of our society
I'm Tony. My best friends are Frank and Cindy. We often do many things together. Frank lives next to my home and we are in the same class. He is thirteen years old and tall and of medium build. He has curly hair and blue eyes. He's good-looking and very clever. He's good at math and often helps me with my homework. He likes wearing black pants and yellow T-shirts. Cindy doesn't go to my school. She's eleven years old. She is thin and of medium height. She has curly blonde hair and her eyes are brown. She is good-looking, too, but a little bit shy. She is good at playing the guitar. Her favorite subject at school is music. She often teaches Frank and me to play the guitar after class. The three of us have great fun together, and we help each other and sometimes play video games at my house. _ eyes are blue. Answer: I'm a real book lover. Every time my friends visit me, my nose is buried in a book. Wherever I go, I always have a book with me. Novels, history books, stories about people, journals and news--I read them all and I've learnt a lot, too. For example, many things in life happen for the best even if we don't like or understand them. Why is reading such an enjoyable pastime for me? I probably first learned about it from my parents. My mother read to me at night in my childhood and bought me picture books. The greatest gift she has given me is a love for reading. And it will be a life-long habit. No one ever asked me why I liked to read. They just saw me and asked, "Oh? Is that for school work?" And I just shook my head, "No. It's just for fun." While reading a good book, I can totally forget myself and fly to another world. It's like exploring through someone's eyes, which is just as exciting as watching a movie. Reading is also necessary in order to learn about writing, to improve my use of words and phrases and broaden my knowledge. What a pity to see our imagination disappear, for we don't exercise it often. Reading can even be good for one's health, I think. Everyone should read sad stories that make us cry and also books with humor that make us laugh out loud! . Among the gifts my parents have given me, which is the most valuable one? Answer: Making a good job choice is almost as good as choosing a good life. So, choosing a job is one of the most important decisions to make in life. For my job, there are three important things that I will consider: The first one - that I must work in an area I like - is most important to me. Someone once said if you find a job that you enjoy, then you won't have to work another day. I would like to work in an area where I can be more creative. I would like to be the most valuable member there. All this is possible only if I like what I do. The second one is that the area of my work must lead me to solve some new and hard problems. I would like to stay in the same area for a long time. In order for this to happen, the work must provide enough problems. More than just working to live, I enjoy making a difference and trying my best for the whole progress. I would also like to be well _ for my hard work, so I can lead a comfortable life with this hard-won money. Then I can provide the best for my family. The third important thing is that I would like to work in an area that would help other people. The work in my mind is in fields such as the army, training or management. In such areas, I can help to develop the abilities of others and bring out their best. It would be a most satisfying job to help young people to become the best that they can be. When I become old, I would like to look back with a great sense of satisfaction that thousands of people have become better persons through my work. I accept the idea that no one should make a choice of a job suddenly or quickly. He should decide what he wants to be in the long run. Then, he should decide how he works towards it. He should study the proper courses, read the books and speak to knowledgeable persons in that field before making a job choice. A good choice will most probably lead to a better life. The writer wants to tell us that everyone should _ Answer: The Earth is going to be completing a full rotation. A child notes this, and knows that it means that Answer: Bats are the only flying mammal in the world. They can't see very well. It is long believed, in many places, that all bats are blind . "Blind as a bat" is often heard. Yet they have no trouble flying in the darkest nights and finding their way around. How can bats fly and see at night? They fly by radar . The bat's radar system works the same way as the one that ships and planes use. When a bat flies through the air, it makes sounds that people can't hear. If the sounds hit things, they will come back. The bat's ears can receive the messages. In this way it can know where the things are. Bats go out to look for food at night. In the daytime they stay in some dark places. Some people think bats are bad animals. In fact, they are useful animals. The bat "sees" things with its _ . Answer:
Have you ever imagined what the world will be in the near future? A recent study shows that the world in 2100 will be more crowded, more polluted and less stable ecologically than the world we live in now. Visible ahead is serious stress involving population, resource and environment. Despite greater food output, people in the world will be poorer in many ways than they are today. For hundred of millions of the extremely poor, the outlook for food and other necessities of life will be no better, for many it will be worse. While the economies of the developing countries are expected to grow at a faster rate than those of the industrialized nation, the total national product per head in most less developed countries remains low. The existing gap between the rich and poor nations will further widen. World food production is estimated to increase by 90 percent from 2000 to 2100. Most of that increase goes to the countries that already have higher per-head food consumption. Meanwhile, per-head consumption of food in the developing countries will scarcely improve or will actually fall far below the present inadequate level. What is worse is that prices for food are expected to double. As a result, many less developed countries will have increasing difficulties meeting energy needs. For the one quarter of mankind that depends primarily on wood for fuel, the outlook is not hopeful. Regional water shortage will become more sever. In the 1970-2100 period population growth will require twice as much water as it does today in nearly half the world. Still greater increases would be needed to improve standards of living. Development of new water supply will become more costly. According to the author, in 2100 for many poor people, _ . things will get even worse Is it necessary for a young man to have an apartment as a prerequisite for marriage? Housing has become a major obstacle for Chinese young men hoping to start a family. China may breed a new group of bachelors, men caught in the trap of unaffordable houses. Since early 2009, the housing market has once again become a hot pot at boiling point. Even with allowance and special government policies, home prices in China's first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are riding the crest of a rising wave. According to the "2010 China Marital Status Report" released on Dec 15, 2010, about 70 percent of women interviewed said that housing, a stable income and some savings were the main requirements for marriage. From the report, we can see that housing is given top priority and that women see an apartment as essential to show that the man is responsible and can provide for his family. Personality and morals lay outside the top three matrimonial requirements. Some women and their families hold the traditional position and take it for granted that the home issue should be the man's responsibility, which doesn't agree with the contemporary independent spirit of women and gender equality. These marriage values reflect the fact that many women consider marriage another form of "social welfare". Things may be different overseas. Social housing, provided by European authorities, offer the less wealthy people their own piece of real estate. Such housing is usually apartments in tall buildings with 10 or more floors on the _ of town, whose main advantage is the low rents. For many Americans, houses don't pose an obstacle to getting married. They often buy a house after the wedding, because more and more people are reconsidering their real estate worship, and going back to a more rational mode of consumption. In Japan, renting is the custom for newly married young couples. Few young couples can afford to purchase property. Up to 67.1 percent of young couples choose to rent. Generally speaking, renters account for most people younger than 40 in Japan. Young people should be free to enjoy being young, without the huge pressure of trying to buy property. Society should help create an environment for them to grow up. Don't let the poor bachelor group become a suffering layer of our society. Which of the following is Not True according to the text? In the modern society, women don't want to be independent. It has become a certain belief among the public-drink at least eight glasses of water a day to improve health and well--being.Bottled water companies often repeat it to increase their sales but it is actually a silly idea. There is no evidence to prove the advantages of drinking eight glasses of water a day,scientists say. The misunderstanding is caused from the suggestion that adults should drink 2.5 liters of water daily,which was highlighted(,)by the British Medical Journal in December.The important part of the suggestion that most of this quantity of water is contained in prepared foods,however,is usually ignored. U.S.researchers who reviewed the evidence concluded that most people do not need to worry about the amount of water they drink every day.Besides drinking water,they will be getting plenty of liquid in other ways.Caffeinated drinks such as tea,coffee and cola,and alcohol can help reach the daily total if they don't drink too much,though these drinks help the production of urine . Less well known are the dangers of drinking too much water,causing water poisoning,low salt levels and even death. The review of research by Dan Negoianu,from the University of Pennsylvania,found that not a single study included the suggestion of drinking eight glasses of water a day.Although one small study suggested that drinking water could result in fewer headaches,the results were not very important.However,the benefits of drinking some water to prevent a pain in head after drinking too much alcohol are.separately,proved to be true. No studies showed any advantages to the color1 of the skin because of the increased water taken into bodies.Dehydration can make skin less pleasant,but there was no clear evidence to support the idea that water helps people keep a youthful appearance.The researchers also found no evidence that drinking lots of water does some good to the body's organs . The writer's main purpose of writing this passage is to _ . tell people drinking much water is not as healthy as is considered What should college life be like? Easy, joyful and fun? Unfortunately, facing heavy pressure from a _ job market, many students know that they are facing an even more uncertain future and they are beginning to feel lost, according to a survey. The research, conducted by the Social Survey Institute of China, covers more than 2,000 college students from big cities. The report shows that about 75 percent enjoy their lives on campus. However, there are still 16.7 percent "lost ones" who think life is boring and aimless, while 8.3 percent complain that they have too much to study. Around half of the participants have no clear career plan after graduation and 41.7 percent say that they have not thought about it. Only 8.3 percent have a clear blueprint and believe that they can realize their dreams. 58.3 percent of the participants gave a sure answer to the question "Are you a popular guy?", leaving 41.7 percent as unsure. 91.7 percent of the students thought they could get along very well with others, the final 8.3 percent finding it difficult to choose a particular answer. Answers such as "doing things your own way" and "forget other people's opinions" seemed to be popular among modern college students, with 75 percent agreeing with this attitude. 25 percent said that they worried about opinions of other people. Objecting to the feeling in Suicide is Painless, most students criticize suicide on campus. 58.3 percent urged school leaders to discover hidden social reasons behind suicide, thus helping to prevent it. 33.3 percent thought students who did suicide couldn't face life's bigger challenges in the future even if they survived. Surprisingly, 8.3 percent admitted that they once wanted to kill themselves, but finally decided against it. Which of the following opinions has the biggest percentage among the participants? It is easy to get along very well with others. Ask anyone what is the most difficult part of changing their lifestyle habits and they are most likely to say, "Staying motivated." But a 36-year-old professor from Carnegie Mellon University claims it may have the answer in the form of robot weight loss coach that dishes out daily health advice and encouragement. Autom is the work of Intuitive Automata, a company based in Sha Tin which claims to be a pioneer in commercial socially-interactive robots. The robot, which stands around 38 centimeters tall, has a head that swivels , blue eyes, and a touch screen which allows the user to input information daily about exercise and diet Its creators say Autom will have a daily conversation with its user lasting up to five minutes, giving feedback and encouragement.Over time, it will interact more with the user as it gathers more information about them. Cory Krdd, a research team manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency claims research has shown that people find robots a more reliable source of information than on-screen-based character. In a controlled study in Pittsburgh City Council, 15 dieters were given Autom for six weeks. Another 15 received a touch-screen computer with identical software and 15 were given a paper log.The study found, people using the robot are more likely to stick with their diets longer, in fact twice as long as those using just a paper log. "While not one person among the computer or paper groups continued past six weeks, most who had Autom did not want to give her back at the conclusion of the study," he said. The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen. Autom is expected to go on sale later this year in the United States for around $500.A robot which speaks and understands Cantonese and Mandarin in addition to English according to the demands is also being developed. What can we infer from the passage? The robot can help people change their lifestyle habits.
Big messaging apps abroad While WeChat is China's biggest mobile messaging app , there are many equivalent apps in other countries that offer similar features. WhatsApp (US) Users: more than 300 million Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry Features: text chats, pushtotalk, file sharing, location sharing With more than 300 million active users, WhatsApp is one of WeChat's biggest competitors. Developed by two exYahoo employees in 2009, WhatsApp originally focused on text chats, but on Aug. 6 it also started pushtotalk service. It's noted for its accessibility, ease of use and the absence of adverts. The service is free for the first year, after which D\|S0.99 (6.06 yuan) is charged for a oneyear subscription. Kakao Talk (South Korea) Users: more than 100 million Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Bada (an operating system developed by Samsung) Features: text chats, group chats, pushtotalk, group calls, file sharing With more than 100 million users in more than 230 countries, Kakao Talk is a multiplatform texting application that allows users to send and receive messages for free. With Kakao Talk, users can message each other oneonone or in group chats with unlimited numbers of friends. You can also choose from more than 250 animated emoticons and share them with friends. Line (Japan) Users: more than 200 million Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and PC Features: text chats, group chats, pushtotalk, file sharing, location sharing, gaming, stickers Line tops the list of the most downloaded free apps in 52 countries. Apart from text and voice messaging, Line provides its users with more than 250 original stickers and emoticons to buy from its own shop. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, it made D\|S17 million just from stickers. The popular app also allows friends to battle each other in the Line games. Compared with the other two apps, which of the following features makes Line stand out? A. Group mobile games. B. Free stickers and emoticons. C. Free download of the app. D. Text and group chats. Answer: A. Group mobile games. An eagle is a bird that reproduces by laying its eggs in a dry nest. Which animal lays its eggs in a place most similar to the eagle? A. amphibian B. fish C. mammal D. reptile Answer: D. reptile The physical memory dump error is a big problem that affects even the most advanced computer systems.Although it's quite a rare error, it's one of the most stopping what you're doing and restarting your computer--making you lose all your unsaved data.This is a big problem, but there is actually a very easy way to fix it. There are two reasons why the physical memory dump happens.The first is pretty simple and is to do with the "hardware", and if any of these pieces are not fit for your system, it will cause the physical memory dump.So, if you've recently added any hardware to your PC, then take that out and see if it works. The other reason is your system, the "registry".The registry is a big database that operates in the background of Windows, storing all sorts of settings and information about your PC.The problem with the registry is that since it has so many important files inside, it's constantly got hundreds of files open every time you use your PC.And because there are so many files to open at once, Windows is constantly getting confused, leading it to save many of these files in the wrong way.These files go wrong when saved wrongly, making them difficult for your computer to read.However, if it can't read the files at all, it has no choice but to stop everything it's doing and restart your PC.This is why the physical memory dump error appears so easily--because when a registry file is so wrong that it can't be read, your computer needs to refresh itself immediately. This latter reason for causing the physical memory dump is actually extremely common and the likelihood is that your PC is suffering from it, if you're seeing this error.Luckily, it's also incredibly easy to fix--you just need to use a software tool called a "registry cleaner" to go through the registry and fix all the problems in there. What does a registry cleaner means? A. A software which can help you save time. B. A software which can remove unnecessary files C. A software which can repair the machine. D. a software which makes your PC down. Answer: B. A software which can remove unnecessary files I learned how our attitudes made a big difference in our everyday lives from my friend Mary. She doesn't have any pets. I happened to see her outside on a -30 degree morning walking a dog. I felt sorry for Mary, out there walking a dog that's not hers in such cold weather. I thought maybe she was saying to herself, "Yeah, this is why I don't have any pets! I hate walking dogs." Later that day I saw Mary and said, "I saw you out there walking a dog this morning. Are you unhappy because you had to walk it on such a cold day?" To my surprise, she said that she enjoyed getting out there and walking the dog and that she got good exercise because of the dog. She also said she had talked to her brother, the dog's owner, who was on holiday in Orlando, Florida with his family. He said his children were enjoying Disney World and the resorts . His four-year-old son had breakfast with Mickey Mouse and said it was the best day in his life. Mary said, "If I can help my brother and his family have a wonderful time relaxing for a week, knowing that their pet is being loved and cared for, what more could I ask for?" She added, "It's worth it for me to make the sacrifice so that they can go and have fun." I learned a lesson from Mary. Why did the author feel sorry for Mary? A. It was a cold morning. B. He thought Mary was suffering because of others. C. Mary didn't have any pets. D. He found Mary was unhappy to walk the dog. Answer: B. He thought Mary was suffering because of others. What is essential for a robot to possess to walk up a flight of stairs? A. electricity B. skittles C. ethics D. lava Answer: A. electricity
A person can inflate a beach ball using Answer: A home computer not only helps children master the old ways of learning, but also opens up possibilities that simply aren't available in traditional education. Some software, for example, allows kids to make decisions and see the results in different situations. The World Wide Web encourages young minds to move easily from link to link, topic to topic. The best software draws children into learning by making them curious--what if I click on this picture, drag this over here, visit that website? Knowing how to use a computer also encourages a child's confidence. Kids figure out quickly that computers are powerful, and mastering the machine makes them feel grown-up. In turn, feeling confident on a computer often translates to academic confidence. Researchers have found that attitudes toward writing, for example, improve when students write on a computer. Perhaps most importantly, computers can enrich family life. Forget the idea that computer kids are separated. Children like to use the computer with adults and other kids, asking questions and comparing results. "The Internet is a unique opportunity to bring resources home, "notes Susan Haugland, PhD, Cape Girardeau, Mo. , author of Computer and Young Children:A World of Discovery. Although the benefits of computers are real, they have disadvantages, too. Kids can lose their way, wasting hours on mindless software of violent games. Just as parents have always helped children make good choices about everything from friends to food, books to TV, now we must make sure they get the best out of computers. What effects do computers have on family life? Answer: A new smart phone system under development can locate you even when you're inside a building, which GPS can't do. While the concept sounds powerful, it's not yet clear how practical it might be. The set-up, called SurroundSense, sends information from cameras and microphones--gear in the latest smart phones--to a server that produces a fingerprint of the location. "You can't tell much from any of the measurements individually, but when combined, the optical , acoustic and motion information creates a unique fingerprint of the space," said Ionut Constandache, a student in computer science. The system distinguishes between two indoor spaces in this manner: It knows that a bar is likely to be dark and noisy and people move little, sit a lot, whereas a department store will be brightly lit, contain vibrant colors, and will see a lot of people moving up and down passages. The more the system is used, the more it learns about specific places. More work is needed before the set-up would be ready for prime time, however. For now, it can't work if a person's cellphone is in a handbag or otherwise unable to employ the camera. Finally it would be best served if paired with phones that were worn on the wrist or hung around the neck. Batteries, too, are a problem. Students on the research team went out across Durham, North Carolina, with their cellphones collecting data in different types of businesses. The students mirrored the actions of the selected customers so that they would not prejudice the measurements. "We went to 51 different stores and found that SurroundSense achieved an average accuracy of about 87 percent," Constandache said. "As the system collects and analyzes more and more information about a particular site, the fingerprint becomes more precise," said Romit Roy Choudhury, professor of computer engineering. "Not only is the _ different at different locations, but also can be different at different time at the same location." The main idea of the passage is about _ . Answer: We spoke to three students from around the world about different national holidays.There are different customs for each festival. Tan Xiaodong,15,Hong Kong,China "It'll soon be Chinese New Year.Before it,we'll clean the house and decorate it for good luck.Every shop is going to close for a few days and we'll go out a lot to celebrate in the streets.We might go and see the lion and dragon dances in the city center.I love this festival." Wendy,16,Sydney,Australia "Australia Day is on 26th January and it's an important holiday here.We always have a Monday off,so we celebrate for three days.My parents and I go to the countryside for a picnic and friends always come over.Many people go to beach parties or street parties and there's lots of music and dancing.What fun!" Amy,14,New York,the USA "The first Thanksgiving Day was hundreds of years ago when Europeans who came to America thanked God for his help.It's still a very important day for families to be together.This year we're going to visit my grandparents and we'll eat a delicious meal of turkey.Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November every year." During the Chinese New Year,tourists can _ . Answer: When a soccer player kicks a ball, which two systems work directly with the muscular system? Answer:
While there are some unpleasant people in the world, let's not forget that most people are friendly! If you find someone who likes the same restaurants as you or who is also crazy about "Harry Potter", then feel free to talk the night away! Just keep the conversation light and about your common interests. If a topic is brought up that doesn't sit well with you, keep in mind that you are always in control. Ignore your manners at this time! Do stay open-minded. Sometimes chatting with strangers can turn into a close bond--or just another person you can turn to for a laugh. But when typing away in your computer, it's easy to get carried away and to want to tell your new friend all about yourself. Keep the personal details as secret, and instead talk about fun hobbies or the latest episode of "The Good Wife". If Stranger Sally is asking what you look like, time to put up the red flag. It is never necessary for someone to know what you look like. Always listen to your gut .If something inside you is telling you something isn't right, it probably isn't. Pay attention to how your body responds to certain people online. Remember, you never really know who you are talking to just by looking at a computer screen name, so downloading anything is an no. See? Talking to strangers online doesn't always have to be a nightmare .By following these do's and don'ts, chatting with someone you don't know can be a cool experience,and can make sure that you stay safe in the world of the Internet. What is the writer's attitude to most people today? Answer: Children spend more time messaging each other on phones and websites than talking in Person ,a survey has revealed. Text messages and social networking sites have become the common mode of youngsters aged 8 to 14. A survey of modem childhood found that many youngsters are conscious that they are spending too much time on their computers and enjoy themselves the most 'when playing outside. But the lure of electronic products proves too strong for a quarter, while a fifth say their parents don't like them playing outside because they are worried about strangers and injuries. The "iGeneration report" suggested that youngsters are increasingly health-conscious and skeptical of commercialization, including gender-based labelling on toys and pop videos released by singers. More than half of those questioned care about eating healthily and one in 10 lectures their own parents about the food they are eating or buying. 42 percent of those questioned own a smartphone , with 36 percent admitting to spending more time communicating with friends via instant messaging, such as texts or networking websites, than talking in person Only one child in 100 said that being happy, having a loving family and being clever were taken as the most crucial elements in their lives. Cary Cooper, the professor of organizational psychology and health at Lancaster University , said social media were contributing to youngsters becoming more independent. They had a sense of individuality due to exposure to a range of media. The survey follows major statebacked research which found that youngsters are turning their back on drink, drugs and smoking. It found a dramatic drop in the number of secondary school students trying and regularly using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Some analysts said that thanks to the rise of social media, millions of teenagers are spending their time at home in their rooms rather than out on the streets. Why can't 25 percent of the children get away from electronic products? Answer: Generic Name: ASPIRIN Pronunciation: ['aesp@rin] Why it is prescribed : 1. Aspirin relieves mild to moderate pain. 2. It reduces fever, redness, and swelling. 3. It prevents blood from clotting . When it is to be taken: 1. Aspirin is often taken without a prescription. 2. Follow the instructions on the label and package. 3. If your doctor prescribes aspirin for you, you will receive specific instructions for how often you should take it. 4. Keep in touch with your doctor. How it should be taken: 1. Aspirin comes in the form of suppositories , capsules, and regular, coated, extended-release, and chewable tablets. 2. Regular, coated, and extended-release aspirin tablets and capsules should be swallowed with a full glass of water or milk after meals to avoid stomach upset. 3. Chewable aspirin tablets may be chewed, crushed, dissolved in a liquid, or swallowed whole; a full glass of water, milk, or fruit juice should be drunk immediately after taking these tablets. Special Instruction: 1. Children should not take aspirin for fevers associated with flu or chickenpox because such use has been linked with a serious illness known as Reye's syndrome. 2. Adults should not take aspirin for pain for more than 10 days (five days for children) without consulting a doctor. 3. Aspirin should not be taken by adults or children for high fever, fever lasting longer than three days without a doctor's supervision . 4. Do not give more than five doses to a child in a 24-hour period unless directed to do so by a doctor. 5. If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it and _ the prescribed schedule. Side Effects: 1. Although side effects from aspirin are not common, they can occur. 2. Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, indigestion and heartburn are common. Take aspirin after meals, with a full glass of water or milk. If these effects continue, contact your doctor. 3. Ringing in the ears, bloody or black stools , difficulty breathing, dizziness, mental confusion and sleepiness are rare. Stop taking the drug and contact your doctor. Other Precautions: 1. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding women, inform your doctor before taking aspirin. 2. Do not take aspirin if you are within three months of delivery. 3. Do not take aspirin if you are allergic to it. 4. If you have diabetes , regular use of eight or more regular strength aspirin tablets a day may affect test result. 5. If you are taking large doses of aspirin on a long-term basis, avoid having alcoholic drinks because alcohol can increase stomach problems. 6. To prevent an overdose of aspirin, read the labels before taking other pain relievers and cold products to be sure that they do not contain aspirin. Storage Conditions: 1. Store aspirin in a cool place or in a refrigerator. 2. Throw away aspirin that smells strongly of vinegar. 3. Keep this aspirin out of the reach of children. Which of the following might be a side effect caused by Aspirin? Answer: We find that bright children are rarely _ by mixed ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming(......) pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not-so-bright child. After all,it can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade! Besides, it is rather unreal to grade pupils just according to their intellectual ability. This is only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find that mixed-ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning. In our classrooms, we work in various ways. The pupils often work in groups: this gives them the opportunity to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills. They also learn how to deal with personal problems as well as learning how to think, to make decisions, to analyze and evaluate, and to communicate effectively in order to have the ability to become leaders. The pupils learn from each other as well as from the teacher. Sometimes the pupils work in pairs;sometimes they work on individual tasks , and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is suitable. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order to do this efficiently. An advanced pupil can do advanced work:it does not matter what age the child is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to attain this goal. The author's purpose in writing this passage is to _ . Answer: A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town. But it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village. On his way home he saw a person lying on the snow. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there was much blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking the baskets with him. The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked: "Are these yours?" "Yes, sir." the farmer answered timidly . "Have you killed the man?" "No, no, sir." the farmer said in a hurry." When did you see the dead man?" "About seven last evening." "Did you see who killed the man?" "No, Sir." The officer brought out a knife and asked, "Have you seen it yet?" "No, Sir.' The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and send him into prison. That evening the officer went on trying .Pointing to the knife, he asked again," Have you seen it yet?" "Yes, Sir." The officer was happy and asked," When and where?" "I saw it here this afternoon, sir." The farmer ran away quickly because _ . Answer:
The tall man was sitting in the chair. He was reading a book. When I talked to him, I found that from boyhood , he had the habit of carrying a little book in his pocket. He often read every minute when he was not doing anything else. He found a book very useful during the time of waiting, such as waiting for meals, buses, doctors, telephone calls, plays to begin or something to happen. That was how he found his fifteen minutes a day for reading. That was how he read his twenty books a year --one thousand in his lifetime. Sometimes the man read in the theatre, because _ . Answer: the play didn't begin How "Kangaroo" Became an Animal's Name Early in the 18th century, Captain Cook, a famous explorer of Australia, unexpectedly saw an unusual animal during his first visit to Australia. The animal had a large mouth-like head and jumped along on its large legs. To his surprise, the unusual animal carried its baby in a special pocket of flesh. Captain Cook pointed to the animal which was eating grass in the distance and asked his local guide what that animal was. The guide seemed not to know what he was pointing at and finally said Kang-a-roo. Cook carefully wrote down Kang-a-roo as the animal's name in his word book. The Europeans who later got to Australia were anxious to see the unusual animal "Kang-a-roo", but their requests met with puzzled looks of the local people. Before long they got to discover that the local guide who made the answer to Cook's question really meant, "I don't know what you are pointing at." Funny enough, the name "Kang-a-roo" stuck and it is still in use today. Which of the following sentences best expresses the main idea? Answer: Some words have very funny origins. Karnishakuji4- 162 Tokyo 145 October24,2007 Concord School of English 23 Essex St. Concord,,NH03301 Dear Madam or sir , One of the teachers at my school in Japan told me that your school has summer courses . I'm planning to go to the USA next summer and would like to take a one- month course . I'm 18 years old and have been studying English for six years . I'm going to study English at the university . I have ever been to a few countries , such as China , England ,Korea ,but never to the US ,and I think a trip will help me improve my English . Could you send me a catalogue and application ? I would also like information about New Hampshire and other places nearby . I hope to do some traveling when the course is over . Thank you . I look forward to your reply . Yours , Mariko Kobori After the course is over, the writer may _ . Answer: have a trip in the USA No matter what your age or style, MNA (Museum of Northern Arizona) Education Programs have a program to fit your desires. Stay close to home and enjoy the following: MNA Ventures The MNA Ventures program offers opportunities to discover and explore the Colorado Plateau -- 130,000 square miles of mountains and canyons centered in the Four Corners area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Discovery Programs The Discovery Programs offer educational experiences that emphasize the artistic traditions, natural sciences, Native American culture, and history of the Colorado Plateau. A variety of program choices provide fun learning opportunities for students of all ages and interests. Programs range in length from half-day classes to week-long classes, and offer experiences for three-year-olds to adults. Discovery classes take place mainly in the Museum grounds but may include field trips to go with the experience. Custom Tours The Museum of Northern Arizona's Custom Tours offer opportunities to discover and explore the wonders of the Colorado Plateau. Experience the rich natural wonders and cultures of this area through experts' eyes by traveling with scientists, writers, artists, and professional guides. Group Exhibit Tours There are self-guided programs for the archaeology of the Colorado Plateau, Native American culture, and the geology and biology of the Colorado Plateau. Which part of a website is the text probably taken from? Answer: Travel. When middle-aged Alex quit his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer, no one could tell for sure whether he would succeed or not.He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a used typewriter and settled down to work. After a year or so, however, Alex began to doubt himself.He found it was difficult to earn his living by selling what he wrote.But Alex determined to put his dream to the test--even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure.This is the shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. One day Alex got a call, "We need an assistant, and we're paying $ 6,000 a year." $ 6,000 was real money in 1960.It would enable Alex to get a nice apartment, a used car and more.Besides, he could write in his spare time.As the dollars were dancing in Alex's head, something cleared his senses.He had dreamed of being a writer ?full time."Thanks, but no," Alex said firmly and swiftly, "I'm going to stick it out and write." After Alex got off the phone, he pulled out everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents.Alex put the cans and cents into a paper bag, saying to himself," There's everything you've made of yourself so far.I'm not sure I ever felt so low." Finally his work was published in 1970.Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experience.The shadows had turned into focus of attention. Then one day, Alex found a box filled with things he had owned years before.Inside was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents.Suddenly he pictured himself working in that cold storage room.It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland. Which of the following can summarize the passage best? Answer: Hold on to your dream, and it will come true.
Farmers in the 1800s used axes to clear trees from farmland. Now, farmers use chainsaws to clear the trees. How do chainsaws most likely help farmers? A. Farmers can cut different types of trees. B. Farmers can remove more trees in less time. C. Farmers can replant more trees in the fields. D. Farmers can produce more products from the trees. Answer: B Long ago, there was a little elephant. He left home and played in the forest alone. He stayed outside for many days and became dirty because he could not wash his back. All the other animals didn't play with him because he was dirty. The elephant sat under a tree. He started to cry. He cried for two days. But nobody could see him there. So he went back home and asked for help. His mother told him," You have a long trunk . It can help you wash your back." He and his mother went to the river and his mother taught him how to use the trunk to clean his back with water. All the other animals came over to him and said, "You are so clean now. Do you want to play with us?" The elephant was so happy and said, "Yes." Who taught the little elephant how to wash his back? A. His father. B. A bird. C. Himself. D. His mother. Answer: D The popularity of bicycling continues to rise, and it is no surprise. It's fun, healthy and eco-friendly. Maybe that's why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no fuel cost! Hop on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new in your community. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. In many communities, you can bike to work and benefit from exercise without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way. Folding bikes work well for workers who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. Have you ever thought about bicycling across a foreign country? It's a great way to experience another culture, see beautiful scenery and meet friendly people. Bicycle enthusiast Goran Kropp bicycled across not just one country but several. He rode a remarkable 11,000 km from his home in Sweden to Nepal and then climbed Mount Everest! And now, bicycling across a country to raise money for a charity or to advertise a cause is also popular. To encourage people to bike, many cities in Europe have established bike-share programs. In Paris, for example, thousands of bikes are parked at bike stations around the city. Users can rent bikes at any station. The first half-hour of use is free. After that, users pay a small fee. When they've finished riding, they simply park their bikes at any station. For people who don't want to drive, the bikes are an excellent alternative to buses and taxis, which burn fuel and cause pollution. As a result of the success of bike plans in Europe, they're spreading to the US., Australia and other countries as well. Look for one in your city soon. When do the bike riders in Paris have to pay a fee? A. When they damage the bikes in an accident. B. If they ride the bikes for over thirty minutes. C. After they receive a bill in the mail for a ride. D. Before they rent the new bikes at any station. Answer: B "I'm seventy years old," says the gray-haired lady proudly to the entertainer at her Community Club dinner. "Did you hear that, everyone?" says the entertainer. "This lovely lady is just seventy years young! And she doesn't look a day over fifty. " He has been careful not to use the word "old". In a society where youth is so admired, old age is often seen as something sad, something to fight against. Americans prefer not to say "old" people. They use the expression "senior citizens". They do not talk about "old people's" homes, but "retirement" homes. In fact, the entertainer is not so wrong. Seventy is not very old these days. People in theprefix = st1 /USare living longer and longer. In1980, 12 percent of Americans were over sixty-five years old. By 2030, 21 percent will be over sixty-five. One reason for this is that families are getting smaller. The average couple now has only 1. 8 children. At the same time, improved medical care means that people are living longer. This change in the age of Americans is going to have serious results. For one thing, medical costs are rising. The government is unable to pay the elderly people's medical bills that have gone up very much. Some old people have to leave hospital "sicker and quicker" than they should, before they are really better. More fortunate senior citizens, though, who still have good health, want new laws to be passed to allow them to stay at work. In the past, the retirement age was sixty-five, but that is changing now. Older people are stronger and more energetic than ever before. Many of them refuse to stop working just because they have reached a certain age. There is a change, too, in the way in which elderly people see themselves. _ are no longer happy to accept the gray hair, bald heads, and boring clothes of their own parents. They like to wear younger-looking clothes and bright makeup . American women spend millions of dollars a year on operations to lift their faces and make those ugly wrinkles disappear. Men are prepared to spend even more on operations to plant new hair on their bald spots. It's worth any money to look younger. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT describe the American society correctly? A. People live longer because of improved medical care. B. The government finds it difficult to afford the medical bills of the elderly. C. People use polite expressions when talking about old age. D. The old patients' time in hospital is strictly limited. Answer: D The westerners have more vacation days than us. Some people like to stay at home during their vacation. They work in the garden, visit their friends, read books or watch television. Many families take their lunch to a park or somewhere far from the city. They like to eat under some trees or near a nice lake. If they live near the sea, they often go to the seaside. There they can fish, swim or enjoy the sun. The westerners like travelling. They think travelling and outdoor activities are the parts of their lives. They work hard to save money, but their main purpose is to travel. Most western students often make use of their vacation to camp. There are thousands of camp interesting bases in western countries. They can swim, go fishing, attend lectures, and take part in many other recreational activities there. It can help them wrest from the secrets of nature, train their viability , and teach them how to be self-reliant . _ is very important for the westerners. A. Working hard B. Travelling C. Saving money D. Going camping Answer: B
No matter where the dads and their children go, that location immediately becomes a tourist destination. This has become a pattern for Hunan TV's reality show Where Are We Going, Dad? And last week the show was heading overseas for a special international episode. The entry has taken place in New Zealand, which was expected to become a popular travel destination for Chinese fans of the show. If you don't know much about New Zealand but would like to explore it, check out our travel guide to see what kinds of activities might interest you. Nature and wildlife encounter New Zealand was the last country on Earth to be settled by humans. As such, it's a paradise for exotic birds. You're also able to watch dolphins and whales on boat tours. Possible itinerary 1.Auckland: fly in and visit Tiritiri Matangi conservation project (bellbirds spotting); 2.Waipoua Forest: huge kauri trees; 3.Kaikoura: whale watching by boat or air seal watching, hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, join a dolphin encounter tour; 4.Wellington (Matiu/Somes Island): red-crowned parakeet, blue penguins, weta, skinks and tuatara; 5.Stewart Island: kiwi bird spotting; 6.Te Anau: takahe and kea; 7. Queenstown: fly to Auckland and finally _ 43 _ . Landscape lover Landscape lovers may have heard that New Zealand is brimming with natural wonders like active volcanoes , snowy mountaintops, glaciers perched near beaches and caves infested with glowworms. Indeed, you can't see many of these wonders anywhere else in the world. Possible itinerary 1.Auckland: fly in; 2.Whangamata: beach resorts and The Coromandel Forest Park (short walks, mountain bike trails); 3.Waitomo: underground caves and glowworm caverns; 4.Rotorua: geothermal areas; 5.Abel Tasman: golden sand beaches (taking water taxi, sea kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling); 6.Fox Glacier and Franz Josef: biggest glaciers in the country (hiking and guided glacier walks); 7.Queenstown: crystal clear Lake Wakatipu (bungee jumping, sky diving, horse trekking and cycling); 8. Milford Sound: fjord (boat cruises, sea kayaking, diving and flightseeing); 9.Christchurch: fly back. New Zealand is _ for Chinese fans after the show Where Are We Going, Dad? A. more beautiful B. more famous C. more popular D. cleaner Answer: C A study reported: using a computer at home may be bad for a child's performance in math, science and English. It can't improve them. Children are spending more time chatting , playing games or sending and they aren't doing their homework. Li Jun, Hunan Now more and more people are buying and selling things on the Internet. Hackers around the world are interested in this. They often break in your system, but it's very difficult to find them. They even can take your money out of the bank. Xiao Yu, Guangdong I'm a 14-year-old girl in Tibet. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway was built in 2006. I can reach Beijing by train in about 48 hours. I can often go to visit my grandpa. Joma, Tibet I'm 13 years old. I want to invent a machine. My machine will _ the earthquake better and make people run to safe places. Lin Yan, Sichuan What do Hackers always do according to Xiao Yu? A. They sell things on the Internet. B. They break in others' system to get money or other things they want. C. They buy things on the Internet. D. They protect the Internet. Answer: B What would you do if you were a fifth grader facing a huge homework load every night, and you found out that there was a machine that would do all the work for you? That's the situation presented to Sam, Kelsey, Judy and Brenton in Dan Gutman's entertaining new book for young readers, The Home Machine. The four children, all fifth graders in Miss Rasmussen's Grand Canyon School, are as different as any other 11-year-old child could be, but they have one thing in common -- all are somewhat separated from their classmates. Sam is a newcomer and has had his share of school trouble before; Kelsey quietly carries her pain at losing her father; Judy's sense of justice always annoys others; Brenton is the smartest child in the school, so smart that even his parents and teachers have trouble keeping up with him. When Brenton and his three classmates are put into the same study group by their teacher, the others discover that Brenton has made a time-saving gadget to do homework for him. While the boy is perfectly able to do his homework himself, Sam, Kelsey and Judy can use the help. Having perfect grades is something new for these three, and as they meet every day to "do homework", they find that they're learning a lot about each other. Such a good thing can't last though, and when a secret man starts trying to get in touch with them, they begin to get nervous. Soon there's an even more frightening problem -- why can't the Homework Machine be turned off? Told in different voices as all the children make statements to the Grand Canyon Police, the story develops in an interesting fashion. Gutman is a gifted writer who has written dozens of children's books, each with a funny and impressing table that should be equally liked by boys and girls. This passage most probably comes from _ . A. a student's diary B. a book review C. a school report D. a science story Answer: B Some people don't mind being fat. Other people can keep slim( ) without any effort. But a lot of people do put on too much weight and don't like it. The question is : what can they do about it? Some believe exercise can be helpful. But the trouble is that it only makes you want to eat more. You might sweat out a couple of pounds playing tennis or climbing a mountain, but you put it all back on again with a big steak or bread and jam. A helpful way is food - choosing. But what sort of food should you choose? Some believe that the less they eat, the slimmer they will be. They don' t eat anything until they become weak with hunger. Some stick to milk and bananas. You' 11 find you need a lot of bananas, and unless you live where they grow, they aren't cheap. Another theory says that if you eat things like hard - boiled eggs, apples with their skins on, and lean meat which are hard for your stomach to digest, the more you eat, the thinner you get. This is because you use up the fat in your body to get the energy to digest the food. For most of us these methods are too extreme . The simplest way is just to cut down on the carbohydrates; that means not eating bread, potatoes, cakes, sugar, rice , and so on and eating anything else you like. It' s straight -- forward and often quite effective. Still others like to be more scientific. They are calorie counters. They get a table which tells them that, for example, 100 grams of roast leg of lamb give you 330 calories and a 50 gram of Yorkshire pudding gives you 130 calories. A calorie is a unit of _ . A. weight B. power C. electricity D. heat Answer: D My Favorite Sweater by Bonnie Highswith Taylor My favorite sweater grew too small. I love that sweater best of all. My grandma made it when I was three. She made that sweater just for me. I picked the yarn , a special blue. The color of bluebells, wet with dew . When I was three I was very small. But now I'm five and much too tall. I have a new jacket now that's green. So I gave my sweater to our cat Queen. Queen just had kittens out in the shed . My favorite sweater is now their bed. Who is the writer of the poem? A. The grandma. B. Miss Taylor. C. Mrs. Taylor. D. Queen Answer: B
Question: Over the years, Americans have become used to salt. Most people have no idea how much salt they consume --on average, about 9 to 12 gram per person per day, according to the American Heart Association. That's twice the amount recommended by the government. A new study last week showed eating even a little less salt could greatly help the heart. The scientists said the results would be thirteen percent fewer heart attacks, eight percent fewer strokes , four percent fewer deaths and eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. Researchers also found that the benefits would be greatest for African Americans and women. As a group, African Americans tend to have higher blood pressure than the general population, and "many studies suggest that they may be more sensitive to salt," says Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Her analysis found that a reduction of 3 gram of salt per day would reduce heart attacks 8% on average; among African Americans, that rate would drop 10%. A similar result was found in women, whose stroke risk dropped 8% with a 3-g reduction in salt intake; in men, the risk fell 5%. They and public health professionals in the United States are interested in a national campaign to persuade people to eat less salt. However, other scientists say such a campaign is an experiment with the health of millions of people. Michael Alderman, a high blood pressure expert and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, says that eating less salt results in lower blood pressure. But he says studies have not clearly shown that lowering salt means fewer heart attacks or strokes. "Salt has other biological effects. Calling for reductions in the national diet could have good effects, as well as harmful results. There is not enough evidence either way." The author's attitude toward the study is _ . A. cold B. subjective C. objective D. doubtful Answer: C. objective Question: Who says that skirts are only for girls? Men can also wear them. Scotchmen have worn them for many years. They call their skirts kilts. A kilt is a colored skirt. It reaches down to the knee . It has different colored checks on it, like red or blue. Some families in Scotland have their own colors and designs. From the kind of kilt they wear you can tell which group they come from. The kilt goes back to the 1720s. Scottish soldiers used to wear them. Later, many Scottish men wore them. Today the kilt is not much seen in Scotland. However, in some parts of the country you can still see some older men wearing kilts. Most Scotchman see the kilt as formal dress for national celebrations, marriages or big dinners. Even kilt makers have moved with the times. Some modern designs have a pocket for a mobile phone. , . Which of the following statements isTRUE? A. Today the kilt is never seen in Scotland. B. Today more young men like to wear kilts. C. Today Scotchmen may dress in kilts for formal occasions. D. Today we can use kilts to call somebody. Answer: C. Today Scotchmen may dress in kilts for formal occasions. Question: Thousands of people have been killed in a massive earthquake in Japan. The quake -- the most powerful to hit Japan in more than 100 years -- caused massive _ and many people are missing and feared dead. The 8.9 magnitude quake struck Friday(March 11) off Japan's eastern coast, and prompted tsunami warnings across the Pacific as far away as South America and the U.S. West Coast. Several days after a 8.9-magnitude earthquake and resulting 10-meter-high tsunami devastated the coastline. The United States Geological Survey says it was the fifth largest earthquake since 1900. The largest, with a 9.5 magnitude, shook Chile in 1960. In Japan, the tsunami swept away boats, cars and hundreds of houses in coastal areas north of Tokyo. The quake shook buildings in the Japanese capital and caused several fires. All train and subway traffic in Tokyo has been stopped, and thousands of people there were unable to get back home. People are just trying to find clean water. Food supplies are running out. In the convenience stores, there are no rice balls left. There is no bottled water left. People are facing a really serious situation in the days ahead for these people that are living in areas that were only moderately damaged. The final death toll could range from the thousands to tens of thousands, depending on how many of these communities are gone. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the government would do everything it can to minimize the effects of the disaster. And in Washington, President Obama said the United States is ready to help the people of Japan. The underline word damage means _ in the article. A. illness B. disaster C. terror D. danger Answer: B. disaster Question: Despite organized anti-bottled-water campaigns across the country and a noisy debate about bottled water's environmental effect, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other Americans choose to buy or do? If they want to buy bottled water, let them. If they want to eat fast food, let them. If they want to smoke pot, let them. ----Barackalypse People just get tired of paying for others' bad behavior. If many people eat too much fast food, you pay higher insurance bill. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly. It's about personal responsibility, which really should be a basis of our society. ----Bdbr So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a little money? What would you say when someone do the same to you? ----Norman619 I'm just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome. ----Yoyo What a waste of money. It's fine when you're on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy. ----Agmlauncher I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the trade-off? Hope we can find better ways. ----Skipweis According to the text, Agmlauncher is _ bottled water. A. strongly for B. extremely against C. partly supportive of D. not concerned with Answer: C. partly supportive of Question: Phones make our lives easier. Usually they are a convenient type of technology to have around because they can help us communicate with all types of people for any reason whatsoever. As long as somebody else has a phone, you can contact them. This means you can keep in touch with friends and family, contact businesses, and generally communicate with people no matter where they are. Sometimes, however, phones can cause problems or be an annoyance. One phenomenon that is dreaded in the United States is telemarketing. Telemarketers call your phone in order to try and convince you to buy their products. They often start the conversation with a friendly voice or tone to try and convince you they can be trusted. Once most people realize they are talking to a telemarketer, they will end the conversation as quickly as possible. Some will be polite and make up an excuse to end the conversation. Others are less tactful and criticize the telemarketer, yell at them, or simply hang up the phone. Although most people don't buy things from telemarketers, a few people do, so telemarketers keep on calling. If you have a phone in America you most likely have received a call from a telemarketer. To avoid telemarketers some people buy new technology. "Caller ID" allows you to see the number that is calling your phone before you answer. If you do not recognize the name and number of a caller you can simply ignore the call. Unfortunately there usually is no way to tell if an unknown number is somebody important, but unknown, or a telemarketer. Even though technology can help some people eschew annoying telemarketers, they can't be avoided altogether. How do most people react when they realize they are talking to a telemarketer? A. They hang up the phone without saying another word. B. They hang up the phone as soon as possible. C. They are very polite and thank the telemarketer. D. They are first polite, then rude to the telemarketer. Answer: B. They hang up the phone as soon as possible.
Once there lived a lion in the big mountain.He was very big and strong.He often ate the other animals.Every day he went out to look for food.The small animals in the mountain were all afraid of him.Near the mountain there were four bulls .They are friends, and they often worked and played together.The tiger tried many times to catch them, but he could not do so.Every time he came near, the four bulls stood together to fight him.So he could do nothing to them. One day, the four bulls had a quarrel .After that each of them went his own way.When the lion saw this, he was happy.He caught one bull and ate him up .Then he caught another.One by one he caught all the four bulls and ate them up. The four bulls went their own way because _ . Chilean miner Edison Pena plans to run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, less than a month after he was rescued from a collapsed mine that trapped him for 69 days. Pena ran 10 km daily through the mine's tunnels to beat the anxiety, wearing cut-down boots until rescuers sent him a pair of sports shoes through a narrow hole that served as the miners' "lifeline" to the surface. "When I ran in the darkness, I was running for life," Pena told a news conference in New York. "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live." The New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, had invited Pena to be a guest at Sunday's race, but he said last week he did not want to watch, he wanted to run. "I was very eager to take on this big challenge," he said. "I wanted to show the world I could run." He hoped to run the 26.2-mile race in about six hours. "I have a knee injury, but I am eager to cross the finish line," he said. Last year, Meb Keflezighi won the men's marathon in two hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds. An Elvis Presley fan who asked rescuers to send the singer's music down into the mine, Pena broke into song at the news conference with the Presley hit Return to Sender. The miners werediscovered alive on August 22--17 days after the mine collapsed, but it took two months for rescuers to dig a hole big enough to bring them out. When trapped underground, Pena ran a long way every day to _ . Thank you for choosing Yale University housing. The following information should answer questions you may have about housing services. Housing office There is a housing office in the New Residence Hall and is open seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., for check-in and check-out. You can call the assistants there for any questions about housing. Telephone: 436-4119. Or if you are moving in, you can call Housekeeping at 436-4108 and ask to have your rooms cleaned. Common Room and Meeting Rooms The building has a common room (BO77) for the use of guests for studying and gathering. Do not leave personal things in the common room. Close any windows you open when you leave the room. The meeting rooms 223 (for 10 people) and 323 (for 18 people) each have a television and a VCR. You don't need to reserve the common room and for reservation of meeting rooms, please call the Housing Office. Computer Rooms There are two computer rooms (221 &421) in the building. They offer Macintoshes, Windows computers, and printing to guests. These computers are maintained by Yale University's Computing Assistants (www.yale.edu/cas Tel:436-5990). If you have any problems, for example, if there's no printer paper, please report it to the housing office. Telephone Service Each room is equipped with a telephone. Your telephone number is 436-4 followed by your room number (for example, Room 112, tel.436-4112). To call a university number, press the last five numbers only. To make a call outside the university, press 9 first and then the number. If you can't find any printer paper in the computer room, which number should you dial? This boy is Peter Brown . His first name is Peter . His last name is Brown . He is in No.3 Middle School . His school ID card number is 279-4856 . His English teacher is Miss White . Miss White is a good teacher . Jack is his good friend at school . They are in the same school and the same grade . Mrs. Green is Jack's mother . She is an English teacher , too . She is in this school , too . But Peter does not know it . Mrs. Green and Jack are _ . One day in 1965,when I worked at View Ridge School in Seattle,a fourthgrade teacher approached me.She had a student who finished his work before all the others and needed a challenge."Could he help in the library?" she asked.I said, "Send him along." Soon a slight,sandyhaired boy in jeans and a Tshirt appeared."Do you have a job for me?" he asked. I told him about the Dewey Decimal System for shelving books.He picked up the idea immediately.Then I showed him a stack of cards for longoverdue books that I was beginning to think had actually been returned but were misshelved with the wrong cards in them.He said,"Is it kind of a detective job?" I answered yes,and he became working. He had found three books with wrong cards by the time his teacher opened the door and announced,"Time for break!"He argued for finishing the finding job;she made the case for fresh air.She won. The next morning,he arrived early."I want to finish these books,"he said.At the end of the day,when he asked to be a librarian on a regular basis,it was easy to say yes.He worked untiringly. After a few weeks I found a note on my desk,inviting me to dinner at the boy's home.At the end of a pleasant evening,his mother announced that the family would be moving to a neighbouring school district.Her son's first concern,she said,was leaving the View Ridge library."Who will find the lost books?" he asked. When the time came,I said an unwilling goodbye.I missed him,but not for long.A few days later he came back and joyfully announced,"The librarian over there doesn't let boys work in the library.My mother got me transferred back to View Ridge.My dad will drop me off on his way to work.And if he can't,I'll walk!" I should have had an idea such focused determination would take that young man wherever he wanted to go.What I could not have guessed,however,was that he would become a genius of the Information Age:Bill Gates,tycoon of Microsoft and America's richest man. What was the boy told to do on his first day in the library?
Scientists are closely concerned with the structure of buildings and with the quality of building materials. The World health Organization (WHO) observes that the introduction of air conditioning and energy conservation measures have been accompanied by growing problems of indoor air quality. Some pollutants arise from insulation products, some from moving cars, and others from modern housing materials. As many Europeans spend up to 90% of their lives in buildings, the health effects of the indoor climate are very important. Some construction materials, including fiberboard, insulation foams and certain glues for man-made wood floor boards, for example, give out organic products such as formaldehyde . Heat and humidity increase the release of formaldehyde and the gas seriously harms the eyes. Paint, lacquer, etc. can also release dangerous gas into indoor air. Construction materials can cause serious damage, especially when they contain asbestos . Asbestos is naturally present in rock formations worldwide. It belongs to a family of mineral substances made up of solid, non-combustible fiber. These properties make asbestos a highly sought-after construction material. As early as 1931, however, public health officers in the prefix = st1 /United Kingdomrevealed the connection between breathing in asbestos dust and such diseases as lung cancer. The land on which a building is sited may also contribute to pollution. Some kinds of granite or similar rocks contain traces of radium. As it breaks down, this naturally radioactive element produces some kind of radioactive gas that goes through tiny cracks in walls, floors and building materials, and makes its way into the building and the rooms. The better the homes are insulated, the more is the dangerous gas in indoor air. The main effect of this dangerous gas on health is to increase the risk of lung cancer. Why should we be careful about the land on which a building is to be sited? A. To determine whether the land is firm enough for a building to be sited on. B. To make sure that the land contains no radioactive material. C. To make certain that the land releases no formaldehyde or other gases. D. To check whether it contains any combustible materials. Answer: B Do your kids ask a lot of questions? If they do, that's great. Because that's how children learn. Some of these questions may be easy to answer. Others may be hard. And they want to get the right answers. Do your kids ask such questions? Why is the sky blue? Why is the sunset red? Why are leaves green? Why do leaves change color in autumn? How do airplanes fly? Can you answer these questions? If not, don't worry. Though Science Made Simple can't help with all of life's important questions, it can help with those. In this fast changing world, the more your children know about science, the better. Get the help you need now, and every month you can get Science Made Simple online for only $11.95 for 10 issues . Click here: questions @sciencemadesimple. Com for more information. Remember, if you are not happy with your first issue, we will give back all your money. What do we know about the kids who like asking questions? A. They're clever but lazy. B. They often ask easy questions. C. They are good at subjects. D. They want to get right answers. Answer: D Which of the following is an observation about grasshoppers that a science class could have made on their nature walk? A. The grasshoppers will live longest in a container filled with plants. B. The grasshoppers are green with long back legs and antennae. C. The grasshoppers will probably eat more grass than tree leaves. D. The grasshoppers all hatched from eggs laid the year before. Answer: B As Rosalie Warren stood at the mailbox in the lobby of her apartment building in May 1980, she shared the anxiety of many other college seniors. In her hand was an envelope containing her final grades. As she nervously opened it, Warren wondered whether her hundreds of hours of studying had paid off. They had. "I got five 'A's," she still recalls with elation. "I almost fell on the floor!" Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a bachelor of science degree in philosophy and history at age 80.Three years later, at age 83, she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master's in education. Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning. "That's what I love." Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family's 10 children. Warren describes herself as a "person who always liked school," and she says the move "broke my heart completely because I couldn't finish high school." In the end, however, "I went to school nights," she recalls. "Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there." A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold. Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures. Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire "to be in the academic field" continued. In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see "things you never see in the West End." When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology And Chinese history. free program for senior citizens." I was at the registrar's office the very next day."she recalls. At first ,she took one or two courses at a time , but encouraged by her professors , she enrolled as a In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University's tuition- degree candidate. "I had not studied for so many years," she says, "but I was determined." For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a "student of philosophy," worked toward her degree. Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is "an interesting role model for our younger students---that learning is a lifetime activity....She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates her activities and is contagious to students and faculty." What does the word elation mean in the sentence "I got fives 'A's", she still recalls with elation"? A. Great happiness B. Great surprise C. Great pride D. Great honor Answer: A Loomis, the owner and operator of a small business, encourages "wellness" on the part of his employees and supports various physicalfitness programs to that end. Learning that one of his employees, Graceful, was a dedicated jogger, Loomis promised to pay her a special award of $100 if she could and would run one mile in less than six minutes on the following Saturday. Graceful thanked him, and did in fact run a mile in less than six minutes on the day specified. Shortly thereafter, however, Loomis discovered that for more than a year Graceful had been running at least one mile in less than six minutes every day as a part of her personal fitness program. He refused to pay the $100. In an action by Graceful against Loomis for breach of contract, which of the following best summarizes the probable decision of the court? A. Loomis wins, because it is a compelling inference that Loomis's promise did not induce Graceful to run the specified mile. B. Loomis wins, because Graceful's running of the specified mile was beneficial, not detrimental, to her in any event. C. Graceful wins, because running a mile in less than six minutes is a significantly demanding enterprise. D. Graceful wins, because she ran the specified mile as requested, and her motives for doing so are irrelevant. Answer: D
"Please read this," my three-year-old Claire said one day, pointing to a page with an old children's song: "Do you know how to plant cabbages". In blue ink, someone had crossed out cabbages and written "Watermelons!" "Daddy! Did you do that?" Claire asked, looking up with an expression of shock. We had only recently asked her not to write in books, and suddenly here was proof that her parents weren't practicing what they asked. I told her it was written by my grandfather and sat down to tell the story. I grew up on Granddad's farm in Nebraska, America. One afternoon, I decided to plant some watermelons. "Hmm, there's a crop I haven't tried!" Granddad smiled. "Let's do it now!" With Granddad's help I planted the seeds. The next morning, I found a big watermelon there. I knew it was Granddad that put a watermelon there and I thought he had played a joke on me. Later that month, Granddad gave me a book. "For school," he said seriously. I opened it to where he'd written "Watermelons!" and laughed at another of his jokes. Claire listened quietly to the story and asked to plant seeds too, so I took her to buy some seeds. On the walk home, I realized for the first time that Granddad could have met my childish enthusiasm with some disappointing facts such as that watermelons don't grow well in Nebraska or that it was too late to plant them anyway. But instead of doing that, he had stolen back into town that afternoon and bought the biggest melon on the market. That night, after I was asleep, he had awkwardly unloaded it and, with a painful bend, placed it exactly above my seeds. He made sure I experienced the "wow." I had always thought the midnight miracle was just one of Granddad's jokes. Now I realized he had planted hope that day. As Claire planted the seeds happily, I watched my grandfather's joy take fresh root in her life. And that was the biggest miracle of all. Which of the following best describes Granddad? A Talented and reliable. B Generous and patient. C Determined and happy. D Caring and humorous. Answer: D America was faced with one of its worst ever mass shootings on Friday when 20 children and six adults were shot dead by a gunman who opened fire at an elementary school in Connecticut. The gunshot atSandy Hook element school in Newtown, about 65 miles north-east.of New York, is understood to have been carried out by a gunman who was later found dead at the scene. State policeman Paul Vance said 18 children died at the scene and two more died ,n hospital.Six adults were found dead at the school, Vance said.The bodies of the victims remain inside the school. In an emotional press conference at the White House, Barack Obama suggested that he may take action.Fighting back tears, he said: "We've tolemted too many of these tragedies in the past few years.And each time I learn the news I react no.as a president, but as anybody else would - as a panent.And that was especially true today.I know there's not a parent in America who isn't in the same overwhelming sorrow that I am," Referring to a number of major shootings this year alone, Obama continued "Whether it's an elemental school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon , a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Auron, or a street comer in Chicago - these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.And we-,, going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regariless of the politics." From the speech, we can infer that Obama is _ . A serious and supportive B sad and determined C delighted and satisfied D confused and worried Answer: B In December 2008, Caroline Kennedy -- daughter of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy--sat down, as a frontrunner for the Senate seat in New York, for a televised interview that helped decide the future of her campaign. The result was a disaster. Her performance wasn't well received, in part because her speech was full of filler words--"ums," "ahs" and "you knows." One listener counted 27 "ums" and 38 "you knows" in the space of five minutes. A few weeks after the interview, Kennedy ended her Senate campaign. Filler words may seem natural in everyday speech, but they can be deadly in formal presentations. "Using excessive fillers is the most annoying speech habit," said Susan Ward, a speech specialist. "They take your listener's attention away often to the point that he doesn't hear anything you say. Your message is entirely lost." Many speakers are afraid of pause. They believe their audience will think they are inarticulate if they pause to think of what to say next, so they use filler words to avoid the silence. However, a pause is actually more impressive than a filler word. Listeners know that the speaker is thinking, trying to find the right word. Sometimes a pause can actually improve a speech, as when an actor uses a dramatic pause to hold the attention of his audience. A speaker shouldn't be afraid to pause occasionally during a speech; it shows self-confidence. It takes some work to cut out filler words. You can begin by taking a few seconds to think about what you want to say the next time you are asked a question. This pause will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word. The same public speaking technique applies when you are shifting from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to allow yourself to pause and think about what you want to say next. If you need help overcoming your "um" problem, consider asking a family member or a friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could record an upcoming presentation and then watch yourself in action. You may be amazed at how often you say "um" or "uh"! Although we live in a fast-paced society that seemingly demands instant answers, we must use the pause to our advantage. Finally, we should only speak when we are ready. The reason why filler words are considered annoying by speech specialist is that _ . A they prevent the listener from focusing on what the speaker is saying. B they convey the speaker's superiority to the listener. C they mean the speaker is not articulate at all. D they make the speaker appear self-confident. Answer: A With more and more cars on the road, traffic jams are really a problem. Traffic jams can lead to increased accidents as there are more cars, with more people trying to get to their destination, all the while getting worse. Although it's impossible to avoid traffic jams altogether, there are some tips you can follow to reduce the amount of time on the road. Check for traffic jams before you leave. You can listen to the radio for traffic news, or check on the Internet to get up-to-minute information on traffic. If the way you want to take is heavy with traffic, you can choose another. Look for a different road all the time. Most traffic jams happen on busy roads. Using country roads could see you avoiding a lot of traffic. Although the distance you may have to travel is further, it can work out quicker. Set your car radio to receive traffic news. Many new car stereo systems are equipped with a radio system by which you can hear the traffic channel. This way you can get the latest traffic information and change your journey if necessary. Try traveling at different time. Most traffic jams usually happen during rush hour, so try to avoid this time period if possible. Some jobs offer flexible working hours so that you can travel to work outside of rush hour. Some jobs even allow you to work at home so as to avoid moving altogether. Ask your manager to see what you can do if traffic is a problem for you. Use public transportation where available. The easiest way to avoid traffic jams is to take buses or the underground instead of driving your own car. Not only will you avoid traffic jams but you will most likely be saving money as the cost rises. According to the author, we should use public transport because _ . A it is cheaper and can avoid traffic jams B it is useful to us C it is environmentally-friendly D it is completely free from traffic jams Answer: A Norway -- Ten Chinese college students arrived at the country's Arctic research base, the Yellow River Station, on Friday. On Saturday, the students are expected to witness the end of four months of darkness in the area, as the sun makes a rare appearance. During their four-day stay at the station, the students will meet and learn from some of China's leading polar researchers. They were welcomed at the station yesterday by its director, He Jianfeng, who is an expert on marine micro-ecosystems. The students will also visit the German and Norwegian stations and meet researchers there. As for entertainment, the visitors will get the chance to play ice hockey at the world's most northerly stadium. Among the visitors is Zheng Li, a student majoring in telecommunications at Dalian Marinetime University. "It is so exciting to see how the Chinese researchers work in the world's most northerly laboratory," she said. "This opportunity is precious. Most people will never get the chance to travel so far from home and visit such an amazing place. _ Wu Jinyou, head of the Polar Research Institute of China, and the group's leader, said, "I hope the students have not only a field trip to the Yellow River station, but are also touched by the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers here. I also expect in the future, some of them will choose to devote themselves to polar research and maybe even work with us." The students have been in Norway since February 28, and were given Arctic training before moving to the station. The Arctic expedition is one of the several international cooperation and exchange activities forming the China Program for International Polar Year (2007- 2008). It was launched last March. (China Daily, Xinhua News Agency, March 8, 2008) What does Zheng Li mean by saying "It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing."? A The trip to the research station is extremely exciting. B It's exciting to see the sun rise in Arctic area. C Playing ice hockey in Arctic area is really a life-long memory. D People are only allowed to visit the station once in their lifetime. Answer: A
I'm Alfred. I was born with a problem in my backbone and mobility was a big challenge for me, but thanks to my teachers and friends, my school life was excellent. My friends and I used to sit together and have lots of fun. Whenever we got a free period, we used to start shouting or play games. I took part in all competitions, such as poetry writing, story writing, painting and all activities on Teachers' Day or somebody's birthday and had much fun. My English teacher was very tall. The moment she entered the class, we would all sit quietly and open the books. She would encourage me by giving me important assignments and also morning news to read during the assembly. She would come down and listen to my English debate , which made me take part in all debate competitions. The same was true of my biology and science teacher. She was very nice and sweet. She would always give me extra information on the biology project. I could not go to the lab for experiments, so she would bring the lab down and help me with the biology and science experiments and would give me excellent marks. My friends made me monitor and the naughty boys listened to me. My friends used to help me with my notes when I was absent . My teachers always gave me important project work and I felt proud when they _ after I finished it quickly and correctly. I was never shouted at or made fun of or scolded by any of my friends and teachers. Today I often see the terrible punishments given to students on TVs. I feel very sad. I really want to express my love and thanks to all my wonderful teachers and friends, without them my school life would not have been so excellent and unforgettable. How many Alfred's teachers are mentioned in the passage? Answer: Two. My teenage son Karl became withdrawn 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. 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 a head teacher. " 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 head teacher seriously said, " Thank you for your time." * 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 took part in a parent-teacher meeting.I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turened himself around. On our way home, he said, " Mum, remember that call from the head teacher last year?" I nodded. "That was me. I thought I'd play a joke but 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." , . (5) From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: mother's love is important to teenagers'life Estuaries are called "the nurseries of the sea" because many species lay eggs and develop their young in estuaries. Which two features of estuaries support this role most? Answer: abundant shelter and concentrated nutrients Going to a friend's house is very exciting. You may spend time with a friend and get to see where he lives. So remember to be polite. When to arrive The first thing to remember is that when a friend invites you, you need to arrive on time. If your friend tells you to come "about 3:00", that means you can arrive before 3:05. But usually it is a good idea to arrive at the right time. What to bring Often it is also nice to bring something to your friend's house. This could be a box of chocolates for you two to share, or maybe a movie that you can watch together. You can also bring some flowers. A little gift is a nice way to show your friend that you are excited to be at his house. How to greet When you visit your friend's house, you may also meet his parents. You should tell them who you are and they may tell you their names. As a child, I went to visit my friend Paul. I called his parents by their first names John and Mary. But now I know it is more polite to call them Mr. or Mrs. Smith. This will show them more respect and then they may tell you to call them by their first names. Another way to show respect is to call them Madam or Sir. It is a cool thing to visit a friend's house. Be polite to your friend and your friend's parents, and you will be welcome again! The passage mainly tells us _ . Answer: how to be a good visitor Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month. Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital Johannesburg, was shot dead. www.zxxk.com "One of her business partners died later in the hospital," the Chinese consulate officials in Johannesburg said yesterday. "Local police are trying to find more information about the case. And we have told the victims' relatives and are helping them come to Johannesburg," Consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously, said Wu. The robbery happened at about 5:45 pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South African rand (US $8,200) and some jewelry, Xinhua News Agency reported. The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers. On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital. All these happened just in less than a month. According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africa last year, in which eight were killed. More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses in South Africa, according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targets of robbers after buying big houses or luxury cars, the official said. How many Chinese were killed in South Africa since January ? Answer: 4.
New York City consists of five parts: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. The population is about 7.5 million and there are 1.5 million in Manhattan alone. Manhattan, the center of the city, is on the island between the Hudson River and the East River. Most of the famous buildings such as the Empire State and the United Nations and other skyscrapers are in Manhattan. Some of its districts are: Broadway, which has many theatres and cinemas, Fifth Avenue, with stores and apartments, Greenwich Village, where many artists and writers have lived, and Central Park, with a skating rink . From Manhattan you have to cross to the other parts of New York City through a tunnel or over a bridge. The bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island is the longest in the world. New York is the second biggest port in the world and it has two airports. The people who live there come from all over the world and speak many different languages. There are 324,000 Germans and 390,000 Poles as well as people from Greece, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and Romania. People call one district "Little Italy" and another "China town". From the article we understand _ . A Staten Island and Brooklyn are separated by the sea B Staten Island and Brooklyn are one landmass C Manhattan and Queens are one landmass D Brooklyn and Queens are separated by the sea Answer: A. Staten Island and Brooklyn are separated by the sea There once was a girl named Erin who had a really close friend named Kevin. They really liked being with each other, only it was difficult as Erin lived in England and Kevin lived in the United States. Because they both liked traveling and Erin wanted to see Kevin, she planned a trip to see him in the United States one summer. They had planned to travel around where Kevin lived and then go to see New York City at one point in order to see the sights and have a really nice steak dinner together. Once Erin arrived and met Kevin at the airport, she ran up to him and jumped into his arms, giving him a great big hug. They drove home where Kevin helped Erin organize her things before they changed and watched a movie together. The next day, they went out to have breakfast at the diner. They thought about getting eggs, French toast, or cereal... but couldn't make up their minds. Finally, Kevin asked the worker to bring out pancakes for the two of them to share. They had a really fun time together, visiting the beach, watching movies, and even visiting New York City like they had planned. In the morning, they went to see the Empire State building. In the afternoon, they saw the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. At night, they went to have their dinner and went back to their hotel. As Erin's trip was ending, Erin became really sad about leaving Kevin. They talked and came up with a plan for the months ahead which made Erin feel a lot better. Erin then went home and waited for Kyle to come to see her. What did Kevin and Erin eat for breakfast when they went to the diner? A cereal B pancakes C eggs D oatmeal Answer: B. pancakes Hacking our senses to boost learning power Some schools are pumping music, noises and pleasant smells into the classroom to see if it improves exam results. Could it work? Why do songs stick in our heads? What does your school smell like? Is it noisy or peaceful? It might not seem important, but a growing body of research suggests that smells and sounds can have an impact on learning, performance and creativity. Indeed, some head teachers have recently taken to broadcasting noises and pumping smells into their schools to see whether it can boost grades. Is there anything in it? And if so, what are the implications for the way we work and study? There is certainly some well-established research to suggest that some noises can have a harmful effect on learning. Numerous studies over the past 15 years have found that children attending schools under the flight paths of large airports fall behind in their exam results. Bridget Shield, a professor of acoustics at London South Bank University, and Julie Dockrell, from the Institute of Education, have been conducting studies on the effects of all sorts of noises, such as traffic and sirens , as well as noise generated by the children themselves. When they recreated those particular sounds in an experimental setting while children completed various learning tasks, they found a significant negative effect on exam scores. "Everything points to a bad impact of the noise on children's performance, in numeracy, in literacy, and in spelling," says Shield. The noise seemed to have an especially harmful effect on children with special needs. Whether background sounds are beneficial or not seems to depend on what kind of noise it is -- and the volume. In a series of studies published last year, Ravi Mehta from the College of Business at Illinois and his colleagues tested people's creativity while exposed to a soundtrack made up of background noises -- such as coffee-shop chatter and construction-site drilling -- at different volumes. They found that people were more creative when the background noises were played at a medium level than when volume was low. Loud background noise, however, damaged their creativity. Many teachers all over the world already play music to students in class. Many are inspired by the belief that hearing music can boost IQ in later tasks, the so-called Mozart effect. While the evidence actually suggests it's hard to say classical music boosts brainpower, researchers do think pleasant sounds before a task can sometimes lift your mood and help you perform well, says Perham, who has done his own studies on the phenomenon. The key appears to be that you enjoy what you're hearing. "If you like the music or you like the sound -- even listening to a Stephen King novel -- then you do better. It doesn't matter about the music," he says. So, it seems that schools that choose to prevent disturbing noises and create positive soundscapes could enhance the learning of their students, so long as they make careful choices. Yet this isn't the only sense being used to affect learning. Special educational needs students at Sydenham high school in London are being encouraged to revise different subjects in the presence of different smells -- grapefruit scents for maths, lavender for French and spearmint for history. Which of the following is most likely to follow up the research findings? A Experts' research into other senses that can improve students' grades. B More successful examples of boosting learning power by using music. C Suggestions for pumping lots of pleasant smells into school campuses. D Debates on whether noises can really have positive effect on students' performance. Answer: A. Experts' research into other senses that can improve students' grades. On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens' 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. "I'm phoning to wish a happy Christmas," she said, "I love you." Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called "Alive and Well". The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home. Young people can phone "Alive and Well" and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home. Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through "Alive and Well" they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses. The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial 5675339 and stop a parent's worry: Is he dead or alive? What can we know about the Haydens' daughter from the passage? A She died six months ago. B She had a quarrel with her parents. C She worked in "Alive and Well". D She ran away from home half a year ago. Answer: D. She ran away from home half a year ago. Mr. Lewis was a dance teacher. He was a nice man and always had a lot of students. One year he moved to a new town, and was soon teaching many students in the dance school there, but he decided to move again to a big city. He would have more work there. When one of his students heard that he was going to leave, she said to him, "The new teacher won't be as good as you are." Mr. Lewis was happy when he heard this, but he said, "Oh no. I'm sure he'll be as good as I am ---- or even better." The student said, "No. Five teachers have come and gone while I've been here, and each new one was worse than the last." Mr. Lewis wanted to move to a big city because _ A he hated the small town B he couldn't make a living in the small town C it would be easy for him to have more work in the city D it made him spend more money in the town Answer: C. it would be easy for him to have more work in the city
When I was young, my father used to grow carnations -- a kind of flower that was red, pink or white. He took care of them with much love and devotion. Every day he came home from work, he would enjoy watching them. And he used to tell us, "No one should touch my flowers." One day, my younger sister Clemence, who loved dad very much, wanted to help him. So she cut the carnation from their stems one by one and arranged them on the ground. She believed that dad would be very happy to see them that way. When mom and I realized what my sister had done, we became completely silent. However, my sister didn't know why no one showed her any appreciation . When dad arrived, he went as usual straight to watch the flowers. Seeing his flowers lying on the ground like dead animals, he was shocked at first. He looked towards the street to see if it was any of the neighbors' children who could have done it. Then he looked at mom in silence. Finally mom, who always taught us to tell the truth no matter what, said, "No bad neighbors did this great job, only your lovely daughter Clemence." Dad's face changed into a smile and then he said, "Do I have better flower than my lovely daughter?" My younger sister smiled and hugged dad strongly. ,. What is NOT a color of carnations? Answer: Black Many people go to school for a good education. They learn languages ,history, maths and other subjects. School education is very important and useful, yet no one can learn everything from school. No matter how much a teacher knows, he can't teach his students everything they want to know. His work is to show his students how to learn.He teaches them how to read and how to think. So, much more is to be learned outside school by the students themselves. It is always more important to know how to study by oneself. It is quite easy to learn something in language or formula ( )in maths, but it is difficult to use a formula to find the answer to a maths problem. Great inventors do not get everything from school, but they can invent many things and change the world a lot. Though Thomas Edison invented many things, he didn't have much school education. How do they do all this ? A lot of things are not taught in the classroom. They get knowledge( ) from books outside school. They work hard all their lives, and the most important thing is that they know how to use their heads. Why do many people go to school? _ Answer: to get a good education Despite the burning heat, the summer holidays are drawing to a close. After a period of pleasant relaxation, spending time with friends and family, our thoughts now turn towards the new school term. This can be an exciting time, filled with new opportunities, ambitions and challenges. Such new challenges can be frightening as we face unfamiliar situations, people and places. Many of you will be facing a new term in a higher grade. This may well mean a greater workload and more exam pressure. Maybe you are starting a new school and are worried about how to make new friends. Whichever new situation you face, there is no shame in admitting you are worried or concerned. The fact that you are older and are facing more challenges does not mean that you have to deal with your problems alone. No matter how old we are, all of us need help sometimes, and admitting to weakness can be one of our greatest strengths. How else can we get the help we need to face our problems with confidence? Also, this can be a good way to connect with new people in a similar situation. On the first day of a new term or at a new school, everyone will be nervous and uncertain. Admitting to _ makes us seem much more human. After all, would you really want to be friends with someone who believes that they know everything and claims to never be afraid? Whatever your new situation is at the beginning of this new term, relax, and remember that every student you come across is just as nervous as you are. Share what you believe to be your weaknesses and see just how strong you really are. Which of the following is true according to the writer? Answer: Sharing your weaknesses with others will make you strong. Guan Moye, better known as Mo Yan, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. He has been referred to by Donald Morrison of U.S. news magazine, TIME, as "one of the most famous and widely pirated of all Chinese writers". He is best known to Western readers for Red Sorghum Clan , which was later adapted for the film, Red Sorghum. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Mo Yan was born in Gaomi County, Shandong Province. He was 11 years old when the Cultural Revolution started, at which time he left school to work as a farmer. At the age of 18, he began to work at a factory. During this period, his access to literature was largely limited to novels. At the close of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Mo joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and began writing. During this period, the works of Chinese literature, as well as translations of foreign authors such as William Faulkner, made an impact on his works. In 1984, he received a literary award from the PLA Magazine, and at the same year he began attending the Military Art Academy, where he first used the pen name of Mo Yan. "Mo Yan" means "don't speak" in Chinese. He explained that the name came from a warning from his father and mother about not saying what he thought when he was outside. It also related to the subject matter of his writings. Mo's first novel was Falling Rain on a Spring Night, published in 1981. Several of his novels were translated into English by Howard Goldblatt, professor of East Asian languages and literature, at the University of Notre Dame. He published his first novella , A Transparent Radish, in 1984, and released Red Sorghum Clan in 1986, making him a nationally recognized novelist. Five years later, he obtained a Master's degree in literature from Beijing Normal University. When Mo was eighteen, _ . Answer: he became a worker at a factory Every country has its own way of cooking.Ameri can people have their own way of cooking,don't they?Most people in the United states like fast food,but if you think that American people don't 1 ike cooking,you are wrong.It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch,but they also think cooking is interesting.Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook,and most Americans say that home--cooked meals are the best. Americans have their own way of cooking.For example,baking is the most popular way of cooking in America.Most American families have ovens .American cooks pay attention to the balance of food.When planning a big meal,they try to cook meat,a few vegetab]es,some bread and sweet food.They also like to make the meal look beautiful.There are so many kinds of colorful foods,so the meal is healthy and look beautiful,too. Which is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: The meal looks beautiful because the foods are in different colors.
Question: The aims of the Illustrators Exhibition,staged as part of the Bologna Children's Book Fair,organized by BolognaFiere and held from 19 to 22.March 2012,are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers. QUALIFICATIONS Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December l994,whose artwork is intended for use in children's books,are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools. Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Non-fiction Category.Illustrators may only enter one category. Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered. The confirmation form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 26 September 2011. SHIPMENT Entries may be delivered by post,express delivery service or by hand.From abroad,please use the following forms:Form "A" for registered mail or post by air;Form "B" if using an international forwarding agent or airline. To avoid deiays, material should not be sent by normal post.Material should be sent "carriage paid",including any customs and delivery costs. BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork.All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number,publisher's name and address. REQUIREMENTS The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed the following dimensions: Fiction:3242cm(or 4232cm) Non-fiction:5070cm(7050cm) Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered,nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere.The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board,maximum thickness 2mm(for scanner separation purposes). SELECTIONPROCESS All artwork received by the stated deadtine and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group(whose decision is final),inclnding five members(from publishing houses and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere. ANNUAL Each illustrator selected by the Committee will be granted two pages in the Annual,for the reproduction of all or some of the illustrations as well as a space for the bibliography . BotognaFiere has the fight to choose the works to be published in the Annual and to make complete or partial reproductions. EXHIBITIONS ABROAD After the Bologna event,the illustrator Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY.The illustrator exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries,The Exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the illustrator Exhibition,and the provision of the regulations are extended to tile organizers of the exhibitions held abroad. RETURN OF ARTWORK All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere by the end of July 2012. What is BolognaFiere responsible for? A. Paying for the delivery costs. B. Late arrival of artwork. C. Confirmation of the ISBN number. D. Returning the illustrator's works. Answer: D. Returning the illustrator's works. Question: Alice always wanted to be a singer. Music was the most important thing in her life, but to tell you the truth, she took lessons for years, practiced every day, but in spite of all this, her voice didn't improve. Honestly, it didn't get better, it just got louder. Her teacher finally gave up and stopped the lessons, but Alice refused to quit , and one day she decided to give a concert and invited her mere teacher to attend. The teacher was very worried about what to say after the performance. She knew it would be terrible and it was. She didn't want to tell a lie, but she didn't want to hurt Alice's feelings either. Finally, she got an idea and went backstage to greet her former pupil. "Well," said Alice, "what did you think of my performance?" "My dear," said the teacher, "you'll never be better than you were tonight." What made Alice decide to give a concert? A. She wanted to prove that her teacher was wrong. B. She wanted to please her teacher. C. She was sure that she could sing beautifully. D. Somebody else wanted her to do so. Answer: A. She wanted to prove that her teacher was wrong. Question: Over the next 20 to 50 years, it will become harder to tell the difference between the human and the machine. All body parts will be replaceable. A computer will function like the human brain with the ability to recognize feelings and respond with emotions. They can then make fake people. We will then be able to create a machine duplicate of ourselves so we will appear to be alive long after we are dead. Maybe a few decades later, a way will be found to transfer our spirit to the new body. Then we can choose to live for as long as we want. Once one of you is duplicated, you will just have to press Ctrl + D and you will have two of you. If you want 500, select 500. Naturally, when duplicates are running around all over the place, there will be a food problem. The most practical choice would be garbage. Your modified duplicate will be made to eat garbage like a goat. But don't worry. Their taste buds and sense of smell will be changed so they will really enjoy it. They will want to eat lots of garbage. When it becomes possible to do a spirit transfer, you will be able to live within whichever duplicate you want, whenever you want and as long as you want. Just imagine what it would be like when you are with so many duplicates of yourself. You will be very busy enjoying many things. One duplicate of yourself is in the middle of doing a jigsaw puzzle and another duplicate has almost completed another puzzle. When you become tired of the joy of puzzles, "you" jump to the duplicate that is eating garbage, then to the one that is playing in a rock concert, then to the one that is scoring the winning goal. You will be so busy enjoying so many things that it could drive you crazy. When it is predicted that things will be better in the future, it doesn't necessarily mean that things will be easier! When you press Ctrl + D, you_. A. mean you hasn't got ready B. will get lots of garbage C. will get another "you" at once D. don't want to copy yourself Answer: C. will get another "you" at once Question: My own experiment with culture shock came to a fruitless end when I returned with homesick from a year's study in Italy. I had never heard of culture shock. All I knew was that I was unhappy and wanted to go home. That was twenty years ago, and since then culture shock has become a real field of study. It is now understood that any normal person, finding him or herself for an extended time in a new culture, is in for trouble. The process of "culture shock" is now recognized as so predictable that its four stages have been noticeable. The first is the honeymoon stage, familiar to those of us who love to travel, but never stay in one place long enough to find out what follows. In this stage, the new country and its people seem delightful. Everything is better than home. Everything is so different and charming. _ Now the people start to look shallow, selfish and stupid. The different ways of doing things don't seem interesting any more. You start to feel tired all the time. Culture shock has set in. You feel at sea. The emotional response to culture shock in stage two can be extreme. Confusion, depression and anxiety, and resentment can all enter to varying degrees. You may become physically ill. Little things seem terribly annoying. The happier resolution is to move on to stage three. Adjusting. Rather than itemizing what's "wrong" with Americans, you remind yourself that "right" and "wrong" are not meaningful terms in cultural matters. Instead, you try to understand what motivates Americans, perhaps realizing that many of the things you don't like are related to the things you do like. As time goes on, you should be moving into stage four. Acceptance. At this point, you simply don't think any more about the specialties of Americans. You accept them as individuals. You have started to feel at home; you know how to do things. You have not rejected your old culture; but the American ways have settled upon you. You feel optimistic about your future here. You have truly arrived. Which one is the possible psychological effect of culture shock on the second stage? A. Anxiety. B. Excitement. C. Shock. D. Delight. Answer: A. Anxiety. Question: 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. Why were Jason's parents shocked when they saw him for the first time? A. Because he was born disabled. B. Because he had big hands. C. Because his hair was curl D. Because he was so little. Answer: A. Because he was born disabled.
In a growing number of English classes, teachers are leaving the classic novels on the shelf and letting students select the books they read. Supporters say that the new approach, called reader's workshop, helps develop a love for reading in students who are bored by classic literature. They argue that the best way to motivate students to read more is to offer them more choices. _ , however. They worry that students who choose trendy, less challenging titles over the classics won't be exposed to the great writing and key themes of important works of literature.Student reporters Donald and Sarah express their ideas about this new approach. Donald thinks that we should turn the page. Students should be allowed to select the books they read in English class. He says he and his classmates are allowed to pick their own books in class. That makes them more focused, and they look forward to class time. Tristin, a classmate of his at Clinton Middle School agrees. "I'm reading books that I want to read, which makes class more fun and interesting," he says. Offering students a choice may also improve test scores. Studies by Professor John Guthrie of the University of Maryland found that students in grades 4 through 6 who had some choices in the books they read showed improved reading comprehension skills during testing. Giving students the chance to decide what they read helps build a lifelong love for reading. Isn't that what we want for our students? Sarah holds a different view. She thinks teachers know more about books than students do. When an English teacher assigns a book, he or she keeps in mind the reading level of most students in the class. Students who choose their own books might be cheating themselves by picking books that are not up to their reading level or that are too difficult. Furthermore, a whole class can discuss a book it reads together. That makes it easier for some kids to understand what they are reading. "The students wouldn't be able to hold a meaningful conversation if they were all reading different books," says Kristin, an English teacher at Fleetwood Area Middle School. "If they read the same book, their conversations would be more in-depth." Who has the same attitude towards the new approach with Kristin? A. Donald. B. Sarah. C. Tristin. D. John Guthrie. Answer: B. Sarah. Chen Zhengshan has a special classmate, his 63-year-old grandma. His grandma began to look after him 10 years ago. Chen got a bad illness when he was three. His mother left the family. His father couldn't work. So his grandparents began to look after him. Chen had to take five kinds of medicine every day and it cost the family more than 1,200 yuan every month. Chen couldn't speak well. Some boys often laughed at him at school. He was very sad. In 2008, his grandma decided to go to school with him. She asked the school to let her do so, but the teachers didn't agree. In 2009, she made it,because the teachers were moved by her love. The teachers also asked students to help the boy and collected more than 600 yuan for him. The grandma planned to go to school with her grandson until he got well. She said,"My boy who likes playing the piano is as clever as the other children." ,. Why did Chen's grandma decide to go to school with him? A. Because she wanted to learn something. B. Because her grandson couldn't walk. C. Because she wanted to look after her grandson. D. Because her grandson didn't study well. Answer: C. Because she wanted to look after her grandson. CANBERRA (Reuters Life!) - Think twice before eating those dropped crumbs off your computer keyboard -- you might as well be eating off a toilet seat, according to a new study on the amount of germs on keyboards. A study by British "Which? Computing" asked a microbiologist to examine for bugs on 33 keyboards in a typical London office, a toilet seat and a toilet door handle. Four keyboards were judged potential health hazards and the microbiologist recommended the removal of one keyboard as it had 150 times the pass limit of bacteria -- five times filthier than the swabbed toilet seat. "Most people don't give much thought to the grime that builds up on their PC, but if you don't clean your computer, you might as well eat your lunch off the toilet," said Sarah Kidner, the consumer magazine editor of "Which? Computing" in a statement. The study found that eating lunch at desks is the main cause of a bug-infested keyboard. Dropped crumbs and food encourages the growth of millions of bacteria. Poor personal hygiene, such as not washing hands after going to the toilet, may also add to the dirtiness of keyboards. But despite the health hazard of a dirty keyboard, a survey of 4,000 people by the magazine found one in 10 people ever cleaned their keyboard while another two in 10 never cleaned their mouse. Almost half -- or 46 per cent -- cleaned their keyboard less than once a month. To clear out bugs, the magazine recommends users unplug keyboards, turn them upside down and shake them. Which? Computing is probably a name of_. A. An organization B. a newspaper C. a report D. a magazine Answer: D. a magazine In a country that defines itself by ideals, not by shared blood, who should be allowed to come to work and live here? In the wake of the Sept.11 attacks these questions have never seemed more pressing. On Dec.11, 2001, as part of the effort to increase homeland security, federal and local authorities in 14 states staged "Operation Safe Travel"---raids on airports to arrest employees with false identification.In Salt Lake City there were 69 arrests.But those captures were anything but terrorists, most of them illegal immigrants from Central or South America.Authorities said the undocumented workers' illegal status made them open to blackmail by terrorists. Many immigrants in Salt Lake City were angered by the arrests and said they felt as if they were being treated like disposable goods.Mayor Anderson said those feelings were justified to a certain extent."We're saying we want you to work in these places, we're going to look the other way in terms of what our laws are, and then when it's convenient for us, or when we can try to make a point in terms of national security, especially after Sept.11, then you're disposable.They are whole families being uprooted for all of the wrong reasons," Anderson said. If Sept.11 had never happened, the airport workers would not have been arrested and could have gone on quietly living in America, probably indefinitely.Ana Castro, a manager at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop at the airport had been working 10 years with the same false Social Security card when she was arrested in the December airport raid.Now she and her family are living under the threat of deportation .Castro's case is currently waiting to be settled.While she awaits the outcome, the government has granted her permission to work here and she has returned to her job at Ben & Jerry's. How did the immigrants in Salt Lake City feel about "Operation Safe Travel"? A. Guilty B. Offended C. Disappointed D. Discouraged Answer: B. Offended Liu Yingying is a student at No. 17 Middle School in Shanghai. She is 14 years old. She likes English and she often reads English books at home. She can speak English well and write many English words. She likes speaking English with her classmates and teachers at school. Her teachers like her. Liu Yingying likes music and she can play the piano. She often practises it at home in the morning. Liu Yingying has a happy family. Her father is a worker in a car factory and her mother is a hotel manager. Her father likes sports . His favourite sport is table tennis. Her mother likes sports, too. But she likes swimming. What about Liu Yingying? She likes playing tennis. What _ Liu Yingying do? A. Play the piano. B. Speak English. C. Write English. D. Play table tennis. Answer: D. Play table tennis.
Question: Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students' posture and attention improve. Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning. The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico and Japan," says Witt, " Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter . You can slouch on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels bad." Because the students are moving, their blood increases. That carries more oxygen( ) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer. "Besides, they're fun." says Pownall. Which is better for kids to study in class, sitting on a chair or sitting on a ball? A. Sitting on a chair. B. Sitting on a ball. C. They are the same. D. We don't know. Answer: B Question: There was once a little orphan girl who had no family and no one to love her. She felt sad and lonely . One day, while she was walking in a garden, she noticed a small butterfly caught in a bush. The more the butterfly tried to free itself, the deeper the thorn cut into its body. The girl carefully helped the butterfly out. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy . "For your wonderful kindness," said the fairy, "I will grant you any wish you like." The little girl thought for a while and answered, "I want to be happy!" "Very well!" The fairy leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the good fairy disappeared. As the little girl grew up, she stayed happy. Everyone asked her the secret of her happiness. She would only smile and answer, "The secret of happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl." When she was very old and on her death bed, her neighbors were afraid that her secret of happiness would die with her. "Tell us, please," they asked. "Tell us what the good fairy said." The lovely old woman simply smiled and said, "She told me that everyone, no matter how secure they seemed, how old or young, how rich or poor, had need of me." Everyone has need of you. How did the fairy grant the little girl's wish? A. By giving her a lot of money. B. By giving her a big house. C. By helping her find her parents. D. By telling her how to stay happy. Answer: D Question: Interest in pursuing international careers has risen in recent years strengthened by permanent personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent. Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language. When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one--or two--page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a resume are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the company culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to include two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start. "Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of 'cross--border' job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not be an adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. " Pay attention to the resume format you use-chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your 'oldest' work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. " If you are submitting your resume in English, find out if the receiver uses British English or American English because there are changes between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as 'tertiary education' in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these changes may assume that your resume contains errors. When writing about qualifications, applicants are advised to _ . A. stress their academic potential to impress the decision maker B. give the title of the university degree they have earned at home C. provide a detailed description of their study and work experiences D. emphasize their interest in pursuing a 'cross-border' career Answer: C Question: Metro Pocket Guide Metrorail Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under ago five may travel free with a paying customer. Farecard machine are in every station, Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and farecard machine only provide up to $ 5 in change. Get one of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations. Use it after 9:30 a. m. until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays. Hours of Service Open: 5 a. m Mon-Fri 7a. m. Sat--Sun . Close: midnight Sun--Thurs 3 a.m. Fri.---Sat. nights. Last train times vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train times posted in the station. Metrobus When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1. 35 . when paying with a smarTrip card, the fare is $1. 25 Fares for the Senior /disabled customers Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare. On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTrip card. For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards, farecard or SmarTrip cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors. com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000. Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100 Travel tips . Avoid riding during weekday rush periods -before 9:30 a. m. and between 4 and 6 p. m. . If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195. Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro? A. 202-962-1195 B. 202-962-1100 C. 202-673-7000 D. 202-673-8000 Answer: A Question: They say that sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Yet childhood bullying really can damage your long-term health. Gone are the days when bullying was considered an unavoidable and finally harmless part of growing up -- just last month we learned that childhood bullying can lead to poorer mental health even into middle age. Now William Copeland at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and his colleagues have shown that it can have lasting physiological effects too. They tracked 1,420 nine-year-olds right through their teens. Each child was seen up to nine times during the study and asked about bullying. The team then measured levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. CRP is a marker of inflammation linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease and problems like diabetes. "Because we were collecting biological samples throughout, we were able to look at CRP levels in subjects _ their bullying involvement." says Copeland. "This really gives us an idea of the changes bullying brings about." Although CRP levels naturally rise in everyone during adolescence, levels were highest in children who reported suffering from bullies. Even at the ages of 19 and 21, children who had once been bullied had CRP levels about 1.4 times higher than peers who were neither wrongdoers nor victims. In a cruel twist, the bullies had the lowest levels of all, suggesting they didn't suffer the same health risks. They may even see a benefit from their behavior, though Copeland stresses it doesn't defend their actions. "The goal would instead be to find other ways to produce this protective effect without it being at someone else's expense." he says. Andrea Danese at King's College London has before shown that ill-treatment during childhood can lead to high levels of inflammation in adult life. "This new study is a helpful addition in showing that these effects extend to another important childhood stressor." he says. He suggests that care workers monitor levels of CRP in children having psychotherapy to see if it is helping to reduce the stress of being bullied. What do you know about CRP? A. It relates directly to diabetes. B. It is a sign of the inflammation. C. It is a sign of cardiovascular disease. D. It is a sign of physiological effects caused by bullying. Answer: B
Question: Mary is from the USA. She has two brothers. Now her family are in China. Her father, Mr Peterson, teaches English in Xihu Middle School. Her mother works in the same school. She teaches English, too. Mary goes to school in her father's car with her mother every day. Mary is a nice girl student. She can speak a little Chinese. She is very lovely, so she has many Chinese friends. She teaches them English, and they teach her Chinese. Her two brothers are twins. One is Bob, and the other is Bill. They look the same. They are only five. So their grandparents look after them at home. Mrs Peterson has many toys for the twin brothers. Bob likes to play with toy cars, but Bill likes to play with teddy bears. They are happy every day. There are _ people in Mary's family. A. two B. four C. six D. seven Answer: D. seven Question: Studies have documented that smiling is a universal and effective way to lift mood. But in the latest research on the power of the smile, researchers led by Marcus Munafo of the University of Bristol in England found that even seeing smiles on the faces of others can have a profound effect on a person's tendency toward violence or aggression -- that is, as long as that person recognizes the smile as one of happiness, and not as a sneer . Munafo and his colleagues conducted a series of experiments involving normal adults and highly aggressive teens referred to a youth program, either by educational authorities or the courts. About 70% of the teens already had a criminal record. In the first experiment, 40 healthy adults, aged 1830, looked at facial expressions on the computer ranging from happy to angry with increasingly difficult ones to _ in between. Participants were asked how angry they felt and then had to rate the images as displaying either happiness or anger -- there was no option for "unclear" or "unable to tell". From these ratings, the scientists could generate a score of their preference toward happiness or anger. Previous research found that aggressive people -- including violent offenders -- tend to consider even a common expression as an unfriendly one. "You looking at me?" can easily turn a simple question into a tragic fight. Based on their original scores, half of the participants were then told by the computer that some of the unclear faces that they had rated as angry should have been scored as happy. This was intended to guide them toward judging the inbetween faces more positively. The other 20 received feedback that simply proved their first choices, creating a control group. After this training, both groups were tested again and the group that received the biased feedback shifted its ratings of unclear faces toward the happy side. Participants were also asked to rate their level of angry feelings again after completing the second round of testing. Those who were trained to consider unclear faces as happier reported feeling less angry afterward. The researchers next focused on the 46 adolescents from the high risk youth program. These teens completed the same testing, but both the youth and the staff reported on the teens' levels of aggressive behavior before the testing started and for two weeks afterward. The teens trained to interpret unclear facial expressions more positively were significantly less aggressive two weeks later. "The results of our experiments strongly suggest that the understanding of emotional facial expressions plays a causal role in subjective anger and aggressive behavior,"the authors conclude. That doesn't mean that smiles alone are the answer to violence among adolescents -- previous research in which antisocial youth were trained to better recognize emotions, for example, did not have any effect on their level of aggressive behavior. But this earlier study focused on improving teens' understanding of clear facial signals, not unclear ones. Since unclear signals are more likely to be misunderstood, it may be that violent behavior in some youth exists with their constant misunderstanding of angry expressions where they don't exist, which push them to aggressive responses. The findings suggest that helping young people, particularly those easy to be violent, to learn to give others the benefit of the doubt when they see what they think is a threatening face could help end the vicious cycle of violence. What happens to the participants after receiving certain feedbacks? A. They can interpret unclear facial expressions. B. They put an end to their aggressive behavior. C. They tend to judge the inbetween faces positively. D. It makes no difference in their level of aggressive behavior. Answer: C. They tend to judge the inbetween faces positively. Question: Nick Hancock hopes to set a new record by living alone for 60 days on a small island in the Atlantic. Tom McClean, an SAS soldier who holds the solo record for occupying Rockall for 40 days in 1985, told Hancock that being alone for two months was the greatest challenge Hancock would have to face. "I'm fully expecting it to be tough," Nick Hancock said. "I'm hoping that by doing my daily tasks fairly slowly, I'm going to be able to keep most of my time busy. I think the worst times will come if I'm boxed up for several days by bad weather." Hancock hopes to land on Rockall in early June and will carry out the last tests of his boat next week. He has a small wind turbine and a solar panel for power, more than two months' food, a satellite phone and a laptop loaded with e-books to keep him going. Hancock will update an adventure blog, texting messages out on Twitter and emailing his wife Pam and friends every day. Rockall has been occupied before, most famously by McClean but also by three Greenpeace campaigners, who set the long-stay record of 42 days in 1997 by occupying the rock in protest at oil and gas exploration in the area. The last human inhabitants Hancock knows of are a small group of Belgian amateur radio enthusiasts, who are interested in broadcasting from distant islands; they were on Rockall overnight in late 2010. Hancock has no large support team behind him. Except for the coastguard , his only lifeline will be the Orca III, the passenger boat which will take him to Rockall. Nick Hancock's main goal is to _ . A. protest at oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic B. show his ability to adapt himself to bad conditions C. prove broadcasting from distant islands can be possible D. challenge the previous record of living alone on Rockall Answer: D. challenge the previous record of living alone on Rockall Question: A device that converts light energy into electricity used in many handheld calculators is a A. battery. B. photocell. C. photo generator. D. photovoltaic cell. Answer: D. photovoltaic cell. Question: Bookable study rooms The Library provides a variety of bookable group study rooms, some with presentationareas, for groups of between 6 and 12 students to use for team work. Group study rooms There are 10 Group Study Rooms on Level 30f Northampton Square Library. Rooms 3A, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3J and 3K are equipped with presentation area to help prepare group presentations. Rooms 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E are intended for group discussion and seminar work. These rooms are equipped with whiteboards. Whiteboard pens can be borrowed from the service desk on Level 2. Please do not use any other writing tools on the whiteboards. Maximum booking period of 2 hours at one time. Presentation areas provide: LED screen to practice presentation with group colleagues Network access on PC with wide range of software USB port to plug in your own device or laptop Assistive Technology Rooms Assistive technology rooms are available for students by using ID cards to get access permission and can be booked for a maximum of 4 hours per person per day. Rooms are equipped with the following software: Dragon, JAWS, Zoom Text, Kurzweil, Supernova, TextHelp and Inspiration. A scanner is provided for use with the assistive software packages. For further information click Guide to Library Services for Additional Needs. What do we know about Group Study Rooms? A. They are on Level 2. B. They are equipped with whiteboards. C. They have no Internet access. D. They provide USB disks. Answer: B. They are equipped with whiteboards.
A mouse looked through a hole in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap! Running to the farmyard, the mouse shouted, warning, "There is a mouse trap in the house; there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken with her head high, said, "Shut up, Little Ugly. This is a great concern to you, but it has nothing to do with me; I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse," said the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; you are always in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who said, "A mouse trap; am I in great danger, huh?" So the mouse had to face the farmer's mouse trap alone. That very night a sound was heard through the house, like the sound of a mouse trap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. It is said that drinking fresh chicken soup will help treat fever, so the farmer took his sharp knife to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer killed the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral. The farmer had the cow killed to provide meat for all of them to eat. So next time someone is facing a problem, don't say that has nothing to do with you. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: What is freedom? It seems like such a simple question. Freedom is being able to do what you want to do. Allow me to explain it. I'm tired of working for a living. I'd rather collect taxes. So that's what I'm going to do: collect a kind of tax. You are ordered to estimate your income from the past 12 months, and write me a check for 1%. I have provided a mailing address for this purpose on my contact page ... What? You have a problem with my plan? Oh, I see. If you have to send me a check for the tax, then I have hurt your freedom to spend that money as you see fit. We have a conflict! And our basic problem is: we cannot enjoy freedom at the same time; we must settle for a limit. But what limit? Libertarians believe freedom should be based on self-control. They describe freedom as being able to do what you want to do as long as it doesn't influence the equal right of others to do what they want to do. That is, freedom is being able to do what you like as long as you do not harm another person's life, liberty or property. You can build a set of legal and ethical rules on the principle of self-control, and libertarians do. Their request for self-control often becomes more important than common sense, or even freedom itself. The definition rules out the freedom to steal, murder, and so on. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want. There is no problem until you realize that taxation is theft, that war is murder, and that national service is a form of slavery. Since only the government has a legal right to use force, libertarians focus on making the government smaller, or even going without it. The libertarians' definition of freedom is thus freedom from the government. Isn't it ridiculous? Which of the following statements is supported by libertarians according to the passage? Answer: Wanted:Babysitter Do you like children?Do you have free time in the afternoon?We need a babysitter for our son.He's 5 years old.Hours are from Monday to Friday,2:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.Sometimes you will work the whole day at the weekend.Pay is PS4 per hour. Watch our son Read to him *Play with him You will work in our house.We live in London,near City Hall Subway Station. Please call 2956-4938.Ask for Ms White. The babysitter will usually work _ . Answer: In the Ituri forest of America live many tribes,one of which is Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies in the tribe are not taller than four feet. They weigh only about eighty pounds each. In spite of their small size, they are the best hunters among all the jungle people. Even the great elephant can be caught by them. Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are constantly moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is not furniture at all except for some weapons such as spears, bows and arrows. There are no cooking pots either. Food is eaten uncooked or smoked over a lire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is nothing to carry except these weapons and babies too small to walk. Pymies can move on the tree tops almost as skillfully as monkeys. Often they travel great distances through the branches without touching the ground. One of the surprising facts about these small men and women is their great appetite . A Pygmy can eat up sixty bananas at a single meal besides quantities of meat. After eating, they will lie on their hard earth bed and groan in all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food or fight among themselves. The writer wrote this article so as to _ Answer: Do your parents ever say,"Act like a lady."or"Be a gentleman."to you? But in the eyes of today's teenagers, what should a lady or a gentleman be like? Let's take a look. What is a gentleman? The girls have their ideas: Huang Xiaoyu of Guizhou: A gentleman doesn't often get angry. He wants others to be well and happy. He is always ready to help. There is a boy in my class and I think he is a gentleman. If I don't do well in the English test, he will say,"You will do better next time."That makes me feel happy. Chen Tingting of Shenzhen: A gentleman always says,"Ladies first." When students clean up the classroom, he does the heavy work. He lets girls go into rooms first. There are no gentlemen in my class. When there is something to eat, the boys in my class always get them before girls! What is a lady?Boys tell us what they think a lady is: Wu Yifan of Dalian: A lady is quiet and kind, but she's not shy and she can talk about her ideas in front of others. To me, Jiang Yiyan, a film star, is a lady. She is pretty and kind. She does a lot for others. Wang Lichao of Tianjin: A lady is not just beautiful but clever. She never says bad words. She is quiet and kind to others. I don't think there is a lady in my class. Most of the girls are _ I think. What does Huang Xiaoyu think a gentleman will do if she doesn't do well in the English exam? Answer:
I have a new hero. It is G. M. Hennen. I found him in the old newspapers as I was doing my research for the column A Look Back in History. In 1958, he retired as a newspaper carrier from the Sherman Herald Democrat. He was 77 years old and had delivered four million copies of the Democrat. He had gone through 17 automobiles and had thrown on average 400 newspapers a day, six days a week. He drove 100 miles a day, including the day he collected. Before he was a newspaper carrier, he was also a teacher and a construction worker. He opened the first motor delivery route in the newspaper's history. Driving a Model T Ford, his route consisted of Pottsboro, Gordonville, Sadler and Southmayd. Before he started in delivery, he solicited subscriptions riding horseback over the county. Mr Hennen had only one wreck in 30 years. The car spun out of control and flipped on its top. That didn't stop him. A man with a truck used a tow rope to flip the car back over and tied the doors shut, leaving Mr Hennen to continue on his way. Now _ that _ was _ determination! Mr Hennen told of the time his headlights went out as he was delivering newspapers. He borrowed a kerosene lantern from a farmer to light the way and continued his route. What a story! I complain when I have to drive to work when it is snowing, and I only have to travel three miles. I could never be that tough. What is the main idea of the text? A Mr Hennen had several jobs. B Mr Hennen was once faced with a wreck. C Mr Hennen loved his newspaper carrying work. D Mr Hennen had delivered four million copies of the Democrat. Answer: C. Mr Hennen loved his newspaper carrying work. Tired of living in the same location but don't want to leave the house you love? That wouldn't be a problem if architect Felipe Campolina had his way. The Brazilian architect has designed a concept for a home tower consisting of portable, stackable apartment units, which he says opens up new possibilities for ways of living in the city. His design would allow owners to take their home with them when they travel -- whether for a weekend away or for longer periods, he said. The mobile home tower project is at the concept stage, and it could be years before it is built, if ever at all. But if it is realized, it would offer an eco-friendly solution to living in urban areas, Campolina said. "We have enough technology to build with fewer materials and minimize the impact on nature," he said. His vision would call for units with a green roof and walls and a system for recycling water. The tower, whose first floor would be built nine meters above ground, would also make it possible to save space in thickly populated areas. "It is designed to facilitate its application in dense urban centers, where space is very limited," he said. Still just a concept, Campolina -- who designed the building for architecture journaleVolo's Skyscraper Competition -- said with enough public interest, it just might become a reality one day. The building's first floor would be built high above ground _ . A to save space in crowded cities B to make the building attractive C to build the house solidly D to fix its units more easily Answer: A. to save space in crowded cities Clay Wanner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas a few years ago,to ask them what it would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously improved student learning. "I think half of them fell off their chairs, " Wanner says. Wanner manages school facilities for Clark County, Nevada,a district roughly the size of Massachusetts. By 2018,143,000 additional students will enter the already crowded public education system. Wanner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary school prototypes ;they plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings. Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County,which stands out for its vastness, such aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the realities of a desert climate. "One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation ," Mark McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. "You have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be really expensive to cool." Surprisingly, the man who is responsible for one of the most progressive green-design competitions has doubts about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. "I don't believe in the new green religion," Wanner says."Some of the building technologies that you get are impractical. I'm interested in those that work. "But he wouldn't mind if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power. "You never know what's going to start the interest of a child to study math and science,"he says. How did the architects react to Wanner's design requirements? A They lost balance in excitement. B They expressed little interest. C They showed strong disbelief. D They burst into cheers. Answer: C. They showed strong disbelief. Americans love their cars. There are more than eight cars for every 10 Americans, but most of the time, they sit idle , parked in a driveway or on the street. Now, several companies on the U. S. West Coast are helping people rent their personal car to someone else when they don't need it. Eric Loebel is one of those people. For a small price, he wants to let his Oregon neighbors "borrow" his car. It's a dark blue, model year 2000 Volvo car. The sales and marketing consultant says he doesn't use it much. "My wife and I are huge bike commuters and almost don't need a car," he says. Loebel is one of the first car owners in Portland to list his wheels for rent through a so-called "peer-to-peer car sharing" service called Getaround. Com. "Cars are so expensive to own," he says "This can definitely offset some of the cost." The website lets car owners decide for themselves how much to charge borrowers to rent by the hour, day or week. Person-to-person rentals began in Germany a decade ago, and there are a handful of similar companies in Europe and Australia. The concept caught on quickly in California over the past year according to John Atcheson, vice president of Getaround, one of four carsharing startups in the San Francisco area. "We have had amazing cars leaping into our system," Atcheson says. "Not just 1995 pickup trucks but we have had late model Mercedes, Audis, any type of car you can imagine. We actually have a Tesla Roadster--a $150,000 sports car." Another service called JustShareIt plans to stand out by going beyond cars. Its founder says the company will offer person-to-person rentals of power boats, jet skis and snowmobeles( ) too. JustShareIt wants to make itself more attractive by _ . A providing lower rent B providing extra sports equipments C offering person-to-person service D offering other things for rent Answer: D. offering other things for rent What is the senior project? The Senior Project at Clark Magnet High School is a program that shows a senior's ability to apply knowledge and skills, speak, write, solve problems and practice the life skills of time management, organization and risk-taking. Clark teaching staff, community members and school district staff act as advisers, evaluators during the research, project and presentation stages. The key parts of the Senior Project are: 1) A research paper A six to eight page persuasive research paper on a topic chosen by the students. The research paper strengthens effective writing skills learned in English class. Because the paper is persuasive, students should choose a topic about which they have a strong opinion. They should use elements learned when debating to convince the readers of the strong opinion stated in the paper, and prove it through research. 2) A physical product and fieldwork A physical product and fieldwork (15-hour minimum requirement) related to some aspect of the paper. The 15 hours can be obtained through community service, job shadowing, or making an actual project. Students explore topics that are academic in nature, a hobby, a passion, or a possible future career. 3) Data collection Data collection that combines the first two parts and records hours spent on the fieldwork. The collection contains evidence of the fieldwork presented through letters from the students' advisors, pictures showing the process of the project or anything else that would show proof of the work completed. 4) Speech presentation A fifteen minute speech presented before a review board composed of school staff, district representatives, former students, and community representatives. The speech is a chance to show the students' senior project. Students are to dress professionally and summarize their senior project journey. Students will talk briefly about their research paper, their project, and what they learned. The speech should include visual aids. If the presentation includes performing, the students must speak for at least five minutes. The Senior Project is a vehicle that allows students to use the knowledge and skills they have acquired in a "real-world" application. It has the potential to motivate the students, connect the school with the community, and create pathways from school to career. What must the students do when they present their final project? A Give a performance. B Make a formal speech. C Introduce some video aids. D Report the details of the process. Answer: B. Make a formal speech.
Medical drugs sometimes cause more damage than they cure. One solution to this problem is to put the drugs inside a capsule, protecting them from the body--and the body from them--until they can be released at just the right spot. There are lots of ways to trigger this release, including changing temperature, acidity, and so on. But triggers can come with their own risks--burns, for example. Now, researchers in California have designed what could be a harmless trigger to date: shining near-infrared light (NIR, ) on the drug in the capsule. The idea of using light to liberate the drug in the capsule isn't new. Researchers around the globe have developed polymers and other materials that begin to break down when they absorb either ultraviolet (UV, ) or visible light. But tissues also readily absorb UV and visible light, which means the drug release can be triggered only near the skin, where the light can reach the capsule. NIR light largely passes through tissues, so researchers have tried to use it as a trigger. But few compounds absorb NIR well and go through chemical changes. That changed last year when Adah Almutairi, a chemist at the University of California, San Diego, reported that she and her colleagues had designed a polymer that breaks down when it absorbs NIR light. Their polymer used a commercially available NIR-absorbing group called o-nitrobenzyl (ONB). When they catch the light, ONB groups fall off the polymer, leading to its breakdown. But ONB is only a so-so NIR absorber, and it could be poisonous to cells when it separates from the polymer. So Almutairi and her colleagues reported creating a new material for capsules that's even better.This one consists of a long chain of compounds called cresol groups linked in a polymer. Cresol contains reactive components that make it highly unstable in its polymeric form, a feature Almutairi and her colleagues use to their advantage. After polymerizing the cresols, they cap each reactive component with a light-absorbing compound called Bhc. When the Bhcs absorb NIR light, the reactive groups are exposed and break the long polymer into two short chains. Shining additional light continues this breakdown, potentially releasing any drugs in the capsule. What's more, Almutairi says, Bhc is 10 times better at absorbing NIR than is ONB and is not poisonous to cells. According to the passage, which of the following could be the best trigger? Answer: NIR light. Want to save money when travelling by train? Here are some ways. Day Returns This ticket can save you up to 45% on the standard fare . You have to travel after the rush hour period Mon.-Fri., but can travel at any time on Sat. or Sun. Big city Saves These are special low-priced tickets on certain trains. Yon have to book in advance----- at the latest by 16:00 the day before you travel. It's first come, first served. Weekend Returns Weekend Returns are available for most journeys over 60 miles. Go on Fri. Sat. or Sun, and return the same weekend on Sat. or Sun, and save up to 35% the standard fare. Monthly Returns There are available for most journeys over 65 miles. Go any day and return within a month. Monthly returns save you up to 25% on the standard fare. Family Returns For PS20 this railcard allows you to take a second adult and up to 4 children for only PS3 each when you buy single or return tickets. You can travel as often as you like until the card becomes out of date. (200 words.3min.) A man bought himself a ticket of PS15 and three tickets for his family with a family railcard.How much did he pay? Answer: PS24 Forget chip fat, sugar cane or rapeseed oil -- the latest source of biofuel could be watermelons. Scientists have discovered that the fruit is a great source of sugar that can be readily distilled into alcohol to power cars and farm machinery. And sellers reject 360,000 tons of "substandard" fruit every year in America alone which could be used as an economical way to make fuel. The waste from US growers could produce nearly two million gallons (nine million litres) of biofuel per year. In the study, researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture set out to determine the biofuel potential of juice from rejected watermelons --those not sold due to imperfections, and currently ploughed back into the field. About a fifth of each yearly watermelon crop is left in the field because of surface blemishes or because they are misshapen. Dr. Wayne Fish, who led the team, found that 50 percent of the fruit was fermentable into alcohol which could provide valuable fuel. "We've shown that the juice of these watermelons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing an unexploited raw material for alcohol biofuel production," he said. The study, published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels, discovered that watermelons could produce around 20 gallons of fuel per acre from fruit that otherwise would go to waste. Production of biofuels has been targeted by Western governments as a way to support renewable energy targets. The European Union has a target for 2010 that 5.75 percent of transport fuels should come from biological sources, but the target is unlikely to be met. The British government's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation requires five percent of the fuel sold at the pump by 2010 to be biofuel. The passage mainly tells us _ . Answer: watermelons could be used to make fuel In general, people talk about two groups of colours warm colours and cool colours. Researchers in psychology think that there are also two groups of people people who prefer warm colours and people who prefer cool colours. The warm colours are red, orange and yellow. Where there are warm colours and a lot of light, people usually want to be active. People think that red, for example, is exciting. Sociable people, those who like to be with others, like red. The cool colours are green, blue and violet. These colours, unlike warm colours , are relaxing. Where there are cool colours, people are usually quiet. People who like to spend time alone often prefer blue. Red may be exciting, but one researcher says that time seems to pass more slowly in a room with warm colours than in a room with cool colours. He suggests that a warm colour, such as red or orange is a good colour for a living room or restaurant. People who are relaxing or eating do not want time to pass quickly. Cool colours are better for offices or factories if the people who are working there want time to pass quickly. Researchers do not know why people think some colours are warm and other colours are cool. However, almost everyone agrees that red, orange, and yellow are warm and that green, blue and violet are cool. Perhaps warm colours remind people of warm days and the cool colours remind them of cool days. Because in the north the sun is higher during summer, the hot summer sunlight appears yellow. Which is the right colour for different rooms? Answer: Orange for dining-rooms. One of the most popular activities enjoyed by Americans is spending time in forests and walking along paths through the country.This activity,called hiking,has led to the creation of paths throughout the United States. One of the longest is the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.The trail is the first completed part of the National Trails System.The trails system was established by Congress and the president in 1968.The Appalachian Trail is more than 3,400 kilometers long.It starts in the northeastern state of Maine and ends in the southeastern state of Georgia.The trail goes through 14 states.They are Maine,New Hampshire,Vermont,Massachusetts,Connecticut,New York,New Jersey,Pennsylvania,Maryland,West Virginia,Virginia,Tennessee,North Carolina,and Georgia. The path takes walkers through the Appalachian Mountains.They extend from the Canadian province of Quebec to the southern American state of Alabama. The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest on Earth.They first began forming about one thousand million years ago.During the millions of years since then,the mountains were changed and reformed by the forces of water and wind.Ice also changed the mountains,making many of them smaller and digging valleys and lakes among them.Many different kinds of trees grow along the trail.And many different kinds of animals live in the forests along the trail. Lands along the trail are protected by the federal government and by state governments.Some parts are not protected by the government directly.Instead,they are protected by legal agreements with private owners willing to permit people to walk across their property. Walkers on the Appalachian Trail pass through some of the great valley systems of the mountains.They can look down into these beautiful valleys and see farms and forests stretching across the land for many kilometers.Farmland in the valleys is rich and productive.And some of the great events in American history took place in the valleys.For example,one of the great battles of the American Civil War was fought in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The Appalachian Trail _ . Answer: ends in the southeastern state of Georgia
People say that a mother's love knows no boundaries. This is true when it comes to my mother. She has given up many things so that my sisters and I could live a better life. My mother comes from a large family and her parents died when she was quite young. She dropped out of school when she was fifteen because no one could afford to pay her studies. At the age of 19, she married my father and when they had my sisters and I, they moved to the United States so that we could have a better life. My parents did not know English but somehow they communicated with other people. My mother stayed at home and raised us while my father was working. There were so many dangerous incidents that happened where we lived that my mother finally decided that we all moved to Texas when I was seven. My mother has worked so hard to give us everything. She always tells us that all she wants is for us to be happy. As the saying goes, "You don't appreciate something until it's gone." Well, I finally had a chance to experience it. My mother went to Mexico this winter because she needed to have an operation. For the first time in my life, my mother was not there to hold and comfort me. Those two weeks when she was away made me realize how much I love her. All she has done for me is incredible. When I suffer she suffers with me. I have to show her how much I care about her. She means the world to me. According to the passage, we can infer that the writer writes the passage in a(n) _ mood. A. affectionate B. humorous C. indifferent D. happy Answer: A. affectionate On April 24th, another natural disaster-the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, happened. Millions of dollars have been used to help stop the spill and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil. Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea. But governments seem to accept the _ of transporting mil-lions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage. Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run. Of all of today's environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious. Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material. In the end, it breaks down naturally. In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tons of oil into the ocean. If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened. However, we should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil. Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power, electricity, hydro-gen, and so on. Much of this research, in the past, was stopped by the oil, gas, and coal. If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient ,we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year. If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too. Which suggestion is made for reducing oil tankers according to the passage? A. We should build safer tankers in the near future. B. We should develop new technologies to cut oil use. C. Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines. D. Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea. Answer: B. We should develop new technologies to cut oil use. My grandmother was a master gardener. She could make anything bloom . Even me. For most of her life, she lived on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, where she raised four children, buried a husband, and watched the changing of the seasons. After my parents divorced , my dad moved back to the farm. I visited on weekends or holidays. While my dad ate my grandmother's vegetables, I breathed in her flowers. I was a skinny kid, but her flowers filled a thousand hungry places in my soul. When my regular farm tasks were done, I was free to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched me. My grandmother would say: "Beauty has a price. I hope it was worth it." "Yes, ma'am," I'd say. "It was." Then I'd scratch some more. I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. I walked behind her like a sponge with legs, trying to soak it all up. At the end of the day, we'd sort the flowers and make bouquets : One for the living room, one for the kitchen, and three for the bedrooms. Even then, as a child, I knew what I needed most from my grandmother was not her flowers, but her time. She's been gone for years, but sometimes, when I reach down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her hand, not mine. I thought I'd grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday, when my children had children, I'd be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I'd much rather chase after them than go digging. The truth is, I'm no gardener. I'm a picker, not a planter. I differ from my grandmother in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry within me a heart she made from her own. They don't need to plant a garden. My children are my flowers. Delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price. All I need to do is care for them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand. In the author's eyes, her grandmother was mostly _ . A. wise and humorous B. inspiring and caring C. hardworking and brave D. tough and stubborn Answer: B. inspiring and caring "Aw, isn't it cute?" That, right there, is the officially accepted response to any animal contact the world over. Animals are cute. They're there to be photographed, loved, and occasionally fed. But you know what? Not all animals are cute, or lovely, or even nice. Some of them are a real _ . When you travel, you come into contact with all sorts of animals you've never heard of before. Some of them are amazing creatures that you'll talk about for the rest of your life. Some of them are just annoying. So, at the risk of causing anger among animal lovers around the world, here are some of the world's most annoying animals. Vervet monkeys, South Africa You'll immediately notice two things about Vervet monkeys: they have a bright blue bottom; and they'll steal any food that's not locked in a bank safe. I recently spent some time in South Africa, and watched as monkey after monkey dived in from the trees and stole everyone's food. Get your own food, Vervets! My sandwich was expensive!! Kea parrots, New Zealand I have never seen one of these birds before but from what I've been told they are more annoying than a spoilt kid. From biting the paint off your car doors to stealing people's passports, Keas are probably the most curious, and therefore annoying, animals in the world. And they're New Zealanders. That makes sense! Kangaroos, Australia Another well-known food-stealer, kangaroos are loved by tourists, eaten by Australians, and generally enjoy making trouble for others. Go on a camping trip anywhere in Australia, and watch how long your bags of food last. Turn your back for 15 minutes and the camp will look like thieves have turned the place upside down. Grizzly bears, USA They look pretty cute, grizzly bears. You almost want to go up and give them a hug. Unfortunately, it wouldn't end well. In fact, one of the world's most huggable creatures is also the one most likely to kill you just because it can. Oh, and it'll steal your picnic basket, too. Which of the following is not correct according to the passage? A. When people see the cute animals they might take photographs of them. B. Sometimes people will feed the cute animals. C. Australians eat kangaroos. D. Spoilt kids are not annoying at all. Answer: D. Spoilt kids are not annoying at all. Jeff Green has a bad habit. He can not look after his things well. Look, this is his room. His things are _ . Look at his desk. Some things are on it. They are notebook, CDs, video tapes, rulers and erasers. He doesn't put his rulers and erasers in his pencil box. Look, some of his sports collections are on the desk and chair. It's eight in the morning, and Jeff is in bed. It's Sunday. He doesn't go to school. Oh, what's under the bed? A soccer ball. He likes playing soccer. He can not play volleyball well. His schoolbag is under the bed. Why is his bag under the bed? We don't know. What's that under the sofa? It is one of his socks. Where is the other one? We can't see it. Jeff needs to ask his parents to find it, I think. According to the passage, which is RIGHT? A. Jeff can play volleyball well. B. Jeff has a good habit. C. One of Jeff's socks is on the sofa. D. Jeff's room is not tidy. Answer: D. Jeff's room is not tidy.
As the pull of gravity decreases air molecules Answer: disperse Very few people were coming to eat at the White Rose Restaurant, and its owner did not know what to do. The price was reasonable and the food was of good quality, but nobody seemed to want to eat there. Then he did something that changed all that, and in a few weeks his restaurant is always full of men with their lady friends. Whenever a gentleman came in with a lady, a smiling waiter gave each of them a menu , The menu looked exactly the same on the outside, but there was an important difference inside. The menu that the waiter gave to the man supplied the correct price for each dish and each bottle of wine. while the menu that he gave to the lady supplied a much higher price! So when the man calmly ordered dish after dish and wine after wine, the lady thought he was much more generous than he really was. According to the passage we can know that, generally speaking, _ . Answer: women like their men friends to be generous 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. Why didn't the other three lawyers help the little birds in the grass? Answer: Because they didn't think it worthwhile. Hank Viscardi was born without legs.He had not legs but stumps that could he fitted with a kind of special boots,People stared at him with cruel interest.Children laughed at him and called him'Ape Man' because his arms practically dragged on the ground. Hank went to school like other boys.His grades were good and he needed only eight years to finish his schooling instead of the usual twelve.After graduating from school,he worked his way through college. He swept floors,waited on table,or worked in one of the college offices.During all this busy life,he had been moving around on his stumps.But one day the doctor told him even the stumps were not going to last much longer.He would soon have to use a wheel chair. Hank felt himself got cold all over.However, the doctor said there was a chance that he could be fitted with artificiallegs .Finally a leg maker was found and the day came when Hank stood up before the mirror, for the first time he saw himself as he has always wanted to be-a full five feet eight inches tall.By this time he was already 26 years old. Hank had to learn to use his new legs.Again and again he marched the length of the room,and marched back again.There were times when he fell down on the floor, but he pulled himself up and went back to the endless marching.He went out on the street.He climbed stairs and learned to dance.He built a boat and learned to sail it. When World War II came,he talked the Red Cross into giving him a job. He took the regular training.He marched and drilled along with the other soldiers.Few knew that he was legless.This was the true story of Hank Viscardi,a man without legs. It can be inferred from the story that five feet eight inches tall is Answer: an average height for a fully grown person It turns out that nodding off in class may not be such a bad idea after all, as a new study has shown that going to sleep shortly after learning new material is the best way to remember it. According to US lead author Jessica Payne, a psychologist at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, nodding off after learning something new is like "telling" the sleeping brain what to remember. Along with colleagues, she studied 207 students who habitually slept for at least six hours per night.Participants were casually selected to study declarative , semantically related or unrelated word pairs at 9am or 9pm, and returned for testing 30 minutes, 12 hours or 24 ours later. Declarative memory refers to the ability to remember facts and events with awareness, and can be broken down into episodic memory (memory for events) and semantic memory (memory for facts about the world).People routinely use both types of memory every day--recalling where we parked today or learning how a colleague prefers to be addressed. At the 12-hour retest, memory overall was better following a night of sleep compared to a day of wakefulness. At the 24-hour retest, with all subjects having received both a full night of sleep and a full day of wakefulness, subjects' memories were better when sleep occurred shortly after learning, rather than following a full day of wakefulness. "Our study confirms that sleeping directly after learning something new is beneficial for memory.What's new about this study is that we tried to shine light on sleep's influence on both types of declarative memory by studying semantically unrelated and related word pairs," Payne said. "Since we found that sleeping soon after learning benefited both types of memory, this means that it would be a good thing to practise any information you need to remember just before going to bed.In some sense, you may be 'telling' the sleeping brain what to remember." The research led by Jessica Payre tries to _ . Answer: explain the influence of sleep on memory
If I wanted to maintain energy I could Answer: Most of us use the telephone several times a day to talk with friends or make social arrangements . These calls are usually quite easy and require little planning. Using the telephone for business purpose is different. In any organization the person on the telephone represents the company and gives an impression of the firm to the outside world. If you want to ensure good public relations, you need to master effective telephone techniques. You should try to give an impression of an efficient, friendly, progressive company eager to give good service. Before calling Choose the right time. Consider the cost, urgency and convenience. When calling overseas, you need to consider the time difference. Check the number. A great deal of money is wasted each year on dialing wrong numbers. Plan your call. Make a list of points and questions to be raised. Be prepared. Gather any files, papers or information that may be needed during the call. It is unprofessional to have to say "Hold on while I look for that." If you have to ask a caller to hold on, keep going back and assuring him/her that you will be as quick as possible. Avoid interruptions. Call at a time when you are unlikely to be distracted . During the call Be courteous, polite. Make time for suitable greetings like "How are you today, Jim?" and "Did you enjoy your holiday"? Put a smile in your voice. Remember, your caller can not see you, so use intonation to good effect and try to sound confident, decisive, helpful, and interested. Check your notes. Look back at your notes to ensure that you have covered everything and quote figures and other data correctly. Get feedback. Make sure the caller understands the message correctly, especially deadlines and actions that are involved. Be courteous. Finish by thanking the caller for his or her time and trouble. After the call Make notes. Let it become a habit to make notes of the call and place them in an appropriate file. Take actions. If you need to send a letter of confirmation or inform someone in your organization about any details of the call, do it immediately so that you do not forget important points. During the call, it is unsuitable to _ . Answer: Never Talk to Strangers? "Never talk to strangers." Many children are taught this simple rule as a precaution against abduction . In June, 2005, an 11-year-old boy was lost in the Utah wilderness for four days. During that time, he stayed on the path. He saw people searching for him but deliberately hid from them, afraid someone might "steal" him. Eventually, the unfortunate game of hide-and-seek ended and he was found. According to the Canada Safety Council, this alarming incident shows how unwise it is to instill a fear of strangers in children. The "stranger danger" message can prevent children from developing the social skills and judgment needed to deal effectively with real-life situations. In a difficult situation, a stranger could be their lifeline to safety. To have a child go missing is a parent's worst nightmare. The threat of abduction by a stranger is minimal when compared with other possible reasons for a disappearance. In 2004, there were 67,266 missing-children cases in Canada. Only 31 involved abduction; in most of those cases the abductor was a relative, friend, or person known to the family. There were 671 cases of children wandering off, and 332 cases of abductions by a parent. Almost 80 percent of all cases were runaways. These statistics cast doubt on the idea that children should never talk to strangers. Wandering off is more common--but a lost children may have to call upon a stranger for help, and must develop the ability to judge what kind of people to approach. The "never talk to strangers" rule does not protect children in the situations they are most likely to face. On top of this, it can be confusing. Adults do not model the behaviour; they often talk to strangers. A child may not know how to tell who is a stranger, and who is not. For young children, nothing replaces close supervision . Pre-schoolers do not understand risk and tend to act without thinking. Children need to develop habits and sttitudes that will protect them from the real threats and dangers they may face. The Canada Safety Council encourages parents to give their children age-appropriate positive messages about safety, bearing in mind how youngsters may understand their world. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the 11-year-old boy? Answer: Frank Smithson woke up and leaned over to turn off the alarm clock. "Oh,no!"he thought to himself."Another day at that office;a boss who shouts at me all the time." As Frank went downstairs his eyes fell on a large brown envelope by the door. He was overjoyed when he opened it and read the letter inside. "Bigwoods Football Pools would like to congratulate you. You have won half a million pounds." Frank suddenly came to life. The cigarette fell from his lips as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street. At 11:30 Frank arrived at work."Please explain why you're so late,"his boss said." _ ," replied Frank. "I've just come into a little money so this is goodbye.Find yourself someone else to shout at." That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar when a knock was heard on the door. He rushed to the door. Outside were two men,neatly dressed in grey suits. "Mr Smithson," one of them said,"We're from Bigwoods Football Pools. I'm afraid there's been a terrible mistake......" What do we know about Frank? _ . Answer: If one where to get high at Mt. Everest it would mean they are Answer:
Question: High school graduation--the bittersweet feelings are as much a part of me now as they were twenty-one years ago. As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age. Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys--a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school. There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother's idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would subtly ask whether I had considered particular schools--all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established that, as long as the expenses would not be too heavy a burden on the family budget, I would be going away anyway, my family's perspective changed. Their concern shifted from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California. But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknowns: What would college be like? Would I be unbearably lonely not knowing anyone else who was going to the same school? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn't be able to stand it? And what about the work--would I be able to keep up? (Being an A student in high school seemed to offer little assurance I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I selected turned out to be a horrible mistake? Would I be able to transfer to another school? Then panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn't want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn't enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung of the ladder again. Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar melody of "Pomp and Circumstance" echoed in the background, I looked around at the other figures in white caps and gowns as we seriously lined into the hall. Tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was consumed by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze , I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma. As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the future of a new life seemed, it wasn't easy saying good-bye to the old one--the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn't particularly fond of and the long travel each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew. That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn't have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, some of the friendships I formed there I still treasure today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors for good. Although going back is impossible, it's comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time. On the actual graduation day, _ . A. the familiar tune "Pomp and Circumstance" brought tears to her eyes B. she went through the whole ceremony in a daze C. she came to realize that she had a passion for her old school D. reaching out for diploma, she was aware of a new stage in life ahead of her Answer: D. reaching out for diploma, she was aware of a new stage in life ahead of her Question: When we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the ability to get good scores on certain kinds of tests or even the ability to do well in school subjects. By intelligence we mean a way of living and behaving, especially in a new or upsetting situation. If we want to test intelligence, we need to find out how a person acts instead of how much he knows what to do. For instance, when in a new situation, an intelligent person thinks about the situation, not about himself or what might happen to him. He tries to find out all he can, and then he acts immediately and tries to do something about it. He probably isn't sure how it will all work out, but at least he tries. And if he cannot make things work out right, he doesn't feel ashamed that he failed; he just tries to learn from his mistakes. An intelligent person, even if he is very young, has a special outlook on life, a special feeling about life, and how he fits into it. If you look at children, you'll see a great difference in what we call "bright" children and "not bright" children. They are actually two different kinds of people, not just the same kind with different amounts of intelligence. For example, the bright child really wants to find out about life, and he tries to get in touch with everything around him. But the unintelligent child keeps more to himself and his own dream world; he seems to have a walk between him and life in general. In a new situation, an intelligent person _ . A. knows more about what might happen to him B. is sure of the result he will get C. is ready to face and fit himself in the situation D. cares more about himself Answer: C. is ready to face and fit himself in the situation Question: At 26, Jane Goodall had no college education or science training. But since childhood, she had been dreaming of working closely with animals in Africa. "All through my childhood people said you can't go to Africa. You're a girl." Goodall said. "But my mother used to say, if you really want to, there's nothing you can't do." In 1957, the 26-year-old Goodall went to Kenya to work as a secretary. She also arranged to meet the famous scientist Louis Leakey, who was so impressed by her enthusiasm that he hired her as his assistant. She went with him on many trips to the African jungle and in 1960 Leakey sent Goodall to live among chimpanzees in a remote animal preserve, recording the animals' behavior and interactions. For three months Goodall made little progress. But she said, "I never came close to giving up." Her breakthrough came one day when she saw a male chimpanzee stick a piece of grass into a termite hill, then put the grass in his mouth. Afterward she came to the hill and did the same. Pulling the grass out, she discovered dozens of termites on it. The discovery -- that some animals use tools -- was unknown to most scientists at the time. Goodall saw chimpanzees exhibit human-like emotions, such as jealousy and love. But she also discovered they were capable of violent attacks against each other. Goodall received her Ph.D. in the study of animal behavior at England's Cambridge University. Now she travels around the globe raising money to preserve wildlife. "I love being in the forest with the chimpanzees," she said. "I'd much rather be there than traveling around from city to city." What was Goodall's childhood dream? A. She dreamed of going to college. B. She dreamed of studying animals in Africa. C. She dreamed of becoming a famous scientist. D. She dreamed of traveling all around the world. Answer: B. She dreamed of studying animals in Africa. Question: Do you know some world famous brands , such as Nike, adidas, Kappa...? What do you think of them? Do you use their products ? Here are some students' opinions: Sam: I am a Nike fan. Many of Nike's advertisements are fun and its products are great! I have a pair of Nike basketball shoes. Joe: In my eyes , top brand means high quality, So I love top brand products though they're very expensive. I was glad Mum bought me a Kappa T-shirt last month. Sally:The logos of famous brands are usually unique and nice. It's cool to own products with those logos. Sometimes I wear my adidas coat. Jack:Many top brand products are advertised by spokesmen . I love the spokesmen of many top brand products. I've got many Nike socks. Susan: I know it's popular for young people to have famous brand products these days. But my parents both lost their jobs. I have no interest in following the fashion. I only choose the products that are not expensive. Adam: As a student, I don't earn money myself. It's not easy for my parents to support me. So I only use some ordinary products. I don't agree students use the famous brand products. Among the six students, who don't have top brand products? A. Sam and Joe. B. Sally and Jack. C. Susan and Adam. D. Jack and Sam. Answer: C. Susan and Adam. Question: Sarah Williams went to a boarding school. Here is one of the letters she wrote to her parents from the school. Wentworth Girls' School Beachside July 20th Dearest Mom and Dad, I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. I have been very naughty and the school principal is very angry with me. She is going to write to you. You must come and take me away from here. She does not want me in the school any longer. The trouble started last night when I was smoking in bed. This is against the rules, of course. We are not supposed to smoke at all. As I was smoking, I heard footsteps coming towards the room. I did not want a teacher to catch me smoking, so I threw the cigarette away. Unfortunately, the cigarette fell into the waste-paper basket, which caught fire. There was a curtain near the waste-paper basket which caught fire, too. Soon the whole room was burning. The principal phoned for the fire department. The school is a long way from the town and by the time the fire department arrived, the whole school was in flames. Many of the girls are in the hospital. The principal says that the fire was all my fault and you must pay for the damage. She will send you a bill for about a million dollars. I'm very sorry about this. Much love, Sarah P. S. None of the above is true, but I have failed my exams. I just want you to know how bad things could have been! Why did Sarah tell her parents the story about the fire? A. She wanted to worry them. B. She wanted to make them laugh. C. She wanted to make them less angry at the real news. D. She wanted to warn them about what the principal was going to do. Answer: C. She wanted to make them less angry at the real news.
A man accused of failing to return more than 700 children's books to five different libraries in the county was released from prison after a book publisher agreed to post his bond of $1,000.The publisher said."There's a story here.This is a man who loves books.He just can't let go of them.He hasn't stolen a single book.So what's the crime ? We think that Mr.Banish has story to tell.We plan to publish his story." When asked why he didn't return the books, Mr.Banish said,"Well,how could I? They became family to me.I was afraid to return them,because I knew that kids or dogs would get hold of these books and chew them up,throw them around,tear the pages,spill soda on them,get jelly on them,and drown them in the toilet. He continued,"Books are people,too! They talk to you,they take care of you,and they enrich you with wisdom,humor and love.A book is a guest in my home.How could I kick it out? I repaired tor n pages.I dusted them with a soft clean cloth.I turned their pages so they could breathe and get some fresh air." "Every week I reorganized them on their shelves so they could meet new friends,My books were HAPPY books.You could tell just by looking at them.Now they're all back in the libraries,on the lower shelves,on the floors,at the mercy of all those runny-nosed kids I can hear them calling me.I need to rescue them.Excuse me.I have to go now." What might happen after the man was set free? A He might stop borrowing books. B He might start a library of his own. C He might go on borrowing books from libraries. D He might return all his books. Answer: D. He might return all his books. I am a mother of two children. Like many other parents, I worry that my children watch too much TV. Why? First, there are lots of bad programmes on TV. They may learn from them. Second, watching too much TV is bad for their eyes. Many students wear glasses because they watch TV for long hours. Third, watching too much TV makes children think little . I think it is very important for children to read some books. Reading books makes children think more. When I tell this to my children, they just don't listen to me. So I decide to sell the television set. Maybe it is a good idea. Where are there a lot of bad programmes that the woman worries? A In films. B On the Internet. C On TV. D On books. Answer: C. On TV. Cheating can happen in a lot of different ways. When people cheat, it's not fair to other people, like the kids who studiedfor the test or who were the true winners of a game. Many people like the action of cheating. It makes difficult things seem easy, like getting all the right answers on the test. But it doesn't solve the problem of not knowing the material and it won't help on the next test --- unless the person cheats again. Some people lose respect for cheaters and think less of them. The cheaters themselves may feel bad because they know they are not really earning that good grade. And, if they get caught cheating, they will be in trouble at school, and maybe at home, too. Some kids cheat because they're busy or lazy and they want to get good grades without spending the time studying. Other kids might feel like they can't pass the test without cheating. Even when there seems to be a "good reason" for cheating, cheating isn't a good idea. If you were sick or upset about something the night before and couldn't study, it would be better to talk with the teacher about this. And if you don't have enough time to study for a test because of swim practice, you need to talk with your parents about how to balance swimming and school. A kid who thinks cheating is the only way to pass a test needs to talk with the teacher and his or her parents so they can find some solutions together. Talking about these problems and working them out will be better than cheating. The author thinks that when kids cheat in class, _ . A it does harm to their heath B it is unfair to other people C teachers should punish them D teachers shouldn't stop them at once Answer: B. it is unfair to other people In the past , people shopped for fruits, vegetables, bread and meat at small food stores and at open markets. Before there were _ , it was difficult to keep food fresh for a long time, so people shopped almost every day. Life today is very different from the past. Refrigerators keep food fresh, so people don't have to shop every day. People also have very busy lives. They have time to shop for food only once or twice a week. People shop for food in different kinds of places--in small stores, at large supermarkets and sometimes at wholesale stores that sell food and other things at very low prices. Some people even shop on the Internet. They order food online, and the company sends it to their home. And in many places around the world, people still shop at open markets. So people in different places like to shop for food in different ways. How many places are mentioned in the passage for people to shop for food now? A 4 B 5 C 6 D 7 Answer: B. 5 Garden of small inventions Visitors of all ages are invited to Port Discovery to see the new exhibit--a garden of small inventions, which features interactive activities and gadgets(,,) for the environmental protection. The exhibit runs through Sept.4. Fee is $10.75; free for ages younger than two. Contact 410-727-8120 or portdiscovery.org. Rain-barrel workshop The Parks and People Foundation presents a workshop on building water-efficient rain barrels for the home between 6pm-8pm on Wednesday at the foundation's Stieff Silver Building. Cost is $50 and includes the barrel and all materials. Contact 410-448-5663, ext.109. Pruning plants Visitors can attend a workshop on pruning plants between 9:30am-10am on Tuesday at Ladew Topiary Gardens. Visitors should meet in the Visitors Center at Ladew, Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton. $10; free for Ladew members, and includes admission to the gardens and the nature walk. Contact 410-557-9570 or www.ladewgardens.com. Landscape exhibit Photographs, paintings and drawings will be shown at Landscape and Nature--a view from Maryland, through Sept.9 at the University of Maryland. Opening reception is between 5pm-7:30pm on Tuesday. Contact 301-985-7937 or um.edu/art. It will cost a couple with their newly-born baby _ to visit Port Discovery. A $ 30 B $100 C $21.5 D nothing Answer: C. $21.5
Years ago people could hardly accept the ideas of a woman's being a doctor. In order to get into medical school in 1847, Elizabeth Blackwell was asked to keep it a secret that she was a woman. This was contrary to her beliefs, and she refused to do it. After entering medical school, prefix = st1 /Elizabethoften had to summon all her courage to free the unkindness of teachers and classmates. By her great efforts, she was able to complete her studies. Many people came to her graduation just to have a look at a woman doctor. Doctor Blackwell soon found that most people were not as ready as to go to a woman doctor. She had to struggle to make a living. Then came the great day when she was offered a job as a doctor in a hospital. She did so well that she was asked to organize a new hospital and medical college. TheUnited Statescan now be proud of thousands of women doctors. When she was at the medical school, Blackwell_. Answer: Charlie Boswell has always been a great hero. He has encouraged thousands of people to rise above circumstances and live out true meaning of life. He was blinded during World War II while rescuing his friend from a tank that was under fire. He was a great athlete before the accident. In order to prove his talent and determination, he decided to try a brand new sport, a sport he never imagined playing, even with his eyesight--golf ! Through determination and a deep love for the game he became the National Blind Golf Champion! He won that honor 13 times. One of his heroes was the great golfer Ben Hogan, so it truly was an honor for Charlie to win the Ben Hogan Award in 1958. Upon meeting Ben Hogan, Charlie was respectful and stated that he had one wish and it was to have one round of golf with the great Ben Hogan. Mr. Hogan agreed that playing a round together would be an honor for him as well, as he had heard about all of Charlie's accomplishments and truly admired his skills. "Would you like to play for money, Mr. Hogan?" asked out Charlie "I can't play you for money, it wouldn't be fair!" said Mr. Hogan. "Aw, come on Mr. Hogan...$ 1,000 per hole!" "I can't, what would people think of me, taking advantage of you and your circumstance?" replied the sighted golfer. "Chicken, Mr. Hogan?" "Okay," replied the embarrassed Hogan, "but I am going to play my best!" "I wouldn't expect anything else," said the confident Boswell. "Now that you're on, Mr. Boswell, you name the time and the place!" The very _ Boswell responded, "10 o'clock ... tonight!" Which of the following can best describe Charlie? Answer: I'm Evan Ducker. I'm just like every other 15-year-old boy, except I was born with a red birthmark . Some birthmarks are signs of serious medical conditions. I'm very fortunate--mine isn't. I pretty much live a regular life, except for people asking me about it all the time, which can get annoying sometimes. When I was about 4 years old, I asked my mom why there weren't any characters with birthmarks in the books she would read to me. When we went to the library, we realized there weren't any available for little kids. Worse than that, the books available to older kids and adults described characters with birthmarks as unattractive. So I decided to write my own. I based the story on all the real things that happened in my life. But instead of people, the characters in the book are real animals from the Galapagos Islands, including red-footed booby birds . I picked a booby bird as the main character because the birds have red feet due to a vascular condition, similar to a human birthmark! It was really tough to get my book published. It took a long time because a lot of publishers refused to publish it. They would say there wasn't a big enough market for a book about birthmarks. But my mom never gave up trying to help make my dream come true. And in 2005, she finally took her own money and self-published "Buddy Booby's Birthmark". After it was published, I got letters from readers all over the world. They all shared their stories and thanked me for sharing mine. Teachers wrote to tell me that my book changed the way classmates treated each other and that my book was helping kids to accept and appreciate their differences. Then, as more teachers started reading my book, I created a free global reading event, the "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read--Along for Tolerance and Awareness." What the author found in the library made him _ . Answer: People are talking about the "new economy." It's very different from the "old economy". In the old economy, people travel to walk. They buy things in stores. They use the post office, the fax and the telephone to send information. They see people face-to-face at their jobs or in stores. People get information from newspapers, radio, television, books and libraries. In the new economy, people do business through the "net," which is a connection of millions of computers everywhere in the world. In the new economy, workers often work at home. They can get information online. They can communicate with employers and co-workers by e-mail. Businesses have "virtual stores". They are websites on which customers can see the products. Businesses can sell to customers anywhere in the world. In the new economy, people live a fast paced, convenient and colorful life. The whole world develops more quickly than before. But the new economy is a double-edge sword. Its disadvantage is also obvious. For example, the Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card cheating. Some illegal websites offer some cheap or banned goods or services. Online shoppers who enter their credit card information may never receive the goods they want to buy and their card information could even be for sale in an illegal website. So people in the new economy should be smarter and knowledgeable. The cause of the differences between the new economy and the old economy is _ . Answer: Laughter Yoga is one form of yoga. Madan Kataria, a doctor in Mumbai, India invented it. He believed that people had forgotten how to really laugh. Through his research he made an interesting discovery. The human mind does not know the difference between forced laughter and real laughter. Forced laughter can also lead to a feeling of happiness. And then Kataria had the idea for a group of people who would laugh together. He gathered a few of his friends together. They met in a public park in Mumbai. That small group grew and grew! And this is how people began to do Laughter Yoga. People doing Laughter Yoga usually meet together in a Laughter Club. Kataria's friends formed the first Laughter Club in 1995. Today, there're over 5,000 Laughter Clubs in 53 countries. But what exactly do people do in a Laughter Club? People in Laughter Yoga meetings usually do a series of exercises. The exercises include body movement, correct breathing, and of course, laughter! At the beginning of the meeting, people may have to force themselves to laugh. But by the end, everyone is usually laughing in a real way! Each meeting is a little different. But there are common exercises groups may do. Experts say that the exercises help blood move around the body faster. They also say that Laughter Yoga helps people deal with the bad things in their lives. They say that a person may go into a Laughter Club meeting feeling sad, angry, or worried. But then, people act happy. After a time, forced laughter becomes real laughter. This is one reason why people may enjoy laughter Yoga so much What did Kataria find out about laughter? _ Answer:
Eye Facts There are many commonly held beliefs about eyesight that are not proven facts. For example, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weakens the eyes. But there is no evidence to show that the structure of eyes is changed by wearing glasses at young age. Wearing the wrong glasses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that for adults there is no danger, but children can develop loss of sight if they have glasses unsuitable for their eyes. We have all heard some of the common myths about how eyesight gets bad. Most people believe that reading in weak light causes poor eyesight, but that is untrue. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained. Eyestrain also results from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. However, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not damage eyesight in the long term. Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced, or transplanted from one person to another. There are close to one million nerve fibers that connect the eyeball to the brain; as of yet, it is impossible to connect them all in a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, someday a full transplant may be possible! From the passage we can conclude that _ . A doctors are still learning things about eyesight B wearing wrong glasses is less harmful to adults C eye transplants have been performed successfully D people should not wear glasses at young age Answer: A Fruit powered digital clock Fruit's not only good to eat, but it can also power this Fruit digital Clock. This clock uses the scientific principles on which modern electrical storage batteries are based. The acid from the fruit helps transmit an electrical flow between two metal poles. The clock is priced at US $ 15. Connecting any fresh fruit or vegetable to the clock will make it work. The fruit is a clean, renewable source of electrical power. USB vacuum Do you know the dirtiest parts of your desk are probably your keyboard and mouse? Get a USB Mini Vacuum with retractable cable and suck away all that _ . The US- made product is priced at US $14. SIM card reader Making useful USB 2.0 multi-card readers even handier, this card can also read and write data to phone SIM cards. It comes with SIM editing software. Download your phonebook to your computer. If you lose your cell phone, you can store missing phone numbers in your new one. The US-made IMOMO SIM card + Multi Card Reader is priced at US $ 19 (152yuan). Beer in your ear The beer barrel -shaped Naf Naf Hyp MP3 is a musical box that's capable of playing radio, CDs and cassettes. It's got all the standard features of the typical clock-radio, but with the relaxing look of a big beer barrel. The Danish product is priced at about US $ 130 (1,040yuan) If you have 115 yuan, which product can you buy according to the passage? A Fruit powered digital clock B USB vacuum C SIM card reader D Naf Naf Hyp MP3 Answer: B The days are getting shorter and shorter, and temperatures are dropping. Winter is coming and it is easy for people to catch flu. Many people have started taking vitamin C pills as a precautionary way. But a research has shown that vitamin C pills do not provide as much protection as they think. They are even not as good as other ways, like often washing your hands. Some German scientists have given people information and a test on the subject helping to stop incorrect ways. Whether it is caused by cold or flu , a runny nose and sore throat are signs of catching a cold. Many people overestimate the advantages of vitamin C and other pills. For years it was believed that taking vitamin C pills not only provided protection against colds but also against cancers, helping people to live longer. But the result of the research showed disagreement on these beliefs . The result has now come out on the website wwww.informedhealthonline.org. "Some pills may not help people live longer. Some pills may even lead to earlier death," says Professor Peter Sawicki. Scientists also say that the best way to get vitamins is through food instead of having vitamin pills. That is to say, we disagree with the way of taking vitamin C pills. There are many simple but useful ways to lower the risk of catching a cold. These include often washing your hands with normal soap and water and not touching your face with your hands. People who have already had a cold can stop it from spreading by throwing away tissues at once after using them and not shaking hands with other people. _ is NOT an effective way to lower the risk of catching a cold. A Not touching your face with your hands B Often washing your hands with normal soap and water C Not shaking hands with those people who have already had a cold D Not throwing away tissues at once after using them Answer: D Something bad happened to sam this morning. He fell over and broke his nose in the school hallway. When Sam looked up, he saw his friends. "Are you OK?" They asked him. But he didn't say anything to them. He stood up and ran to the classroom quickly. Sam put his schoolbag on his desk and went out to the school hospital. On his way back to the classroom he saw his friends again. They were laughing. Sam thought they were laughing at him, so he didn't talk to them for the rest of the morning. At lunchtime, Sam's friends came up to him and asked, "How is your nose?" "Fine!" Sam shouted. "I saw you laughing at me this morning!" "We didn't. We laughed just because Jenny told us a joke," his friends said. "Well, I'm sorry. Can you _ me?" "Yes, of course. But next time you should ask us before you assume something." They looked at each other and laughed happily. They were still friends. ,,. Why was Sam angry with his friends? A Because they didn't talk with him. B Because Jenny told them a joke. C Because they didn't go to the hospital. D Because he thought they laughed at him. Answer: D Which gas accounts for the largest percentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? A carbon monoxide B carbon dioxide C nitrous oxide D water vapor Answer: D
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 surprised the author about drinking water in the US? A. People do not drink hot water. B. People prefer to drink sodas. C. People drink from any tap they find. D. People drink from water dispensers. Answer: A Question: Kelsey's uncle Jack gave him and his brother, Davy, some chalk to play with. Kelsey was a pretty good artist. His family said that all of his drawings looked real. His brother was sad that he was not as good at art and drawing as Kelsey. Davy teased Kelsey to take his mind off the fact that he was not as good at art. He called Kelsey names and pretended to be a monster to scare Kelsey when he wasn't paying attention. When their mother gave them some chocolate as a treat, Davy took all of it and wouldn't let Kelsey have any. Uncle Jack finally saw that Davy was hurting his brother, so he sat down to talk to him. After lots of questioning, Davy told his uncle the truth. "Instead of teasing your brother," Uncle Jack said, "why don't you ask him to teach you how to draw some things? He's used to his big brother knowing everything. I think he would like to teach you some things." Davy looked at the ground and finally said, "Okay." Kelsey was pleased that his brother asked him to teach him. After that, both boys got along much better. Why was Davy upset at Kelsey? A. He didn't know as much about animals as Kelsey. B. He wasn't as good at art and drawing as Kelsey. C. He wasn't as fast a runner as Kelsey. D. He wasn't as good at playing jacks as Kelsey. Answer: B Question: Like the post-90s generation in China, today's teenagers in the UK have a problem with how they're represented. Most of them feel unfairly represented by the media and their lives are negatively influenced, says a recent survey. The survey was carried out by the UK Demos, in which more than 1000 14-17-year-old teens from England and Northern Ireland took part. The survey report shows that four-fifths of teens (81%) felt there was a false image of young people in the media and wider society. Most of them (85%) said that it is hurting both their self-esteem and chance of getting a job. By researching six UK newspapers over the past 10 years, Demos found that words most commonly connected with "teenagers" and "young people" were "binge-drinking", "yobs" and "crime". "The young people out there are doing good things for the community, but there are always bad things on the news. But we're not all like that, it's only a few," said Becky Brunskill, 18, member of Youth Parliament for Liverpool. The survey also found that 80% of UK teenagers believed they cared more about social issues than the older generation. This was a view shared by their teachers, 66% of whom agreed in a separate Demos survey of 500 teachers. The UK youth are also eager to make a difference. But rather than traditional politics, 87% of the teens believed social media was a good way to change society. Jonathan Birdwell, author of the Demos report, said "They could be the most active citizens we have seen in a generation." How many people think that the false image is hurting their self-esteem? A. 800 B. 810 C. 850 D. 1000 Answer: C Question: He was a single father, raising a 5-year-old boy alone. He worried about his son growing up without a mother to care for him. One day he went away on business, leaving the child alone. He was worried about the child all the way, not knowing if he had eaten. But his child always told him not to worry. He went home quickly after finishing his work. When he got home, the child was deep asleep. He was tired out. When he was about to sleep himself, he was surprised to find an overturned bowl of noodles under the quilt. He spanked his sleeping son angrily:"Why are you so naughty, making the quilt dirty? Who will wash it?" It was the first time that he had hit his boy after his wife's death. "I haven't," the boy explained with tears in his eyes. "This is your supper, Daddy." In order to let his father eat dinner as soon as he got home, the boy cooked two bowls of noodles: one for himself, the other one for his father. He was afraid his father's noodles would get cold, so he placed them under the quilt to keep them hot. Hearing this, the father hugged his boy tightly without saying a word. When the father got home , _ A. His son wasn't at home. B. He was tired out C. His son was doing his homework D. He was very happy. Answer: B Question: Hello! I'm Jason. On Monday, I usually wake up late and have no time to have breakfast. I can't find my books or my school cap. At last, I find my books and my school cap in the bathroom. I have to wait for a bus and I am nearly late for school. The first lesson on Monday morning is Maths. I like it because I'm good at Maths. The next lesson is French. I like French. It's nice to be able to talk with somebody in another language. At last, it is eleven o'clock -- time for break. After having a break, we have two Latin lessons. There are a lot of boys in our class who don't like Latin. I don't like it, either. At half past twelve, it is time for lunch -- a meat pie, potatoes or cabbage and a glass of juice or milk. Then I go to the playground with my friends, and we play football there. After lunch, we have a History lesson. The History teacher tells us many interesting things. After school, my friends and I usually go for a walk. I come home very late, and my mother is very angry. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Jasonfindshisbooksinthebedroom. B. ThesecondlessononMondayisLatin. C. Jasonhaslunchattwelveo'clock. D. Jason probably likes History lessons. Answer: D
Lin Xiao, 21, a student at Guangdong University, has a big family - her two parents, a younger brother and two younger sisters. Lin took her role as the "big sister" seriously. When her first sister was born, Lin took turns with her mom holding the baby late into the night. "I almost did everything that was supposed to be a parent's job, but I felt proud of myself," she said. Not all of Lin's classmates shared her experiences because of the family planning policy , a law that was carried out in China about forty years ago. But the situation is about to change. A new policy made on October 29 said all couples can now have two children. The new policy is expected to help raise the population of China. Recently, China has been facing an aging population and labor shortages because of the low birth rate . The two-child policy may also be the gift for every only child. Researchers found that growing up with a brother or sister can have good influence on one's mental health. "Brothers and sisters do matter in unique ways. They give kids something that parents don't." Laura Walker, a professor from Beijing University, told China Daily. She noted that having a brother or a sister protects teenagers against loneliness, fear and so on. Liu Fang, 20, from Shenzhen University, has a 2-year-younger sister. When her sister disagreed with parents over choosing a college major, she helped her to communicate with parents. "If necessary, I would always have her back," said Liu. "The best part of having a sister is that you have a partner, friend and supporter throughout your life." But children with brothers or sisters also have to learn to understand and look after each other, said Laura. The best title for this article should be _ . Answer: Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world? It's an increasingly urgent question, given the recent mining accidents in Sago. W. Va. and Huntington, Utah. A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work. Robotic technology, in particular, holds much promise, McAteer says, especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners--the special operations of the mining industry. One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Canegie-Mellon University's Robotics Institute. It was called Groundhog. It used lasers to "see" in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines - some of the most dangerous work in the business The latest design is called Cave Crawler. It's a bit smaller than Grondhog, and even more advanced. It can take photos and video and has more sensors that can discover the presence of dangerous gases. The robot has a real sense of logic, which is hard to believe. If it comes across a thing in the way it gets confused. It has to think through the process and where to go next, and sometimes it _ just like a real person. The greatest problem, though, is cost. The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government, but that money has dried up, and it's not clear where future money will come from. Partly for that reason, and partly because of advances in safely, mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past. Since 1990,fatalities have declined by 67 percent and injuries by 51 percent, according to the National Mining Association. Some experts predict that robots in the mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry. The robot do the most boring and dangerous jobs, but don't eliminate the need for human workers. We can learn from the text that _ . Answer: What contains chlorophyll? Answer: Bananas spread their chromosomes because of Answer: Tuition fees for British students could reach as much as #20,000, a university vicc-president has warned. Prof. Nick Pctfon warned that universities will face additional economic pressures as student numbers increase, which could force them to increase home students' fees. Student tuition is presently upped at #9,000 for British students. Speaking to the lines fligher Education, Prof. Petford, the vice-president of Northampton University,said that some universities with high brand value will be able to charge PS17,000, PS18,000 or PS20,000 in the future. "'I am sure of that. The president of the National Union of Students Toni Pearce said: "The suggestion that tuition fees should be charged at this level shows just how astonishingly out of touch some university vice-presidents can be." Prof. Petford argued there will be a change in how universities view home students - suggesting they will be treated more like international students. "If you look at international students, that's been a market not well-governed since we've been recruiting (tix) overseas students. Universities have always been used to this sort of behaviour." He said. "The big step change now is thinking about home students in this way." Presently there is no cap on fees that universities can charge international students. The president of Universities UK, Christopher Snowden, said that his report showed universities needed more money to maintain their current standards. "The rise in tuition fees in England did not give all universities extra money - it replaced the cuts in direct government funding , " he said. What is Prof. Petford's belief according to the text? Answer:
Question: Do you know Su Bingtian? He is a Chinese runner. He was born in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province on August 20th, 1989. When he was a child, he liked running in the school running team. His parents supported him in practicing running and they often encouraged him to run. Though it's very hard for him to win every race, he never gives up. He tries his best to run well every day. He took part in the regular match in November, 2004 for the first time. After that, he won many first prizes in all kinds of matches. On May 31st, 2015, in Saturday's Eugene Grand Prix, the 1.72 meters-tall runner finished third in 9.99 seconds, behind American Tyson Gay in 9.88 seconds and Mike Rodgers in 9.90 seconds. Su Bingtian becomes beats 10-second barrier as the first Asian-born. China's Zhang Peimeng, who raced to his personal best of 10.00 seconds in 2013, is considered the closest to beating the barrier. Now Su Bingtian broke his record. "I am so proud of my result. I can write my name into history now and I will work harder and run faster," said Su Bingtian. Now let's congratulate to Su Bingtian! We hope Su Bingtian will have a better future and good luck to him! Where was Su Bingtian born? A. Beijing. B. Shanghai. C. Guangdong D. Jiangsu. Answer: C. Guangdong Question: Although new laws have been passed in some American states to cut down on Distracted driving , many accidents and deaths were still related with it, especially using cell phones while driving.Recently the Obama administration is considering disabling cell phones in cars aiming to cut down cell-phone-related road deaths. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the nation's anti-distracted-driving supporter, said in an interview on November 18 that federal officials are looking at technology to disable cell phones inside cars. "I think it will be done," LaHood said."I think the technology is there and I think you're going to see the technology become adaptable in automobiles to disable these cell phones- We need to do a lot more if we were going to save lives." Also on Thursday, the transportation government started a new "Faces of Distracted Driving" video campaign that features people who have been killed or lost their loved ones because of inattentive drivers.The video features heartbreaking stories of children killed, in crashes because of phoning or text messaging, and new videos are expected to be added every few weeks. A driver is four times more likely to crash while using a mobile phone.More than 5,500 people were killed last year by distracted drivers, and another 500,000 were injured.LaHood has said it is never safe to talk on a cell phone while driving, hands-free or not, because it can really cause distraction. Incidentally, a lot of people seem to agree with this viewpoint--a new research shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support a national ban on the use of cell phones while driving, even if the driver is using a hands-free device .But the research didn't ask how people feel about government-issued _ or other disabling devices. The "Faces of Distracted Driving" video campaign aims to _ . A. find out the real drivers who caused the accidents B. show that most of the victims in car crashes are children C. make the public aware of the terrible results of distracted driving D. call on drivers to buy the new device which disables cell phones in cars Answer: C. make the public aware of the terrible results of distracted driving Question: There's a case to be made, from things like Google search figures, that Robert Frost's poem The Road Not Taken - you know, the one about two paths diverging in a wood - is the most popular in modern history. Yet people still can't agree what it means. On the surface, it's a fridge-magnet cliche on the importance of taking risks and choosing the road less travelled. But many argue it slyly mocks that American belief in the individual's power to determine his or her future. After all, the poet admits that both paths look roughly similarly well-travelled. And how could he be sure he took the right one? He'll never know where the other leads. Looking back at our life histories, we tell ourselves we faced important dilemmas and chose wisely. But maybe only because it's too awful to admit we're stumbling mapless among the trees, or that our choices don't make much difference. Two psychologists, Karalyn Enz and Jennifer Talarico, throw light on these matters in a new study with a title that nods to Frost: Forks In The Road. They sought to clarify how people think about "turning points" versus "transitions" in life. A turning point, by their definition, is a moment that changes your future - deciding to leave a job or marriage, say - but often isn't visible from the outside, at least at first. "Transitions" involve big external changes: going to university, marrying, emigrating . Sometimes the two go together, as when you move to a new place and realize it's where you belong. ("New Yorkers are born all over the country," Delia Ephron said, "and then they come to New York and it hits them: oh, that's who I am.") But it's turning points we remember as most significant, Enz and Talarico conclude, whether or not they also involve transitions. The distinction is useful: it underlines how the most outwardly obvious life changes aren't always those with the biggest impact. Hence the famous "focusing illusion", which describes how we exaggerate the importance of a single factor on happiness: you switch jobs, or spouses, only to discover you brought the same troublesome old you to the new situation. Before it became a joke, "midlife crisis" referred to a turning point that happens because your circumstances don't change, when your old life stops feeling meaningful. Turning points can be caused by mundane things - the offhand remark that makes you realize you're in the wrong life - or by nothing at all. What can we infer from this passage? A. Turning points involving transitions are often remembered as most significant. B. The biggest impact is often characterized with obvious outside changes. C. A fundamental change is often affected by more than one single factor. D. We can rid ourselves of the unpleasant past with the change of a job. Answer: C. A fundamental change is often affected by more than one single factor. Question: Americans All Type: Musical Running Time: 50 Minutes This is a musical play set in a high school classroom that will teach you the importance of staying in school. This fun and entertaining musical experience will appeal to anyone. It has a positive message that will be well received by students as well as their teachers and parents. Almost all of the roles can be played either by males or females. The dialogue teaches values, ethics and how to be the best you can be. The lyrics and music flow non-stop with piano accompaniment . A Mother in My Head Type: Short Play Running Time: 45 Minutes Where does motherly advice and direction begin and where does it end? Or does it ever end? This fast-paced play follows the lives of two young people as they begin their careers, meet, and fall in love, each coached in every step of the way by the "mothers in their heads". The on-stage presence of the mothers provides an interaction between characters that is thoroughly enjoyable. One of Our Clowns Is Missing Type: Short Play Running Time: 30 Minutes Adapted from the full-length play One of Our Clowns Is Missing by Robert Frankel, this play will bring the audience to cheers, tears, and applause. Sandy lacks self-esteem , but after meeting a group of characters that turn her life around, she regains her confidence and makes a new start. My Fed Ex Christmas Request Type: Short Play Running Time: 10 Minutes Nicky is naughty every year so instead of getting toys under his Christmas tree, Santa has been leaving him a lump of coal in his stocking year after year. Well, Nicky has finally had it with being labeled as naughty by Santa and decides to pack himself in a FedEx box and ship it to the North Pole. He's going to defend his case face to face with Santa. This comedy shows us what happens when Nicky decides he's not going to take it anymore! To encourage their children to stay in school, parents should take their children to see _ . A. Americans All B. A Mother in My Head C. One of Our Clowns Is Missing D. My Fed Ex Christmas Request Answer: A. Americans All Question: Juan and Amy were happy because they were going to help their mom make a cake. They were making the cake for their dad who was returning from a long trip. Amy thought about all the things she wanted to do with her dad when he got back. They would go to the park and he could push her on the swing then they could take their dog for a walk and have a long talk like they used to do. Juan was also thinking about all the things he and his dad could do when he got back. Maybe they could all go to the river like last year and his dad could teach him how to skip stones across the river. They could share hotdogs like last year too. "What are you two doing in here?" Their mom asked. "We are waiting to help you with Dad's cake." Juan said. "Okay, you two get out the yogurt for the frosting and I am going to start the oven to get it warmer." "Oh no! I spilled the punch when Juan was closing the door." Amy cried. "It is okay we can clean that up in no time." Juan said and grabbed the paper towels. Just as their mom was mixing the cake ingredients Juan and Amy heard their dog bark. "Mom! The dog is barking someone is here." Juan said. "Well your dad is not going to be here until this afternoon. You two wait here." She said and walked out of the kitchen. Her husband opened the door and smiled at her. She hugged him and they walked into the kitchen together. "Daddy!" Juan and Amy shouted and ran to hug him. "I missed you guys so I left early." What happened when Juan and Amy went to get the yogurt? A. someone came to the door and Amy ran out of the kitchen B. the dog started barking and their mom started the oven C. their mom hugged their dad and they walked back into the kitchen together. D. Juan was closing the door and Amy spilled the punch so Juan got the paper towels to clean up the punch. Answer: D. Juan was closing the door and Amy spilled the punch so Juan got the paper towels to clean up the punch.
Educating girls quite possibly outputs a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world. Women's education may be an unusual field for economists, but raising women's contribution to development is actually as much an economic as a social problem. And economics, with its emphasis on motivation, provides an explanation for why so many girls can't receive education. Parents in low-income countries fail to invest in their daughters because they do not expect them to make an economic contribution to the family: girls grow up only to marry into somebody else's family and bear children. Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and are kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school-- _ , trapping women in a vicious circle of neglect. An educated mother, on the other hand, has greater earning abilities outside the home and faces an entirely different set of choices. She is likely to have fewer but healthier children and can insist on the development of all her children, ensuring that her daughters are given a fair chance. The education of her daughters then makes it much more likely that the next generation of girls, as well as of boys, will be educated and healthy. The vicious circle is thus transformed into a good circle. Few will disagree with it that educating women has great social benefits. But it has enormous economic advantages as well. Most obviously, there is the direct effect of education on the wages of female workers. Wages rise by 10 to 20 per cent for each additional year of schooling. Such big returns are impressive by the standard of other available investments, but they are just the beginning. Educating women also has a significant influence on health practices, including family planning. The author believes that a vicious circle can turn into a good one when _ . Answer: It is estimated that some seven hundred million people, about half the world's adult population, are unable to read or write, and there are probably two hundred and fifty million more whose level is so slight that it is hardly called literacy . Recently the attack on illiteracy had been stepped up. A world plan has been drawn up by a committee of UNESCO experts in Paris, as part of the United Nations Development Decade ,and an international conference of the subject has also been held. UNESCO stresses that functional literacy is the aim. People must learn the basic skills of responsible citizenship, the ability of reading notices, newspapers, timetables, letters, price-lists to keep simple records and accounts, to select the importance of the information gathered, and to fill in the forms. The major areas of illiteracy are in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. In Africa there are at least one hundred million illiterate people, which is eighty to eighty-five percent of the total population. In Europe the figure is about twenty-four million; most of them are in Sothern Europe, with Spain, Italy, Portugal, Yugoslavia heading the list (the United Kingdom has about seven hundred thousand). UNESGO is eager for each country in the world, poor or rich, to wipe out illiteracy. The world plan mentioned in the passage aims at _ . Answer: Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to pre-school children. But a new study suggests that calling attention to the words and letters on the page may lead to better readers. The two-year study compared children who were read in this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the print showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. These results were found one year and even two years later. Shayne Piasta, an assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, was an author of the study. She says most pre-school teachers would find this method manageable and would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read story-books in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed text. "If you get children to pay attention to letters and words, it makes sense that they will do better at word recognition and spelling." But she says research suggests that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way. More than 300 children aged four and five were observed in classrooms. They came from poor families and were below average in their language skills. For thirty weeks, the children took part in a program called Project STAR--- Sit Together and Read. The project is based at Ohio State. It tests the short-term and long-term results of reading regularly to pre-school children in their classrooms. There are different ways that adults can talk to children about print. They can point to a letter and discuss it, and even trace the shape with a finger. They can point out a word and discuss the meaning of the print or how the words tell the story. And they can talk about the organization of the print--- for instance, showing how words are written left to right in English. What do we know about the ways pre-school children are usually taught? Answer: Trains have long been an important form of transportation. Yet they have changed a lot since 1804, when the first train moved at 8 km/hr. Today's high speed trains can go 300 km/hr or faster. Besides their speed, they have many advantages over other transportation types. Japan built the world's first high speed railway. In 1964, Japan's "Shinkansen" trains started traveling between Osaka and Tokyo at 200 km/hr. Over time, more lines, as well as faster trains, were built. Korea, England, and the USA, now have their own high speed systems. Taiwan Province's started running in 2007. Its trains are based on two types of Shinkansen trains. They can carry 989 people and travel from Taipei to Kaohsiung in less than two hours. These systems are expensive to build, but they have many advantages. For example, they are good for the environment. Trains on the London to Paris line create 1/10 the pollution that planes create. High speed trains are also safer and cleaner than cars. Super fast trains can even help a country's economy . They make it easier to travel to faraway places. That helps businesses and land values in those areas. It's no wonder so many countries are building their own high speed railways. One of the disadvantages of high speed trains mentioned in this passage is that _ . Answer: Good health is the most valuable thing a person can have, but one cannot take good health for granted. It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. There are three things that a person can do to help stay in good shape: eat right food ,get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. Proper nutrition is important for good health. Your body cannot work well unless it receives the proper kind of "fuel" .Don't eat too much food with lots of sugar and fat. Eat plenty of foods high in protein ,like meat, fish, eggs and nuts. Vegetables and fruits are very important because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals. However, don't overeat. It is not helpful to be overweight. Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. If you don't get enough sleep, you feel tired and easily get angry. You have no energy. Over a long period of time a little a amount of sleep may even result in a change of personality .Be sure to allow yourself from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you do, your body will feel strong and refreshed, and your mind will be sharp. Finally, get plenty of exercise. Exercise firms the body, strengthens the muscles, and prevents you from gaining weight. It also improves your heart and lungs. If you follow a regular exercise program, you will probably increase your life-span .Any kind of exercise is good. Most sports are excellent for keeping the body in good shapes: basketball, swimming, bicycling, running and so on are good examples. Sports are not only good for your body, but they are enjoyable and interesting, too. If everybody, were to eat the right foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the world would be a happier and healthier place. We would all live to be much older and wiser. According to the passage, _ . Answer:

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