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Question: If you take a look at the best-selling books in theprefix = st1 /UKthese days, it is almost certain that there will be a lot of autobiographies in that list. Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and actor Michael J Fox have all written them. An autobiography is the story of a person's life, written by that person. It is usually a very famous person who might tell us all about their childhood, how they became famous and any other interesting things that have happened in their lives. Traditionally, someone would write an autobiography when they were older because they had had a long, successful life. However, these days there are many magazines with stories and photos of the stars which sell very well. Reality TV shows are extremely popular and lots of people become famous very easily just from being on the TV rather than being able to sing or act well. As a result, people become famous very quickly and as soon as they are famous, a lot of money can be made from writing an autobiography, even if they are very young. So now you can find an autobiography from almost everyone who is in the public eye. Even though we can follow the lives of the stars very closely on TV or in magazines nowadays, we maybe don't know how they live their lives from day to day. Autobiographies often give the information we never knew about the stars. The British public are very curious to find out more so they are very eager to read autobiographies. Not every star wants to write though. Sometimes stars employ writers to write their life stories for them. The writer will interview the star, listen to everything they want to say, record interviews and then write the book based on their words. David Beckham did this with his book My Side. Not everyone likes to read books regularly but they might like to read about the lives of stars. Autobiographies are helping to get more British people reading books. About 100 million autobiographies are sold inBritainevery year. More stars depend on them for extra income and as more of these books appear in the shops, more people are sure to keep buying them. Traditionally, someone would write his autobiography when_. A. they became famous B. they wanted to make money C. they were older and had achieved a lot D. they wanted to share their childhood with the readers Answer: C Question: Do you like Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf ? It's an interesting cartoon movie. Do you want to know what they do in their village every day? I'm Nuan Yangyang. On school days, I always go to school at 8:00 in the morning. Then I go home at four fifteen in the afternoon. Then I do my homework at 5:00 in the afternoon. I have no homework on weekends. I'm Fei Yangyang. I want to be healthy, so I always get up at six o'clock in the morning. And I run to a sports club to play sports at 8:15 in the morning. Then I play games with my friends and get home at three o'clock in the afternoon. I'm Lan Yangyang. I love eating and sleeping. And I don't like doing sports. I have meals at home but I never wash the dishes . I'm Mei Yangyang. I am a pretty girl. I like going to clothes stores. The clothes there are nice, so I often buy nice skirts there. I go to a singing club on weekends. I'm Xi Yangyang. I like helping others. So I usually take the bus to the English club at ten thirteen in the morning. There I help two kids learn to speak English. Nuan Yangyang _ at 4:15P.M.. A. go to school B. go home C. do homework D. get up Answer: B Question: Tay-Sachs disease is a recessive genetic disorder. If only one gene is present, an individual is a carrier. What is the probability of two healthy Tay-Sachs carriers having a child that has the disease? A. 0% B. 25% C. 50% D. 75% Answer: B Question: When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn't do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library. Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write "True" or "False". While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Thenhe told me of his plan. "It's very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I'll just toss the coin to decide the answers. That way, I'm sure I'll get half the questions right." The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us. The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. "Oh, good," he said to the teacher, "Have you got the result of the test?" The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it. "I'm terribly sorry, Fred," he said, "You failed!" The professor tossed a coin to tell Baines that _ . A. he was satisfied with Baines' way for the exam B. he wanted to make friends with Baines C. Baines' way for the exam would never work D. the exam result depended on the coin Answer: C Question: This is a new picture. There are four boys and three girls in the room. They are all students. The boy on the desk is Jim. The girl near the window is Kate. Jim's sister Jane is on the chair. Ann and Mike are at the door. Mike's brother Sam is under the table. Where is Tom? Oh, he is over there, near the door. They are all very happy. _ girls and _ boys in the room are all students. A. Three; four B. Four; three C. Two; three D. Three; five Answer: A
The British usually expect one or two snowfalls each year but the amount of snow rarely affects everyday life. However, this week Britain has had the worst snow it has seen in around 18 years. Some places had more than 30cm in a day. The bad weather caused severe disruption. More than 3000 schools had to close as teachers and pupils were unable to get to school. School children weren't too unhappy about it though as they headed out to play the snow, building snowmen, having snowball fights, sledging and some even snowboarding and skiing. In London, bus services were withdrawn for a day and tubes and trains were cancelled. Major motorways in the country had to close. Many people were unable to get to work and it is thought the cost of this lost labor is around &1 billion (10 billion yuan) to businesses and the economy. Anyone who wanted to leave the country had problems too. Runways were closed at all the UK's major airports because of the amount of snow. Hundreds of flights were cancelled leaving some passengers stranded at airports. So why is the UK so ill-prepared for snow? The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, explained that there aren't enough snow -ploughs and gritters and it doesn't make sense to buy such equipment when it snows so infrequently. The south-east of England was the hardest hit at the beginning of the week but the snow is now moving northwards where the chaos continues. More ice and snow is forecast throughout the week and the advice from travel and weather organizations is to stay indoors unless you really need to _ ! Which of the following facts is FALSE according to the passage? A. More than 3000 schools had to close for the heavy snow. B. Major motorways in the country had to close for the bad weather. C. Runways were closed at all the UK's major airports for the amount of snow. D. The government organized to clear the snow away with snow-ploughs and gritters. Answer: D Loren Gladstone of Toronto is 58, but thinking over how to bequeath his digital property . Doing the paperwork after his parents' death was a challenge. "When my time comes, I wonder if my children will even know what paper is," he says. As a software developer, his virtual property is both valuable and vital to his business. That reflects a problem. Online lives have increasing economic and emotional value. But testamentary laws offer confusing and incomplete ways of bequeathing and inheriting them. Digital property may include software, websites, downloaded content, online gaming identities, social-media accounts and even e-mails. In Britain alone holdings of digital music may be worth over PS9 billion ($14 billion). A fifth of respondents to a Chinese local-newspaper survey said they had over 5,000 yuan($790) of digital property. And value does not lie only in money."Anyone with kids under 14 years old probably has two prints of them and the rest are in online galleries,"says Nathan Lustig of Entrustet, a company that helps people manage digital property. Service providers have different rules--and few state them clearly in their terms and conditions. Many give users a personal right to use an account, but nobody else, even after death. Facebook allows relatives to close an account or turn it into a memorial page. Gmail (run by Google) will provide copies of e-mails to an executor . Music downloaded via iTunes is held under a license which can be abolished on death. Apple declined to comment on the record on this or other policies. All e-mail and data on its iCloud service are deleted on the death of the owner. This has led to cases to court in America. In 2004 the family of Justin Ellsworth, an army man killed in Iraq, took Yahoo! to court in Michigan to get copies of his e-mails. This year, a court in Oregon ruled that another American mother whose son had died could use her dead son's password to enter his Facebook account for a short period. Now five American states have made laws giving executors control over the social-networking accounts of dead users. But this raises the subject of privacy. Passing music on is one thing; not everyone may want their relatives to read their e-mails. Colin Pearson, a London-based lawyer, says access should come only with a clear provision in a will. But laws, wills and password safes may be contrary to the providers' terms of service, especially when the executor is in one country and the data in another. Headaches for the living and lots of lovely work for lawyers. Why does Loren begin to think over how to bequeath his digital property at the age of 58? A. Because he is afraid his children don't know what paper is. B. Because there's no complete law dealing with digital property. C. Because his digital property is of great value and importance. D. Because he is worried his children will be taken to court. Answer: B Crazy Festivals Mike the Headless Chicken Festival In 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen attempted to cut off the head of Mike, a chicken, so his wife could cook it up for dinner. However, the bird didn't die and lived another year and a half, making regular trips to the fair, where people paid a quarter to see the amazing headless chicken bird. Today, the spirit of Mike the headless Chicken is celebrated with a two-day May festival in Fruita, Colorado, which includes live music, a golf tournament , and lots of tasty chicken. Roswell UFO Festival In the summer of 1947, a flying saucer crashed on a large farm outside the town of Roswell, New Mexico. The government says it didn't come from outer space, but many top UFO researchers believe it did. Knowing a good thing when it crashes in their backyard, the citizens of Roswell celebrate the even every July with a three-day festival that features a costume contest, a parade and other activities. Be careful, though ---- that _ little person next to you could be from another planet. World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup The rattlesnake, a poisonous American snake, severs an important function in nature by keeping small pets under control, but when their numbers grow too large, they can cause serious problems for farmers. That's why every March the residents of Sweetwater, Texas, host a three-day festival to connect with the town's annual rattlesnake hunt. Visitors can learn about rattlesnakes, take a bus tour of their natural habitat, participate in a rattlesnake eating contest and so on. BugFest Every September, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh sponsors a daylong festival that focuses on something most people try to avoid: insects. Visitors can hold bugs that are not native, cheer on racing insects and learn about beekeeping. But the highlight for many is Cafe Insecta, where bugs are the main ingredient in a variety of tasty dishes. What's the purpose of the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup? _ . A. To increase the local tourism. B. To protect rattlesnakes' habitats. C. To control the population of rattlesnakes. D. To introduce the importance of rattlesnakes. Answer: C Malawi Lake Home to 1,000 species of fish, Malawi Lake is Africa's third largest lake at 363 miles long and up to about 50 miles wide in some spots. Located 2,300 feet below sea level, it supports hundreds of local villages with its rich underwater stock. The lake's southern area represents the world's first freshwater national park. A star of the water here is the mbuna, a native freshwater fish known for eating directly from people's hands. Peyto Lake Banff National Park's Peyto Park is brilliant turquoise . For the most dramatic views of the 1.7-mile-long lake, encircled with thick forest and dangerous mountain peaks, pull into at Bow Summit, the parkway's highest point, and follow the steep hike to the overlook. Crater Lake Thousands of years ago, a 12,000-foot-high volcano in the Cascade Range exploded. The massive pit left behind became known as Crater Lake. Forests of towering evergreens and 2,000-foot-high cliffs surround the lake. At 1,949 feet deep, it's the deepest lake in the United States. If winter hiking and cross-country skiing aren't your thing, wait until early July to visit, when the roads have been plowed and the trails cleared. Taal Lake This dangerous beauty, situated just 37.28 miles south of Manila, is the deepest lake in the Philippines, with a depth of 564feet. Taal Lake is also home to one of the world's smallest but most active volcanoes, the Taal Volcano, which sits within its water on the island of Luzon. The lake itself was formed when a larger volcano crater here collapsed. Plenty of tour groups offer trips to the natural wonder ---- in spite of the fact that the volcanoes are very active. What can be inferred from the text? A. Few people go to visit Tall Lake. B. It's dangerous for people to visit Taal Lake. C. The Taal Volcano is the world's smallest volcano. D. Taal Lake is the most dangerous lake in the world. Answer: B LONDON(Reuters)--Organic fruit, delivered right to the doorstep. That is what Gabriel Gold prefers, and he is willing to pay for it. If this is not possible, the 26-year-old computer technician will spend the extra money at the supermarket to buy organic food. "Organic produce is always better,"Gold said."The food is free of pesticides ,and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms. And at most times it is locally grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty."Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers accepting the _ , and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business. But how many shoppers really know what they are getting, and why are they willing to pay a higher price for organic produce? Market research shows that Gold and others who buy organic food can generally give clear reasons for their preferences but their knowledge of organic food is far from complete. For example, small amount of pesticides can be used on organic products. And about three quarters of organic food in prefix = st1 /Britainis not local but imported to meet growing demand."The demand for organic food is increasing by about one third every year, so it is a very fast-growing market,"said Sue Flock, a specialist in this line of business What is the meaning of"the organic trend"as the words are used in the text? A. Growing interest in organic food B. Better quality of organic food C. Rising market for organic food D. Higher prices of organic food Answer: A
A student is using descriptions to classify organisms. One organism is described as having sense organs to detect heat, laying eggs to reproduce, using venom for protection, and having the ability to change body temperature with its surroundings. How would the student classify this organism? Answer: reptile I recall my mother's voice which called me to order, and often ended with some strong proverb to express the gravity of the wrong done. It was common practice for my mother to send me off soul-searching with a proverb. Of the many interactions I had with my mother those many years ago, one stands out with clarity. I remember the occasion when Mother sent me to the main road, about twenty yards away from the farmhouse, to invite a passing group of seasonal work-seekers home for a meal. She instructed me to take a container along and collect dry cow dung for making a fire. I was then to prepare the meal for the group of work-seekers. The thought of making an open fire outside at midday, cooking in a large three-legged pot in that high heat, was enough to upset even an angel. I did not manage to hide my feelings from my mother, and after serving the group, she called me to the balcony, where she usually sat to attend to her sewing . Looking straight into my eyes, she said, "Tsholofelo, why were you so unhappy when I requested you to prepare a meal for those poor people?" Despite my attempt to deny her allegation , and using the heat of the fire and the sun as an excuse for my alleged behavior, Mother, giving me a firm look, said, "A foot has no nose." It means, "You can't detect what trouble may lie ahead of you." Had I denied the group of people a meal, it may have happened that, in my travels some time in the future, I found myself at the mercy of those very individuals. As if that was not enough to shame me, Mother continued, "A person is a person because of another person." We learn from the passage that Tsholofelo's mother often _ . Answer: used proverbs to teach Tsholofelo air masses are pushed by westerlies but stopped by Answer: meandering air currents "Can I learn to play the violin.Daddy?"Ann asks her father. "That sounds good.But how long can you learn?" "A month," Ann says."After a month,I can play for you.If I don't play well,I won't play it." "All right." her father says. He soon finds a violin teacher and Ann starts her lessons.The fee isn't cheap,but her father doesn't say anything. A month passes.The time comes for Ann to play for her father. She says to her father, "I want to play for you,Daddy." "OK,Ann,"her father says."Start" She starts to play.She doesn't play well.Her father has a friend with him,and the friend can't stand it. When Ann stops,her father says, "Great! Ann, you can have more lessons." Ann runs out of the room.Her father's friend says to him, "I don't think your daughter plays well." "Well,you're right."her father says."But she's very happy, right?" Ann's father wants Ann to have more lessons because _ . Answer: he loves Ann In James Cameron's fantasy films, such as Avatar and The Abyss, the unexplored is decorated in color and filled with alien danger. But on his dive to the deepest place on Earth, which took place on a Sunday last month, reality proved far different: white, deserted, and dull. "I felt like I literally had gone to another planet and come back," Cameron said after returning from the cold, dark place in the western Pacific Ocean, nearly 7 miles (11km) below the surface. "It was a very fantastic day." Cameron is the first person to explore the deepest valley in the ocean since two men made a 20-minute trip there in 1960. He spent about three hours gliding through the icy darkness, brightened only by lights on the one-man sub . This deepest section of the Mariana Trench is so untouched that at first it appeared dull. But there's something strangely interesting about the first pieces of video that Cameron shot -- a sense of aloneness. "It's really the sense of isolation, realizing how tiny you are down in this big, black and unexplored place," the Titanic director said. The wordless minute-long video, released by sponsor National Geographic, shows Cameron's sub gliding across what he calls "the very soft, almost gelatinous flat plain." To Cameron, the main thing was to appreciate being there. "There had to be a moment where I just stopped, and took it in, and said, ' _ What does that mean?'" Cameron told reporters during a conference call. The trip was only about half as long as planned because Cameron's battery ran low. He said he would return and film it in 3D for later viewing. "I see this as the beginning," Cameron said. "It's not a one-time deal and then moving on. This is the beginning of opening up this new frontier." Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Cameron glided through the icy darkness alone by lights of the one-man sub.
While working in Southeast Asia in the mid 1990's, I became a branch manager in a factory. At the beginning, I used human relations principles, such as putting myself into the others place to help gain trust. After a few months, I was told that the factory team members liked and trusted me. Then the owner, seeing how everyone thought well of me, believed that I could become an instrument of change to carry out his several unpopular programs. The factory members resisted and eventually saw me as a _ controlled by the owner. The more I insisted that they 'follow orders' the more they found ways to weaken the new changes. Finally, I was replaced by a manager who knew enough to please both masters. Even though the owner did not like the fact that his new changes were not immediately applied, the new manager gained his power by the support received from his team together with an intention to find a way. What I learned was that your team must always see you as supportive of their needs, even to the extent that the owner may not be pleased that you are unable to follow their wishes. At the end of the day, if your people do not follow you then you are no longer in charge and will be replaced. At first I blamed my boss for putting me in such a position. Then in honest reflection, I began to realize that he had probably hoped that I would have found some middle ground. What I could have done was to first obtain their advice about why they did not wish to follow the new policy changes, and then I should have used my influence with both the owner and team members to find a better way. Though, in fact it is a painful lesson for me, it has served me well along my career path! What can we learn from the passage? One Sunday a few of us decided to take advantage of the first sunny day we'd have for ages to take a trip down to the coast to visit the penguins again. Last time I went down there was a couple of months ago and it was a dull cold day. Sunday couldn't have been more different -- clear skies and sunshine made it feel like summer, although it was still -25degC. Six of us drove to the coast. It was the first time we'd been off the base on our own without our field assistant, so it had a slightly different feeling -- more like a few friends going to the seaside than an Antarctic field trip! When we reached Windy Creek, we luckily caught sight of quite a few small flying seabirds, which are seldom seen there. Once on the sea ice we found that some of the more curious penguins had wandered over from the main group to come and check us out. We'd been told that then they were nursing their chicks and they would be more careful and nervous than last time, We walked across to the main group which were stretched for a couple of miles along the coast. We sat down for some sandwiches and soon found ourselves surrounded by many curious observers. Without any attackers on land, they were very brave and came within a meter of us to pose for photos. Before heading back, we spent a few hours on the sea ice watching the penguins and their chicks, which had grown dramatically since our last visit. It was such a nice day. When did the trip most probably happen? A friend is better than fortune. A friend is worse than poison in some cases. The two sentences above have opposite meanings and seem to be unreasonable, but they can be explained as follows: the first refers to all good friends who drive us towards good while the second all bad ones who lead us into bad ways. My ideal friend is of course a good friend whose goodness is shown below -- he has no bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. He lives in frugality . He studies hard so as not to waste his golden time. At home he honors his parents and loves his brothers; at school he respects his teachers and shares the feelings of his classmates. He treats those truly who are true to him. In a word, he has all the good characteristics that I don't have. I can follow him as a model. With his help I can be free from all difficulties. Indeed, if I have such a person as my friend, I shall never fear difficulty and I shall never know the existence of the word "failure". According to the writer, an ideal friend refers to _ . Thanks to the Internet, a whole new online world has been opened up for us to meet, chat and go where we've never been before. But just as in face to face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line. The basic rule is simple: treat others in the same way you would want to be treated. Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes. For anything you're about to send: ask yourself, "Would I say this to the person's face?" if the answer is no, rewrite and reread. Repeat the process till you feel sure that you'd feel comfortable saying words to a person's face. If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so. Just pay no attention to it, or block his message. If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room. Everyone was new to the network once. Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake, whether it's a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it's a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn't give you license to correct everyone else. If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake, point it out politely At the same time, if you find you are wrong, be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended. It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age, sex and marital status. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don't ask such questions. If you are hurt in the chat room by others, you should _ . Mobile phones are an important business tool for farmers in rural areas. But they also put a valuable educational tool in their hands. The University of Illinois in the United States has a project called SAWBO--Scientific Animations Without Borders. It produces educational videos that can be downloaded to cell phones. The goal is to help people in developing countries improve their lives. One video shows farmers how to make a natural insecticide from neem seeds to prevent insect damage to crops. The process starts with sorting and drying the neem fruits. Then let the fruit dry in the sun for about three or four days, until they become brown. Using a mortar and stick, the fruits are slightly _ to remove the shells from the fruits without breaking the seed inside. The videos use computer animation . Some of the animated characters are a little funny looking-like a farmer with a long nose. But the subjects are serious, including a health video on preventing cholera . Team member Francisco Seufferheld says the information in the videos is meant to be quickly understood. He says, "The information is digested in such a way that in two minutes, we can transmit a complex idea." The researchers tested the seven-minute video on seven mobile phones. They wanted to see if people would share the video using Bluetooth wireless technology. With Bluetooth, files can be passed to a nearby phone even if neither phone is connected to the Internet. As a result, in one month, the video had spread to one hundred eighteen people in fifty different villages. "This is just incredible impact," said Francisco Seufferheld. The team has made a few videos so far. These are available in a total of eighty languages, dialects and accents. Professor Barry Pittendrigh says there are plans for more videos later this year. The biggest advantage of the program is that it _ .
Question: Ashok Gadgil has spent the past three decades helping people in need--and he has no plans to stop .On May 2, Gadgil won the$100.000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation. Each year,the honor is given to an inventor who has improved the lives of people in developing countries. Gadgil's inventions have helped more than 100 million people around the world. Gadgil is a professor and physicist at the University of California. When he's not teaching,he works to find solutions to global problems such as energy efficiency and water safety. "I chose to focus on problems where my knowledge of science could help,"he said In the 1980s he came up with a program to make energy-efficient light bulbs more affordable for people in developing countries. Then in the 1990s,Gadgil designed his first life--saving invention,UV Waterworks .The device kills deadly disease --carrying germs from drinking water. It costs just one cent to clean five liters of water .Gadgil was inspired to find an inexpensive solution to the clean water crisis after more than 10,000 people in his home country of India died from an outbreak of Bengal cholera,in 1993 The disease is spread through _ food and drinking water .So far,the invention has provided safe drinking water to more than five million people in poor areas. As a professor,Gadgil encourages his students to stay positive about finding solutions to hard problems."Be optimistic when you try a hard problem."he says. "It's when you solve a large problem that you can have a big impact on the world" Gadgil was given Lemelson-MIT Award for _ . A. his teaching experience B. his new physical research C. his vast knowledge D. his helpful inventions Answer: D. his helpful inventions Question: Two kittens were playing. They had come in from outside. Now they were in the living room in the house. One kitten was named Snowball and one kitten was named Fuzzy. Suddenly, Snowball saw something interesting. "Look at that!" said Snowball. "What is it?" asked Fuzzy. "It's a ball of yarn. On the top shelf!" said Snowball. She had seen the yarn that was kept in a basket up there! "That looks like it's fun to play with!" said Fuzzy. "But how could we get to it? It's so high up," he wondered. "I have an idea," said Snowball. "Watch this!" Suddenly, Snowball jumped up on to the couch. "What are you doing?" asked Fuzzy. "Just watch!" said Snowball. Snowball then jumped to the table next to the couch. Then, she jumped to the middle shelf. "That's dangerous!" said Fuzzy. Snowball and Fuzzy were still small kittens. They weren't used to jumping very high yet. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. I think we're allowed to be up here." said Snowball. Then, she jumped all the way to the top shelf, where the yarn was. "Look out below!" she yelled, and pushed the ball of yarn off the shelf and on to the floor. "Whoa!" said Fuzzy. "Thanks!" Snowball then jumped down to the middle shelf, and down to the table, and down to the couch, and back to the floor. There, she and her brother played with the ball of yarn until they got tired and took a nap. Which kitten got the ball of yarn? A. Fuzzy B. Snowball C. A kitten that is not Fuzzy or Snowball. D. They got the ball of yarn together. Answer: B. Snowball Question: Sometimes when we are lost in the day-to-day activities of life and work, we forget there is a part of us that wants to serve and make a difference in the world. It is also a good time to look for ways to express yourself through service to others. Most people want to live a life full of meaning. If you recognize you have a true desire to serve, voluntary work in the community and a spirit of giving can lead you to an understanding of what you care about, what your natural talents are, and what your life purpose is. It can start you on the path to a new life. To live your purpose as fully as possible, use your natural gifts when you serve others. If you are a naturally-born teacher, you could teach students who are struggling with basic reading skills. If you are good at encouraging people, you could visit people who are sick or in nursing home. Many of us forget how luck we are and how much support we have. When we reach out to others, we sometimes realize how our lives have been blessed. When you are aware of all the blessing that you have received, you can understand your true ability to make a difference. Service is a spirit for living as well as a set of actions. You live your life purpose every day. It's not just when you are volunteering at church or the local food bank. It's every time you interact with anyone. Through your actions, your words and your smiles, you have the capability to either uplift someone or put them down. Meaningful, purposeful lives are built every moment, not just in isolated times spent volunteering. Whether it's at work, in traffic, in the line at the grocery store, or at a concert, you have an opportunity to serve or change the world. Your efforts don't have to be extraordinary, but your life certainly will be. We can infer from the passage that the author _ . A. starts his new life in the day-to-day activities B. is not good at interacting with others C. kills time by volunteering D. values voluntary work very much Answer: D. values voluntary work very much Question: People who show confidence really seem to have it made. They seize more rewarding careers, keep good relationships, and just seem to do everything with more styles than the rest of us. So what is the secret? There isn't one. Self-confidence is a skill and habit that anyone can learn to develop. And although people who are raised in an encouraging environment with confident role models have a hard start in self-confidence development, we all can learn to become more confident at any age. Try these simple tips for practising and increasing your self-confidence levels: Dare to fail. Anybody who's out there bravely performing is going to fail repeatedly. If you are not failing, you are not trying. So don't take failure too hard or too personally. Just learn to deal with it and use its lessons to keep improving. When in doubt, pretend you know what you are doing. Because, if you are confident of your abilities, by the time you have done it, you will be experienced. Dress for success. You don't have to be beautiful to be confident. Make the most of your own unique physical characters and weaken your disadvantages. Listen to yourself. You are the only person who knows what's right for you. Don't put others' opinions above your own inner voice. Build a confident vocabulary. Stop putting yourself down and give up continually blaming your tiny weaknesses. Learn to show up your strong points and the world will learn to see and celebrate them with you. Pass on the praise. Praise others for their virtues and strengths. This practice will not decrease your confidence, but help increase it. _ will weaken your self-confidence. A. Praising others for their strong points B. Always following others' advice to do things C. Giving up blaming your weaknesses D. Believing in yourself Answer: B. Always following others' advice to do things Question: American women experience a great variety of lifestyle. A typical American woman may be single. She may also be divorced or married. She may be a homemaker, a doctor or a factory worker. It is very difficult to generalize about American women. However, one thing that many American women have in common is their attitudes about themselves and their roles in American life. Historically, American women have always been very independent. The first settlers to come to New England were ten young couples that had left behind their extended families. The women were alone in a new, undeveloped country with their husbands. This has two important effects. First of all, this was the uncivilized environment that demanded every person to share in developing it and in survival. Women worked with their husbands and children to make themselves accepted in this new land. Second, because they were in a new land without the established influence of older members of society, women felt free to step into non--traditional roles. This role of women was strengthened in later years as Americans move west again, leaving families behind and meeting a new environment. Even later, in the east, as new settlers arrived, women often found jobs more easily than men. Women became the supporters of the family. Within the established lifestyle of the industrialized twentieth century, the strong role of women was not attractive as in the early days of the country. Some women stepped into the men's jobs as factory and business workers. After the war, some women stayed in these positions, and others left their jobs with a new sense of ability. A typical American woman is _ . A. single or married B. divorced C. sure about herself and her role D. all of the above Answer: C. sure about herself and her role
Question: Fashion refers to the styles of dress that are currently popular. Fashion goes beyond just clothes, though. It's important for some people to wear only the latest fashions and styles. For others, though, keeping up with trends isn't that important. The one thing that stays the same with fashion is this: it always changes! In the 1960s and 1970s, hippies made bell-bottomed blue jeans popular. In the 1980s, Michael Jackson made parachute pants all the fashion. Now try to find these items in today's clothing stores! Why do fashions change? The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change. Over time, the new replaces the old. People are influenced greatly by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movie stars, as well as popular films, televisions shows, books and music. We are also influenced by the fashion industry's advertising. The stars of popular culture are always searching for a new angle to maintain their popularity. Often these new angles come in the form of new clothing or hairstyles. When people see these new styles, they often want to imitate their favorite stars. To do so, they seek out the latest fashions to make themselves look like the people they want to imitate. In this way, fashions evolve and change over time. For years, clothes have been used to separate people into groups. Even today, brand-name clothing that is more expensive than other types of clothing can be used by some people to distinguish themselves from others. Unfortunately, this can often have the effect of distancing certain groups from others. Don't forget that it's always OK to develop your own sense of style that is unique and separate from what the fashion world determines! Stay true to yourself and let your personality -- not your clothes -- speak for who you are. We can learn from the text that _ . A. clothes may separate and distance people B. people like imitating others' dressing style C. the author has clearly gone out of fashion D. fashion is all about clothes people wear Answer: A. clothes may separate and distance people Question: Language as a System of Symbols Of all systems of symbols , language is the most highly developed. It has been pointed out that human beings, by agreement, can make anything stand for anything. Human beings have agreed, in the course of centuries of mutual dependency, to let the various noises that they can produce with their lungs, throats, tongues, teeth, and lips systematically stand for certain happenings in their nervous systems. We call that system of agreements language. There is no necessary connection between the symbol and that which it stands for. Just as social positions can be symbolized by feathers worn on the head, by gold on the watch chain, or by a thousand other things according to the culture we live in, so the fact of being hungry can be symbolized by a thousand different noises according to the culture we live in. However obvious these facts may appear at first glance, they are actually not so obvious as they seem except when we _ to think about the subject. Symbols and the things they stand for are independent of each other, yet we all have a way of feeling as if, and sometimes acting as if, there were necessary connections. For example, there are people who feel that foreign languages are unreasonable by nature: foreigners have such funny names for things, and why can't they call things by their right names? This feeling exhibits itself most strongly in those English and American tourists who seem to believe that they can make the natives of any country understand English if they shout loud enough. Like the little boy who is reported to have said: "Pigs are called pigs because they are such dirty animals," they feel the symbol is inherently connected in some way with the things symbolized. The example of the little boy is used to show that _ . A. adults often learn from their young B. "pig" is a dirty word because pigs are dirty C. words are not connected with the things they stand for D. people sometimes have wrong ideas about how language works Answer: D. people sometimes have wrong ideas about how language works Question: Have you ever made contact with the creative spirit, that certain something hard to describe, but full of good--and sometimes great--ideas? It is more than an occasional great thought. When we feel the moving of the creative spirit, it brings to life a style of being: a lifetime filled with the desire to invent, to explore new ways of doing things, and to turn dreams into reality. That flash of inspiration is the final moment of a process marked by unique stages--the basic steps in creative problem-solving. The first stage is preparation, when you look for any information that might be important. It's when you let your imagination run free. But one barrier is the inside voice of judgment that locks up our creative spirit within the limits of what we think acceptable. It's the voice that whispers to you, "They'll think I'm foolish," or "That will never work." But we can learn to recognize this voice of judgment and have the courage to discount its unhelpful advice. Once you have thought about all the relevant pieces and pushed your mind to the limits, you can let the problem remain and take in all you have gathered. It's a stage when much of what goes on occurs outside your focused awareness. As the saying goes, "You sleep on it." We are more open to creative thoughts from the unknowing mind when we are not really thinking of anything. That is why daydreams are so useful in the search for creativity. Anytime you can just daydream and relax is useful in the creative process: a shower, long drives, a quiet walk, etc. With luck, daydreaming will lead to a light turning on above your head, when all of a sudden the answer will come to you as if from nowhere. This is the popular stage--the one that usually gets all the glory and attention, the moment that people sweat and long for, the feeling "This is it!" But the thought alone is still not a creative act. The final stage is translation, when you take your creative thought and transform it into action; it becomes useful to you and others. When does creativity become useful to us and others? A. When thought is turned into action. B. When people understand our ideas. C. When the popular stage is reached. D. When we think "This is it!". Answer: A. When thought is turned into action. Question: A purse containing a million dollars worth of jewelry was on its way back to its owner inprefix = st1 /Canadaafter being forgotten on a bench in a town nearSan Francisco, police said . Shahla Ghannadian had entrusted her 2 , 00-dollar Louis Vuitton handbag and its precious contents to her husband after they stopped at an ice cream parlor in the city ofSunday, according to authorities . He left it on a bench near a downtown parking lot , and the oversight was not noticed until the couple was back at their hotel , saidSausalitopolice sergeant Kurtis Skoog The couple had traveled from Toronto toSan Franciscofor a daughter's wedding . The purse contained a Cartier watch , cash , and jewelry worn by the mother and the bride at the ceremony , said Skoog . The gems included emeralds , pearls and diamonds , one of them a 12-karat stone , according to police . Ghannadian and her husband had a bit of sightseeing before catching a flight back toCanadaon Sunday night . Family members checked the bench , but the purse was gone . Local resident John Suhroff walked into the police department the next day with the bag , its contents intact , Skoog said . Suhroff handed the bag to a clerk , saying it held " either costume of junk jewelry " . " We caped the owner . and they were excited , " said Skoog . A family friend picked up the bag and was to take it to Ghannadian . The family indicated Ssuhroff was in line for a reward , but did not specify an amount , Skoog said . When did the couple find their purse was missing ? A. soon after they bought ice cram . B. when they got on the pane flying back to Toronto C. when they came back to the hotel after the wedding ceremony D. when they were attending the wedding ceremony . Answer: C. when they came back to the hotel after the wedding ceremony Question: 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. Who destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center? A. A group of young men. B. A group of terrorists. C. A group of workers. D. A group of soldiers. Answer: B. A group of terrorists.
Question: I'm Ann. I am twelve. My birthday is on May 11th. I am a student. I am in No. 3 middle School. I have a good friend. Her name is Alice. She is twelve, too. We are not in the same class. We have the same English teacher. Her name is Monica. We all like her. Kate is Alice's sister. Oh, today is November 11th. It's Kate's birthday. I will buy her a birthday card. Ann and Alice are _ . A. friends B. sister C. classmates D. cousins Answer: A Question: A person will make ethanol out of all aside from A. salt B. grain C. corn D. maize Answer: A Question: Felicia noticed how air temperatures were cooler and there were fewer hours of daylight during some of the seasons. Which of the following contributes to these seasonal changes? A. Earth rotates on its axis. B. Earth revolves around the Sun. C. The Sun has less energy in winter. D. The Sun moves further from Earth in winter. Answer: B Question: Half a year ago I came across a book called"Salt,Sugar and Fat. How the Food Giants Hooked US",but finished it only recently. I am far from being a fan of junk food,over-salty,or over-sweet stuff,and honestly this food doesn't appeal to me at all. Maybe it is related to the fact that I grew up in Russia and at that time we were not so exposed to the foreign, especially made in America foods. We knew Coca Cola,Pepsi,juice powder and Cheetos,but this stuff was not so cheap or available to buy it every day and we couldn't buy them in large quantities. We didn't know the word"fat"was not a bad thing but a normal of life for some people. We always had sweets and especially on holidays they were served as a dessert along with a cake. Russians like eating sweets when they drink tea. Even with my passion to desserts I still can'trelate myself to the people Michale Moss was writing about, those consumers who could not say"no" when it came to junk food. What I found interesting in the book was that the author didn't focus on diets, necessity to exercise,sleep well at night and all other things we all are pretty aware of. The aim was not to teach people how to live but instead,after having made a huge research,interviewed more than 100 people in the food industry,Moss reveals the ugly of the food business. It puts all the facts in front of us and offers a choice:to buy or not to buy. However,the answer was known at the very beginning. Moss mentions the well-known food like Coca,Cola,Pepsi,Nestle and some others and tells how skillfully the consumers can be cheated when it comes to choosing what to put in the food basket in the supermarket. We like this taste of a chocolate,the crispy chips,and sweet porridges because it was all put on test by groups of scientists who made experiments to reveal what kind of taste will be most appealing to us. It involves brain,of course. Apart from scientific researches, it was also due to successful marketing strategies and plans that people prefer to buy food. In this companies'money race,the most vulnerable victims are kids. They can't tell good from bad and love everything that makes them feel good. Commercial ads of fast food particularly targeted kids and played on the fact that mothers can't fully control what their children eat because they spent all day at work. Mothers themselves buy chocolates bars and com flakes for their kids,guided by a powerful brainwashing that actually,these products were not unhealthy, on the contrary, it was encouraged to give them to kids, because fat and sugar provide energy, so they are good,right? Giving a credit to some food companies, they made attempts to fight the trend, but consumers,who already worked a habit of eating too salty, too fatting and too sweet products,didn't react to the changes. So the companies returned to the old policy. Surprisingly,such behavior was strongly backed up by the govermment. I would definitely recommend reading this book not only to those who struggle in the battle with his addiction to fast food but also people living healthily. It casts light on many things,including how vulnerable we can be in front of corporations and their powerful and accurate marketing strategies. What is the author's attitude towards the government? A. objective B. supportive C. positive D. negative Answer: D Question: What is the smallest structural and functional unit of the nervous system? A. brain B. organ C. neuron D. spinal cord Answer: C
The sun comes up in the east and goes down in the west. When the sun rises, It is morning. When the sun sets, it is evening. When the sun is shining, it is day. Morning is the time between sunrise and twelve o'clock, or between sunrise and lunch. At twelve o'clock, the sun is the highest in the sky over our heads. The sun is overhead at noon. The sun shines during(......)the day. The moon and the stars shine during the night. When the sun rises, it is light. It's light during the day. During the night, if the moon is not shining, it is dark. What are the days and nights like in summer? In summer the days are longer and the nights are shorter. What about in winter? In winter, the days are shorter and the nights are longer. Morning is the time between sunrise and _ . lunch Body language is one of the most powerful means of communication, often even more powerful than spoken language. It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So, while your mouth is closed, your body is just saying. Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back, this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements, while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you, just cross your arms to show you're unhappy! Head. When you want to appear confident, keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class, you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However, to be friendly in listening or speaking, you must move your head a little. Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews, try to keep them still! Posture . A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down, you normally don't sit straight, with your shoulders inwards. This makes breathing more difficult, which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. Mouth. When you are thinking, you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you don't wish to show. However, it will probably still be noticed, and people will know you're not pleased. Face. When you lie, you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly, allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness, sadness, disgust and fear to come through. When someone is keeping his arms behind his back, he tries to tell you that _ . he is not afraid Aimlessness has hardly been typical of the postwar Japan whose productivity and social harmony are the envy of the United States and Europe. But increasingly the Japanese are seeing a decline of the traditional work-moral values. Ten years ago young people were hardworking and saw their jobs as their primary reason for being, but now Japan has largely fulfilled its economic needs, and young people don't know where they should go next. The coming of age of the postwar baby boom and an entry of women into the male-dominated job market have limited the opportunities of teenagers who are already questioning the heavy personal sacrifices involved in climbing Japans rigid social ladder to good schools and jobs. In a recent survey, it was found that only 24.5 percent of Japanese students were fully satisfied with school life, compared with 67.2 percent of students in the United States. In addition, far more Japanese workers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs than their counterparts did in the ten other countries surveyed. While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress test taking and mechanical learning over creativity and self-expression." Those things that do not show up in the test scores, personality, ability, courage or humanity are completely ignored," says Toshiki Kaifu, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's education committee." Frustration against this kind of thing leads kids to drop out and run wild." Last year Japan experienced 2,125 incidents of school violence, including 929 assaults on teachers. Amid the outcry, many conservative leaders are seeking a return to the prewar emphasis on moral education. Last year Mitsuo Setoyama, who was then education minister, raised eyebrows when he argued that liberal reforms introduced by the American occupation authorities after World WarII had weakened the "Japanese morality of respect for parents." But that may have more to do with Japanese life-styles." In Japan," says educator Yoko Muro, "it's never a question of whether you enjoy your job and your life, but only how much you can endure." With economic growth becoming centralization, fully 76 percent of Japans, 119 million citizens live in cities where community and the extended family have been abandoned in favor of isolated, two generation households. Urban Japanese have long endured lengthy commutes (travels to and from work) and crowded living conditions, but as the old group and family values weaken, the discomfort is beginning to tell. In the past decade, the Japanese divorce rate, while still well below that of the United States, has increased by more than 50 percent, and suicides have increased by nearly one-quarter. The change in Japanese life-style is revealed in the fact that _ . the young are less tolerant of discomforts Could cities that float on the sea solve the problems caused by floods and provide food for the world? Some scientists think so. The idea is already being tested and they believe that floating citied will provide more homes for a growing population, without having to use land needed to grow food. And they believe floating areas will allow more food to be grown, so that no one in the world is hungry. In some places, cities that float on the sea are already being planned, A company in the Netherlands called DeltaSync thinks that sea cities will save the world, with more than one in ten people living in them. They say sea cities solve many of the problems the world faces in the 21st century, like not having enough land , more and more people needing homes, fossil fuels running low and the increasingly serious problems caused by floods. DeltaSync says building in the desert is not possible because there is no enough water and that developing ways for people to live in space is still too expensive. So they believe the answer is our oceans, which cover over two thirds of the Earth's surface. Their plans for floating areas include using algae to produce fuel and food. More than a quarter of the land in the Netherlands already lies underwater and scientists there have spent years trying to find ways to deal with it. In the city of Rotterdam they already have floating homes. Bart Roeffen from DeltaSync says: "We have plans for neighbourhoods including roads and, in the end, I believe we can build floating cities on the sea." What does Bart Roeffen think of his company's future plans? He is hopeful of them. Building a foundation for your child of family values may not be as easy as you think. Often we believe that our child will pick up on our values if they live in the same home. While they may pick up many of our values, parents need to remember they are not the only influence in their child's life. These outside values often compete with family values for your child's attention. If we do not make a conscious effort to _ our children, they may not get instilled at all. I wish I had learned that lesson a little earlier. I thought if I lived my values for my children they would pick them up and make their own. Sometimes this happened and sometimes it didn't. I often see twenty-something "kids" who have no faith in many of the values of their family in favor of the values of their friends. Children will often pick up the negative you show quicker than the positive, so the positive things need extra focus to set them. Some of the influences your children face every day include their church, their school, their friends, any clubs or sporting groups they are part of and more. Kids spend many hours a day at school and with their friends. Sometimes in the business of life, we suppose our children will obtain that foundation we want for them. Instilling a foundation of family values to sustain your child requires more than living it in front of them. That is important, but building up your child with this important foundation must become intentional. That means we plan times to gather as a family. We plan activities together that show the values we want to pass on. We talk about our values; we live our values; we discuss the values of others and how they differ from ours; we constantly look for opportunities and make our own opportunities to share these values in word or deed with our children. Family values give our children a foundation to build upon. It helps them know they are loved and gives them a sense of belongings. Upon this sure foundation, they can spread their wings and grow to become parents who share these same values with their own children. The passage mainly tells us about _ . the importance and the way to pick up family values
Question: At a meeting, a well-known speaker lifted up a bill of 20 dollars before starting his speech. Facing 200 people, he asked, "Who wants this 20-dollar bill?" A great many hands were put up. Then he continued to say, "I intended to give it to any one of you, but allow me to do a thing before giving it to you." Suddenly he crumpled it into a round mass. Then he asked, "Who wants it? " Still some hands were lifted up. He asked again, "Well, how could it be if I do it like this?" he threw the bill onto the ground, stepped on it and twisted it. As he picked it up, the bill had become not only dirty but _ "Who still wants it?" Still a few people put up their hands. "My dear friends, you have had a meaningful class. No matter how I treated this bill, you still want it, because it is worth 20 dollars. On your life road, you may be knocked down or even broken into pieces by your determination or unfavorable situations. We may feel ourselves worth nothing, but, my darling, remember that whatever happens in the future, you should never lose your value in the God's heart. You're particular ---- never forget it." The speaker did this test in order to _ . A. tell the audience that one should never lose one's own value B. tell the audience that God values money most C. test if some of the audience were extremely interested in money D. play a trick on the audience Answer: A. tell the audience that one should never lose one's own value Question: Hello, I'm Ann. This is a photo of my family. There are four members in my family. The woman in the photo is my mother Mary. She is a teacher. She likes reading. The man is my father Jack. He's a teacher, too. He can play football, but he can't play basketball. Look, the lovely baby is my brother Mike. I like my family very much. What can my father do? A. My father can play the piano. B. My father can play football C. My father can play basketball. D. My father can drive. Answer: B. My father can play football Question: Yorkshire, England was the setting for two great novels of the 19th century. One of them is Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte. The Bronte family had three girls and a boy. Charlotte was born in 1816, Emily was born in 1818 and Anne in 1820. Their brother Branwell was born in 1817. The children wrote and told stories and walked over the hills. They grew up largely self-educated. Branwell showed a great interest in drawing. The girls took positions as teachers or taught children in their homes. The girls were determined to earn money for Branwell's art education. As children, the girls had all written many stories. Charlotte alone wrote 22 books, each with 60 to 100 pages of small handwriting. Therefore, they turned to writing for income. By 1847, Charlotte had written The Professor; Emily, Wuthering Heights; and Anne, Agnes Grey. After much difficulty, Anne and Emily found a publisher , but there was no interest shown in Charlotte's book. ( It was not published until 1859. ) However, one publisher expressed an interest in seeing more of her work. Jane Eyre was already started, and she hurriedly finished it. It was accepted at once; thus each of the sisters had a book published in 1847. Jane Eyre was immediately successful; _ , however, did not do so well. Emily lived only a short while after the publication of her book, and Anne died in 1849. Charlotte published Shirley in 1849, and Villette in 1853. In 1854 she married Arthur Bell Nicholls. But only a year later, she died of tuberculosis as her sisters had. What did the Bronte sisters want to do for Branwell Bronte? A. Help him write stories. B. Help him get trained in art. C. Teach him how to draw well. D. Teach him how to educate himself. Answer: B. Help him get trained in art. Question: Psychologists tell us that there are four basic stages that human beings pass through when they enter and live in a new culture.This process begins with the "honeymoon stage".This is the period of time when we first arrive in which everything about the new culture is strange and exciting.We may be suffering from "jet lag" but we are thrilled to be in the new environment, seeing new sights, hearing new sounds and language, eating new kinds of food.This stage can last for quite a long time because we feel we are involved in some kind of great adventure. Unfortunately, the second stage can be more difficult.After we have settled down into our new life, we can become very tired and begin to miss our homeland and our family, friends, pets.All the little problems in life seem to be much bigger and more disturbing when you face them in a foreign culture.This period of cultural adjustment can be very difficult and lead to rejecting or pulling away from the new culture. The third stage is called the "adjustment stage".This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture.Your sense of humour usually becomes stronger and you realize that you are becoming stronger by learning to take care of yourself in the new place.Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor! The fourth stage can be called "at ease at last".Now you feel quite comfortable in your new surroundings.You can cope(deal) with most problems that occur.You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to deal with them. Which of the following best describes the first stage? A. Lonely and depressed B. Bored and homesick C. Happy and excited D. Angry and frustrated Answer: C. Happy and excited Question: Should people be allowed to use cellphones while driving? Alejandra Pachecho from Venezuela: No. Why not? That is because in this world some people drive very crazily. Also, most people who use cellphones to talk in the car usually pay more attention to what they are talking about than to driving. One of the reasons that I feel this way is that ny friend had a car accident while using a cellphone. He lost his life and his friends did, too. Rodrigo Cruz from Colombia: That depends. The a dvantages of using a cellphone while driving are that you can call the police if there is a car accident, call for help when somebody's car breaks down, and call when somebody needs something before arriving home or at the office. The disadvantages is that people get distracted when they are driving at the same time they are talking on a cellular phone. It can cause car accidents. Carl Khalid from Saudi Arabia: No. I would recommend if you want to use a cellphone while you're driving, pull over and take your time. You will avoid a lot of trouble. There are many advantages of using cellphones in cars. In emergencies such as accidents, a flat tire or engine problem, the cellphone is useful for calling 911 for help. Using the cellphone while driving can save time, but using it while driving can alsocause a lot of problems such as missing a red light or signs, not observing cars, or not paying attention to the speed limit. It causes a lot of problems. All these problems could cause loss of concentration. Mirna Hazim: Yes. A cellphone is helpful; it is one of the most important communication devices. For example, if you want to talk with somebody for an important reason, you can. One time when I was coming back from work at 10 o'clock at night, I had a problem with my car. It wouldn't move. I was scared to go into a store to call my brother because I didn't know the places there. I thought it could be dangerous. That night, I found out that owning a cellphone is important. What do you think of cellphone? Send your opinion to our website. Who gave detailed suggestions about using cellphones while driving? A. Alejandra Pachecho B. Carl Khalid C. Rodrigo Cruz D. Mirna Hazim Answer: B. Carl Khalid
Question: Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment .Tiny organisms settle to the seafloor and gather in marine mud. The organic matter may partially break down, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved. Continued sedimentation buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which change the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small drops of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over millions of years, accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through rock and sediment. Oil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field is discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, strong natural flows of oil were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down neighboring wells to help push the oil out. As oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more unfriendly environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. Of course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. Even given the best exploration techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to reach and has to remain underground. What does the author mainly intend to tell us in the passage? A. The formation, processing and exploration of petroleum B. The specific techniques involved in oil exploration. C. The changing relationships between countries. D. The future intense situation in oil product markets. Answer: A. The formation, processing and exploration of petroleum Question: The Spotlightin Rio Phelps puts spotlight on cupping Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps fed American swimmers t0 8 gofd medal in the4xiOO-meter relay, but .what grabbed media attention and led to stories and photos around the globe were the purple and red circles on his back Michael Phelps of the USA is seen with red cupping marks on h/s shoulder as he competes during the 2016 Rio Olympics men's 200m butterfly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , Aug 8,2016Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui goes viralChain's women's swimmer Fu Yuanhui has created a sensation online not just by winning thebronze medal in the 1OOm backstroke competition, but also by her facial expressions during thepost semi-final interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on MondayWhen asked whether she held back for the final, Fu replied, "No, I utilized my 'prehistorical power'." What she meant was that she had spared no efforts in the semi-final. Since then. eso-called "prehistorical power" has gone viral and become a new Internet meme Britain wins first Olympic diving gold in men's synchronized 3m springboard(3) Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears ended China's gold medal monopoly over diving events at the R/o Olympics by winning the men's synchronized 3m springboard final On Wednesday, the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal in divingLaugher and Mears finished with a six-round total of 454.32 points, just 4.11 points ahead ofsilver medallists Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center.China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai took the bronze with 443.70 points What can we learn from the third news? A. China didn't,t win any gold medals in diving events at the Rio Olympics. B. Britain became the gold medal monopolist of diving events at the Rio Olympics. C. Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA took silver with 447.81 points. D. Britain had never won the Olympic diving gold medal before the Rio Olympics. Answer: D. Britain had never won the Olympic diving gold medal before the Rio Olympics. Question: It's such a shame to lose a free throw. Playing in the court has pressure from the opponent, time, your teammates, the audience, and yourself. You have to shoot the ball despite all the pressures around. But with a free throw, you have the ball, no one will try to get it from you, and you have all the time to shoot the ball. But why is it that many players, even good shooters, miss most of their free throws? Maybe they need more practice or maybe they need to apply more ways to improve their free throw. Improve your player or your free throwing skills by following the tips below: Make it personal. The truth is, there is no rule on how one should handle and throw the ball in a free throw. What matters is that the player should shoot the ball from the free throw line no matter how he does it. So when trying to improve your free throw shooting, better stick to what works the best for you. Do not copy other people's techniques. Make it your own and leave those techniques as theirs. Formulate a repetitive way of shooting the ball. A free throw should be personalized. But it should also be repetitive. You should be able to repeat your free throw techniques whether you are in your court or in another court, whether you are energized or tired. You can't say you have a personal free throw technique if you can't repeat it over and over again. Shoot at the same position and distance for every free throw. Basketball courts may be located in different places or maybe marked with different paint colors. But all of these courts maintain the same distance from the _ to the free throw line. Familiarize your perfect position when making your free throws. That should help you do your perfect throw. Why do so many players fail to make a successful free throw? A. Because they don't have any special skills B. Because they are lacking in practice and tips. C. Because they are not so familiar with rules D. Because many of them are green hands. Answer: B. Because they are lacking in practice and tips. Question: Yesterday my son, daughter and I went to the grocery store. In front of us in line was a little girl with her mother. The little girl was asking her mother for a box of Smarties. The polite way she was asking almost broke the mother's heart, "I'm sorry, Honey, but we have no money to buy it." My son was watching that dialogue. By the way, he had been raking leaves our garden to raise himself some money to buy a bike. As he watched the mother and daughter leave the store, he ran to the candy counter and bought a box of Smarties with the money . He turned to look at me and I just nodded. He ran out after the little girl and her mother and he gave them the box. He came back and told me what he told them. "Every kid should have a pack of Smarties because they can make you smart." I was so excited that I bought a pack of Smarties for my son. I told him that I was proud of him, and that was for his act of generosity because he gave his own Smarties to others. Quickly, he replied, "But you do nice things for people and you never get anything for it."I explained, "When you do something nice for someone, you shouldn't expect to get anything. When you get something you should be very thankful." When the writer and her children went to the grocery store, they saw a little girl asking _ . A. her mother for a nice toy B. her mother for a box of Smarties C. where she could find a box of Smarties D. her mother if she could had enough money Answer: B. her mother for a box of Smarties Question: There was once a young mouse that lived in a hole in a wall. One day, the young mouse woke up from his sleep and looked out of the hole. As he looked out, a fantastic smell came to his nose. "Cheese!" the mouse said happily to himself. "I'll go and get it now and have it for breakfast." But then he remembered his parents' words. His parents were very clever mice and often said to their son, "Always wait before you go for a piece of cheese." So the young mouse waited quietly. Then he heard a quiet "Miaow" and he knew the cat was there. He stayed in the hole and said to himself, "I'm glad I listened to my parents and learned to wait." The next day, he looked out again. He put his nose out of the hole, and the beautiful smell of cheese came to his nose again. He could see the cheese. It was only a few centimetres away. But he sat still and waited quietly. This time he did not hear any cat's noise. Instead he heard a very quiet "Woof, woof." "It's a dog!" he thought. "If the dog is there, the cat won't be there. I expect the dog has chased the cat away, so I'm safe." The mouse ran out of the hole and started eating the cheese. He did not see the cat, which caught him and ate him. When the cat finished her meal, she said to herself, "I'm glad I listened to my parents and learned a second language." Which of the following sentences is Not True according to the passage? A. The young mouse lived in a hole in a wall. B. The next day the mouse didn't hear any cat's noise. C. The cat pretended to be a dog by making the noise "woof". D. The mouse's parents told their daughter to wait before going for a piece of cheese. Answer: D. The mouse's parents told their daughter to wait before going for a piece of cheese.
The UK's "hidden" debt mountain stands at an estimated PS5bn, according to a new research today which reveals that as many as one in three consumers are keeping the full scale of their financial problems from their family.The research, for the Post Office, shows that while the average personal debt in the UK is PS9,731.51, people only admit to owing half this when talking to a partner or member of their family. The new report exposes the serious emotional and physical consequences of covering up that debt, ranging from problems at work, sleepless nights and anxiety, to alcohol abuse.A recent report from the Commons public accounts committee said that in the UK, one person in 10 is struggling to manage their debts, while the total of all personal debt is some PS1,500bn.It warned that a government strategy to help consumers struggling with record levels of debt was "seriously deficient" because of poor management and a lack of leadership.The research was commissioned by the Post Office and carried out online by One Poll, which surveyed 2,258 UK consumers. Doug Strachan, director of financial services at the Post Office, said, " The recession has put a massive strain on many families and people may be, for the first time, experiencing levels of debt that they cannot control.The most important thing to remember is that if you do need to borrow money, make sure you are responsible about it and set out a clear repayment plan.Managing the debt effectively can mean there is no need to experience the terrible emotional and physical symptoms hiding debt can result in." Donna Dawson, psychologist specializing in personality, behavior and relationships, said the knock-on effects were enormous, " hiding the extent of debt from a partner or family member may give us a false sense of control or independence, but the reality is that our mental and physical health suffers--and once uncovered, the health of our loved ones suffers as well. The irony is that the very things we are trying to protect--our trustworthiness and our good self-image--are lost anyway, when all becomes revealed. A recent report from the Commons public tells us that _ . Answer: What is a decomposer? Answer: This Christmas, maybe different from previous years, a strong desire drives me to make my own Christmas gifts. Honestly speaking, I've promised myself this more than once. As a crafter , I've frequently thought I am supposed to turn it into action. However, this year I really plan to stick to it. It's partly because I run short of money. More importantly, I've recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, collecting some information about crafting for BBC's Newsnight. Actually I planned the trip couples of months ago. The idea of traveling the country -- making things as I went, meeting artists and craftspeople -- sounded perfect to spend the summer. I'd pack a tent and a sewing machine and I'd set off. But by the time I determined my plans and hit the road, leaves made a sighing sound under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; Luckily, Newsnight viewers offered me accommodations in return for help with a craft task. My tasks ranged from sewing worn-out clothes to making trousers. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to change an old pair of curtains. I was really struck by people's increasing enthusiasm for making things. When I asked some people if they could sew, only a few raised their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively, hoping to learn something practical. Craft is definitely popular at the moment. But besides fashion, we're learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from making something unique, it may stick. Sue is director of quilts at the V&A, where next spring she'll be putting on the museum's first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is related to how we rethink ourselves. "People, especially women, are beginning to think about the way they live their lives. It's 40 years since the first women's liberation conference was held in Oxford. Since then we've been in the workplace, and we've had the opportunity of choice. Now we're carefully choosing to go back into the home." Whether you agree with that or not, there's something about Christmas that brings out the artistic flavor in everyone. Whether it's baking bread or pies or decorating the halls or rooms, we're all prepared to have a try at any time. So if you fancy having a different and joyful party or holiday and making a few presents, try these really simple ideas, each inspired by my recent journey there. They make small and interesting gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Enjoy Christmas songs and settle down with a cup of hot cocoa, and the cold is gone. You'll save yourself a small quantity of money and spread a little bit of love, too! According to the passage, people learn to _ through crafting. Answer: Killer bees started in Brazil in 1957. A scientist in Sao Paulo wanted bees to make more honey. So he put forty-six African bees with some Brazilian bees. _ . But the new bees were a mistake. They did not want to make more honey. They wanted to attack. Then, by accident, twenty-six African bees escaped and bred with the Brazilian bees outside. Scientists could not control the problem. The bees spread. They went from Brazil to Venezuela. Then they went to Central America. Now they are in North America. They travel about 390 miles a year. Each group of bees, or colony , grows four times a year. This means one million new colonies every five years. Why are people afraid of killer bees? People are afraid for two reasons. First, the bees sting (, ) many more times than a normal bee. Killer bees can sting sixty times a minute non-stop for two hours. Second, killer bees attack in groups. Four hundred bee stings can kill a person. Already several hundred people are dead. Now killer bees are in Texas. In a few years they will spread all over the United States. People can do nothing but wait. What will the people do with the killer bees? Answer: It was shortly before midnight, and Dr Patricia was getting ready for bed. The phone rang on the end of the line was a woman about to break a promise. The woman was her mother's neighbour. Flora Harris had made the neighbour swear she wouldn't tell her daughter she'd a heart attack and was in the hospital, for fear her daughter would worry. The neighbour wisely decided to disobey orders. Harris desperately wanted to get to the hospital immediately, but she couldn't. She lives in Washington, D.C, and her mother lives in California. For the past year a half, Harris has gone to Los Angeles every other month to take care of her mother. Flora Harris takes care of her husband, James, who's 91 and has Alzheimer's disease. They live in their own home, and a caregiver comes to help them a few hours a day. Harris is one of many Americans facing the heartache of how to take care of aging parents from afar. She's often worried, not to mention extremely busy with a demanding job, two teenage daughters and the frequent trips to California. In some ways, Harris is lucky. She has the resources to make the trips to Los Angeles. Plus, Harris is a doctor who treats the elderly. " But it's still tough," she said. " I can foresee what the next few years are going to look like, and it's not a pretty picture. My father's going to need diapers . There will come a time when he won' t recognize me and he's easily excited. I worry he's going to be violent and hurt my mother." So what do you do when you live a continent away for your aging, sick parents? There are no magic answers. You can hire someone to help, but you can't _ it completely. Why was the woman thought to have broken a promise? Answer:
Tokyo is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time. In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast, but in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams . Tokyo is not different from London, Paris and New York in that. It is different when one wants to walk. At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London Oxford Street. But the streets near the Ginze in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot; and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite; there are just too many of them. The worst time to be in the street is at 11: 30 at night. That is when the night-clubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35,000 night-clubs in Tokyo, and you do not often see one that is empty. During the day, most people travel to and from work by train. Tokyo people buy six million train tickets every day. At most stations, trains arrive every two or three minutes, but at certain hours there do not seem to be enough trains. Although they are usually crowded, Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a London train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep, whether his journey is long or short. In Tokyo, I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fire-engines race past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now. Fires break out _ in Tokyo according to the writer. A. quite frequently B. only several times a day C. not very often D. very _ seldom Answer: A. quite frequently Most people like watching TV.So does Mary.She doesn't mind soap operas or talk shows.But she can't stand sitcoms,for they are too boring.Sports shows are her favorite programs.She likes sports very much,and she likes watching football matches on TV. Mary likes women's volleyball,too.She often watches matches on TV,sometimes on the Internet.Her favorite team is the Chinese team.She thinks all the members are _ . Mary enjoys volleyball,but she isn't good at it.She is good at table tennis.She often plays it with her best friend after school.They are both on the school table tennis team.Sometimes they play with teams from other schools.They have a lot of fun with it. Mary thinks sitcoms are _ . A. interesting B. boring C. exciting D. surprising Answer: B. boring 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. How do you think Elizabethwas treated in the medical school? A. Kindly. B. Unfairly. C. Normally. D. Cruelly. Answer: B. Unfairly. Dear Dr. White, Welcome to Philadelphia! Welcome to The City of Brotherly Love! We have some amazing historic sites to see during your stay. Do take advantage of them. You may have seen the filmThePhiladelphiaStory. Actually it is a comedy and still popular among the young though it was shot in the 1940s. "The City of Brotherly Love", the favored nickname for Philadelphia, is more popular. The name, Philadelphia, which means"brotherly love", is an ancient name that can be found in the Bible. Late in the 17th century, Philadelphia's founding father, William Penn, borrowed the name because its meaning represented his own beliefs. Our first stop will be the Franklin Institute which is one of the country's best science museums. The scientist and inventor Benjamin Franklin would take pride in the impressive museum named for him and presenting one of the major focuses of his life work -- spreading knowledge of the universe through science. It's the most visited museum and surely the most fun. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Also Franklin was a leading author, printer, politician, scientist, musician, inventor, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He earned the title of"The First American"for his campaigning for colonial unity; as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies, then as the first United States Ambassador to France, he contributed much to the building of the American nation. We won't miss Please Touch Museum too. The straightforward name of this museum is accurate: As the first museum in the nation to target children aged seven and younger, Please Touch Museum encourages children to learn through active touching and doing. It is certainly one of the best places for kids. Philadelphia is also unique in that it has a"State Store"system for non-alcoholic beer sales. Wine and spirits are only sold at stores operated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. For many years, these stores were called"State Store", which were strictly closed on Sundays to prevent those under 21 from drinking wine and harming others. But I will show you around the stores. You can't imagine how impressive the stores are. Do you know Segway? It is a two-wheeled self-balancing battery-powered electric vehicle which is popular among those who prefer personal and green transportation. The Segway tour is a unique and fun experience to travel in Philadelphia. If you have never experienced a Segway tour before, we expect you to join us. Look forward to your coming! Sincerely, Joy What would Benjamin Franklin feel proud of in the Franklin Institute? A. The announcement of the independence of America. B. The effort of spreading knowledge through science. C. The leading place of it in the Western world. D. The honor of being regarded as a scientist. Answer: B. The effort of spreading knowledge through science. A funny thing happened on the way to the communication revolution: we stopped talking to one another. I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and suddenly, I became invisible, absent from the conversation. The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communication technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction. With email and instant messaging over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice-mail, you can conduct entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine. As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated, the emotional distance index goes up. You can't even call a person to get the phone number of another person any more. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated. I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone, an ATM card, a voice-mail system, and an email account. Giving them up isn't wise. They're a great help to us. It's some of their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy. More and more, I find myself hiding behind email to do a job meant for conversations or being relieved with voice-mail picking up because I don't really have time to talk. The industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier. Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? A. The Advance of Modern Technology B. The Consequences of Communication Technology C. The Story of Communication Revolution D. The Automation of Modern Communication Answer: B. The Consequences of Communication Technology
A recent report from Fuzhou Daily says about 18% of Fuzhou teenagers can have problems with their minds(,).Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates. Zhang Qiong, a junior 2 student from Fuzhou, could not understand his teachers in class and was doing badly in his lessons. He was afraid of exams. When he looked at the exam paper, he couldn't think of anything to write. Another student, a15-year-old girl called Wu Yuan from Xiamen often argued ( ) with herclassmates even her parents because of some difficult ideas. She became so angry with them that she started to cut her finger with a knife. However, many students who have problems won't go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others don't want to talk about their secrets. here is some advice for the teenagers to solve the problems: Firstly, talk to your parents or teachers often. Secondly, take part in group activities and do sports. Thirdly, go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell. Wu Yuan started to cut her finger with a knife because _ . A She couldn't get on well with her classmates even her parents B She couldn't understand her teachers in class. C She was afraid of exams. D She had no money for a new shirt. Answer: A It is time for students to sell such things as chocolate bars and greeting cards to raise money for their school, class or club. It is _ that they will knock on your door and you will easily hand over your cash for overpriced items that you really do not want. That is okay, though, because there are many reasons why children should be allowed to raise money for their schools and clubs. Fundraising is a great way to help children learn social skills. It is not easy to go up to a complete stranger and ask him for his money. They have to nicely ask for help, show the interested buyer what they have to offer and explain how it will help them in school. If someone refuses to buy an item, that child has to take the failure in stride , and that is a learning lesson as well. Students can learn how to deal with money by fundraising. Of course, it might seem safer for us to take charge of our children's earnings from their fundraising before it is turned into the school. However, by making them keep track of it, count it, and make sure everyone pays the right amount, they are learning an important lesson. Dealing with money is important to know about when they are older. Fundraising helps improve their schools. It is the children's school. They have to learn there and grow there. Why not let them help in making it a better place? Fundraising allows for more life experiences for the child. The raised money is used towards things like parties, trips, or for the music club to go to see a Broadway play. The children receive the rewards for their hard work at raising the money. Without fundraising, these field trips and special school memories would be missed. In a word, fundraising helps children a lot in many ways. One of the important indications that children are grown up is that _ . A children can deal with money B children learn to care for others C children make a date with friends of the other sex D children like to make up Answer: A (This selection was originally published in 1992. Pluto is no longer classified as a planet.) Pluto is in many ways the strangest of the planets. It is small and has a large moon(called Charon). Its orbit is unusual, which may cause it to have seasons in the sense that when it is close to the sun, the liquid methane on its surface boils to form a kind of atmospheric haze . When the planet moves farther away from the sun, it starts to snow solid methane. Pluto is not dark. Despite its great distance from the sun, the surface of Pluto is probably as bright as a moonlit night on Earth. The reason is all that methane, which is as white as newly fallen snow. The discovery of Pluto was more accident than design. The American astronomer Percival Lowell had predicted the existence of a ninth planet(he called it Planet X)based on what he took to be irregularities in the orbit of Neptune. Today astronomers argue that these "irregularities" weren't real, but the result of instrumental error. Nevertheless, Lowell produced predictions about where Planet X ought to be(although, to be honest, the predictions changed occasionally when he redid the calculations).In any case, in 1930 Clyde Tombaugh, doing a systemic sky survey that would have found the planet no matter where it was, discovered the planet we now call Pluto. By coincidence, its position was pretty close to where Lowell's last prediction said it should be. Was it just luck? We'll never know. What effect is produced by including the question "Was it just luck?" at the end of the text? A The question encourages the reader to think about why Pluto is a strange planet. B The question encourages the reader to think about how planets are discovered. C The question suggests that all discoveries are luck, not just design. D The question suggests that other planets were found in different ways. Answer: B Once upon a time there was a crook who only thought about how to get money. What he hated most was when people were polite to each other, saying things like "please", "thank you", and "don't mention it". The crook thought all those kinds of words were a waste, so he spent a lot of time inventing a machine which could steal words. With this machine, he planned to steal "please", "thank you", "don't mention it", and similar words people used to be polite. After he stole these words, he intended to take them apart and sell the letters to book publishers. After he started up his machine, people would open their mouths, intending to say kind and polite things, but nothing came out. All those words ended up inside the big machine. The crook was happy with his success, but he didn't count on a couple of very special little girls. Those girls were deaf, and had to communicate with sign language. Because the machine couldn't steal gestures, these girls continued being kind and polite. Soon they realized what had been happening to everyone else, and they found out about the crook and his plan. The girls followed him and found the machine busy separating all the words into letters. They approached the machine and started being polite to each other. Try as it might, the machine couldn't steal those words, and it started to suffer a power overload . Finally, it exploded, sending all the letters it had gathered flying into the sky. These letters started coming down, like rain, and most ended up in the sea. After that, everyone could be polite again. Seeing all those letters fall into the sea, those little girls had an idea. A little while later they opened a factory, making alphabetic spaghetti soup! Why did the machine have no effect on the two girls? A Because they were kind and polite. B Because they were very clever. C Because the machine couldn't steal gestures. D Because there was something wrong with the machine. Answer: C In Vietnam, Tet-Trung-Thu, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, is one of the most popular family holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Vietnamese families plan their activities around their children on this special day. In a Vietnamese folk story, parents were working so hard to prepare for the harvest that they left the children playing by themselves. To make up for that time, the parents would use the Mid-Autumn Festival as a chance to show their love and thanks for their children. As a result, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Children's Festival. In the United States, this tradition continues in many Vietnamese-American families. Activities are often centered on children and education. Parents buy lanterns for their children so that they can take part in a candle and lantern parade at dawn. Lanterns mean brightness, while the parade means success in school. Vietnamese markets sell a variety of lanterns, but the most popular children's lantern is the star lantern. Other children's activities include arts and crafts in which children make face masks and lanterns. Children also perform traditional Vietnamese dances for adults and take part in contests for prizes. Unicorn dancers are also very popular. Like Chinese people, Vietnamese parents tell their children folk stories and serve moon cakes and other special treats under the bright moon. A favorite folk story is about a carp that wanted to become a dragon. The carp worked and worked and finally changed itself into a dragon. Parents use this story to encourage their children to work hard so that they can become whatever they want to be. The parents tell their children folk stories because _ . A children like listening to them in the evening B they want to show their love for their children C they want to encourage their children to work hard D they want to make up for lost time Answer: C
Question: Newspapers are an important source of information. Many people begin their days by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes,however,they don't have the time to read the news carefully and must be satisfied with a quick look at the front page,at other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to _ at the headlines. There are newspapers to satisfy every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In small towns there are few newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some areas the paper is printed weekly. Most papers have several editions,especially on Sundays when the editions are larger than usual. There are,besides the front page with the most important news,the sports news,the society page,the amusement section,a business page and so on. If you want to know what's on in the cinema, you'd better read _ . A. the business page B. the amusement section C. the society page D. the sports section Answer: B. the amusement section Question: Childhood is a happy time, right? Not necessarily. Consider these facts. Depression may occur in as many as 1 in 33 children. Once a child has an episode of depression, he or she has a 50 percent chance of experiencing another episode in the next 5 years. Suicide is the 6th leading cause of death for 5--to--15-year-olds. If your child experiences 5 or more of these signs or symptoms for at least 2 weeks, he or she may be experiencing depression or another mental illness. Feeling--Does your child demonstrate: 1Sadness 2Emptiness 3Hopelessness 4Guilt 5Worthlessness 6Lack of enjoyment in everyday pleasures Thinking--Is your child having trouble: 1Concentrating 2Making decisions 3Completing schoolwork 4Maintaining grades 5Maintaining friendships Physical problems--Does your child complain of: 1Headaches 2Stomachaches 3Lack of energy 4Sleeeping problems(too much or too little) 5Weight or appetite changes(gain or loss) Behavior problems--Is your child: 1Irritable 2Not wanting to go to school 3Wanting to be alone most of the time 4Having difficulty getting along with others 5Cutting classes or skipping school 6Dropping out of sports, hobbies or other activities Drinking alcohol or using drugs. Suicide risk--Does your child talk or think about: 1Suicide 2Death 3Other morbid subjects Sometimes, a child who causes problems at school or at home may actually be depressed, according to the prefix = st1 /AmericanAcademyof Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.If you think your child may be depressed, it's important to have your child treated. Discuss your child's problems with his or her doctor. The doctor may suggest a referral to a children's psychologist or psychiatrist . Treatment may include individual and family therapy , along with an antidepressant medication. What should we do when we find our kids experiencing depression? A. Ask for leave to accompany them at home. B. Ask them to take antidepressant immediately. C. Go to see the doctor D. Ask them to have a good rest. Answer: C. Go to see the doctor Question: Barry the bowl lived in a cabinet in the kitchen. He sat next to the pots and under the pans. He liked his home, but he never got out much. He was only used for mixing when his friend wanted to bake a cake. One day, his friend pulled him out of the cabinet and put him on the table. He got out the eggs, flour and sugar and began to bake a cake. Barry was very excited. He looked around the kitchen as his friend mixed up all the ingredients. He saw a sink, a refrigerator and a toaster. He was sad to go back in the cabinet when his friend was all done with the cake. But he wasn't going back yet! His friend set him in the sink to wash out all of the leftover ingredients. It was a fun day out of the cabinet. Now it was time for him to go back home and wait for another day and another adventure. When does Barry get to come out of the cabinet? A. When he wants to B. When he gets washed C. When his friend bakes a cake D. When he is under the pan. Answer: C. When his friend bakes a cake Question: September is a difficult month for all students as they return to continue their education, but for high school and university green hands, it is not just the heavy study tasks they need to follow. They will also go through military training, which aims to help students improve their health and help them adapt to college life. The Ministry of Education requires that universities should carry out at least 14 days' military training for freshmen. Hou Zhengfang, an education expert, questioned the benefits of military training. "It does little to improve students' physical health over only two weeks' time," she said. "Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires, would be of greater benefit." A freshman who fainted during training said that many students, especially girls, are unwilling to train in direct sunshine. "For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health," said the 19-year-old. Although Chu Jinjing, a Tsinghua University freshman, did feel some discomfort while training in the heat, the 18-year-old did recognize the benefits of military training. "By going through this tough training, I've become more independent and determined," said Chu. "I have also managed to make a lot of friends." Wang Hui from Xi'an Jiaotong University sees the advantages of military training besides character building. "From senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey," said Wang. "I would feel a bit incomplete without it." Hou Zhengfang might advise the Ministry of Education to _ . A. cut students' heavy study tasks B. introduce other trainings for students C. encourage students to work out D. shorten the time of military training Answer: B. introduce other trainings for students Question: 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. What is the author's purpose of writing the text? A. To look back on his childhood with adventures. B. To describe the extreme weather of Alaska. C. To express how much he misses Leonhard. D. To show off his pride in making trouble. Answer: A. To look back on his childhood with adventures.
On Tuesday, Timmy went to go visit his grandma for the day. She lived in a town close to where Timmy lived, so Timmy got in the car and his mom drove him to his grandma's house. Timmy wanted to bring his big white dog with him, but his mom said no because his grandma doesn't like dogs. Instead, Timmy brought his favorite toys: a blue car, a puzzle with a picture of green trees on it, and a few fun board games in brown boxes. When Timmy got to his grandma's house, she was standing at the door waiting for him. She had a plate of cookies in her hands and was very excited to see him. "Hi, Timmy!" She said. "Hi, Grandma!" Timmy said. "I'm so happy to see you!" Grandma smiled. "We're going to have so much fun today, Timmy. I have ham sandwiches, chips, and fresh lemonade for lunch, and I also have a whole plate of warm cookies all for you." "Wow, Grandma, that sounds great! I brought some games for us to play. This is going to be a great day!" Grandma and Timmy went inside Grandma's house and Timmy opened his bag of toys to show Grandma. She looked at the car, the puzzle, and the games, and then looked at Timmy. "Well, Timmy, what do you want to do first?" She asked. Timmy chose the puzzle, and they spent a few hours putting it together. Then, they ate lunch. The sandwiches, chips, lemonade and cookies are all delicious. Timmy ate three whole cookies by himself. After lunch, they played outside with the car, and then when they got tired, they sat on the porch and rested. It was starting to get dark out. "I had a great day, Timmy," Grandma said. Timmy smiled. "Me too, Grandma. I love spending time with you!" Timmy thought it had been a perfect day, even if he couldn't bring his dog. What could Timmy not bring with him to his grandma's house? Answer: his dog Observer 2007-03-28 13:54 Nothing could be more shameful for McDonald's and KFC. They are violating labour's rights. The government must immediately bring the guilty to justice. A stricter government inspection system must be enforced to protect the workers. Nathan 2007-03-28 21:39 It is known that McDonald's and KFC and other fast-food restaurants pay the lowest wage they possibly can to get their employees. I think it's kind of funny that these two restaurants have not yet set up unions. It is also known that _ also take every possible measure e(legal, and sometimes illegal) to prevent their employees from forming or joining unions. I think it is high time that government enforced the law that they have made. Cushman 2007-03-28 22:32 The deepest reason is that China has a large population. If you complain that the pay is very low, the boss will tell you that can go to other places and that there are a lot of people waiting for the job. Today finding a job is not very easy, so you don't have many choices, and you have to face the reality. Chip 2007-03-29 20:33 If wages were too low, people wouldn't work for them, but they do, so it proves the wages are reasonable. Sure, they could raise the wages, but why should they? The workers are still working, still willing to show up on time, and it keeps costs lower. Were they to raise wages, they would have to FIRE more workers, and the price of burgers would go up. Then people wouldn't buy them, then McDonald's would once again FIRE more workers because of a reduced demand, and you'd be back in the same boat, just with less people working. In the opinion of Cushman, the key to the problem is that _ . Answer: China has too large a population Can you resist cream cakes? I miss my sugar! I've decided to lose weight and I had to give up cakes. It's difficult because I have a sweet tooth and I love cream cakes. Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that the Burts, a family of five in South East England, lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes . It wasn't easy. To avoid temptation, I don't go to any bakeries, but this family actually owns one, which makes up to 3,000 cakes a week. And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt weak. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy. And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a ton of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you have to taste a recipe to know if it's right. No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more delicious products. I wonder what makes us have a strong desire for sweet food. Anyway, I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." From the passage we can learn it is necessary for a cook _ . Answer: to taste a recipe to know if it's right Wealth starts with a goal saving a dollar at a time. Call it the piggy bank strategy . There are lessons in that time-honored coin-saving container. Any huge task seems easier when reduced to baby steps. I f you wished to climb a 12,000-foot mountain, and could do it a day at a time, you would only have to climb 33 feet daily to reach the top in a year. If you want to take a really nice trip in 10 years for a special occasion, to collect the $15,000 cost, you have to save $3.93 a day. If you drop that into a piggy bank and then once a year put $1,434 in a savings account at 1% interest rate after-tax, you will have your trip money. When I was a child, my parents gave me a piggy bank to teach me that, if I wanted something, I should save money to buy it. We associate piggy banks with children, but in many countries, the little containers are also popular with adults. Europeans see a piggy bank as a sign of good fortune and wealth. Around the world, many believe a gift of a piggy bank on New Year's Day brings good luck and financial success. Ah, but you have to put _ in it. Why is a pig used as a symbol of saving? Why not an elephant bank, which is bigger and holds more coins? In the Middle Ages, before modern banking and credit instruments, people saved money at home, a few coins at a time dropped into a jar or dish. Potters made these inexpensive containers from an orange-colored clay called "pygg," and folks saved coins in pygg jars.The Middle English word for pig was "pigge". While the Saxons pronounced pygg, referring to the clay, as "pug", eventually the two words changed into the same pronunciation, sounding the "i" as in pig or piggy. As the word became less associated with the orange clay and more with the animal, a clever potter fashioned a pygg jar in the shape of a pig, delighting children and adults. The piggy bank was born. Originally you had to break the bank to get to the money, bringing in a sense of seriousness into savings. While piggy banks teach children the wisdom of saving, adults often need to relearn childhood lessons. Think about the things in life that require large amounts of money--- college education, weddings, cars, medical care, starting a business, buying a home, and fun stuff like great trips. So when you have money, take off the top 10%, put it aside, save and invest wisely. The piggy ban originally was _ . Answer: a cheap clay container Let's face it.No one drinks die t soda for the taste.People drink diet soda in the hope that it will help them lose weight or at least keep them from gaining it.Yet it seems to have exactly the opposite effect, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Texas said those who drank two or more diet sodas a day had waist size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink diet soda."What we saw was that the more diet sodas a person drank, the more weight they were likely to gain," said Sharon Fowler. The study was based on data from 474 participants in a large, ongoing research project, where the participants were followed for nearly l0 years. While the findings are surprising, they also offer some explanations. Nutrition expert, Melanie Rogers, who works with overweight patients in New York, has found that when patients are switched from regular to diet soda, they don't lose weight at all."We weren't seeing weight loss necessarily, and that was confusing to us," said Rogers. So why would diet soda cause weight gain? No one knows for sure yet, but it could be that people think they can eat more if they drink diet soda, and so over-compensate for the missing calories( ). A related study found some sweeteners raised blood sugar levels in some mice." Data from this and other potential studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners may be risky," said study researcher Helen P.Hazuda, professor at the University of Texas's school of medicine. Theymay be free of calories, but not of consequences. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: diet soda drinkers tend to eat more food
Long long ago, a young man found a spring of delicious clean water while he was going through the desert. He brought some back to the oldest man in his village, who had been his teacher before. After a four-day journey he sent the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village happily. The next day, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It went bad because it had stayed in the old leather container for so many days in such hot weather. The student asked his teacher why he pretended to like the awful water. The teacher _ , "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for love and kindness. And nothing could be sweeter than these." I think we understand this lesson best when we receive small gifts of love from very young kids. Whether it's a slice of bread or a piece of colored paper, the natural and right response is to show our thanks and happiness because we get love from the gift. To show our thanks doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults only see the thing itself. They never feel the meaning of the thing. We should tell ourselves and teach our children about showing thanks and happiness to the persons who give the gifts from their hearts because gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart. According to the passage, what is the right response when we get gifts from others? A We eat it up at once. B We only see the thing itself. C We think about the meaning of the bread. D We usually show our thanks and happiness naturally. Answer: D I consider Lily to be my best friend because she is always very good to me. She's always with me in times of difficulties and she is always there waiting for me. When I have problems and feel empty and upset, she's always by my side to comfort me. We've been together for two years. I met her during our college days. She was my classmate, but I can tell that we were not so close at that time, maybe because we had our own friends and maybe our attention was always on them, so I didn't even notice her. Yet there were times that she was with me during my lunch break. That is why we slowly became close. We had our lunch together in the boarding house but sometimes not, probably because we had our own friends. And when we took our break, we bought our favorite food together, but not that often since we didn't have enough money. Furthermore, we were together in the student union, which was nice for me to know her better. I can say that she is really a nice friend. She is the kind of person that is very approachable in times of emptiness. She is a friend whom I can call every time I need help. Definitely, I am so glad that I have her. Currently, we are working together as freelance writers online. We both work as contractors in oDesk. We are very happy with working together, and we are looking forward to earning some money so that we can go on vacation together. Friendships may not last. Friendships can lose importance and die gradually. However, I believe she will be a lifelong friend of mine. The author considers her friend Lily to be _ . A distant B innocent C helpful D wealthy Answer: C Will it matter if you don't take your breakfast? Recently a test was given in the United States. Those tested included people of different ages, from 12 to 83. During the experiment, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Special tests were set up to see how well their bodies worked when they had eaten a certain kind of breakfast. The results show that if a person eats a proper breakfast, he or she will work with better effect than if he or she has no breakfast. This fact appears to be especially true if a person works with his brains. If a student eats fruit, eggs, bread and milk before going to school, he will learn more quickly and listen with more attention in class. Contrary to (......) what many people believe, if you don't eat breakfast, you will not lose weight. This is because people become so hungry at noon that they eat too much for lunch, and end up gaining weight instead of losing. You will probably lose more weight if you reduce your other meals. During the test, those who were tested were given_. A no breakfast at B very rich breakfast C little food for breakfast D different foods or none Answer: D For many years, we couldn't talk with the deaf. These deaf people couldn't use a spoken language. But beginning in the 1700s, the deaf were taught a special language. Using this language, they could share thoughts and ideas with others. The language they used was a language without sound. It was a sign language. How did this sign language work? The deaf learnt to make certain movements with their hands, faces and bodies. These movements stood for things and ideas. People might move their forefingers across their lips. This meant "you are not telling the truth". They might tap their chin with three fingers. This meant "my uncle". The deaf learned to see a finger alphabet. They used their fingers to make the letters of the alphabet. In this way, they spelled out words. Some deaf people could spell out words at a speed of 130 words per minute. The deaf don't use the sign language and finger spelling as much as they once were. Today, the deaf learn to understand others by watching their lips. They also learn how to speak. The title of the passage is _ . A The Deaf. B The Blind. C The Language of the Deaf. D The Language of the Blind. Answer: C After a storm A drinking water will be in short supply B ponds may dry out C creek beds may be spilling over D flowers will wilt and wither Answer: C
In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms. Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own. Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months." Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer." What does Jason say about long summer holidays? A. They can help children forget about school. B. Schools in other countries don't have long holidays. C. These days many older people suggest having long holidays. D. They do no harm to children's education. Answer: D House For Rent Lost Dog 2 sunny bedrooms with one kitchen Small size $500 a month Black and white, short hair Call Mr. Winter at 555--7843 Call Gus. Reward at 555--6238 Taxi Driver W anted Titanic 3D Full or part time Saturday and Sunday Experience needed Zig Zag Cinema. Call Mark at 555--7296 between $20 (half for children under12). 9 am and 5 pm weekdays. Call 555--9767 for more information If you want to rent the room for two months, you should pay _ . A. 250 dollars B. 500 dollars C. 1000 dollars D. 1500 dollars Answer: C Which would likely be a chemical reaction A. an ember B. oil and water C. steel and iron D. play dog Answer: A Who are the elders in your family? The most common answer is that they are your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and elder cousins ------in a word, any who is older than you. But that doesn't really answer the question, does it? In a normal family, there is a big difference between being elderly and being an elder. Elders are the storytellers, the cooks, the historians, the authorities, the knitters, and the workhorses. They are the people we respect and turn to for answers or help when we are in trouble, because of their many years of life experience. Most of all, they are the people who raised you and your loved ones and helped you growing into the people you are. For many years, they carried the burden of caring for your family and leading it to better times. Now it's your turn to dote on them. Ensuring the welfare of your elders should come as naturally to us as raising our children. Unfortunately, too many people take their parents' and grandparents' ability to care for them for granted. And in a country where so many of us live hundreds of miles from our families, looking after loved ones can be difficult. Even so, you should make sure your loved ones are taken care of no matter where they live, and try to look after the seniors living alone in your neighbor, too. Taking responsibility for the elders in our society in an important thing that all citizens should do. Which of the following opinions doesn't the author agree with? A. naturally that the elders should take care of themselves B. It's our duty to take care of the elders when they are old C. We should take care of the elders even if a long distance separates us from them D. Looking after the elders is as important as raising our children Answer: A My sister and I grew up in a little village in England. Our father was a struggling lawyer, but I always knew he was special. He never criticized us, but used praise to bring out our best. He'd say, "If you pour water on flowers, they flourish . If you don't give them water, they die." I remember as a child I said something unkind about somebody, and my father said, "Any time you say something unpleasant about somebody else, it's a reflection of you." He explained that if I looked for the best in people, I would get the best in return. From then on I've always tried to follow the principle in my life and later in running my company. Dad's also always very understanding. At 15, I started a magazine. It was taking up a great deal of my time, and the headmaster of my school gave me a choice: stay in school or leave to work on my magazine. I decided to leave, and Dad tried to _ the decision at first, as any good father would. When he realized I had made up my mind, he said, "Richard, when I was 23, my dad persuaded me to go into law. And I've always regretted it. I wanted to be a biologist, but I didn't pursue my dream. You know what you want. Go fulfill it." As it turned out, my little publication went on to become Student, a national magazine in the U.K.. My wife and I have two children, and I'd like to think we are bringing them up in the same way Dad raised me. The author left school at 15 mainly because _ . A. the school forced him to B. he had to work for money C. his father understood him D. He had a dream to fulfill Answer: D
Long live language. That's the message Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and city councilor Amarjeet Sohi voiced when they declared Feb. 21 to be International Mother Language Day (IMLD) in Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The pair were on hand for the International and Heriage Languages Association's (IHLA) 12th annual Mother Language Day celebrations in an effort to save endangered languages. "Keeping languages alive is important for me richness of our culture and the diversity that strengthens Edmonton," said Iveson. There are nearly 7,000 unique languages spoken worldwide, but according to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) half of those languages are at risk of going extinct in just a few generations. For example, there are currently over 3,000 languages spoken throughout Africa. This sounds impressive until you realize that there were over 10,000 languages spoken on the continent before colonization during the 19th century. "People who lose their language experience suffering," said Olenka Bilash, professor of second language education at the University of Alberta. Bilash likened the loss of language to the loss of cultural identity. "As a multicultural society, it is very important to continue to preserve and pass on to future generations the language, culture, traditions and customs that we bring to Canada, " said IHLA president Olga Prokhorova. While the City of Edmonton's citizen and new arrival centre in city hall provides services in 150 languages, Bilash said research shows that "most people are still uncomfortable speaking their own language in public spaces." Bliash hopes the official announcement of International Mother Language Day in Edmonton----which _ International Mother Language Day declared by UNESCO in 1999 ---- will be a step toward encouraging more language diversity in order to preserve the cultures tied to them. "Our words define us; our expressions and vocabulary define who we are as people," said Marueen Kubinec, Alberta's minister of culture and tourism. "Our words are living examples, perhaps the best that there are, of human creativity." What can we learn from Kubinec's words ? Many people believe that the only way to make our communities safer is to build more prisons. But there's a way better protect cities and towns by doing just the opposite. In many countries throughout the world, prison populations have risen dramatically over the past decade. One of the main reasons for this is the large number of repeat offenders; that is people who break the law again once freed from jail. Statistics show that about one in four prisoners freed every year return to jail within three years. This is partly because ex-prisoners face huge difficulty finding employment. More than a third of them cannot find any job at all. Data show that having a job greatly reduces the chances that a person will commit a crime again or commit one in the first place. Released prisoners who do manage to find steady employment are 50 percent less likely to return to prison. Rather than harming a community, having a job helps ex-prisoners to change their ways and make a positive and productive contribution to their communities. What's more, helping these men and women find jobs would also save taxpayers a lot of money. Few prisoners would save governments millions or possibly even billions of dollars annually: the costs of building and operating jails. There are many things that the government can do to help ex-prisoners find work. More job training programs should be introduced to provide prisoners with work skills before they are freed. Companies and factories should also be given tax benefits if they employ ex-prisoners. Such programs have been shown to work in several countries. Such policies of course assure that freed criminals actually want to work. But shouldn't they be given the chance? Our goal, after all, shouldn't be to incarcerate as many prisoners as possible, but to build a society that doesn't need to put such a large percentage of its population in jail. We should take a step in that direction and help prisoners find self-respect and purpose through work. Which of the following would be author agree with? How to get along with people you don't like? We all have to be friendly to people we don't like. We can't change others, but we can change our own ideas and actions. The following are some methods: Be polite. Say "Hello" or "have a nice day". Say that he or she looks nice. Be positive . Think of five good things about the person. Maybe he or she is always on time or works hard. *Really listen when the person talks. Ask questions to understand the person better. This passage is most probably from _ . Six people were traveling in a compartment on a train. Five of them were quiet and well behaved , but the sixth was a rude young man who was causing a lot of trouble to the other passengers. At last this young man got out of the station with his two heavy bags. None of the other passengers helped him, but one of them waited until the rude young man was very far away, and then opened the window to him, " You left something behind in the compartment!" Then he closed the window again. The young man turned around and hurried back with his two bags. He was very tired when he arrived, but he shouted through the window, " What did I leave behind?" As the train began to move again, the passenger who had called him back opened the window and said, " A very bad impression!" When the rude young man got off the train _ . Work Your Mind Here's something to think about the next time you ask your teacher for help: struggling with schoolwork on your own can help you learn. According to a recent study, the more you struggle while you are learning new information, the better you can remember it later. This theory might surprise you. When teachers are presenting new information, they often give students lots of help. But a new study shows this may not be the best way to support learning. "Don't be too quick to get help when learning something new," education expert Manu Kapur told TFK. "Try to work on it yourself even if it means trying different ways." Kapur came up with the idea that struggling can lead to better learning. Then he tested it out on students in Singapore. He separated students into two groups. In the first group, students were asked to solve math problems with the teacher's help. In the second group, students were asked to solve the same problems by helping one another, instead of getting help from the teacher. With the teacher's help, students in the first group were able to find the correct answers. Students in the second group did not solve the problems correctly. But they did come up with a lot of good ideas. The students were then tested on what they had learned. The group without any help from a teacher scored much higher than the group who had help. Kapur said working to find the answers helped students understand the process, not just the solution. Kapur's advice for kids is to put a lot of effort into learning something new rather than going to your teacher for help. "Simply doing a little work or nothing at all won't work," says Kapur. "The struggle needs to be a genuine attempt to figure out or solve a problem in as many ways as possible." What's Manu Kapur educational idea on learning new knowledge?
Good health is the most precious thing in the world .When you have got it, you never think about it. When you haven't got it , you think about it all the time. Our biggest enemies are not terrible diseases. We are our own biggest enemies because we sometimes destroy our own good health. Some of us eat too much, drink too much and smoke too much. And though our reason tells us we should control ourselves, we find it difficult. The fact is that most human beings need stimulation. Who doesn't enjoy a drink after a busy day? Only a smoker knows the pleasure of a cigarette with a cup of coffee. The danger is when these innocent pleasures run our lives and so destroy our health. When you find yourself eating between meals or eating too much rich food, when you can only keep yourself going by taking frequent drinks or by smoking one cigarette after another, then it's time to stop and think what you might be doing to yourself. The funny thing is that when we don't control ourselves, simple pleasures are no longer simple pleasures. All right, I know what you're thinking. You're probably saying: "It's all very well for him to talk, but I can't help myself. I need that extra bit of food, that extra drink, that extra cigarette. Life has so many pressures that I can't manage without them." But I'm saying you can help yourself. Not only that you must help yourself. Because if you don't help yourself, no one else can. So be your own best friend . In the writer's view, the most precious thing in the world is _ . Answer: One day Mrs Wilson took Trudy and Ben to go shopping. They went to the supermarket in the new shopping mall . "Why do you buy things here, Mum?" Trudy asked. "Because they are cheaper than those at the corner store," Mrs Wilson said. "Help me check the prices." The Wilsons were not wealthy and Mrs Wilson was always careful with her money. She looked carefully at the prices of things. She bought some groceries in the supermarket. When they got home, the children said, "We don't think you saved money by going to the supermarket there." "Of course I did," said Mrs Wilson, "everything was cheap there." "We know," said the children, "but we came home by taxi because we had too much to carry. The cost of the taxi was more than the money you saved!" Mrs Wilson added everything up and found her children were right. "Well done,"she said, "next time we will do shopping near our home." Mrs Wilson bought things in the supermarket in the new shopping mall because _ . Answer: Patty Griffin Patty Griffin is a songwriter, and has been highly respected for her works in music. Her childhood. was full of music because both her mother and her grandmother liked singing. She bought her first guitar at 16, began writing songs in high school and soon started playing with a band called Patty the Executive. Her song l,000 Kisses won her a Grammy nomination although she lost the award. Judy Collins Judy Collins was an important artist in the peace movement of the 1960s. She started her own record company, Wildflower. Records. She began as a classical pianist at 13. In the 40 years that followed, Judy became known as an important American folk singer. Odetta One thing you always hear when people talk about Odetta is the excellent power of her voice. Known for her powerful stage presence and her skillful ability to command the simplest instruments -- her voice as well as her guitar. Odetta rose to fame singing the classic African-American folk songs and spirituals. She has also touched the blues. Joan Baez Joan Baez is one of the most remarkable singers in American folk music in the 20th century. Her Father was a physicist and was forced to move the family often throughout Joan's childhood. Inspired by her experiences as a could traveling the world, Joan's music includes the peace and civil rights movement She has been a constant voice for peace and social justice . What was Joan's music mainly influenced by? Answer: The Himalayas are mountains that are located in South Asia. They are a part of Nepal, India, Pakistan, China and Bhutan. The mountains are the highest in the world, reaching almost 9,000 meters sea level. The Himalayas separate the Indian subcontinent from the inner part of Asia. The word Himalaya means " home of snow". 14 mountains are over 8,000 meters high, among them the K2, Nanga Parbat and Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters, the world's highest mountain. The Himalayas extend over 1,500 miles( 2,400km ) from the Indus valley in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east. Many of the mountain peaks are sacred to the people who live in the surrounding areas . Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims go there and pray to God. The Himalayas belong to the youngest mountain ranges in the world. They were formed when the Indian subcontinent, which was originally a part of the southern landmass, drifted to the north and crashed into Asia. This movement started about 70 million years ago and has been going on up to the present day. The Himalayas are still becoming taller, moving at about 7 cm per year. Earthquakes and volcanoes are evidences that the area is still very active. Glaciers and permanent snow fields cover the higher regions of the Himalayas. They are the source of streams that flow into the two big rivers of the region. The Indus flows to the west and through Pakistan into the Arabia Sea. The Ganges and Brahmaputra flow to the east and get together in Bangladesh. They form the largest delta in the world. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Metro Pocket Guide Metrorail Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer. Farecard machines are in every station. Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and farecard machines only provide up to $50 in change. Get one day of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro station. Use it after 9:30 a.m. until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekdays and holidays. Hours of service Open: 5 a.m. Mon.--Fri. 7 a.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 stations. Metrobus When paying with exact change, the fare is $1.35. When paying with a SmarTrip card, the fare is $1.25. Fares for 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 farecard, SmarTrip cards and passes, please visit MetroOpensDoor.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 202-96201195. What is good about a SmarTrip card? Answer:
Mosquitoes have an extraordinary ability to target humans far away and fly straight to their unprotected skin. Regrettably,mosquitoes can do more than cause an itchy wound. Some mosquitoes spread several serious diseases,including Dengue,yellow fever and malaria. Over one million people worldwide die from these diseases each year. New research now shows how mosquitoes choose who to bite. Mosquitoes need blood to survive. They are attracted to human skin and breath. They smell the carbon dioxide gas,which all mammals breathe out. This gas is the main way for mosquitoes to know that a warm-blooded creature is nearby. But mosquitoes also use their eyes and sense of touch. Michael Dickinson is a professor at the California Institute of Technology. His research shows how these small insects,with even smaller brains,use three senses to find a blood meal. Michael Dickinson's team used plumes--a material that rises into the air of carbon dioxide gas into a wind tunnel. They then used cameras to record the mosquitoes. The insects followed the plume. Then,the scientists placed dark objects on the lighter colored floor and walls of the tunnel. Mr. Dickinson said,at first,the mosquitoes showed no interest in the objects at all. "What was quite striking and quite surprising is that the mosquitoes fly back and forth for hours. These are hungry females and they completely ignore the objects on the floor and wall of the tunnel. But the moment they get a hit of CO2,they change their behavior quite obviously and now would become attracted to these little visual blobs ." This suggested to the researchers that a mosquito's sense of smell is more important in the search for food. Once mosquitoes catch a smell of a human or animal,they also follow visual signals. What can be the best title for the text? Answer: How Do Mosquitoes Choose to Bite You? Last summer was Ann's first trip to Spain . She was very excited. But when she arrived at the hotel, she found that her Spanish money wasn't in her handbag. She looked for it carefully in all her bags, but she couldn't find it. She had only a ten-pound note with her. She found a place to change her English money. On her way back to the hotel, Ann bought some cheese, some bread and some oranges. She told the manager that she didn't eat Spanish food except for breakfast, because she knew the price of hotels included breakfast. Other tourists visited places of great interest in Spain. Ann said she wasn't well. In fact, her holiday wasn't bad, except that she was hungry. After all a piece of fruit for lunch, and bread and cheese for supper isn't very much. especially not for two weeks. On the last day of her holiday, Jane, one of the tourists asked Ann why she never ate with them in the hotel restaurant. The food was delicious. Ann told her all about her money problem. Jane looked at her for a moment, and then said, "But didn't you know the price of this hotel includes everything?" In fact, a piece of fruit for lunch, and bread and cheese for supper _ . Answer: isn't very much for Ann Software Trainer If you are aged 24-25 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs. R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. Wanted, Someone for a Kiss We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio in necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. Father Christmas We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit. Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30-16:00. Excellent pay. Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne. Accountants Assistant When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level, we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience. Wealden District Council We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who _ . Answer: can work for about a month A science class investigated the percentage of corn kernels that pop in bags of different brands of popcorn. Fifteen students tested three brands of popcorn each and reported their results to the class. Why did the teacher most likely have so many students report the results? Answer: for more accurate results It was Mother's Day, but the young mother was a little unhappy, because she was 800 miles away from her parents. In the morning she phoned her mother to wish her a happy Mother's Day, and her mother told her about the beautiful lilacs in the garden. Later that day, when she told her husband about the lilacs, he said, "I know where we can find all that you want. Get the children and come on." So they went, driving down the country roads. There on a small hill, they saw a lot of beautiful purple lilacs. The young woman ran quickly to enjoy the flowers. Carefully, she picked a few here and there. On their way home there was a smile on her face. When they were passing an old people's home, the young woman saw an old granny sitting in a chair. They stopped the ear and the young woman walked to the old woman, put the flowers in her hands, and smiled at her. The old granny thanked her again and again. She smiled happily, too. When the young mother came back to her car, her children asked her, "Who is the old granny? Why did you give our flowers to her? I don't know her," their mother said. "But it's Mother's Day, and she has no children. I have all of you, and I still have my mother. Just think how much those flowers meant to her." The young woman gave the flowers to the old granny because _ . Answer: she wanted the old granny to be happy too
Question: As the sun rose, a dewdrop woke up. There it sat on a leaf, catching the sunlight. Proud of its simple beauty, it was very happy. Around it were other dewdrops, some on the same leaf and some on other leaves. The dewdrop was sure that it was the best, the most special dewdrop of them all. Ah, it was good to be a dewdrop. The wind blew and the plant began to shake, tipping the leaf. The dewdrop became frightened as it started to move towards the edge of the leaf. Why was this happening? Things were comfortable. Things were safe. Why did they have to change? Why? Why? The dewdrop reached the edge of the leaf. It was sure that this was the end. The day had only just begun and the end had come so quickly. It seemed so unfair. It seemed so meaningless. It tried hard to do whatever it could to stay on the leaf, but it was no use. Finally, it fell. Below there was a mirror. A reflection of the dewdrop seemed to be coming up to meet it. Closer and closer they came together until finally.., the small dewdrop became a part of the great pond . Now the dewdrop was no more, but it was not destroyed. It had become one with the whole. Which of the following is TRUE according to the story? A. There was only one dewdrop on the leaf. B. The dewdrop did nothing before falling. C. The mirror in the story refers to the pond. D. The dewdrop was actually destroyed. Answer: C. The mirror in the story refers to the pond. Question: Which activity is necessary for humans to maintain good health? A. reading B. resting C. driving D. talking Answer: B. resting Question: Bad teeth may be painful and it's getting worse without treatment. They can even ruin your life. Illness of the teeth can find its way into the blood system. This can increase the chances of a heart disease or other illnesses. Experts say good care for teeth should start at birth. Mothers' milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. But dentists say a baby's mouth and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if a baby is fed with a bottle. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give him only water. When baby's teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. Young children often eat toothpaste when they brush, so they should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth. Parents often ask what effect thumb sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If _ continues, parents should talk to their children's dentist or doctor. Dentists say children should have their first dental visit by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear usually at around six months. Why should people pay attention to teeth problems? A. They can cause other illnesses. B. They will bring bad luck. C. They will bring the family much trouble. D. They usually last a long time. Answer: A. They can cause other illnesses. Question: According to a survey released by the Nielson Company on Thursday, China has become a global tourist attraction after the Beijing Olympics. The survey said the Olympics not only built up China's image but also served as an advertisement for China's tourism. The online survey was conducted on consumers in 16 countries and regions before Games' opening ceremony and after the closing. About 80 percent of the respondents had not been to China before the events and 50 percent of them expressed hopes of visiting China after the Games. According to the survey, 70 percent of the respondents felt Beijing was more modern and scientific than what they had thought. The most interested respondents were from Singapore, India, Mexico, South Africa and the Republic of Korea, as well as China's Hong Kong and Taiwan. Pan Wen, in charge of Chinese tourism research of the Nielson Company, said the World Tourism Organization predicted that China would become the largest tourist attraction in the world with 137 million foreign tourists every year. "This figure would be realized earlier with the aid of the Beijing Olympics," Pan said. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. About 80 percent of the respondents expressed hopes of visiting China during the Games B. The online survey was conducted on consumers in 16 countries C. 137 million foreign tourists have come to China every year D. The Beijing Olympics greatly speed up China's tourism Answer: D. The Beijing Olympics greatly speed up China's tourism Question: STEVE EMBER: And I'm Steve Ember with People In America in VOA Special English. Today we remember the singer and actress Lena Horne. During her sixty-year career performing, Lena Horne entertained people with her beauty and rich, emotional voice. She used her fame to fight social injustices toward African-Americans. Lena Horne was born in New York. At sixteen, Lena became a dancer at the famous club in New York City in 1933. After taking voice lessons, she soon became a singer. In 1940, Lena Horne became the first African-American to perform with an all-white jazz hand. After performing at a club in Hollywood, California, she caught the attention of filmmakers. She soon began making movies. Her films became very popular. In the 1940s, Lena Horne was the first African-American in Hollywood to sing a long -term contract with a major movie studio. Her deal with MGM stated that she would never play the role of a servant. She refused to play roles that represented African-Americans disrespectfully. Lena Horne once said that World War II helped make her a star. She was popular with both black and white soldiers. She sang on army radio programs and traveled to perform for the troops. These experiences led to Lena Horne's work in the civil rights movement. Lena Horne sang at rights gatherings. She took part in the march on Washington protest in 1963. It was during this event that Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. She protested racial separation at the hotels where she performed. She took action so that she and her musicians would be allowed to stay in those hotels. B1ack musicians at the time generally stayed in black neighborhoods. At the age of eighty, she said she did not have to act like a white woman that Hollywood hoped she would become. She said: "I'm me, and I'm like nobody else." Lena Horne died in New York in 2010. We can infer from the passage that _ A. black women were forbidden to perform in the film in the 1940s B. Lena Horne didn't make any films in the 1960s C. Lena Horne liked staying at hotel very much D. black actresses often played roles of servants in the film in the 1940s Answer: D. black actresses often played roles of servants in the film in the 1940s
Everybody may have seen the film "Death on the Nile (n. )", but nobody can imagine that the writer of the story, Agatha Christie, saved a baby in a most unusual way. In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Deleville. Doctors there were unable to find out the cause of her illness, so she was sent to a famous hospital in London, where there were many excellent doctors. The baby was so seriously ill that a team of doctors hurried to examine the baby without delay. The doctors, too, were puzzled by the baby's illness and they also became discouraged. Just then a nurse asked to speak to them. "I think the baby is suffering from thallium (n. ) poisoning. " said the nurse. "A few days ago, I read a story 'A Pale Horse' written by Agatha Christie. Someone uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are written in the book. They are exactly the same as the baby's." "You're very good at observing things," said a doctor, "and you may be right. We'll carry out some tests and find out whether the cause is thallium poisoning or not." The tests proved that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium. Once they knew the cause, the doctors were able to give her correct treatment. The baby soon got well and was sent back to Deleville A week later, it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (n. ) used in Deleville. When the baby was first sent to the hospital in London, her illness was considered to be _ . It was time for Jill to make her famous apple pie, out of the yellow apples that grew on her land. It was not time to pick the red cherries, or the orange oranges or even the green lettuce, but their nice colors made Jill happy. She would eat some of the pies, and give the rest of them away to her friends and family. She went out to her back yard where the apple trees were, and started picking. A few hours later, she had enough to make dozens of pies. She walked into the kitchen with her apples, and was all ready to start baking when she saw she was all out of flour. She would have to go to the store to get some, since you can't make a pie without flour. While she was at the store, she would also buy some cheese, bread, and milk. She did not need these to make pie, but she did need them to make her dinner. At the store Jill ran into her friends Bob and Steve and George, and told them she would make them all pies. After she had finished her shopping, Jill went to the library to get some books, to the car wash to wash her car, and to her mother's house to say hello. She went home after, and made her yummy pies. What was the name of the person making the apple pies? Teach in nice and beautiful Ecuador ! The government school we work with has about 200 pupils aged from 5 to 14 years old. The children come from many different economic backgrounds and family situations. Some of the children are supported by the upper-class employers of their parents; others cannot attend school every day as they sell something in the streets for parts of the week. This school really needs volunteers and you'll be greatly appreciated. You'll work with disadvantaged children who will benefit greatly from your help! You will be able to teach English and many other subjects--IT, sports, music, art, drama, anything you have a good knowledge in! Please let us know if you have a special interest and we will do our best to tailor-make your project! SUMMARY FACTFILE Price: From PS775, excluding flights Duration: From 2 weeks to 6 months subject to visa requirements Start Dates: All year round--you choose your start and finish dates Requirements: At least aged 17, no qualifications necessary, but you'll have to be enthusiastic. You'll need to know a little Spanish to do this project, but if you have no knowledge of Spanish at all, you can combine your project with 1-week intensive Spanish course in Quito before starting your project. WAHT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT: * An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure in the fascinating culture of Ecuador * The great satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and adults and knowing that you made a difference to them * New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development * An entry on your CV that makes you stand head and shoulders above others in the job market * And best of all...an unforgettable experience! A member to be admitted into the project should _ . Nobody likes staying at home in a public holiday, especially when the weather is fine. Last august we decided to spend the day in the country. The only difficulty was that millions of other people had exactly the same idea. We moved out of the city slowly behind a long line of cars. But at last we came to a quiet country road and after some time, stopped at a lonely farm. We had brought plenty of food with us and we got it out of the car. It was very peaceful in the cool grass until we heard ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up our things and run back to the car as quickly as possible. There were about two hundred sheep coming towards us down the path. Which of the following is true? Elizabeth's Second! In 60 years, the Queen has never put a foot wrong in public. And for the last 24 of them, it turns out she's had a secret weapon -- the nice Ella Slack. The former BBC manager has, unknown to anyone except a handful of key advisers, spent the last quarter of a century acting as the Queen's official stand-in at rehearsals for royal events. The 69-year-old has never accepted a penny for her royal service, considering it "a pleasure and an honour" to ensure that everything runs smoothly for the Queen. "How many people in the world have had a chance to sit in a royal landau or walk onto the dais at Windsor Castle even before the Queen has done so?" she said. While Miss Slack may not resemble the Queen facially, she has a similar figure to the Queen, standing just 5 foot. The Queen is 5 foot 2 inch. She began her remarkable role in 1988, when she was working as manager of the BBC's sports and events department. A producer asked her if she could stand in for the Queen to check camera angles at a rehearsal -- and her second career was born. Since then, from the State Opening of Parliament to the 50th anniversary of Victory day, wherever the Queen is on duty Miss Slack is likely to have been there first. She has perfected her own version of the Queen's clothes, including a black patent handbag she bought in a charity shop for PS1, and even styles her hair like the Queen. How did Miss Slack get the job?
Careerberg.com is the world's fastest growing online recruitment solution. Here jobseekers and employers are growing very fast on the daily basis. The site was successfully launched on January 2008 worldwide. Careerberg.com provides an opportunity to job seekers where they can search jobs in their field of interest. Site contains a complete directory of jobs posted throughout the world. You can find job anywhere in the world from careerberg.com. It provides a complete listing of countries like jobs in UK, jobs in Pakistan and other countries as well. And above all it also provides the choice of advance search through which a user can find more jobs fit for him, even for his city as well. At careerberg.com It is simple to find your ideal career Stay up-to-date with new career opportunities Stay connected with family of Careerberg.com for development of your profession Now it's easier to have and develop career which suits your personality *Guaranteed jobs and secure the future In the previous years it was difficult for job seekers to find a good match of their skills but careerberg.com solve their problem. The site contains a complete list of jobs posted which are categorized on the basis of industries and location as well so that it will be easy for users to find exact industry and locality. Job-seekers must create their account and register them freely with the best online recruitment site worldwide. The site also provides ease for the employers as well, they can post free jobs, filter resumes , download resumes for free. Besides, it is quick, easy and gives you better chance of success. There are lots of multinational companies registered with careerberg.com which provides an opportunity to job seekers to visit and find exact jobs for them. What is the purpose of the passage? Answer: To introduce an online recruitment site to us. Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, regardless of the territory on which they are located. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is _ in an international treaty called the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to: encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage; encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List; encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites; help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training; provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger; support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation; encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage; encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage. UNESCO encourages all the following EXCEPT _ of cultural and natural heritage around the world. Answer: application No matter how old your kids are, you can take steps to improve a healthy diet and to encourage good eating habits. Tip One: Family Meals Family meals are nice for both parents and kids. Children like to guess what they are going to have and parents get the chance to introduce new foods to children. Parents can also use the mealtime as a chance to talk with their kids about their life. Tip Two: Healthy Snacks Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what can get at home. That's why it's important to have enough healthy snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and whole-grain biscuits. Tip Three: Being a Good Example The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding fast food and sweet drinks, you are sending the right message. Tip Four: No Shouts about Food Parents might find themselves shouting at children to get them to have healthy foods in front them. This in fact can make children dislike what they are asked to eat. You need to work a bit on different cooking methods . Tip Five: Get Kids Included Most Kids will enjoy making the decision about food. Talk to them about making choices and planning a healthy meal. It can help them to make good decisions on their own about the foods they want to eat. ,,A, B, C, D,. (2,10) What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: To help kids have a good eating habit. The office has always been a place to get ahead. Unfortunately, It is also a place where a lot of natural resources start to fall behind. Take a look around next time you're at work. See how many lights are left on when people leave. See how much paper is being wasted. How much electricity is being used to run computers that are left on. Look at how much water is being wasted in the rest-rooms. And how much solid waste is being thrown out in the rubbish cans. We bet it's a lot. Now, here are some simple ways you can produce less waste at work. When you are at the copier, only make the copies you need. Use both sides of the paper when writing something less important. Turn off your lights when you leave. Use a lower watt bulb in your lamp. Drink your coffee or tea out of your _ instead of single-use cups. Set up a recycling box for cans and one for bottles. And when you're in the bathroom brushing your teeth or washing your face, don't let the tap run. Remember, if we use fewer resources today, we'll save more for tomorrow. How many kinds of waste are mentioned in the passage? Answer: Four. Accidents happen almost every day. Some accidents are not serious and some are. We read about such accidents nearly every day in the newspapers. It is wrong for people to think that accidents take place only on the roads or highways, or even at work places. Home accidents are just as common. Because very few home accidents are reported, people come to think that there are few accidents which happen in homes. There have been many cases where people fall to their deaths from high rise flats. Children often fall over while coming down the stairs. Old people may slip on wet floors if they are not careful. Nowadays there are a lot of modern electrical appliances such as rice cookers which make life easy for the modern house wives. These appliances can kill if they are not used in the proper way. Gas stoves used for cooking are also dangerous if they are not properly used. They may cause burns or, in more serious cases, even fires. But all such accidents can be stopped if we are careful and follow simple rules of safety. For example, it is unwise for people to try repairing their own electrical appliances if they do not know how to. It is safer to get them repaired by an electrician . Accidents take place _ . Answer: almost everywhere
Question: Marketing Assistant Wanted Century Company is a dynamic new joint venture in the electronics sector. We have a workforce of over 300 in New York and over 200 in Beijing, China. The company had a turnover of $120 million last year. We now have a vacancy for a marketing assistant to work at our Beijing Office. You will have a university degree in a marketing-related discipline, and an interest in foreign languages. See the detailed job description below. Please send your CV and a cover letter including your current salary details to: Annie Kim, Century Company, Beijing. Job description: Position: Marketing assistant Reports to: Marketing Manager Key responsibilities: Assist the Marketing Manager and in all functions within the department; data collation ; meet all visitors and guests. Work competencies: Strong all round IT skills; experienced in using Word and Excel Behavioral competencies: Strong organizational skills; ability to work as part of a team; adaptability. Experience: At least two years' work experience in a marketing role; experience of working in IT or electronics environment is desirable. Closing date: November 15, 2014 Most probably you can read this passage in a _ . A. novel B. magazine C. newspaper D. text book Answer: C. newspaper Question: IELTS: international English language testing system Introduction: The IELTS is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate , the British Council and IDP Education Australia Why more and more people are taking the IELTS test? The IELTS test is widely recognized by the colleges, universities and other academic institutions of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. More and more universities and colleges in the US are also accepting an IELTS result as a language requirement for application to degree courses. IELTS is accepted by many important organizations, such as the New Zealand Immigration Bureau, the Australian Immigration and Cultural Department, the Canadian Immigration Bureau, the Australian Medical Council and the British Medical Association . Choice of two test types There are two test models: Academic and General Training. The candidate must select the one suitable to his/here purpose for taking the test. Academic: for candidates who want to apply for undergraduate or postgraduate courses. General Training: for candidates who take IELTS for immigration purpose, training programmes, or work experience. If you have any questions about which type to take, consult the Examinations Services staff at the British Council offices. Content The test is composed of four papers: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The first three papers must be taken at one sitting on one day, and the speaking paper may be taken up to two days later. Usually in China, the Listening paper is taken on a Saturday morning, followed by the Reading paper, and then Writing paper. The Speaking test is usually taken on the Saturday afternoon or on the following Saturday. Candidates must complete all four papers in order to obtain an overall score. How many organizations is IELTS managed by? A. 6. B. 5. C. 4. D. 3. Answer: D. 3. Question: A young man asked Albert Einstein, the great German scientist, "What the secret of success is.?" The scientist told him that the secret of success is hard work. A few days later the young man asked the same question again. Einstein was very _ . He did not say anything, but wrote a few words on a piece of paper. On it was written "A=X+Y+Z". "What does this mean?" asked the young man. "A means success," explained the old scientist, "X stands for hard work, Y for good method and Z means stop talking and get down to work." Einstein was a man who _ A. liked to talk with young people B. liked to help others C. liked to make friends with young people D. liked to work , but didn't like to talk Answer: D. liked to work , but didn't like to talk Question: Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium The all-new Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, situated in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, is one of Victoria's leading visitor attractions and an unforgettable outing for the whole family. Having 12 amazing zones of discovery, Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is the very place that you cannot miss when you visit the city. Opening Times Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is open from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm every day of the year, including public holidays. Last admission is at 5:00 pm, one hour before closing. * Location ( ) Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is located on the corner of Flinders Street and King Street, Melbourne. It is siyuated on the Yarra River, opposite Crown Entertainment Complex. * Getting to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium Train The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium train stop is located on the free City Circle Tram route and also routes 70 and 75. City Circle trams run every 10 minutes in both directions. Shuttle Bus The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is a free bus service, stopping at key tourist attractions in and around the City. Running daily, every 15 minutes from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Car Parking While there is no public car parking at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium, there are several public car parking lots available only a short walk away. * Wheelchair Access Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium provides people in wheelchairs with full access to all 12 zones. Each floor also has wheelchair accessible toilets. * Terms Tickets will be emailed to you immediately after purchase or you can download and print your ticket once payment has been accepted. Please print out all tickets purchased and present at the front entrance of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. No ticket, no entry! Tickets to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium _ . A. are free to all visitors B. can be pursed by email C. rare checked at the entrance D. can be printed at the ticket office Answer: C. rare checked at the entrance Question: An expensive car speeding down the main street of a small town was soon caught up with by a young motorcycle policeman. As he started to make out the ticket, the woman behind the wheel said proudly, "Before you go any further, young man, I think you should know that the mayor of this city is a good friend of mine."The officer did not say a word, but kept writing. "I am also a friend of chief of police Barens,"continued the woman, getting more angrier each moment. Still he kept on writing. "Young man ,"she persisted, "I know Judge Lawson and State Senator Patton." Handing the ticket to the woman, the officer asked pleasantly, "Tell me, do you know Bill Bronson." "Why, no,"She answered. "Well, that is the man you should have known,"he said, heading back to his motorcycle, "I am Bill Bronson." The woman was _ . A. kind-hearted B. a person who depended on someone else to finish her work C. trying to frighten the policeman on the strength of her friends' powerful positions D. introducing her good friends' names to the young officer Answer: C. trying to frighten the policeman on the strength of her friends' powerful positions
Question: It' s Sunday morning. There are many people in the park, some boys are playing basketball. There are some girls under a big tree. They' re singing and dancing. What are those women doing? They are drinking tea. Look at the woman in a blue coat. Who' s she? She' s my mother. She is talking to Edward. Edward is her student. He is a good student. He studies hard . He' s good at all the subjects. And he' s friendly to all his teachers and his friends. Edward is in _ . A. my home B. the classroom C. the zoo D. the park Answer: D Question: I had the meanest mother in the world.While other kids ate candy for breakfast.I had to have cereal, eggs and toast.Others had cakes and candy for lunch, while we had to eat a sandwich.As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids'.But at least I was not alone in my suffering.My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did. My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing.We had to wear clean clothes every day.Other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of disgrace because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. The worst is yet to come.We had to be in bed by 9:00 each night and up at 7:45 the next morning.So while my friends slept, my mother actually had the courage to break Child Labor Law.She made us work. I believed she lay awake all night thinking up mean things to do to us.Through the years, our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing.My mother, however, would only be satisfied with black marks.None of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout . She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.Using this as a background, I'm now trying to bring up my three children.I'm filled with pride when my children think I am mean because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world. The passage was written in a way of _ tone. A. humorous B. hateful C. ridiculous D. impatient Answer: A Question: 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. How does the author support the idea that oil spills are not as serious as people believe? A. By giving a description. B. By making an argument. C. By giving an example. D. By drawing a diagram . Answer: C Question: People travel for a lot of reasons. Some tourists go to see battlefields or other historic remains . Others are looking for culture, or simply want to have their pictures taken in front of famous places. Most European tourists are looking for a sunny beach to lie on. Northern Europeans are willing to pay a lot of money for the sun because they have so little of it. People of cities like London, Copenhagen and Amsterdam spend much of their winter in the dark because the days are so short, and much of the rest of the year are in the rain. This is the reason why the Mediterranean has always attracted them. Every summer many people travel to Mediterranean resorts and beaches for their vacation. They all come for the same reason: sun! The huge crowds mean lots of money for the economics of Mediterranean countries. Italy's 30, 000 hotels are booked without a break every summer. And 13 million people camp out on French beaches, parks, and roadsides. Spain's long sandy coastline attracts more people than anywhere else. 37 million tourists visit there yearly, or _ But there are signs that the area is getting more tourism than it can deal with. The Mediterranean is already one of the most polluted seas on earth. None of these, however, is ruining anyone's fun. Obviously, they don't go there for clean water. They allow traffic jams and seem to like crowded beaches. They don't even mind the pollution. No matter how dirty the water is, the coastline still looks beautiful. And as long as the sun shines, it's still better than sitting in the cold, rainy in Berlin, London, or Oslo. According to the passage, which of the following countries attracts more tourists than the others? A. Italy. B. Greece C. France. D. Spain. Answer: D Question: If you ask some people, "How did you learn English so well?" you may get a surprising answer: "In my sleep!" These are people who have taken part in one of the recent experiments to test "the learn while you sleep" method , which is now being tried in several countries, and with several subjects. English is among them. Scientists say that this sleep study method greatly speeds language learning. They say that the ordinary person can learn two or three times as much during sleep as in the same period during the day--and this does not affect his rest in any way. However, sleep teaching will only put into your head what you have studied already while you are awake. In one experiment, ten lessons were broadcast over the radio for two weeks. Each lesson lasted twelve hours -- from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. The first three hours of English grammar and vocabulary were given with the students awake. At 11 p.m. a lullaby was broadcast to send the student to sleep and for the next three hours the radio in a soft and low voice broadcast the lesson again into his sleeping ears. At 2 a.m. a sharp noise was sent over the radio to wake the sleeping student up for a few minutes to go over the lesson. The soft music sent him back to rest again while the radio went on. At 5 o'clock his sleep ended and he had to go through the lesson again for three hours before breakfast. The sleep study method is being tried in many countries to teach _ . A. the English language B. grammar and vocabulary C. a number of subjects D. foreign languages Answer: C
People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests. The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index(BMI)----a measure of obesity. It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally. Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis , scientists believe. Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study. The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account. And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed. Lead author Dr. Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said, "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight." This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us. Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart. Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. And chocolate does contain antioxidants which can help to absorb free radicals----unstable chemicals that can damage our cells. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case. But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution. While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and then, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too. According to the passage, chocolate may be healthy for us in the following EXCEPT that . A it may make us more cheerful B it may do good to the heart C it might prevent us from becoming obese D it may control blood pressure Answer: A Creativity is the key to a brighter future, say education and business experts. Here is how schools and parents can encourage this important skill in children. If Dick Drew had listened to his boss in 1925, we might not have an important product: a new type of tape. Drew worked for the Minnesota Mining Company. At work he developed a kind of material strong enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Finally, using his own time, Drew improved the tape, which now is used everywhere by many people. And his old company learned from its mistake. Now it encourages people to spend 15 percent of their work time just thinking and developing new ideas. Creativity is not something one is just born with, nor is it necessarily a character of high intelligence . Just because a person is highly intelligent does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of using the resources one has to produce new ideas that are good for something. Unluckily, schools have not tried to encourage creativity. With strong attention to test results and the development of reading, writing and mathematical skills, many educators give up creativity for correct answers. The result is that children can give back information but can't recognize ways to use it in new situations. They may know the rules correctly, but they are unable to use them to work out practical problems. It is important to give children choices. From the earliest age, children should be allowed to make decisions and understand their results. Even if it's choosing between two kinds of food for lunch, decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should let their children decide how to use their time or spend their money, but not help them too much if they make the wrong decision. The child may have a hard time, but that is all right. This is because the most important character of creative people is a very strong desire to find a way out of trouble. The best title for the passage can be _ . A The importance of creativity B What is creativity? C The history of creativity D How can we develop creativity? Answer: A Students across the country are finding ways, with the help of devoted teachers, to raise funds for causes near and dear to their hearts. While kids raise funds for bird habitats and heart health, they learn lessons that will help them succeed in school -- and in life. Feathered Friends To collect money for an important nature fund and use skills right out of a science textbook, The Branch School of West Houston, Texas, took to the fields and forests to find more than 45 species of birds in their Bird-A-Thon's largest annual fundraising event and the world's biggest bird watching competition. Teams earn pledges for each donation to benefit the 40-year-old Houston Audubon (houstonaudubon.org), a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The 24th Houston Audubon Bird-A-Thon raised over $56,000 to promote the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat. Bonus: In identifying specific species, students learn about habitats, ecology, and preservation, all while getting exercise. Jump Rope for Heart This program has raised a lot of money for AHA (the American Heart Association). French Road Elementary of Rochester, New York, topped the 2012 list of participating schools in Jump Rope for Heart, a jump-rope-a-thon, with $67,432. A "Wall of Honor" stands at one end of the gym, each paper heart bearing the name of a patient for students to see as they jump in honor of that child. The program, organized by physical education teachers, earned pledges per jump. Bonus: Per jump pledges offer students practice with multiplication and money handling skills, with science and health, too! What can we learn from the passage? A Kids are in need of exercise. B Kids try their best to win honors. C Kids are in favor of protection activities. D Kids raise money while mastering skills. Answer: D Most people at some time or another have dreamed of being a popular kid at school. Being popular in middle school is much easier than it sounds. Just follow a few steps and finally see what it feels like to be a popular kid. First, why do you want to be popular? Ask yourself if your desire for being popular comes from looking down on yourself or an unlucky situation. If it does, then work first on your self-confidence. Be friendly to everyone, even people that other people think are _ or different. If you are strange or different, realize that everyone is strange in their own way. Take part in school activities and make yourself more visible( ) to the school population. Find a talent or special skill that you have. Whether your skill is telling jokes, drawing, singing or playing soccer, show your skill in right way. Volunteer to help with classroom or school activities that will help you leave a good impression on teachers. Develop a personal style that you feel goes well with your personality. Be yourself and have fun. Keep your strong sense and personality. Join school clubs, sporting teams and student government to show yourself as someone who makes a difference at your school . Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the writer? A Be nice to other people at school. B Find something that you are good at. C Make your teachers know you're a good student. D Make friends with some students who are popular. Answer: D It is natural that young people are often uncomfortable when they are with their parents . They say their parents don't understand them .They often think that their parents are out of touch with modern ways , that they are too serious -- too strict with their children and that they seldom give their children a free hand . It is true that parents often find it difficult to win their children's trust and they often forget how they themselves felt when they were young . For example , young people like to act _ without much thinking . It is one of their ways to show they have grown up and that they can face any difficult situation . However , older people worry more easily . Most of old people plan things ahead , at least in the back of their minds , and do not like their plans to be upset by something unexpected . When you want your parents to let you do something , you will have better success if you ask before you really start doing it . Young people often make their parents angry with their choices in clothes and in music . But they do not want to cause any trouble ; it is just that they feel cut off from the older people's world , into which they have not yet been accepted . That's why young people want to make a new culture of their own . And if their parents do not like their music or hairstyle or clothes or their ways of speech , this will make the young people very happy . Sometimes you are so proud of yourself that you do not want your parents to say "yes" to what you do . All you want is to be left alone and do what you like . It is natural enough , after being a child for so many years , when you were completely under your parents' control . If you plan to control your life , you'd better win your parents over and try to get them to understand you. If your parents see that you have a high sense of responsibility , they will certainly give you the right to do what you want to do . Whom is this text written for ? A Parents B Both parents and their children C Young people D Teachers Answer: C
Robert went to visit his friends in Paris last weekend.His friends met him at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove him to the hotel.They ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that. Robert and his friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning.During their stay,they played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire ,singing and dancing till late into the night. Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning.So when they got back to Paris,it was about three o'clock in the afternoon.They drove right to the airport because Robert didn't want to miss his plane back home.Robert only stayed in Paris for two nights but he had a great time with his friends. Where did Robert go last weekend? A New York. B London. C Paris. D Beijing. Answer: C. Paris. Kate Anderson became an accidental car thief when she went to pick up her daughter's car near an Ohio University building last week.Anderson saw the nickelgray Toyota Camry and used her daughter's key to unlock the car,start the engine and drive home. When Charlie Vansant left class a short time later,he found only an empty parking spot.He first assumed the car had been towed,but when the police couldn't find a record of it,they took a theft report. The morning after Anderson took back the car,her daughter discovered the Camry in the driveway wasn't hers.She found Vansant's name on paperwork in the glove compartment and looked up his phone number on the Website for the university. When she told Vansant the car was in her driveway,"It sounded real fishy at first,like maybe she wanted to hold the thing for ransom,"Vansant said! He eventually went to the house with a police officer,where he was reunited with his car.According to a police report,the case was closed "because of the mistaken car identity."Anderson wasn't charged. Vansant seemed to blame the car company more than the "thief"."Her key fit not only my lock,but my ignition as well--so highfive for Toyota,I guess,"he said. Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said key technology wasn't as sophisticated as two decades ago,and there were so many ways to cut a key,making it possible for such a mixup to occur.He said the company now has a microchip embedded in the keys for 90 percent of its vehicles that allows them to start only with the correct key. We can learn from the story that Kate Anderson _ . A was an experienced but unlucky thief B took Vansant's car away by chance C fould unlock any car with her special key D was accused of theft and put into prison Answer: B. took Vansant's car away by chance The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing. October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers' Week for their newcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life. However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking . Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join? Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years. Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers' Week: * Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette . Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends. * Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends. * Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you'll be to meet new people than if you're someone who never leaves his room. * Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you're in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you're friendly. So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers' Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you'll be passing on your experience to next year's freshers. We can learn from the passage that _ . A Freshers' Week usually comes in September in UK B all the students are required to join certain clubs in UK C many freshers are worried about how to fit university life D most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities Answer: C. many freshers are worried about how to fit university life My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks. It was very _ work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work. I was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem , one of the most important things a person can have. When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle. The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity . I learned working in the field -- except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick . Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A He wanted to be a successful golfer. B He wanted to run a golf course near his house. C He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation. D He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick. Answer: A. He wanted to be a successful golfer. My favourite shop is called' Model World'. It is on the second floor of Happy Plaza, near to Pizza Club. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Model World' sells all kinds of models. It has model soldiers, cars, boats, airplanes, space shuttles and even dinosaurs. It has models for young children and models for adults . Some models have just about twenty pieces, and others have over 2,000 pieces. You can also buy paints and glue and other things there. The staff at ' Model World' is very nice. They are very interested in making models. They will give you advice, and answer all of your questions. The prices are not low but they are not high. My best buy was a model of a helicopter. It cost $ 30 but it had over 400 pieces. It was really fun to make. If you are interested in models, you should visit this shop. The staff in the shop is very _ . A experienced B helpful C young D strict Answer: B. helpful
One of my China Dialogue colleagues in Beijing recently bought a Philips energy-saving light bulb to replace a standard one.He was happy with his choice.It may have cost 30 yuan (just under US$4.50) - ten times the price of a filament bulb - but he wanted to save energy as part of his low-carbon lifestyle.And according to the shopkeeper, he would save, in the long run, much more than the 30 yuan he was spending. Yet only one month later, his expensive light bulb blew up, before he had saved even a small part of the purchase price.Will he stick to his high-cost, low-carbon lifestyle? China's environmental organizations have started to advocate low-carbon lifestyles and the decrease of carbon footprints to help fight against climate change.But they have overlooked one fact: in China, low-carbon living comes at a high cost.It means buying energy-saving bulbs and appliances, and environmentally friendly building materials and daily goods.Cost can no longer be the only standard for purchases.An energy-saving and environmentally friendly product is more expensive than a standard alternative - whether it's a simple light bulb or the house it shines.For average consumers, even buying an ordinary bulb is a huge burden.How can we persuade ordinary people to choose an energy-saving residence? This is not a trend they can afford to follow; perhaps this fashion is only for the rich. Most consumers today do not cause huge carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.Their responsibility lies not in choosing a low-carbon lifestyle today, but in avoiding a high-carbon life in the future.The principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" - a basis of sustainable development - can be applied here as well. In China, low-carbon living still is resisted by a lack of social infrastructure . Even if your salary allows you to make that choice, nobody is there to help you accomplish it. Consider energy-saving homes. You need to find out whether or not the developer has used natural materials wherever possible; how effective the insulation(, ) is; and what the green credentials of installed equipment are.You can read up a little, but you'll still be lucky to avoid being puzzled by the developers' marketing.Many so-called energy-saving buildings are nothing of the sort, and some are even more energy-hungry than the average home - as Li Taige warned in his article "Energy-efficient buildings? Not always", on China Dialogue last August. What is the writer's attitude towards the low-carbon lifestyle? Answer: supportive but cautious As the richest country in the world, you'd expect that Qatar would also be the happiest. And you'd also expect Japanese people to be extremely positive, seeing as though they have the highest life expectancy. But clearly wealth and good health do not guarantee happiness after both countries failed to make the top ten most positive countries. The poll ( ) of nearly 150,000 people around the world found that seven of the world's 10 countries with the most upbeat attitudes are in Latin America. _ asked about 1,000 people in each of 148 countries if they were wellrested, had been treated with respect, smiled or laughed a lot, learned or did something interesting and felt feelings of enjoyment the previous day. In Panama and Paraguay, 85 percent of those polled said yes to all five, putting those countries at the top of the list. They were followed closely by El Salvador, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Guatemala, the Philippines, Ecuador and Costa Rica. The people least likely to report positive emotions lived in Singapore, the wealthy and orderly citystate that ranks among the most developed in the world. Other wealthy countries also sat surprisingly low on the list. Germany and France tied with the poor African state of Somaliland for 47th place. Many of the seven countries which were most positive do poorly in traditional measures of wellbeing, like Guatemala, a country torn by decades of civil war followed by waves of gangdriven criminality that give it one of the highest killing rates in the world. Guatemala sits just above Iraq on the United Nations' Human Development Index, a composite of life expectancy, education and per capital income. But it ranks seventh in positive emotions. In Guatemala, it's a culture of friendly people who are always smiling, said Luz Castillo, a 30yearold surfing instructor. Despite all the problems that we're facing, we're surrounded by natural beauty that lets us get away from it all. The poll shows that prosperous nations can also be deeply unhappy ones. And povertystricken ones are often positive, or at least a close approximation of it. _ may feel the most unhappy according to the poll. Answer: People from Singapore Dear editor, I am writing to ask what has happened to our young people.They are not as polite or hard-working as my generation(I will give you two examples. Last Friday, I got on the underground at 9:15 a.m. It was very crowded so there was no free seat.There were some boys sitting on the seats near me.I didn't know why they were not at school.They were talking and laughing loudly. It was difficult for me to read my newspaper with all the noise.At the next stop, a pregnant woman and her daughter got on with lots of shopping bags.I expected the boys to let them sit down.They saw the woman but they did nothing.I had to ask them to give the woman and her daughter seats. They did so but gave me a rude look. Last Saturday, I had dinner with my friend's family.I was glad to see his children, who I hadn't seen for ten years.During the dinner, I started talking about world politics with the children.It soon became clear that they didn't know much about it.They couldn't tell me the name of the King of Spain or President of Italy.All they knew about was the Internet or which singers were the most beautiful.In my days, students knew the kings, the queens and the presidents of every country in Europe. I worry about the future of Germany.How could these young people become good workers and parents? They sit around McDonald's after school instead of going to the library like I did at their age.Maybe they have too much money.Perhaps some readers can give us some ideas about what to do with this "lost generation". Yours sincerely, Frantz Vogts. By saying "lost generation", Mr Vogts refers to _ . Answer: today's young people Almost every child in big cities has the chance to go to school. Nine years' studying helps children to prepare for their future lives. In fact, many students can study for more than nine years. Not all children are so lucky. There is a girl called Xiao Fang. She is eight years old and lives in a small village in Guangxi. When she was younger, she wanted to go to school, but she could not because her family was too poor. The schools were too expensive, so her parents kept her at home. Instead of studying, Xiao Fang worked in the fields with her parents. Then Project Hope heard about Xiao Fang. It agreed to help Xiao Fang to go to school. Her wish came true, and now she is studying in a school. Unluckily, there are many thousands of children who can not go to school. You can help these children. Project Hope also helps to repair school buildings. All this good work costs money. Project Hope needs your help. If you give Project Hope Y=300, we can pay for one child to go to school for a whole year. With more money, Project Hope can build new schools. The money buys good desks, chairs, blackboards and books. To help us is to help Xiao Fang and many other children to have a good start in life. Xiao Fang is studying in a school because _ . Answer: Project Hope helped her Our listener question this week comes from Abdullahi Farah, who wants to know about the life and work of Doctor Benjamin Carson. Doctor Carson is an internationally recognized doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been the director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the hospital for twenty-five years. At the age of thirty-three, he became one of the youngest doctors in the United States to hold that position. And he was the first African-American to have that position at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Ben Carson is known for his work as a brain surgeon for children. For example, in nineteen eighty-seven, he led a team of seventy doctors and nurses in an operation to separate two babies joined at the head. Earlier attempts by other on other babies had failed. Doctor Carson successfully performed the operation. Both babies were able to survive independently. Doctor Carson has written four books. His first book, "Gifted Hands," tells the story of his life. Benjamin Carson was born in nineteen fifty-one in Detroit, Michigan. As a boy, Ben was not a good student. In fact, he was the worst in his class. When his mother learned of his failing grades she asked her sons to read two library books every week. She limited the amount of time they watched television. And she told them to respect every person. Ben Carson soon became the top student in his class. He went on to study at Yale University, one of the best universities in the country, and later to medical school at the University of Michigan. Doctor Carson has received many awards and honors. Last year he received the nation's highest civilian honor. Former President George W. Bush presented Benjamin Carson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony at the White House. The passage is probably taken from _ . Answer: a radio
The One and Only Ivan [hardcover] Katherine Applegate (Author) Patricia Castelao (Illustrator) 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (117 customer reviews) / Like (58) List Price: $16.99 Price: $9.34 (for total orders over 25.) Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks. Ships from and sold by Amazon. com. Gift-wrap available. Product Details Reading level: Ages 8 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper Collins Languages: English ISBN-10: 0061992254 ISBN-13: 978-0061992254 Shopping weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Book Description Release Date: January 17, 2012 Age level: 8 and up Grade Level: 3 and up Ivan is an easy-going gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to human watching him. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant, and she makes Ivan see their home--and his own art--through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it is up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art and hope. Which of the following is not true according to the passage? A The book was released on January 17, 2012. B Ivan is a bad-tempered gorilla. C Ruby's arrival changes Ivan's life. D The book is written in the first person narration. Answer: B. Ivan is a bad-tempered gorilla. The Garden Burgers located in Truman was recognized by the Garden Burgers head office in Kansas City, Missouri.The Truman location of Garden Burgers recorded the highest sales last year.It brought in over $ 1 ,500,000 for the entire year.But what is more important is that Truman only has a population of 40,000.The store directly behind the Truman store in terms of sales is located in a city of over 300,000. Fred Laster and Jasper Watts bought into the Garden Burgers franchise only 3 years and a few months ago.They have used the combination of a good restaurant location and a series of promotional events to make Garden Burgers one of the most visited restaurants in Truman.However, they are quick to add that these are not the main reasons the store has done so well."We found a franchise with a solid image and great franchise - wide marketing, " Watts said in a phone interview. Laster and Watts expect this year to be just as productive as last year.After 4 months, they are on pace to exceed last year' s sales by more than $70,000.Each year the head office awards the owners of the store achieving the highest sales with a weekend stay at the best hotel in Kansas City and tickets to a Kansas City Chiefs football game.However, due to the extremely good sales performance of the store in Truman, the head office decided to change the tradition.Laster and Watts said their staff, which consists of only 5 university students, would be joining them in Kansas city as well. Tom Justins, the president of Garden Burgers has also sent his congratulations and he hopes that all their stores can look at the example the store has set. What do we know about the Garden Burgers in Truman? A The store is run by 5 university students. B The store will bring in $ 1 ,500,000 this year. C The store has a special way to encourage its staff to work hard. D The store has recorded the highest sales with a smaller population. Answer: D. The store has recorded the highest sales with a smaller population. No one wants to be tested. We would all like to get a driver's license without answering questionsabout rights of way or showing that we can parallel park a car. Many future lawyers and doctors probablywish they could join their profession without taking an exam. But tests and standards are a necessary fact of life. They protect us from unskilled drivers, harmful products and dishonest professionals. In schools too exams play a. constructive role. They tell public officials whether new school programs are making a difference and where new investments are likely to pay off. They tell teachers what their students have learned--and have not. They tell parents how their children are doing compared with others their age. They encourage students to make more effort. It is important to recall that for most of century, educators used intelligence tests to decide whichchildren should get a high-quality education. The point of IQ testing was to find out how much children were capable of learning rather than to test what they had actually learned. Based on IQ scores, millions of children were assigned to _ instead of solid courses in science, math, history, literature andforeign language. This history reminds us that tests should be used to improve education. Every child should have access to a high-quality education. Students should have full opportunity to learn what will be tested; otherwise theirscores will merely reflect whether they come from an educated family. In the past few years, we have seen the enormous benefits that flow to disadvantaged students because of the information provided by state tests. Those who fall behind are now getting extra instruction inafter-school classes and summer programs. In their efforts to improve student performance, states are increasing teachers salaries, testing new teachers and insisting on better teacher education. Performance in education means the mastery of both knowledge and skills. This is why it is reasonable totest teachers to make sure they know their subject matter, as well as how to teach it to young children. And this is why it is reasonable to assess whether students are ready to advance to the next grade or graduate from high school. What is the purpose of the passage? A To re-assess the value of IQ testing. B To defend the role of testing in education. C To explain what high-quality education means. D To call for thorough and complete reform in education. Answer: B. To defend the role of testing in education. A WOMAN walks into a small stall and eats a cheap bowl of instant noodles, paying 1,500 won. Then she moves into a Starbucks coffee shop, where she drinks a cup of mocha, paying 4,300 won. Surprised? This is the typical behaviour of South Korean young women. They are called "denjang girls". The term "denjang girls" referred to female shoppers who would eat cheaply and then _ to be seen drinking a cup of expensive coffee. Now it has grown to a new army of women in their 20s who look smart, rich but are actually buying luxuries they probably can't afford. Internet users created the term when debating the popularity of Starbucks coffee among South Korean women. In prefix = st1 /South Korea, the coffee costs, on average, over a dollar more than inJapanand theUS. Despite the higher price, Starbucks sales inSouth Koreaincreased from 72.1 billion won in 2004 to 91.2 billion won in 2005. Ahn Ji-Yoon, a student at Yonsei University in Seoul, says she can spend two hours surfing the web for discounts on skin cream and dinner. Yet she would think nothing of spending US$550 on a Gucci bag. Girls like Ahn live by extremes - hunting for bargain items while spending heavily on "necessary luxuries". The purpose of the writer is to _ . A criticize the manners of "denjang girls" B call on female shoppers to act like "denjang girls" C warn "denjang girls" not to waste money on expensive coffee. D introduce new female shoppers "denjang girls" inSouth Korea. Answer: D. introduce new female shoppers "denjang girls" inSouth Korea. I am Bill.I am an English teacher.My wife is Linda.She is a nurse. We have a daughter and a son. Look! These are my friends.This is Mr Black.He's a worker.He works in a shoe factory .He makes shoes.That's Mrs Black.She works in a supermarket .The girl is their daughter.She's a student.She's thirteen.The boy is their son.He is only seven years old.His name is Carl. We are good friends. How old is Mr.Black's daughter? A She's a student. B She's thirteen. C She's seven. D We don't know. Answer: B. She's thirteen.
"The first and best of victories is for a man to conquer himself; to be conquered by himself is, of all things, the most shameful," says Plato. Selfcontrol is at the root of all the advantages. Let a man give in to his impulses and feelings, and from that moment he gives up his moral freedom. A single angry word has lost many a friend. When Socrates found in himself any temper or anger, he would check it by speaking low in order to control himself. If you are conscious of being angry, keep your mouth shut so that you can hold back rising anger. Many a person has dropped dead in great anger. Fits of anger bring fits of disease. _ "Keep cool", says George Herbert, "for fierceness makes error a fault." To be angry with a weak man is to prove that you are not strong yourself. "Anger," says Pythagoras, "brings with folly and ends with regret." You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings he conquers, not by the power of those which conquer him. Selfcontrol is man's last greatest victory. If a man lacks selfcontrol he seems to lack everything. Without it he can have no patience, no power to govern himself; he can have no selfconfidence, for he will always be controlled by his strongest feeling. If he lacks selfcontrol, the very backbone and nerve of character are lacking also. What is the correct interpretation of "Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad"? If you always lose your temper, you will soon be finished. What shows that as the size of a flower increases , the number of pollinators it will attract increases? planting flowering plants causes bees to gather en masse If you want to keep healthy, you should have good habits. What is a habit? It is something we do very often. We don't even think when we do it. It has become a part of our lives. "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." This is an old English saying. Do you know what it means? It means that we must go to bed early at night and get up early in the morning. If we do, we shall be healthy, rich and clever. Is this true? Perhaps it is. We know the body must have enough sleep. Boys and girls need eight or nine hours' sleep every day. Some people go to bed late at night and get up late in the morning. This is a very bad habit. Then you will not think or do your work well. Of course, you can't be healthy, wealthy or wise. When we get up early in the morning, we can go out and do morning exercises. Exercise means doing things with the body. Walking, running jumping, swimming, and playing ball games are all exercise. If we don't exercise, our body will become weak. Exercise helps the blood to move around inside our body. Blood takes food to all parts of our body. Our body also needs air to breathe. Without air, we will die. We must have lots of clean fresh air if we want to be healthy. That is why many people like to go out to do morning exercise. How long should young boys and girls need to sleep a day? Eight hours or so. Why must we pay taxes? The answer is that the government needs money for many things, for example to pay its soldiers, sailors and airmen, to build roads, bridges, offices, schools, etc and to buy goods from abroad; and only the people of the country can supply the money.One of the most important taxes is income-tax which a person pays according to the amount of his income-tax.Whether he is a businessman, a doctor, a lawyer, a shopkeeper, a miner, or anything else.This is called a "direct" tax, because it is paid in money direct to the government. Another tax is paid on goods such as watches, jewellery, new clothes, tobacco, wine, etc, when they are brought into a country, such a tax is paid as part of the price of these goods if they are later sold in shops.We call it "indirect" tax, because it is paid indirectly through the shopkeeper. People usually complain about having to pay taxes, but they forget that the money is spent on the things that they and their families need.We need policemen to catch thieves, to see that men obey the laws, to direct traffic, etc, and they must be paid what they earn; children need education and there must be schools and teachers; we want our streets to be kept clean, and the wages of men who do this kind of work have to be paid.Above all, the country must always be ready to defend itself against attacking enemies, and we cannot have an army without paying for it. Taxes, therefore, cannot be avoided.We buy our own food and clothes and pay for our own amusements, but there are several things that the State finds the money for, and that are necessary for us if our society is to continue.So we have no real cause to complain when we are asked to supply money to be spent for the good of ourselves and for our fellow-citizens. People have no real reason to complain about having to pay taxes because _ . the money is spent on the things that they and their families need One day Einstein is walking in a street in New York . His friend meets him and says to him, "Einstein, you should buy a new coat. Look, your coat is very old." But Einstein answers, "It doesn't matter . Nobody knows me here." After a few years, Einstein becomes a famous scientist . But he still wears the old coat. His friend meets him again and asks him to buy a new one. But Einstein says, "I don't need to buy a new one. Everyone knows me here." Einstein lived in _ . America
Question: Bats find their prey at night using one of their senses to detect echoes. What does the bat send out to find prey? A. odors B. light C. sound D. electricity Answer: C Question: The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese people. For the Chinese,the New Year comes with the first day of the First Moon,between January 21 and February 19. People get ready for the holiday for fifteen days. Finally,at midnight it is the first day of the First Moon. People close the shops and the streets are empty. Everyone locks the doors and stays at home. It is an important time for the family. The younger people bow to the older people. The Chinese call this Ke Tou. This means "to touch the ground with the forehead ".Then the younger people wish the older people a happy New Year. The older people give children gifts of money inside envelopes . The family then go to sleep. In the morning,people dress in their best clothes. Some people stay at home,others go out to pay a New Year Call. They are very polite and do not use bad words. It's the most important day of the year. On the Chinese New Year's Day, what do people usually say to each other when they meet? A. Good luck! B. Best wishes! C. Good morning. D. Happy New Year! Answer: D Question: Roast is very famous in Brazil. Customs just sit , waiting for waiters to send them all kinds of meat. If you like , you take one ; if you don't , the waiters pass you . If you don't give any messages of stopping , they will go on. One day when I was in Brazil , I went to a restaurant to try the roast . After I took my seat, the waiter gave me a sign with the color "red" on the side and "green" on the other . I said "thank you", then the waiters began to serve me .My plate was already full, but the waiters still kept on serving me more. I thought I had to eat more quickly . But to my surprise, the waiters still kept on serving more. Then a waiter found out the reason. He helped me turn the sign over, with red outside . When I finished , I found the waiter didn't take a look at me . Do you know Why? It's just like the traffic lights in the street . How wonderful ! Why didn't the waiters serve me later ? Because _ . A. I didn't call them B. I didn't want more C. the red was outside D. they didn't like me Answer: C Question: Critical thinking is an important skill that can increase students' ability to learn in any situation. This can be applied to traditional education, or directly in a career related role. Many teachers find it such a valuable skill that they give their students a critical thinking question every day. Developing this ability can mean the difference between "just passing a course" and "understanding the material well enough" so that what students learn from _ will follow them throughout their life. Some characteristics of a critical thinker that teachers should encourage are; -asking questions as a reaction to something read or discussed; -determining the "deeper meaning" of a particular passage or topic; -providing input and opinions to topics as a direct result of analysis and research; -reasoning in an effort to develop an argument of your own opinion. It is important for a student to understand more than definition . One way to truly understand an idea is to have hands-on practice, and to apply concepts learned in a textbook. Such "mini-examples" will interest a student and improve their understanding of a topic. This is how life-long skills can be developed. Teachers that use critical thinking practices in the classroom can "go above and beyond" by asking questions that promote a greater comprehension of the material. Instructors should be able to challenge students and create an environment where they are analyzing material and gaining a better understanding. This will make the classroom move in a direction for learning. It can also help students to stay interested in the course material, as they always have a new concept to consider. At the same time, students benefit greatly from developing critical thinking skills. When learned early on, these skills can be used throughout their college education. Students can understand how to consider a topic, analyze it, and discuss it from different points of view. These are skills that will benefit them when they are part of the workforce as well. Who are the intended readers of the passage? A. Teachers. B. Parents. C. Examines. D. Headmasters. Answer: A Question: The world is not only hungry but also thirsty for water. This may seem strange to you, since nearly 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. But about 97% of that is sea water or salt water. Man can only drink and use the other 3% of fresh water from rivers, lakes, underground and so on. And we can not even use all of that because some of it has been made dirty. Earth Day is April 22. But on all other days, we must also remember how important water is. The water that we use is the most important natural resource on the earth. Today we face serious water problems. One of them is water pollution. All kinds of things from cars, factories, farms and homes make our rivers, lakes and oceans dirty. Polluted water is very bad for people to drink. And dirty water is bad for fish, too. How do cars and factories make our water dirty? First they pollute the air. Then when it rains, the rain water makes our drinking water dirty. Dirty rain, called acid rain is also bad for plants, animals and buildings. Scientists say that in 30 years, more than half of the people in the world won't have enough clean water. We have to learn how to stop wasting water. One of the first steps is to develop ways of reusing it. Today in most large cities, water is used only once and then sent out into a sewer system . From there it returns to the sea or goes underground. But even though every large city reused its water, we would still not have enough. So we should make use of sea water by removing the salt in it. If we can take these steps, fresh water won't be used up. The world is thirsty for water because _ . A. we don't have enough fresh water B. a lot of water goes into sewer systems C. only 70% of the earth's surface is water D. sea water is widely used rather than fresh water Answer: A
It's not about how much money you make, and it's not about who your daddy is. We're talking about being attractive in general, whether it's on a job interview or just gaining the respect of your colleagues . . . Ask lots of questions If you come across as a know-it-all (even if you really do know it all!), it really pushes people away. Rather, asking lots and lots of questions makes people feel like you care, you can be trusted. Great body language Your body language says a lot about you - it says whether you have confidence, or simply if you really care. Talking physically, it is one of the most important physical characteristics you need! Stay busy Always have something to do. Have you ever seen someone just sitting around, doing nothing? How unattractive. Always be busy with something, even if for some reason you have to make something up. Show your pearly whites (or just smile) Smile more, no matter how ugly your teeth are. I'm not kidding about this one. It's not all about the teeth. If you are smiling genuinely, you can draw everyone for 100 meters around to you. Wear what fits Wear clothing that fits you. For women, wearing tight pants or shirts is not attractive. Things that just fit you and your shape are the best but not tight. Wear things that fit you nicely, please . . . And for goodness sake, both sexes, stay away from logos and printed shirts! Most people you may ask do not find this attractive. Stop being some company's billboard . Be interested in other man Be interested in the other person. Don't talk about. If you are truly interested in the person, it will come across. And if you want to talk about yourself, you'll find that putting the other person first actually opens him up to return the favor and ask you questions. See how fun this is? It is your _ that makes you attractive. A your family background B fashionable tight clothes C your appearance and your wealth D proper body language and behavior Answer: D Dear Betty, I'm your eraser Jill .This afternoon you lost me in your classroom. Simon found me and gave me to your English teacher Ms White. Now Ms White's three keys and I are in Ms. White's bag. The bag is yellow. It's on Ms White's desk. Please call Ms White at 718-0167 and ask her for me .You can come to the library, too. Ms White is in the library now. Jill You can see _ in Ms White's bag. A three keys and I B three keys C an eraser D an eraser and three keys Answer: D Which characteristic does a paramecium have in common with volvox? A able to produce gametes B can perform photosynthesis C has an organelle for movement D lives as one of a colony of cells Answer: C Ron Meyer is the president and COO of Universal Studios.As one of the most successful business leaders in Hollywood, he heads up Universal Pictures and Universal Parks & Resorts.He's the guy who oversees the production of Multimillion-dollar extravaganzas likeKing KongandCinderella Man. Meyer's story sounds like the plot of one of his motion pictures.He grew up in a modest home where there was little income.It was a big deal to go to a restaurant.At 15, he quit high school and spent his time hanging out with the neighborhood toughs .He was then a kid quick with his fists who seemed to get into fights somewhat regularly.At one point, he was separated from others with an infectious disease, having no TV and nothing to do.His mother sent him two books.One wasThe Amboy Dukes, a novel about kids in street gangs.The other wasThe Flesh Peddlers, about a guy in the talent agency who lived a successful life."I realized," he says, "that I was no longer that silly kid I had been, and I wanted to change my life." Meyer took any job he could get.He worked as a busboy and short-order cook.He cleaned offices and sold shoes.That attitude made an impression on people.One day he received a call from Paul Kohner, a successful agent who represented stars like John Huston, Charles Bronson and Lana Turner.Their messenger and driver had quit, and they knew Ron was willing to take whatever job they offered. He started the job the next day. Meyer was lucky to work with a good boss--and _ .In nearly six years of driving for Kohner, Meyer became his right-hand man and learned a lot.By the 1970s, Meyer had built many relationships in the business.In 1975, the fate presented an opportunity and he started his own operation Creative Artists Agency, which became a huge success, representing Hollywood legends like Barbra Streisand, Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise. Twenty years later, Meyer was appointed to run Universal Studios, a position far beyond his youthful dream.But once he saw success was possible, he was driven to achieve it.Today, colleagues regularly owe his success--and theirs--to his humility and perseverance.It's a level of success that takes determination, personality and intelligence, whether it comes from a college education or from the street. What does the author mean by saying "he had the brains to make the most of that experience"? A He benefited a good deal from the experience. B He smartly took the opportunity to learn from the experience. C That experience made him ever smarter than ever before. D He used his brains to impress his boss. Answer: B A man often traveled around and he couldn't buy the seat tickets on the train for his most tours.But he could always find a seat to sit on. His workmates asked him how he could find the seats by accident. "The method is very simple,just your patience."smiled the man. His workmates were puzzled. One day, one of his workmates was on business with him.The train car was so crowed that they couldn't even find a place to stand on. "Let's find seats to sit on," said the man. "Find seats? Just a joke?" said his workmate."Just follow me," said the man. They pushed their way through the crowds.The workmate wanted to give up , but the man insisted . At last,in the 7thcar they found two empty seats .They sat there happily at once. The workmate asked,"How do you know there are seats here?"The man answered ,"I didn't know it at all.But I know most of the passengers are easily cheated by one or two cars of crowed phenomena . Even though they know there are seats, they don't want to crowd among the groups.They think it's not worth doing that." The method seemed not to be clever enough,but it works. For us, patience will let us have a "seat ticket"life forever. ,. how did the workmate feel when the man told him to find seats to sit on? A Surprise B Happy C Excited D Nervous Answer: A
After two weeks, Ling Qinghao finally sent a message to his wife in their hometown in Anhui, and told her her he was safe. Ling, 44, was a Chinese construction worker who went to Libya. The recent problems in Libya have left the country in disorder. Several Chinese were injured last month. Ling was one of the thousands of Chinese evacuees from Libya. The evacuee's first stop was Greece. They are staying there in a five-star hotel that the Chinese government paid for. According to the Foreign Ministry, by March 2, China has evacuated a total of 35,860 Chinese from Libya. Among them, 20745 have already returned to China. To evacuate means to quickly move people away from a disaster or disorder. An evacuation tests how a nation would deal with an emergency . From getting flight tickets to dealing with customs services , many parts of the government and companies have to work together. To protect the safety of overseas Chinese, China took action quickly. Since February 24, the nation has sent out airplanes and ships to evacuate its people from Libya.They even sent a navy ship to help. This is the first time that China has sent the army in an evacuation. "We have done a great job in no more than 10 days. This shows China's ability to protect its people overseas in emergencies," Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said. Which of the following is NOT true? A Several Chinese were injured last month. B The Chinese evacuees in Greece live in a five-star hotel. C A navy ship was sent to help the evacuation. D Our government often send .the army in evacuations. Answer: D Throughout time, people have loved music for its ability to transport them into a world of rhythm and melody. Recently more and more hospitals and clinics have been _ the power of music -not only to comfort patients, but to help cure them as well. Welcome to the world of music therapy . After each of the two world wars, musicians visited hospitals and played instruments for injured soldiers suffering from emotional and physical pain. Today's music therapists continue this practice, playing instruments such as guitars and harps to bring comfort to their audiences. Therapist Eric Mammen encourages his patients at a children's hospital to participate with him as he plays. During visits with 13-year-old cancer patient Lawrence Garcia, Mammen encourages Garcia to beat on electric drums while he plays the guitar. The therapy won't cure his cancer, but it does, according to Garcia's mom, take away much of the boy's depression . Music therapy can put patients in better moods and ease the symptoms of depression according to the American Music Therapy Association. Other benefits include relieving pain, calming tension, aiding sleep, reducing worry or fear, and easing muscle tension. Jose Haro personally experienced the benefits of music therapy when he was recovering from heart surgery. During his recovery, he played a piano whose keys lit up, indicating which keys to touch to play along with the background music. Soon he was playing tunes and noticing something strange. "I was searching for my pain." He says of his experience, "but it was gone." While Haro's experience provides an evidence of the power of music to relieve pain, scientific research has proven music also helps patients with Alzheimer's disease and arthritis. In addition, music therapy helps premature babies. Doctors are tapping into a powerful way to teach premature babies that haven't yet learned how to suck. Doctors use a device that comforts the babies by playing music when they suck on a pacifier . Soon the babies learn to suck in return for music, gaining weight faster and going home earlier than those who do not use the device. Even perfectly healthy people are discovering the power of music to calm and heal. Drum circles attract people who find stress relief in beating out rhythms. While music is not a cure-all, it does make life a little easier. What is the best title for this passage? A Music to Patient Ears B Music Popular in Hospitals C Musicians Work with Doctors D People's life Benefits from Music Answer: A When discussing about friends, I desire those who will share my happiness, who possess wings of their own and who will fly with me. I seek friends whose qualities illuminate me and train me up for love. It is for these people that I reserve the glowing hours, too good not to share. When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and "too serious" about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviors. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say:" Let's start with a train whistle today." We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changing into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped. When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend. He was in despair and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted . We gave London to each other. For almost four years I have had a remarkable friend whose imagination illuminates mine. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other's dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think: "Yes, I must tell...." We have never met. It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist , who will only fill up the healing silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend. In the darkest moments, the author would prefer to _ . A seek professional help B stay with her best friend C be left alone D break the silence Answer: C Hiring a self-drive car really adds to the enjoyment of your holiday. There are so many interesting places to visit, and if you enjoy seeing more than just the city center, there's no better way to explore than by car. HIRE CHARGES: What's included (a)Unlimited mileage. (b)Expenses on oil, maintenance and repairs, which will be repaid on production of receipts. (c)Full insurance cover but exclusive of personal accident(see below)and contents. What's not included (a)Personal accident insurance. (b)Garaging, petrol, parking One bitterly cold day, a snowstorm blew into our area. Needing firewood, quickly set out with my best friend, Bruce, to look for a tree to cut down. I was glad to have Bruce along. Cutting down a tree in a snowstorm can be dangerous. So it was important to have a friend who could warn me of dangers. When I chose a big 23-meter-tall tree and prepared to cut it down, my best friend suddenly warned me,"Don't cut down that tree! It's too close to the power line!"I wasn't sure about it. So I becided to _ his warning. I wanted to finish the job quickly and go home. So I began cutting down the tree. When the tree fell, there was no longer any doubt whether my friend was right. The tree caught the power line, bringing it to the ground. I considered cutting the tree off the line. After all, electricity can't travel through wood, so I could safely remove the tree. As I reached out my finger to touch the tree, pain ran up my arm and through my head. I had been shocked! After I returned home and told my mother what happened, she quickly called the power company. Workers from the power company soon arrived on the scene. One of them asked if I had touched the tree, and when I told him I had, his face turned pale. "You should have been killed,"he said. So why am I still alive? It was my boots that saved my life. Within two hours, the workers removed the tree. Soon _ --but not my mother. Even though she was glad I wasn't hurt, my mother was still serious with me. After all, I shouldn't have brushed off my friend's warning. Through this experience, I learned it's important to listen to people who offer a different perspective. Taking the time to listen might actually save a lot of time and trouble. It certainly would have kept me from getting the"shock of my life." Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A But for his boots, the writer would have died. B The writer regretted having brushed off his friend's warning C The writer knew nothing about electricity. D When the tree was cut down, the writer realized his friend was right. Answer: C The fictional Chinese-American detective Charlie Chan was the subject of popular books and movies for many decades. In recent years, however, the character has been criticized as an ill image of Asian-Americans. Yunte Huang, an English professor at the University of California, says that's not the case. He has been exploring the character and real-life policeman who inspired him. Charlie Chan has been a familiar character to readers and film-goers, beginning in the 1920s. The detective solved crimes around the world in more than 40 films through the 1940s, and with the invention of television, found a new audience in the 1950s and 1960s. Huang discovered Charlie Chan through books by American author Earl Derr Biggers, who created the character. "One day, I happened to find two Charlie Chan novels. At that point I thought I knew that he was a negative character against Asians, but when I read the book," he says, "I was immediately attracted. Ever since then, I've been a fan of Charlie Chan." As a fan of the books and films, Huang was surprised to learn that Charlie Chan was based on a real detective named Chang Apana, who was born to Chinese parents in Hawaii around 1871. Apana worked as a cowboy, and joined the Honolulu police force in 1898. "He almost immediately became a local legend because as a former cowboy," says Huang, "he would walk the most dangerous areas in Chinatown carrying a bullwhip instead of a gun. He didn't need that." Although some say the image of Charlie Chan, with his broken English, is embarrassing for Asian-Americans, Huang believes Chan's broken English and unusual ancient sayings were part of his charm . "Let me just quote a few - 'Actions speak louder than French,' or 'Mind like parachute . Only function when open.' Charlie Chan always owes these instructive sayings to Confucius' eastern wisdom. For Huang, the fictional Charlie Chan is highly entertaining, while the real-life policeman, Chang Apana, is a Chinese-American success, whose story is worth telling. Chang Apana didn't need a gun as a weapon because _ . A he had his personal charm B he liked being a cowboy C he was not a true policeman D a bullwhip was more useful Answer: A
The world's oldest person, Ms. Baines, died. She celebrated her 115th birthday with congratulations from Barack Obama, President of the United States. Over her life she lived through the terms of 21 US presidents. Gertrude Baines passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Western Convalescent Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had lived for her last ten years. Emma Camanag , the hospital's leader ,said she was a respectable lady. "It is really an honor for the hospital to take care of her over the last 10 years and we will greatly miss her. It is just like we have lost a relative ," said Emma. Ms. Baines, who was born in Shellman, Georgia, in 1894, had no living relatives. She grew up in the southern US during difficult times. During that time, African American people were required to use separate, often poor, public services. She married young and later divorced . Her only child, a daughter, was born in 1909 and died of a terrible disease at the age of 18. Ms. Baines worked as a maid in Ohio before moving to Los Angeles where she lived on her own until she was well over 100. She once told an interviewer , "As for the secrets of long life, I do not have any disappointments in my own life." She gained some fame when she voted for Mr. Obama in the US presidential election , saying she supported him "because he's for the colored people". It was only the second time in her life she had voted, the first time being for John F. Kennedy. Ms. Baines became the world's oldest person in January. Japanese woman, Kama Chien, 114, has now taken over the title. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. Ms. Baines used to serve others in Ohio. B. Ms. Baines died in a hospital in Los Angeles. C. Ms. Baines and her husband had only one child. D. Ms. Baines liked to live alone. Answer: D. Ms. Baines liked to live alone. The police in City notified local gas station attendants that a woman, known as Robber, recently had committed armed robberies at five City gas stations. The police said that Robber was approximately 75 years old, had white hair, and drove a vintage, cream-colored Ford Thunderbird. Attendants were advised to call police if they saw her, but not to attempt to apprehend her. Armed robbery is a felony under state law. Traveler was passing through City on a crosscountry journey. Traveler was a 75-yearold woman who had white hair and drove a vintage, cream-colored Ford Thunderbird. When Traveler drove into Owner's gas station, Owner thought Traveler must be the robber wanted by the police. After checking the oil at Traveler's request, Owner falsely informed Traveler that she had a broken fan belt, that her car could not be driven without a new belt, that it would take him about an hour to replace it, and that she should stay in his office for consultation about the repair. Traveler was greatly annoyed that her journey was delayed, but she stayed in Owner's office while she waited for her car. Owner telephoned the police and, within the hour, the police came and questioned Traveler. The police immediately determined that Traveler was not Robber, and Traveler resumed her journey without further delay. In Traveler's action for false imprisonment against Owner, Traveler will A. not prevail, if Owner reasonably believed that Traveler was Robber. B. not prevail, because Traveler suffered no physical or mental harm. C. prevail, if Traveler reasonably believed she could not leave Owner's premises. D. prevail, because Owner lied to Traveler about the condition of her car. Answer: A. not prevail, if Owner reasonably believed that Traveler was Robber. Feel frightened when you have public speaking? There is no need for it. All you have to do is appear confident, and the audience will immediately relax and pay attention. There are a few body-language techniques that will make your life easier, even if you hate public speaking. Look relaxed.Don't stand like a model of human body. Keep your arms relaxed , sometimes raising them. Movement helps keep an audience awake. Raise your hands instead of laying them down to stress your points. The eyes have it.When making a speech , your eyes are your important tool. Use them well, and you will get your message across. Keep your head raised and avoid looking down at the floor. If you can make a speech without notes, your body language will improve. Make eye contact with all the audience for a short while. They want to feel as if you're speaking to them individually. Change the rhythm. Variety is the key. As well as using your hands and eyes , you can use your voice to send out signals. You can change your rhythm and raise your tone to emphasize your arguments. Check if your audience is paying attention. As important as controlling your own body language is being able to recognize and if you are confident, it should be easy to check whether the audience is listening ,Look out for negative body language and any signs of wandering attention. Regain their attention by making a joke. If this doesn't work , it might be time to have a break. Each audience has a different attention span, and the more complicated your subject is the quicker their minds will wander. If all else fails , open a window. Nothing focuses concentration like a draught . Which of the following is NOTtrue according to the passage? A. A speaker should often remain relaxed . B. The public often stares at the speaker's arms. C. Using gestures correctly can benefit the speaker a lot. D. making eye contact with the audience can help a speaker. Answer: B. The public often stares at the speaker's arms. plants gather their nutrients from the A. tinder B. concrete ground C. area under grass D. store Answer: C. area under grass Convection vs. Conventional Ovens If you are in the market for a new oven and you've already begun shopping for one, you've probably noticed that there are a few different types. Two of the most popular oven types are conventional and convection. The difference in these two types of ovens is the way in which the heat in the oven is spread during the cooking process. Convection ovens A convection oven uses a fan which is usually located on the back side of the oven. The purpose of the fan is to force the heated air inside of the oven and circulate it around the item being cooked. The heater air is constantly pushed over and around the food, and therefore a convection oven cooks food much faster than a conventional oven. Not only does a convection oven cook food more quickly than a conventional oven, but it can also thoroughly cook food at lower temperatures. The average amount of time saved when cooking with a convection oven is about 20 percent of the food's normal cooking time. The temperature a convection oven uses to cook food is also about 20 percent lower than a recipe's suggested cooking temperature. Convection ovens are speedier and more efficient than conventional ovens, and therefore may be more expensive. However, professional chefs from around the world swear by them and rely on them for delicious tasting food. Also, since the air circulation in a convection oven is the same throughout, food will cook at the same rate no matter where it is placed in the oven....on the top or bottom rack or near the front or back. Conventional Oven Traditionally, most personal residences in the United States come equipped with a modern conventional oven. These are the most common types of household ovens, and are used every day to cook all sorts of meals, desserts, breads, and many other types of food. Conventional ovens are similar to convection ovens in that they both cook food using heat. They both have the ability to use either gas or electricity, depending on the hook-up in a home. Some may use either gas or electricity simply depending on what is plugged in to them, and some are made to be either gas specific or electricity specific. In a conventional oven, the heat circulation in the oven can become blocked by pots and pans inside of the oven, which will result in uneven cooking. Uneven cooking is especially noticeable when both the bottom and top racks in the oven are being used at the same time. The items on top will cook faster because heat rises to the tops and when there is a lot in the oven, the heat gets trapped there. There are pros and cons to both conventional and convection ovens. Conventional ovens have been serving people for years and years and food has been cooked successfully in them for many decades. Convection ovens have many followers and fans, but these types of ovens can be hard to get used to...especially for novice cooks. Which of the following is True of both convection ovens and conventional ovens? A. Items cooked on the bottom of an oven will not cook properly. B. Food will be cooked evenly. C. It uses either gas or electricity to provide heat. D. It is not easy to use for people who aren't familiar with cooking. Answer: C. It uses either gas or electricity to provide heat.
Teenagers who turn off the TV and sit down to family meals are less likely to suffer eating disorders . A study has connected eating together with lower rates of bulimia and anorexia . Teens used to eating around the table are less likely to take up smoking to lose weight. Researcher Barbara said, "The common belief is that teens don't want to be around their parents very much, and that teens are just too busy to have regular meals with the family." The study shows happy families have teenagers who eat with their parents often. These teens have less bad diet or dangerous eating habits. "Parents may not be able to get their family together around the table seven days a week, but if they can prepare three family meals a week, this will have a big impact on the health of teens," Professor Fiese spoke out after reviewing 17 studies on eating ways and nutrition of almost 200,000 children and teenagers. She found that teens who eat at least five meals a week with their families are 35% less likely to be "disordered eaters". The definition of disordered eating is eating too much, or eating at wrong times too often or eating very little and smoking to lose weight. Even three family meals a week helped, with youngsters 12% less likely to be overweight than those who ate with their family less often. Teens can also use family meals as a time to _ . They were also 24% more likely to eat healthy foods and have healthy eating habits than those who didn't share three meals with their family. Professor Fiese said, "Family meals give them a place where they can go regularly to check in with their parents and express themselves freely." In the past American research found children who miss out on family meals are much more likely to fight at school, drink and take drugs . ,. What can we infer from the passage? A The more often teens eat with their family, the healthier they are. B Parents should get their family together round the table 7 days a week. C More fighting and smoking will happen because of no family meals with teens. D Teens with five family meals a week live longer than those with three meals a week. Answer: A. The more often teens eat with their family, the healthier they are. A mother in Australia was told by a doctor that her new born son was dead but she helped to bring him back to life by holding the baby against her body. She used a method known as a kangaroo care. The child, named Jamie ,was born after only 27 weeks with his twin sister, Emily, in a hospital in Sydney. Her birth went well ,but his was a different story. The doctor struggled for 20 minutes to save Jamie before announcing him dead. "His little arms and legs were just falling down away from his body." Kate Ogg said ,"I took off my coat and put him on my chest with his head over my arm." She and her husband, David ,said to the child as she continued to hold him for nearly 2 hours. During that time, the two-pound baby showed the sign of life. She said , "I told my mum ,who was there, that he was still alive. Then he held out his hand and grabbed my finger. "Their tiny baby grew stronger and stronger in his mother's arms, and their final goodbye turned into a hello. The doctor at first ignored the baby's movements, but when he put the stethoscope to his chest, his mouth was wide open and he said ,"It's my fault, It's a miracle( ). "The kangaroo care helps the baby keep body warmth" Dr Pinchi Srinivasan said, "It also regulates heartbeat and breathing rates and is believed to help weight gain and improve sleeping habits. Fathers can also use kangaroo care. The key to the method is skin-to-skin contact." The practice began in less developed nations. It has become a recognized pracitce in helping premature babies. The techniques is good for babies, and is used in many baby care centers. What the main idea of the passage? A A baby was almost killed by a doctor's wrong decision B A doctor in Australia announced a baby was dead by mistake C A mum in Australia saved her baby with "kangaroo care" D A mum in Australia invented a new method of saving babies Answer: C. A mum in Australia saved her baby with "kangaroo care" The following card includes a brief summary and a short assessment of a research paper. It can provide a guide for further reading on the topic. Trevor, C. O., Lansford, B. and Black, J. W., 2004, "Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion", Journal of Armchair Psychology, vol. 113, no.1, pp. 56-64. In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect of job performance, turnover rates and employees' job attitude. The authors use data gained through organizational surveys of blue-chip companies in Vancouver, Canada to try to identify the main cause of employee turnover and whether it is linked to salary growth. Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organizational reward plans. The article is useful as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and a variety of differences in employees' job attitude and performance. The main limitation of the article is that the survey sample was restricted to mid-level management, thus the authors indicate that further, more extensive research needs to be undertaken to develop a more in-depth understanding of employee turnover and job performance. As this article was published in a professional journal, the findings can be considered reliable. It will be useful additional information for the research on pay structures. As is mentioned in the card, the limitation of the research paper mainly lies in that _ . A the data analysis is hardly reliable B the research sample is not wide enough C the findings are of no practical value D the research method is out-of-date Answer: B. the research sample is not wide enough Sometimes, kids feel that they don't like sports because they may not understand how to play them or they haven't had much practice doing them. Sports can seem _ because of all the rules and special equipment . Even the fields and courts they are played on come in different shapes and sizes and have confusing - looking lines drawn on them. People spend many years learning about their favorite sports and practicing how to do them well. So don't feel bad if you don't know the difference between a "corner kick" and a "goal kick" in soccer. If you want to learn more about a sport, you might ask your mum or dad about the programmes that introduce kids to new sports. These may be better than just joining a team that starts playing games right away without much explaining first. Gym class and programmes at school can also be a way to try new sports with a mix of kids. Another way to learn about a sport is to watch instructional videos or DVDs or check out library books that explain the rules and offer advice for kids to learn to play them. If you have an older friend or family member who's good at a sport, you might ask him or her to help you practice. Some sports are just good to understand, even if you never want to play on a competitive team. For example, you might play softball or volleyball, just for fun, at a summer picnic. Which would be the best title for this passage? A Sports Are Good for You B What Sport Is Most Suitable for You C Learning about Sports D How and Where to Have Sports Answer: C. Learning about Sports Like people, plants experience stress. And also, like people, the response to that stress can determine success. Bad environmental conditions, such as drought, flood, heat and other stresses, affect yields more than crop pests and diseases. We are trying to find a way to equip plants with the ability to tolerate environmental stress and maintain high yields, said Stephen Howell, a professor of genetics and cell biology. Plant cells produce proteins and ship them to different parts of the cell. Under normal conditions, these proteins are folded into their normal, healthy structures as they are produced. When a plant is under stress, its cells produce poorly folded or unfolded proteins. Then a built-in system senses this and "sets off an alarm in the cell," said Howell. In response to the alarm, another protein (IRE1) starts working and creates a different process which activates the stress response genes whose products bring about defensive measures that help the plant survive. "As it turns out, responses that are activated under stress conditions actually inhibit the growth of plants," said Howell. "This allows them to preserve their energy to survive the stress conditions." For plants in the wild, this response is a help for survival, he said. In production of agriculture crops, however, this response reduces yields. "You don't want crop plants to stop growing," Howell said. "You want them to continue to grow and produce even though they are under stress." With the new understanding of this stress response, the next step may be to silence the alarm system, said Howell. "What may be important is to disable some of these stress responses. That may make the plant more productive under stress conditions." How does Howell intend to make crop plants maintain high yields under stress conditions? A By making crop plants keep more energy. B By making crop plants stop growing. C By making the alarm system stop working. D By making the alarm system respond quickly. Answer: C. By making the alarm system stop working.
Down on the beach of Dover,56-year-old Channel swimmer Jackie Cobell bravely set off for Calais.The time was 6:40 am.28 hours and 44 minutes later the exhausted,successful mother from Kent crawled to the shore and walked proudly into the record books.After five years in training,Mrs.Cobell became the slowest person to cross the Channel under her own steam.The previous record for the slowest crossing,set by Henry Sullivan at 26 hours and 50 minutes,has stood for 87 years before Mrs.Cobell started at Dover Saturday morning. She had struggled through changing tides that swept her first one way,then the other.It turned the 21-mile crossing into a 65-mile one.She declared,"Time and tide wait for no man--and they certainly didn't wait for me.I was fully expecting it to get dark before I got to Calais but I never imagined I'd also see the dawn again.But I wasn't going to give up." Her feat raised more than $2,000 in charity sponsorship for research into Huntingdon's disease,a sum that was continuing to grow as news of her achievement spread.That was why she did it."I don't really know myself," she said."I just kept thinking of all the people I'd be letting down if I stopped." Mrs.Cobell took to the water so well at school.But after bringing up two daughters,she started to gain weight.Five years ago she took up swimming again and decided to prepare for the Channel challenge to lose weight.She became much fitter.Then came the big swim."I practiced on Windermere Lake," she said."it's about half the distance of the Channel so I just doubled it,added some extra time,and worked out I could probably get to Calais in about 16 hours." Her husband David,trainer,official observer and friend sailed alongside her on a boat.She said,"I sang to keep myself going.When they told me I was a record breaker I thought they were just having a joke--until I realized it was the record for the slowest crossing.But maybe next time I might be a bit quicker." Which of the following is right according to the passage? A. Mrs.Cobell crossed the Channel in order to set a slowest record. B. Mrs.Cobell raised $2,000 in all. C. Mrs.Cobell used to swim very well. D. Mrs.Cobell crossed the Channel in a day. Answer: C. Mrs.Cobell used to swim very well. What is a museum? A museum is a good place to keep old and beautiful things. A museum may be a place to learn about science and a place to find out about art or people or animals. What is inside a museum? Some museums have old cars and airplanes. Many museums have pictures and statues . Others have rocks and old bones. One museum even has a real old street inside. It has shops and people's statues doing business. It looks so real that one might feel that he was back to the old time. Many cities have museums. Some very small towns have museums, too. Indianapolis has a children's museum. Children do not have to pay to get in. Children often go to the museum. They like to look at the dinosaur bones. They see a white bear ten feet tall. On Saturdays, Indianapolis children can hear talks about animals and trees. They see movies. They take hikes. They even learn to make things there. What is Not true about a museum? A. It's a good place to do some shopping. B. People can learn about the history of a place there. C. People can learn about science there. D. It's a good place to learn about art. Answer: A. It's a good place to do some shopping. "Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." Do you agree with this old saying? Joanne Gordon does. She is the author of Be Happy at work and other books about careers . Gordon believes that about 30% of employees in North America do not like their jobs, and she thinks that is terrible. She wants to help people who do not feel satisfied with their jobs find work that is good for them. Joanne says, "There are no happy jobs, only happy workers." She believes that happy workers share three main characteristics. First, happy workers enjoy the daily activities of their jobs, and they look forward to the workday. Take Tony Hawk, for example. At age 14, he became a professional skateboarder. Now he is a businessman working on projects related to skateboarding--films and video games, but he still skates every day. He once said, "My youngest son's pre-school was recently asked what their dads do for work. My son said, 'I've never seen my dad do work.'" Tony agrees that his job doesn't look like work. He has found a way to spend each day doing a job he enjoys. Second, happy workers like the people they work with. Sally Ayote says, "I work with the coolest people in the world." She and her group cook for almost 1,200 people in Antarctica. Most of these people are scientists who are doing research. Sally loves to sit and talk with them. She says, "There is no television here, no radio, so I get to know the scientists and what they're studying." Sally thinks she has a great job, and the best part about it is the people. Third, happy workers know that their work helps others. Caroline Baron's work helps people who have had to leave their home countries because of war or other dangers. She is a filmmaker who started an organization called FilmAid, which shows movies in refugee camps around the world. Caroline believes that movies can be very helpful in these camps. For one thing, entertaining movies let refugees forget their troubles for a little while. Movies can also teach important subjects like health and safety. For example, in one camp, thousands of refugees saw a movie about how to get clean water. Caroline knows that is helping other people, and this makes her feel proud and happy about her work. Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron all get great satisfaction from their work. Tony Hawk says, "Find the thing you love. If you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous." Joanne Gordon would agree. She encourages people to find something they enjoy doing, find people they like to work with, and find ways to help others. Then they can be proud of what they do, and they will probably be happy at work. Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron are good examples that show us _ . A. how to be a successful businessman B. how to help people in difficulties C. how to get along with the coolest people D. how to become a happy worker Answer: D. how to become a happy worker 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. Sarah _ . A. playssoccer B. doesn'tplay C. doesn'twatch D. sings Answer: B. doesn'tplay Everyone worries. But how do you deal with your worries? Whether your worries are big or small, you can take these three steps to deal with your worries: 1. Try to find out what you're worried about Sometimes, you will know what you're worried about. Other times, you might not. Try to find it out first; if you can't, you can ask for help. 2. Think of ways to make it better There is always something you can do to help you feel less worried. Sitting there worrying is no fun and it won't solve your problem. Grades at school are often top worries for kids. If you're worried about grades, ask yourself these questions: Why are grades important? What do grades mean to me? How do I get ready for class? Do I my notes even when there isn't a test? Do I have a good place to do my homework? Have I tried different ways of studying? If your worry is about a fight you had, you might write down all the things you could do: write a note to him or her, invite him or her to a basketball game, say sorry to him or her, etc. Once you have a list of things you could do, you can choose the one that gets your friend back. 3. Ask for help When you're worried, it can help to find someone to talk to. You can ask your parents, friends, or teachers for help. ,. (5) According to the passage, what will you do if you have a fight? A. I will make a new friend. B. I don't want to talk to him or her any more. C. I will have another fight D. I will invite him or her to a basketball game. Answer: D. I will invite him or her to a basketball game.
Walt Disney began to make cartoon movies when he was young. But he didn't have much money and he didn't always have enough to eat. One day a mouse ran near his desk when he worked in his small office. "Would you like to be my pet? "Disney asked the mouse. He caught the mouse and kept it as a pet. A few years later, Disney decided to make a cartoon about it. "I am making a cartoon about a mouse named Mortimer," he told his wife. "Mortimer Mouse? I think Mickey Mouse would be a better name." She said. "You are right!" Disney agreed and made many Mickey Mouse cartoons. People all over the world saw Mickey and loved it. Mickey Mouse made Disney famous. Then come Donald Duck, and Goofy Dog and others. Disney began to make full length cartoons. Then he made cartoon movies for television. Millions of children watched the shows every week. In California, real boats, castles , trains, mountains, rivers, all in one beautiful park. Millions of people came to Disneyland. He died in 1966, but the world will not forget him quickly. Mickey Mouse and all his cartoons will help us to remember him. When Disney began making cartoon movies, _ . A. he was very poor B. the mouse helped him C. his wife knew nothing about it D. People didn't like Cartoons at all Answer: A. he was very poor It's getting hotter and hotter outside. Summer is already here! Summer means high temperature, more outdoor activities and all kinds of fruit and vegetables. How can we stay fit in this exciting season? Here are some good suggestions: Eat and drink properly What is healthy to eat in summer? Fresh and light food. Fish can be a good choice. It can keep your body energetic and help fight against the burning sun. Another good choice is colorful fruit and vegetables.They not only _ our eyes, but are full of healthy chemicals ( ) .Tomatoes can help protect your skin against sunburn. Blueberries are good for your brain and eyes. The more color,the better! With all those summertime activities you will be thirsty. What to drink ? Water. Water has zero calories ( ) and is the perfect drink to stop your thirst ( ) . Try not to drink too many energy drinks, sports drinks and soda drinks which have lots of sugar and caffeine ( ) in them. Stay active and cool Summer is a great season to enjoy outdoor activities and play. It s also a goodtime to lose weight. If you are lucky enough to be near a body of water, try water sports like swimming, surfing, water skiing and so on. These sports keep you cool and active at the same time. You'll have no problem beating the heat and keeping fit as well. Be careful of the sunshine. Summer allows us more chances to get outside, but it also means more possibilities to get burnt by the sunshine. If you are going outside, keep away from the sun when it's the strongest--usually between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you have to stay in the sun for a long time, sun cream ( ) ,a big hat and a long - sleeve jacket will be necessary. How many pieces of advice does the writer give us? A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five. Answer: A. Two. Donald was not very good at math. He could not understand the teacher's explanations . Even when the teacher explained something a second time, Donald still could not understand it. "Never mind," Donald told himself. "I am quite good at other subjects. I will cheat in the math exam, then I won't be in trouble." "I will sit next to the boy who is best at math," he thought, "and copy down his answers." The day of the exam came, and Donald sat next to Brain Smith, who always was at the top of the class in math. Donald carefully copied Brian's answers onto his own exam paper. At the end of the exam, the teacher collected the papers and graded them. Then she said, "well, boys and girls. I have decided to give a prize to the student who got the highest grade. It's difficult for me to decide who to give the prize to, however, because two students, Donald and Brian, got the same grade." "Let them share it," one of the other students said. "I thought about that," the teacher said, "but I decided to give the prize to Brian." Donald was angry when he heard this. He stood up and said. "That's not fair. I got the same grade as Brian." 'That's true." The teacher said." However, Brian's answer to Question 18 was "I don't know," yours was "Neither do I". Donald got the same grade as Brian because _ . A. both boys were good at math B. Donald cheated C. Brian copied Donald's answers D. the questions were very easy Answer: B. Donald cheated Millie is a little girl who is at the age of nine. She is a pupil in a primary school. She works hard at her subjects. In class, she takes an active part in all kinds of activities. She looks smarter than her classmates. One day, she was doing her homework after supper as usual. Her father was not in. Her mother was taking a shower in the bathroom. After she finished her homework, Millie asked her mother to check it for her, but her mother didn't answer her. A few minutes later, her mother was still in the bathroom. Millie felt strange. She knocked at the door. But her mother had no answer. She pushed the door open and found her mother lying on the floor. At the same time, she smelled something terrible. It was the gas. She quickly opened the window, turned off the gas and called 120 and 110 for help. Soon some doctors and policemen came and sent her mother to the nearest hospital. Her mother was saved at last. Why did the little girl know how to do that? That was because she had learned how to save herself and others in danger in school. The accident happened _ . A. in Millie's home B. in the cinema C. in a hospital D. in a school Answer: A. in Millie's home 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. How did the local people feel towards the Europeans' requests to see a Kangaroo? A. They thought the Europeans are funny. B. They felt puzzled. C. They felt happy. D. They thought the Europeans must never see Kangaroo before. Answer: B. They felt puzzled.
Winning the lottery is not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for many past winners. Sad stories do exist in large numbers for the past lottery winners and that's why some financial experts say "70 percent of lottery winners will squander away winning within a few years." Some end up losing all within two years, family relationships destroyed or even worse. Wayne Schenk was an old soldier diagnosed with lung cancer. When he won a million dollars in a lottery he thought his troubles were over and he would get the advanced medical treatment that might save his life. But Lottery officials refused to pay him the total sum in a single payment and they said they could not make an exception to the regulations. When Schenk died in 2007, he'd only received one payment of $34,000. Another lottery winner, Billy Bob Harrell, Jr. killed himself two years after winning 31 million dollars in the Texas lottery in 1997.He'd spent large amounts of money and given large amounts away, but he didn't end me expected peace that should have come with the freedom of money. Other lottery winners have ended up in prison for crimes. Many suffer bankruptcy after the big jackpot is spent and given away, including some of the eight people who won the 365 million Powerball in 2006. The examples given paint a sad picture of what can happen if you win a big lottery jackpot, but fortunately, these examples don't tell the stories of all jackpot winners. Why did lottery officials refuse to give Wayne Schenk the million dollars in one payment? Answer: They had to observe the official rules. In Britain today, is it possible to tell a person's class just by looking at him? Physical details alone tell us about health, diet and the type of work a person does. A hundred years ago the working class often looked unhealthy, small and they were either too thin or too fat. The upper classes were often tall, sporting types who were used to a good diet and looked healthy. Today living and working conditions have improved, and such descriptions are no longer true. People are taller now than a hundred years ago. Everyone in Britain today is able to have free medicine, a good diet, acceptable working conditions and enough rest and leisure. WWW.K*S858$$U.COM The clothes people choose to wear, however, do provide information about their backgrounds. Expensive clothes look expensive and show their wearer is rich. Clothes can provide other clues as well. The upper classes appear to be less interested in fashion and wear good quality clothes in non-bright colours, made of natural material like wool, leather and cotton. Lower working-class people often choose clothes in bright colours, made of man-made materials. A sociological explanation for this would be that colour and interest are missing from their lives, and therefore any opportunity to produce this is taken. Clothes are available at a price within most people's reach. New clothes make the wearer feel good and show some degree of wealth to the outside world. Today it is the younger people who spend most money on clothes. Fashion is no longer for the upper classes and the rich. Young people from all social classes spend a lot of money on clothes. Some new fashions are started by working-class people who want to look different and feel important. They want people WWW.K*S858$$U.COMto look at them. In the past, a person's appearance could not tell other people about his _ . Answer: habits It's really true what people say about English politeness: it's everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow passage, 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 here are some more polite ways of interacting with people in UK. People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customer and shop assistant 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 but none of their explanations 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 also is showed 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 is the author's attitude towards English politeness? Answer: He appreciates it very much. Hearst Castle is in California, America. A person called William Randolph Hearst built it between 1922 and 1939, at a cost of more than $30 million. Last year, I had a trip to that castle. I spent the whole day looking around. But there was much to see, and a day wasn't enough. Hearst Castle has four houses. The main house, "Casa Grande", is the biggest one. Visitors can live in the other three ones. Many of them are Hollywood film stars, and they often come to the parties there. At Hearst Castle, there are also beautiful gardens and two swimming pools, one inside and a larger one outside. I loved the one outside, the "Neptune Pool". It was a pity that we couldn't go swimming there! The guide told us that Mr. Hearst travelled around Europe with his mother at the age of ten and looked at paintings and castles. He never forgot that tour and wanted his house to look like a castle. When Mr Hearst died in 1951, his family gave Hearst Castle to the people of California. Now it's a museum. There are _ at Hearst Castle. Answer: all the above When an NBA player is young he thinks he can win the championship by himself. It is only later when he has aged and been through many battles that he learns an important lesson: there is no "I " in "team". There is no better example of the value of teamwork than the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were all superstars on three different teams. Yet, none of them had any titles to show for it. Then, last season, they decided to sacrifice money and individual statistics to play together. Garnett and Allen joined Pierce on the Celtics and changed the NBA in the process. It started in simple ways. Garnett and Allen are two of the most intense athletes in the world. They treat every second of every practice like it is the NBA championship. If you want to play alongside them then you will have to do the same. So, the young guys on the Celtics started giving their full effort too. Pierce had been the star of the Celtics for many years. He used to shoot the ball many times a game. But with the addition of Allen and Garnett he shot less and focused on defense. His selflessness showed the young players that doing what made the team better was the only thing that mattered. When the Celtics were winning and the game was almost over, Garnett, Pierce and Allen would come out of the game. But they wouldn't just sit on the bench. Instead, they stood and cheered and screamed for their teammates. They wanted to support their friends and teammates. Now, the guys who don't play know they can still affect the game by cheering so they scream and cheer when Garnett, Allen and Pierce are playing. The Celtics have developed a strong relationship. They are more than just teammates. They are brothers. The result: the Boston Celtics won the championship and are considered the favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship again this year. There is a saying that goes, "A successful team beats with one heart." If that is the case, the Celtics may have the biggest heart in the NBA. Which of the following is NOT true about Pierce's recent performance? Answer: He became an even better shooter with others' help.
When the shooting of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was complete, it was much more than a movie wrap-up . Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, toldThe Sunday Timesthat he's happy to have the time for romance now filming is over. Emma Watson, who is Hermione Granger in the movies, said she looked forward to "finally being free, being my own person" - a change signaled by her new haircut. Daniel Radcliffe, who has been the face of the boy wizard since 2001, said that he "did cry like a little girl" when the last movie finished. "It's like the ending of a relationship," he toldThe Vancouver Sun. "There's a sense of, 'God, what am I going to do now?'" He said he was eager to see "what life holds for him beyond Hogwarts". Along with the three actors, Harry Potter fans, now in their late teens, came of age with J.K. Rowling's characters. For them, the last film isn't just a goodbye to a decade of magic, but the close of their childhoods. "We are the Harry Potter generation," Canadian Andrea Hill, 19, toldThe Vancouver Sun."We started in elementary school, reading about a boy our age who was going through the same things we were going through. We grew up, so did he." For Emily Chahal, an 18-year-old student, the series has been an inspiring journey. "That first book was what started my love of literature. It was the inspiration for everything - really teaching me to appreciate my friends, and to face difficulties with a sense of courage," she said. "I have a sense of sadness. The end of the movies is kind of the end of my childhood, too." Fortunately, to the delight of die-hard fans, there are many things that keep the boy wizard alive. For example, in June this year, a Harry Potter theme park opened in Florida, US. Some schools in the US and UK also have Quidditch teams - players ride broomsticks. "We're not waiting anymore to see what happens to Harry next," Hill told The Vancouver Sun. She founded a Quidditch club at Carleton University in Canada. "We're still engaged in that magical world." What did Daniel Radcliffe mean by saying he was eager to see "what life holds for him beyond Hogwarts"? A He was bored with life in Hogwarts. B He couldn't wait to graduate from Hogwarts. C He missed life in Hogwarts now he had left. D He was looking forward to new life out of Hogwarts. Answer: D In the USA, about 450,000 school buses take more than 25 million children to and from school. The yellow school bus is a US icon . Yellow became the color of school buses in the USA in 1939. Dr. Frank got the good idea. He said it was easy for people to see yellow buses and the black letters on them in early morning or late afternoon. That would make children safer. There are not many school buses in Britain, and they are not yellow. They have trackers on them, so children are being tracked while they travel to and from school by bus. The trackers let parents know where the school bus is and whether their kids are on the bus. Kindergarten is a difficult time for some kids. It's the first time for them to go away from their parents. To make kids love their school, Japanese kindergartens and schools have colorful buses. The buses can easily make children want to take them to go to school. Even some parents want to take them, too! School buses are becoming more and more popular in China now. It saves a lot of time for students to go to school. ,. According to Dr. Frank, _ school buses are safer for the students. A black B yellow C white D colorful Answer: D Taking place every spring in the world's leading publishing and cultural capital, it's a unique opportunity to explore and understand the innovations shaping the publishing world of the future. When: 08-10 April 2014 Where: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA Who Attends? The London Book Fair attracts a global audience of visitors and exhibitors from all areas of the publishing community. * 25,000 Attendees , 113 countries Key visitor audiences include: <> Literary Agents/Scouts <> Publishers <> Booksellers <> Library and Information Professionals <> Production, Distribution, Technical and Creative Professionals * 1,500 Exhibiting Companies The LBF floorplan allows exhibitors to showcase their products and titles by sector: Academic \| Art, Architecture & Design \| Children's & Young Adult \| Digital & Mobile \| General Publishing \| Publishing Solutions \| STM & ELT Earls Court Information The Earls Court Business Centre offers a comprehensive range of business services, including: <> Incoming and outgoing fax and telephone calls <> Photocopying and printing <> Internet access <>Telephone points for laptops <> PC workstations with standard office software <> Courier service Visa Information If you are not a British citizen or a citizen of one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, you may need to acquire a visa-entry clearance certificate-before you travel to Britain. Visitors can access the visa letter service only once they have registered for the London Book Fair on line. On completion of your registration you will receive a confirmation email which includes your badge number and a link to the visa letter service completion page. Here you need to complete all your contact and company details, your badge number, your passport number and your date of birth. Once you have successfully submitted this information, it will produce a printable letter that you can take to your nearest British consular. Exhibitors can access the visa letter service via the Exhibitor Portal online. Join us in April 2014 at Earls Court, London, registering as a visitor allows you access to exhibitors, show features and over 250 Love Learning seminars and events. The London Book Fair team is on hand to help you with any questions you may have about visiting or exhibiting at the show. Which of the following statements about the visa letter service is true? A You'll get the visa if you complete the confirmation email. B You can receive the confirmation email without registering online. C The visa letter service completion page saves you the trouble of going to the British consular. D The London Book Fair offers this service to registered exhibitors and visitors online. Answer: D The advantages of Eating Fruits & Vegetables Vegetables and fruit are good for your health because of a lot of vitamins, nutrients and fiber in them. Fruits and vegetables are regarded as a healthy diet without adding chemicals or additives for carrying or storing foods. The United States Department of Agriculture suggests eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day to get the advantages of eating a healthy diet. Disease Prevention The United States Department of Agriculture tells that eating fruits and vegetables helps fight strokes, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Because of the potassium in fruits and vegetables, they can prevent the risk of developing kidney stones. The fiber in fruits and vegetables helps the body fight against coronary heart disease. Idea Health Since fruits and vegetables add to a balanced and healthy diet, eating these will help you with your idea. The vitamins in fruits and vegetables helps fight depress , according to the Mental Health Foundation. Vitamin B and folic acid found in some vegetables and bananas help you to relax. Eating fruits and vegetables can also help improve memory. Healthy Weight Eating fruits and vegetables helps you have a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables naturally include less energy than other foods, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The fiber and water in the fruits and vegetables make you feel that you are full, so you will not feel that you have to eat more food. According to the passage, how many things are included in the vegetables and fruit? A 3 B 4 C 5 D 6 Answer: D Strawberry fields dotted with hunched-over workers picking and packaging, then pushing the delicate red fruit to waiting trucks -- it is a typical winter scene embedded in the patchwork of homes and farms that make up eastern Hillsborough County. That scene is changing, though, as the labor pool shrinks and technology comes knocking. Wish Farms owner Gary Wishnatzki and his engineer partner Bob Pitzer are banking on technology. As strawberry season wrapped up in February, their driverless strawberry-picking machine drove into the fields for some test runs. The results were impressive and enlightening , Wishnatzki said. For some three years now, farmers have been forced to abandon millions of dollars worth of strawberries in fields, mostly in Hillsborough and Manatee counties, because they lacked laborers, industry experts say. The problem has been just as serious in California, Arizona and other farm communities. The reasons for the shrinking worker pool are numerous. Migrant workers who have picked the fields for years are aging. Young adults in migrant families already in the United States are getting better educations and have more choices these days, including the construction industry, which again is on the upswing. Stricter security is allowing fewer undocumented workers to cross the border from Mexico. And Mexicans are having much smaller families now -- just over two children per family, compared with 7.3 per family in 1960, according to a Pew Hispanic Center report released in 2012. And since Mexico's economy bounced back faster than that of the U.S., more Mexicans have been able to find work closer to home, according to the study. "We came up with a concept we perceive as a necessity," Wishnatzki said. "The labor pool has been shrinking for over 10 years now. It has been pretty harmful." So in 2012, he and Pitzer formed their partnership, Harvest CROO Robotics, to develop a mechanical picker. The Harvest CROO design has multiple picking heads that will move across a field, picking 25 acres over a three-day period, the typical time for picking fruit as it ripens. It has a "vision system" to distinguish between red and green strawberries and is able to get under the leaves to find and pick the ripe berries. Picking strawberries is nothing like using a combine on a corn field, coming through and thrashing down the plants. Strawberries are delicate and ripen in various intervals, which Harvest CROO is taking into account in developing its machine. A strawberry-picking machine will never completely replace the need for human labor in the fields, Wishnatzki said, but if the machines can supplement labor enough to keep the industry profitable, he and Pitzer will have met their goal. Which of the following statements about Mexicans is true according to the passage? A Mexicans like to find jobs far away from home. B There are more Mexican laborers than needed in Arizona. C Security regulations now make it easier to employ Mexicans. D Young people from migrant Mexican families now have access to more career choices. Answer: D
Have you heard of snake robots? Scientists and doctors are already using tiny snakes that coil through the human body armed with sharp surgical tools to perform operations on hearts, prostate cancer, and other diseased organs. The snake robots that carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps, and even more advanced sensors are being developed. The next generation of the robots will be wireless, and will explore inside your body on their own--- not attached to any cables. For now, they are powered by cables that humans control. Experts say the day is coming when some robots will roam around the body on their own. But the experts in robotics say the new creations work best when they are designed for very specific tasks. Howie Choset has been researching and building robots, particularly snake robots. He believes that his snake robot and others like it can help reduce medical costs by making complex surgery faster and easier. Choset says his new design is smaller and more flexible than earlier models. The size of surgical robots allows surgeons to operate with far less damage to the body, helping the patient heal faster. Choset has also built larger snake robots designed for search and rescue, or just exploration. They can climb poles and trees and then look around through a camera in the head and slither through places that humans cannot reach. " We sent our snake robots into these caves in the Red Sea to look for evidence of ancient Egyptian ships," he said. " To me, archeology is like search and rescue, but everyone has been dead for 5,000 years." The doctors are very excited about the potential for surgical robots to do things that humans can't do. The variety of sensors available for surgical robots keeps expanding. As they get smaller, maybe one day they will be able to test chemicals or blood in the body, or even the electrical connections in nerves. Which of the following is true, according to the passage? A. Snake robots are only used in the medical field. B. Snake robots can reduce the patients' medical costs. C. Scientists are uncertain about the prospects for snake robots. D. Scientists are forced to spend a lot of time researching snake robots. Answer: B The Attack on September 11th New York: When the first jet struck Tower 1 at World Trade Center at 8: 48 am on Tuesday, the people in Tower 2 at World Trade Center with a view of the instant damage across the divide had the clearest sense of what they too must do : get out fast. Katherine Ilachinski, who had been knocked off her chair by the blast of heat exploding from the neighboring tower, was one of those. Despite her 70 years of age, Ms Ilachinski, an architect working on the 91st floor of Tower 2 at World Trade Center, the south tower, went for the stairs. Twelve floors above her, Judy Wein, a manager, screamed and set off too. But others up and down the 110 floors, many without clear views of the damage across the way and thus unclear about what was happening, were not so sure. And the 18 minutes before the next plane would hit were ticking off. Among the uncertainty about what was the best thing to do, formal announcements inside the south tower instructed people to _ , assuring them that the building was sound and the threat was limited to the other tower. Some left, others stayed, some began to climb down and, when met with more announcements and other warning to stop or return, went back up. The decisions made in those instants proved to be of great importance, because many who chose to stay, were doomed when the second jet crashed into the south tower killing many and stranding (...) many more in the floors above where the jet hit. One of those caught in indecision was the manager at Fuji Bank USA. Richard Jacobs of Fuji Bank left the 79th floor with the other office workers, but on the 48th floor they heard the announcement that the situation was under control. Several got in the lifts and went back up two minutes or so before the plane crashed into their floor. Which floor was hit by the second jet? A. The 91st floor. B. The 71st floor. C. The 60th floor. D. The 79th floor. Answer: D Weekend one-day out A walk along the Wall -- Beijing Hikers is organizing a hike in a village along the Great Wall in Changping District, north of downtown Beijing. The walk will take around three hours covering a distance of 10 kilometres. Time: 8:30 a.m-4:30p.m, Dec.4 Cost: 200 yuan (US $25) per adult, 150 yuan (US $18.50) for under-12s. Meeting place: 8:30a.m. in front of Starbucks at Lido Holiday Inn, Jiangtai Lu To sign-up (one day before the hike) and more information, contact Huijie at info@beijinghikers.com or 139-1002-5516. Skiing and hot springs -- Cycle China plans a day's skiing fun at a resort around Beijing followed by an outdoor hot spring bath for your sore body. Cost: 350 yuan (US $43.40) & Time: 8:30 a.m-6:30p.m, Dec.4 Location: Meet at the office of Cycle China, opposite to the east gate of Jingshan Park, Xicheng District. For more information and reservation, email reserve@cyclechina.com or call 139-1188-6524. Horse riding -- This is a trip to a professional horse-riding club with well-trained bilingual instructors, offering lessons to people who love riding and those willing to learn more. The club is located in Hebei Province next to the Kangxi Grassland. Time: 1:30 a.m-4:30p.m, Dec.4 Cost: 330yuan (US $40.74) including one hour's riding, transportation, guide, lunch To sign-up and more information, contact Lucy at 8580-5080, 130-1117-1326 or Lucy@highclub.net. If you are interested in the knowledge about horse-riding, you'll contact _ A. reserve@cyclechina.com B. 139-1188-6524 C. 130-1117-1326 D. 139-1002-5516 Answer: C It's time to do something for your father - the man who for many people has been an encouragement and support since birth. The third Sunday of June is Father's Day. The holiday honors not only fathers, but also all men who act as father figures, such as stepfathers, uncles and grandfathers. The idea of Father's Day came from the love and appreciation of American lady called Sonore Smart Dodd in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. He raised six children by himself on a countryside farm in Washington State after his wife died during the birth of their sixth child. When Dodd became an adult, she realized the selflessness her father has shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father who did all for his children. In the eyes of his daughter, William Smart was a courageous, selfless and loving man. Dodd's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Washington on June 19th, 1910. In 1924, US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared the third Sunday of June as Father's day. So this is a perfect chance to let your father know what he means to you. To show your love and respect, you need not buy an expensive gift. You can send him a home - made card; You can call him every day; Even you can give him a sweet smile when he comes back from work. All these little things are easy for us to do, but they can show your care and love to your father. What's the best title for this passage? A. Being a Good Father B. Father's Day C. Dodd's Father D. Showing Love to Your Father Answer: B Teaching materials for learning Chinese are provided here. There are sites where you may find interesting instructions suitable for you. Here are some sites to begin your surfing. You may start with these pages from this website -- just to get a little taste of it without working too hard. * A Is For Love Flash cards for learning a few Chinese words * Listening to the sound of Chinese Play a few words of Chinese on your computer. * A few Chinese words Each word is enlarged for easy study. If you are studying Chinese, these tools can help. * Zhongwen site More than a dictionary! * Clavis Sinica Excellent program by Professor David Porter. It displays a whole document in Chinese [GB] or [BIG5], and gives individual word's definition, pronunciation as well as much more information when you click on that word. If you are studying Chinese, this is a very useful tool. * Chinese Character Visual Dictionary If you like to know more, go to the following sites on the Internet. * The Chinese Outpost Pronunciation, Character and Grammer By Mark Andrew Baker. The best. A must-visit site. * Learn Cantonese / Mandarin Online * Internet Based Chinese Teaching and Learning * Rainland Kids discover Chinese -- Site is in Germany If you want to have a better understanding of China, go to this one. * Wanfang Data As an affiliate of Chinese Ministry of Science && Technology, Wanfang Data has been the leading information provider in China since 1950s. With a wide range of database resources and value-added services, Wanfang Data has become a gateway to understanding Chinese culture, medicine, business, science, etc. This passage is most probably from _ . A. a TV programme B. a teacher's lecture C. a newspaper D. the Internet Answer: D
Across the rich world, well-educated people increasingly work longer than the less-skilled. Some 65% of American men aged 62-74 with a professional degree are in the workforce, compared with 32% of men with only a high-school certificate. This gap is part of a deepening divide between the well-education well off and the unskilled poor. Rapid technological advance has raised the incomes of the highly skilled while squeezing those of the unskilled. The consequences, for individual and society, are profound. The world is facing as astonishing rise in the number of old people, and they will live longer than ever before. Over the next 20 years the global population of those aged 65 or more will almost double, from 600 million to 1.1 billion. The experience of the 20th century, when greater longevity translated into more years in retirement rather than more years at work, has persuaded many observers that this shift will lead to slower economic growth, while the swelling ranks of pensioners will create government budget problems. But the notion of a sharp division between the working young and the idle old misses a new trend, the growing gap between the skilled and the unskilled. Employment rates are falling among younger unskilled people, whereas older skilled folk are working longer. The divide is most extreme in America, where well-educated baby-boomers are putting off retirement while many less-skilled younger people have dropped out of the workforce. That even the better-off must work longer to have a comfortable retirement. But the changing nature of work also plays a big role. Pay has risen sharply for the highly educated, and those people continue to reap rich rewards into old age because these days the educated elderly are more productive than the preceding generation. Technological change may well reinforce that shift: the skills that complement computers, from management knowhow to creativity. Do not necessarily decline with age. what has helped deepen the divide between the well-off and poor? Answer: rapid technological advance. Which of the following questions is testable in a scientific investigation? Answer: Are cats more active at night than during the day?. Robert is eleven years old. He loves to watch TV. But for one full year, he did not watch TV at all. What was the reason? Robert's parents said they would give him $500 if he didn't watch TV for a year. Robert's parents thought he watched too much TV. One day his mother saw a newspaper story about a boy who didn't watch TV for a year. She showed the story to Robert. "It was a joke," his mother said, "I didn't think he would do it." But Robert liked the idea. He turned off the TV right away. He said, "It doesn't matter to me whether to watch TV or not. I just want the money." At first, Robert's parents were very happy. Robert read the newspaper, played outside, played computer games, and played cards with his mother. But after a while, he got bored. Every evening, he asked his parents, "What are we doing tonight?" Sometimes his mother and father wished he would watch TV, just for one evening. Robert always said, "No, it would cost me money!" Finally the year was over. Then Robert started watching his favourite TV shows all day long again. Robert got the money from his parents. What does he plan to do with the $500? "I want to buy myself a TV set!" he said. Robert stopped watching TV because he wanted to _ . Answer: get the money Put sunscreen on before going out in the sun. Take it with you. Use it -- after a swim. -- every hour or so while playing outdoors. -- if you get sweaty. Cover up when the sun is overhead -- 10 a.m.--2 p.m.. -- especially at lunch time. Get your suntan gradually and not too much. Controlled exposure to sunshine helps avoid skin cancer. Ask your chemist to recommend a suitable sunscreen. Queensland Cancer Fund P. O. Box Spring Hill, QLD.4000 Phone (07) 8397077 Provided for community awareness by the Queensland Cancer If you want a sunscreen, you should ask _ for advice. Answer: your doctor Long long ago, there was a small seed . Because it was only a seed, nobody noticed it. Thus, feeling inferior , the seed gave no importance to his existence. Then one day, a wind picked him up and threw him on an open field in the sun. Later, he was given rain. Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side. "Thank you God for this. I really needed some rest," he heard the traveler say. "What are you talking about?" the seed quickly asked. He thought the man was making fun of him. No one ever spoke to him like that. "Who just spoke?" the shocked man asked. "It is me, a seed." "A seed?" the man looked at the big tree. "Are you joking? You are no seed. You are a big tree!" "Really?" "Yes! Why else do you think people come here?" "What do they come here for?" "To feel your shade ! Don't tell me you didn't know you had grown over time. "A moment passed. The seed thought and smiled for the first time in his life. The years of torture by the sun and the rain finally helped him grow up. "Oh! That means I'm not a little seed anymore! I was actually born to make people feel comfortable. Wow! That's great! " The traveler sat by the seed's side to _ . Answer: have a rest and enjoy the shade
Some people like to get up early, but some do not. In fact, it is really good for us to get up early every day. Maybe those who don't like getting up early will not believe this, but it is true. Scientists made a survey in about one thousand people, and then they found that early rising people had less disease than late rising people, and early rising people also look healthier than late rising people, and so on. So we may know early rising is helpful in more than one way. First, it helps to keep us healthy. We all need fresh air. But air is never so fresh as early in the morning. Besides, it is useful to do morning exercises. Secondly, early rising helps us in our studies. In the morning we learn more quickly and find it easier to understand what we learn. Thirdly, early rising can give us a plan of our work for the day. We cannot work well without a good plan. Fourthly; early rising gives us enough time to get ready for our work, such as to wash our hands and faces and eat our breakfast. Late risers may find it difficult to form the habit of early rising. They have to make an effort to do so. As the English proverb says, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. " If a man always likes to get up late, it's _ for him to form the habit of getting up early. Answer: It was graduation day at the university where I work and a beautiful day quite unlike the first graduation I attended as a young professor.On that cold day years ago, as we watched the students walking into the hall, one of my colleagues turned to me and said, "Graduation will be one of the happiest and one of the saddest time of your life." At my inquiry, he answered, "Because the students you have gotten to know have to leave." As years went by, my previous confusion about my colleague's words no longer existed.When I came across naughty students, I have had to rethink why I chose to be a teacher.It obviously isn't the money.Once a former computer science student of mine called me, asking me if I wanted to have a change.He was working at Nintendo Corporation.His salary was higher than my current one, though I have more education and have worked for over a decade.With my programming skills, he said he could get me hired.I thanked him, but declined his kind offer. A few days before this current graduation, while working on final grades, I found a note a student had slipped in with her homework.She thanked me for being her teacher and said the things she had learned in my class--not about math, but about life--would be things she would remember long after the math skills had faded away.As I finished reading, I remembered why I had become a teacher. Now, on this sunny graduation day, as I again observed the sea of _ , I did so with renewed dedication and a deeper sense of satisfaction--I will always be grateful that I am a teacher. The computer science student called up the author because he _ . Answer: There is an elephant and a monkey. They're friends. But one day they want to know who is stronger. One of them says, "Who can get apples over there, who is stronger." There is a river over there. The monkey says, "I can't swim." The elephant says, "I can swim. Please sit on my back." They go across the river. The apple trees are very tall. The elephant can't reach the apples. The monkey climbs up the tree and gets many apples. Now they know they should help each other. At last the monkey goes across the river with the help of _ . Answer: Sunlight is a source of light from what? Answer: Some years went by. Then Father Boone called the family together. "Pack your things," he told them. "We are leaving here. Our farmland isn't good to live on. We can buy rich, cheap land in he southwest." Sixteen-year-old Daniel was happy. "I'm glad we are going," he said. "I feel crowded here. There are too many houses and too many people." Father Boone made ready for the journey. He pushed out the big wagon and tied two horses to it. Mother Boone packed clothes, dishes, pots and pans. She would make food for the family along the way. The family said goodbye to the neighbors and to their old home, and started. Mother, the girls, and the little children rode in the wagon. Father and the boys took turns riding the horses. Sometimes all of the Boones walked so that the horses could rest. Father and the boys had guns to kill birds and small animals for food along the way. The Boones traveled across Pennsylvania. At last the family came to the green Yadkin Valley in North Carolina. There were a few houses there already, but the farmland was much broader than that in Pennsylvania. Father Boone said, "This is good farmland. We will stop here." Why did the Boones move? Answer:
I have a friend named Monty Roberts. He has let me use his horse ranch to put on events to raise money for Youth-at-Risk Programs. Last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let you use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of a horse trainer. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be when he grew up." "That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of owning a horse ranch someday. He put all his heart into the project and wrote about his dream in great detail. He even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of the buildings, stables and the track, and even a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house on it." "The next day, he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later, he received a large red 'F' on his paper with a note, 'See me after class.' The boy went to see the teacher and asked why. The teacher told him there was no way for a young boy like him to do that because owning a horse ranch required much money and resources, and then added 'If you'll rewrite his paper with another goal, I will reconsider your grade.'" "The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what to do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it's a very important decision for you.'" "Finally, a week later, the boy turned in the same paper without any change and stated, 'You can keep the F, and I will never .'" "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper over the fireplace." "Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what." The teacher gave the boy an "F" because the teacher thought _ . A he didn't do a good job in his studies B he came from a horse trainer's family C he described an unpractical goal in his paper D no young boys desired to possess a horse ranch Answer: C Our new foreign students are going to arrive very soon, and here are some ways to communicate with them politely. How close do you stand when you talk to a friend? You can stand close to people in the Middle East but don't stand too close to North Americans! Give them more personal space. Do you know How to _ people correctly? Chinese girls often walk arm in arm with their friends. South Americans sometimes hold your arm when they talk to you, so you can't move away! But in Britain many people don't like other people to touch them at all. Do you look at people when you talk? In some places, it isn't polite to look at people when you talk, but in other countries it isn't polite to look somewhere else. In Britain and the US, people usually look at each other when they talk. And how do you say goodbye? That's easy, wave to say goodbye. But be careful! In Greece, it's not at all polite! In fact, it's very rude! What's the best title of this passage? A Saying goodbye B Touching people C Looking at people D communicating politely Answer: D When I was a child, our dining room had two kinds of chairs--two large ones with arm rests and four small ones without. The larger ones stood at the ends of the table, the smaller ones on the sides. Mom and Dad sat in the big chairs, except when one of us was away; then Mom would sit in one of the smaller chairs. Dad always sat at the end, at the "head" of the table. Sitting where he did, Dad was framed by the window through which the yard could be seen with its trees and grass. His chair was not just a place for him at the table; it was a place in which he was situated against the yard and trees. It was the holy and protected place that was his, and ours through him. After Dad retired, he and Mom moved out into a small flat. When they came to visit me at their old house. Dad still sat at the end of the table though the table was no longer his but mine. Only with my marriage to Barbara, did I hear a voice questioning the arrangement. She requested, gently but firmly, that I sit at the head of the table in our home. I realized then that I was head of the family, but I also felt unwilling to introduce such a change. How would I feel sitting in that "head" place in my Dad's presence? And how would he handle it? I was to find out on the occasion of our youngest child's first birthday. Mom and Dad arrived for lunch, and went into the dining room. Dad moved toward his usual seat in front of the window. Before he could get around the side of the table, I took a deep breath and said, "Dad, this is going to be your place, next to Mom, on the side." He stopped, looked at me and then sat down. I felt sad, and angry at Barbara for pushing me to do this. It would have been easy to say, "My mistake, Dad. Sit where you always sit." But I didn't. When he and Mom were seated, Barbara and I took our places. I don't know how Dad felt. I do know that, though removed from his usual place, he continued to share his best self with us, telling stories of his childhood and youth to the delight of his grandchildren. As I served the food, our lives experienced a change, which we continue to live with. It wasn't easy, but I sense that there is also something good in the change which has occurred. I am beginning to learn that "honoring one's father" is more than the question of which place to occupy at the dining table. It also means listening, wherever we sit and whatever positions we own, to the stories Dad longs to tell. We may then, during these magical moments, even be able to forget about whose chair is whose. What happened during the meal after the family had all taken their new seats? A The writer's children removed their grandfather from his usual place. B The writer's father didn't appear to mind where he sat. C The writer's father shared his favorite dishes with the grandchildren. D They became tense and nervous about their future as a family. Answer: B Running Man is a variety show which is aired in SBS, a famous South Korean TV channel. The show broadcasts on Sunday every week. The translation can be watched on the Internet every Monday. It's very interesting and funny. In the program, everyone should keep running. Here are some information of its hosts and hostess. Liu Zaishi, the main host of the show, is known as National Moderator(,). His friendly, witty and lovely hosting style makes him become one of the most popular hosts and comedians in South Korean. Jin Zhongguo, the strongest man on the show, is known as Sparta-kooks . During the race, he can capture others quickly. But sometimes, he can be very cute. Song Zhixiao, the beautiful actress who is also called Mong Zhi, where "mong" means "confused", because of her facial expressions which makes her seem confused. During the race mission, she is ace because of her superior ability to capture. Young people in Korea love the program very much. Why? Because some South Korean stars will be invited to take part in the race every week . They are divided into several teams with MCs. Many stars have participated in the program, for example, Li Minhao, Girls'Generation , Jin Xiuxian etc. What's more, the program is not only relaxing but also educational--- It teaches people the importance of team spirit. Why is Running Man so popular in Korea? A Because some hosts are very funny. B Because some famous stars are often invited to the race every week. C Because the program is not only relaxing but also educational. D Because it teaches people the importance of team spirit. Answer: B Animals can move from place to place, but plants cannot. When an animal is under attack, it can run away or fight back. Plants certainly cannot run away, and they lack teeth and claws. But plants can defend themselves by using both physical and chemical means. Some plants have their own ways to keep animals away. For example, the leaves of the holly plant have sharp spines that discourage grass-eating animals. Holly leaves on lower branches have more spines than leaves on upper branches. This is because the lower leaves are easier for most animals to reach. Some plants, such as the oak tree, have thick and hard leaves that are difficult for animals to eat. Some grasses may contain a sandy material; eating such grasses wears down the animal's teeth. Many plants also have chemical defenses. Some plants produce chemicals that taste bitter or cause an unpleasant reaction. Some plants may fight against an attack by increasing the production of these chemicals. When a caterpillar bites a tobacco leaf, the leaf produces a chemical messenger. This messenger sends to the roots the information to produce more nicotine. The higher levels of nicotine discourage the caterpillar. Many plants depend on both physical and chemical defenses. A certain plant in China, for instance, has prickly leaves, and each prickle contains poisonous venom A single experience with this kind of plant will teach an animal to stay away from it in the future. How does tobacco protect itself against an attack from a caterpillar? A Its leaves fight against the attack by physical means. B Its roots send a messenger to discourage the caterpillar. C Its roots increase the production of nicotine when it is attacked. D Its leaves produce poisonous sand to drive the caterpillar away. Answer: C
I love My Country is a Dutch TV series, first aired in the Netherlands on March 8, 2008.A tenth season was aired in late 2012, with an 11thseason airing in March, 2013. The show was created by the Dutchman John de Mol and has been sold to at least 25 countries in the world. The series is divided into two teams. Each team, led by its leader, has three members. The teams have to answer questions about their own home country, like "What is the capital...?", "When did our country end the war with...?"etc. At the end of the programme the winning team gets a bicycle. Big Ideas is a Canadian television series produced by TVOntario, on the air since 2001. The idea of starting the programme came from Wodek Szemberg who worked as the producer of the programme afterwards. The programme show lectures to the public given by famous university educators. Big Ideas airs on TV Ontario on Saturdays and Sundays at 5 pm, with repeat airings at 5 am on Sunday and Monday mornings. In 2007, Big Ideas held its Best Lecture Competition for the second time. Dr. Michael Persinger, from Laurentian University, received the best-lecturer award. The show stopped in the spring of 2013 because TVO had little money for it. How many seasons of I Love My Country has been aired so far? A 8 B 9 C 10 D 11 Answer: D. 11 The more matter a planet is made up, the more likely other bodies are to A Triangle it B kiss it C punch it D be dragged in Answer: D. be dragged in Late in the evening, the wind blew hard around the little house. The sound of the wind is like someone crying. It made the old woman nervous. She had not been getting much sleep lately, but with the wind making the spooky noise, she didn't know what else to do but lie down and try to rest a little. Once she lay down to try to sleep, many memories of her life in the little house kept her mind busy. She still was having trouble falling asleep. She remembered being a little girl and her dad putting the finishing touches on the house. Her mom loved the big kitchen, and she and her younger sister had their own room in the back. It was in this, her old bedroom, that she was trying to sleep. The crying sound got louder. It didn't seem like it was outside. It sounded like it was coming from the other side of the bed. When she turned and looked, she saw her younger sister. She still looked five years old. The old woman couldn't remember her any other way, as she had died from a sickness at age five. "What's wrong?" she asked her sister. "I miss you. I am so lonely," answered the little girl, who was so thin you could see through her. The old lady closed her eyes and reached for her sister. That is how they found her the next day, holding her pillow and smiling. "She died in her sleep." "It is best that way." Who did the younger sister miss? A the wind B the old woman C her mom D her pet bunny Answer: B. the old woman I attended a birthday party in 1991. My teacher was then 59 years old. But her fellow teacher said that we were celebrating her 39thbirthday! We were all surprised and puzzled. After the party I was told by the fellow teacher that American women have a special saying about birthdays. If a woman is over 40, or even if she is 80, her birthday is always the 39th. If she is in her thirties, her birthday will be the 29th. And in her twenties, it's the 19th. They usually have their "real" birthday when they are below 20. This shows that American women, especially elderly women, are very sensitive about their ages. But my teacher always says, "We want to be younger," so about the age of Western women, my advice is that if you don't know it, don't ask about it; if you really know it, don't mention it. In order to please an old Western woman , you can say to her," _ " A You are so old that you shouldn't do that. B How old are you? C You look so young and beautiful. D Can I help you, granny? Answer: C. You look so young and beautiful. A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain nutrients more commonly seen in dark berries helped cancer in mice, British researchers said on Sunday. The finding, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the idea that plants can be genetically modified(changed) to make people healthier. Cancer-prone mice fed the modified fruit lived significantly longer than animals fed a standard diet with and without regular tomatoes, Cathie Martin and colleagues at the government-funded John Innes Center in Britain reported. "The effect was much bigger than we had expected." said Martin, a plant biologist. The study focused on anthocyanins,a type of antioxidant found in berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants that have been shown to lower risk of cancer, heart diseases and some neurological diseases. While an easy way to improve health, many people don't eat enough of these fruits, the researchers said. Using genes from the snapdragon flower, the researchers discovered they could get the tomatoes to make anthocyanins---- turning the tomato purple in the process. Mice genetically engineered to develop cancer lived an average of 182 days when they were fed the purple tomatoes, compared to 142 days for animals on the standard diet. "It is greatly encouraging to believe that by changing diet, or specific components in the diet. You can improve health in animals and possibly humans." Martin said in a telephone interview. The researchers warned that trials in humans are a long way off and the next step is to investigate( look into) how the antioxidants actually affect the tumors to promote better health. But the findings do support the formal research suggesting that people can significantly improve their health by making simple changes to the daily diet, other researchers said. "It's exciting to see new techniques that could potentially make healthy foods even better for us." said Doctor Lara Bennett, science information office at Cancer Research UK. " But it is too early to say whether anthocyanins obtained through diet could help to reduce the risk of cancer." The text mainly tells us _ . A what can prevent people from having cancer. B Scientists have developed cancer- fighting tomato. C ways to live much longer have been found by scientists. D genetically engineered food is good for people's health. Answer: B. Scientists have developed cancer- fighting tomato.
Fly Alone for the First Time I began flying lessons at the age of 14; but the Federal Aviation Administration requires you to be 16 before you make flight by yourself. So I had to wait for two long years until I could fly a plane by myself. I used that time to master the basic maneuvers of flying. I learned emergency procedures and practiced hundreds of takeoffs and landings until I could land the airplane smoothly without bouncing it down the runway. It wasn't always easy, and many times I would come home feeling discouraged and thinking maybe everyone was right - I would never learn to fly, but by the next day, I was always eager to try again. On the day of my 16th birthday, I made my first solo flight, which meant I could finally fly alone. The night before, my dad, who was my flight instructor, explained that the winds were forecast to be high. He said if we were in the air by dawn, the winds would probably be calm enough for me to solo. The next morning it was cold, but the sky was completely clear, and the winds were calm. I expected my dad to stay in the plane for at least three takeoffs and landings. But after the first one, he told me to pull off the runway, and he got out of the plane. I was alone. As I climbed higher and higher, the world began to change. Everything on the ground became _ . Houses, cars, and all looked like tiny toys that could fit in the surface of my hand. I made three takeoffs and landings that day. Each landing was perfect. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Today, as a flight instructor, I stand alongside runways watching as my own students take to the sky on their first solo flights. I understand the joy faces, which always bring me back to that day when my dream came true. I learned that no matter how people tell you that you can't do something, if you believe in yourself, you can succeed. What lesson does the author learn from his experience? Be confident and you will succeed. David is eight. One day his friend Rose says to him, "This Sunday is my birthday. Can you come to my birthday party?" David says, "Yes". On Sunday, David asks his mother if he can go to the party. His mother says, "Yes, you can go, but you must be polite. Don't ask for any food. They will give you some." "All right, Mum." David answers and he goes to Rose's house on his bike. There are lots of kids at the party. They play together for some time, and then Rose's mother gives them some food, but she forgets David. He waits and waits and then he takes his plate up and asks, "Do you want a nice clean plate?" Whose birthday is it? Rose's Today was a special day for me. I had my doctor'sappointments in a town that's about 45 minutes from where I live. After my appointment was done, Istarted walking down from the building through a long breezeway and I noticed an elderly woman pacing at the end. I asked if she waswaiting for someone or she needed assistance. As it turned out, she was havingtrouble walking the distance and had looked for a staff member to pick her up.No one had come for several minutes. I asked her to sit still when I went toget a wheelchair. I ran full speed to the help desk and asked for one. Thereceptionist and I walked to the end of the breezeway to the lady, who said, "Iwant her to help me."She was referring to me. I carefully, slowly andattentively helped the woman into the wheelchair. After she was seated, shesoftly looked up to me and thanked me for my help. How could I not have helpedher? I just wanted her to be alright. When I returned home, I called my bestfriend to ask if she needed me. She wanted me to take her and her boyfriend tothe Boost Mobile Store. I did and after all was taken care of, I took myfriends back home. I thanked them for the opportunity to help them and that Iappreciated it. Maybe it meant little to them, but a lot to me. Why was the day special to the author? Because she helped astrange old lady. George Zinunerman's first court appearance before a Florida judge came on Tuesday inconnection with the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The case has caused a national debate in the United States about race, self-defense laws and gun control. It was the first time the public had gotten to see and hear from George Zimmerman. The judge said he had found probable cause to move ahead with the case and told Zimmerman he would be formally charged on May 29th. Zimmerman turned himself into authorities on Wednesday night,just before special prosecutor Angela Corey announced the charge against him. Corey told reporters she would fight for Trayvon Martin" "It's the victims and justice that we work tirelessly for,"Corey said Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after spotting the teenager in a gated com-munity where Martin's father lives. He told police Martin attacked him during a conflict. The shooting caused a national cry led by Martin's parents who insisted their son was murdered They also accused Zimmerman of targeting their son because he was black. "We just wanted an arrest and we got it."Trayvon Martin's mother Fulton said. Many in SanforD.Florida-the city where the shooting took place-welcomed the charge. "All of us were wanting this to move on and get to this process where it is now into the justice system."one man said "It~long overdue and I am glad they decided to do something,"another said.Police did not initially charge Zimmerman with a crime because of a Florida law that says a person has a right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force. Prosecutor Coreysays,"I'm prepared to argue the issue if Zimmerman uses the self-defense law in count." Mark O'MarA. Zimmerman's lawyer, would not make his plan publiC. but he said hisclient was worried about the trial. "If found guilty of the second-degree murdercharge, Zimmerman could face up to life in prison,"O'Mara said Why did the case draw so much attention around the US? Because the case was related with race, self-defense laws and gun control. I will never forget my first English class. It is very interesting. It's the first class in the morning. The teacher goes into the classroom with a smile on his face. At the beginning, he makes a self-introduction . And he tells us that his English name is John. Then he asks all of us to think of English names for ourselves. We are very excited to find a good name. Then he asks us to write our names down on a piece of paper. I think about my English name for a long time. Then I come up with a beautiful name ---Shirley. All the students write their names down and give the paper to the teacher. When the teacher calls "Shirley" to answer his question, three girls stand up at the same time. What's the English name of our English teacher? John.
We all want our skin to look good. If your skin is clear and healthy, it makes you feel better about yourself. How do you get great skin? Here arc some suggestions. Protect your skin against the sun. * If you are going outside, especially in the sun, you'd better put on sun cream about half an hour before going out in summer. * Wear a hat to protect your face. * Stay in the shade whenever you can. How to wash your skin? * Wash your body all over once a day. Use mild soap and warm water. * Wash the soap off, as it may hurt your skin. * Wash your face by using a facecloth and cleaning cream, and then wash with cool water. Twice a day is enough. What else should you do? * Remember to drink lots of water-your skin loves it. * Regular exercise is good for your skin. * Eat healthily so that your skin can get what it needs to do its job. To protect your -skin in your daily life, you can't _ . Answer: Santa Claus makes sure that every year at Christmas time that his reindeer are ready to deliver gifts to girls and boys all over the world. Without the reindeer, how would Santa fly from home to home? The most important thing that Santa has to do for the reindeer is to make sure they have their coffee on Christmas Eve. Without the coffee, they won't stay awake for very long. Sleeping reindeer are not very helpful. Santa also gives the reindeer candy to keep up their energy. In the North Pole, the main candy is candy canes in red and white. Reindeer love the candy canes that are different colors best and Santa says that helps them fly faster. Next, Santa has to make sure that the reindeer have a good meal before they go. Santa wants to make sure he doesn't have to share the cookies kids leave for him. The last thing Santa has to do is make sure the reindeer know where they are going. Santa has only been lost one time on Christmas Eve and he does not want that to happen again. What are needed for the reindeer before they are ready to fly on Christmas Eve? Answer: A marble is dropped in a glass of water. Which force pulls the marble to the bottom of the glass? Answer: The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending phone call "made" by US President George W Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Of course, neither of them could really do that for you-you would just "borrow" their voices. AT & T labs will start selling speech software that it says is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life. The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recordings of a person's voice to say things that the person never actually said. Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that reads digital files aloud, and makers of automated voice devices . The advances raise several problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person's voice? (Some experts even believe that new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses.) And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud , would the synthesized voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know? Even Mr Fruchterman, one of AT & T lab's possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. "Just like you can't trust a photograph anymore." He said, "you won't be able to trust a voice either." It the speech software were widely used, _ . Answer: A few years ago, in one experiment in behavioural psychology, Stanley Milgram of Yale University tested 40 subjects for their willingness to obey instructions given by a "leader" in a situation in which the subjects might feel a personal dislike of the actions they were called upon to perform. Specifically, Milgram told each volunteer "teacher-subject" that the experiment was in the noble cause of education, and was designed to test whether or not punishing pupils for their mistakes would have a positive effect on the pupils' ability to learn. The teacher-subjects were placed before a panel of thirty switches with labels ranging from "15 volts of electricity (slight shock)" to "450 volts (danger -- severe shock)" in steps of 15 volts each. The teacher-subject was told that whenever the pupil gave the wrong answer to a question, a shock was to be administered. The supposed "pupil" was in reality an actor hired by Milgram to pretend to receive the shocks by giving out cries and screams. Milgram told the teacher-subject to ignore the reactions of the pupil, and to administer whatever level of shock was called for. As the experiment unfolded, the "pupil" would deliberately give the wrong answers to questions, thereby bringing on various electrical punishments, even up to the danger level of 300 volts and beyond. Many of the teacher-subjects _ administering the higher levels of punishment, and turned to Milgram. In these situations, Milgram calmly explained that the teacher-subject was to carry on with the experiment and that it was important for the sake of the experiment that the procedure be followed through to the end. What Milgram was trying to discover was the number of teacher-subjects who would be willing to administer the highest levels of shock, even in the face of strong personal and moral revulsion against the rules and conditions of the experiment. Before carrying out the experiment, Milgram explained his idea to a group of 39 psychiatrists and asked them to predict the average percentage of people who would be willing to administer the highest shock level of 450 volts. The overwhelming consensus was that basically all the teacher-subjects would refuse to obey the experimenter. The psychiatrists felt that "most subjects would not go beyond 150 volts" and only a small percentage of about one in 1,000 would give the highest shock of 450 volts. What were the actual results? Well, over 60 per cent of the teacher-subjects continued to obey Milgram up to the 450-volt limit! In repetitions of the experiment in other countries, the percentage was even higher, reaching 85 per cent in one country. How can we possibly account for this result? One might firstly argue that there must be some sort of built-in animal aggression instinct that was activated by the experiment. A modem sociobiologist might even go so far as to claim that this aggressive instinct was of survival value to our ancestors in their struggle against the hardships of life on the plains and in the caves, finally finding its way into our genetic make-up. Another explanation is to see the teacher-subjects' actions as a result of the social context in which the experiment was carried out. As Milgram himself pointed out, "Most subjects in the experiment see their behaviour in a larger context that is good and useful to society -- the pursuit of scientific troth. The psychological laboratory has a strong claim to legitimacy and gains trust and confidence in those who perform there. An action such as shocking a victim, which in isolation appears evil, acquires a completely different meaning when placed in this setting". Here we have two different explanations. The problem for us is to sort out which of these two polar explanations is more reasonable. This is the problem of modern sociobiology -- to discover how hard-wired genetic programming decides the interaction of animals and humans with their environment, that is, their behaviour. Put another way, sociobiology is concerned with explaining the biological basis of all behaviour. Which of the following is mentioned as one possible factor that explains the teacher-subjects' behaviour? Answer:
Of all nature's disasters, forest fires are often considered the most frightening. Moving at lightning speed, huge walls of flames can burn acres of land in just a few minutes. And although technology, including the use of tire-retardant chemicals, has greatly helped the fight against forest fires, they still take great damage. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the fire season last year was the worst on record in terms of the number of fires and acres burned. There were 96.385 fires and9,873429 acres affected by fire in a year that was 125% more destructive than the 10-year average . These fires cost the federal govemment $1.5 billion to fight, and this figure does not include the money spent by local and state govemments as part of the effort. Fires in the southern states represented half of the national total last year. with Texas. Oklahoma and Arkansas being home to an usually high amount of activity. Wildfire have also taken place in Western states such as California, Colorado. and Alaska throughout the past 10 years. It is said that two-thirds of forest fires are started accidentally by people. almost one quarter are purposely set, while lighting causes 10%. Forest fires can have advantageous effects. Charcoal enriches soil, and some plant species grow well after. The cones of the jack pine tree, for example, will not spread their seeds unless there is heat. Douglas fir trees grow best in open sunlight areas after fire. Why did the author say the southern states was the fire home? Answer: A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, " How much do you think this glass weighs?" "50 grams ! " "100 grams ! " "125 grams ! " the students answered. "I really don't know unless I weigh it , " said the professor, " but , my question is : What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?" " Nothing , " the students said. "OK, what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?" the professor asked. "Your arm would begin to ache, " said one of the students. "You are right, now what would happen if I held it up for a day?" "Your arm could go numb , and you might have to go to hospital, " another student said. "Very good ! But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?" asked the professor. "NO" "Then what made the arm ache and the muscle( ) stress?" The students were puzzled. " Put the glass down" said one of the students. "Exactly ! " said the professor. " Life's problems are something like this. Hold them for minutes in your head and they seem OK. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold them even longer and they begin to trouble you. You will not be able to do anything. It's important to think of the problems in your life, but even more important to ' put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed; you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way ! " ,. What does the writer advise us to do when facing problems? Answer: 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. What should you know about farecard machine? Answer: Phillip Island Penguins The Little Penguin has called Phillip Island home for untold generations. Get to Phillip Island in plenty of time to watch s summer sunset at Summerland Beach - the stage is attractively set to see the little Penguin leave water and step onto land. Leave Melbourne at 5:30 pm for a direct journey to Phillip Island. See the Gippsland area - Guinness Book of Records place for the world's longest earthworm Journey along the coastal highway around the Bay with French Island and Churchill Island in the distance Cross the bridge at San Remo to enter Phillip Island - natural home for Little Penguins and many animals *Take your place in special viewing stands to watch the daily evening performance of the wild Little Penguins Ultimate Penguins (+U) Join a group of up to 15. This guided tour goes to an attractive, quiet beach to see Little Penguins. You can see penguins at night by wearing a special pair of glasses. Adult $60.00 Child $30.00 Viewing Platform Penguin Plus (+V) More personalized wildlife viewing limited to 130 people providing closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing stands. Adult $25.00 Child $12.50 Penguin Skybox (+S) Join a group of only 5 in the comfort of a special, higher-up viewing tower. Gain an excellent overview of Summerland Beach. Adult 16yrs We can learn from the text that Little Penguins _ . Answer: Molly was a peasant girl. Her parents did not have much money and Molly did not have many nice clothes. One day Molly's father said to her, "Molly, take this pot of milk to market and sell it. You may keep the money." Molly was very happy. She put the pot of milk on her head and started her journey to market. While she was walking alone she began to think. "I will get quite a lot of money for this milk," she thought. "What will I do with the money? I will buy a lot of eggs. I will take the eggs home with me. One of our hens will sit on them. Then there will be lots of little chickens. I will not sell the chickens. They will grow into hens. Then there will be more eggs. And these eggs will give me still more chickens. Soon I will have hundreds of hens. Then I will sell them all. They will bring me a lot of money. I will be rich. I will buy lots of new clothes. I will always wear nice clothes. Then a rich man will marry me. We will have a beautiful house, a big car and nice children..." Molly was very happy. She jumped into the air. The pot of milk fell from her head onto the road. And that was the end of all her dreams. In English there is a proverb. It says: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched . Molly was happy to go to market because _ . Answer:
Question: To positively impact an ecosystem A. smoke B. litter C. burn plastic D. sow seeds Answer: D. sow seeds Question: A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the victory of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, as a police officer, I have some urgent things to say to good people. Day after day my men and I struggle to hold back a tidal wave of crime. Something has gone terribly wrong with our once-proud American way of life. It has happened in the area of values. A key ingredient is disappearing, and I think I know what it is: accountability. Accountability isn't hard to define. It means that every person is responsible for his or her actions and liable for their consequences. Of the many values that hold civilization together --- honesty, kindness, and so on --- accountability may be the most important of all. Without it, there can be no respect, no trust, no law --- and, ultimately, no society. My job as a police officer is to impose accountability on people who refuse, or have never learned, to impose it on themselves. But as every policeman knows, external controls on people's behavior are far less effective than internal restraints such as guilt, shame and embarrassment. Fortunately there are still communities --- smaller towns, usually --- where schools maintain discipline and where parents hold up standards that declare: "In this family certain things are not tolerated --- they simply are not done!" Yet more and more, especially in our larger cities and suburbs, these inner restraints are loosening. Your typical robber has none. He considers your property his property; he takes what he wants, including your life if you annoy him. The main cause of this breakdown is a radical shift in attitudes. Thirty years ago, if a crime was committed, society was considered the victim. Now, in a shocking reversal, it's the criminal who is considered victimized: by his underprivileged upbringing, by the school that didn't teach him to read, by the church that failed to reach him with moral guidance, by the parents who didn't provide a stable home. I don't believe it. Many others in equally disadvantaged circumstances choose not to engage in criminal activities. If we free the criminal, even partly, from accountability, we become a society of endless excuses where no one accepts responsibility for anything. We in America desperately need more people who believe that the person who commits a crime is the one responsible for it.. The key point of the passage is that _ . A. stricter discipline should be maintained in schools and families B. more good examples should be set for people to follow C. more attention should be paid to people's behavior D. more people should accept the value of accountability Answer: D. more people should accept the value of accountability Question: Why should plants be included in investigations about the water cycle? A. Plants speed up the water cycle by removing carbon from the air. B. Plants start the water cycle when they make water in photosynthesis. C. Plants are part of the water cycle through the process of transpiration. D. Plants stop the water cycle because they absorb it and stop the flow to streams. Answer: C. Plants are part of the water cycle through the process of transpiration. Question: When many people are worried that there are no more heroes in the modern era,two university students who lost their lives to rescue drowning children have shown that heroes still exist . According to the Inner Mongolia Morning Post,the tragedy occurred on the afternoon of December 14,2002 when three school students skating on a frozen lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot fell through the ice into the freezing water. More than 20 university students who happened to be near the spot immediately went to the rescue of the children. Two children were quickly rescued,but the third died.The child's body was not found for three hours.Two of the rescuers,Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao,also died of cold and exhaustion . The body of Hao who took the lead in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day. A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake.When they heard the children's cries for help,they went to the ice hole hand in hand to rescue the children.But the ice kept breaking,causing most of them to fall into the icy water. Local residents held mourning ceremonies at the lake. Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation,but their lives were no longer in danger. When the three students fell into water,the university students were _ . A. skating on the ice B. taking photos at the lake C. holding mourning ceremonies at the lake D. being kept in hospital for further observation Answer: B. taking photos at the lake Question: The office has always been a place to get ahead. Unfortunately, It is also a place where a lot of natural resources start to fall behind. Take a look around next time you're at work. See how many lights are left on when people leave. See how much paper is being wasted. How much electricity is being used to run computers that are left on. Look at how much water is being wasted in the rest-rooms. And how much solid waste is being thrown out in the rubbish cans. We bet it's a lot. Now, here are some simple ways you can produce less waste at work. When you are at the copier, only make the copies you need. Use both sides of the paper when writing something less important. Turn off your lights when you leave. Use a lower watt bulb in your lamp. Drink your coffee or tea out of your _ instead of single-use cups. Set up a recycling box for cans and one for bottles. And when you're in the bathroom brushing your teeth or washing your face, don't let the tap run. Remember, if we use fewer resources today, we'll save more for tomorrow. It is suggested that we use both sides of the paper at the copier because _ . A. we are short of paper B. the printing is not important C. we should save paper D. we have to pay for the paper Answer: C. we should save paper
Question: Have you winterized your horse yet? Even though global warming may have made our climate more mild, many animals are still hibernating .It's too bad that humans can't hibernate. In fact, as a species, we almost did. Apparently, at times in the past , peasants in France liked a semi-state of human hibernation . So writes Graham Robb, a British scholar who has studied the sleeping habits of the French peasants. As soon as the weather turned cold people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end. In line with this, Jeff Warren, a producer at CBC Radio's The Current, tells us that the way we sleep has changed fundamentally since the invention of artificial lighting and the electric bulb. When historians began studying texts of the Middle Ages, they noticed something referred to as "first sleep", which was not clarified, though. Now scientists are telling us our ancestors most likely slept in separate periods. The business of eight hours' uninterrupted sleep is a modern invention. In the past , without the artificial light of the city to bathe in, humans went to sleep when it became dark and then woke themselves around midnight. The late night period was known as "The Watch" It was when people actually kept watch against wild animals ,although many of them simply moved around or visited family and neighbours . According to some sleep researchers, a short period of insomnia at midnight is not a disorder .It is normal . Humans can experience another state of consciousness around their sleeping, which occurs in the brief period before we fall asleep or wake ourselves in the morning .This period can be an extraordinarily creative time for some people .The impressive inventor, Thomas Edison , used this state to hit upon many of his new ideas. Playing with your sleep rhythms can be adventurous ,as anxiety may set in. Medical science doesn't help much in this case. It offers us medicines for a full night's continuous sleep, which sounds natural ; however, according to Warren's theory,it is really the opposite of what we need. The late night was called "The Watch"because it was a time for people _ . A. to set traps to catch animals B. to wake up their family and neighbours C. to remind others of the time D. to guard against possible dangers Answer: D. to guard against possible dangers Question: A father sat at his desk and looked at his bills when his young son rushed in and announced: "Dad, because today is your birthday and you're 40 years old, I'm going to give you 40 kisses, one for each year!" When the boy started making good on his word ( ) , the father shouted: "Andrew, don't do it now. I'm too busy! " The boy soon fell silent as tears fell from his big blue eyes. Feeling sorry, the father said: "You can finish later. The boy said nothing but quietly walked away." That evening the father said: "Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!" But the boy didn't. Unfortunately, a few days later after the father's birthday, the boy had an accident and died. His sad father wrote: "If only(...,)I could tell him how sorry I am for my thoughtless words, and how much my heart is hurting." Love is a two-way street. We must warmly accept any loving act, or others will take it as a "NO" and it can leave a scar . If we don't receive love, our life will lose its true meaning. Nothing is more important than accepting love from those who are near and dear to us . ,. On his father's birthday, the boy wanted to _ A. help pay the bills B. have a talk with his father C. buy his father a gift D. give his father kisses Answer: D. give his father kisses Question: It's easy to get lost in a _ city. Here are some tips to help you find the way and get to your destination . Take a map with you when you go to a new place. If you lose your way, look at the map, you'll find the place where you want to go. If you still can't find the place on the map, ask the police for help.They will tell you the right way to go. Remember the name of your hotel and the street where it is. If you can't find the way back, take a taix. I hope these tips can help you. You should ask _ for help if you lose your way. A. a man B. a woman C. the police D. your teacher Answer: C. the police Question: I shook hands with my father in the truck, and for a long time he looked straight ahead and didn't say a word.But I knew he was going to say a little to me."I can't tell anything." he finally said."I never went to college, and none of your brothers went to college.I can't say don't do this and do that, because everything is different and I don't know what is going to come up.I can't help much with money either, but I think things will work out." He gave me a new check-book ."If things get pushing, write a small check.But when you write one, send me a letter and let me know how much.There are some things we can always sell." In four years all the checks I wrote were less than a thousand dollars.My part-time jobs such as reading to the blind student and sitting with the teachers' kids filled in the _ . "You know what you want to be, and they'll tell you what to take," my father went on."When you get a job, be sure it's honest, and work hard." I knew that soon I would be alone in the big town, and I would be missing the cool winds and a life where your thinking was done for you. Then my dad reached down beside his seat and brought the old, broken Bible that he had read so often, the one he used when he wanted to look something up in a friendly quarrel with one of the neighbours.I knew he would miss it.I knew, though, that I must take it. He didn't say read this every morning.He just said," This can help you if you will let it." Did it help? I got through college without being a burden on the family.I have been able to make money since. Why did the father not ask his son not to do this and do that? A. Because he felt quite confident of his son. B. Because he was born from a poor family. C. Because he was a man of few words. D. Because he didn't want to be much too strict with his son. Answer: A. Because he felt quite confident of his son. Question: Base your answer on the information below and on your knowledge of science. A baseball strikes the roof of a car and dents it. The paint on the roof begins to crack and chip, exposing the metal. The exposed metal on the roof rusts, eventually causing a small hole in the roof. Which event is a chemical change? A. The baseball strikes the roof. B. The roof of the car dents. C. The paint cracks and chips. D. The exposed metal rusts. Answer: D. The exposed metal rusts.
Tom and Edward are brothers. They are very different in many aspects . Tom likes basketball very much. It's very interesting for him. He likes tennis, too. But he doesn't like soccer. He thinks it's difficult and boring. Edward, his brother, likes soccer best. He thinks it's so exciting and interesting. He plays it every day, and he has a collection of four tennis balls. But he doesn't like tennis. They also like different food. Tom likes eggs and fruits. Apples are his favorite. But Edward likes meat and vegetables, and broccoli is his favorite. But they also have the same hobbies. They like rock music very much. They like Beatles very much. They can also play the drums and the guitar well. They make a band with their best friend, Cindy. The band's name is Sea. The people around like their band very much. What instruments can Tom and Edward play? Answer: Two of the hardest things to accomplish in this world are to acquire wealth by honest effort and, having gained it, to learn how to use it properly. Recently 1 walked into the locker room of a rather well-known golf club after finishing a round.It was in the late afternoon and most of the members had left for their homes. But a half-dozen or so men past middle age were still seated at tables talking aimlessly and drinking more than was good for them. These same men can be found there day after day.and,strangely enough,each one of these men had been a man of affairs and wealth,successful in business and respected in the community.If material prosperity were the chief necessity for happiness, then each one should have been happy. Yet,it seemed to me,something very important was missing,else there would not have been the constant effort to escape the realities of life through scotch and soda. They knew, each one of them,that their productivity had ceased .When a fruit tree ceases to bear its fruit,it is dying.And it is even so with man. What 1s the answer to a long and happy existence in this world of ours? I think I found it long ago in a passage from the book of Genesis which caught my eye while I was looking through my Bible. The words were few,but they became memorably impressed on my mind:"In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread." To me,that has been a challenge from my earliest recollections (memories).In fact,the battle of life,of existence,is a challenge to everyone.The immortal words of St.Paul,too,have been and always will be a great inspiration to me.At the end of the road 1 want to be able to feel that I have fought a good fight,I have finished the course,I have kept the faith. We learn from the passage that the author _ . Answer: Young men often give flowers to young women when they are in love. This tradition may have come from prefix = st1 /Turkey. In the 1700s inTurkey, it was quite popular for people in love to send each other baskets full of strange things. The baskets were delivered secretly to the person who was receiving it. Usually, an old woman who sold flowers or fruit on the street left the basket beside the person's door. These baskets included a variety of "gifts": flowers, stones, feathers, wax, and even charcoal. Each thing in the basket had a special meaning. By figuring out the secret message contained in each item, the person who received the basket began to understand little by little the true feeling of the person who sent it. This idea of sending gifts of love with secret meanings quickly spread toGermany,France, andEngland. However, as time passed, only flowers remained popular. An innocent bunch of flowers told young ladies about the feeling in the hearts of young men. Each different flower held a different meaning. For example, the flowers from an orange tree meant, "You are beautiful and pure." Pink carnations meant, "My love for you is strong and great." Yellow roses, on the other hand, meant, "I saw you with someone else." Many flower dictionaries were made to help young people in love understand the meaning of the flowers they received. Not all of the dictionaries agreed, however, on the meaning of each flower, so a person had to be careful about the flowers they chose to send. By the 1880s, using flowers to send messages had fallen out of fashion, and the more direct way of sending love letters began. Today, flowers are still considered a lovely gift, but the meaning for each kind of flower has been lost. What is likely to be the title of this text? Answer: Many Americans have been leaving their cars at home and riding to work on bicycles. Andy Clark is the leader of the League of American Bicyclists. His group supports bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. Clark says this is good news for the environment. He says riding a bicycle to work does not burn fossil fuel or creates dangerous pollutions. Experts say the effects are the most important on short trips. The Department of Transportation says fifty percent of Americans drive eight kilometers or fewer to work. Shorter car trips set out more pollution into the air for each kilometer drive. This is because the car engine will set out the harmful air when it warms up before it can work well. James, a members of Congress , is a strong supporter of bicycle use. He says cities, counties, state governments and state highway transportation agencies are planning the roadways of the future. They are creating roads and paths for bicycles in cities and between communities. Last year, Portland, the Pacific Northwest city in the state of Oregon, had the highest percentage of bicycle users in the United States. Portland has been doing progressive city planning for many years to create special paths for bike riders. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: In 1995, Susan Boyle went to Glasgow toaudition forMy Kind of people, a televised talent show popular in the UK. She was immediately rejected. She was nervous during the audition, and felt she didn't perform well, but her brother said that she was rejected because of her plain looks. Boyle was not discouraged and continued to sing at church and at the karaoke nights in a local pub. Boyle suffered a personal loss in 1997, when her father passed away. After his death. Boyle put her big dreams on hold to care for her sick mother Bridget Boyle. The mother and daughter often talked of Susan's possible fame. Bridget Boyle encouraged her daughter to take part in singing competitions. "She was the one who said I should enterBritain's Got Talent. We used to watch it together." Susan later told reporters. "She thought I would win." In 1999, Boyle used all of her savings to pay for a professionaldemo tape. which she sent to record companies. In 2002, Boyle began taking singing lessons from voice coach Fred O'Neil. In 2007, Boyle's mother passed away at the age of 91. A neighbor reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter "wouldn't come out for three or four days or answer the door or phone." She lived alone with her cat, Pebbles. For over a year, she refused to sing. But in August of 2008, O'Neil urged her to try out forBritain's Got Talent. Convinced that the performance would be an honor to her mother, Boyle auditioned in Glasgow, Scotland. She sangI Dreamed A Dreamin the first round of the show, which was aired on 11 April 2009. The 47-year-old Scottish woman's plain looks provided a sharpcontrast to her powerfully beautiful voice. The performance astonished the audience and the judges. Online videos of her performance totaled over 40 million views within a week. Although she failed to win the final ofBritain's Got Talent, Susan Boyle became globally popular. Her first albumI Dreamed A Dreamhas sold over five million copies. Which of the following is TRUE about Susan Boyle? Answer:
Which of these is the BEST reason to study weather? A To be prepared for storms B To learn how fossils are formed C To see changing phases of the Moon D To find ways for animals to live longer Answer: A. To be prepared for storms In the second half of each year, many powerful storms are born in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean seas. Of these, only about half a dozen becomes the strong, circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that are called hurricanes, and several usually make their way to the coast. There they cause millions of dollars of damage, and bring death to large numbers of people. The great storms that hit the coast start as soft circling wind hundreds -- even thousands -- of miles out to sea. As they travel aimlessly over water warmed by the summer sun, they are carried westward by the southeast winds. When conditions are just right, warm, moist air flows in at the bottom of such a wind, moves upward through it and comes out at the top. In the process , the moisture in this warm air produces rain, and with it the heat is changed to energy in the form of strong winds. As the heat increases, the young hurricane begins to move in a counter-clockwise motion . The life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but it contains almost more power than we can imagine. The energy in the heat released by a hurricane's rainfall in a single day would satisfy the entire electrical needs of the United States for more than six months. Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6 to 12 inch downpours, causing sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea -- the mountains of water moving toward the hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore. Here the word "downpour" means _ . A heavy rainfall B dangerous waves C the progress of water to the hurricane center D the increasing heat Answer: A. heavy rainfall John Doe, the owner of a milk container manufacturing firm, sought to focus public attention on the milk packaging law of the State of Clinton in order to have it repealed. On a weekday at 12 noon, he delivered an excited, animated, and loud harangue on the steps of the State Capitol in front of the main entryway. An audience of 200 onlookers, who gathered on the steps, heckled him and laughed as he delivered his tirade. Doe repeatedly stated, gesturing expressively and making faces, that "the g ddamned milk packaging law is stupid," and that "I will strangle every one of those g ddamned legislators I can get hold of because this law they created proves they are all too dumb to live." After about 15 minutes, Doe stopped speaking, and the amused crowd dispersed. There are three relevant statutes of the State of Clinton. The first statute prohibits "all speech making, picketing, and public gatherings of every sort on the Capitol steps in front of the main entryway during the hours of 7:45 a.m. 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. 12:15 p.m., 12:45 p.m. 1:15 p.m., and 4:45 p.m. 5:15 p.m. on Capitol working days.""A second state statute punishes "any person who shall intentionally threaten the life or safety of any public official for any act which he performed as part of his public office." Which of the following statements is correct concerning the possible punishment of Doe under the second statute? A The statute is unconstitutional on its face. B The statute is constitutional on its face, but Doe could not constitutionally be punished under it for this speech. C Doe could constitutionally be punished under the statute for his speech. D Doe could constitutionally be punished under the statute for his speech, but only if one or more legislators were actually present when he delivered it Answer: B. The statute is constitutional on its face, but Doe could not constitutionally be punished under it for this speech. How do you get across a river? A bridge is the best way. In some places, there are no bridges. People use the ferry . A ferry is a boat that takes people and cars across the river. Both ends of a ferry look the same. The ferry never has to turn around. It docks at one side of the river. People and cars get on. At the other side, the ferry docks again. The people and cars get off. Other cars and people get on. And then the ferry goes back across the river. In many places, bridges are now taking the place of ferries. In 1964, the longest bridge in the world was built in New York over Now York Bay . It is called the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. This bridge has two roads, one over the other. Each road is wide enough for six lanes of traffic. _ is the best way for people to go across the river. A The bridge B The car C The ferry D The bus Answer: A. The bridge For an agreed price of $20 million, Bildko, Inc., contracted with Venture to design and build on Venture's commercial plot a 15-story office building. In excavating for the foundation and underground utilities, Bildko encountered a massive layer of granite at a depth of 15 feet. By reasonable safety criteria, the building's foundation required a minimum excavation of 25 feet. When the contract was made, neither Venture nor Bildko was aware of the subsurface granite, for the presence of which neither party had hired a qualified expert to test. Claiming accurately that removal of enough granite to permit the construction as planned would cost him an additional $3 million and a probable net loss on the contract of $2 million, Bildko refused to proceed with the work unless Venture would promise to pay an additional $2.5 million for the completed building. If Venture refuses and sues Bildko for breach of contract, which of the following will the court probably decide? A Bildko is excused under the modern doctrine of supervening impossibility, which includes severe impracticability. B Bildko is excused, because the contract is voidable on account of the parties' mutual mistake concerning an essential underlying fact. C Venture prevails, because Bildko assumed the risk of encountering subsurface granite that was unknown to Venture. D Venture prevails, unless subsurface granite was previously unknown anywhere in the vicinity of Venture's construction site. Answer: C. Venture prevails, because Bildko assumed the risk of encountering subsurface granite that was unknown to Venture.
Surgeons in Spain have successfully carried out the world's first organ transplant using new stem cell technology. Some people are calling it the greatest medical breakthrough so far this century. But what are stem cells? As we know, most cells in our bodies are designed to serve specific purposes - for example, a liver cell develops to work in the liver and cannot become a heart cell. But stem cells are different. They are very young, and in the laboratory scientists can grow them into different types of cell. Claudia Castillo needed a new windpipe after getting a serious disease. Scientists from the University of Bristol in the UK took a donor windpipe, or trachea, from someone who had recently died. They used strong chemicals to remove the donor's cells, leaving a tissue scaffold . This was refilled with cells from Ms Castillo's windpipe, and stem cells from her bone. After four days the cells had grown sufficiently for the windpipe to be transplanted into Ms Castillo. Currently, transplant patients have to take drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent their bodies rejecting the new organs. These drugs can have bad side-effects, and do not always prevent rejection. But by using Ms Castillo's own cells, doctors were able to trick her body into thinking the new windpipe was her own organ. Five months on, Claudia Castillo is in perfect health. This ground-breaking procedure could be used in other transplant operations in the future. Scientists also believe stem cells might be used to treat Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, burns and so on. However, stem cell research is extremely controversial. The most effective stem cells do not come from adults but from embryos created in laboratories and which are just a few days old. Many people have religious or ethical objections to growing embryos, even if they can be used to cure diseases. Which word can best describe the scientists' attitude towards the stem cell technology? A. controversial B. confident C. conservative D. critical Answer: B Where in the world will a person have the smallest shadow at noon? A. the arctic circle B. the south pole C. the north pole D. near the equator Answer: D A hare was very popular with the other animals who all said they were her friends.But one day she heard the hounds getting close and hoped to escape them by the aid of her many friends.So,she went to the horse,and asked him to carry her away from the hounds on his back.But he refused,because he had important work to do for his master.He felt sure that all her other friends would come to help her. She then came to the bull,and hoped that he would _ the hounds with his horns .The bull replied,"I am very sorry,but I have an appointment with a lady;but I feel sure that our friend the goat will do what you want."The goat,however,feared that his back might do her some harm if he took her upon it.The sheep,he felt sure,was the proper friend to ask for help. So she went to the sheep and told him the situation.The sheep replied,"Another time,my dear friend.I do not like to have anything to do with it,as hounds have been known to eat sheep as well as hares." The hare then went,as a last hope,to the calf ,who regretted that he was unable to help her,as he did not like to take the responsibility upon himself.By this time the hounds were quite near,and the hare took to her heels and luckily escaped. What do we know about the hare? A. She was strong enough to face all the dangers. B. She was friendly and all animals loved to help her. C. She was ready to help other animals when necessary. D. She got along well with the other animals and had a lot of friends. Answer: D Peter is thirteen years old. He is in Grade Two this year. He likes to play soccer and watch soccer games. And he often reads newspapers. He does his best to know when and where there is going to be a soccer game. Now Peter is having lunch. He is listening to the radio, too. He is very happy because there is going to be a nice soccer game on TV at four this afternoon. He wants to watch it very much. But he is going to have English and Chinese classes. He thinks hard and wants to find a way. "Hello, Mrs. Black," Peter says to his teacher on the telephone, "Peter is ill in bed. He wants to ask for half a day's leave ( )." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." says Mrs. Black, "But who's that?" "It's my father, Mrs. Black." Peter wants to ask for half a day's leave because _ . A. his father is ill in bed B. he wants to watch the soccer game C. he is ill in bed D. he doesn't like English or Chinese classes Answer: B Flowers make themselves attractive to hummingbirds with A. nocturnal access B. prickly thorns C. dull, subdued colors D. an optimal angle Answer: D
I love to tell the story about how I met my best friend---- Tiger. We met at the school fair. Each year, all the fourth-grade classes hold a school fair. Everyone in the fourth-grade works at the fair. Some sell ice cream, drinks and snacks. Others take care of the little children who ride the rides. I got the second job and I've never regretted it, because that's where I met Tiger. My job was to help little children get on the back of a little horse. I kept telling the children to wait their turn and holding ice cream for them while they rode about. One thing was clear to me. I was growing older and should be more responsible. Suddenly, a boy came to the horse. He took the little horse's reins! The horse stopped, and the girl on its back started to fall. I was trying to reach the girl when I saw Tiger go by my legs. It held the horse's reins and pulled the horse away from my legs. I caught the girl just before we both hit the ground. The girl sat on top of me. She was laughing at the ice cream on my face. The horse's reins were in Tiger's mouth! Thanks to Tiger's fast action, I saved the little girl. We were both heroes. And Tiger, the fastest dog I've even known became my new best friend. As soon as the little horse stopped, the girl _ . A. started to fall B. laughed at the writer C. hit the ground D. sat on top of the writer Answer: A. started to fall Enjoy wonderful programmes on Hello TV 7.00 a.m.-8.00 a.m. Follow Billy As Billy grows up, his tail is becoming longer and longer. He is worried about it very much and wants to ask someone for help. It is said there is an old man in the forest. He has magic power to do everything. Billy decided to visit him. You can have an adventure in the forest with Billy and learn some useful English vocabulary from it. 10.00 a.m.-11.00 a.m. Best Friends It is about two kids ----Jane and Alice. They are good friends and always trust and support each other. After watching this drama series, you will know the magic of friendship. 5.00 p.m-6.30 p.m. World Sport This is a sports round-up for kids. It covers the recent important sporting events. There are also interviews with some young sports stars. They are hard-working and full of dreams. By answering questions on the phone, you can get some sports posters. According to the TV guide, which of the following sentences is true? A. Best Friends is shown at night. B. Billy is worried about the old man so he goes to visit him. C. We can see some players in World Sport. D. You can get sports posters by answering Billy's questions. Answer: C. We can see some players in World Sport. Today about 70 countries use Daylight Saving Time (DST). Daylight Saving was first introduced during World War I in Australia. During the world wars, DST was used for the late summers beginning January 1917 and 1942, and the full summers beginning September 1942 and 1943. In 1967, Tasmania experienced a drought . The State Government introduced one hour of daylight saving that summer as a way of saving power and water. Tasmanians liked the idea of daylight saving and the Tasmanian Government has declared daylight saving each summer since 1968. Persuaded by the Tasmanian Government, all states except two passed a law in 1971, for a test use of daylight saving. In 1972, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria joined Tasmania for regular daylight saving, but Queensland did not do so until 1989. Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia have had irregular plans, often changing their dates due to politics or festivals . For example, in 1992, Tasmania extended daylight saving by an extra month while South Australia began extending daylight saving by two weeks for the Adelaide Festival. Special daylight saving plans were made during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The differences in daylight saving in Australia continue to cause serious problems in transport and many other social activities. It also reduces the number of hours in the working day that are common to all centers in the country. In particular, time differences along the east coast cause major differences, especially for the broadcasters of national radio and television. What can we learn about DST in some Australian states? A. It doesn't have fixed dates. B. It is not used in festivals. C. Its plan was changed in 2000. D. It lasts for two weeks Answer: A. It doesn't have fixed dates. Friendship can deeply affect the physical and mental health of both men and women. Studies show that people who have no friends or who are lonely, are more likely to die earlier, get sick more often and suffer greater physical wear and tear than those who have a support system of friends. Sometimes, family members may be more likely to give you advice or tell you what you don't want to hear. It may not be as good as a friend who will listen to you and guide you, but support your decisions anyway. The most important elements about friendship are those who suffer support and do not judge your decisions based on society. One reason for the link between social support and good health practice seems to be that people who feel cared for by others are less stress-out and protected against the symptoms of depression and loneliness. Generally, women benefit most because of how they deal with stress. Women are more social in how they deal with stress than men while men are more likely to have a "fight or flight" reaction. Women also tend to have larger, denser social network, in which more people know each other and help each other, while men typically have smaller groups of friends and will rely on their wives or other important people for more support. While all these affect people psychologically , friendship brings comfort that reduces the ill effects of stress, and the sex difference also contributes to the difference in the length of one's life time. This passage mainly talks about _ . A. why people should develop friendship B. when friendship affects people's health C. people's different attitudes towards friendship D. the friendship which can make people live longer Answer: D. the friendship which can make people live longer For some people, it's easy to get dressed for work. Pilots and police officers, for example, don't have to make decisions about their work clothes. They wear uniforms to work every day. For many office workers, however, it is more difficult to choose clothes for work. They do not wear uniforms to the office. Also, many organizations are changing their _ . They are allowing their employees to wear casual clothes to work. The change to casual work clothes began in the 1990s. At first, many companies in the United States allowed employees to wear casual clothes on one day of the week--Friday. Friday became "Casual Friday" or "Dress-down Friday". Today, however, many companies are allowing their employees to wear casual clothes every day of the week. Some studies show that people are producing and achieving more when they are wearing comfortable clothes. Some companies also like the casual dress code because they don't need to buy special clothes for work. They can save money this way. Unfortunately, a casual dress code can also cause problems. Sometimes employees think they can wear anything. Many companies have rules about casual clothes. They list the kinds of clothes that are not "business-casual" clothes. Blue jeans, sandals, and sportswear are examples of clothes that are usually too casual for the office. What do pilots and police officers wear to work? A. Casual clothes. B. Sportswear. C. Blue jeans. D. Uniforms. Answer: D. Uniforms.
A tender woman, or an independent one, which one would you prefer? Arecent research shows that most people would choose the latter. This type of woman is called a nuhanzi ("tough woman"). Experts believe these characteristics have social and psychological roots among young femalesin China. Su Hao's friends all call her a tough woman, because she can finish tough tasks usually carried out by men. For example, she carries 10-litre water to her dormitory on the 5th floor. "I depend on no one but myself," she says. According to a recent survey by China Youth Daily, tough women have become rather common in society. Of the 21,265 respondents, 78.5 percent said they are familiar with a tough woman. About 50 percent said they like women with tough characteristics, while less than 29 percent expressed the opposite view. Why are tough women gaining popularity? Shen Meng, a psychological consultant, believes the fierce competition in society is contributing to this trend. "Women are often in a disadvantaged position compared to men," Shen says. "In order to survive, they have to be independent, strong and tough." Liu Xiao lin, professor of psychology at Wuhan Mental Health Center, believes tough women are brought up this way. They are often on close relationship with their fathers, who teach their daughters to be brave and decisive," he says. As a result, these women are more likely to be psychologically healthy and more tolerant to stress, according to Liu. Though Liu believes that this is a good trend, Hu Shenzhi, a psychologist at the Guangdong Sunflower Counseling Center, says the popularity of tough woman indicates an unclear line between gender identities, which can lead to relationship problems. "Some women with characteristics that differ from the traditional female image may have a difficult time finding Mr Right," he says."Even if they get married, their manly characteristics might cause family conflicts. What problems may tough women have in their life? Answer: Everyone takes drugs.Sometimes a drug might be called a herb but the effect is the same.Drugs and herbs can make life better for they are used to improve health.From the simplest headache to a cure for cancer, people believe that certain drugs can help them.But there is danger if the drugs are not used in a proper way. American teenagers sometimes use certain drugs to feel good.They call this "getting high".The problem is that once a young man or a young woman has the feeling of"getting high",they want to do it often.If school is boring or too hard,students might get depressed and a drug or herb might help them feel better.If the student takes too much of a drug,the body may change in a wrong way such as a confused mind,poor sight,a headache,and an uncomfortable stomach. Schools now have D.A.R.E.program which means Drug Abuse Resistance Education.This program was started so that young students from age 10 to 18 might understand how a drug affects their bodies.The main point of the program is education.Once a student understands certain drugs can cause ill health,he will know he should not use them. Education is the key to good nutrition as well.If a student eats correctly,he or she will be full of energy which leads to good study habits and good grades.Poor nutrition may cause the need for more sleep and poor concentration.Proper food is similar to the proper use of drugs.Both allow a healthy body to grow while misuse of them prevents a person from developing normally. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage? Answer: Security--for the information on your smart phone, as well as for the phone itself--is a hot topic these days.The truth is that you're packing a lot of sensitive information on your phone, and you should keep it safe. When it comes to physical security, iPhone users would do well to download Find My iPhone, a free app from Apple that allows you to visit a website and see your (lost, stolen or misplaced) phone on the map.You can then sound an alarm, send a message that will pop up on its screen, lock the phone or erase all your data. Android does not have an exact equivalent , but there are plenty of alternatives. A free app called Lookout offers the findmyphone feature.The paid version allows you to wipe the data from your phone remotely. Then there is your coffee shop's WiFi network.Anyone with minimal technical expert skill can snoop on people using shared wireless networks, harvesting passwords and other personal data. Lookout will caution you when you've logged on to an insecure network, but cannot protect you once you're there. In order to protect yourself on such networks, you can use a virtual private network, or VPN. This turns all your activity into nonsense to anyone trying to read along with you from across Starbucks. It also keeps websites from tracking you and, if you're travelling, allows you to get access to sites that may be blocked in other countries. If you have an iPhone, the simplest VPN app is probably Hotspot Shield, whose distinguishing feature is said to be that it automatically kicks in each time you start browsing , as opposed to other VPN apps that require you to start them up manually .This matters, because even if you decide you want a VPN app, you want to spend approximately zero time thinking about it. For the most part, _ was true of Hotspot Shield, though occasionally it took a while to connect or temporarily lost connection without warning. I found myself having to turn the app on and off sometimes, which involved setting my phone constantly. If even reading about the settings on your phone drive you crazy, then it is probably best to stay away from a VPN app. But if you're the type who can't resist checking your bank balance from your corner bar, the hassle may be preferable to the risk. Which of the following can warn you against the insecure network? Answer: It's interesting that the arrival of snow has effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others a catastrophe or even a wonder. But there are countries between these two kinds that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one of them, for which the arrival of snow quite simply causes problems. Within hours of the first snowfalls, however light, roads are blocked, trains and buses have to stop in the middle of the way. Normal communication is affected as well: telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. And almost within hours, there are also certain shortages----bread, vegetables and other things-----not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened and go out and store up with food and so on...just for fear that something bad should happen. But why does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, the Austrians and the Canadians don't have such problems. It is simple because there is not enough planning and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow-ploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy snow-ploughs is that they are used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospital, education, helping the old and so on.. The words "two kinds" in the passage mean the countries _ . Answer: Some fields house incredible creatures such as Answer:
Betty and Harold have been married for years .But one thing still puzzles old Harold .How is it that he can leave Betty and her friend Joan sitting on the sofa ,talking ,go out to a ballgame ,come back three and a half hours later ,and they're still sitting on the sofa ? Talking ? What in the world ,Harold wonders ,do they have to talk about ? Betty shrugs .Talk ? We're friends . Researching this matter called friendship ,psychologist Lillian Rubin spent two years interviewing more than two hundred women and men .No matter what their age ,their job ,their sex ,the results were completely clear :women have more friendships than men ,and the difference in the content and the quality of those friendships is "marked and unmistakable ." More than two -thirds of the single men Rubin interviewed could not name a best friend. Those who could were likely to name a woman .Yet three-quarters of the single women had no problem naming a best friend ,and almost always it was a woman .More married men than women named their wife/husband as a best friend ,most trusted person ,or the one they would turn to in time of emotional distress ."Most women ,"says Rubin ,"identified at least one ,usually more ,trusted friends to whom they could turn in a troubled moment ,and they spoke openly about the importance of these relationships in their lives ." "In general,"writes Rubin in her new book ,"women's friendships with each other rest on shared emotions and support ,but men's relationships are marked by shared activities." For the most part ,Rubin says ,interactions between men are emotionally controlled -a good fit with the social requirements of "manly behavior ." "Even when a man is said to be a best friend ,"Rubin writes ,"the two share little about their innermost feelings .Whereas a woman's closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage ,it wasn't unusual to hear a man say he didn't know his friend's marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa ." Rubin's study shows that for emotional support a married woman is more likely to turn to _ . Answer: a female friend Dear Editor , I used to be a doctor in a children's hospital. Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned by medicines for older family members. The children didn't know the medicine was dangerous; they just knew it tasted sweet. Children easily opened the bottle that we now use in China. Some days ago I talked about medicine with an American. He showed me a kind of plastic bottle. The design was very quite simple and I'm sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles. The top of the bottle locks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning. This is difficult for most young children to do, though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily. I'm certain that the price of making such tops would be very low. As a doctor, I'd love to see this done. And most parents would be grateful. Yours, Li Hua The doctor seems to be _ . Answer: anxious to solve the problem You want to know about my staying in America ,right ? Well ,to tell you the truth ,it is really an eye-opening experience to study here . In China ,I had English classes five times a week since fifth grade .However ,I didn't know how different textbook English could be from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School ,Connecticut . When I first studied English ,I was told to say ,"I am fine"when people say"How are you ?"But in the US ,I found that people say ,"I am good "or"I'm tired". One day , someone greeted me with "What's up ?"It made me _ .I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say . Since then ,I have discovered more and more differences between Chinese and US cultures . To my surprise ,US girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun to get a tan .However , in China ,girls try every possible way to get their skin paler , or"whiter". I was also surprised by how hardworking US students are . In China ,schoolwork is almost everything ,so we study hard and that's it .But here ,a "good "student gets good grades ,does a lot for the public and plays sports or music . The kids here are so talented ,I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports . According to the writer ,textbook English is _ everyday English . Answer: quite different from The New York Times is now better than ever-All the more reasons to order home delivery now. NEW-Separate sections for the Arts, Monday through Thursday, and Sports 7 days a week that you can pull out, take with you or pass along. NEW-The Dinning In, Dinning Out section, Wednesday, a banquet of great meals you can make yourself order up or eat out. NEW-The House & Home section, Thursday, filled with useful, interesting features and articles about making the most of all sorts of living spaces. NEW-An Enlarged, two-part Weekend section, Friday with more ideas about movies, shows, art exhibitions, outdoor and indoor recreation. Latest news and sports results daily. And of course, daily world and national news, Sunday's special sections and all the other great features you'll continue to find in the Times. Find out just how much you can obtain from the Times every day. Call 1-800-311-1969 or use the postage-paid order card to order convenient home delivery at 50% OFF our regular price. The owner of the passage advertises _ . Answer: to persuade people to buy the Times Dear Customers, I love slipping into a comfortable chair for a long read, as I relax into the chair. I also relax into the author's words, stories, and ideas. The physical book is so elegant that it disappears into the background, and what remains is the author's world. Today, we at Amazon are excited to announce Kindle, a wireless, portable reading device with instant access to more than 90,000 books, magazines, and newspapers. We've been working on Kindle for more than three years. Our top design objective was for Kindle to disappear in your hands --to get out of the way --so you can enjoy your reading. We also wanted to go beyond the physical book. Kindle is wireless, so whether you're lying in bed or riding a train, you can think of a book, and have it in less than 60 seconds. No computer is needed--you do your reading directly from the device. We chose the same wireless technology used in advanced mobile phones. But unlike mobile phones, there are no monthly wireless bills, no service or data plans, and no yearly contracts. There is no software to install(,). We want you to get lost in your reading and not in the technology. Kindle uses a new kind of display called electronic paper. Sharp and natural with no strong light, reading on Kindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen. Kindle weighs only 10.3 ounces --less than a paperback --but can carry two hundred books. Enjoy learning about Kindle and many thanks! From the passage we learn that Kindle is a device which _ . Answer: can find a book within one minute
Backpacking in Europe is a wonderful experience for young people around the world.After high school or university,you can plan a European backpacking trip. Packing As you plan the things you will carry,bring warm clothes and a raincoat or umbrella to deal with changing weather in different European countries.Europeans like dressing nicely,and good clothes will make you feel less like a dusty backpacker.It is not worth taking the trouble to bring a hair dryer or shampoo,as you can buy basic necessities in Europe. Hostels The cheapest places to sleep when backpacking in Europe are hostels(where people can stay and eat fairly cheaply).Most hostels have a lot of information about low-cost ways to see local attractions,and many offer tours.The cost for hostel beds differs from country to country.In Paris,you might pay 30 euros,but in Bulgaria,you can get a bed for 10 euros.In general,hostels are more expensive in large,popular cities such as Paris,Rome and London. Many backpackers use rail passes ,which allow unlimited travel within country groups over a period of time.If you have the time to travel by train and will be traveling in a country group,this can be a good deal.Otherwise,you may consider point-to-point tickets,local trains,buses and airlines such as Ryanair,easyJet and Wizz Air,which offer cheap flights. Food Eating out in Europe can come with a high cost,and the best way to cut your food budget is to cook meals in the shared kitchens in hostels.You can make several meals into picnics to take advantage of Europe's parks.When shopping for your picnic,try and buy at a local market.You save some euros while supporting the local industry at the same time.When eating out,choose restaurants away from tourist attractions. Which of the following is an advantage of hostels? A. They are often built in popular cities. B. They are mainly open to young people. C. They usually provide tour information. D. They always ask the same price for their beds. Answer: C. They usually provide tour information. We all want to live comfortably and safely here, so here are some rules. we hope that all residents can follow. Cleaning The main stairs are cleaned twice a week by the Association, so please try to keep them tidy and clean and do not leave furniture or bags on the stairs or in the hallways. Rubbish Rubbish collection is on Tuesdays. Please do not leave rubbish bags out before Tuesday. Noise Try to make less noise. Loud music can disturb others and we will get in touch with you if you make too much noise. Safety Make sure the main outside door is always locked and do not let anyone get into the main building unless you know who they are. Problems . If you have any problems or questions, please call Mr. Wu at 13662687439. You can also chat with him by QQ 34567890 What can the residents do according to the notice? A. They can leave rubbish bags out on Wednesday. B. They can have a birthday party at home late at night. C. They can open the main outside door when their friends visit them. D. They can leave rubbish bags or other things on the stairs or in the hallways. Answer: A. They can leave rubbish bags out on Wednesday. 1Rio2 is a great movie. Blu, Jewl and their three kids leave their home in the city for a trip to the Amazon rainforest . When they get there, they try to adapt to the new life in the rainforest. But Blu finds they're in danger. What do the family members do next? You can find the answer in the movie, but now let's get to know about the family members. 2Blu is the father of the family. He likes making food for his family and he likes watching soccer games. 3Jewel is the mother of the family. She wants to take her children to live a different life. 4Bia is very smart. She goes everywhere with a book in her hand. She is very kind, but she doesn't like flying. 5Carla is the eldest of the three children. She is very beautiful and she likes listening to music all day. 6Tiago is the youngest of the kids. He looks very thin, but he is good at dancing. What is Rio2? A. A book. B. A movie. C. A song. D. A comic . Answer: B. A movie. London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better. The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire * He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin,sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts of the ships that were once on the river Thames. The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices. Before building work began, a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city. Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor. The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city. When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to . _ A. change London's skyline B. inherit London's tradition C. imitate the Egyptian style D. attract potential visitors Answer: B. inherit London's tradition Report Card London Woodland School Name: Alan Class: 5 Grade: 8 Grade teacher: Mr Jim Green English: Good work this term. He has a good memory and is good at speaking. A Maths: Good. But sometimes he is careless. B History: He knows a lot about British history, but little about other countries. B Geography: He is a clever student but sometimes doesn't do his best. C Home Economics: Good. He likes it best. He can do things for himself. A Which of the following is right? A. Alan knows a lot about American history. B. Alan is clever and careful. C. Alan got a good result in Geography. D. Alan has a good memory. Answer: D. Alan has a good memory.
When I decided to quit my job as a wedding photographer, I was in my late twenties, fresh from my divorce from Bob who had left me empty and confused. I decided to leave the US and travel. I had no savings, plus more than $5,000 in debt. What I did have were two sponsored tasks as a travel photographer- and with that along, I thought, it would be easy. My first experience was a road trip from Toronto to Las Vegas, paid for by a car delivery service. Other trips followed and then I started a travel blog . It was intended to be my calling card for assignment travel photography. Yet even with my blog and past experience, email after email I sent to publications, trying to get work, went unanswered. When they did get in touch, editors told me that I had no chance of making a career with travel photography. While I struggled to get on the path that I wanted, and as I expanded my blog to help get me there, I found myself wearing the hat of a full-time blogger. Luckily, I got in at the right time. It was 2010,and the travel industry was just starting to turn its attention to bloggers. As I never could have predicted, my blogging-not my photography-did take me around the world successfully. At first,I thought it was for personal reasons, but I realized later that it was for free marketing for my blogging. Within two years, I was being asked to speak at travel blogging conferences, which helped me to raise a network of friends around the world. Even more meaningful, however, was when I saw that my travels were also helping other people. My blog and social media followers saw that I chased my dreams and told me over and over again how they needed that kind of example, which was absent in their lives elsewhere. What did the author think of her two years' work? Answer: Billie Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers in America. Her life was just a mixture of success and tragedy. Her singing expressed her experiences and feelings. Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in 1915 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents were Sadie Fagan and Clarence Holiday. They were young when their daughter was born. Their marriage failed because Clarence Holiday was often out. He traveled as a musician with some of the earliest jazz bands and inspired his daughter. Sadie Fagan cleaned people's houses to make a living. But she could not support her family with the money she earned. So she moved to New York City where the pay was higher. She left her daughter in Baltimore with one of her distant relatives. The young girl Eleanora Fagan changed her name to Billie, because she liked a movie star, Billie Dove. The talented Billie Holiday loved singing. She sang and listened to music whenever she could. In one place near her home there was a machine that played records. The building was a theater where many famous singers also performed their newly-made songs for free. Billie cleaned floors and did other jobs for the theater so that she could listen to the records. It was there that young Billie first heard the records of some famous black American blues artists of the 1920s. she heard Bessie Smith sing the blues. And she heard Louis Armstrong play the horn. Both musicians had a great influence on her. Billie Holiday once said, "I do not think I'm singing. I feel like I am playing a horn. _ I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That is all I know." Who might originally have had an influence on Billie Holiday's career in music? Answer: There was a huge battle between the warriors of Greece and the people of Troy. Prince Paris from Troy had stolen away the Greek queen; Helen. The Greek warriors set sail for Troy to fight for their queen. The battle outside Troy lasted for ten years. The men were fed up and wanted to return to their homes. Athene, goddess of war gave Ulysses the idea for a plan to end the war. They built a big wooden horse which they put in the middle of their encampment . Next they pretended to give up their camp. In reality many soldiers hid inside the wooden horse. Once they thought the camp had been abandoned the Trojans went out to check. They needed to know if the war was really over. They walked through the abandoned encampment and eventually found the wooden horse. They could not decide what it was. Some wanted to take it into the city, others thought that it was a gift to Zeus and feared touching or moving it in case they upset Zeus. Some Trojans decided to take it back into the city. They called a large group of troops, attached ropes and pulled it into the city. A huge celebration started. The city was free from war for the first time in nine years. Everybody feasted, drank and danced until eventually the merriment was over and they all went to sleep. This was the moment that the wooden horse opened a big flap hidden underneath. Out crept Ulysses and all of his men. They killed the sleeping troops, rescued Queen Helen, met up with the rest of their army and set sail for home. The story of the return journey is told in The Odyssey, a collection of poems piecing together the bits of the story from the many different places where the story took place. What can we learn from the story? Answer: "Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it's a girl." Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different answer from every man who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly. Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the change from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this re-socialization process. Although many good books have been written about American mothers, only recently have some books discussed the role of a father. It is argued by some writers that the transition to the father's role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother's role. The mother's role seems to require a complete transformation of daily routine and adaptation to a new life, on the other hand, the father's role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we have mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many as the breadwinner in the household. According to the author, being a father _ . Answer: What part-time job do you do now?What do you do want to do in the future?Leave your comment here! I've been working at Burger Bam for two months.I thought I'd hate it,but it's been really good.I've learned a lot how to work with people I would never normally meet.And I'm not as shy as I was.I don't think I want to work there forever,but it's given me some ideas about how to run a business.Maybe I'll learn business when I go to college. Abby,15,from Toronto I've had my own web design business for a year. I've designed about 20 websites for my friends.I've been doing most of the work on the weekends after I do my homework! I've bought a new computer with the money I earned. A little restaurants in my neighborhood has asked me to design a website for them, so my business is growing. I'm not sure what I want to do in the future, but I really like art and design. Maybe I should go into advertising. Kwan,14,from Seattle I've been volunteering at a senior citizen center on Saturday mornings. Some of my friends think I'm crazy, doing a job for no money, but I really like it. I think that in a few months, I'll try to get a paid part-time job in a law office because I want to study law in the future. There's a lot of competition for part-time jobs, but I think my volunteering will look good on my resume. Tamanna,16,from Dallas How many people have left their comments according to the passage? Answer:
Ever since I was a little child, my parents have told me to be honest because it is the right thing to do. As I got older, I realized something very important. If just once you are _ and tell a lie, it will greatly change people's opinions about you and their way of acting toward you. When you tell a lie, you lose that person's trust forever or have to work your whole life to get it back. It is my personal goal to achieve great things in life and honesty will sure help me get there. For me right now losing somebody's trust would be a truly terrible thing. My parents would be stricter on the things they let me do and the places that they used to let me go to. My friends would never again tell me a secret or believe many things I told them. Whatever you do for a living or wherever you live, honesty is something very important. Honesty gets you much higher in life while telling a lie can make you get into more problems. I can already tell that the great people I have met so far are all honest people. I hope that I'll never fall into a situation where I'll lie. Honesty is just as important to me as my family. Already, I know it is something that will improve my future and my relationship with all people. It is something about myself that I hope never to lose no matter what happens. Honesty will help me no matter whether I'm at school, home or just hanging out with friends. It is something that I hope my children will also have and value. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: The writer thinks it doesn't matter if he tells a lie. Lisa never had the chance to know her father. He and her mother divorced when she was just a young child. Even though he didn't move far, he never came to visit his children. Lisa often wondered about her father. What did he look like and what was he doing? All she knew was his name: Jeff White. After Lisa grew up, she became a nurse at a hospital, where she would help provide medicine and comfort for patients in their final days. A few weeks ago, she received a new patient whose name was Jeff White. When Jeff came into his room, Lisa asked him if he had any children. Jeff told her that he had two daughters, Lisa and Elly. Lisa couldn't hold her tears back. She told him, "I am Lisa, your daughter." Jeff embraced her, saying that he was not a good father. And the daughter held his hand and kissed him. Then Jeff began to sing This Magic Moment. Jeff could have just weeks left to live, so Lisa wanted to make the most of the time she had with him. Lisa also brought her kid to the hospital to meet their grandfather. The kid made cards for him with the words, "I love you." According to the passage, which of the following is Not True? Answer: Lisa was a doctor at a hospital. Accurately forecasting the weather is a very hard thing to do. There are many parts of weather dynamics -- the study of how water and air in motion cause weather patterns -- to consider. Even the best forecast can be changed by a small weather disturbance halfway around the world. Today's forecast use complex computer models, weather instruments, and detailed analyses of daily observations to predict the weather. However, it hasn't always been that way. People, like your grandparents, use folklore and proverbs to help forecast the weather. They remembered what conditions caused changes and observed the factors associated with weather: atmospheric and cloud conditions, temperature, winds, and reactions of plants and animals. Many people believe that this way of forecasting weather is accurate more often than modem forecasting. Grandma's aching joints might indicate the arrival of a low-pressure system. She might also observe the geese flying lower than usual, confirming the low-pressure system. Finally, she might feel dampness on her skin, a sign of high humidity . Based on these three observations, grandma might warn that a storm is brewing. Joints and nerves can indicate dropping air pressure, dissolved gases in the blood form bubbles under low air pressure. This causes pain in joints and nerve endings. Geese and other birds respond to changes in air pressure by adjusting how high they fly. In the fair, calm weather of a high-pressure system, the birds fly higher than in the stormy weather associated with a low-pressure system. Nature provides other clues to changing weather. A decrease in air pressure causes deer and elk to come down from the mountains to look for shelter. Some animals feed more than usual. The higher humidity before a storm causes some insects to leave the trees and gather near the ground. Some flowers close so rain doesn't get inside them. In winter, rhododendron plants curl up to protect themselves as the temperature drops. Several of the sayings apply in particular areas of the world. Here are some of them. #Early thunder, early spring. #Rainbow in the morning gives you fair warning. #When teeth and bones ache, expect the clouds to fill the lake. #When high clouds and low clouds do not match together, prepare for a blow and a change in the weather. It is a fact that the behavior of plants and animals is _ . Answer: likely to reflect short-term weather forecasting Dealing with School Pressure Get organized.By becoming more organized, you can reduce your stress level drastically Make a daily schedule of all your activities.Another way to become more organized is by getting your supplies and desk in order.Label folders for each class and arrange your notes and assignment by topic or date so you can easily find information. Don't _ .Putting off doing your schoolwork will only make you more stressed.If you get an assignment that is due in a month, and you don't have any other assignment to finish, go ahead and begin working on it. Exercise.Performing some sort of physical activity for thirty minutes three times a week will considerably lower your stress level.Taking the time to exercise will help get your mind off the chaos and stress in your life. Get plenty of sleep and eat healthily.You need between seven to eight hours of sleep per night in order to rest your mind and body so they can perform well during the day.Eating well-balanced meals will provide your with enough energy to accomplish your daily activities. Adopt a positive attitude.If you are always negative, then stress will overwhelm you.By looking at things in a positive light, you will not only reduce your stress, but you will also feel better about yourself. Realize that it's okay to say "no".If you already have a full schedule, don't attempt to add anything else to it.If your friends want you to go out at the last minute but doing so would conflict with your schedule, don't feel bad about turning them down.They will understand.They have been stressed before too. Which is NOT TRUE according to the tips? Answer: The more you sleep, the less stressed you will feel. One year, a college in the Unites States announced that it would offer a lot of money for the pure white marigold . The high reward attracted so many people, but in the nature, besides golden, the marigold is brown, and it is not easy to get the white one. So after they were excited for a time, many people had forgotten the announcement. One normal day after 20 years, the college received a letter and 100 seeds of pure white marigold. It turned out to be an old woman of over 70 years old. Some experts in the college doubted it , but in order not to let her down, those seeds finally took root in the earth. The miracle appeared after one year: the field was covered by pure white marigold. Therefore, the old woman who was always unknown to the public became a new _ . The old woman was a flower-lover. When she read the announcement 20 years ago, she got very excited like others. But her right children were totally against her decision. After all, a woman who never knew the seed genetics couldn't complete what the experts could never do, so her thought was only a day dream. Still, the old woman didn't change her mind and went on working. She planted some of the most common seeds and took good care of them. A year later, when the marigold came out, she chose one faintest from those golden and brown flowers and get the best seed. The next year, she again grew them and chose.... Day after day, year after year, through many seasons, the old woman's husband died, her children flew far and high, a lot of things happened in her life, but only the desire to grow the pure white marigold took root in her heart. Finally, after 20 years on the day we all know, in the garden she saw a marigold which was not nearly white, but as white as sliver or snow. A problem even experts couldn't deal with was solved by an old woman who didn't understand genetics. Wasn't it a miracle? To take root in the heart, even the most common seed can grow into a miracle! It can be learned from the passage that _ . Answer: the children didn't agree on their mother's decision
From my father I have learned a lot. And I'm very thankful to him. I remember when I was a child my father always got up very early, quietly putting on his clothes and going off to work. To arrive in time to open his tiny store at 8:30, he needed to leave our apartment at 6:30. After all, he had to take a bus and then the subway. The last journey was a long walk through a neighborhood much of which was full of the smell of rubbish. I learned: it is very important to work. No excuse. When I was 12, I would, on some Saturdays, go to my father's store to help out. After helping set up the outside clothing display, for the rest of the day, I'd watch to make sure no one stole anything. When I noticed someone looking unusual or strange, I would look the person in the eye, smile and say, "May I help you?" Usually that worked, but sometimes, someone would run off with something. The first time, I ran after the thief but my father shouted, "Martin, stop! There is no need to do that." It's true that safety is more important than money. After 10 years of hard work, he saved up enough money to buy his first car, a cheap one--he wouldn't buy one until he could afford to pay for it without borrowing money. I learned: buy only what you can afford. Buying necessary food and clothing won't make us go in debt . The unnecessary things won't give us happiness, which comes from achievement only. All the following are talked about in the passage EXCEPT _ . Answer: Americans have taken over from the Indians many things besides their continent! Where did corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate and maple sugar come from? The Indians. Who invented moccasins, snowshoes and hammocks? The Indians! A list of the tools, plants, materials and designs we owe to the Indians would include hundreds of items. But there is something far more familiar, something that is always at hand. It is used daily by every American: a large vocabulary of Indian words. Potato, tomato, chocolate, moccasin and hammock came into English from Indian languages. So did cocoa, tobacco, maize (an Indian word for corn) and succotash. Some words have changed on the way. Potato, for example, comes from a word that sounds like "batata". Cocoa began as "cacahuatl". Some meanings have also changed. The long Indian word from which succotash comes means "something broken off in bits". Indian women often varied their dishes by mixing bits of one food with another. White men who ate an Indian dish of mixed lima beans and corn began using the Indian word to mean this particular mixture. Put on your moccasins and take a walk in the country. If it is a cold day and you wear a mackinaw, your jacket will be as Indian as your shoes. But mackinaw came from "michilimackinac", the Indian name of a place where a fort served as a trading post. Bright-color1ed blankets or jackets bought at the post soon became known as "mackinaws". Early white visitors to the continent found Indian words useful for the things new to them. But some Indian sounds, such as the "tl" at the end of many words, were hard to say. That is why "coyotl" became coyote and "tomatle" became tomato. Some words simply seemed too long. So, "musickwautash" became succotash and "rockahominy" became hominy. Which of the following has been changed for easier pronunciation? Answer: Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset if your English friends don't invite you home. It doesn't mean they don't like you! Dinner parties usually start between 7 p. m. and 8 p. m. and end at about 11 p. m. Ask your host what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift. Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks. Do you want to be extrapolite? Say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember--it's not polite to ask how much things cost. In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the other side. They eat with their guests. You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert, followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it. Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short"Thank you"letter. British and American people like to say"Thank you, thank you, thank you"all the time! It's impolite _ . Answer: A sign of the spring season could be Answer: One of the candidates TIME's editors are choosing as the Person of the Year 2012 is a beautiful, little, dark-haired girl from remote, rural Pakistan who simply wanted to go to school. On October 9, 2012, 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan.She survived the attack and was sent by helicopter to have a bullet removed from her head in a hospital 6,000 miles away in Birmingham, England. Malala has now become the most famous teenager on earth, a symbol of women's rights and has even been nominated for next year's Nobel Peace Prize. However, Malala is no shallow, empty-headed, media-created idol -she is a real flesh-and-blood young woman who has already challenged the fearsome Taliban militants .Reportedly, she wants to return to Pakistan, where her life would be in constant danger.Such courage would be rare for such a young girl. Malala began writing an anonymous blog for BBC when she was only 11 years old, criticizing the Taliban for their activities in her hometown and advocating for women's education in Pakistan. "I have a new dream," she once said."I must be a politician to save this country.There are so many crises in our country.I want to remove these crises." How many little girls have uttered something so mature, selfless and elegant as that She also possesses extraordinary courage ?years ago, militants had been threatening her life.In response to these threats, Malala calmly responded: "I think of it often and imagine the scene clearly.Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong. Education is our basic right." What is the best title for this text? Answer:
Peri sued Denucci for a libelous letter received by Investigator. The authenticity and contents of the letter are disputed.Peri's attorney asks Investigator to testify that, a week before receiving the libelous letter, he had written to Denucci inquiring about Peri. The testimony is A. admissible provided that this inquiry was made in the regular course of Investigator's business. B. admissible without production of the inquiry letter or the showing of its unavailability. C. inadmissible unless Peri's attorney has given Denucci notice of Investigator's intended testimony. D. inadmissible unless the inquiry letter itself is shown to be unavailable. Answer: B I wonder whether there is any girl or boy who does not like to see a rainbow in the sky. It is so beautiful. There is a story, saying that whenever you see a rainbow you should run at once to the place where it touches the ground, and there you would find a pot of gold. Of course it is not true. You could not find the pot of gold or its end. No matter how far you run, it always seems far away. A rainbow is not a thing which we can feel with our hands as we can feel a flower. It is only the effect of light shining on raindrops. The raindrops catch the sunlight and break it up into all the wonderful colours which we see. It is called a rainbow perhaps because it is made up of raindrops and looks like a bow . That is why we can never see a rainbow in a clear sky. We see a rainbow only when there is rain in the air and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. Every rainbow has many colours in the same order. The first or the top colour is always red, and the next comes orange, then yellow, and last of all, blue. A rainbow is indeed one of the wonders of nature. We can see a rainbow _ . A. when it is raining heavily B. when it is snowing C. when it is cloudy D. when it is becomes fine shortly after raining Answer: D Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems.While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices themselves.University of Missouri(MU) researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient. "To provide enough power, we need certain methods with high energy density ",said Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at MU."The radioisotope battery can provide power density that is much higher than chemical batteries." Kwon and his research team have been working on building a small nuclear battery, presently the size and thickness of a penny, intended to power various micro / nanoelectromechanical systems (M/NEMS).Although nuclear batteries can cause concerns, Kwon said they are safe. "People hear the word 'nuclear' and think of something very dangerous," he said, "However, nuclear power sources have already been safely powering a variety of devices, such as pace-makers, space satellites and underwater systems." His new idea is not only in the battery's size, but also in its semiconductor .Kwon's battery uses a liquid semiconductor rather than a solid semiconductor. "The key part of using a radioactive battery is that when you harvest the energy, part of the radiation energy can damage the lattice structure of the solid semiconductor," Kwon said, "By using a liquid semiconductor, we believe we can minimize that problem." Together with J.David Robertson, chemistry professor and associate director of the MU Research Reactor, Kwon is working to build and test the battery.In the future, they hope to increase the battery's power, shrink its size and try with various other materials.Kwon said that battery could be thinner than the thickness of human hair. The text is most probably a _ . A. science news report B. book review C. newspaper ad D. science fiction Answer: A Which statement is true? A. cans should be recycled because its materials are infinite B. cans should be recycled because its materials are renewable C. cans should be recycled because its materials are delicious D. cans should be recycled because its materials are essentially finite Answer: D The next time you look up at the sky and see a cloud that looks like Mickey Mouse or your favorite fruit, look again. It may not be a cloud, but a Flogo -- a logo that flies. It's a new form of advertising in the sky that's never been used before. It's a different way to market your products, logos, and events. These funny logos are made with soap bubbles mixed with a little helium gas ,which makes them lighter than air and float in the sky. Special machines are used to make these new funny Flogos. The machine, which can be rented for $ 2,500 a day, can make a Flogo every 15-25 seconds. Flogos can fly much higher or lower if needed. They can last from a few minutes to an hour anywhere in the sky, depending on the weather conditions. Though they can fly up to 20, 000 feet, they usually float around at 300- 500 feet. Flogos are only white now, but people hope to have more colorful Flogos in the near future. Flogos are Green, 100% environmentally safe, because the soap used to make the Flogo comes from plants and leaves. So this fun way of advertising is healthy and good for the environment. Flogos are mainly used to _ . A. advertise in the sky B. make funny bubbles C. improve weather conditions D. see colorful clouds Answer: A
My name is Linda. I'm a girl. I live in Canada .I have two big eyes. My eyes are green. I have long, red hair. I am 1.6 meters tall. I have long arms and long legs. I like black .Black is my favourite colour. I have a friend in China. Her name is Lin Na. She has two big eyes ,too. But her eyes are black. Lin Na is short. She is only 1.5 meters tall. She has long hair, too. But her hair is black. She likes yellow. She has many yellow clothes. Yellow is her favourite colour. Lin Na an d I look different, but we are good friends . Lin Na and I are good friends, but we look _ . different Briana, a student at John Fenwick School in Salem County, US, has a lot of free time. The 13-year-old girl used to hang out on the streets after school. "I know it wasn't good, but I really had nothing else to do," Briana said. Briana was not alone. Many kids in her city had too much free time and nothing to do. To solve this problem, four school districts in Salem began a program called Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The program helps students make good use of their after-school time. Big Brothers/Big Sisters invites _ to help students in grades 6 to 8 build healthy relationships and take part in productive activities. The "Littles" and the "Bigs" are nicknames for students and mentors. Most mentors are teachers. The "Bigs" and "Littles" usually meet once a week. They play games, share stories and go on trips. The program has already helped many Salem students. Briana's mentor is the school principal , Syeda Woods. Woods took Briana ice-skating, to pizza parties and for a visit to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. "When I got out, I saw that Salem is a very small place," Briana said. "The program helps me experience the outside world and see many new things." Kathy Jennings, 13, said she was very shy before, but now is much more open. "In the program, I see my mentor as a big sister, not a teacher. I can tell her anything," Jennings said. "And she has taught me a lot about making good decisions. I think it will make a big difference in my life." The purpose of the program is to help students _ . live a full life after school Paul sued Donna for breach of contract. Paul's position was that Joan, whom he understood to be Donna's agent, said: "On behalf of Donna, I accept your offer." Donna asserted that Joan had no actual or apparent authority to accept the offer on Donna's behalf. Paul's testimony concerning Joan's statement is admissible, upon or subject to introduction of evidence sufficient to support a finding by the jury that Joan had actual or apparent authority to act for Donna. A few weeks ago, while I was reading the morning paper, I turned the radio up to listen to a Saturday morning talk show and I heard an old sounding gentleman, with a golden voice. He was telling whoever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles". I was _ and stopped to listen to what he had to say ... "Let me tell you something, Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities ." He continued, "You see, I sat down one day and did a little math. The average person lives for about seventy-five years. Now then, I multiplied 75 by 52 and I came up with 3,900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with (......) me, Tom. I'm getting to the important part." "It wasn't until I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays that I started thinking about all this in any detail," he went on. "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought 1,000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. "I found that by watching the marbles diminish , I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. "It was nice to meet you, Tom. I hope you spend time with your family, and I hope to meet you again." You could have heard a pin drop on the radio when the old man signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had panned to work that morning. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "Come on, honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast. And can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles." What life lesson does this text teach us? Spending more time with our family. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. This familiar environmentalist slogan tells us how to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills and waterways. The concept is being used to deal with one possibly dangerous form of waste -- electronic junk , such as old computers, cell phones, and televisions. But this process for managing e-waste may be used in an way more often than not used, a recent report suggests. "A lot of these materials are being sent to developing nations under the excuse of reuse -- to bridge the digital divide," said Richard Gutierrez, a policy researcher. One of the problems is that no one proves whether these old machines work before they hit the seaways. Because of this, the report says, e-waste is a growing problem in Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere in the developing world. Much of the waste ends up being thrown away along rivers and roads. Often it's picked apart by poor people, who may face dangerous exposure to poisonous chemicals in the equipment. Businessmen also pay workers a little money to get back materials such as gold and copper. This low-tech recovery process could expose workers and the local environment to many dangerous materials used to build electronics. According to Gutierrez, this shadow economy exists because the excuse of recycling and reusing electronics gives businessmen "a green passport" to ship waste around the globe. "Developing nations must take upon some of the responsibility themselves," Gutierrez said. But, he added, "A greater portion of this responsibility should fall on the exporting state." China, for example, has become a dumping place for large amounts of e-waste. The nation is beginning to take action to stop the flow of dangerous materials across its borders. The Chinese government, after many years of denial is finally beginning to take the lead. From what Gutierrez said we can learn that _ . exporting countries should be mainly responsible for this problem
Men who wear pink shirts to work earn more and are easier to get a higher position than those who prefer traditional shirt colors, such as white and blue, according to a recent survey. Researchers also found that men who wore pink were more likely to get praise from female co-workers and were more confident in the office. A classical pink shirt wearer earns PS1,000 more a year than those who choose other colors, researchers surveyed among 1,500 male office workers. Men who wear pink are also twice as likely to have the Master's degree as those who prefer white shirts, with one in ten pink shirt wearers having a PHD. Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, International Marketing Manager for Cotton USA, who took charge of the study, said, "You can tell a lot about someone by the color he wears. Pink is a color that more and more men have been embracing recently, and it is encouraging that they are not afraid to experiment with that bright color. They spend most of their days at work and their own confidence needs to remain smart. It is good for company standards, but that doesn't mean that they have to wear boring clothes." Pink shirt wearers on the other hand are more likely to have a low-carbon life for half of them prefer to choose public means of transportation to go to work. The report also found men who preferred green shirts were the most likely to be late for work, while white shirt fans were the most punctual . According to the passage, who is the least likely to be late for work? Answer: A new factory that turns used wine bottles into green sand could revolutionize the recycling industry and help to filter the nation's drinking water. For the last 100 years special high grade white sand quarried at Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire has been used to filter tap water to remove bacteria and impurities--but this may no longer be necessary. The green sand has already been successfully tested by water companies and is being used in 50 swimming pools in Scotland to keep the water clean. _ by one million pounds from the European Union and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(Defar), a company based in Scotland is building a factory to turn beverage bottles back into the sand from which they were made. The idea is not only to avoid using up increasingly scarce sand in Scotland and avoid any further quarrying but also to solve a crisis in the recycles only 750 000 tones of it. Howard Dryden, the scientist and managing director of the company has spent six years working on what he calls Active Filtration Meadia, or AFM, the recycled glass. He says he needs bottles that have already contained drinkable liquids to be sure that drinking water would not be polluted. "The fact is that tests show that AFM does the job better than glass, it is easier to clean and reuse and has all sorts of properties that make it ideal for other applications, "he claimed. He also thinks the market will be able to take 250 000 tones of green sand a year. The plan is to build five or six factories in cites in UK where the bottles come from to cut down on transport. The factory will be completed this month and is expected to go into full production on January 14 next year. Once it is providing a "regular" product, the government's drinking water inspectorate will be asked to perform tests and approve it for general use by water companies. According to the passage, the new idea can do the following except _ . Answer: These classmates all had good jobs and made lots of money. They talked happily. Then their talk soon turned to complaining about the stress in work and life. The teacher went to the kitchen and came back with a large pot of coffee and many cups--china ones, plastic ones and glass ones. Some are plain looking, some are expensive and some are lovely. The teacher told them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the teacher said, "Can you notice that all of you took nice-looking expensive cups, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones? You want only the best for yourselves, and that is the source of your problems." "What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you went for the best cups and then began looking at each other's cups." "Now think about this: life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold, and do not change the life. Sometimes, by caring only about the cups, we fail to enjoy the coffee. So don't let the cups drive you, and enjoy the coffee instead." What cups did the teacher give to his students? Answer: Do you know soon eleven biggest food and drink companies of the nations will adopt new rules to limit advertising to children under the age of 12, a move that restricts ads for products such as McDonald's Happy Meals and the use of popular cartoon characters. The companies announced their new rules ahead of a Federal Trade Commission hearing on Wednesday that steps up pressure on the companies to help solve the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing. The self-given rules include promises by seven companies who will no longer use licensed characters, such as those made popular through movies or TV shows, to advertise online or in print media unless they're promoting their healthier products. Four other companies said they do not advertise at all to children under 12. "I think this is a very good step forward. It's not the end of the journey but it's a good way down the road," said Margo Wootan, Nutrition Policy Director at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. Since the FTC first publicly raised the issue in 2005, many of the companies have started selling products with better nutrition in mind. The companies hope their self-regulation efforts -- organized through the Council of Better Business Bureaus -- will _ any new and more strict federal regulation. Parents are happy to see new rules that restrict the use of cartoon characters such as Shrek, Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. "It catches their eyes when you're shopping," said Josephine Thomas, a mother of three boys who lives in Manhattan. "As soon as they see a Shrek or Mickey Mouse, they automatically look at that and they don't see what they really need. That's one of the biggest problems when you go shopping." That's one reason the food companies have said they will now only use licensed characters to advertise their "better for you" products. What can we learn from the text that the seven companies _ . Answer: Young children whose mothers talk with them more frequently and in more detail about people's thoughts and feelings tend to be better at taking another person's perspective than other children of the same age. That's what researchers from the University of Western Australia found in a new study published in the journal Child Development. "Parents who frequently put themselves in someone else's shoes in conversations with their children make it more likely their children will be able to do the same," said lead author Brad Farrant. Researchers of the UWA's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research looked at the influence of how parents interact with their children to learn more about how people develop the ability to take another's perspective. The two-year study involved more than 120 Australian children aged between four and six, including children with typically developing language and others delayed in language acquisition . The children completed tasks which were designed to assess their language skills, ability to infer others' beliefs and use these to predict others' behavior, and their ability to shift flexibly between different perspectives. Among children with typically developing language, the researchers found that mothers who talked more often and in greater detail about people's thoughts and feelings -- commenting on how another person might react to a particular situation as well as their own feelings about the topic -- had children with better language skills and better perspective-taking skills. Children with delayed language acquisition were also delayed in their development of perspective-taking skills. This displays the role played by language as children develop the ability to take another's perspective. "Solving the many challenges that the world faces today requires us all to get better at taking the perspective of other people," said Brad Farrant. Which of the following is TRUE about the study? Answer:
Which is the correct order of the metamorphosis of a butterfly? A egg, larva, pupa, adult B egg, pupa, larva, adult C egg, adult, larva, pupa D egg, larva, adult, pupa Answer: A Most American teenagers can't wait to get rid of their "mental mouth" nickname . They count down the days they can finally take their braces off. However, trendy teenagers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand can't wait to get them on, even if they don't need them. Braces are the latest teenage fashion trend in Southeast Asia. Having a mouthful of metal has become so popular with Asian teens that there have been reports of many teens wearing fake braces. Many Asian beauty shops are now offering to put in cheap fake braces. There are even cheaper do-it-yourself braces such as " Hello Kitty," Mickey Mouse" or others for a price of around $100. Braces are considered a sign of wealth in Southeast Asia. A real set of braces in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, for example, will cost around $ 1,200, which is a large amount for the country with a GDP of $345 billion ( a billion is 1,000 million), compared to the US which had a GDP of $1,506 Trillion ( a Trillion is 1,000 billion) last year. While Asian teens may think that their colorful fake braces are cool, experts say that these trendy fashion braces can cause illness and can even lead to death. According to the New York Daily News, fake fashion braces have already been linked to the deaths of two teens in Thailand.A 17-year-old in the northeast city of Khon Kaen died from heart failure caused by a thyroid infection from a pair of fake fashion braces. Police also linked the death of another 14-year-old girl in Chonburi to a pair of fashion braces she had brought from an illegal shop. Although the government is giving warnings about fake braces, the trend has been going strong for at least four years. What's worse, the trend for fake braces shows no sign of slowing down. Why does the author compare Thailand's GDP with that of the US? A To explain the importance of the GDP. B To show the high cost of Braces in Thailand. C To describe the development of Thailand. D To introduce the capital city of Thailand. Answer: B Some problems are difficult to solve. But there are a lot of number expressions that can help. For example, if we put two and two together, we might come up with the right answer. We know that two heads are better than one. It is always better to work with another person to solve a problem. Some problems have only one solution. You cannot be of two minds over this. But with any luck,we can solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb's tail. In other words,we could have our answers quickly and easily. Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone. That is, we can complete two goals with only one effort or action. But we must remember that two wrongs don't make a right. If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him. If you are going out with your girlfriend,or boyfriend,but you don't want another friend to go along on your date,you can just say to your friend: two's company, three's a crowd. When I was a young child in school, I had to learn the three R' s. These important skills are reading, writing and arithmetic. These three words do not all start with the letter "R". But they have the sound of "R". My teacher used to give three cheers when I did well in maths. They gave praise and approval for a job well done. Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their school work. They were at sixes and sevens. In fact, they did not care if they finished high school. But they were happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school. They were in seventh heaven. They were on cloud nine. Nine times out of ten students who do well in school find good jobs. Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs. You do not have to dress to the nines, or wear your best clothes, for this kind of work. When Tom wins first place in the game,we can congratulate him by using " _ " according to the passage. A dress up to the nines B give three cheers C kill two birds with one stone D put two and two together Answer: B Let's do some sleep math.You lost two hours of sleep every night last week because of a big project due on Friday.On Saturday and Sunday,you slept in,getting four extra hours.On Monday morning, you were feeling so bright-eyed that you only had one cup of coffee, instead of your usual two.But don't be cheated by your energy.You're still carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness, or what experts call"sleep debt"----in this case something like six hours,almost a full nights' sleep. Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount you actually get.It's a deficit that grows every time we skim some extra minutes off our nightly sleep."People accumulate sleep debt gradually without being noticed,"says William C.Dement,founder of the Stanford University Sleep Clinic.Studies show that such short--term sleep deprivation leads to a foggy brain,worsened vision,and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity,insulin resistance, and heart disease. A survey by the National Sleep Foundation reports that we're losing one hour of sleep each night----more than two full weeks of sleep every year. The good news is that,like all debt, with some work,sleep debt can be repaid. Adding an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up.For the long--term lack of sleep,take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern. Go to bed when you are tired,and allow your body to wake you in the morning(no alarm clock allowed).You may find yourself catatonic in the beginning of the recovery cycle:expect to have ten hours shut-eye per night. As the days pass, however,the amount of sleeping time will gradually decrease. So earn back that lost sleep----and follow the dictates of your innate sleep needs. You'll feel better."When you put away sleep debt, you become a superman,"says Stanford's Dement, talking about the improved mental and physical capabilities that come with being well rested. If you have short--term sleep deprivation,_. A you can think and remember things clearly B you can still see everything very clearly C you can drive your car easily D you may have a poor sight Answer: D TAIBEI - Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island's "China rush", seeking education on the Chinese mainland. According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available," Netbig.com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year. The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland colleges and universities. "Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net.com vice-president Ingrid Huang said."I believe _ will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people," said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master's degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies. A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since "there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there". "They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations," said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig.com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine. At present, Chinese Taibei doesn't recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates from selected universities. Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that their children _ . A could receive better education B could learn more about the policy there C could do well in the business operations D could make more friends there Answer: C
If a load of deer are moved to a small park, and they are repeatedly sprayed with pesticides, the A deer thrive in that environment B deer are healthy and happy C deer are given happy lives D park will eventually be deerless Answer: D. park will eventually be deerless A California family drives a car that could help protect the environment. When Jon and Sandy go to the store or to their daughters' soccer games, they drive in high-tech style. They drive a $1 million, fuel-cell-powered car. It may be the world's most expensive car and one of the most environmentally friendly cars. The FCX is the first fuel-cell-powered car to be used by a family anywhere in the world. The FCX uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel. Car makers have been working to develop vehicles that are better for the environment. They are developing cars that use fuel other than gasoline. And then what is fuel cell technology? Fuel cell technology works by changing the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water. This process produces electricity, and water vapor which comes out of the exhaust pipe. Most cars release dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Many scientists say these gases are major contributors to global warming. "The FCX is driven just like any other vehicle on the road, but without the gases which pollute the environment," scientists say. Fuel cell technology has been around since the 1800s, but scientists have yet been to perfect it. They say it may take years before the technology is ready for widespread use. Another earth-friendly car is already on the market. Hybrid cars use both gasoline and an electric motor. They are becoming more popular with customers because they cut pollution and improve fuel efficiency. Which of the following about the FCX is not true? A It may be the most expensive car in the world. B It is one of the most environmentally friendly cars. C It releases dangerous gases to pollute the air. D It uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel other than gasoline. Answer: C. It releases dangerous gases to pollute the air. What did some ancient societies use to reflect light? A wood B plants C clothing D rocks Answer: D. rocks Do you know there are many kinds of grass? Some are tall. The kind that grows around your house is short grass. But field grass often grows as tall as a man. Some food that we eat comes from plants of the grass family. Wheat and rice are two of them. We use wheat to make bread. We use both wheat and rice to make breakfast. At some places, people eat more rice than any other food. Animals as well as people get food from the grass family. Cows eat hay . Do you know the kind of grass that horses like to eat? We use _ to make bread. A rice B fruit C wheat D grass family Answer: C. wheat The landmark success of Tu Youyou, the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel prize in science, has aroused great national pride and hopes on the future of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Tu, born in 1930, shared the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Irish-born William Campbell and Japan's Satoshi Omura for her discoveries against malaria . She discovered Artemisinin , a drug that has greatly reduced the death number for patients suffering from malaria. "Artemisinin is a gift for the world people from the traditional Chinese medicine. It is of great importance for curing malaria and other diseases and for protecting the health of the world people," Tu said in Beijing. " The discovery of Artemisinin is a successful example of collective research on traditional Chinese medicine. The prize winning is an honor for China's science cause and traditional Chinese medicine." "Tu's winning the Nobel Prize shows China's great progress in science and technology. It also shows China's growing strength and rising international standing," Premier Li Keqiang said in a letter Monday evening. People use Artemisinin to _ . A control death number of patients in hospital B reach out to the different parts of world C cure patients suffering from the malaria D make people work on Chinese medicine Answer: C. cure patients suffering from the malaria
Question: Fossils of the fern Glossopteris have been found in the continents of South America, Africa, Asia, and Antarctica. The seeds of this fern were too small to be dispersed by wind. Which is best indicated by the presence of Glossopteris fossils on these continents? A. Glossopteris was versatile enough to adapt to all climates. B. The landmasses were joined together in pre-historic times. C. Fossils were much better preserved in the southern continents. D. The northern climate regions were not suitable for plant growth. Answer: B Question: Seth DeBolt is a plant scientist at the University of Kentucky US. He and other scientists wanted to find a source of fuel that poor people in rural areas of developing countries could use to make electricity. The United Nations Development Program says a billion and a half people have no electricity. A billion others have an undependable supply. Professor DeBolt went on a study trip to rural Indonesia. He saw that there was very little waste in the use of agricultural products. Everything that farmers grew was used for something. Even the remains of fruit that people did not eat were fed to chickens. Little waste meant there was little that could be used for fuel. Growing a separate fuel crop would take land away from food crops. That was something Professor DeBolt did not want to do. DeBOLT said, "The people at most risk with respect to energy poverty, typically they're the same people who have food insecurity issues as it is. And then any change in availability would be most damaging to that group of people." But he found one item that was in plentiful supply and would not create competition between food and fuel. Coconut shells are generally thrown out. Yet Professor DeBolt says it has an "excellent" heating value. All someone needs is a way to release that energy. DeBolt says he and his team see possibilities for coconut power. "Coconuts are growing here and these are the areas where there is possibility for energy poverty to be eased at least in part by these small-scale production systems." The researchers say these systems could provide as much as thirteen percent of the energy needs of a country like Indonesia. Other tropical countries with large crops of coconuts and similar fruit could benefit, as well. But DeBolt says this is not a perfect solution. There are technical questions, like how to safely deal with the dangerous waste produced in the process. And there needs to be money to get these projects started. What might be the best title for the passage? A. Make Full Use Of Coconuts B. Make Power From Coconuts C. A Perfect Solution D. Food And Energy Problems Answer: B Question: The aloe plant can absorb a lot of water during a rain shower. The extra water is stored in its leaves. The ability to store water in its leaves is most likely an adaptation to which type of environment? A. one near the ocean B. one with dry conditions C. one with a variety of organisms D. one that receives a lot of sunlight Answer: B Question: What does it mean to cry over a book? "I'm a reader who did not weep," Ruth Graham, a well-known critic, wrote. "Does this make me heartless? Or does it make me a grown-up?" Tears have played a surprisingly important part in the history of the novel. Readers have always asked about the role that emotion plays in reading: What does it mean to be deeply moved by a book? Which books are worthy objects of our feelings? In different times, people answered those questions in different ways. In the early eighteenth century, when the novel was still a new form, crying was a sign of readers' virtue. "Sentimental" novels, full of touching scenes, gave readers an occasion to exercise their "finer feelings." Your tear proved that you were likely to feel the suffering of others. At that time, sentimental novels were hugely popular, but also easy to attack. Tears, after all, had no necessary connection to actual virtue, and they could be not true As the critic John Mullan points out, by the end of the eighteenth century, the word "sentimental" had acquired a new meaning -- "addicted to low emotion" -- bringing it closer to the meaning that it has for us today. In the nineteenth century, the meaning of tears evolved in two different directions. Some writers sought to waken "higher" feelings in their readers: Victorian sentimentalists wrote touching scenes in an effort to inspire social and political reform. However, the "sensation" novel, a different type of Victorian best-seller, showed that tears could be enjoyable in themselves. Sensation novels were the leaders of the modern thriller and mystery. Heavy on secrets, and madness, they were known for creating physical "sensations" in their readers -- trembling, a fast beating heart, and tears. But these were tears without moral purpose or effect. Today's debate about crying while reading looks back on all of this history. The debate, in fact, is about why books matter to us, and what reading is "for." Talking about what makes us cry is a way of talking about ourselves. What was people's attitude towards crying over novels in the early 18th century? A. Doubtful. B. Positive. C. Uncaring. D. Worried. Answer: B Question: A New Headphone The answer to a very great noise may not be blocking it out with earplugs but taking that noise and bearing it as its own game. Earplugs have been the simple but effective way to stop noise affecting your mind, but their shortcoming is that they also block out sounds you may want or need to hear, such as music or someone talking to you. The answer to this problem is " active noise cancellation " headphones that are made up of a microphone and electronics that take all background low-frequency noise, turn the sound waves upside down and rebroadcast them into your ears. The result is that all the unwanted noises around are blocked out. In effect, one set of electronically produced around wave has sucked away the unwanted sound waves of noise. Stand next to a busy road wearing the noise cancellation headphones and the traffic noise disappears. Sit in an airplane and the engine noise dies away. In a noisy office, the noise of office equipment, people and air-conditioning is gone. You can still , however, hear music or people talking because that sound does not have a regular pattern and so the device does not block it. Suppose you are driving your friend to the airport and the car radio is on, what can't you hear if you wear a headphone? A. The radio music and the car engine noise. B. The noise of the planes passing overhead and what your friend says. C. The radio music and what your friend says. D. The nose of the car and the planes passing overhead. Answer: D
Ice sculpting is a difficult process . First , ice must be carefully selected so that it is suitable for sculpting . Its ideal material is pure , clean water with high clarity . It should also have the minimum(=least) number of air bubbles. Perfectly clear ice blocks weighing 140 kg and measuring 100 cmx50 cmx25 cm are available from the Clinebell Company in Colorado . Much larger clear blocks are produced in Europe and Canada or harvested from a frozen river in Sweden . These large ice blocks are used for large ice sculpting events and for building ice hotels. Another difficulty in the process of ice sculpting is time control . The temperature of the environment affects how quickly the piece must be completed to avoid the effects of melting . If the sculpting does not take place in a cold environment , then the sculptor must work quickly to finish his piece . The tools used for sculpting also affect when the task can be finished . Some sculptures can be completed in as little as ten minutes if power tools are used . Ice sculptors also use sharp chisels that are specifically designed for cutting ice . The best ice chisels are made in Japan , a country that , along with China , has a long tradition of magnificent ice sculptures . Ice sculptures are used as decorations in some cuisines , especially in Asia . When holding a dinner party , some large restaurants or hotels will use an ice sculpture to decorate the table . For example , in a wedding banquet it is common to see a pair of ice-sculpted swans that represent the union of the new couple . What kind of ice is ideal for sculpting ? A Ice from ice hotels . B Ice from clean water . C Ice with lots of bubbles in it . D Ice weighing over 100 kilograms . Answer: B. Ice from clean water . If you didn't look at them, they weren't there, right? On seeing those in rags on the corner, I only wanted the light to turn green fast enough so that I wouldn't have to keep pretending not to see them. Then, one day, as I was holding the hand of my best friend Jane who was young but dying of breast cancer, she told me that she made every moment count by slowing down and by seeing everything . I held her hand for five years and then she passed away. She did teach me something. It took a while for her words to really sink in. I can be a slow learner. I started by seeing everything, and focused on their presence. One day I saw a Vietnam veteran . I asked him what would make his day. "A hot cup of coffee," he told me. I bought him a cup of coffee, a stack of pancakes, some eggs, and so on. After our meal together, I asked him if there was anything else that would make his life a bit easier. "A new pair of socks, "he said. Socks, really? I actually happened to be wearing a nice pair of wool hiking socks at that very moment. I told him that I wanted to give him the pair I was wearing if he would accept it. Finally he agreed. We sat down on a bench, and he started to first take off his boots, and then remove the black socks that had once been white off his feet. I think a layer or two of skin might have come off with them. Taking his new pair of socks, he held the socks up to his cheeks and said they were warm and smelled as good as me, pools of tears in his eyes. Such a simple luxury I used to take for granted. Now I always have an extra pair with me in my car. They are always my best pair, just waiting to be given away. What does the author want to convey to us? A All men are born equal. B Don't miss doing any good thing. C A beggar's purse is bottomless. D Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. Answer: B. Don't miss doing any good thing. Our children and grandchildren may not have a chance to visit many of the most famous places around the world. War, weather, age, traffic and pollution damage these famous places. Looking after these places often costs more than one country can afford. In the early 1970s, world governments decided that if they joined together, they would be able to preserve our history. If every country paid some money, they said, it would be possible to look after important historic places. Also, if they discovered that a monument needed urgent help, they would have money for repairs. For these reasons, countries around the world united to form the World Heritage Organization in 1972. Today, the organization helps to maintain and restore the most important places from our history. However, one of the biggest problems for historic places is vandalism. People sometimes enter the sites and destroy or damage the buildings. At some sites, such as Stonehenge in England, governments have built high fences to protect the site from vandals. There are many different ideas about how to solve the problem of vandalism. Some experts say that if guards patrolled the sites, vandals would not be able to get in. Some experts say that if they fixed more television cameras, they would not need so many guards. Other experts say that the best solution is education. If people learned to respect history, they would not destroy or damage it. They would also want to spend money looking after old places. For this reason, the World Heritage Organization helps to spread information about the value of historic sites. Why did countries all over the world unite to form the World Heritage Organization? A It would be able to keep our history. B It would be possible to take care of important historic places. C They would have money to do some repairs if a monument needed help. D All of the above. Answer: D. All of the above. It was a Saturday in May. When Mrs. Black opened the door and looked out, she smiled and said, "It's a beautiful day." She woke her small son up at eight thirty and said to him, " Get up, Tod. Let's go to the zoo today. Wash your hands and face, brush your teeth and eat your breakfast quickly. We are going to New York by train." Tod was six years old. He was very happy now, because he liked going to the zoo very much, and he also liked going by train. He said, "I dreamed about the zoo last night, Mummy."[:++Z+X+X+K] His mother was busy, but she stopped and smiled at her little son, "And what did you do in the zoo in your dream?" Tod laughed and answered, "You know, Mummy! You were there in my dream, too." What did Mrs Black say when she look out of the window? _ A Get up, Tod. Let's go to the zoo today. B It's a fine day C What did you do in your dream D What did you see there Answer: B. It's a fine day Animals are a favorite subject of many photographers. Cats, dogs, and other pets top the list, followed by zoo animals. However, because it's hard to get them to sit still and "perform on command," some professional photographers refuse to photograph pets. One way to get an appealing portrait of a cat or dog is to hold a biscuit or treat above the camera. The animal's longing look toward the food will be captured by the camera, but the treat won't appear in the picture because it's out of the camera's range. When you show the picture to your friends afterwards, they'll be impressed by your pet's loving expression. If you are using fast film, you can take some good, quick shots of a pet by simply snapping a picture right after calling its name. You'll get a different expression from your pet using this technique. Depending on your pet's mood, the picture will capture an interested, curious expression or possibly a look of annoyance, especially if you've awakened it from a nap. Taking pictures of zoo animals requires a little more patience. After all, you can't wake up a lion! You may have to wait for a while until the animal does something interesting or moves into a position for you to get a good shot. When photographing zoo animals, don't get too close to the cages, and never tap on the glass or throw things between the bars of a cage. Concentrate on shooting some good pictures, and always respect the animals you are photographing. What is the use of a biscuit in taking pictures of a pet? A To capture a cute look. B To create a special atmosphere. C To arouse the appetite of the pet. D To keep the pet from looking at the camera. Answer: A. To capture a cute look.
There are robots all around us,Some do very complicated jobs like flying airplanes and driving subway trains. And some do a simple job. When an automatic washing machine is switched on, water pours in. The machine waits until the water is hot before washing the clothes. It does this by "feedback". Information about what is happening is "feedback"into the robot to tell it what to do next. Our eyes,ears and other senses are our feedback. They tell us what is going on around us. So robots are like people in two ways:They work and they have feedback. There are robots all around, making our lives easier. Some of them, like the pocket calculator, can work much more quickly than human beings can. And they rarely make mistakes. In some ways robots are better than people. They work quickly, but do not make mistakes. They do not get bored doing the same job over andover again. And they never get tired. Robots are very useful in factories. They can be taught to do many different jobs. First their electronic brains must be shown how the job is done. A person moves the robot's"arm"and"hand"through each part of the job. The robot's brain remembers each move. When the robot is put to work on its own, its brain controls the rods, wheels and motors which move its arm. When the robot is needed for a new job, its electronic memory is"wiped clean."Then it is taught how to do its new task. If the robot's hand stops working, or if something gets in the way, it cannot do the next part of the job. So it stops and signals for help, then a human engineer repairs it. The most"intelligent"robots can move and see. Their eyes are cameras. Their metal fingers can feel shapes and even find out how hot and cold objects are. These robots have computer brains, linked to their eyes and fingers, which control their actions. In thisstory the author tells us that _ . Answer: robots are all around us If you want to study English well, you need to do the following things. Joining an English club is a good idea and joining an international club (where English is in use at least some of the time) is, for many people, even better. In order to learn English well, you should keep practicing it as much as possible. There are several good ways to help you with the English study. First, you may take notes of any mistakes made by you, so as to get familiar with the correct usage of the English language. Second, it's important to improve your ability, especially the ability of reading comprehension . By reading more English articles, you will build your sense of English. Third, try to form a reciting habit. Well-written paragraphs are worth reciting. By memorizing them, you will find that writing English articles is not so difficult. Last but not the least, you should always use a dictionary with both Chinese and English explanations. It will tell you the differences between these two beautiful languages. What's the best title of the article? Answer: How to learn English well. There was once a leprechaun named Tony who spent his days at the end of a rainbow guarding his golden bowl of cereal. Tony was one of the toughest leprechauns in all the land, so no one dared to mess with him or try to take his bowl. That is, until an angel named Jess fell from Heaven. Jess had broken her wing, so she had no choice but stay on Earth, and could not return to the sky. So she chose to make the best of it and went to see all of the beautiful and interesting things on Earth. One day, she came across Tony's rainbow, and was amazed by it. She followed the rainbow to the end, wondering what could be there. Then she saw it: Tony's golden bowl. From the time she saw the bowl, she knew she wanted it. She had heard about how tasty cereal was when she lived in Heaven, but she never tried it for herself. When she went to have some of the cereal, Tony the Leprechaun popped out from behind the rainbow and laughed at her. "Don't you know," he said, "that I'm the toughest leprechaun in all the land? What makes you think you can eat a box of cereal from my golden bowl?" The angel saw that he was right, and she couldn't argue with him. So she left to find something to trade. She came across a seesaw which looked very interesting. She thought that Tony might like it, so she brought the seesaw to his rainbow and said, "I've come bearing a seesaw." When Tony saw the seesaw, he loved it. He didn't argue or laugh at Jess, and traded for his bowl right there. Jess ate from it, and it was delicious. Who was Tony? Answer: A leprechaun Alex and Brenda owned in fee simple Greenacre as tenants in common, each owning an undivided one-half interest. Alex and Brenda joined in mortgaging Greenacre to Marge by a properly recorded mortgage that contained a general warranty clause. Alex became disenchanted with land-owning and notified Brenda that he would no longer contribute to the payment of installments due Marge. After the mortgage was in default and Marge made demand for payment of the entire amount of principal and interest due, Brenda tendered to Marge, and Marge deposited, a check for one-half of the amount due Marge. Brenda then demanded a release of Brenda's undivided one-half interest. Marge refused to release any interest in Greenacre. Brenda promptly brought an action against Marge to quiet title to an undivided one-half interest in Greenacre. In such action, Brenda should Answer: lose, because there was no redemption from the mortgage. A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders : Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences? Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. 'There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say "in hospital" and "Have you a pen?" Americans say "in the hospital!" and "Do you have a pen?". Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like "bird" and "hurt". Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, "colour" and "honour" are British, "color" and honor" are American. These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language. According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that _ . Answer: British people cannot understand him
Did you ever look up at the moon and think you saw a man's face there? When the moon is round and full, the shadows of the moon mountains and the lines of the moon valleys sometimes seem to show a giant nose and mouth and eyes. At least, some people think so. If there were a man on the moon--instead of mountains and valleys that just look like the face of a man--what would he be like? He would not be like anyone you know. He would not be like anyone anybody knows. If the man on the moon were bothered by too much heat or cold the way Earth people are, he could not stay on the moon. The moon becomes very, very hot. It becomes as hot as boiling water. And the moon becomes very, very cold. It becomes colder than ice. Whatever part of the moon the sun shines on is hot and bright. The rest of the moon is cold and dark. If the man on the moon had to breathe to stay alive, he couldn't live on the moon because there's no air there. He'd have to carry an oxygen tank, as astronauts do. There's no food on the moon, either. Nothing grows--not even weeds(grass). If the man on the moon liked to climb mountains, he would be very happy. There are many high places there, such as the raised land around the holes, or craters , of the moon. Some of these _ are as tall as Earth's highest mountains. But if the man on the moon liked to swim, he would be unhappy. There is no water on the moon--just dust and rock. When you think of what it's like on the moon, you may wonder why it interests our scientists. One reason is that the moon is Earth's nearest neighbor--it is the easiest place in space to get to. Going back and forth between the moon and Earth, astronauts will get a lot of practice in space travel. Things learned on moon trips will be of great help to astronauts who later take long, long trips to some of the planets. Scientists are also interested in the moon because it has no air. The air that surrounds Earth cuts down the view of the scientists who look at the stars through telescopes. A telescope on the moon would give them a clearer, closer view of the stars.(words: 411) What is the main thought of the passage? A. We can learn much from research on the Moon. B. There may be human beings on the moon. C. If there were a man on the Moon, there would be many similarities between the man on the Moon and on the Earth. D. A telescope on the Moon would help scientists have a clearer, closer sight of the stars. Answer: A There is a new shopping mall near my school. It is very big. There are five floors of shops and each floor is very big. There are lots of clothes shops, but only one sports shop. There are lots of restaurants on the top floor, you can eat different kinds of food from different countries . I like going to see a movie. The mall is a really good place to go. It is a good place to meet friends. Where does the author like to go? A. clothes shop B. sports shop C. a movie D. restaurant Answer: C In Asia,there are many places for people to go to teach English. Most of the teachers are young and sociable,and there are a lot of parties there. Korea is usually the place most people go,because they have the most benefits and highest salaries by working only twenty hours a week. Japan is also a good choice,but only if you stay there for a long time will you save some money. China is a new rising star and lots of people are going there. Like Japan,the pay is quite good,but the cost of living in China is much cheaper. You can save a sizable amount and complete all your loans back home. Besides,Chinese people are enterprising and you can learn a lot from them. In China,Taiwan is a good place to go,especially for females who want to earn much,but there are not many adult classes offered. The Middle East offers very high salaries and great packages for teachers,all of which is tax free. However,you must be a certified teacher and have a few years' experience if you want to teach there. Most of the people who tend to teach there are older and more conservative,so they don't expect a party scene. Italy and Spain are two beautiful countries where you can try your fortune. Fashion industry in Milan would love to hire wellknown Englishspeaking people to work with international models and designers. Tourism is another industry in these countries,where English knowledge is useful. Moreover,by teaching in Europe you have the ability to travel every weekend to a new country and visit a new culture besides a good salary. Europe has a lot to offer. Teaching English overseas is a really rewarding experience. It is a great way for people to see a new place,and these countries and places are a great place for you to go if you are interested. The common thing among the countries and areas mentioned is that . A. they all offer a good salary B. English teachers only work 20 hours a week C. teaching experience is not quite necessary D. they offer chances to meet with famous models Answer: A Welcome to your favorite show-"Music Land" ! This month we are going to have some special shows on Bach, the Father of Music. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Germany in 1685. During his life, Bach wrote a lot of music for the church and for his students, but he himself did not keep his own works carefully. Luckily, his second wife saved them for him, so today we can still remember Bach through his music. Bach married twice in his life and had 20 children. He loved his family very much. He wrote music for one of his daughters to tell her that too much coffee was bad for her health. I am now going to play a song for you from this interesting Coffee Cantata. And we will hear more about Bach after this song. What is this passage mainly about? A. Ways to learn Bach's music. B. The Bach family's history. C. Bach's great church music. D. Stories about Bach and his music. Answer: D Many scientists theorize that global warming will melt the polar ice caps. What would most likely happen if the polar ice caps melted? A. Ocean levels would increase. B. Human population would increase. C. Vegetation in water would decrease. D. Global precipitation would decrease. Answer: A
English, as we all know, is considered as the universal language. It is spoken all over the world. However, you will also notice that people all over the world are using different types of English. Let's take a closer look at these two popular types: UK and US English. Even if both types of English are wildly used, there are some differences that will be worth knowing to find out the type of English that you are using. US English is what we know as the American English which is wildly used in the United States. UK English, on the other hand, is known as the British English. Some also call _ the BBC English since it is the English used by British reporters, and another name for it is the Queen's English. In terms of vocabulary, some words in US English may mean something different in the UK English. For example, the word biscuit for the British means baked sweet or salty cake that is hard when baked and softened over time; while in the US it is a quick bread served with salty foods. With regards to pronunciation, American English is more nasal . Stress is also another difference to consider. Just like in the word princess, British stress the second syllable while Americans stress the first. Spelling is another area of difference. American English spelling is more simple. Example of which includes, color for the US and colour for the UK, same goes with honor and honour. The doubling of letters in words is another good example. It will be traveler in the US and traveller in the UK. The use of "-og" instead of "-ogue" in word such as dialog and dialogue or catalog and catalogue. Which of the following may belong to UK English? When someone plays the flute, sound is produced because the air in the flute is Vitas 2008 Beijing Concert Venue: Capital Gymnasium Time: 2008-01-24 19:30 Price: TBD(Booking) Tel.: 86-10-64177845 God Blessed Boy Extremely Beautiful Voice Unforgettable Hot Live First appeared on the Russian stage in December 2000, this show became an extreme classic in Vitas' music history.Since then, moreover, more fans from other countries were caught by him from this video especially in China.The lack of Russian language was not in the way for dozen thousands of admirers from China, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan first to pay attention and then to love Vitas' creative work, his voice and songs.Undoubtedly his 2008 concert will also be considered as the yearly expectable concert in Chinese music scene and the most important event among his fans.Let's expect it! Lang Lang Piano Solo Concert Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall Time: 2008-01-03 19:30:00/2008-01-04 19:30:00 Price: TBD(Booking) Tel: 800-810-1887 Acclaimed in the major concert halls of North America, Europe and Asia, Lang Lang - at the age of 20s - has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level and has established himself as one of the most exciting pianists of our time.Lang Lang's talent and personality make him an ideal ambassador for classical music and a role model for young people.He is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic and all "Big Five" American orchestras. Li Yun Di Piano Recital Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall Time: 2008-3-27 19:30:00 Price: TBD(Booking) Tel: 010-64177845 Remarks: The tickets for Li Yun Di Piano Recital will be available soon! Called "extravagantly gifted and highly accomplished" by the Los Angeles Times, China pianist Li Yundi was born in 1982 in Chongqing and first gained worldwide attention after winning first prize at the 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw.He was the first person in 15 years to be awarded a first prize. Soprano Te Kanawa Solo Concert Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall Time: 2008-01-02 19:30:00 Price: 180(Out)280(Selling)480(Selling)680(Selling)880(Selling)1680(Out) Tel: 400-810-1887 Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa is an internationally famous New Zealand opera singer.In 1981, she was seen and heard around the world by an estimated 600 million people when she sang Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim" at the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. Which concert will you attend if you want to hear an opera? The moment a college student arrives on campus, he or she _ credit card offers. Advertisements for student credit cards are everywhere: in bags at the bookstore, in the campus newspaper, in your regular mailbox, in the residence halls. With so many college students graduating with large amounts of credit card debt (figures vary, but most are at least in the thousands), learning how to manage a student credit card can be an important lesson for any student. While using a card wisely can be an important part of building credit and making it through a difficult time, knowing how to use a card wisely can be the hard part. Stick to the following rules when, and if, you need to use a credit card: You can repay the charge(s) within the card's next billing cycle. You must meet your basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter, but set rules and be aware that you will need to repay those charges at the end of the month. You can talk to the financial aid office in your school for an alternative in "emergency" situations. If you do want a credit card, just be smart about it. (They let you in to that school because of your brain, right?) Don't automatically get the first one you find. Shop around for a card that has the lowest interest rate possible, and consider places that may not be advertising on campus. Additionally, be aware of any card's repayment options: When will payments be due? How much will they be? A credit card is not like a loan that comes with a grace period after you graduate and waits until you are done with school. That new sweater and nice dinner out will need to be paid back right away. Which of the following statements is TRUE? If someone wants you to stop, they want you to
I started to learn English when I was in elementary school. Together with my two friends, I had English classes with a private teacher. I lacked motivation and I learned very little. This stage was insignificant and could just as well have not happened at all. I began to learn English in earnest when I went to high school. I was in the same class with Michael, but in different groups. I was in a group for students who were to learn English from scratch, and he was in a group for those who had already known some English. Very soon, my teacher noticed that my English was improving rapidly and he told me to join the group for the advanced learners. This was the worst thing that could have happened to me. My new teacher, who was Irish, didn't speak Polish so I couldn't understand her and I never knew what I was supposed to do. I was completely at a loss. My English didn't improve at all. As a result, at the end of that year I was sent back to the group for beginners. My stay with the advanced group made me realize what kind of learning strategies I should use in the future. I discovered that I cannot pick up a new language directly from foreigners. I started to learn hard again. I translated into Polish all new words that appeared in my course-book. Before a test I would memorize dozens of words with their Polish equivalents . However, later I would never revise those words so I would soon forget most of them. I knew that I should improve my learning techniques and I decided to ask for help those who had the best results in our class, that is Michael. That wasn't easy because in the second grade, they seemed to look down on girls. So after a few attempts to approach them I decided to give up. For two years I learned English using the method described above. My English was improving but I was still forgetting new words. Finally, in the fourth grade I got closer to Michael, who started to show me how to learn English more efficiently, which was a breakthrough in the whole process of my learning English. Michael encouraged me to read books in English with monolingual dictionaries. Several months later, I began to write e-mail messages in English. I have been using these techniques for four years, and in my opinion, I have achieved pretty good results. What is the most important thing in the author's process of English learning? A. Michael began to teach her an efficient way of learning English. B. She tried to read books in English. C. She tried to use monolingual dictionaries. D. She tried to write e-mail messages in English. Answer: A. Michael began to teach her an efficient way of learning English. It's a sunny and warm Sunday morning. My parents, my sister and I are all at home. My parents don't have to go to work, and my sister and I don't have to go to school. We are all in the yard . Look! My father is cleaning his bike. He often goes to work by bike. The bike ride takes him about ten minutes. My mother is watering the flowers. The flowers make our yard very beautiful. We all like the flowers. My sister is playing with a dog. It's her pet dog. The dog is very smart. My mother often takes the dog out for a walk after dinner. What am I doing? I'm drawing. I like drawing very much. I want to join the art club at school. It's a nice day and we're busy in the yard. We are very happy today! . How does the father often go to work? A. By subway. B. By car. C. By bus. D. By bike. Answer: D. By bike. We know that hugs make us feel easy inside. And this feeling, it turns out, could actually _ stress and protect r the immune system, according to a new research from Carnegie Mellon University. It's a well-known fact that stress can weaken the immune system. In this study, the researchers sought to determine whether hugs----like social support more broadly ----could protect individuals from the increased sensitivity to illness brought on by the particular stress that come with interpersonal conflict. "We know that people experiencing ongoing conflicts with others are less able to fight off cold viruses. We also know that people who report having social support are partly protected from the effects of stress on psychological states, such as depression and anxiety, "the study's lead author, psychologist Dr. Sheldon Cohen , said in a statement. "We tested whether awareness of social support is equally effective in protecting us from sensitivity to infection caused by stress and also whether receiving hugs might partially account for those feeling of support and thus protect a person against infection." In the experiment , over 400 healthy adults filled out a questionnaire about their perceived social support and also participated in a nightly phone interview for two weeks . They were asked the frequency they engaged in interpersonal conflicts and received bugs that day.[:++Z+X+X+K] Then, the researchers exposed the participants to a common cold virus, and monitored them to assess signs of infection. They found that both perceived social support and more frequent hugs reduced the risk of infection associated with experiencing interpersonal conflict. Regardless of whether or not they experienced social conflicts, infected participants with greater perceived social support and more frequent hugs had less severe illness symptoms. "This suggests that being hugged by a trusted person may act as an effective means of conveying support and that increasing the frequency of hugs might be an effective means of reducing the effects of stress," Cohen said. "The apparent protective effect of hugs may result from the physical contact itself or hugging being a behavioral indicator of support and closeness. Either way, those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection." If you need any more reason to go wrap your arms around someone special, consider this: hugs also lower blood pressure, reduce fearsome around death and dying, improve heart health and decrease feeling of loneliness. Dr. Sheldon Cohen's experiment shows that _ . A. hugs can hide serious illness symptoms B. social conflicts can monitor signs of infection C. social support can reduce the risk of having a cold D. depression and anxiety result from less social support Answer: C. social support can reduce the risk of having a cold Twelve years ago, I arrived in Central Florida from Puerto Rico. I had heard of a job opportunity and decided to pursue it. But it never became a reality. I quickly learned that being alone without resources in an unfamiliar city was not a comfortable situation to be in. Once my limited funds ran out I became homeless and spent a year and a half living on the streets of Orlando. Apart from feeling not being noticed and missing my family, I had to face another challenge--hunger. For the first time in my life, I, as a foreign man, who had lived my life in the relative comfort of the middle class, understood the desperation someone feels when they don't get enough to eat. I clearly remembered having run a distance of more than 7 miles on many occasions just to make it to a local feeding program before they closed at 7 pm. Once the need for food was met, the next challenge would arise--where to find a place to sleep for the night. Fortunately, local programs like the Coalition for the Homeless, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Wayne Densch Center were an important part of my ability to survive my painful experience. With the assistance of these programs, I was accepted by a college scholarship program through the Coalition and obtained two degrees from Valencia. My experience has helped me understand that devoting my life to helping others offers lasting rewards. Today, I am employed as Childhood Hunger Programs Manager at Second Harvest Food Bank and oversee the summer feeding, Hi-Five Kids Pack, and Kids Cafe programs. I am so proud to be able to distribute food resources to those wonderful programs and help hundreds more like me. Why did the author run a distance of over 7 miles on many occasions? A. Because he didn't want to be late for work there. B. Because he desired to get some food to eat. C. Because he went there to help the poor. D. Because he helped distribute food resources to the poor. Answer: B. Because he desired to get some food to eat. I have never understood why so many people visit Rome from late spring to early autumn, when traffic, heat and stressed shopkeepers and waiters lead to the lower tone of the city. Things improve a little in March, April, October and November. But connoisseurs know that winter is the best time to go there. In winter, the low-flying sun turns Rome into a wonderful stage set. There are days in winter when the sky is kind of blue. And there are also days when you find that you have beautiful sights all to yourself. Perhaps the only period you might want to avoid is the two weeks before Christmas. Italians often leave their shopping late, and traffic in the city is often heavy. But this can also be a good time to come if you are more interested in culture than in fashion shops; if you stay somewhere central, you can beat the traffic by walking everywhere. Christmas in Rome is a low-key family event. One of the nice things is the way the city keeps going. Although museums and shops are closed, many bars and restaurants stay open, and public transport continues to run. If you are lucky with the weather, it's in January and February that Rome is at its best. Late February can be especially attractive. One sometimes forgets what a difference that extra hour of daylight makes compared with mid-December. And there are always a few days of proper sunshine, when you can picnic in Villa Borghese and Pompeii. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage? A. Business. B. Travel. C. Kids. D. Eudcation. Answer: B. Travel.
If a being is moving regularly, then that being is A hardly healthy B probably strong C about to die D making little motion Answer: B. probably strong The water in the bowl was gone before the water A on the tray B in the mug C on the plate D on the table Answer: B. in the mug Our children feel stressed out by an educational system that actually uses stress as an educational technique. It's a constant pressure of homework deadlines,essays and exams. And our children are told at a young age that failing a test means that they are failures in life. They'll end up nowhere if they don't pass this or that exam. Our educational system is based on a very Western idea that life is a struggle and you'd better measure up. It's survival of the fittest. While there is some truth to this,not as much as people think. Our ancestors didn't develop a constant stress environment. Back then,stress came quickly and was over quickly,it wasn't like the stress of modern education. Stress was originally just a shortterm biological response to danger;however,the constant stress of modern education rarely stops. It's long term,at least ten years and usually more. Recent research has shown that the neurological response to stress is the same response that is found in depression. So,what's the solution? A number have been proposed,including but not limited to the following. _ .Exercise consumes energy that would otherwise build up in the stress response and could cause physical and mental problems. Teach relaxation exercises. Allowing the mind and body to relax cuts off the stress response and reduces the neurological fatigue ,enabling the individual to recover at least somewhat. Pay attention to thinking. Training the stressed student to pay attention to his or her own mind to a point where he or she is sufficiently aware to shut off the stress response when necessary. Of course,there's a logical answer to the problem. Just rearrange our teaching methods to encourage,rather than prevent,the natural curiosity and joy in learning that we are all born with. This would remove the stress and probably cut learning time in half. What is the main idea of the passage? A Getting rid of the modern education. B Helping children live a happy life. C Dealing with stress in modern education. D Taking measures to learn at school. Answer: C. Dealing with stress in modern education. Deadly heat waves, home-wrecking hurricanes, neighborhood-burning wildfires...When you stop to think about it, global warming can be thoroughly depressing. According to rising evidence, climate changewon't just cause new cases of stress, anxiety and depression. People who already have serious psychological problems will probably suffer most in the result of natural disasters and extreme weather events. "When these events happen, people with pre-established mental illnesses often have more extreme difficulty," said Lisa Page, a psychiatrist. "This is an area we maybe need to think about a little more seriously." In public health circles and even in climate talks, scientists have studied how climate change might affect physical health, by for example, causing the spread of malaria, fever and other infectious diseases. For the most part, though, the experts have made only vague references to the link between climate change and mental health, even though evidence for such connections is starting to pile up. In the future, climate models predict more destructive storms, floods, droughts and diseases. In turn, the new study suggests, more psychological crises will follow. Heat waves -- like the one that killed some 70,000 people in Europe in the summer of 2003 -- will also happen more frequently, last longer and be severer in coming years. The mentally ill will be hardest hit by these events because they're more likely to live in poor housing without air conditioning. People with pre-existing mental challenges will probably also have an extra hard time dealing with other forecasted consequences of climate change, including the sinking of coastlines and mass migration away from flooded shores. Then, there's the general sense of sadness that can come from reading about climate change, and recognizing that the world is changing. We can know from the text _ . A when people read about climate change, they are sure the world will be destructive B heat waves in Europe will happen again in the near future C the experts haven't clearly found out the relationship between climate change and mental health D malaria, fever and other infectious diseases are caused by climate change Answer: C. the experts haven't clearly found out the relationship between climate change and mental health The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day. I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood. In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe. American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It's certain that many things from America are as much a part of people's lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I've known about Coca Cola for my whole life. However, it's different with Western fast food. For example, I don't think McDonald's is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home. On the other hand, maybe McDonald's hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It's true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald's, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it's obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day. What do you think Spanish tapas might be? A The name of a drink. B The name of a restaurant. C A clothing brand. D A certain kind of food. Answer: D. A certain kind of food.
Visible light passes through glass. Other types of electromagnetic radiation are able to pass through other materials in a similar way. Which of the following are used in medical technology because they can pass through some parts of the human body? A. x-rays B. infrared waves C. microwaves D. ultraviolet rays Answer: A. x-rays Not many years ago, some American farmers began to complain about hawks . The hawks were killing chickens. The farmers did not know what to do. They went to the government officials and asked for help. The officials said, " We'll pay you for each hawk you kill." The farmers began to kill the hawks. Many hawks were killed, but the farmers now had another problem. The field mice were growing in number and they were eating up the farmers' corn. Hawks eat not only chickens but also field mice. They eat more field mice than chickens. But if the farmers had known that, they would not have upset the balance of nature. In one part of the USA, there are deer which eat a kind of wild rose. The deer are eaten by mountain lions. The number of deer, mountain lions, and wild rose does not change much if people stay away from them. If there are too many deer, mountain lions will increase rapidly in number and kill many deer. If there are too many mountain lions, there will be fewer deer and there will be more roses. It is always necessary for us to keep the balance of nature. The government once killed almost all the mountain lions to protect the deer. Soon there were so many deer that they ate up all the wild roses. Then they began to eat the green leaves of young trees which were important to the farmers. So the farmers protected their trees from the deer. The deer had nothing to eat, and many of them died. The government learned a valuable lesson from nature. What had happened after the hawks were killed? A. People wouldn't worry about their chickens. B. The number of the field mice became too large. C. The number of the field mice became small. D. The field mice were eating up the farmers' corn. Answer: D. The field mice were eating up the farmers' corn. Cows that are named and treated with a "more personal touch" can increase milk production by up to 500 pints a year. The study, by the university's School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, involved 516 farmers across the UK. The study found farmers who named their cows got a 54% higher production than those that did not give their cows names. Dairy farmer Dennis Gibb said he believed treating every cow as an individual was very important. "They aren't just our means of making money. They're part of the family," he said. "We love our cows here and every one of them has a name. All of us regard them as 'our ladies' but we know every one of them and each one has her own personality." Dr Catherine Douglas said, "What our study shows is what many good, caring farmers have long since believed. Our data suggests that UK dairy farmers regard their cows as intelligent beings . They are able to experience a range of emotions ." "Placing more importance on knowing the individual animals and calling them by name can, at no extra cost to the farmer, also increase milk production." ,. How much milk can a named cow produce in a year? A. 300 pounds. B. 500 pounds. C. 500 pints. D. 600 pints. Answer: C. 500 pints. If you want to increase your vocabulary, the best way to do it might be to pick up a guitar, or learn the violin. A new study shows that learning to play a musical instrument makes the brain more able to remember words. "Grown-ups with music training in their childhood can have better memory for words," said Dr Agnes Chan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who did the research. "They can remember things that you tell them better than those who did not have music training when they were young." It seems that one can remember spoken words because his brain has a special part. "That part of the brain is larger in musicians than in non-musicians," Dr Chan told BBC. "If that part of the brain is larger, it may be better developed and so this explains very nicely our results." Dr Chan and her workmates came to their conclusion after studying students. Their research is reported in the latest edition of the journal Nature. "We did the experiment with 60 girl college students from our university and 30 of them have at least six years training with one western musical instrument (such as the violin and the piano) before the age of 12. The other 30 had received no music training. We tested their memory by reading them some words and asking them to remember these words--a very common test for memory. We found that people who have had music training can remember about 70% more information than those who have not had any music training." Dr Chan thinks the process of learning is more important than the actual instrument used. She also believes if one is able to remember words through learning to play instruments, he or she could have some very real benefits. Dr Chan thinks this could be developed into a medical way for patients who are suffering from memory loss. How many students took part in Dr Chan's research? A. 30 girl students. B. 60 girl students. C. 17% of his students. D. 60 girl and boy students. Answer: B. 60 girl students. Alice was twenty-three years old, and she was a nurse at a big hospital . She was very kind and all of her patients likes her very much . One day she was out shopping. She saw an old woman. The woman was waiting to cross a busy street . Alice wanted to cross the street, too. So she went over to help the woman cross the street. When Alice was near her, she suddenly laughed and said, " Mrs Green ! You were my patient in the hospital last year." Mrs Green was very happy to see her. "I will help you cross the street, Mrs Green," Alice said. "Oh, thank you very much , Alice , " Mrs Green said and stepped forward . "No, no, Mrs Green," Alice said quickly . "Wait! The light is still red." "Oh," Mrs Green answered when she stepped back. "I can easily cross the street by myself when the light is green ." Was Alice old or young? A. She was old. B. She was young. C. No, she wasn't D. Yes, she was young. Answer: B. She was young.
Do you know that in some parts of the world, people build temporary hotels made of snow and blocks of ice? These are known as ice hotels. Unlike usual hotels, all the rooms in the ice hotels are made of ice. In some ice hotels, even the glasses for drinks are made of ice blocks. So they only serve cold drinks. Also, hot food is not served in the ice hotels, but guests can eat hot food at places nearby. To keep warm, guests sleep in comfortable sleeping bags on ice blocks that are covered by mattresses and reindeer skins . There are some places in the ice hotels that are heated, such as the bathrooms. This is because, even though it is not as cold in the ice hotels as it is outdoors , indoor temperatures are still very low. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the ice hotels is that they are rebuilt every year. They can be used only during the winter months. The ice hotels melt away when spring arrives. The ice blocks used to build these hotels are from nearby rivers. So, when the ice hotels melt away, they melt back into the rivers. What happens to the ice hotels in spring? Answer: Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead, "I will come next Tuesday, I promised a little unwillingly on her third call The next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy.Still, I had promised, and I drove there.When I finally walked into Carolyn^ house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children.I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren. "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!" My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time,Mum." "You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience." After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church.On the far side of the churchtI saw a hand-lettered sign that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car* each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path.Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped Before me lay the most beautiful sight There were five acres of flowers! But "Who has done this?" I asked Carolyn."Just one woman," Carolyn answered "That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house.-We walked up to the house. On the patio ,we saw a poster."Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline.The first answer was a simple one."50, 000 bulbs ," it read.The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman." The third answer was, "Began in 1958." For me, that moment was a life-changing experience.I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun _ one bulb at a time -- to bring her vision of beauty and joy to the mountain top. Which of the following words can best describe the author's feeling when she saw the daffodils? Answer: Cloning is suggested as a means of bringing back a relative, usually a child, killed tragically. Some parents can understand that wish, but it must first be recognized that the copy would be a new baby and not the lost child. Here lies the difficulty, for the sad parents are seeking not a new baby but a return of the dead one. Since the original would be fondly remembered as having particular talents and interests, would not the parents expect the copy to be the same? It is possible, however, that the copy would develop quite differently. Is it fair for the new child to be placed in a family with such unnatural expectations? Copying is also suggested as a means by which parents can have the child of their dreams. Couples might choose to have a copy of a film star, baseball player or scientist, depending on their interest. But because personality is only partly the result of genetic inheritance , conflicts would be sure to come up if the cloned child failed to develop the same interests as the original. What if the copy of Einstein shows no interest in science? Or the baseball player turns to acting? Success also depends upon fortune. What if the child does not live up to the hopes and dreams of the parents simply because of bad luck? Every baby should be wanted for itself, as an individual. In making a copy of oneself or some famous person, a parent is carefully specifying the way he or she wishes that child to develop. In recent years, particularly in the United States, much importance has been placed on the right of individuals to reproduce in ways that they wish. So I suggest there is a greater need to consider the interest of the child and to refuse these suggested uses of cloning. According to the author, in cloning a lost child parents _ . Answer: There is an English saying :"laughter is best medicine ."Until recently ,few people took the saying seriously .Now however ,doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body .They have found that laughter really can improve people's health . Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body .People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts ,blood pressure ,breathing and muscles .It was found that laughter had similar effects to physical exercise .It increases blood pressure ,the heart beating and breathing ; it also works several groups of muscles in the face ,the stomach ,and even the feet .If laughter exercises the body ,it must be beneficial . Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body .In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes .The group that tolerated the pain for the longest time was the groups which listened to a funny programme .The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which _ both stress and pain . As a result of these discoveries ,some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics ,in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh .They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing ,making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter . Doctors hold laughter clinics _ . Answer: There was one thought that air pollution affected only the area immediately around large cities with factories and heavy automobile traffic. At present, we realize that although these are the areas with the worst air pollution, the problem is literally worldwide. On several occasions over the past decade, a heavy cloud of air pollution has covered the east of the United States and brought health warnings in rural areas away from any major concentration of manufacturing and automobile traffic. In fact, the very climate of the entire earth may be infected by air pollution. Some scientists consider that the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the air resulting from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) is creating a "greenhouse effect"-- conserving heat reflected from the earth and raising the world's average temperature. If this view is correct and the world's temperature is raised only a few degrees, much of the polar ice cap will melt and cities such as New York, Boston, Miami, and New Orleans will be in water. Another view, less widely held, is that increasing particular matter in the atmosphere is blocking sunlight and lowering the earth's temperature -- a result that would be equally disastrous. A drop of just a few degrees could create something close to a new ice age, and would make agriculture difficult or impossible in many of our top farming areas. Today we do not know for sure that either of these conditions will happen (though one recent government report drafted by experts in the field concluded that the greenhouse effect is very possible). Perhaps, if we are lucky enough, the two tendencies will _ each other and the world's temperature will stay about the same as it is now. Driven by economic profits, people neglect the damage on our environment caused by the "advanced civilization". Maybe the air pollution is the price the human beings have to pay for their development. But is it really worthwhile? As pointed out at the beginning of the passage, people used to think that air pollution _ . Answer:
SAVE THE FROGS! Art Contest Time The 2016 SAVE THE FROGS! Art Contest will run from April 1st through October 1st , 2016. Best of luck! Introduction The SAVE THE GROGS! Art Contest invites you to create your coolest frog artwork. The contest will call on people to pay more attention to the amphibian extinction problem by getting people interested and to take part in it, and the artworks will be used on T-shirts, coffee cups, hats, cards and books to both publicize our cause and raise money for SAVE THE FROGS! amphibian protection efforts. Between 2009 and 2015 we received more than 12 thousand pieces of frog artworks from 70 countries. We look forward to receiving your creation! Who can enter? Anybody! It is free to enter the contest, though we suggest all artworks include a few dollars to assist our frog-saving efforts! Prizes The 1st Prize Winner will: (1) Receive $100. (2)Receive a one-year SAVE THE FROGS! membership. The 2nd and 3rd Place Artists will: Each receives a one-year SAVE THE FROGS! Membership. Contest Rules (1)The submitted artwork must be your original creation! (2)Your artwork should not be larger than 8.5"x11"(22cmX28cm)in size. (3)You may submit up to three artworks (4)All artworks must refer to SAVE THE FROGS! by including either the phrase "SAVE THE FROGS!" or "savethefrogs.com", or both. Please note that both "SAVE THE FROGS!" and "savethefrogs.com" are PLURAL, meaning the letter. "S" must appear at the end of the word "FROGS". Submissions If your artwork was digitally created, you should email your artwork to art @ savethefrogs.com If your artwork is on paper or any other non-digital type, then mail your artwork to : SAVE THE FORGS! Art Contest P. O. Box 78758 Los Angeles, CA 90016 USA What do you know about the contest? Answer: It aims to help protect amphibians. It is thought that crying is hardly an activity encouraged by society. Tear, whether they are of sorrow, anger, or joy, typically make Americans feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. The shedder of tears is likely to apologize, even when a great tragedy was the cause. The observer of tears is likely to do everything possible to put an end to the emotional tears. But judging from recent studies of crying behavior, _ to tears are often inappropriate and may even be counterproductive . Humans are the only animals clearly known to shed emotional tears. Since evolution has given rise to few purposeless physiological responses, it is logical to assume that crying has one or more functions that enhance (increase) survival. Although some observers have suggested that crying is a way to ask for assistance form others (as a crying baby might from its mother), the shedding of tears is hardly necessary to get help. Vocal cries would have been quite enough, more likely than tears to gain attention. So, it appears, there must be something special about tears themselves. Indeed, the new studies suggest that emotional tears may play a direct role in alleviating stress, University of Minnesota researchers who are studying the chemical composition of tears have recently isolated two important chemicals from emotional tears. Both chemicals are found only in tears that are shed in response to emotion. Tears shed because of exposure to cut onion would contain no such substance. Other researchers are investigating the usefulness of tears as a means of diagnosing human ills and monitoring drugs. At Tulane University's Teat Analysis Laboratory Dr. Peter Kastl and his colleagues report that they can use tears to detect drug abuse, to study the causes of "dry eye" syndrome and the effects of eye surgery, and perhaps even to measure exposure to environmental pollutants. What does the passage mainly talk about? Answer: functions of shedding tears. What does it mean to cry over a book? "I'm a reader who did not weep," Ruth Graham, a well-known critic, wrote. "Does this make me heartless? Or does it make me a grown-up?" Tears have played a surprisingly important part in the history of the novel. Readers have always asked about the role that emotion plays in reading: What does it mean to be deeply moved by a book? Which books are worthy objects of our feelings? In different times, people answered those questions in different ways. In the early eighteenth century, when the novel was still a new form, crying was a sign of readers' virtue. "Sentimental" novels, full of touching scenes, gave readers an occasion to exercise their "finer feelings." Your tear proved that you were likely to feel the suffering of others. At that time, sentimental novels were hugely popular, but also easy to attack. Tears, after all, had no necessary connection to actual virtue, and they could be not true As the critic John Mullan points out, by the end of the eighteenth century, the word "sentimental" had acquired a new meaning -- "addicted to low emotion" -- bringing it closer to the meaning that it has for us today. In the nineteenth century, the meaning of tears evolved in two different directions. Some writers sought to waken "higher" feelings in their readers: Victorian sentimentalists wrote touching scenes in an effort to inspire social and political reform. However, the "sensation" novel, a different type of Victorian best-seller, showed that tears could be enjoyable in themselves. Sensation novels were the leaders of the modern thriller and mystery. Heavy on secrets, and madness, they were known for creating physical "sensations" in their readers -- trembling, a fast beating heart, and tears. But these were tears without moral purpose or effect. Today's debate about crying while reading looks back on all of this history. The debate, in fact, is about why books matter to us, and what reading is "for." Talking about what makes us cry is a way of talking about ourselves. The author presents this text mainly _ . Answer: by following the order of time A group of people from Denmark have formed the B-Society. According to them, human beings are divided into types: A-People, and B-People. A-People have no problem getting up in the morning, and operate much better earlier in the day. However, B-people are better later in the day. "I'm useless early in the morning," says one of the members of the B-Society."All I can do is drink coffee, and stare into space. People used to get up early because they had to feed the animals. But I haven't got any cows or chickens, so I can sleep late," She adds. Since the society was set up, the B-Society has welcomed several thousand members. Right now, the B-Society is fighting hard for businesses to join its B-certification list. Companies that are "B-certified" basically give their employees the opportunity to come in when they want. In some companies, employees arrive at any time up to 3:30 pm --- each to their own rhythm . And it is not just businesses that are benefiting from this. Teenagers who can't get out of bed in the morning, and parents who never quite get the kids to school on time, can now benefit from B-classes. From next year, a school in Copenhagen will offer classes which start later in the day (at 10 instead of eight). And even the government seems to like the idea. The B-Society was founded by Camilla Kring, a professor from the University of Copenhagen. On her website, she says, "When B-people's work rhythms are considered at the work place, their productivity and quality of life is increased, which can increase productivity for the entire organization." She adds that, "B-Society will create a new daily rhythm in schools and other institutions as an alternative to the current rhythm of 'early at work and early at home'. We are working for the establishment of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools as well as universities that open between 10 am and 8 pm." Would you like to work for a B-certified company? In B-certified companies, employees can _ . Answer: go to work at any time of a day There is one language, and people, young and old , men and women, use it very often, in every country in the world. It is everyone's second language . You can't hear it, but it is very easy to understand . It is sign ( )language. When you wave to a friend in the street, you are using sign language. When you put up your hand in class, you are saying "Please ask me, I think I know the right answer". When a police officer wants to stop cars or buses, he puts up his hand. He's using sign language. Churchill's famous "V for Victory "is also sign language. Sign language is useful in quite places full of noise . Even when you are swimming with your friends , you can have a talk under water. You can't hear sign language because it's _ language. Answer: not a
School is out for the summer. Jake and Jimmy are playing on a baseball team. They are both nine years old this year. Their team is called the Knights. Jake plays first base and Jimmy is a pitcher. They both love baseball. They started playing when they were four years old. It is so fun for them. Their team has won three games so far. They beat the Jets, the Bluejays, and the Hawks so far. They have not lost any games yet. They are playing the Tigers today. The Tigers have not lost any games either. The score was one to one until the last inning. There were two outs. Jimmy came to the plate. The pitcher named Johnny threw the ball hard. Jimmy swung his bat too late and missed. He missed the next pitch too. It was too fast. He was ready for the next pitch. He hit it hard to center field. The Tiger player in center field jumped to catch it, but it went over his head and over the fence. It was a home run! The Knights won the game! Who hit a home run at the end of the game? Answer: Jimmy The day before yesterday, when Peter's family were having dinner, Father raised an interesting question, "Was there anything in our past that we feel ashamed of, guilty about, or regretted? Maybe we can find ways to say sorry, or take some action to right any wrong doing." This seemed like a very private matter, but Peter thought about it carefully the whole night. Peter remembered an incident from middle school. In his school, there was a worker, Neil Stone, who none of the kids liked. One night, Peter and two of his classmates decided to play a trick on him. They found a can of red paint, and wrote on the school main road in bright red: Neil Stone is a fool! The next day, the whole school saw these words. Within two hours, Neil had Peter and his two classmates in his office. His classmates said that they had done it but Peter lied, denying the truth. No one ever talked about it. This morning, Peter went back to his middle school. Neil Stone is still working there. "Sorry, Neil. Do you still remember what happened ten years ago? I want you to know that I did it." "I knew it!' Neil laughed. They had a good laugh and a lively discussion. Neil's closing words were: "Peter, I always felt bad for you because your classmates got it off their mind, and I knew you were carrying it around all these years. I want to thank you for visiting me... for your sake." Peter knows that no matter how difficult the situation is, it is never too late to clear up the past and make a fresh start. What is the best title for this passage? Answer: It's never too late. When you meet someone for the first time, you will form an impression in your mind of that person in the first moment. Your reactions to other people, however, are really just barometers for how you perceive yourself. Your reactions to others say more about you than they do about others. You cannot really love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate yourself. We are usually drawn to those who are most like us and tend to dislike those who display those aspects of ourselves that we dislike. Therefore, you can allow others to be the mirror to illuminate (;) more clearly your own feelings of self-worth. Conversely, you can view the people you judge negatively as mirrors to show you what you are not accepting about yourself. To survive together peacefully with others, you will need to learn tolerance. A big challenge is to shift your perspective from judgment of others to a lifelong exploration of yourself. Your task is to assess all the decisions, judgments you make onto others and to begin to view them as clues to how you can heal yourself and become whole. Several days ago I had a business lunch with a man who displayed _ table manners. My first reaction was to judge him as rude and his table manners as annoying. When I noticed that I was judging him, I stopped and asked myself what I was feeling. I discovered that I was embarrassed to be seen with someone who was chewing with his mouth open and loudly blowing his nose. I was astonished to find how much I cared about how the other people in the restaurant perceived me. Remember that your judgment of someone will not serve as a protective shield against you becoming like him. Just because I judge my lunch partner as rude does not prevent me from ever looking or acting like him. In the same way, extending tolerance to him would not cause me to suddenly begin chewing my food with my mouth open. When you approach life in this manner, those with whom you have the greatest dissatisfactions as well as those you admire and love can be seen as mirrors, guiding you to discover parts of yourself that you reject and to embrace your greatest quality. The purpose of the author writing this passage is to advise people to _ . Answer: learn tolerance towards others Alfred Alder, a famous psychiatrist, had an interesting experience. When he was a small boy he got off to a poor start in arithmetic. His teacher got the idea that he had no ability in arithmetic, and told his parents what she thought in order that they would not expect too much of him. In this way, they too developed the idea, "Isn't it too bad that Alfred can't do arithmetic?" He accepted their mistaken estimate of his ability, feeling that it was useless to try, and that he was very poor at arithmetic, just as they expected. One day he became very angry at the teacher and the other students because they laughed when he said he saw how to do a problem which none of the other students had been able to solve. Adler succeeded in solving the problem. This gave him confidence. He rejected the idea that he couldn't do arithmetic and was determined to show them that he could. His anger and his new found confidence stimulated him to go at arithmetic problems with a new spirit. He now worked with interest, determination, and purpose, and he soon became extraordinarily good at arithmetic. He not only proved that he could do arithmetic, but he learned early in life from his own experience that, if a person goes at a job with determination and purpose, he may astonish himself as well as others by his ability. This experience made him realize that many people have more ability than they think they have, and that lack of success is as often the result of lack of knowledge of how to apply one's ability, lack of confidence, and lack of determination as it is the result of lack of ability. Alfred gained confidence in learning arithmetic _ . Answer: after he managed to find a solution to a difficult problem Scientists have searched for many years for a method to tell whether a volcano explosion will be small or large. Now, four scientists say they have discovered something in lava that will help do this. They did the research on Mount Unzen on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Mount Unzen exploded in November, 1990. Since then, more explosions have killed 43 people and destroyed the homes of more than 2,000 others. The volcano is still active today. The scientists say the lava of the volcano contains high level of an element ,which is a sign of the presence of the lava from deep in the earth, not from the surface. They say it shows that the lava coming directly from inside the earth is connected with huge explosions instead of smaller ones. The scientists examined the lava from 18 explosions of Mount Unzen that took place during many thousands of years. They also studied the lava from other volcanoes in the area that are older than Mount Unzen. The lava studied came from both large and small explosions. The scientists found that large explosions contained more of the element than small ones. The scientists say if they had known this two years earlier, they could have warned the people living in the area near Mount Unzen and saved many lives. From the passage we learn that Mount Unzen is the name of _ . Answer: an active volcano
Question: Alligators have a A. carrot B. glasses C. scarf D. wide nose Answer: D Question: The rumors had been spreading for months but it still came as a shock when the hospital would be closing. It had served this poor neighborhood for nearly 100 years but it would close because of the health care crisis. The day after the announcement co-workers found out that pretzels had been _ . Soft pretzels are the lifeblood of this city. So losing access to soft pretzels is no small matter. A week later, I decided to cheer up my co-workers by picking up some soft pretzels at a local store. I arrived just as it opened so I was the only customer. But I only had $6 in my wallet. I was working inside a large office at the hospital and knew I'd need more than the half dozen pretzels my six dollars would buy. A man's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Can I help you?" I said, "I only have $6. I'm not sure how many pretzels I need. You see, I work at a hospital and it's closing and they stopped selling pretzels." The man's smile disappeared. "What hospital?" "Oh, Northeastern Hospital." The guy looked deeply shocked. "I used to sell medical supplies and that was one of my hospitals." Then he turned around and grabbed a box of 25 pretzels and slid them across the counter. I was surprised by his generosity and started to reach for my wallet, "Oh I can pay. Please let me ..." The guy smiled, "Just tell them Joe Sullivan said to do something nice for someone else." And so that day everyone in medical records was treated to a soft pretzel. Word spread fast as people came asking, "Is it really true?" It was as if I'd carried in a box of gold. It mattered to them that a stranger cared. To buy 25 pretzels, the author should pay _ . A. $25 B. $12.5 C. $12 D. $50 Answer: A Question: How can you hear your friends' voices when they are far away and you can't make a long--distance call? Besides the web camera system with your computer, we have a new high-tech way to solve the problem and ease your pain of missing them. The Japanese company Combiwith created a system-- . It makes people in pictures speak! The "talking picture" has a special pen. It is actually a pen-shaped scanner. It can scan information in special--made pictures. A connected player will then play the information out loud. First, you need to take a picture and record what you want to say with the company. The company will then make special barcodes onto your picture(you can't see those codes). Those codes are your voice and your words. When you hold up the pen to scan your picture with barcodes, a player connected to the pen will start to play. It plays things you've recorded. That way the invention makes the "you" in the picture speak! Do you want your friends and families talking out of pictures? Have them make pictures like that, and you can hear them whenever you want, only with the "talking picture" system. The system can play messages for up to 12 minutes. "The pictures would be useful for those who hope to hear the voice of someone living far away," said Mayumi Fuji, a spokeswoman for the company. "Grandparents, for example, longing to know about their grandchildren, would be happy to hear their voice when they see the picture," Fuji said. But it is troublesome to go to the company for taking a special picture first. And, it is much more expensive than using a telephone. The photo with barcodes costs between 17,040 and 17,990 yen (160 and 169 dollars). The larger picture you want, the more you pay. Now, just raise a finger, lonely people can have their loved ones speak out of pictures. But, whether the "talking picture" is practical or not, let's wait and see. Which of the following is NOT true accordingly? A. The talking picture system can play messages for 12 minutes at most. B. It will cost you more to take a larger talking picture. C. It might take a lot of trouble to make a talking picture. D. You can make a talking picture by just raising a finger. Answer: D Question: Come to Murray's big sale on clothes and things for school. They are at a very good price . Do you like jackets? We have jackets in all colors at 25 dollars each. Do you need bags for shopping or school? We have great bags for only 9 dollars. For young boys and girls, we have T-shirts in red, yellow, white and black for only 20 dollars. And socks in all colors for 2 dollars, skirts and pants for 5 dollars! See our nice schoolbags, pencils,pens and old books--everything for school! Come and see for yourself at Murray's shop! ,. Which of the following is wrong? A. Murray's shop has many things for school. B. If you want to buy pants, you can go to Murray's shop C. Murray's shop has socks, old books, school bags. D. Murray's shop has everything. Answer: D Question: David was a successful young man who worked in a large company in a big city in America. His favorite hobby was fishing. But it was several years since he had last gone fishing. He was too busy to get a chance to practice. Then one summer he decided to go on vacation to a village where there were a lot of streams . "I ought to be able to have some good fishing there," he said to himself confidently and made good preparations for fishing. The next morning after he arrived there, he walked to the nearest stream with his fishing rod . To his surprise, he saw an old man standing beside the water, doing nothing. So he asked him whether it was a private stream. The old man answered that it was not a private stream and everyone could fish there, so David said to him, " Well, then it won't be fined if I catch some fish here, will it?" "Oh, no," answered the old man. "It won't be, but it will be a miracle ." David hadn't gone fishing for a long time because _ . A. he didn't like fishing B. he was not good at it C. he was too busy D. he couldn't find a place for fishing Answer: C
Having a conversation in rooms with bare cement can be challenging because of A dancing clown guys B bouncing sound waves C problematic triggered dingoes D egg cartons Answer: B. bouncing sound waves What's going to happen in the future? Will robots control our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen in 10 to 30 years from now, according to the BBC.2-1-c-n-j-y Digital money We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us seeing it. That means we are already using digital money. Using a card is much easier than searching our pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash. When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. It's reported that people in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, and the US might be next. Bionic eye It's no longer something only in a science fiction movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back--by wearing bionic eyes. A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to "see" the environment and send data to the mind. Now the bionic eye only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes. A high resolution image could be just a few years away. Self-driving cars Unlike a human driver, a self-driving car won't get distracted by phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car driver itself. Many vehicle companies are now planning self!driving cars. "By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road," said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US. What does the writer mainly tell us about digital money? A We use digital money to shop online without paying money. B Digital money is most likely to be used instead of cash. C Using a credit card is easier and safer than cash D ATM cards are always popular. Answer: C. Using a credit card is easier and safer than cash A number of scientific studies have suggested that repeatedly heading a football could increase the risk of developing dementia in later life. In 2002, former England international footballer Jeff Astle died aged 59. A coroner said that Astle died from a brain disease likely to have been caused by "repeated small damages to the brain" related to heading a heavy leather football. Dr. Scott Delaney, research director of emergency medicine at McGill University Health Center in Montreal, Canada, has also researched soccer-related head injury and agrees that head-to-head or elbow-to-head blows are the real risk. In 2007, Delaney carried out a study on footballers aged between 12 and 17 that showed they were half as likely to be concussed wearing headgear than without. He said youngsters have a higher risk of head injury than adults because their heads are thinner and less able to absorb shock. To make matters worse, their neck muscles aren't as well developed and they often lack the correct heading technique that can help throw away the force of the ball. Delaney recommends that children wear headgear when playing football and says his two eldest children wear head protection playing the sport. But he admits that children can be unwilling to be the first to wear head protection--especially when their football heroes play without it. While headgear can protect footballers from being concussed during a match, no one knows the long-term effects of repeated "sub-concussive" blows to the head. Delaney says that while there is indirect evidence that a career in soccer can lead to dementia, no one has yet found a sure link between the two. He says proving a link would mean monitoring hundreds of footballers for three or four decades--and that would take a lot of funding. Children are unwilling to wear headgear because they think _ . A headgear is harmful to their heads B headgear influences their skills C they should follow their idols D they mustn't lead the fashion Answer: C. they should follow their idols When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt? The good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in Wheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into. The first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income ,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation. The second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan. Depending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years, Mazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. " Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job. Which of the following is true about the College Reduction and Access Act? A The programs in the act take effect in 2008. B The act aims to help college students who are in debt. C There are two helpful programs in the act. D The graduates who work in public service benefit the most. Answer: B. The act aims to help college students who are in debt. Noah felt like he was always hitting the books. While his friends were meeting for pickup soccer games after school, he was back home in his room reading and rereading the same material. But no matter how hard Noah studied, he had difficulty remembering things and his grades stayed average. Meanwhile, his friend Sean, who never seemed to study, always aced tests. It didn't seem fair. Because Noah was so frustrated , his dad and teachers made an appointment with the school psychologist. She diagnosed Noah with a learning disability. Although Noah felt relieved to know what was going on, he was also worried. He didn't like the "disability" label. And he was concerned about what it might mean for his future. Would he be able to go to college and study engineering as he'd hoped? For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence. After all, such successful people as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. The way our brains process information is extremely complex --- it's no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information. It's the same thing with speech - we have to recognize the words, interpret the meaning, and figure out the significance of the statement to us. Many of these activities take place in separate parts of the brain, and it's up to our minds to link them all together. If, like Noah, you've been diagnosed with a learning disability, you're not alone. Nearly four million school-age children and teens have learning disabilities, and at least 20% of them have a type of disorder that makes it difficult to focus. No one's exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop. Which of the following statements is TRUE? _ A When Noah was diagnosed with a learning disability, he didn't feel relieved. B One may get confused because it is rather complex to process information. C If you've been diagnosed with a learning disability, you are not lonely. D So far, some exact causes of learning disabilities have been known. Answer: B. One may get confused because it is rather complex to process information.
A Korean wave is sweeping across China, with many Chinese women worshiping South Korean actors Kin Soo-hyun and Lee Min-ho as demigods . Chinese netizens always have different opinions. Over South Korean TV dramas, but there is no doubt that programs from the neighboring country are now enjoying a new round of popularity in China, And a big part of the credit for that goes to You Who Came From The Star, the South Korean TV series which is on the air now. You Who Came From The Star and The Heirs have been subjects of hot online discussions throughout Asia. Besides, the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, read by the hero You Who Came From The Star was a hard-to-get item on Amazon for a while. The two TV programs have several common elements :a tall, handsome, and rich hero who loves the heroine blindly and always protects her, and an equally handsome man madly in love with the same woman. Both programs describe the purity of love, which is expressed through a kiss or a warm hug. Perhaps that's the secret of their success; perhaps people still like Cinderella-type stories. The widening wealth gap is a matter of social concern both in South Korea and China, and the challenges that young people face in their hope for a better life might have caused many ordinary girls to dream of marrying rich, caring men. This is precisely what the popular South Korean TV drams describe. _ Many netizens even said at an earlier time that South Korean TV dramas had become popular because of their stereotyped themes: traffic accidents, cancer and other incurable diseases. But all that has changed with the success of You Who Came From The Star and The Heirs, which Chinese directors can use as examples, as well as inspiration, to improve their productions. Which is NOT included in the elements for the success of South Korean dramas? Lizards are unusual,but they can make good pets because most of them are small and easy to care for. They do not make loud noises,and they do not need to go for walks or take baths. Of course, some lizards make better pets than others. One of the most popular lizards in pet store is the bearded dragon. Bearded dragons are active during the day and do not mind people holding them. Geckos are another popular pet lizard. They are a little more difficult to care for. Geckos are active at night and need a warm place to live.Like bearded dragons,they can be held by their owners.Both of these lizards can live ten years or more when they are well cared for. Two lizards that are bad choices for pets are iguanas and chameleons. Iguanas can grow to be almost two meters(nearly six feet),so they need a big space to live in.They can also bite or scratch their owners.Chameleons do not hurt their owners,but they are quite difficu1t to care for. While iguanas can live up to twenty years,chameleons do not live very long. Most do not live more than five years. Which lizard would be good for a child to watch and play during the day? A group of swans flew down to a beach where a crow was jumping around . The crow watched them with disdain . "You have no flying skills at all ! " he said to the swans. " All you can do is to move your wings. Can you turn over in the air ? No , that's beyond you. Let's have a flying compitition. I'll show you what real flying is ! " One of the swans , a strong young male , took up the challenge. The crow flew up and began to show his skills. He flew in circles, performed other flying tricks, and then came down and looked proudly at the swan. Now it was the swan's turn. He flew up , and began flying over the sea. The crow flew after him , making all kinds of comments about his flying. They flew on and on till they couldn't see the land and there was nothing but water on all sides. The crow was making fewer and fewer comments. He was so _ that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to struggle to keep himself from falling into the water. The swan pretended ( ) not to notice , and said, " Why do you keep touching the water , brother ? Is that another trick ?" " No ," said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. " I'm in trouble because of my pride ! If you don't help me , I'll lose my life... " The swan took pity on him , and took him on his shoulders and flew back to the beach. ,. What can we learn from the passage ? Black is the color of power. It has the meaning of submission . It is popular in fashion because it makes people look thinner. White is the color for brides . White is considered a summer color. White is popular in fashion because it is light and goes with everything. Red is a hot and strong color. It can make the heart beat faster. It is also the color of love. Red clothes can make people look heavier. And red things get noticed more than things that are another color. The color of the sky and the ocean, blue, is one of the most popular colors. It is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and make people feel sad. Green means nature. It is the most comfortable color on the eyes and can improve vision . It is a calming color. Hospitals often use green because it can make patients relax. Yellow is the most difficult color for the eyes to take in. Yellow is the color of sunshine. It is a warm color like red. On the one hand, it is the color of happiness and joy. On the other hand, it means fear and dishonest behavior. In the sentence "He is too yellow to stand up and fight", "yellow"most probably means " _ ". In 1968, Easter preparation started on Saturday and Mom color1ed eggs. Mom boiled a few dozen eggs and while they cooled, Dennis, Diane and I gathered supplies. We put some color1 powder in each of six bowls, added boiling water and vinegar, and then mixed them together. Before dipping an egg into one of the pretty color1s, I'd catch a crayon and carefully print "Darlene" on one egg. Dennis and Diane did the same. Then Mum and Dad put the eggs with our names and some presents in separate baskets. When we hunted on Easter morning, we'd be sure to get the right basket. Being 8-year-old, I am quite familiar with the rule, and I explained to my younger sister, Diane: Firstly, if you find the basket with the others' egg in it, quietly put it back and continue the hunt. Secondly, if the basket with your egg in it isn't found by fifteen minutes before church, you have to continue looking for it after church. That year I was unlucky, I didn't find my basket before church, so I spent one more hour looking for my hunt. The next Easter was a different story since I was lucky enough to find my basket first. I was jumping up and down, and staring at the big chocolate rabbit in my basket when Mom and Dad told us to get dressed. I proudly left my basket in the sun porch before heading out of the door. After church, my sisters and brothers ran ahead, but I was pleased to walk between Mom and Dad since I'd already found my basket and huge chocolate rabbit. As I jumped up the porch steps I knew Dennis found his too, since he was laughing his head off. "Hungry for chocolate soup? " Dennis laughed. "Chocolate soup?" I was surprised. One look at Dennis pointed finger made me realize my beautiful chocolate rabbit was now a chocolate puddle . But I always think of the unforgettable Easters when I was a child. The author writes the passage mainly to _ .
The past week was possibly the most eventful in the history of customer technology markets,or to be precise, the 7-inch (17.8-cm) tablet market. Never before have three of thebiggest players in the industry scheduled what could be truly historic productlaunches so close together. Despite its name, the 7.9-inch iPad Mini is one of the largest among the mini-tablets. It's gotall the aesthetics of its earlier 9.7-inch iPad and is unbelievably thin-just 7.2 mm, 23 percentthinner than the iPad. Apple's iPad Mini Release date: Nov 2,2012 (Wi-Fi version) Operating system: iOS 6 Size: 19.9 x 13.5 x 0.7 cm Prices: $329 (16GB Wi-Fi), $429 (32GB Wi-Fi), $519 (64GB Wi-Fi), or $459 (16GB Data) $559 (32GB Data), $659 (64GB Data) Google may have been forced to cancel its Android event in New York City on Oct 29 due to the threat of hurricane Sandy, but that isn't stopping it from making same big announcements. For starters, Google has confirmed that the Nexus 10 will be running Android 4.2 out of the box, so get excited. It will also come equipped with a 10-inch display running at an impressive 2560x1600 resolution. On the inside, it'll have a A15 dual-core processor running alongside 2GB of RAM ,so expect the Nexus 10 to be a speedy little tablet. Google's Nexus 10 Release date: Nov 13,2012 Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Size: 26.4 x 17.8x0.9 cm Prices: $399 (16GB), $449 (32GB) Microsoft's Surface is a bold product with some great touches. It doesn't feature a camera and focuses on Office software, which suggests Microsoft is focusing this product on an executive toy. There's no 3G connection (only Wi-Fi) so owners won't have to worry about an extra contract. The real delight, however, is Metro, the impressive navigation interface .It is beautifully designed with brightly colored squares for navigation. Pre-orders for Surface in the US sold out over the weekend, so it would seem customers are excited. Microsoft's Surface Release date: Oct 26,2012 Operating system: Windows 8 RT Size: 27.5 x 17.2 x 0.9 cm Prices: $499 (32GB M-Fi) How many technologies will be introduced to the Nexus 10 according to Google? A 6 B 5 C 4 D 3 Answer: D My friend John has got a restaurant in a big city. It is near a supermarket. He gets ten robots for the restaurant. Each robot costs 20,000 yuan. The restaurant is not big, but very popular. Now more and more people come here for dinner. The robots have different jobs in the restaurant. Two robots cook different kinds of food; one washes the dishes; one cleans the floor and the others give food to the guests . Although robots do most of the jobs in the restaurant, John is still very busy. He must do many things to keep the robots working well. Luckily, John is good at studying robots and he knows robots very well. I think in the future, there will be a lot of robot themed restaurants around the world. Which of the following is TRUE? A The restaurant is big and clean. B It is expensive to eat in the restaurant. C There are three robot cooks in the restaurant. D The restaurant is popular in John's city. Answer: D If you ask people to name the one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like "Shakespeare," "Samuel Johnson," and "Webster," but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn't even speak English--William the Conqueror . Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived people belonging to two major language groups. In the west-central region lived the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, though not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic. In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and other Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call Anglo-Saxon (or Old English), a Germanic language. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German. But this state of affairs did not last. In l066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words. We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming, while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating. When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more "foreign" than France because the German they see on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic in its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of one man's ambition . What is the subject discussed in the text? A The history of Great Britain. B The similarity between English and French. C The rule of England by William the Conqueror. D The French influences on the English language Answer: D It was almost four o'clock in the morning when the fire broke out."We watch one window blow out,and then another,and heard people shouting,"says Stanley,21,a junior from Westfield State College in Massachusetts.Students were throwing ropes made from bed sheets out their windows,and a couple of them were trying to climb down. Almost all the hotel's 502 rooms were filled with college students from across the United States who were spending their holiday here in Acpulco,Mexico.As the smoke thickened,Moreno ran upstairs to where other Westfield students were rooming."Some people had no idea what was going on,"he says."I was shouting at the top of my voice.I made sure I hit every door."At the same time,Stanley was downstairs helping people get through the smokefilled hall.There he joined forces with Nalewanski who had just come back from his own night out. "Let's go."Nalewanski says.He and Stanley wet their shirts in the bathroom and wrapped them around their mouths and noses so they could breathe.Then they ran up the stairs. Nalewanski and Stanley found Moreno on the fourth floor.They all ran upstairs and down the corridors on every floor,hitting every door hard. In the end,no one was seriously injured.Even more unbelievable,all the Westfield students made it back to Massachusetts later that same day. Westfield president Evan Dobelle says,"I have a great deal of pride in these young men and they were able to react in such an emergency." What do we learn from Stanley from the passage? A He is in his last year in college. B He is a very brave young man. C He was reading a book when the fire broke out. D He was the first one to find out there was a fire. Answer: B Bad teeth may be painful and it's getting worse without treatment. They can even ruin your life. Illness of the teeth can find its way into the blood system. This can increase the chances of a heart disease or other illnesses. Experts say good care for teeth should start at birth. Mothers' milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. But dentists say a baby's mouth and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if a baby is fed with a bottle. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give him only water. When baby's teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. Young children often eat toothpaste when they brush, so they should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth. Parents often ask what effect thumb sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If _ continues, parents should talk to their children's dentist or doctor. Dentists say children should have their first dental visit by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear usually at around six months. According to the writer, baby's teeth should be protected from the day _ . A he begins to speak B he has his first tooth C he was born D he is fed with bottle milk Answer: C
One day Robin went with his family to eat in a restaurant. They were sitting at a table and waiting for their meal. Suddenly, everyone around them started to cover their noses. Some of them even left their tables and went away. When Robin's family turned around to see what had caused this, they saw two homeless boys. The boys looked dirty and smelled bad. But both boys were smiling and had beautiful blue eyes. They were looking for someone kind. One of the boys went to the counter and he counted the coins he had. The other boy looked sick and he stood quietly. The young lady at the counter asked the boy what they wanted. He said, "We only want a cup of coffee. " That was all they could afford. They wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up. It was really cold outside. But to sit inside the restaurant, they had to buy something. When Robin's mother saw this, she wanted to help the boys. She ordered some more food. Then she went to the two boy's table. She put the food on the table. The boys looked up at her and said, "Thank you. " When Robin saw what his mother did, he understood what the unconditional( ) love was. His mother treated those boys kindly. She did not expect anything in return. Now Robin saves his own pocket money and helps homeless people whenever he can. What did Robin learn from the story? A We should treat others kindly. B We shouldn't laugh at others. C We should save pocket money. D We shouldn't receive others'help. Answer: A. We should treat others kindly. People often say that an Englishman's home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal. Most people in Britain live in houses rather than in flats, and many people own their homes. They can paint and change them in any way they like. In a crowded city everyone knows that he or she has _ space that is only for himself or herself and for invited friends. People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting on a beach or a train or in a library? If you are on the beach you may have spread your sands around you; on the train you may have put your coat or a small bag on the seat beside you; in a library you may have one corner or chair which is your own. Once I was traveling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us. The man sitting opposite me had his bag on the table. There was no space on my side of the table at all. I was made rather angry. Maybe he thought that he owned the whole table! I took some newspapers out of my bag and put them on his. When I did this he sat up straight at once, opening his eyes wide. I had invaded his space! A few minutes later, I took my newspapers off his bag in order to read them. He at once moved his bag to his side of the table. According to the passage, if an Englishman is on the beach, he will probably _ to show his own space to others. A cover himself with sands B sit in another person's chair C spread sands around him D talk loudly with his friends Answer: C. spread sands around him Nicole Delian, 17, suffers from a condition that makes her sleep up to 19 hours a day and as much as 64 days in a row. Nicole Delian is tired of sleeping. This 17-year-old teenager from North Fayette, Pa., has a rare condition called Kleine-Levin Syndrome -- or "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome" -- that makes her sleep 18 to 19 hours a day. And when she does wake up, she is often so tired out that she is in a sleepwalking state and doesn't remember doing basic things like eating, according to KDKA-TV. Nicole's sleepwalking state has been so severe that she once slept through the holidays, awaking one day in January when she finally opened Christmas gifts alongside her family, according to ChartiersValley.Patch.com. . "She's never really adjusted to it," her mother, Vicki Delien told the website. "She's 17 now and it really upsets her. She's missed out on a lot." Delien told talk show host Jeff Probst that the teen has at times slept 32 to 64 days in a row, waking only in sleepwalking mode to eat. Kleine-Levin Syndrome is incredibly rare, only affecting about l,000 people worldwide, and very hard to diagnose. In Nicole's' case, it took 25 months for doctors to diagnose her, according to ChartiersValley.Patch.com, and everything from a virus, to epilepsy to West Nile was mentioned, including, unfortunately, the possibility she was faking it for attention.. When a typical episode of Sleeping Beauty Syndrome begins, the patient becomes progressively drowsy and sleeps for most of the day and night, waking only to eat or go to the bathroom, according to the Klein-Levin Syndrome Foundation website. "When awake, the patient's whole behavior is changed, often appearing "stupid" or childlike. When awake he experiences confusion, complete lack of energy, and lack of emotions." Patients also report that everything seems out of focus, and that they are hypersensitive to noise and light. Some patients also have intense food cravings . The Delians did not say whether Nicole has experienced these symptoms. There is no known cure, but Nicole's family is using a combination of epilepsy and narcolepsy medication to minimize the incidents to just two a year. According to the passage, Nicole_. A was once suspected of lying about her condition B has a good appetite for food because of the disease C has adapted to the condition and can well cope with it D will be cured of the disease by using the combined medication Answer: A. was once suspected of lying about her condition All living organisms are dependent on plants because plants A produce carbon dioxide B remove oxygen from the air C are producers D are consumers Answer: C. are producers Which color do you like best? Everyone has his own favorite color, but how do people feel about colors? It depends on their cultures. The same color sometimes has different meanings in different countries. In England, the right color for a bride to wear is white. But in China and other eastern countries, brides often wear red. Why? It is because the red color is a sign of good luck. Red is used as a sign of danger in England. Road signs are often in red. In eastern countries, red does not mean you have to be careful. In England and other western countries, black is the color of death. But in many eastern countries, most people think white is the color of death. In England, green is used in traffic lights to tell people that it is safe to go. Green is often seen as a lucky color, but wearing green at a wedding is unlucky. Many people like the color orange because it is bright and exciting. But some _ will not use orange in their ads because they believe it suggests that their products are cheap and perhaps not of high quality. As is known to all, red is the most popular color in China while in England it is blue. In England, people think _ . A red is the color of death B it's lucky to wear green at a wedding C the right color for a bride to wear is white D it's dangerous to go with the green traffic lights Answer: C. the right color for a bride to wear is white
Welcome to the British Museum, the grandest and the most spectacular in the human history.The admission is free and we open every day from 10:00 to 15:30.You can explore 10 departments including: The Department of Africa, Oceania and America. The collection of the Department of Africa, Oceania and America includes around 350,000 objects.The scope of the collection is contemporary and historical.It includes most of Africa, the Pacific and Australia, as well as America.All of the collections were got during the 19 th and 20 th centuries and dates from this time. The Department of Asia. The Department of Asia covers the material and visual cultures of Asia--a vast geographical area of Japan, Korea, China, central Asia, Afghanistan, south Asia and south -east Asia.The collection dates from about 4000 BC to present day.It represents the cultures and ways of life of local people and other minority groups. The Department of Greek and Roman Empires. The Department of Greek and Roman Empires features antiquities .It has one of the most comprehensive collections of antiquities from the Classical world, with over 100,000 objects.These mostly range in date from the beginning of the Greek Bronze Age (about 3200BC) to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD. The department of Asia represents _ . Answer: the life styles and cultural traditions of some nations On July 4,1986,Americans celebrated the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday.Parades,speeches,fireworks,and other activities contributed to the great joy of the event.The celebration caused reporters and the 1ocal people to 1ook back a century to the similar great joy that marked the official opening of the statue.The Statue of Liberty was completed in 1886,but the story began earlier.The idea for a statue was first suggested at a dinner party by Edouard de Laboulaye, a French historian .A guest at the party was Frederic Bartholdi,a young sculptor. Most people who attended the dinner party soon forgot the idea,but Laboulaye and Bartholdi remembered it.In 187l, Bartholdi came to the United States to interest Americans in a statue that would link France and the United States in friendship.Many people in France had already been persuaded and contributed money to the project.Americans were also persuaded to build a fund for the statue.Much of the money came from school children. After the idea had been accepted,Bartholdi set to work. He worked hard for many years.His friend Laboulaye died before the statue was completed.At last,in 1885,the statue was sent to the United States.It had to be shipped in sections and then put together for its weight and size. Ever since then, 1886,the Statue of Liberty has stood as a symbol of freedom to millions of immigrants entering New York Harbor. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage? Answer: The True Story of the Statue of Liberty Mary was a four-year-old girl. She was interested in drawing very much. Mary showed her drawings to everyone. She especially wanted to impress her father, but her dad always seemed to be too busy. One day, Mary wanted to learn to draw houses. She used many hours to draw a really beautiful house with a big garden. Herself, Mom and Dad were looking out of the house. On the _ was the little dog, she wanted to have it so much. "Look, mom!" "Oh, Mary, this is so beautiful! Your best ever!" Mary was very happy and said, "I'll show this to Dad now!" She ran to the door of the room where her dad worked. "Dad!" Mary knocked on the door. "I want you to see the house I made!" "I'm sorry, Mary, I am busy. Can't you show it to someone else?" her dad answered in the room. Mary looked down at her drawing and her tears came down. "I don't want to show it to anyone else. I want to show it to my dad. You're the only dad I have!" Mary's mom felt so heavy in her heart and she got ready for a hug. But before she took another step, the door opened and Mary's dad appeared. "I'm sorry Mary. I was foolish! Come here and we'll look at your drawing!" Daughter and the only dad she had walked into the room to enjoy the child's beautiful work of art. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: Mary loved her father deeply. Jim was a 15-year-old boy living with his little sister, Joy. Their parents had passed away long ago. Jim took care of Joy by himself. One day, Jim woke up at 3 in the morning as usual. When Joy was sleeping alone, Jim left their little house to deliver newspapers. As he did so, he found something unusual. One man was sitting in front of Jim's house. Jim was so surprised that he stopped to look at him closely. It was an icy morning and he looked very old. The poor old man didn't have anything to cover himself with. Jim went into his house to get the old man a blanket . However, there were no extra blankets, so Jim thought hard and took his father's coat. It was the only thing of his father's that he had left. Jim wrote a short note. "Sir, I found you sleeping in front of my house. This is my father's coat. I hope it fits you well." He put the note in a pocket of the coat, and covered the old man with the coat. Then he went to work. When he came back three hours later, both the man and the coat were gone. Jim thought that it was the best thing he could have done with his father's coat. That afternoon, Jim hurried home after school because Joy was at home alone. However, Joy and the old man were standing in front of the house, and Joy shouted to Jim, "Brother!He's our grandfather!" The grandfather smiled and said, "Jim, I have been looking for you all around the country for eight years. I'm not rich. But I can take care of you two. Thank you for giving me the coat and letting me know what a good person my grandson is. This coat was the very one that I gave my own son, a long time ago." The best title of the passage is " _ ". Answer: Father's coat as rainfall increases in an area, electricity will be less and less available for Answer: solar panels
Elite Lessons Experienced music performer is offering one-on-one drum lesson. As the winner of the Drummer Contest, the largest drummer contest in Canada, I can teach you secret techniques that only an elite group knows, but the group doesn't share them with the public. The result is instant improvement in your speed and ability to play the drum. Lessons are taught in French or English, $25 an hour. Call at 514-585-5054 if you want to know more information. Private Tutoring Professional French tutor is offering French tutoring, $15 an hour. I possess a BA in translation from Concordia University and have over 5 years' teaching experience. The course consists of conversational French, grammar, reading comprehension ,etc. Courses are given in the downtown area. For more information please call at 514-835-1834. Customized Tutoring Hello, my name is Christopher Marion. I am a graduate students at Concordia University, 21 years of age. I was born and lived in France for 17 years. I will be happy to provide customized help in French writing or speaking. The lesson's style can be whatever suits your needs. I am charging $19 an hour. I live in downtown Montreal. Feel free to contact me at 514-785-5654. Basic Lessons for Beginners Always wanted to learn the guitar? This is your chance and it only costs $14 an hour. I can teach you to play any style of music you like in a fun and relaxed way. I start from the basics, showing you how to play the songs you love, and improving your technique as we go along. If you don't already have a guitar, that's not a problem. Please call at 514-880-8872 or email totarungeo@gmail.comif interested. Thanks!. The article can be found in _ . A. daily news B. education reports C. telephone directories D. classified advertisements Answer: D People who averaged fewer than seven hours of sleep per night in the weeks before being exposed to the cold virus were nearly three times as likely to get sick as those who averaged eight hours or more, a new study found. Researchers used frequent telephone interviews to track the sleep habits of more than 150 men and women aged 21 to 55 over the last few weeks. Then they exposed the _ to the virus, quarantined them for five days and kept track of who got sick. Besides sleeping more, sleeping better also seemed to help the body fight illness: Patients who fared better on a measure known as "sleep efficiency"--the percentage of time in bed that you're actually sleeping--were also less likely to get sick. The results held true even after researchers adjusted for elements such as body-mass index, age, sex, smoking and pre-existing antibodies to the virus. The researchers aren't exactly sure why sleeping better makes you less likely to develop a cold. But they do try to give an answer: "Sleep disturbance influences the regulation of symptom mediators that are released in response to infection." In plain English, maybe tossing and turning when you're infected with the cold virus contributes to the symptoms that define a cold. The researchers were based at Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia, and the study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. It is shown in the passage that _ . A. the researchers obtain information about the sleep habits by frequent interviews B. the researchers do their research in the National Institutes of Health C. people hope to avoid being infected with a cold by sleeping as much as possible D. sleeping more and better helps regulate the symptom mediators Answer: D Little Lopsy fluttered into our home and our hearts one Saturday morning this summer. My husband went out to do something, and when he opened the door there was a great flutter on the ground and something came into the living room. It was clear that whatever it was was hurt. I was in a bit of a shock and didn't know what to do next. Fortunately it calmed down and tried to hide itself in a corner. I realized it was a sparrow chick . There are a few sparrow nests under the roof of our apartment, and this little fellow must have fallen out and hurt itself. It was also very young, and obviously far from ready to leave the safety of the nest. I ran to the place and found a box. Having read somewhere that one shouldn't touch a baby bird with one's hands, I picked the chick up with a hand towel and put it in the box. I placed the box outside the front door in the hope that the parents would try to feed it. They never came near it and I brought it inside. I placed the box on a table and it slept for about twenty hours. We later learned that it is quite normal for a hurt bird to sleep so much after undergoing such a hurt experience. When it finally woke up we carefully examined it for wounds, but fortunately there wasn't any. It had hurt its right wing and leg, which meant it must have landed on its right side when it fell out of the nest. We named it Lopsy. After doing some research we felt there was a chance that it might survive, but we weren't sure that it would ever be able to fly. A hurt bird doesn't stand much of a chance of survival and could fall easy pray to cats, other animals. Was it fair to allow it to live if it meant keeping it in a cage its whole life? It was a hard decision, but we decided to give it a go. We started off by dripping drops of water into its mouth. It was very thirsty and drank quite a bit. Next we fed it with bread soaked in water. Our household routine soon revolved around Lopsy who needed to be fed about every three hours during the day. Fortunately we live on campus and my husband could come home during his breaks to feed our new baby. Soon Lopsy was growing nicely. The bigger it got, the more vocal it became. There was no doubt as to who was ruling the house. We remained concerned because its leg did not heal, and its wing seemed quite useless. I took it outside for exercise every day. I also hoped it would get used to the sights and sounds of nature. In the beginning all it was interested in was staying as close to me as possible. Anyway, it got stronger and started running on the grass, and one day Lopsy found a fence it liked. It got to the point where I would leave it outside under its fence for about two hours at a time while I kept an eye on developments from our kitchen window. Soon Lopsy figured out how to get from one branch to another.[: ] It also got to the point where it could flutter down from my hand to the ground, and I let it do this over and over again to exercise its wings. Then came the day that it actually flew into the fence. We were overjoyed when this happened. Finally it got to the point where I left it outside in its fence all day and night, but I would still go outside to feed it. Lopsy remained vocal and would jumped over for its food as soon as I came into view. I left some bread on the wall next to its fence, but it would have none of it. The little fellow was totally spoilt and wanted to be spoon fed, but I saw him eating quite happily as soon as I left his line of vision. Some of the bigger species of birds were a bit aggressive towards Lopsy, and I continued to keep a close eye on it. Not long after this we saw Lopsy flying without a problem. It still jumped to the side, but that didn't seem to stop it in any way. Other birds seemed quite curious about Lopsy. At first it chased them away if they came too close to its fence, but Lopsy soon seemed to realize that they were of its own kind and it stopped doing so. Then, one day, our fellow left the nest. We never saw it again, but I know Little Lopsy is now leading a happy life. This experience has taught me much. What lesson can we learn from the passage? A. Well begun is half done. B. Work makes the workman. C. Where there is life, there is hope. D. It is the first step that costs troublesome. Answer: C Mr. and Mrs White have a son and two daughters. They have a cat and a big house. In front of the house there are some trees and two cars. On weekends they go to the beach . Mr. White works from Tuesday to Friday. Mrs. White works from Tuesday to Saturday. They are teachers. Their students like them very much. There is a gym near their house. They often go there to watch soccer games because their son's favorite sport is football. Mr. White's favorite sport is table tennis. Their daughters don't like sports. They like to see movies. Their family are very happy. Who works on Saturday? A. Mr. and Mrs. White. B. Mr. White. C. Mrs. White. D. No one. Answer: C Motorists over the age of 75 face compulsory tests of their eyesight and ability to drive under proposals being considered by ministers. The biggest _ of motoring law in a generation could also lead to all drivers having to give assurances of their fitness to get behind the wheel every 10 years. Other changes under consideration include issuing daylight driving licenses for motorists with night blindness, together with stricter checks on all drivers whose medical condition brought a threat to other road users. It is understood that the proposals will be part of a review of the law governing the medical fitness of drivers that will be announced publicly by the summer. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is dealing with a rising number of motorists who are concerned that they have conditions---from failing eyesight to epilepsy---that could affect their driving. In 2006, the DVLA dealt with 600,000 motorists whose physical ability to drive needed to be recertified , a 20 per cent rise on the previous year. With an ageing population, the biggest challenge is dealing with the rising number of elderly motorists. By 2021, there will be an estimated three million drivers over the age of 70 on Britain's roads. Drivers must renew their licenses at the age of 70 and every three years thereafter. The applicant is legally required to tell the DVLA of any conditions that could weaken their ability behind the wheel. Ministers have ruled out a compulsory maximum age for driving but will instead rely on tightening up the checks on motorists over the age of 75. The most likely option would be tests to ensure motorists were fit to drive. They would include an eyesight test and a cognitive test that would prove a driver's ability to react to road signs, driving conditions, pedestrians and vehicles. However, checks are likely to be tightened at all ages. The strictest controls are expected to be imposed on motorists of any age who have had a heart attack or stroke. They could have to produce a doctor's approval to resume driving. Anyone making a false declaration would be guilty of a criminal offence. What is the biggest challenge to the traffic safety in Britain according to the writer? A. Ageing population. B. Increasing number of cars. C. Increasing number of elderly motorists. D. Driving conditions. Answer: C
Beijing City International School Position: IT manager Major Duties and Responsibilities: Prepares and carries out the annual budget of the department. Builds and develops the whole school IT system Provides excellent IT services with IT team for teaching and business. Requirements/Qualifications: Bachelor or above, majoring in Information Technology or Finance. Good command of both Chinese and English Minimum 5 years working experience, 3 years in a managerial level Able to work in a collaborative style KAI CABLE INC. Position: Sales Internship Major Duties and Responsibilities: Builds and develops good relationship with new customers Maintains strong relationship with the existing customers Explores potential customers further Conducts market ~ competitors analysis to improve customer satisfaction. Requirements/Qualifications: Graduates with Bachelor degree. Major in Finance, Economics, International Trade. Fluent English (in both written ~ spoken) and Mandarin . Familiar with MS office, especially Excel and PowerPoint and Internet application Willingness to accept challenges and work under pressure. Strong sense of responsibility. Preoare for business trios. Both of the recruiting ads include the following information EXCEPT _ Answer: a good command of computer skills Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Have you heard of it before? It means that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we shall be healthy. We shall also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who do not have enough sleep cannot do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also helps the blood to move around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood .Exercise helps us to think better! If we get up early and go to bed early , we'll _ . Answer: be healthy More People Are Leaving the Rat Race for the Simple Life Time is more precious than money for an increasing number of people who are choosing to live more with less--and liking it Kay and Charles Giddens, two lawyers, sold their home to start a B&B hotel.Four years later, the couple dishes out banana pancake breakfast, cleans toilets and serves homemade chocolate chip cookies to guests in a B&B hotel surrounded by trees on a hill known for colorful sunsets. "Do I miss the freeways? Do I miss the traffic? Do I miss the stress? No," says Ms.Giddens, "This is a phenomenon that's fairly widespread. A lot of people are reevaluating their lives and figuring out what they want to do.If their base is being damaged, what's the payoff?" Simple living ranges from cutting down on weeknight activities to sharing housing, living closer to work, avoiding shopping malls, borrowing books from the library instead of buying them, and taking a cut in pay to work at a more pleasurable job. Vicki Robin, a writer, lives on a budget equal to a fifth of what she used to make."You become conscious about where your money is going and how valuable it is," Ms.Robin says, "You tend not to use things up.You cook at home rather than eat out..." Janet Luhrs, a lawyer, quit her job after giving birth and leaving her daughter with a nanny for two weeks."It was not the way I wanted to raise my kids," she says, "Simplicity is not just about saving money; it's about me sitting down every night with my kids to a candlelit dinner with classical music." Mrs.Luhrs now edits a magazine,Simple Living, which publishes tips on how to buy recycled furniture and shoes, organize potluck dinners instead of expensive receptions, and generally how to consume less. "It's not about poverty," Mrs.Luhrs explains, "It's about conscious living and creating the life you want.The less stuff you buy, the less money goes out of the door, and the less money you have to earn." How does the author develop the passage? Answer: By giving examples. Teens' lives hit by economy Some teenagers are crossing their dream colleges off their lists. Others are thinking of skipping their senior trips or reducing prom costs. Many are finding their work hours cut while their expenses rise. So, who exactly is punishing them?Is it their parents, teachers or employers?No, it's the economy . If you are like most teenagers, you probably don't understand what "recession", "negative economic growth" and "subprime mortgage crisis "actually mean. And you probably don't spend your days watching the ups and downs of the stock market. It's safe to say that most teens don't know much about the economy except for one thing:it's bad. But just how exactly is the economy affecting teens? "The single largest thing I have noticed is the recession's ability to affect my college choice, "said Heather Richars from Downey High School in California, US. "With the economic situation the way it is, I have thought less about going to a private or out-of-state university, and more about public schools in California, mainly because of the price of tuition, "said Richars. "I had been a fan of attending a private school up until this year." The economy cuts into other areas of teenagers' lives, too. Joey Camarda, a student at Modesto High School in California, who works at an ice cream store, said," Probably due to the economy, I have been getting less hours at my job, and because of that, I am not getting enough money to help pay for college." Tara Mooney, a senior at Beyer High School, has also begun to notice that money is tight. "Things are getting expensive," she said. "When it comes to applying for colleges and wanting to go on senior trips, I have to pick and choose instead of doing it all." What can we conclude from the passage? Answer: Teenagers are finding it harder to do what they want than before. I feel it enormous responsibility, as a mother of two little girls, to lead you down a path that is relatively healthy when it comes to beauty and self-image. In a lot of women's eyes I've probably already failed in that respect due to the amount of pink princess Barbie mess cluttering up Vera's room. But I will say something about Barbie: I played with that stuff for a solid decade when I was growing up and here I am now at a healthy weight with a healthy outlook on my body and image. I have a successful career. If Barbie was really so damaging to my femininity and self-image I highly doubt I could list all of the accomplishments. But I get it too. It's hard for women to maintain a healthy self-image. I have girlfriends around whom I have to brace myself to see, because just being around them makes me self-conscious. I look at old pictures of my mother and wonder why I've never been able to be as skinny as she was. And then I have friends who are thinner than their mothers ever were. We women go round and round in circles, holding hands and trying to be one another sometimes. Men like to think we dress and style ourselves for them, but why would we when they hardly notice? I've never tried so hard to look good when I know I'm about to meet up with a stylish girlfriend. It's she who will notice my slimmed-down waist or the thinnest, little bracelet on my arm. And I have no doubt that the two of you, Veronica and Juliette, will endlessly compare yourselves to each other. You will wonder why one of you got longer legs or shinier hair. The thing I'll tell you is this: not even the prettiest of us feel settled. The girl you think looks the most perfect in the world is probably the girl who wants to change herself more than anyone else. Don't take these on. You are not worthless. You are so full of love and light and you should let it shine through your every second. If someone pushes you down for standing tall then just push yourself back up and stand even taller. And know that the reason they push you down in the first place is just because they're scared. The author advises her daughters that _ . Answer: they should care much about their strong points instead of appearances
Question: Before the arrival of Europeans, many Native American tribes lived in Brazil. In 1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed from Lisbon and arrived at Porto Seguro, in Bahia. Brazil got its name from a kind of reddish tree, native to this land, which was sold in Europe. Salvador da Bahia was founded in 1549 and became the capital city of the new Portuguese colony. Portuguese settlers started to produce sugar and the northeast of Brazil became a wealthy corner of the world. During that time, Portugal brought millions of black slaves to work in its sugar refineries . In the 18th century, many Portuguese started to explore the remote areas that were far away from the coastal cities. Gold was discovered in Minas Gerais and Vila Rica became one of the richest cities in the world. In 1763 the Portuguese decided to move Brazil's capital city from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro. In the 19th century, when Napoleon invaded Portugal, the royal family moved to Brazil and Rio became the capital city of the Portuguese Empire. When the king returned to Portugal, Brazilians didn't want their land to be a colony anymore and declared their independence in 1822. During that period of time, lots of European immigrants were crossing the ocean to find jobs in the coffee markets. In 1889 Brazil became a Republic. In 1960 Brazilians moved the national government from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia, a modern planned city that was built to be capital of Brazil. Nowadays Brazil is the most powerful country in South America and one of the most important nations in the world. In spite of its growing economy, poverty and many crimes appear which are nothing but far from being solved in the short term. In the 19th century, many Brazilian families obtained wealth from _ . A. coffee B. sugar C. gold D. wood Answer: A Question: Do lobsters, crabs and other crustaceans feel pain? We certainly act as if they don't.Most chefs cook lobsters and crabs alive, usually by dumping them in boiling water.Along with melted butter.That's the appeal of crustaceans-there's no fresher food.We may feel a bit of guilt, or maybe just discomfort, when we hear the creatures rattling around the inside of the pot as the water boils.But that feeling usually _ for lobster lovers by the time we crack open a claw and dig out the delicious meat.We wouldn't dream of doing the same thing to a live chicken or pig which are dead well before die cooking process begins, but those crustaceans are different.They don't even feel pain.Right? Actually, they just might.That's the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.Robert Elwood and Barry Magee of Queen's University in Belfast examined the reaction of common shore crabs to small electrical shocks. Ninety crabs were placed in a brightly lit area and were given the choice of moving to one of two dark shelters.(Shore crabs like to hide in dark, tight spaces.) Once they'd made their choice, the crabs in one of the shelters were exposed to an electric shock.After a rest period, the crabs were returned to the lit tank.Most of the crabs went back into the dark shelters, and then the same crabs were given another electric shock.When they were placed back into the lit tank for the third time, the majority of the shocked crabs instead went to the other dark shelter, avoiding the one where they had repeatedly been shocked. As Elwood put it, the crabs' choice indicated they wanted to escape the shocks: Having experienced two rounds of shocks, the crabs learned to avoid the shelter where they received the shock. They were willing to give up their hideaway in order to avoid the source of their probable pain. According to the author, people cook the crab alive due to the belief that _ . A. it is not guilty to treat a crab cruelly B. it is too hard to kill a crab C. a crab doesn't feel pain as a chicken or a pig does D. the crab is a popular and healthy seafood Answer: C Question: China is showing the world its great resolve in the global climate campaign with concrete and self-motivated efforts as well as serious commitment. At the opening ceremony of the Paris climate summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping restated China's plan made in June to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, and increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent. With a large population, China is facing increasing resource limits, severe environmental pollution and a worsening ecosystem, and its citizens are also becoming increasingly aware of environmental problems. Suffering environmental problems and seeing the efforts as important to transforming its economic growth pattern, the country has much at risk if climate change is left unattended. Actually, climate change efforts are already included in China's medium- and long-term program of economic and social development, and ecological efforts are the clear characteristics in China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). Although it is and will be a developing country for a long time to come, China has been actively involved in the global campaign against climate change, now topping the world in terms of energy conservation and use of new and renewable energies. However, China's development rights need to be respected. It is unfair to overstress China's status as one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters and regard it as the major part of responsibilities in the global fight against climate change. It is worthy of notice that China's emissions of greenhouse gases per person are far lower than those of developed countries, especially the United States, although rapid economic expansion and its population base have made it one of the biggest producers of the gases. To show its great resolve, Beijing in September also announced the establishment of an independent South-South cooperation fund of 20 billion RMB to help developing countries affected by global warming. While China is eagerly accomplishing its policy commitments, developed countries should stop questioning China's commitment to fighting climate change and pointing fingers, and start shouldering their due responsibilities instead. China is self-motivated to fight against climate change in order to _ . A. top the world B. transform its economic pattern C. solve its population problem D. respond to pressure from developed countries Answer: B Question: Two of the most dangerous storms which hit America are hurricanes and tornadoes. They are very much feared by anyone who may live in the path of their destruction and cause millions of dollars of damage to life and property every year. If one should travel inland across the Great Plains and the Prairie states of America, one will mostly not experience a hurricane, but there is another kind of storm in the Midwest which is equally feared. It is called a tornado. Tornados are violent low-pressured storms with an intense updraft near their center which is capable of lifting quite heavy objects from the ground. A tornado,therefore, is a dark, funnel-shaped cloud containing violently rotating air. It can pick up trees and cars right into the air and even uplift heavier objects such as homes and railway cars. Like a vacuum cleaner across a rug, it sucks up into anything which may lie in its path. These storms occur most often during the summer months and are noticeable by their strong wind and lack of rain. The sky turns black as dust is sucked up into the air. Tornadoes travel normally around 60 kilometers per hour and the winds can reach 800 kilometers per hour in the most violent storms. Tornados are most frequent in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and especially in the central plains area of the Mississippi basin where about 150 occur each year. Tornados may also strike the southern states in winter and have even seen known to develop in the northeast. Both hurricanes and tornados cause millions of dollars worth of damage each year. Today they can be predicted more easily than in the past, but they cannot be stopped or ignored. When they come, they must be endured with the hope that one survives their fury and wraths. You can most probably read the passage in _ . A. a fashion magazine B. a science journal C. a political essay D. an advertisement Answer: B Question: Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day privileges at four of America's greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that you will not want to miss, listed below. Boston Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Chairs February 11--May 8, 2005 Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum's collection and " chair photographs "from around the world presented in a Venetian-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces. For more information: www. gardnermuseum.org New York The Noguchi Museum Noguchi and Graham December 1, 2004---May 1,2005 Noguchi's long-term collaboration with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as high point in the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration. For more information: www. noguchi.org Philadelphia Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts In Full View : American painting ( 1720---2005) January 11--- April 10, 2005 Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America's artists for 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the works of famous American artists, and is well-known for training fine artists. 2005 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of the Academy's distinguished American collection in the institution's history. For more information: www.pafa.org Seattle Seattle Museum of Glass Murano: Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection Through November 7, 2004 This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice, Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the Hot Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions. For more information: www. museumofglass.org We learn from the text that Martha Graham is _ . A. a dancer B. a painter C. a glassblower D. a photographer Answer: A
A group of professional people put this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined: "When my grandmother got arthritis , she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails any more. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca-----age 8 "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy-----age 6 "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny----age 7 "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, and then he wears it every day." Noelle----age 7 "My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare---- age 6 "Love is when my mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris----age 7 Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing. I just helped him cry." According to Leo Buscaglia, the four-year-old boy _ . Answer: showed concern for the old man in his own way Studying abroad will shape you in various ways. You will learn things you never would have if you study overseas. But college is expensive in the United States. It's cheap or free in other countries even for foreigners, so why not get out of here and come back smarter? More and more American students are currently studying at German colleges. That number has increased by 20% over the last three years. Living costs are about $7,000 a year, which is even lower than in other European countries and a great appeal to many students wanting to studying abroad. Besides, Germany encourages international students. They create a multicultural landscape that benefits German students as well. According to a new report, Germany is home to six of the world's 100 best universities. These schools offer around 900 degrees completely in English and many German students speak the language. You could be part of Finland's excellent education system. The Finns charge no tuition and offer a number of courses purely in English. They would be happy for you to add flavor to their school scene. Cost of living there is high. Be prepared for frosty winters, but you will get that sweet midnight sun in the summer. Many other European nations provide cheap or free college for foreign students, but if South America is more your thing, try Brazil. Most of the education will take place in Portuguese, so if that is in your plan you can study near beautiful beaches and jungles. The University of Sao Paulo and State University of Campinas are both highly ranked internationally. Your money will go a long way there, too. Living on the economy in a foreign country will keep you on your toes. You will learn new customs, how to bargain, stay safe, budget and become more flexible with people. There is no better way to learn a language than by immersing yourself in it. What's more, you will become a more balanced person. New situations and challenges, from buying bread to traveling across town, will pop up daily. You will handle them and you'll make it by yourself. Before long, you will be ready for anything. Life in any part of the world will no longer surprise you. In your future career, this will be a benefit. International study on your resume will speak to your adaptability. German universities are popular among US students mainly because . Answer: the cost of living there is affordable for them Forests have always been useful and important to man who makes use of them in many ways. Every day trees are serving man everywhere. Trees supply man with fruits and building materials in the form of wood. Without trees it would be impossible to build houses, boats, bridges and so on. Furniture such as desks, chairs and beds is made of wood. Trees can stop man from terrible heat. They're also useful in preventing good and rich top soil from being washed away during heavy rains. If there were no trees, heavy rains would wash away the rich top soil that is so important to plants. The result is that the land will become a desert. There are plenty of desert areas in the world. A long time ago these desert areas used to be very rich areas, but man in the past had no enough knowledge about science of nature, they cut down too many trees in the area where they lived and never planted new ones. By and by the rich top soil was blown and washed away by strong winds and heavy rains. In the end the rich land changed into useless deserts where nothing could grow. According to the passage, _ . Answer: people have always found trees useful Long March exhibit The Shanghai History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and 40 items that explain with pictures how the communist Red Army drew back from its besieged bases in Jiangxi Province and fought its way to northern Shaanxi Province in the mid-1930s. Explanations are all in Chinese. The show will end on November 20. Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm Address: 1286 Hongqiao Road Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese /15 yuan for foreigners Thai elephants Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at Changfeng Park by riding bikes, playing basketball, balancing on a beam, dancing and blowing a mouthorgan. People are encouraged to have a tug-of-war with the animals or lie on the ground and have the elephants walk over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30 am, 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm and there is an additional show at l:30 pm at weekends. The show will end on November 15. Address: 189 Daduhe Road Admission: 30-40 yuan Dancing dolphins Dolphins jumping from the water to touch a ball, swaying their bodies to music, kissing people and doing math by tapping their tails have made the dolphinarium in Peace Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform. Hours: 10:30 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm Admission: 20 yuan for adults and 10 yuan for children. If you go to visit the Long March exhibit with an Australian, how much will you pay altogether for the admission ? Answer: 23 yuan. While approaching an intersection with the red light against him, Motorist suffered a heart attack that rendered him unconscious. Motorist's car struck Child, who was crossing the street with the green light in her favor. Under the state motor vehicle code, it is an offense to drive through a red traffic light. Child sued Motorist to recover for her injuries. At trial it was stipulated that (1) immediately prior to suffering the heart attack, Motorist had been driving within the speed limit, had seen the red light, and had begun to slow his car; (2) Motorist had no history of heart disease and no warning of this attack; (3) while Motorist was unconscious, his car ran the red light. On cross motions for directed verdicts on the issue of liability at the conclusion of the proofs, the court should Answer: grant Motorist's motion, because he had no history of heart disease or warning of the heart attack.
Do you want to make friends with others? Please remember to _ all the time. In this way, people around you will get along well with you. To make friends and keep them, you have to keep your words. If you agree to meet someone at a certain time, you should arrive at the place on time or a little earlier. If you agree to help others, you must do it. Of course if there is something unexpected happening and you can't do what you have agreed to do, your friends will understand this. He is always lying or making excuses for breaking his words. Would you like to have him as one of your best friends? You wouldn't. And your own friends feel the same way. So, be more careful when you have to agree to do something for your friends. Don't have "Maybe"in your mind when you say something about what you are going to do. ,. You wouldn't mind if _ . there is something unexpected happening Guitar Lessons for Guitar Players Playing the same things over and over again when you pick up the guitar? Teaching yourself for years but you hit a wall? Don't know what to do next? Whether you're a total beginner, or an old guitar player, we'll get you working on something you can benefit from. I'm a professional teacher, over 30 students at my studio in downtown Berkeley and several music schools in San Francisco, Alameda, and Mountain View. No matter what style you're into, I guarantee there are songs by your favorite bands that you could learn. Call at 510-333-9091 or e-mail at blueschoo147@gmail.comDance Classes for Students 2.5 Through Adults Motion Dance Center in Martinez is now accepting registration for all fall dance classes. There are classes offered in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Cheerleading. Classes run like the school year Sept. through June. Prices are very reasonable at only $45 a month. That's for a one-hour class once a week for a month. This studio is known for their younger child program. We are always looking for talented instructors too. If you want more information call Deena at 925-229-5678 Qi Gong with Angie Qi Gong is the perfect activity for anyone, at any age. It combines gentle movement and meditation , breathing regulation and relaxation. The exercises are designed to reduce stress and anxiety and improve blood and energy circulation throughout the body, therefore increasing immune function, improving energy levels and sleep. Thousands of Qi Gong lovers around the world have experienced the extraordinary benefits of this gentle, ancient Chinese exercise form and are healthier and happier for it. Join us to experience the benefits for yourself! WHEN: Tuesdays from noon -- l p.m. WHERE: Halanda Studio 1062 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 COST: $12 per class drop-in or $45 for a pre-paid set of 4 classes CONTACT: Angie at angie@lokahiacupuncture.com, 408-887-6000 According to Angie, the Qi Gong exercise is _ . traditional, gentle and effective Which of these objects has the greatest mass? brick Sure,it's good to get along well with your teacher because it makes the time you spend in the classroom more pleasant. And yes,it's good to get along well with your teacher because,in general,it's smart to learn how to get along well with the different types of people you'll meet throughout your life. In fact,kids who get along well with their teachers not only learn more,but they're more comfortable about asking questions and getting extra help.This makes it easier for them to understand new materials and do their best on tests.When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher,he or she can be someone to turn to with problems,such as problems with learning or school issues. Here is a question:what if you don't get along well with your teachers? In fact,teachers want to get along well with you and enjoy seeing you learn.But teachers and students sometimes have personality clashes ,which can happen between any two people.If you show your teacher that you want to make the situation better,he or she will probably do everything possible to make _ happen.By dealing with a problem like this,you learn something about how to get along with people who are different from you. However,if a certain teacher isn't your favorite,you can still have a successful relationship with him or her,especially _ .Here are some of those responsibilities: Attend class ready to learn. Be prepared for class with the right pencils,books,and completed assignments. Listen when your teacher is talking. Do your best,whether it's a classroom assignment,homework,or a test. According to the passage,getting along well with your teachers will make you _ . have more pleasant time in the classroom Do you know something about the holiday camps in Hong Kong? The students in Hong Kong used to take part in an English holiday camp in their holidays. And their parents weren't with them, though they were very young. Now they still enjoy taking part in many kinds of holiday camps without their parents. Many parents let their children take part in some kinds of holiday camps in order to learn some practical knowledge in their life. And also learn some knowledge about living skills, science, reading and writing... The most important for the children is to learn to look after themselves. Holiday camps in Hong Kong are not so expensive. Most of the families can afford to send their children there for further study, for making their bodies strong... It is said that students in Hong Kong have much knowledge about many things. Perhaps it has to do with the kinds of holiday camps. The students who often take part in the holiday camps _ . must have much knowledge about many things
Question: It was around 9 pm. Before heading to dinner in Jayanagar T Block, I was told by my wife that the rickshaw fare would be 40 rupees. Anyhow I had 150 rupees in my pocket. My wife said that if the drivers of rickshaws see out-of-town travelers, they'll scam them one way or another. At a crowded stop, a young girl extended her hand through the iron bars on the side of our rickshaw to ask for some money. After we refused, or rickshaw driver started his remarks on giving. "Giving is good. Every human should give. But we should know how to give." The rickshaw driver continued, "Most of these kids are trained by some guy who keeps all the money. It's run like a business. All of us should give, but this is just not the right place to give." He talked a bit more before we arrived. I asked about the fare. "39 rupees," he said. Now, most people who get cheated end up saying, "Well, you know, I don't mind paying extra if it is a good guy but I refuse to be cheated." I gave him 40 rupees, and he gave me a 1 rupee coin in return (Most folks would just round up). So I put the coin in my wallet, and took out a 100 rupee note. "Can you do me a favor?" "Of course, sir," he replied politely. "We were talking about art of giving. You seem to know how and where to give. Can you put the 100 rupees to good use somewhere?" "Give me your address and I'll make sure I get a receipt of where I gave," He replied without hesitation. I didn't understand him at first. Then I smiled and told him, "I trust you." So on the way back, instead of taking a bus to my place, I walked for the whole distance since I didn't have enough money. It was almost 1 a.m and I had to wake up at 6 a.m the next day. But I still walked. Why did the author's wife tell him the rickshaw fare? A. To remind him to go by rickshaw. B. To warn him no to be cheated. C. To tell him the convenience of taking a rickshaw. D. To save some money for them. Answer: B Question: Yesterday was my friend Bert's birthday. He invited me to his house for his birthday party. Another friend Guy could take me to the party by car. Well,I was getting dressed when Guy rang and said he was ill. So I decided to go by train. Unluckily, when I was talking on the phone, the cat walked over my shirt. Then I spent a few minutes finding another one and I was late for leaving. As I was walking to the station, it started snowing and I got very cold. I just missed a train and I had to wait for another one. Half an hour later, the train arrived. I was so cold and tired that I fell asleep on the train and missed my station. Well, I got off at the next station, and decided to walk to Bert's house. I walked for 10 minutes but I got lost. Then I took a taxi. When I arrived at Bert's house, the party nearly finished and people were leaving. What a terrible day! When did the writer arrive at Bert's house? A. Ten minutes later. B. Half an hour later. C. When the party just began. D. When the party nearly finished. Answer: D Question: Lava on the ocean floor may build up upon itself. This is where A. birds may be thinking B. lone land mass develops C. musical notes are heard D. fish are buried in sand Answer: B Question: When you want to find a job, you have to face the employer and you must know how to introduce yourself well. Then you will be lucky enough. The first impressions can play a major role in how an employer like you as a candidate . What you say during the first step of the interview may make a big difference. In fact, some hiring managers may make a decision to refuse a candidate based on what they didn't do when you met them. That's why it's important to pay attention to interview manners and to carefully think through how you will introduce yourself during a job interview. When arriving at the interview site you can introduce yourself to the receptionist by giving your name and telling the purpose of your visit. For example: "My name is Tim Jones and I have an interview scheduled with John Smith at 2 pm." You will be guided into the interview room or the hiring manager will come out to meet you in the reception area. Again, take the time to introduce yourself so the interviewer knows who you are. Offer to shake hands, even if the interviewer doesn't offer his hand first. Tell the interviewer that it is a pleasure to meet him. Smile, and be sure to make eye contact. Many hiring managers will start an interview with an open-ended question like "Tell me about yourself." Your response should focus on the key elements in your background. You should carefully analyze the job first to the interviewer, and you can point out the interests, skills, experiences, and personal qualities. Your introduction should be brief enough to hold the interest of the interviewer so that you can move on to the next question. Your goal is to connect personally with the interviewer as well as to show that you're qualified for the job. Of course, your comments should show your enthusiasm for the job and organization. However, don't overdo it and don't spend too much time talking about yourself. The passage is very useful for _ . A. anyone who will go to an interview B. a future receptionist C. a hiring manager D. anyone who wants to visit a company Answer: A Question: On october5,2011,around 3:00p.m., Steven P.Jobs,the co-founder of Apple, died at his home in Palo Alto, California, aged 56, six weeks after resigning as CEO of Apple. The death was announced by company that Mr.Jobs and his high school friend Stephen Wozniak started in 1976 in a suburban California garage. Jobs was born in San Francisco and adopted at birth by Paul Jobs and Clara Jobs. Paul Jobs taught his son basic electronics and how to work his hands. Asked in a 1995 interview what he wanted to pass on to his children, Jobs replied,"Just to try to be as good a father to them as my father was to me." Following high school graduation in 1972, Jobs was admitted to Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Although he dropped out after only one semester, he continued taking classes at Reed, sleeping on the floor in friend' rooms, returning Coke bottles for food money, and getting weekly free meals at the local temple. In the late 1970s, they designed, developed, and marketed one of the first commercially successful personal computers. The Apple II series. In 1985, after losing a power struggle, Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher-education and business markets. In 1986, he put money in and produced Toy Story (1995), making Jobs Disney's largest shareholder at seventy percent. Apple's 1996 buyout of NeXT brought Jobs back to the company. He became a permanent CEO from 2000, developing the iPod,iPhone and iPad products.From 2003,he fought an eight-year battle with cancer.He received a liver transplant in 2009.And he took three medical leaves of absence before stepping down in August and turning over the power to Cook. Jobs married Laurene Powell on March l8,1991,and the couple had a son and two daughters. Asked about his adoptive father,Jobs was _ . A. curious B. generous C. regretful D. grateful Answer: D
I'm Leo. I'm 13 and I'm in Class Six. I have three good friends. They are Lily, Gina, and Ben. Lily and Gina are in Class Seven. Ben is in Class Six, too. We're all in Grade Seven. We like sports. My favorite sport is ping-pong. It is interesting. I have three ping-pong balls and four ping-pong bats. Lily and Gina are sisters. They don't like ping-pong. They think it is boring. Their favorite sport is tennis. They have five tennis balls and they play tennis with their parents and two brothers. Ben's favorite sport is soccer. He has two soccer balls and he plays soccer very well. Leo thinks ping-pong is _ . Answer: It's time for school! But on May 14th, 170 students at Duncanville High School in Texas, US, were told to go back home.Why? Because they were wearing the wrong clothes to school. Schools in the US don't always ask students to wear uniforms. But they have dress codes . For example, Duncanville High School tells students to wear belts, shirts without logos .Schools' most-hated clothes are different. In 2011, the saggy ( ) trousers law was passed in Florida. It stops students from wearing trousers that show body parts. Now, "the favourite new target ( ) of the school dress code" is leggings( ), reported the Associated Press. Some schools don't allow leggings. Other schools ask students to wear a shirt or a skirt over leggings. Some students complain that schools are going too far. But schools say dress codes help protect students' safety and make sure they grow up with good taste."We want to teach them that they must meet the expectations not only here in school, but also outside school," said Andre Smith. Some students complain that schools are going too far probably because _ . Answer: In his earlier books, David Burke, a famous writer, translated the language of American teenagers for an older generation, and explained American idioms for English-language learners overseas. His latest effort targets American children who know little of foreign languages. He has written a series of books based on the observation that fairy tales are widely known across cultures. "We start in English, and as the reader moves forward, the story starts to change into another language." (INSTRUCTION CD: "Once upon a time, there lived a poor girl--nvhaizi--named Cinderella who was very pretty--piaoliang. The nvhaizi, who was very piaoliang....") Burke has published books of fairy tales with CDs in Mandarin Chinese, French, Italian, German, Hebrew, Japanese and Spanish. A separate Spanish-language version helps teach English to Lain American youngsters. Young readers learn about 20 words at each level, then move to the next level as they read a different fairy tale. "For example, I've taken the story of Goldilocks , and I bring back all the words the kids have learned in Cinderella, and I add 20 more until the ninth level. By the end of the entire series, it will be 100 percent in the target language." Burke says students often think of language learning as dull, but it doesn't have to be. He designed his books with color1ful cartoon-like illustrations that attract the young readers. He says many people in other parts of the world often speak at least two languages. Americans have a different reputation. "It's a joke in the linguistic world that's painful, and funny. It's, What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Trilingual. And what do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual. And what do you call a person who speaks one language? American." Not all Americans are monolingual, of course, but too many Americans are fluent only in English, and he is working to change that. Which is NOT TRUE about the series of fairy tales? Answer: What will power your house in the future? According to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, it might be artificial leaves. Natural leaves can change sunlight and water into energy. It is known as photosynthesis . Now researchers have found a way to imitate this process. The artificial leaf developed by Daniel Nocera and his colleagues at MIT can be seen as a special silicon chip with catalysts . Similar to natural leaves, it can split water into hydrogen and oxygen when put into a bucket of water. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are then stored in a fuel cell, using those two materials to produce electricity, located either on top of a house or beside the house. Though the leaf is shaped like a poker card, scientists stated that it is promising to be an inexpensive somtoe of electricity in developing countries. "One can imagine villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology," said an American scientist, Docera. An artificial leaf is not a new idea. The first artificial leaf was invented in 1997 but too expensive and unstable for practical use. The new leaf, however, is made of cheap materials, easy to use and highly stable. In laboratory studies, Nocera showed that an artificial leaf could operate continuously for at least 45 hours. The wonderful improvements come from Nocera's recent discovery of several powerful new, inexpensive catalysts. These catalysts make the energy transformation inside the leaf more efficient with water and sunlight. Right now, the new leaf is about 10 times more effective at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural one. Besides, the device can run in whatever water is available. Hopefully, each home could possible have the access to the new application in the future. What's the writer's attitude towards the new device? Answer: This is a plan that Jim has made on Thanksgiving 00:00--00:30 Get up and go to store to buy fruit,vegetables and food by car . 1:20--4:30 Start doing a big turkey for ten people.It is interesting 2:00--2:30 Do broccoli salad and dessert,Kids really love them . 2:30--3:00 Put fifty strawberries in the turkey .They are nice! 3:00--3:30 Put some vegetables in the turkey.Kids don't like vegetables ,so just a little. 3:45--4:10 Call my father ,mother,grandparents and cousins to come and join us . 4:15 Play the Thanksgiving music,it's relaxting. 4:30--5:30 Eat a great Thanksgiving dinner. 5:30--6:30 Play family games. They are exciting. 6:30--9:00 Go out and watch the Thanksgiving movies .They are fun . 10 :00 Go to bed. Maybe there are _ people in Jim's family. Answer:
Dora, who was eight years old, went to the grocery store with her mother. Dora pushed the grocery cart while her mother put items into it. Dora's mother remained near Dora at all times. Peterson, another customer in the store, noticed Dora pushing the cart in a manner that caused Peterson no concern. A short time later, the cart Dora was pushing struck Peterson in the knee, inflicting serious injury. If Peterson brings an action, based on negligence, against Dora, Dora's best argument in defense would be that A Dora exercised care commensurate with her age, intelligence, and experience. B Dora is not subject to tort liability. C Dora was subject to parental supervision. D Peterson assumed the risk that Dora might hit Peterson with the cart. Answer: A. Dora exercised care commensurate with her age, intelligence, and experience. One of Britain's bravest women told yesterday how she helped to catch suspected police killer David Bieber --- and was thanked with flowers by the police. It was also said that she could be in line for a share of up to PS30,000 reward money . Vicki Brown , 30 , played a very important role in ending the nationwide manhunt . Vicki , who has worked at the Royal Hotel for four years , told of her terrible experience when she had to steal into Bieber's bedroom and to watch him secretly. Then she waited alone for three hours while armed police prepared to storm the building. She said : " I was very nervous . But when I opened the hotel door and saw 20 armed policemen lined up in the car park I was so glad they were there." The alarm had been raised because Vicki became suspicious of the guest who checked in at 8 pm the day before New Year's Eve with little luggage and wearing sunglasses and a hat pulled down over his face. She said : " He didn't seem to want to talk too much and make any eye contact." Vicki, the only employee on duty , called her boss Margaret , 64 , and husband Stan McKale, 65 , who phoned the police at 11 pm. Officers from Northumbria Police called Vicki at the hotel in Dunston , Gateshead , at about 11:30 pm to make sure that this was the wanted man . Then they kept in touch by phoning Vicki every 15 minutes. " It was about ten to two in the morning when the phone went again and a policeman said ' Would you go and make yourself known to the armed officers outside ?' My heart missed a beat ." Vicki quietly showed eight armed officers through passages and staircases to the top floor room and handed over the key. " I realized that my bedroom window overlooks that part of the hotel , so I went to watch . I could not see into the man's room , but I could see the passage . The police kept shouting at the man to come out with his hands showing . Then suddenly he must have come out because they shouted for him to lie down while he was handcuffed ." David Bieber was most probably handcuffed in _ . A Vicki's bedroom B the street C the passage D the yard Answer: C. the passage For many people today, reading is no longer relaxation. To keep up with their work they must read letters, reports, trade publications, interoffice communications: a never-ending flood of words. In getting a job or advancing in one, the ability to read and comprehend quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. Yet the unfortunate fact is that most of us are poor readers. Most reading faults can be traced to early school training. According to Dr. Betts, two persons out of five in school were forced to read material too difficult for them to understand at the time, a frustration experience which left them with bad reading habits. Fortunately, almost anyone can learn to read faster and with more comprehension. Age makes little difference. According to a recent study of 138 students at The Reading Laboratory, Inc. , all age groups showed a marked increase in reading rate after training from 93 percent for the 50-90 age group to 142 percent for the 20-29.Dr. Mila Banton Smith, director of New York University's Reading Institute, says that the average adult student, in 28 training hours, nearly triples his reading speed and boosts his comprehension by about 30 percent. The best way to improve your reading, of course, is to enroll in a reading clinic. If there's no clinic handy, you can improve your reading ability yourself--- provided you have no eyes troubles. (if reading tires you easily or makes your eyes or head ache, you should consult a doctor.) To many people today, _ . A reading quickly is easy B reading quickly and comprehending quickly can ensure their success C reading is only for fun D reading can ensure their success Answer: B. reading quickly and comprehending quickly can ensure their success Mr. and Mrs. Green were going on their vacation with their children, and they had to arrive at the airport before 11:40 the next morning. "It takes us thirty minutes to get there in a car," Mr. Green said, "so we must get ready before eleven o'clock. Don't be late." At ten fifty, all of them were busy doing something, but Mrs. Green wasn't. She sat quietly in a chair in the garden and enjoyed the good weather. Mr. Green and the children were surprised, but Mrs. Green said, "Don't worry! Before I went to bed last night. I made all our clocks and watches twenty minutes ahead . Now we can get to the airport early." Why did the Greens have to be ready before eleven o'clock? A Because they were going to a party. B Because they didn't go to the airport. C Because they had to go to the airport by bus. D Because they must arrive at the airport before 11:40. Answer: D. Because they must arrive at the airport before 11:40. How far from Earth is an object that is 10 light years from Earth? A 10,000 km B 10,000,000 km C the distance light can travel in 10 years D ten times the distance from Earth to the Sun Answer: C. the distance light can travel in 10 years
"As sure as you're alive now, Peter Rabbit, some day I will catch you," shouted Reddy Fox, as he put his black nose in the hole between the roots of the Big Hickory-tree which grows close to the Smiling Pool. "It is lucky for you that you were not one jump farther away from this hole." Peter, safe inside that hole, didn't have a word to say, or, if he did, he didn't have breath enough to say it. It was quite true that if he had been one jump farther from that hole, Reddy Fox would have caught him. As it was, the hairs on Peter's funny white tail actually had tickled Reddy's back as Peter ran wildly through the root-bound entrance to that hole. It had been the narrowest escape Peter had had for a long, long time. You see, Reddy Fox had surprised Peter eating sweet clover on the bank of the Smiling Pond, and it had been a lucky thing for Peter that hole, dug long ago by Johnny Chuck's grandfather, had been right where it was. Also, it was a lucky thing that old Mr. Chuck had been wise enough to make the entrance between the roots of that tree in such a way that it could not be dug any larger. Reddy Fox was too shrewd to waste any time trying to dig it larger. He knew there wasn't room enough for him to get between those roots. So, after trying to make Peter as uncomfortable as possible by telling him what he, Reddy, would do to him when he did catch him, Reddy walked across the Green Meadows. Peter remained where he was for a long time. When he was quite sure that it was safe to do so, he crawled out and hurried to the Old Orchard. He felt that that would be the safest place for him, because there were ever so many hiding places in the old stone wall along the edge of it. Where is Peter Rabbit hiding? Answer: An increasing number of people are being allowed to finish the working week early during the summer months. Does your boss trust you to spend an afternoon in the sun? Each year the number of companies which offer employees the choice of an early finish to the working week grows. Or, perhaps, each year,more people who work on ordinary Fridays hear about people playing on summer Fridays. When the sun is shining,it makes sense that you should be given Friday afternoons off,right? Sadly,not all managers agree with the policy. Companies that offer employees Friday afternoons off usually expect the hours to be made up. UK publishers Pan Macmillan and Penguin Random House (PRH) are among those offering summer hours. At PRH, those who wish to take off Friday afternoons are expected to work an extra 45 minutes a day from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, a rota ensures each team has been covered. "Most of us don't leave at exactly lpm,"Editor Anderson says. Depending on your workload,you might just leave an hour or so early,but it's still nice to do. " Simon Hayward, CEO of Cirrus, says that the "Summer Fridays" policy requires trust, and that managers need to be seen to take advantage of the offer too. "If a manager offers summer Fridays and then obviously expects employees to work on Friday afternoons, there is a risk associated with it that reduces the sense of well-being .I think there's a genuine fear in some organizations about flexible working hours. Do you trust your employees to do their best for the buti- ness as well as for themselves and their families,or do you fundamentally mistrust them?" Managers in the former camp tend to be comfortable with summer hours. Those in the latter worry that summer Fridays will lead to late Mondays and long-lunch Tuesdays. What's the good policy for some employees in summer? Answer: More than 50 people have responded to an advertise for "one of the most relaxing jobs on the market" - a bathtub TESTER. Bathstore is seeking a Bathroom Executive Officer (BEO) to test their range of products. It is sure to give the perfect candidate a stress-free life and possibly some pruned fingers and toes. And 12 month contract role pays a yearly salary of PS6,000, plus bathroom installation worth PS6and products worth PS4,000 to trial. For those expecting an easy life, this job isn't all about splashing around in the suds or playing with a rubber duck. The successful applicant will be responsible for providing written reports and analysis on the overall bathing experience. However, all that boring stuff can be done from the comfort of your own home. That's because Bathstore will regularly install their new baths into the BEO's home "ensuring that this is one job that can be taken lying down". Before you apply, make sure you meet the criteria, which is to be laid back, relaxed and bubbly! Bathstore's chief marketing officer Claire Bayliss said: "We are dedicated to making dream bathrooms easy, from design to installation, and this appointment demonstrates our commitment to deliver quality products and expert advice. "We've already received some great applicants for the BEO position and will be looking to produce a short-list in the upcoming weeks. "We're really looking forward to filling the role and won't rest until we find the right candidate". Other possible best jobs in the world range from a chief funster to a taste master. How much money will the successful candidate earn per year? Answer: Summer Camp Contact Kitty 6219-7830 Are you looking for a place where you can enjoy Chinese study and experience Chinese culture during the summer holiday? Hua Mandarin could be your wise choice. The new summer camp will start on July 28th and end on August 18th. We provide very small groups with 2-4 people for you to learn Chinese in an effective way. Activities including calligraphy , painting, culture show, Chinese movies, kung fu, swimming, and so on will help you walk into Chinese culture with fun. Welcome to call at 62197830 * Kitty for more details. Comments The earlier camp finished last week. Students are happy here, although they have to learn a lot upon parents' request . Teachers here are trying to help children to learn in a funny way. Please sign in to add a comment. . . Hua Mandarin is the name of a _ . Answer: There is an Asian American basketball player in the NBA. Do you know who he is? Yes, he is Lin Shuhao. His English name is Jeremy Lin. He is another basketball star after Yao Ming. So many people call him the second Yao Ming. But he doesn't like it. In the 1970s, his family moved to America from Taiwan, China. He is twenty-five years old. His elder brother is Josh and Joseph is his younger brother. He studied at Harvard University from the year 2006 to the year 2010. His father, a fan of the NBA, taught him to play basketball when he was young. Now Lin Shuhao plays for the Houston Rocket. He works hard and plays very well. Now he is popular with many people. ,. (1,5) Which of the following is Not TRUE? Answer:
Some people like modern art, while others say that is rubbish. But a cleaner who works in the Tate Gallery in London isn't able to tell the difference. The woman, whose name isn't known, mistook a work of art by the German painter Gustav Metzger for a bag of rubbish, and threw it out with other bags. The plastic bad, which contained pieces of paper and cardboard, was later recovered outside the gallery, but the artist thought that it was too damaged to be put on show again. 78-year-old Mr Metzger explained that the exhibit, which he said was a copy of a similar work he had created in 1960, was meant to show that all art is temporary and "finite" . Embarrassed officials at the museum said that they had had to call a meeting with cleaners to explain which things should not be touched. They would not say whether Mr Metzger would be paid any compensation for the incident. However, to make absolutely sure the same thing would not happen again, they decided to cover Mr Metzger's work every evening with a colored cloth. In this way the cleaners arriving after the gallery had closed to the general public would realize they should not touch it. This is not the first time that museum cleaners have had trouble distinguishing exhibits from rubbish. In 2001, in another London gallery, a cleaner threw away a work by the well-known British artist Damien Hirst. It was an arrangement of empty beer bottles, coffee cups, and overflowing ashtrays, which were meant to indicate the chaos in the life of an artist. However, cleaners don't always throw things away--sometimes they clean them! This was the case with a dirty asking what the bath was doing in the gallery, the cleaners simply scrubbed it clean. What's the best title of the passage? Cleaners mistake modern art for rubbish In the earliest stages of man's development he had no more need of money than animals have. He was content with very simple forms of shelter, made his own rough tools and weapons and could provide food and clothing for himself and his family from natural materials around him. As he became more civilized, however, he began to want better shelter, more efficient tools and weapons, and more comfortable and more lasting clothing than could be provided by his own neighborhood or by the work of his own unskilled hands. For these things he had to turn to the skilled people such as smiths, leather workers or carpenters. It was then that the question of payment arose. At first he got what he wanted by a simple process of exchange. The smith who had not the time to look after land or cattle was glad to take meat or grain from the farmer in exchange for an axe or a plough . But as more and more goods which had no fixed exchange value came on the market, exchange became too complicated to be satisfactory. Another problem arose when those who made things wanted to get stocks of wood or leather, or iron, but had nothing to offer in exchange until their finished goods were ready. Thus the difficulties of exchange led by degree to the invention of money. In some countries easily handled things like seeds or shells were given a certain value and farmer, instead of paying the smith for a new axe by giving him some meat or grain, gave him so many shells. If the smith had any shells left when he had bought his food, he could get stocks of the raw materials of his trade. In some countries quite large things such as cows or camels or even big flat stones were used for trade. Later, pieces of metal, bearing values according to the rarity of the metal and the size of the pieces, or coins were used. Money as we know it had arrived. Money was not used until _ . the exchange of one thing for another became too complicated I still clearly remember that day. I was on the side of the road for close to four hours with my big Jeep. I put signs in the windows that said, "NEED A JACK ". Right as I was about to give up, a truck stopped and a man got off. He sized up the situation and went back to take a jack. After about two hours, we finished the job with sweats. We were both dirty. His wife produced a large water jug for us to wash our hands in. I tried to put $20 in the man's hand, but he wouldn't take it, so instead I went up and gave it to his wife as quietly as I could. I thanked them up one side and down the other. I asked the little girl, their daughter, where they lived, thinking maybe I'd 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 my goodbyes and started walking back to the Jeep, the girl called out and asked if I'd had lunch. When I told her no, she ran up and handed me a tamale . I thanked them again and walked back to my car. When I opened the tamale, what did I find inside? My $20 bill! I ran to the van and the guy rolled down his window. He saw the $20 in my hand, started shaking his head smiling, and with what looked like great concentration said in English: "Today you, tomorrow me." Then he rolled up his window and 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 money. But every time I was able to help, I felt as if I was putting something in the bank. What can we infer from the passage? The author was inspired to help others by the Mexican family. Good manners are important, but you can easily make a social blunder when you visit a foreign country, because sometimes good manners in one place are bad manners in other places. Suppose you visit some friends in Mongolia and they ask you to eat with them. What kind of manners do they want you to have? They want you to give a loud "burp" after you finish eating. Burping shows that you like your food. But in some other countries, if you give a loud "burp", you are supposed to say, "Excuse me, please." In many places people like to eat together. But in some parts of Polynesia it is bad manners to be seen eating together. People show their good manners by turning their backs on others while they eat. What are manners like in an East African town? The people try not to see you. When you are visiting a friend, he may not see you at all. If you are polite, you will sit down beside him. You will wait until he finishes what he is doing. Then he will talk to you. If you visit a friend in Arabia you should walk behind other tents until you come to his tent. If you pass in front of other tents, you will be asked into each one. The people will ask you to eat with them. And it is bad manners if you say no. Manners are different all over the world. But it is good to know that all manners help people show that they want to be friends. In an East African town, people try not to see you. This is because _ . it is good manners The unwanted disturbing of a mobile phone ringing at a critical moment has led to some famously strong reactions British actor Richard Grif-fiths,stopped a performance at the National Theatre and ordered The offending party to leave Judge Robert Restaino went considerably further.He was hearing a session of domestic violence offenders in a court when proceedings were interrupted by rings of a phone. "Everyone is going to jail unless I get that instrument now," he shouted. Over the next two hours,the judge entered a period of "incredible madness".He began by ordering the doors of the court locked,and set the officers to searching for the phone. When that failed to find the offending item he ordered each of the defendants present in the room up to his bench and in turn asked them if they had no idea, he sent each in turn to jail . All 46 of them. When a defendant protested the judge's actions were not fair to those who didn't possess the phone,Restaino replied:"I know it isn't. Judge's actions caused chaos.Extra officers had to be drafted into the court to control the crowd.and booking officers at the city jail were at full stretch." _ ", one said at the time. Fourteen of the defendants were shackled( )in irons and sent to the county jail. The judge cooled off and later that afternoon released all 46. The "two hours of viral lunacy ", has probably cost Restaino his job.The commission ruled that he should be removed from his $14,000 job.Restaino now has 30 days to appeal . His lawyer pointed out that until that moment he had served 11 years as a judge without any disciplinary issues."With the exception of two hours.his record is spotless." From the passage we can find _ . all the defendants didn't follow Robert's instructions willingly
The old shopkeeper led me through to the back of the shop.The room was filled with boxes and photographs of people dressed in old-fashioned clothes, holding packages in their hands. "Who are these people?" I asked. "Satisfied customers," answered young Mr.Hopkins."We have a very wide choice of items for sale.Whenever I serve a new customer, I always take their picture." Mr.Hopkins pointed to an ancient camera standing next to one wall."Now, how can I serve you?" he added. By this time, I had started to trust Mr.Hopkins and had begun to appreciate the lovely items on sale.I needed to buy Christmas presents for my family and friends, and this seemed to be the perfect place to purchase them.I spent a very pleasant hour being shown _ in Mr.Hopkins'shop.No matter what I asked for, Mr.Hopkins found it for me.Finally, I bought an antique jewelry box, a pair of riding boots, a leather-bound edition of the Complete Works of Mark Twain, and a sewing machine. I was very excited that I had found such a good little shop.I promised Mr.Hopkins that I would come back soon."I will tell all my friends about your lovely place," I told the shopkeeper. "Please do not do that, sir", said Mr.Hopkins."This is a special place for special people.You must keep this shop a secret." Then he took my photograph, and handed me the picture straight away. "That was quick!" I exclaimed.I looked at the photograph.In the picture I looked proud and excited holding the presents I had bought in Mr.Hopkins' dusty shop. On Christmas Day, my friends and s were delighted with the presents I had bought for them.For weeks, my brother begged me to show him where to find this wonderful little shop.I finally agreed to take him to London to show him. When we arrived in London, we walked along Oxford Street, past the department store and found...nothing.The little shop was no longer there.In its place was an empty space being used as a car park.I checked the area again.There was the music shop, and there was the department store.In between should have been Hopkins and Son, but it wasn't there. As I was staring at the place where the shop should have been, an old policeman came along."Are you looking for something sir?" he asked. I turned and said "I am looking for a little shop called Hopkins and Son.I thought it was here." "Oh yes," said the policeman."There was a shop here once called Hopkins and Son.It sold all sorts of things, but it was knocked down over 30 years ago." I looked again at the place where the shop had been.Then I reached into my pocket and took out the photograph that Mr.Hopkins had taken of me holding my presents in the little shop. "How strange" I exclaimed. How did the writer like the shop? A. He found it a modern big shop. B. He thought it a wonderful shop for all Christmas presents. C. He found it a dusty, old but friendly and lovely little shop. D. He thought it a good shop with an ancient camera. Answer: C Once upon a time, there was a lion and a mouse. One day, when the lion was sleeping, the mouse ran onto his face. The lion woke up. He was very angry and caught the mouse. "I will eat you!" the lion said angrily. The mouse cried out,"If you do not kill me, I would be happy to give you a reward ."The lion laughed at the idea. He did not think a little mouse could help such a big strong animal like himself. But he still let the mouse go. After a few days, it happened. The lion was caught by hunters' net. He tried his best to leave, after half a day, but he still couldn't get out of the net. He was very sad, he thought he was dying. At that time the lion felt something nibbling(,) on the ropes. It was the mouse. Just before dark, the work was done. There was a hole in the net. The lion got free through the hole. He was very happy and thanked the mouse, "My friend, you have saved me. I will never _ the power of small animals like you." From then on, the lion and the mouse became friends. How was the lion when he was caught by hunters' net? A. Happy. B. Nothing. C. Terrible. D. Free. Answer: C Which of the following likely make up a path for electrical energy to travel to a device? A. steel or copper B. rice or beans C. peaches or cream D. cotton and solar Answer: A This year's Newsweek list of the top 100 high schools shows that today those with fewer students are rising. Ten years ago, when the first Newsweek Top School List based on college-level test participation was published, only three of the top 100 schools had graduating classes smaller than 100 students. This year there are 22. Fifty years ago, they were the latest thing in educational reform: big, modern high schools outside the cities with thousands of students. Big schools meant economic efficiency, a greater choice of courses, and better football teams. But only years later did we understand that it involved the difficulty of strengthening personal connections between teachers and students. SAT scores began dropping; on average, 30% of students did not complete high school in four years, a figure that rose to 50% in poor city neighborhoods. High schools for a variety of reasons seemed to have made little progress. Size isn't everything, but it does matter, and the past decade has seen a noticeable trend toward smaller schools. This has been partly due to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has invested $1.8 billion in American high schools, helping to open about 1,000 small schools -- most of them with about 400 kids, each with an average enrollment of only 150 students per grade. About 500 more are on the drawing board. Districts all over the country are taking notice, along with mayors in cities like New York, Chicago and San Diego. And most noticeable of all, there is the phenomenon of large urban and suburban high schools that have split up into smaller units of a few hundred. Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, California, is one of those ranking No.423 -- among the top 2% in the country. In 2003, Hillsdale remade itself into three "houses". 300 students arriving ninth graders are randomly assigned to one of the houses, where they will keep the same four core subject teachers for two years before moving on to another for 11th and 12th grades. Teachers meet with students in groups of 25, five mornings a week, for open-ended discussions of everything from homework problems to bad Saturday-night dates. The advisers also meet with students privately and stay in touch with parents. Along with the new structure came the percentage of freshmen taking biology jumped from 17 to 95."It was rough for some. But by senior year, two-thirds have moved up to physics," says Jeff Gilbert. "Our kids are coming to school in part because they know there are adults here who know them and care for them." But not all schools show advances after downsizing, and it remains to be seen whether smaller schools will be a cure-all solution. Ranking schools is always controversial. Over the years this system has been criticized for its simplicity -- list of top U.S. high schools was made merely according to the proportion of students taking college-level exams. This year a group of 38 superintendents from five states wrote to ask that their schools should be excluded from the calculation. "It is impossible to know which high schools are 'the best' in the nation," their letter read. "Determining whether different schools do or don't offer a high quality of education requires a look at many different measures, including students' overall academic accomplishments, their later performance in college, and taking into consideration the unique needs of their communities." Newsweek ranks high schools according to _ . A. their students' academic achievement B. the number of their students admitted to college C. the size and number of their graduating classes D. their college-level test participation Answer: D Have you got teenage children between 12 and 17?Will they jump at the idea to go to South Africa too? Well, let me help you here. I will give you some great ideas about what teenagers can do in Cape Town and give you reasons why a stay in Cape Town will be cool for them too. You will read where to find really interesting activities and how much money you will have to pay for them and also how your children can gain as many great experiences as possible when holidaying or even living in Cape Town. Mad about Football -- not only for Soccer Fans Where: Cape Town Stadium ,15 min from Cape Town's central business district (CBD). The new visitor center offers several tours. How much does it cost? R45.6 for adults or kids over 12, R17.1 for kids up to 12 and R11.4 per student for school groups. The Biodiversity Garden next to the stadium is interesting as well and can be added into tour at an additional cost. Theme Park with more than 23 rides and roller coasters Where: Ratanga Junction, Century City, 20 min north of Cape Town CBD. Costs: R75 for kids under 1.3m and R152 for kids over 1.3m or adults, open only on school holidays and public holidays. Sandboarding anyone Where: Atlantis, 45 min north of Cape Town CBD. Costs: R595 for a half day of fun in the sand. Ice skating Where: Grand West Casino Complex, Goodwood, 20 min east of Cape Town CBD Costs:R35 (including skates) Enjoy mini golf Where: Several places around Cape Town CBD. Muizenberg Beach Promenade, Green Point Promenade, Durbanville Vodacom Golf Driving Range or try Cave Golf at the V&A Waterfront next to Scratch Patch. Costs:R8. Go bowling Where: Several places aroun Cape Town CBD. Costs: R25. *How about climbing walls Where:Observatory, 20 min south of Cape Towm CBD. Costs: R50. In order to have fun on the sand, visitors should go to _ . A. Atlantis B. Green Point Promenade C. Ratanga Junction D. Grand West Casino Complex Answer: A
Exercise may help to safeguard the mind against depression through previously unknown effects on working muscles, according to a new study involving mice. Mental health experts have long been aware that even mild, repeated stress can contribute to the development of depression and other mood disorders in animals and people. Scientists have also known that exercise seems to cushion against depression. But precisely how exercise, a physical activity can reduce someone's risk for depression, a mood state, has been mysterious. So for the new study, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm studied the brains and behavior of mice in a complicated and novel fashion. We can't ask mice if they are feeling cheerful or in low spirits. Instead, researchers have pictured certain behaviors that indicate depression in mice. If animals lose weight, stop seeking out a sugar solution when it's available -- because, probably, they no longer experience normal pleasures -- or give up trying to escape from the cold-water zone just freeze in place, they are categorized as depressed. And in the new experiment, after five weeks of frequent but low-level stress, such as being lightly shocked, mice displayed exactly those behaviors. They became depressed. The scientists could then have tested whether exercise blunts the risk of developing depression after stress by having mice run first. But, frankly, from earlier research, they wanted to know how, so they bred pre-exercised mice. A wealth of earlier research by these scientists and others had shown that aerobic exercise, in both mice and people, increases the production within muscles of an enzyme called PGC-1alpha. The Karolinska scientists suspected that this enzyme somehow creates conditions within the body that protect the brain against depression. Then, the scientists exposed the animals, which without exercising, were in high levels of PGC-1alpha to five weeks of mild stress. The mice responded with slight symptoms of worry. But they did not develop depression. They continued to seek out sugar and fought to get out of the cold-water zone. Their high levels of PGC-1alpha appeared to make them depression-resistant . Finally, to ensure that these findings are relevant to people, the researchers had a group of adult volunteers complete three weeks of frequent endurance training, consisting of 40 to 50 minutes of moderate cycling or jogging. The scientists conducted muscle biopsies before and after the program and found that by the end of the three weeks, the volunteers' muscle cells contained substantially more PGC-1alpha than at the study's start. The finding of these results, in the simplest terms, is that "you reduce the risk of getting depression when you exercise," said Maria Lindskog, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute. It can be concluded from the passage that _ . Answer: On the way back from work every evening, more often than not there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway . He looked to be in his late 40s but was probably a lot younger. He had shoulder length straight black hair and a short beard. Every day after work I would remember to gather any spare change, and put it aside to give to him if I saw him. A feeling of joy would come over me every time I saw him, while coming off the ramp . So did he. Sometimes the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day. His answer would always be the same, "I'm blessed!" Then one day I was called into my boss's office and was told that I was being laid off. For the rest of that day all I could think of was "how am I going to provide for my kids as a mother, how am I going to pay rent?" Needless to say that on my way home that day I was very sad and upset. I didn't remember to look for my spare change and keep it ready like I usually did. Yet there he was as always, as I turned the ramp. He set his eyes on me, while still smiling and waving at others as usual. While I was waiting for the red light to turn, he strolled over to my car. He had a big smile. He looked at me straight in the eyes and said, "Today I will give you a dollar." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. You see that day he taught me a valuable lesson more than a dollar bill. No matter what material things are taken from you, no one can take away your choice to be joyful. Every time I'm faced with challenges, I think of the homeless man's valuable lesson and remember that I am blessed. The writer learned from the story that _ . Answer: None of our early ancestors could digest milk as adults because their bodies never had to -milk drinking simply wasn't an option.As people began to extract milk from animals, though, some people developed the ability to keep drinking it throughout their lives. Scientists mow know of a milk-related mutation in our genes--the chemical instructions for life that we carry in almost every cell in our bodies.People who have a mutated form of one particular gene can drink milk just fine.People without the mutation tend to get sick from milk. To figure out where, and possibly why, milk drinking started, some scientists have been looking at who has the milk-digesting mutation to day Pattems are striking. Most adults in Northern and Central Europe are able to digest milk--and they do.Cheese, butter and other dairy products are popular in countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany and England.Because European settlers dominated North America, most people here can handle milk just fine, as well.That may explain why ice cream is such a popular dessert in the United States. In much of Africa, Asia and South America, on the other hand, people tend to avoid dairy products because they lead to diarrhea and other stomach problems.(That's why you won't typically find cheese on the menu at a Chinese, Japanese or Ethiopian restaurant.) Native Americans are also unable to digest milk. Based on these genetic patterns, scientists have long thought that milk drinking started in Northern Europe, where dairy is an institution and the milk-digesting mutation is everywhere. A recent study painted a different picture.With a computer model, Thomas and colleagues looked at the spread of the milk-drinking mutation, farming and other related factors.Working backward, the scientists concluded that the first milk-drinkers lived in Central Europe around what's now Hungary about 7500 years ago.The practice didn't start farther north, as scientists had thought before. Which of the following is LEAST likely to appear on the menu in a Japanese restaurant? Answer: One Sunday morning Mr Green and his child , Bill ,are in a big shop . Mr Green wants to buy a new blouse for Mrs Green . Bill likes oranges , so his father buys two kilos of oranges for him , too . Bill wants to buy some picture--books and colour pencils , too . There are many people in the shop . They are men and women , old and young . They all want to buy something there . Bill wants to buy _ . Answer: 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 isn't going to _ on Sunday. Answer:
Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt. In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out. Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War II. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea: clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far? Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist , encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground. What is the author's purpose in writing the passage? A To stress the role of dirt. B To introduce the history of dirt. C To call attention to the danger of dirt. D To present the change of views on dirt. Answer: D. To present the change of views on dirt. Do you know the late leader of China, Deng Xiaoping? He was called the"chief architect of China's reform and opening-up ". August 22 is the 110 anniversary of his birth. President Xi Jinping held an important meeting for the event on August 20 , 2014 in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli also attended the event. Deng was born on Aug, 22, 1904 in the southwest China's Sichuan Province. He also had the name Deng Xiaosheng. His father , Deng Wenming , was a middle-level landowner . His mother died early in Deng's life. He has three brothers and three sisters. Deng's first wife , one of his schoolmates from Moscow , died when she was 24, a few days after giving birth to Deng's first child, a baby girl, who also died. His second wife left him in 1933. His third wife, Zhuo Lin, was the daughter of an industrialist in Yunnan Province. She married him in 1939 in Yan'an. They had five children:three daughters and two sons. Deng was sent to private primary school at the age of five. In the summer of 1919, Deng Xiaoping graduated from the Chongqing School. Then he went to study and work in France in the 1920s. His father strongly supported him, the night before going to France, Deng's father took his son aside and asked him what he hoped to learn there. He repeated the words he had learned from his teachers:"To learn knowledge and truth from the West in order to save China."He joined the Communist Party of China in 1924. In late 1927 , Deng left Moscow to return to China. He joined the army to save China. He died on February 19 , 1997. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? A Deng's first daughter was alive B Deng's father was poor at that time C Zhuo Lin was Deng's schoolmate D Deng left school in1919. Answer: D. Deng left school in1919. Which are all likely enabled by rock folding? A oak trees, waterfalls, TVs B rivers, lightning bolts, fire C the Himalayas, spelunking, and valleys D cats, prairies, dogs, birds Answer: C. the Himalayas, spelunking, and valleys It's hard to imagine life without the Internet. How greatly it has changed our lives in the past 15 years since it was widely used. At the same time, however, the Internet has also caused some traditions to fall away . E-mail is quicker and cheaper. Getting a handwritten letter from a friend has become a rare pleasure. Who would like to pay 60 yuan for 12 songs in a plastic case if you can find music in the Internet for free? When almost any fact can be found within seconds through Google and Baidu, personal memory becomes less important. The Web can remember it for us. When was the last time you watched the world out of a window? When was the last time you read a favorite book once again? When was the last time you sat in the cinema with your family? More and more people lose themselves in the Internet. They show less interest and spend less time in the outside world. You've spent the past few years talking with your friends on QQ, or reading about his or her QQ square, so meeting a friend is no longer as important as it once was. Have you ever found yourself doing homework with one eye on a QQ Space window? A growing number of people say the Internet is stopping young people from fixing their attention on anything for a long time. When you surf the Internet, it feels like something you're enjoying and nobody knows it. But when you realize just how many people are watching your every move, it might just make you mad. Many people have realized their personal information can be found easily in the Internet even they don't want to. From the passage we can learn that the writer _ when some traditions are falling away. A doesn't care B seems happy C feels interested D is worried Answer: D. is worried For years people had told our founders, motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, inspiring stories about themselves. Jack and Mark included these stories in their talks, and their audiences repeatedly asked if they had ever been published. Eventually, Jack and Mark decided to collect the best 101 stories they'd been told and put them in a book. They called itChicken Soup for the Soulbecause they wanted it to provide comfort, just like their grandmothers' cooking. They took the book to New York, hoping to sell it to one of the big publishers, but every single one turned them down. The project appeared to have _ until they met Peter Vegso. Peter read some of the stories and loved them, so he decided to give the book a chance, becomingChicken Soup for the Soulfounding publisher. Chicken Soup for the Soulturned into one of the most popular and loved books ever published, selling 11 million copies around the world. Today, we've published more than 250 books andChicken Soup for the Soulhas become the best-selling trade paperback book series of all time. People have connected withChicken Soup for the Soulbooks deeply. Years ago, we started getting letters from readers asking for more, not just more books, but other things, too. Jack and Mark recognized thatChicken Soup for the Soulhad grown into something much bigger than the book series they had created. So, in 2008, William Rouhana, Amy Newmark and Robert Jacobs boughtChicken Soup for the Soulfrom them. Today, we have a line of comfort foods, including healthy and balanced pet foods. We're online now with our forums, apps and a YouTube channel. We're working hard on a newChicken Soup for the SoulTV show and a movie. Meanwhile, we are still collecting stories from our readers and the public, just like we've done since the beginning. We have new books coming out almost every month. We're always looking for ways to share happiness, inspiration and wellness through everything we do. The firstChicken Soup for the Soul _ . A was published by Peter Vegso B was Jack and Mark's own experiences C encouraged people to be speakers D told stories that happened in kitchens Answer: A. was published by Peter Vegso
I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand.All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap.They did not make me happy, however, as tins was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.I tried in vain lo convince him that I did nothing wrong all the way, but it didn't help. When we.arrived at the sate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls.I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him."Be a man, "he said."today you truly begin your life.You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave." I took a few steps.Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view.I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me.I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way.But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, " Who brought you? " "My father," I whispered. ''My father's dead, " he said simply. I did not know what to say.The gate was now closed.Some of the children burst into tears.The bell rang.A lady came along, followed by a group of men.The men began soiling us into ranks.We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis.From the first moments I made many friends and fell in love with many girls.I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences. We played all sorts, of games.In the music room we sang our first songs.We also had our first introduction to language.We saw a globe of Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries.We started lean-line numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe.We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning. Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded.We had to be observant and patient.It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting.And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold.Even more frequently she would resort to physical punishment. The bell rang, announcing the passing of the day and the end of work.The children rushed toward the gate, which was opened again.I said goodbye to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate.I looked around but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there.I stepped aside to wait. Which of the following subjects did he not probably have? Answer: Cooking. Bad Hobbies It's easier to walk downhill than to climb uphill. So it is easier to fall into bad habits than into good ones. Bad habits do not form suddenly. They form little by little, so you don't realize their danger. Schoolboys and schoolgirls first pick up little bad habits at school or on the streets. When they cannot do their homework, they copy from their classmates. If they see bigger boys or girls smoking, they also want to learn to smoke. If they see their friends gambling ,they want to gamble. When they get older, the habits become stronger and stronger. Then they can no longer give them up. From copying, they learn to steal; from gambling, they learn to cheat. At last, no one believes in them. It is very important to stop bad habits as soon as they begin! My son is eight years old. He is now in Grade Three. When he was five, he started school. Every evening we have homework battles. Three afternoons a week he has activities after school. By the time we get home, homework is the last thing he feels like doing. The other two afternoon, he gets home early and we argue about whether he should do his homework straight away, or if he should have some time to rest and play first. When my son finally sits down to do his homework, he seems to want me there helping him all the time. I do want to help him, but I am sure that he can do it by himself. In fact, I often end up telling him the answers to most of his homework. He has fallen into the habit of depending on me to do this. He never wants to use his own brain. My wife and I have given up all our outdoor activities. We sit with him when he does his homework. We want to train him form some good learning habits. But what should we do? It is very _ for a child to form good study habits. Answer: important The modern world is full of useful objects that were invented by someone, from spoons and chopsticks in our kitchens to the Ipads in our handbags. Each invention is an example of the creative power of the human mind. Where do inventors get their inspirations ? The inspiration behind each of these inventions varies. Take the shopping cart as an example. Sylvan Goldman was a grocery store owner. Like most businessmen, he wished that his customers would buy more so that he could make more money. He knew what if they could carry more goods easily as they were shopping, when his sales would go up. While thinking about the problem one night, he had an idea. Working with a local handyman named Fred Young, he designed the first shopping cart. Today, retailers who use shopping carts sell more goods and make more profits. Nature has also inspired inventors throughout history. This is what happened to George de Mestral one day. While hunting with his dog in the Swiss Alps, he noticed how the burs of certain plants stuck to his clothing and to his dog' s fur. After examining them under a microscope, he found they had tiny hooks that could easily stick to the fibers of clothing or animal hide. For the next ten years, George de Mestral searched for the hest way to produce his idea. The result of his original inspiration was Velcro, which is used in many modem objects, including sportswear, shoes, automobiles, and even space suits. These examples show us that there are at least two possible inspirations for human creativity in the world of inventions -- profit and nature. No doubt, the future will continue to breathe new life into the economies of the world with fresh ideas and inventions. How many of their creations will be inspired by natural phenomena? The world's problems require creativity and we can expect best solutions from future generations. According to the article, which invention shows how nature inspires us? Answer: Velcro. For good health, be sure to eat fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and lie as seldom as possible. A researcher is hoping this advice will someday take hold, based on results of a "science of honesty" study she completed. Half of 110 participants were told to stop telling major or minor ("white") lies for 10 weeks, while the other half (the control group) was given no special instructions about lying. The 110 people ranged from ages 18 to 71 and came from both sexes and all income levels. All came to a laboratory each week to complete health and relationship questionnaires and to take a test showing the number of major and minor lies they had told that week. When those in the no-lie group told three fewer white lies than in other weeks, they complained less of headaches, tenseness, anxiety and other problems than those in the control group. In addition, they reported that their close personal relationships had improved and their social interactions had gone more smoothly. "The link was that clear," said study author Anita Kelly, a professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. "Lying less was clearly associated with better health for those people." Previous research indicates that Americans average 11 lies per week, from the little white lies to save face or falsely praise others to major lies about serious matters. Kelly said her study differs from former studies because it didn't focus on how to detect a liar, but on the potential health consequences of telling lies. "People might recognize the more harmful effect lying can have on relationships, but probably don't recognize the extent to which it can cause a lot of stress," said Dr. Bryan Bruno at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. At the end of the study, some participants had created smart ways to avoid lying. Kelly noted that some realized they could simply tell the truth about their daily achievements rather than exaggerate , while others responded to a troubling question with another question to take the person's attention away. They also stopped making false excuses for running late or failing to finish tasks. "People usually think white lies are acceptable. In fact, white lies are trouble, not just major lies," Kelly said. "As long as you like, you can find effective ways to avoid lying in many cases. It depends on you." "But the goal doesn't have to be the absolute absence of lies ... the goal would be a reduction in lies," she added. Which of the following is TRUE about the research? Answer: All the participants were adults. A mighty river flows through an area for millennia. Afterwards, it can be noted that where there once were shallow rivers, there are now Answer: massive canyons
Susan was born as the ninth child in a Catholic family. She suffered from learning disabilities ever since her birth because of her mother's poor health. School was difficult for Susan and she was bullied because of her different behaviors. Her siblings, who were much older, had life experiences that were unknown to their little sister. From the time of her birth, Susan was a screamer. The only really safe place that she would use as a repeat was her bedroom. There she would hang posters of her musical idols on the wall and sing popular music into a hairbrush that she pretended was a microphone. One by one the siblings moved away from home and then Susan's father died. This left her alone with an aging mother and a cat. The siblings accused her mother of not expecting more out of Susan. She had seen many professionals and remembered hearing the word "borderline" but didn't know what it meant. She tried volunteer work. Her best state of mind, however, was found when she was singing and so she would regularly join others in karaoke or pubs where she could show her skills and receive appreciation from the crowd. When Susan announced at Christmas that she was planning to compete in the Britain's Got Talent contest, her siblings tried to discourage her. It was a wonder that she was even able to do the audition considering the troubles she faced just physically getting to the right place. "The Woman I Was Born to Be" is a beautiful story written in the simple but humorous voice of the author, Susan Boyle. She tells her story from birth to the present in an interesting and educational manner. The writing is supplemented by photos from her albums. I love this book! In fact, I read the whole thing in one day! There is something in the stories that not only teaches the reader but also inspires us to reach for our dreams -- no matter how impossible they may seem to be! This passage should be _ . Answer: a book review In the USA, about 450,000 school buses take more than 25 million children to and from school. The yellow school bus is a US icon . Yellow became the color of school buses in the USA in 1939. Dr. Frank got the good idea. He said it was easy for people to see yellow buses and the black letters on them in early morning or late afternoon. That would make children safer. There are not many school buses in Britain, and they are not yellow. They have trackers on them, so children are being tracked while they travel to and from school by bus. The trackers let parents know where the school bus is and whether their kids are on the bus. Kindergarten is a difficult time for some kids. It's the first time for them to go away from their parents. To make kids love their school, Japanese kindergartens and schools have colorful buses. The buses can easily make children want to take them to go to school. Even some parents want to take them, too! School buses are becoming more and more popular in China now. It saves a lot of time for students to go to school. ,. Chinese students will save a lot of time to _ to school. Answer: walk If you're planning to visit lots of museums and attractions in Paris, the following five are not to be missed. The Notre Dame Description: The Notre Dame is a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the oldest part of Paris. Location: Place du Parvis Notre Dame Opening hours: 07:45 to 18:45 Monday to Saturday Admission: Donation only Website: www.cathedraledeparis.com The Eiffel Tower Description: The Eiffel Tower is the most famous symbol of Paris. Take the lift or stairs up to the top for fabulous views of the city. Location: Champ de Mars Opening hours: Open daily throughout the year -- January to June and September to December 09:30 to 23:45, July and August 09:00 to 00:45 Admission: 11EUR to the top Website: www.tour-eiffel.fr L'Arc de Triomphe Description: This grand arch was built by Napoleon to honour the French Army. Location: Place de l'etoile Opening hours: Open daily throughout the year -- April to September 10:00 to 23:00, October to March 10:00 to 22:30 Website: www.monum.fr / prehome / prehome.dml The Louvre Museum Description: The Louvre Museum is a spectacular Renaissance building. Collections: Egyptian, Roman and Oriental antiquities, and European paintings from the 12th to the 19th centuries, including Leonardo's Mona Lisa. Location: Rue de rivoli Opening hours: 09:00 to 18:00 every day except Tuesday Admission: 8.50EUR. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. Website: www.louvre.fr The Orsay Museum Description: This art gallery has an impressive collection of art from 1850 to 1950. Collections:Impressionism(Renoir,.Monet,Degas),post-impressionism (Van Gogh, Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cezanne). Location: 1 rue de bellechasse Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:30 to 18:00, Thursday 09:30 to 21:45, closed on Mondays Admission: 7.50EUR. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. Website: www.musee-orsay.fr On Sundays, you can visit the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: the Notre Dame An American friend has invited you to visit his family. You've never been to an American's home before, and you're not sure what to do. Should you take a gift? How should you dress? What time should you arrive? What should you do when you get there? Glad you asked. When you're the guest, you should just make yourself at home. That's what hospitality is all about: making people feel at home when they're not. The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests squirm . Giving your host a gift is not just a social _ in some cultures-it's expected. But in American culture, a guest is not necessary to bring a present. Of course, some people do bring a small present to their host to show their thanks. The right gifts for the host might be flowers, candy, and you can bring toys if the family has small children. _ The passage talks about _ . Answer: what to do while visiting your friends Things are seldom what they seem.Skim milk masquerades as cream.Anil labor-saving household appliances often do not save labor.This is the surprising conclusion reached by a small army of historians, sociologists, and home economists who have undertaken, in recent years, to study the one form of work that has turned out to be most resistant to inquiry and analysis -?namely, housework. During the first half of the twentieth century, the average American household was transformed by the introduction of a group of machines that profoundly altered the daily lives of housewives.The forty years between 1920 and 1960 witnessed what might be called the "industrial revolution in the home".Where once there had been a wood or coal burning stove there now was a gas or electric range.The dryer replaced the clothes-line; the vacuum cleaner replaced the broom; the refrigerator replaced the icebox and the root cellar.No one had to chop wood any more. And yet American housewives in 1960, 1970, 1980 and even 1990 continued to log about the same number of hours at their work as their grandmothers and mothers had in 1910, 1920 and 1930.The earliest time studies of housewives date from the very same period in which time studies of other workers were becoming popular--the first three decades of the twentieth century.The sample sizes of these studies were usually quite small, and they did not always define housework in precisely the same way.but their results were more or less consistent; whether rural or urban, the average American housewife performed fifty to sixty hours of unpaid work in her home every week, and the only variable that significantly altered _ was the number of small children. A half-century later not much has changed.Survey research has become much more sophisticated, and sample sizes have grown considerably, but the results of the time remain consistent.The average American housewife, now armed with dozens of motors and thousands of electronic chips, still spends fifty to sixty hours a week doing housework The only variable that significantly altered the size of that number was frill-time employment in the labor force: "working" housewives cut down the average number of hours that they spend cooking and cleaning, shopping and chauffeuring, to a not insignificant thirty-five, virtually the equivalent of another full-time job. What has reduced the average amount of time American housewives spend on housework? Answer: Housewives' full-time employment in the labor force.
Paris is an ancient city, the center of prefix = st1 /Franceand probably the most cultured city in Europe. For the modern traveler it's very easy to reach the famous city on the river Seine. You can fly there in less time than it takes to travel by train from Beijing toShanghai. Once you reachParisyou are surprised by a city that is the perfect combination of modern life and history. The best time to arrive is the spring. Winter is cold and wet, the summer humid and autumn windy. In the spring the flowers are blossoming, the sun shines and the birds sing. The people ofParisare most pleased with spring in their city. They play in the parks, visit the beautiful monuments and enjoy "joie de vivre" . If you arrive in Parisin the springtime, you will enjoy the life of lazy walks down the boulevards too, sitting in the cafes and visiting the most famous museums in the world. There are many places for you to visit, Notre Dame de Paris, the nearby palace of Versaille, the arch of Triumph and of course the Eiffel Tower. You'll notice that in Paris the people in the cafes all look out at the people on the street. They like to see and be seen. Some monuments are not French, but fromEgypt, orGreece, or maybe Chinese! There are many, many dogs, especially the famous French poodie with his well-tailored looks. This is the city where the French impressionists painted their works, where arts, culture and literature are the main passions of life. Apart of course, from the food! All Frenchmen like to eat and drink wine - they are never happier than when they are having a picnic on the banks of the river Seine in the springtime. According to the passage, what will be your first impression if you are in Paris? Answer: Parisis the perfect combination of modern life and history. Tom and Fred are students. They are twelve years old, and they are in the same class in their school. On Monday morning, they have a fight in class, and their teacher is angry. She says to the boys, "Come here after school this afternoon, and write your names 1,000 times ." After the last class, Tom and Fred are in the classroom with their teacher and write their names. But Fred cries . The teacher looks at him and asks why. "Because his name is Tom King, and my name is Frederick Hollingsworth," Fred says ," It is bad . I have a very, very long name!" The two boys Tom and Fred are _ . Answer: classmates I was in a shopping mall, so I decided to go and get a cup of coffee. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman poorly dressed sitting near the shop. I knew from the first sight that he needed help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was enjoying it. It was clear that he had a problem with his right eye. I then joined the line and waited to be served. Then it happened. One of the most beautiful gestures I had ever seen in my life. There was a young man in front of me in the line who was also waiting to be served. The next thing I knew was that the young man handed the waitress 20 dollars and requested a glass of juice as a favor . The waitress looked at the young man a little perplexed, not fully understanding the request. That was when the young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside, as well as the change from the 20 dollars. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe. Then there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I could take a photo of the smiles on both of their faces. As I was considering this event later, I wondered why the young man didn't perform this act of kindness himself. Maybe he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for this old man as well. The old gentleman _ outside the coffee shop. Answer: was eating his lunch When I was very young, I wanted to become a veterinarian one day, because I loved animals very much, especially dogs. However, there was no room in my adult life for a dog. Then, last year, I could not stand the fact that I developed cancer . I wanted to keep a dog, but I knew my illness made it impossible for me to keep one. In early September, to my surprise, my doctor told me that I could keep a pet as my friend, because my immune system was strong to keep a pet. The same day I went to an animal market with my friends. When I saw a 9-week-old dog with big brown eyes, nice ears and white _ all over the body, I took it home.I'm happy these days since Oscar came into my life. My new favorite pastime is to watch him sleep, eat and run. And I have been spending more time caring about him, taking long walks with him in the park. Now I still have the physical examination once a week at the hospital. But my illness has taken a turn for the better with the company of a dog. My immune system is getting stronger, my doctor tells me. Thanks to Oscar, my life has changed a lot. From the passage, we can infer that _ . Answer: the writer is thankful to her pet dog A man walked to India from far away. When he got there, he saw a lot of fruit. Among them there was a big basket of very red, long fruit. And it was the cheapest in the shop. "I'd like a kilogram of this kind of fruit, please," he said to the shop keeper. After the keeper gave him the fruit, he began to eat some of it. "Oh, my God!" he shouted. His eyes watered, his mouth watered; his eyes were burning, his head was burning; and his face became red. As he coughed, he jumped up and down, saying, "Ah! Ah! Ah!" But he still kept eating the fruit! Some people looking at him and said, "You're crazy, man. Those are chilies ! You can't eat so many; they're not good for you! People use them as a _ , but only a little bit to put into food for taste. You can't just eat them like that; they're not fruit!" But the man said, "No, I can't stop! I paid money for them. It's my money!" Sometimes we do a lot of things like that. We still continue just because we've put money, time, effort and love into it. Just like the man who ate the chilies and felt so bad but couldn't stop because he didn't want to waste the money he had paid. What's the purpose of the author in writing this passage? Answer: To tell us that you don't always get back what you've lost.
Question: I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one--it's so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald's, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites. Nike In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike's logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995. McDonald's The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped signs on the side of the company's then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald's name was added to the logo in 1968. Apple There are different stories behind Apple's logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steven Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn't stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff's " rainbow apple", a rainbow- colored silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow- colored apple was replaced by the one- colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far. Mercedes Benz The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three- pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Marcedes is the name of Maybach's elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie.and DMG in 1926. Adidas The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1976. We can learn that Apple's present logo is _ . A. the religious story of Adam and Eve B. a bitten apple with only one color C. Newton's sitting under an apple tree D. the rainbow- colored bitten apple Answer: B Question: We do not know exactly how many whales there are in the sea because we can't count them. But we believe at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were 105,000 humpback whales and 120,000 right whales. At the beginning of the twentieth century there were 75,000 humpbacks and 80,000 rights. Since 1900 their numbers have fallen very quickly. Between 1935 and 1950 the number of humpbacks fell from 20,000 to 10,000 and since 1950 the number has fallen to only 6,000. The number of right whales has fallen even faster. In 1935 there were 25,000. The number fell to 6,000 in 1950 and since 1950 the number has fallen to 4,000. Men have always been hunters. Thousands of whales have become victims . It's time to do something to protect whales. The passage is mainly about _ . A. the number of humpback whales B. the number of right whales C. hunting whales D. the necessity of protecting whales Answer: D Question: Books are our best friends. They are very quiet, but we can always find both fun and knowledge once we open them. Here are two good books you can read during the holiday. Book: The Little Prince French writer :Antoine de Saint-Exupery Both adults and children love this classic book. It is about the adventure of a young prince. It shows the importance of innocence ( ) ,imagination and love. The little prince comes from planet B-612. In his eyes ,adults are all very strange. Unlike them, he sees the essence of things .He cares more about a flower and a sheep than the " important" things of adult world. The prince lives on his planet with a rose. He loves the rose very much. But he soon feels tired and leaves his planet. He meets many more strange adults on other planets. On Earth, he discovers interesting things such as a snake, other roses and a fox. The fox tells him a secret :Only the heart can discover the most important things. This helps the prince realize his love for the rose and he goes back to his planet. Book: To Succeed on One's Own( ) American Writer :Liu Yong Writer Liu Yong from Taiwan wrote this book for his daughter .It can help young people succeed. The book teaches you about student-teacher relationship, how to use your free time and even what kind of clothes to wear. It answers many of teenagers' most common questions. Liu uses his daughter's stories as an example to help readers understand the principles . His book is far from boring. There are lively stories and dialogues, with objective analysis ,hope and confidence from a good father. ,. From the passage, we know that we can always find in books. A. the importance of innocence, imagination and love B. the answers to many of teenagers' most common questions C. the objective analysis ,hope and confidence D. Both fun and knowledge. Answer: D Question: At a young age, Patti Wilson was told that she was an epileptic . Her father, Jim Wilson, is _ . One day she said, "Daddy, I want to run with you every day, But I'm afraid I'll have a seizure . Her father told her, "If you do, I know how to deal with it, so let's start running!" That's just what they did every day. It was a wonderful experience for them to share. And there were no seizures at all while she was running. After a few weeks, she told her father, "Daddy, I want to break the world's long-distance running record for women." So she did. That year, she wore a T-shirt that read, "I love epileptics" and completed her run to San Francisco. Her dad ran every mile at her side, and her mom, a nurse, followed in a car behind them in case anything went wrong. In her second year in college, Patti's classmates got behind her. They built a huge poster that read, "Run, Patti, Run!" Her foot was injured when she was running to Portland. A doctor told her she had to stop her run. "Doctor, you don't understand," she said, "This isn't a whim of mine. I'm doing it to let people know -- we can do what others do. Isn't there a way I can keep running?" "Yes, but it would be unbelievably painful." The doctor said. But she told the doctor she could do it. At last she finished the run to Portland and completed her last mile with the governor of Oregon. What would be the best title for the text? A. The love between a father and his daughter B. The benefits of running C. The friendship between epileptics D. A supper runner -- Patti Wilson Answer: D Question: Angry survivors demanded answers on Sunday after a terrible stampede at "Love Parade 2010", a music festival in Germany, killed 19 people and left hundreds hurt. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her shock over Saturday's tragedy in the western city of Duisburg. "This was a very sad day," Merkel said. "We must do everything we can to ensure that something like this never happens again." Witnesses said that people pushed into the narrow tunnel, the only entrance to the Love Parade festival, from both sides until it was dangerously overcrowded. The panic began as festival-goers began to lose consciousness as they were crushed against the walls and each other. The dead included eight foreigners, from Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, China, Bosnia and Spain. More than 340 people were injured. After the panic, a lot of emergency vehicles, including helicopters, could be seen parked on the highway leading to helicopters, could be seen parked on the highway leading to the festival site, carrying away the injured people. The festival itself, however, went on. Police were afraid that ending the music altogether could cause further unrest among the crowd. "The event was a real mess," Patrick Guenter, a 22-year-old baker, said. "Although the festival was full, they kept letting people in." he added. "It seems the organizers didn't plan the route. The road was very narrow, and no one knew what was going on." Said Taggart Bowen-Gaddy,20,an American from Philadelphia. Officials said 4,000 police officers and 1,000 security guards provided security for the event, which attracted up to 1.4 million people. The authorities had only given organizers permission for 250,000 people to attend. "I warned one year ago that Duisburg was not a suitable place for the Love Parade. The city is too small and narrow for such events. It is a pity that..." German police union chief Rainer Wendt told the Bild. The chief organizer, Rainer Schaller, said the popular event would never be held again, "out of respect for the victims and their families". First held in Berlin in 1989 just months before the fall of the Wall, the Love Parade is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. It left Berlin from 2007 onwards after disagreements with the city authorities over security and has been held in several other German cities in recent years. How did the German Chancellor Angela Merkel feel about the tragedy? A. Very disappointed. B. Angry and surprised. C. Very puzzled. D. Touched. Answer: B
INTEX Giant Dolphin Inflatable Swimming Pool Ride-On Raft Price:$88 Great design is as impressive as it is comfortable ! Handles are great for maintain control *Dimensions:79" x 30" Product Description Great for pools and the beach, the INTEX Dolphin Ride - On Raft is sure to catch some eyes! This impressive raft features heavy duty handles and a uniquely large design. Get out there and enjoy the water this summer on the INTEX Dolphin Ride-On Raft. Enjoy a restful day on the water, lying in the comfort of this soft, durable , colorful inflatable ( ) raft from water product maker Intex. Made of special material, its as durable as it is soft and comfortable, and has two handles for easy on-and-off. It will bring a lot of fun to both adults and children. About Intex Recreation: Intex Recreation makes above-ground swimming pools, air beds, inflatable toys, pool and lake boats. The company has been in business for over 40 years, and is a global leader in designing and producing innovative products for indoor and outdoor recreation. Intex products meet the most strict safety standards, taking testing to ensure years of safety and satisfaction. Most Helpful Customer Reviews Hello, my name is Mike Smith. I bought the raft for my family. It worked perfectly. It is a great size for the three of us. We hit many rocks and low tree branches drifting down a river, but the raft came out safety. This is an excellent raft. It's durable and floats like it should. Great for kids or adults. And great for family use. Contact Information of intex Recreation: Tel:800-876-0987 E-mail: In texrecreation@hotmail.com What do you know about the product? A. It is hard for children to control. B. It can be used only for adults. C. It is easily broken by rocks and small branches. D. It is soft, comfortable and inflatable. Answer: D Mr Green is a teacher of English. He comes from America. He teaches English in China. He speaks English quite well. He reads a lot of books and his wife Mrs Green often writes books for the students. He gets up at five in the morning. He leaves home at ten to six. He begins the first lesson at 8:00. He teaches English every day except Sunday. At ten to twelve he finishes his lessons. Ten minutes later he has lunch. In the afternoon he often plays games with his students at about four o'clock. Sometimes he teaches his students in his room. Supper time is at about six. After that he reads newspapers and watches TV. At about ten to eleven he goes to bed. He has lunch at _ . A. 11:30 B. 12:30 C. 12:00 D. 11:50 Answer: C Interviews can be quite frightening but our tips can help you. Don't worry--relax! Remember these things and you'll be fine. Be on time. Find out exactly where the interview is and how to get there. Remember that buses and trains can often be late so allow plenty of time. It's better to be early than late. Be prepared. Think about what the interviewer will ask you. He or she will probably ask about your qualifications and your experience but they'll also ask you why you want the job. Think of some possible questions and prepare your answers before you go. Wear comfortable clothes. If you wear something new it will make you feel uncomfortable. It's best to wear something smart but something you like and feel happy in. Make eye contact . In the interview, don't sit looking at your feet. Make sure you sit up and look the interviewer in the eye. This makes you look honest and more confident . Ask a question. It's a good idea to ask questions at the interview. Ask about the company or the job. Prepare some questions before the interview. It makes you look more interested if you do this. Which of the following does the writer say is a sign of honesty? A. Making eye contact. B. Travelling by bus or train. C. Wearing something smart. D. Showing your qualifications. Answer: A Men can be beautiful too,right? China is going to host the 18th World University Student Beauty Contest in Guangzhou this December.This year for the first time the contest will include a male section.Students from over 130 countries will compete for Mr and Miss Beauty.The contest is one of the most respected beauty contests in the world.It was copied by the United Nations University (an international university belonging to the United Nations) in 1986. Stick to studying Li Yining,an economics professor at Peking University,said that he would not encourage students to try their luck in the stock market ."They should stress study," Li said in his speech at Beijing Foreign Studies University.When asked,the professor said he expected house prices in Beijing to continue to rise.Li thinks the government should provide more affordable houses for lowlevel income people. Campus cinema Students at over 100 universities will have a digital cinema on campus after the National Day holiday.The 21st Century Digital Film on Campus Project was _ at the end of September.The ticket will cost 3-8 yuan,rather than 30-40 yuan at cinemas in town.Students often download movies online or watch DVDs.Now they can enjoy original films in the digital cinema.The digital cinema will show a variety of films besides Hollywood blockbusters . Getting practical All 12,000 graduates from vocational school in Shanxi Province have landed a job,according to the provincial government.In the past five years, it is estimated that over 95 percent of the professional school graduates have found jobs.However,the number for university graduates is 70 percent.Some employers said that they prefer professional school graduates who learned something more practical in school and expected lower salaries than university students. Professor Li thinks that _ . A. the house prices in Beijing will keep going up B. the students should try their luck in the stock market C. the government can do nothing about the housing problem D. the students should not only pay attention to study Answer: A Something that has always interested me about Abraham Lincoln is, not surprisingly, his sense of humor. As far as I can tell, he's the first American President to have one. That's because the term"sense of humor" really wasn't in common usage until the eighteen-sixties and seventies. In the eighteen-forties and fifties, it was called"the sense of the ridiculous," and didn't have the positive connotations that"sense of humor" has today. Back then, what was ridiculous was what invited ridicule . Funniness and cruelty went hand in hand. Of course, they still do a lot of arm-in-arm walking in our day as well. Lincoln's humor was very different because, for one thing, it was actually "humor"as what the word meant in his time. We don't make the distinction between "wit "and "humor"anymore; but in the nineteenth century people did. Wit was unpleasant and offensive while humor was pleasant and sympathetic. It's the difference we note now when we distinguish between "laughing with" and "laughing at". Lincoln was much more about "laughing with" than "laughing at". And when "laughing at, " it was often himself he was teasing. In the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, when Douglas accused Lincoln of being two-faced, Lincoln replied, referencing his plain looking, "Honestly, if I were two-faced, would I be showing you this one?"And, in a way, Lincoln's face itself tells us much about his sense of humor. You can comb through thousands of photographs of politicians, soldiers, and the like from Lincoln's time and not find a single smile. True, the long exposures required for photographs of that time made smiling difficult. Yet Lincoln alone, as far as I can tell, overcame that difficulty. Interestingly, while having a sense of humor, or at least the appearance of one provided by comedy writers has become a necessary characteristic for an American President in our time, in the nineteenth century, too much humor was considered problem. And that was the case for Lincoln. A journalist covering the Lincoln-Douglas debates commented that "I could not take a real personal liking to the man, owing to an inborn weakness. . .that he was extremely fond of jokes, anecdotes and stories." What might the writer think of the journalist covering the Lincoln-Douglas debates? A. His comment accurately reflected his time B. He created a false picture of Lincoln C. He was prejudiced and self-centered D. He was brave to point out Lincoln's weakness Answer: A
Question: Scientists are not sure how the brain follows the tracks of time.One theory holds that it has a group of cells specialized to record the intervals of time, while another theory holds that some neural processes act as an inside clock. Whichever theory it may be, studies find, the cells have a poor grasp of longer interval.Time does seem to slow during an empty afternoon and race when the brain focuses on challenging work.Stimulants , including caffeine, tend to make people feel as if.time is passing faster; complex jobs, like doing taxes, can seem to drag on longer than they actually do.And emotional events -- a breakup, a promotion, a transformative trip abroad --tend to be sensed as more recent than they actually are, by months or even years.In short, some psychologists say, the findings support the philosopher Martin Heidegger' s observation that time "persists merely as a consequence of the events taking place in it." Now researchers are finding that the opposite thing may also be true: if very few events come to mind, then the sense of time does not persist; the brain shortens the interval that has passed. In one classic experiment, a French explorer named Michel Siffre lived in a cave for two months, cut off from the rhythms of night and day and man-made clocks.He appeared then, convinced that he had been isolated for only 25 days.Left to its own devices, the brain tends to shorten time. In earlier work, researchers found that a similar case at work in people's judgment of intervals that last only moments.Relatively infrequent stimuli, like flashes or tones, tend to increase the speed of the brain' s internal pacemaker. On an obvious level, these kinds of findings offer an explanation for why other people' s children seem to grow up so much faster than one's own.Involved parents are all too well aware of first step in their own children; however, seeing a cousin's child once every few years, without bothering memories, shortens the time. In which column of a newspaper can we find this passage? A. Social news B. Community activities C. Science D. Children s life Answer: C. Science Question: Most visitors come to the UK expecting the rain and weather for which the country is famous. However, when summer finally arrives, British people like nothing more than heading for the coast. Here are some of more famous places of interest that you could expect to visit on a trip to Britain. Black pool, in the northwest of England, is the most visited place in the UK. Each year around 6.5 to 7 million people come to enjoy the miles of sandy beaches, the 158m Black pool Tower and the 11km-long Golden Mile, where there are entertainments, pubs, ice rinks and even a zoo. On the south coast of the country you can find Brighton. Until 1786, Brighton was a sleepy village. Then the future king, George IV, decided to build a house there, and now it has become a large, international centre. Apart from the beaches, Brighton is famous for its pier . There are theatres, entertainments and restaurants there. Brighton is also fantastic for shopping. If you want to travel a little further, why not go to Corn-wall in the far southwest of the UK? South Cornwall offers miles of sandy beaches and beautiful scenery. The climate there is warmer than the rest of Britain, and you can even find palm trees. For a bit more excitement, go to North Cornwall. The scenery there is nicer, and the beaches are famous for their powerful waves. As a result, North Cornwall has become the home of British surfing. One word of warning though, if you are using the roads in the UK during holidays, you can expect long traffic jams on the motorways. It might be better to take the train. From the passage we can infer that _ . A. there are no beaches in the east and west of Britain B. Black pool is the most famous place in the UK C. the pier is more interesting than the beaches in Brighton D. the climate in South Cornwall is attractive to many people Answer: D. the climate in South Cornwall is attractive to many people Question: Harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun are primarily absorbed by A. dust. B. ozone. C. land masses. D. water vapor. Answer: B. ozone. Question: Paris is the capial of France. Its subway is very special. You can enjoy its culture when you are in this city. First you see many people reading books in the subway. Whenever they are in the subway or at the station, there is always a book in the hand. The subway station in Paris is not big , but each of them has its special facts. Some stations looks ships. Some have clothes, caps and shoes. And every station has a big advertisement picture. But many of them are for selling clothes and cosmetics . You can meet some beggars in the subway. But the beggars in the Paris subway are also very special. They often play the violin or guitar in the train. They don't feel shy at all. Instead they think it is natural. After playing, they will go around the train and ask you to give them some money. If you want to learn more about Paris, go to the subway and enjoy its culture by yourself. Which of the following is true? A. Every station is very big in Paris. B. Every station has something to sell C. The beggars in the Paris subway station are very shy. D. The beggars in the Paris subway station can play some instruments. Answer: B. Every station has something to sell Question: In 2003, Bethany Hamilton,13, lost her left arm to a shark attack while surfing off Kauai, Hawaii. A new film ,Soul Surfer, is based on the story of how she overcame that to achieve her dream of becoming a professional athlete. Growing up on the "garden isle" of Kauai, Hamilton spent every minute she could riding the waves. She was on the verge of becoming a top competitor in professional surfing. But while she was practicing at an isolated cove ,a four-meter-long tiger shark ripped off her left arm. Though her life was saved, nobody could imagine she would ever get back on a surfboard again. In a true test of her faith and by _ will power, Bethany did get back up on a surfboard only a month after the attack. Six months later, she was competing again. Bethany Hamilton won her first amateur surfing championship just two years after she lost her arm. She also established the "Friends of Bethany," a non---profit foundation dedicated to supporting sharks attack victims. It's a story told in her autobiography, which is the basis for the film that stars teenager Anna Sophia Robb. "I knew Bethany's story, of course, but I thought 'What an incredible role' ,"explains Robb. "I was so fascinated by all of the challenges. What would it be like to have your arm taken and what would go through your head and how would your faith be challenged?" The filmmakers used special effects to digitally remove Robb' s arm .However ,no tricks were necessary for the surfing scenes because Hamilton herself did the breathtaking wave riding. Now 21, Hamilton says she hopes audiences find inspiration in the description of the sport she loves. "Not a lot of people know that much about surfing, so I hope they're educated about it," Hamilton says. "And most of all if people are going through a hard time, they could be encouraged and find inspiration to push through those hard times and see that, in my case ,so much good has come out of it." What can we learn from Anna Sophia Robb's words? A. She was absorbed in the story. B. she wasn't sure she could play the role well. C. She wants to challenge her faith. D. She doesn't believe Bethany's story. Answer: A. She was absorbed in the story.

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