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Question: The Secret World of Disneyland The cat It is not easy to keep the park clean. Every night after the closing time, about 200 cats will come into the park. Because of them, there are few pests in the park. They are nice workers in the park. The light In the 1950s, Walt Disney had an apartment in the park. When the light in the house was on, people would know that the owner of the park was in. Today, the light always stays on in honor of him. The Hidden Mickey At Disneyland, Mickey Mouse logos are everywhere. However, there are hundreds of "Hidden Mickeys" in the park. They are often different to find. No one knows how many "Hidden Mickeys" there are in the park. _ know(s) how many "Hidden Mickeys" there are in the park? A. No one B. The workers C. Walt Disney D. We Answer: A. No one Question: One evening two young men were walking in the street together. They tried to find a chance to steal something. The clock struck twelve. Most of the people went to bed. Quickly they came to a house and it seemed that everyone in the house had fallen asleep. Standing at the front gate, one said in English to the other in a low voice, "You wait here. I'll go around to the back door and then get into the house. "Suddenly out of the house ran a dog, barking at them. The two men were very frightened and ran away as fast as they could. Finally, they stopped at a lonely place. The man said breathlessly, "It's too bad. I hadn't expected that the dog could understand English. " What did the owners do while the dog was barking? A. They stopped it. B. They got up quickly. C. They shouted for help. D. The story didn't tell us. Answer: D. The story didn't tell us. Question: The seasons in Australia are not like ours. When it is winter in China, it is summer there. Australia is a southern country. It is in the south of the world. June, July and August are the winter months; September, October and November are spring; the summer is in December, January and February; and March, April and May are the autumn months. The north of the country is hotter than the south. A very large part of this country has no rain at all. The east coast has rain all year, and there are no dry months. The southeast winds blow the whole year. They bring rain from the sea. There is not much rain on the west side. The southeastern part of Australia has summer rain from the southeast winds. They only blow here in summer. The southwestern part of Australia has winter rain. The west winds blow over the southwest in winter only. In summer, the southwest of the country has no rain. In the north of Australia, there is no rain in winter. The rain comes in summer. The northwest winds bring it. There is no rain in winter _ of Australia. A. in the southeast B. in the north C. in the southwest D. in the south Answer: B. in the north Question: In a cold winter, a couple had to move out of their big house because of bankruptcy . The husband worked day and night to support the family but with no care of his wife. So she thought, "he doesn't love me anymore, he just thinks about his work". One day, she wanted to take a shower, but her husband stopped her at the door, "Let me take it first, OK?" "Why not let me first," she asked. "I was tired, you take it later, OK?" She was very sad. On a rainy day, she found nothing to do and turned on his computer. After a few minutes, her eyes were full of tears...it was his diary: "Today, I was quite sad, she asked me why I was always taking the shower first, and I said I was tired. She was unhappy. I wasn't as rich as before! We moved to the small house and it was very cold. But I found that if one person took the shower first, the room could get a little warmer. So every time I rushed to the bathroom first. When she took the shower, the room would get warmer, at least 1degC or 2degC.Now I can't give her comfortable life or buy expensive dresses for her, but at least, I can give her 1degClove." From the reading, we know that _ . A. the man loved his wife very much B. the woman didn't love her husband C. the man was poor before D. the woman had no job Answer: A. the man loved his wife very much Question: Breeder bought a two-month-old registered boar at auction from Pigstyle for $800. No express warranty was made. Fifteen months later, tests by experts proved conclusively that the boar had been born incurably sterile. If this had been known at the time of the sale, the boar would have been worth no more than $100. In an action by Breeder against Pigstyle to avoid the contract and recover the price paid, the parties stipulate that, as both were and had been aware, the minimum age at which the fertility of a boar can be determined is about 12 months. Which of the following will the court probably decide? A. Breeder wins, because the parties were mutually mistaken as to the boar's fertility when they made the agreement. B. Breeder wins, because Pigstyle impliedly warranted that the boar was fit for breeding. C. Pigstyle wins, because Breeder assumed the risk of the boar's sterility. D. Pigstyle wins, because any mistake involved was unilateral, not mutual. Answer: C. Pigstyle wins, because Breeder assumed the risk of the boar's sterility.
There was once a farmer who lived near a road. It was not a busy road,but from time to time,cars passed the farm. Near the farm gate, there was a large hole in the road. this hole was always full of water, and the drivers of the cars could not see how deep the hole was. They thought it was probably not deep.So when they drove into the hole, they could not drive out because it was so deep. The farmer did not spend much time working on his farm. He spent most time watching the hole. Whenever a car drove into it, he would pull the car out with his tractor and he would charge the drivers for much more money than they had expected. One day, a driver of a car said to him, "You must have made a lot of money pulling cars out of this hole night and day." "Oh no," the farmer said, "I don't pull cars out of the hole at night. At night I fill the hole with water." Why did the farmer fill the hole with water at night? Answer: The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues that flesh receives. The most widespread fallacy of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes. During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches , cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds. In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp , naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter?Despite the most pains-taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is relieve the symptoms. Arctic explorers may catch colds when _ . Answer: Which of the following could make more people want to wear masks? Answer: My name is Joan. I'm a student. I'm fifteen. My dad and mom are teachers. I have a sister. Her name is Lily. She is sixteen.She is a student,too.We are from Canada, but we are in Beijing now. Look! The man in a white coat is my dad. The woman in a red dress is my mom.The girl in a pink skirt is Lily and I'm in a yellow skirt. Are we cool? ,. Joan's dad is _ . Answer: My teacher, Mr. August J. Bachmann, was the most influential teacher I ever had. I had gotten into trouble in his class: Another student had pushed me for fun, and I became angry and began to hit him. Mr. Bachmann stopped the fight, but instead of sending me to the office, he sat me down and asked a simple question: "Penna, why are you wasting your life? Why aren't you going to college?" I didn't know anything about colleges or scholarships. No one had ever considered that a fatherless boy from the poorest neighborhood had a future. That day, instead of rushing off for lunch, he stayed and explained possible education options to me. At the end of our talk, he sent me to see a secretary who had a child at a state college. This was in 1962 at Emerson High School in Union City, New Jersey. Well, 53 years have passed, and what have I done with the knowledge he gave me? I gained a PhD from Fordham University when I was only 29. I taught English and social studies and then moved up the chain of command from teacher to principal. I've sat on the board for Magnet Schools of America and represented that organization at the United Nations. I've won a number of great educational awards. But where would I be if a truly caring teacher had not taken the time out of his lunch period to speak to me? It was without question only his confidence in me that helped me forward. I have repaid his kindness hundreds of times by encouraging misguided youngsters to aim higher. If I have saved any children, it is because of him. If I have been a successful educator, it is because I had a great role model in Mr. Bachmann. Which of the following best describes Mr. Bachmann? Answer:
Wonderful Events HORSE RACING 100 YEARS OF PICTURES ALL YEAR ROUND THEN AND NOW (Photo Show) Races Starting at 3 p.m. February 1 - April 30 Every Sunday City Art Museum Racetrack only 20 Miles Away 750, High Street Lots of Parking Space Tuesday to Sunday City Stadium 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free Presents No Children Allowed WEEKEND SALES DANCE PARTY This Saturday 2-6 p.m. CELEBRATE AN IMPORTANT DAY EVERYTHING 20-50% OFF Bring Your Friends Visit Us at Block G. Grandview Mall SUNDAY NIGHT, GOUNTRY CLUB Realize Your Dream, Save Time and Live Band from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Money Y= 10, and adult Fall in Love with our Prices Y= 2, a child When can you go shopping at Grandview Mall? A At 3 p.m. this Saturday. B At 3 p.m. this Sunday. C At 3 p.m. this Friday. D At 3 p.m. every Saturday. Answer: A. At 3 p.m. this Saturday. Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29,1958 in Gary, Indiana. Being the seventh child in his family, Michael was often physically abused by his father, beaten up and also orally abused. But Michael also owed his success to his father's strict discipline. Michael was always an entertainer. Even when he just started school, he would perform in front of his friends and classmates. He started his professional music career at the age of 11, as a member of The Jackson Five. He is well-known for increasing the popularity of MTV through his music videos. Before this, music videos were made just to promote the album. But Michael's videos managed to change that by making them an art and a big business. Some of the music videos that are good examples of this are Beat It, Billie Jean, and thriller. Through these works the world got caught onto the idea of music videos and focused on music video channels. Michael _ his fans and audience with his style of singing, dressing, and his complex dance moves, especially the moonwalks all around the world to show their love for him. Through his work and various foundations , Michael raised and donated millions to charity, which is much more than any showman. He supported 39 charities in all. Apart from that, he had a great love for children, especially the poor ones, and he felt that children were the best thing than God. Michael planned to start a 50-concert tour in July 2009. Sadly on June 25th, 2009, Michael passed away at home. Besides a great performer, showman and entertainer, he was a good and charitable person. Nobody can be another graeter entertainer like Michael Jackson ever again. In the author's opinion, Michael Jackson 's greatest contribution lies in _ . A Five making MTV popular B creating music video channel C joining the Jackson D popularizing the moonwalk Answer: A. Five making MTV popular Have you ever thought about why malls, restaurants, and even theaters have music? Well, to understand this, you simply just look back at how you felt when you heard music in these places. Music is known to improve the mood of people. Often music helps us pay attention to what we are doing. Music helps patients feel good and helps them recover faster and better. Depression is a state of mind that most of us experience at some point of time. There are some periods in our life when everything seems difficult. It seems that everything is getting worse and we have no control over our life. Studies have shown that music can be an important mood lifter in such situations. Music also plays a great role in making us feel less nervous or worried. Anxiety can often cause loss of sleep and other illnesses. Music is often known as an international language. We may not know the language another person is speaking, but most of us respond to music in the same way. Music can often be the best way to connect with someone. Music is one of the best ways to improve your moods, but this can depend largely on the kind of music you listen to. While happy music can certainly make you feel better, sad music can further lower your spirits. Listening to classical music can often make you feel a lot more powerful, while soft music can be the perfect way to relax at the end of a long way. If you want to use music to change the way how you are feeling, you need to understand the role of it, learn to recognize the kind of music that lifts your mood and helps you feel better. Once you realize the kind of music you can use, you can use it to change the way you feel. The right kind of music can be the perfect way to help us feel happier. According to the passage, which kind of music can relax ourselves from a long day's work? A Soft music. B Classical music. C Sad music. D Rock music. Answer: A. Soft music. A few years ago, my younger sister and I were the first to board our flight for Norfolk, Virginia. Just as we were about to board the plane, a mechanic came out of the aircraft and blocked the door with his arms. He turned to the flight attendant and hurriedly stated, "We got problems!" I thought to myself, "Why did I have to be the one to hear that? Why couldn't I have been at the back of the line? I didn't need to know that!" Very soon we were back in the terminal, waiting, and then finally back on the plane. I waited for the pilot to give an explanation. Pilots take courses to ease passengers' mind, right? They know what to say to calm nerves. Unfortunately, I didn't think this pilot took that course. Soon his voice thundered throughout the plane, "Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. We had no power on the plane. We have a generator on the ground right now, and we're going to jump-start the engines. Once we get them going, we'll get up in the air and head to Norfolk, and see what happens." See what happens? We were going to get up in the air, and see what happens? Couldn't we have another plan, one that's been worked out just a little better? At this point, all I could do was to laugh nervously. One woman started yelling, "Oh no! We're going to crash!" There were sighs of desperation and anxiety spreading throughout the cabin. Finally, we got up in the air thirty minutes later, and what happened? Nothing ---other than thrust and lift. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched the ground than a round of applause burst out, as everyone throughout the airplane simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. Although, I did sincerely like to have a plan better than "see what happens" worked out when flying --- it really isn't such a bad life strategy. Success will never be guaranteed. The best thing you can do is just get up in the air, and see what happens. Sometimes adjustments would be made in the air, or shall we say, in the middle of the process. Having known the problems, many passengers _ . A felt desperate and anxious B stood up and started yelling C waited calmly for the problems to be solved D complained about the mechanic's carelessness Answer: A. felt desperate and anxious We all know that if we want to keep our body in good shape we have to do physical exercise regularly as well as be careful with what we eat. What we tend to forget is that this goes for our eyes as well. Medical science confirms that a diet rich in carotenoids can help maintain good vision and prevent against a number of eye diseases. Here's some advice about how to choose the right diet to keep your eyes healthy. -- Eat orange food. Fruits and vegetables with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids. In addition to carrots,oranges,pumpkins and sweet potatoes are also available. All of these contain high levels of carotenoids,which help to maintain good vision. -- Include dark green vegetables,such as spinach and broccoli in your diet, to act as natural sunglasses. Recent scientific studies have shown that these vegetables can help block the damaging UV radiation from the sun's rays. -- Prevent some eye diseases with orange juice, yellow corn, whole milk, nuts and leafy vegetables. These foods are good sources of vitamins A, C, D and E. All of these are necessary to good eye health. -- Increase your intake of omega!3 with some sea fish, and some other seafood. Omega-3 helps build cell walls and is especially beneficial to keeping eyes healthy .It also helps regulate the eye's internal pressure and helps the eye dry up excess fluid. The purpose of the text is to tell people how to _ . A keep their body in good shape B choose a healthy diet for their eyes C prevent serious eye diseases D get natural sunglasses from food Answer: B. choose a healthy diet for their eyes
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw Kyle from my class walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd (a foolish person)." I had quite a weekend planned, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They knocked all his books out of his arms and tripped him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw _ land in the glass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should go to hell." He looked at me and said, "Hey, thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real thankfulness. I asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. I am here to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Which of the statements is TRUE according to the passage? A The bunch of kids attacked Kyle to have his glasses and books. B The author planned to study all weekend after he met Kyle. C The author was a freshman when Kyle gave the speech. D Kyle felt grateful to the author for his help. Answer: D. Kyle felt grateful to the author for his help. My husband, Micheal, and I were at a restaurant with his boss, a rather stern elderly man. When Micheal began a story I was sure he had told before, I gave him a kick under the table. There was no response, so I gave him another kick. Still the story went on. Suddenly he stopped and said with a smile, "Oh, but I've told you this one before, haven't I ?" We all chuckled and changed the subject. Later, on the dance floor, I asked my husband why it had taken him so long to get my message. "What do you mean?" he replied. "I cut off the story as soon as you kicked me." "But I kicked you twice, and it still took you a while to stop!" Suddenly we realized what had happened and returned to our table. The boss smiled and said, "Don't worry. After the second one I thought it wasn't for me, so I passed it along!" The writer kicked her husband because _ . A she didn't like him B she didn't like stories C he was telling a story he had told before D the story he told was not interesting Answer: C. he was telling a story he had told before Most teens can't wait to learn to drive. Not so with me. Driving made me nervous. I didn't get a license until I turned 24 years old. As a result, when I first married, we only had one car and car pooled to work. My husband's hours were different from mine by one hour. I worked earlier. So he dropped me off and went to the diner to drink coffee until work time. Then, in the afternoons, I leisurely walked the three miles to his work place where I waited in his car, reading a book. One day while waiting for him, I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot. It was powder blue and sleek looking. The kind of car you dream about. I was busily admiring the car, when I noticed the driver. Honestly, she was probably the prettiest woman I had ever seen off the movie screen. She pulled into the spot beside our car and it was all I could do not to stare. There was a striking resemblance to Liz Taylor. Jet black hair and alabaster skin. Our eyes made contact and she smiled at me. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and teeth like an even row of pearls. She was wearing a light blue shirt that just matched her car. Peeking through her long, softly curled hair I could see gold hoop earrings. They had to be gold to shine like that. A couple of minutes later, a nice looking man came out of the building, entered her car, leaned over and kissed her and she drove away. Sitting there in my jeans, shirt and hair in a pony tail, I wanted to cry. How could some people have it all? Maybe I would have forgotten about her, but the following week, I saw her again. Then it became almost routine to see her about once a week. She seemed friendly and always waved, flashing a big smile. My envy lingered long after she drove away. Many nights when sleep evaded me, I would think about the beautiful lady. I wondered if she and her husband ate out, and where they dined, and what she was wearing. I wanted her to get out of the car and let me see her full length. Did she wear really high heeled shoes and pants, or a skirt. I would get my answers in a couple of weeks. Sitting in our usual parking lot, I was holding my book, watching her over the top of it. She was waiting and when her husband came to the car, she called to him. They spoke a few words and he opened the car door for her to step out. He took her arm and helped her out of the car. I could see very well as she moved to get out. She was wearing a skirt. She _ walked around to the passenger side very slowly, leaning on a walking cane. Sitting sideways in the car, she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other one. The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left leg and a brace on the right leg. I couldn't watch them drive away as the tears were blinding me. For weeks I had envied this woman and her way of life, while I had been able to walk three miles to our car! When my husband arrived and found me crying, he immediately asked what was wrong. Through my tears, I told him about the beautiful lady. He said he knew her husband and also knew the story. The beautiful lady and her parents were in a car that either stalled or got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train. Both parents were killed and she was severely injured. She was only 12 years old. The railroad made a large settlement with her because the crossing had no signals. He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home. I prayed for forgiveness all the way home. The lady I thought had everything I didn't. I realized how lucky I was to have my parents, the ability to walk, run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can't buy. I would not have traded places with the beautiful lady for anything. When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled. Which of the following do you think can be the best title of the passage? A Seeing is believing B Trust her heart instead of her look C Looks can be deceiving D Fooled by her look Answer: C. Looks can be deceiving When Ben Franklin was only a boy, he always wanted to know about things. He was always asking his father and brothers 'What?' and 'How?' and 'Why?' They couldn't always tell him what he wanted to know. When they couldn't tell him, Ben tried to find out for himself. Many times Ben did find out things that no one knew before. The other boys would say, 'That is Ben Franklin! He's always finding out something new!' Ben lived close to the water. He liked to go there to see the boats. He saw how the wind blew them across the water. One day Ben said to himself: 'Why can't the wind help me float across the water? And I'm going to try.' Ben got his big kite.He took hold of the kite string and ran with it. The wind took the kite up into the air.Then Ben jumped into the water. The wind blew the kite high into the air.Ben began to float across the water.Soon he was on the other side, and he had not worked at all. One boy shouted, 'Look at Ben floating across the water! His kite takes him to the other side without any work!' 'Yes,' said another. 'He's always finding new ways to do things.' From the story we can see that young Ben Franklin liked _ . A using his mind B using his hands C making kites D flying kites Answer: A. using his mind Sydney Tower Address: 100 Market St, Sydney Phone: 02 9333 9222 Fax: 02 9333 9203 Open time: 9:00am to 10:30pm ( Saturday to 11:30 pm) Ticket: $ 60 (for an adult) $ 30 (for a child) Website: www. Sydneytower .com. au How to get there: train to Town Hall Station and a short walk along Market Street. How to book tickets: by phone/ fax or through the web Attraction: Sydney's best views are just the beginning ! Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for exciting 360degviews of our beautiful city. Frank wants to go to Sydney Tower with his two children,he will pay _ . A $ 60 B $ 90 C $ 120 D $ 150 Answer: C. $ 120
When the Japanese attacked America's ships at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, they did it secretly. The makers of the movie Pearl Harbor have behaved differently. The noise about Pearl Harbor, made by Disney,has reached its highest point with its premiere before the movie opens in cinemas across the US at the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a time to recall national heroes who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield. As Ben Affleck is the main star, the movie seems sure to become a success in the United States at least. At almost three hours in length, it promises to be a good old Hollywood movie. There is a love story. Affleck and his co-star, Josh Hartnett, both fall in love with the navy nurse, Kate Beckinsale and, of course, there is much human courage and love of country. It's certain that Disney will be accused of "changing" history. The showing of actual events in a movie always causes arguments. Bits of the story are deliberately not mentioned in the movie. It does not address the theory held by some historians that President Franklin Roosevelt knew about Japan's intention to attack the ships in Pearl Harbor.It is said he did nothing, as he was aware that such a blow would allow him to take America into the Second World War. Japan remains sensitive about being accused of wartime atrocities . And Disney is sensitive about its business in Japan, where it has a theme park. Not all the reviews of the movie have been full of praise. A reviewer for Newsweek, who was given an early preview, acknowledged that the 40-minute sequence showing the attack itself was powerful. The attack comes quite late in the movie, however, and the reviewer was less impressed with the characters and the love story. "Almost every line of the dialogue sounds like it comes from an old movie, " the reviewer wrote. From the passage we know that Ben Affleck_. Answer: Smoking, which may be a pleasure for some people, is a series of discomfort for their fellows. Medical scientists have expressed their concern about effect of smoking on the health not only of those who smoke but also those who do not smoke. In fact, non-smokers who take in the air polluted by tobacco smoke suffer more than the smokers themselves. A great number of students are trying to persuade the university to forbid smoking in classrooms. Believe they are completely right in their aim. However, I think it more important to achieve this by calling on the smokers to use good judgment and to show concern for others. Smoking is not allowed in theaters, cinemas and in other public places. Therefore, smoking must be forbidden in our classroom. Although many people have _ for having smoked a lot and we call on people to give up smoking, yet many more that are following will turn down what we say every day, above all, the young people smoke a lot more. The phrase "pass away" probably means _ . Answer: The engineer Camillo Oliver was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivrea, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter, Today the company 's head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world. By 1930 there was staff of 100 and the company turned out 13,000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriter to other countries. Camillo's son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduced a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialists. The company developed new and better typewriters and then calculators .In 1959 it produced the ELEA computer in Italy. After Adriano died in 1960,the company had a period of financial problems. Other companies, especially the Japanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company. In 1978,Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marking and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one of the world's leading companies in information technology and communications. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group - one for personal computers, one for Systems and services, and two for telecommunications. What was probably the direct result of Olivetti's falling behind in electronic technology? Answer: You must have a favorite line or _ you repeat often in your conversations. Studies say that pet phrases can reflect our changing society and reveal information about a person's personality. Here are some of the most popular pet phrases among young people. ---nuts I love the word and use it whenever I think a person is stupid, or a behavior is crazy. I learned the term from one of my classmates. Once, we saw two high school girls wearing miniskirts on a very cold winter day and my classmate called the two girls "nuts". I don't think the word reflects my personality. I use it because it sounds cool. Diao Yujie, 22, computer science major at Nanjing University. ---stunning I use this word very often. Once, my classmates and I were discussing how amusing QQ is. One guy suddenly burst out, "I have MSN too". This comment had no relation with the topic we were discussing. I used this word and everybody laughed. I think it is a fantastic word that can change awkwardness to amusement. Mu Li, 20, journalism major at Beijing Normal University. ---I'm giddy! I use this word a lot---more often than my classmates. It has became a symbol of me, as my friends sometimes refer to me as the guy who often says the word. I am a person who wants to be different and this word gives me that feeling. Chen Zhou, 21, Nanjing University. ---stunning I only use this word with my friends. My parents don't understand it. The word, which is only used among people of my age, is intimate. I think it stands for being young and energetic. And I want to be young forever, so I like the word. Chen Jianjun, 23, senior at Nanjing University. Pet phrase can _ according to studies. Answer: Reading is very important to help you learn English. To learn as much as you can from reading, you need to read different kinds of English. This book provides not only different kinds of English but also a good way to check your reading ability. There are four parts in the book : Part 1 is Messages : In this part somebody wants to send information in writing to somebody else. There is a test on timetables and a test on text messages . Part 2 is People : In this part all the tests are about people . For example, there is an informal letter between friends . There is formal English in biography . There is a job application as a model to help with your writing, as well as testing your reading . Part 3 is Places : In this part , too many different kinds of English are shown , some informal and some formal . There is the informal English of a holiday postcard . There is also the formal English in a letter of complaint . Part 4 is Things : You will find some descriptive writing in this part . There are descriptions of clothes and of a computer . You can do these tests in any order you like , or you can do all the tests with a formal or informal text . I enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy using it . What is the best title of the book ? Answer:
The world is full of amazing things. Today, I'm going to talk about something amazing. We have lots of things to do every day, so many of us will be tired after a busy day. They all choose sleeping to have a rest. But do you know that sleeping can consume many calories. The energy consumed is even more than watching TV. If you want to have a good health, I think you can't sleep too much. Do you like animals? There are a lot of surprising things they can do. Goldfish are a lovely kind of fish. Most goldfish have quite a short life -- only 6 to 7 years. Once, the goldfish called Freb had a very long life. It lived up to 41 years. It was the oldest goldfish in the world. Now if people take good care of the goldfish, they can live more than 10 years. Animals are our friends. We should know more about them and give them a good home. Do you have any interesting stories about amazing things? If so, tell us. Let's share them together. Which of the following is TRUE? A Watching TV is good for our health. B Most goldfish can't live very long. C Goldfish can live over 50 years. D Goldfish can live as long as people. Answer: B. Most goldfish can't live very long. In my last essay,I wrote briefly about a bathtub in the classroom.What really was the use of that bathtub?"Guys,i t is Reading Workshop time now.When I call your table,get your things,please!"said Mrs.Toalson.She was holding a cup that had many sticks in it;on every stick was written each student's name and table number. What does she mean? Probably books,I thought.Mrs.Toalson picked a stick out of the cup and said,"Okay,Aniqa's table;Table Two,you may get your things."Then my four classmates ran for the cushions in the bathtub.Mrs.Toalson kept picking sticks and calling out different table numbers.On hearing their numbers,students would run to get cushions.Because there were not enough cushions for everyone,the last to be called had to go without.Those students sighed,"Oh!They are the lucky ones." Finally,Mrs.Toalson picked the last,stick;what is she going to do now? "Kate,you may use the bathtub."Mrs.Toalson said.Gosh!Use the bathtub?Is Kate going to take a bath,1 wondered.Kate is the girl who had pretty brown hair.She ran happily with her book to the bathtub and lay down in it.As she read,she hugged a teddy bear.I think it must be comfortable reading in a bathtub. Except for lucky Kate,everybody had to read elsewhere.Some were sitting on the seats,some were lying down under the table,and everybody's reading pose was different. Just then,my friend found me sitting at my table quietly,not doing anything.She said,"Mary,let me find you a book."I nodded.Then she led me to a comer of the classroom where the bookshelf was and picked a picture book for me. Regina thought that it would be more fun to read outside on the grass.What a great idea!The next day our whole class went to the park across the street from our schoo1.As we read,animals such as squirrels ran around us.It was amazing ! Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage? A Mrs.Toalson told the student to sit in the bathtub as a punishment. B Not every studerit can get a cushion in Mrs.Toalson's Reading Workshop. C The student who used the bathtub in that class was thought to be unlucky. D In Mrs.Toalson's Reading Workshop,only the best student can lie down reading. Answer: B. Not every studerit can get a cushion in Mrs.Toalson's Reading Workshop. Daniel Olin was 11 years old when his parents moved to Canada. He liked his new school and made friends there, but then things at home started to change. His mum and dad began to argue and the arguments got worse and worse until one day, Daniel's mum left. With his father working long hours, Daniel felt very lonely and very unhappy. He wanted to escape, to run away. And that's what he did. Very early one terribly cold morning when the snow was deep on the ground, he packed a bag with some clothes, some chocolate and a map of Canada and set off to a forest. He ran and ran until he could hardly breathe. His feet were heavy with the snow but he still walked on through deep snow, not even watching where he was going. Then, disaster struck. A rock hidden by the deep snow caught his feet and Daniel fell to the ground. He had broken the bone. He was very cold and was starting to feel tired, but he knew that if he fell asleep in the snow, he would certainly die from the cold. A tree shook ahead. From within the branches , a pair of yellow eyes watched Daniel. The puma had been following him. A puma is a large wild cat with claws that could tear Daniel into pieces. But instead of moving in for the kill, the puma walked up to Daniel and lay across his chest, arms and legs. Daniel was too frightened to move, but soon the warmth of the animal reached Daniel and he began to feel better. From time to time, the puma pressed his muzzle against Daniel and rocked his head gently. Clearly, the puma knew that Daniel must not fall asleep. This animal should have been a real danger to Daniel and yet the boy began to feel safe. They remained like that for several hours until Daniel and the puma heard voices. The rescue team had found them. Where was the puma when Daniel first saw it? A In the tree. B On the top of a rock. C Behind the rock. D Before a cave. Answer: A. In the tree. If you need glasses to read this, you are among most of Chinese students. About four-fifths of high school students in China have poor eyesight . And now more and more children in primary school need glasses, too. Two main reasons can cause poor eyesight: too much time spent indoors studying and too little time spent outdoors playing. Reading and writing for hours and hours, sometimes in poorly lighted rooms, causes eyesight to weaken. But students have to do this because there is so much pressure on them to succeed in school. They have less time to enjoy the sun. The sun, it turns out, is important in developing good eyesight. According to a study by Australian National University, Australian children and Chinese children have the same level of eyesight before they start school, but once they enter primary school, Chinese children only spend about an hour a day outside, while Australian children spend three to four hours each day in the sunshine. The result is that while about forty percent of Chinese primary school students need glasses, only three percent of Australian children do. And poor eyesight at a young age can have serious long term influence. As you get older, your eyesight can worsen. With all that in mind, don't you think it's time to give your eyes a break? What does the writer want to tell us? A Remember to give our eyes a break. B Develop good eyesight in Australia. C Avoid poor eyesight at an old age. D Spend little time outdoors playing. Answer: A. Remember to give our eyes a break. Hi! My name is Lisa. I'm a student in Shanghai. I'm in Class Nine, Grade Five. Wang Tao and Li Fang are my friends. They are in Grade Five, too. They are not in my class. They are in Class Seven. I'm 12. They are 12, too. Mr. Cheng is my teacher. His telephone number is 8869254. Where is Lisa from? A Beijing B Shanghai C Guangzhou. D HongKong Answer: B. Shanghai
While she may be best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films,Emma Watson would rather be known for something else--her mind. The 18yearold British actress intends to put her acting career on hold to pursue higher studies at a university after she finished filming the final installment,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Watson,whose parents are both Oxford graduates,recently scored straight A's in her Alevels. She is now on a gap year before starting university. Earlier this month,Watson applied to two of the top universities in the United States--Harvard and Yale. She admitted that Harry Potter series has brought her fame and financial security .She has made more than PS 10 million so far,but now she "has a need to study". "I think the entertainment business is such a temperamental one. One minute you're up there and the next--nothing,"she said. Watson is growing up in front of millions of viewers .She was only nine years old when she started playing the role of Hermione. And the way she figured out how to deal with media attention is "try not to read too much of what is said and try to distance myself a bit from it". Watson has other interests. These include,interestingly,fishing and she has helped raise money for the Wild Trout Trust. Which of the following topics is not mentioned in the passage? Answer: London started its first major bike hire scheme on July 30th. Transport For London (TFL), the agency responsible for moving people around England's capital, put 5,000 bicycles in 400 different places around the city. The idea is to cut traffic, reduce pollution and provide a greener way of getting around London's streets. The scheme had a few small problems on its first day as people could not lock the bikes properly once they had finished riding them. As a gesture of goodwill, London Mayor Boris Johnson announced all rentals on the first day would be free of charge. The bikes are available for free for the first 30 minutes but costs go up sharply since then. Renters have to pay $1.60 for the first hour and $78 for 24 hours. The bikes are clearly designed for very short trips. TFL says it sees a "cycle revolution" happening in London. It predicts there will be around 40,000 new cycle journeys every day on the rental bikes. Mr. Johnson says he wants to see a return to the turn of the 20th century, when 20 per cent of journeys in London were made by bicycle. The scheme has received a lot of positive feedback in the first two days. Many Londoners believe it is a great alternative to London's overcrowded and overpriced trains and buses. One person, Andy Clark, told the Reuters news agency, "It's a great idea. I've seen it operating in Paris and Barcelona and thought why don't we have one?" The Londonist Blog said the bikes were very strong and were "designed to bear a beating from both careless cyclists and drunken people". It can be learned from the passage that _ . Answer: A glass a day keeps obesity at bay.Alcohol has always been thought to cause weight gain because of its high sugar content,but new research suggests a glass a day could form part of a diet.Looking at past studies they found that,while heavy drinkers do put on weight;those who drink _ can actually lose weight. A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says,"Light to moderate alcohol intake,especially of wine,may be more likely to protect against,rather than promote,weight gain".The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions,particularly that current data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight. Boston University's Dr.Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood.His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes ,which relate to increasing obesity.Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers. The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat,and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods.They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks,taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight. For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one's risk of becoming obese.What's more,a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol,a compound present in grapes and red wine,destroys fat cells. The passage is mainly for those _ . Answer: One billion teenagers and young adults around the world are in the face of losing their hearing by listening to loud music. This is according to the World Health Organization. Few things can make people happy and full of energy like good music. Many people believe louder is better if you are listening to rock and roll. But if you really listen to the music loudly, even really good music, it can hurt your hearing badly. If a person takes a subway to go from one place to the other for half an hour in the morning and a half an hour in the evening, and every day has to _ on his audio device because there is so much of noise of the train and everything around, and is listening to for one hour every day, his hearing is going to be hurt seriously in a few years, in a couple of years time, for sure. There can be many kinds of unsafe levels of sound. It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe can mean noise levels of 85 decibels for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes. There are simple ways to protect people from unsafe sound levels. Young people who wear earplugs during concerts can enjoy music at 90 decibels as much as they can at 110 decibels. But earplugs may not look very cool. The fact that earplugs may look un-cool may be true today, but if there is nothing wrong with your hearing in the future may be true and wearing earplugs may actually be cool. Another common suggestion is to turn down the volume on your personal audio devices. The World Health Organization also advises young people to limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day. Besides, the World Health Organization reminds people to use technology, such as smart audio devices keep listening levels safe. To protect your hearing, you can enjoy music at _ . Answer: Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other. They haven't spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can't see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn't interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It's wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, "Doris, when did you cut your hair?" Doris is pleased. She answers, "Two months ago." Doris asks, " Herbie , when did your hair begin to become white?" He answers, "A long time ago." Doris says, "We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other." Now they aren't worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives? In the passage, we can see _ . Answer:
Question: The whole body is covered with skin.The surface of the skin is dead(like the hair and the nails),but it is made from a living layer just under the surface.The outside dead layers wear off all the time,with new ones replacing them,and the body forms a totally new skin every three weeks. The skin protects the body from the outside world and it passes information from the outside.It helps to keep water in the body and to keep the body at the same temperature.Becteria can't get in through the skin unless it is damaged. If the weather is cold,the blood vessels in the skin squeeze down,or contract ,so that as little blood as possible comes near the surface.This means that less warmth is lost to the outside.This makes the skin look pale,or even "blue".At the same time,the hairs on the skin are pulled upright by tiny muscles. When it is hot,the blood vessels expand ,or get wider again,to allow plenty of blood to run near the surface of the skin.This helps the body to lose heat,and the skin may look red.At the same time,the sweat glands produce more sweat,which cools the skin. If your skin has ever been numb ,you will realize how important the feeling from the skin is.Nerves in the skin are sensitive to heat and cold,sharpness,hardness and softness,wetness and dryness and pain.If one is not able to feel these things,which can act as warnings,he is likely to be burned,cut or hurt in other ways. The colour of the skin depends on special colour cells .These are just below the top layers of the skin.They are needed as protection from some harmful ray of the sun.The stronger the sun is,the more important it is to have a dark skin.People with pale skins may "tan" in the sun.This happens when the body produces extra colour cells in the skin for protection.In the sun,the skin produces a vitamin(vitamin D)which is needed for strong bones. Bacteria will get in through the skin _ . A. when one's skin is numb B. when one is ill C. when the skin is cut D. when the sweat glands produce more sweat Answer: C Question: My parents moved to Mississippi when my brother and I were small children, and we were separated from our Oklahoma grandparents by some 600 miles. This long distance allowed us to only visit our grandparents once a year, either at Christmas or during summer vacation. Most of my classmates lived near their grandparents, and I would often hear stories of big families regularly spending time with one another, fishing at "grandpa's" house or going over to "grandma's" for her famous fried chicken. We were disappointed that we did not get to spend more time with our grandparents, but our love for them remained deep and strong. We always expected a road trip to Oklahoma. We would count the days, and when the day came, the entire family would pile into our car at four o'clock in the morning. Crossing the Mississippi River into Louisiana, the scenery changed. Crossing the Red River in Oklahoma, we were in a foreign world. Every trip to see my grandparents can't be without bringing delight. We jumped out of the car in their driveway to be met with bear hugs. My grandparents wanted to know everything about their grandchildren, and we would sit for hours and tell story after story. Grandma had a meal planned, and you could guess she prepared her grandsons' favorite foods. Of course the best part of the visit was that we were able to do whatever we wanted without punishment from our grandparents. Grandma and Grandpa always had presents for us, short trips planned and lovely surprises, such as the time we got to a local restaurant and ate the world's largest hamburger. What can we infer from the author's story? A. Distance can't break the bond of love. B. Physical separation hurts the heart deeply. C. Distance leads to the most beautiful scene. D. Family life is filled with love and understanding. Answer: A Question: Coca-Cola has created a publicity stunt in Singapore -- a vending machine which gives out free cans of Coke in return for hugs. The _ idea is part of the company's Open Happiness campaign designed to attract young people in Singapore. Students at the National University of Singapore were surprised to find that the soft drinks company had placed the machine in the schoolyard. But instead of the drinks brand's logo , the words "Hug Me" are written across its red-and-white logo. Instead of paying money, customers have to hug the drinks machine to receive a free can of Coke. Public displays of affection are uncommon and have long been discouraged in Singapore, but are on the rise among young people. The move is part of a campaign created by the advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather, intended to let the youth to see the brand as a non-threatening friend. Leonardo O'Grady, leader of the campaign, said, "Happiness is contagious . The Coca-Cola Hug Machine is a simple idea to spread some happiness. We want to spread happiness in an unexpected, creative way to attract not only the people present, but the audience at large." He hopes that it will encourage consumers to bring positivity, optimism and fun into their lives and to open a Coke, sharing a little happiness. The machines have been such a success that there are plans to roll them out across Asia. Mr. O'Grady added, "The reaction was amazing -- at one point we had four to five people hugging the machine at the same time as well as each other! In fact, there was a long line of people looking to give hugs." What was the purpose of the campaign? A. To help sell more Coca-Cola drinks. B. To display the famous logo of Coca-Cola. C. To tell the young Coca-Cola is their friend. D. To show Coca-Cola is especially generous. Answer: C Question: Having experienced a shocking electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf,James Francos world became completely dark and quiet for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live. One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up 20 minutes later, lying face down in muddy water. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a tree and a muddy road. When Mrs. Franco came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years. The news of James regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a _ answer as to why this should happen. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since James lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock. The reason why James attempted to kill himself was that _ . A. a terrible electrical accident happened to him B. nobody in the world cared about him C. he was struck by the lightning once more D. he had to live in a dark and silent world Answer: D Question: The Norwegian Government is doing its best to keep the oil industry under control. A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers. But the oil industry has a way of getting over such problems, and few people believe that the Government will be able to hold things back for long. As one Norwegian politician said last week: " We will soon be changed beyond all recognition." Ever since the war, the Government has been carrying out a program of development in the area north of the Arctic Circle. During the past few years this program has had a great deal of success. Tromso has been built up into a local capital with a university, a large hospital and a healthy industry. But the oil industry has already started to draw people south, and within a few years the whole northern policy could be in ruins. The effects of the oil industry would not be limited to the north, however. With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry. Some smaller industries might even disappear altogether when it becomes cheaper to buy goods from abroad. The real argument over oil is its threat to the Norwegian way of life. Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian. And it is the farmers and the fishermen who are most critical of the oil industry because of the damage that it might cause to the countryside and to the sea. In the south, one effect to the development of the oil industry might be _ . A. a large reduction on unemployment B. a growth in the tourist industry C. a reduction in the number of existing industries D. the development of a number of service industries Answer: C
Question: Nobody knows who invented the pencil or when it was invented. A Swiss described a pencil in a book in 1565. He said it was a piece of wood with lead inside it . Pencils weren't popular, and people continued to write with pens. In 1795,someone started making pencils from graphite and they became very popular. Today, people make pencils in the same way. They make the graphite into the shape of a stick, and then they put it inside a piece of wood. One pencil can make a line as long as 55 kilometers. When people first wrote with pens , they had to put the penpoint into ink after every few letters. Later someone invented a fountain pen and this kind of pen could hold ink inside. A fountain pen can write several pages before you have to fill it again. Two brothers, Ladislao and Georg Biro, invented the ballpoint pen that we use today. They left their country Hungary and started producing ballpoint pens in England in 1943 during World War II. Later, a French company called Bic bought the Biro's company. Someone calls ballpoint pens bics. Australians call them biros. Whatever we call them, we use them every day. Who call ballpoint pens biros? A. Americans. B. Englishmen C. Australians. D. Frenchmen. Answer: C Question: He only finished fourth in this year's Super Boy talent show. But it didn't stop him capturing the hearts of thousands of fans. He can hit high notes with ease. And he is very modest. Zhang Jie,25,shed sweat and tears all the way through the competition, but he never gave up. "No matter how life treats him, he always fights back bravely ,"said Wu Chunyan, a Senior 2 student in Hubei. "He has never lost his dream of being a singer." The road to fame is always rocky, and Zhang is no exception. As a college student he was majoring in tourism. He was considering becoming a tourist guide after graduation until he entered a singing competition. His life changed after he competed in My Show. He won first place and signed with a record company. "I was very excited and regarded it as a way to take me closer to my dream," he said. But the company gave him little money to make music and slowly began to ignore him. Zhang even borrowed money to buy costumes. "Life has its ups and downs. But the tough reality only makes me stronger," he said. He forgot he was once a champion of a talent show and joined Super Boy. His decision got support from his family who worked hard to make ends meet. His mother sold rice noodles on a street in his hometown, but she said she would "support him forever." "I have the dream to buy a large house for my parents, where my mom can get a large window sill to grow flowers," said Zhang. Which of the following is the best title of the passage? A. An easy way to success B. A rocky path to success C. A clever boy D. A successful boy Answer: B Question: The new iPhone 3G should please everyone . Its look and feel are only slightly improved, but a faster network loads Web pages more quickly , true GPS functionality allows it to easily find places nearby , and the new $199 price(down from $400) makes it an affordable luxury. Before deciding whether to buy, however , make sure you can actually take advantage of the iPhone 3G's high-speed data network. 3G stands for third-generation , which in non-geek speak translates to Web pages and mail messages that, ideally, load about three times faster than on the original iPhone. Even better, 3G coverage enables you to make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time . That's great, if you live or work in a place where the 3G network of AT&T (the sole wireless carrier of the iPhone) is active. That's not so great in cities like New York where AT&T's cellular coverage is awful. As one of my colleagues in New York City, who bought the original iPhone , commented , "It's just a toy . You can't make phone calls on it, so I carry my Verizon phone with me all the time." The real fun begins when you tap on the icon called "Apple Store" and start browsing the hundreds of add-on applications that have been developed just for the iPhone. You will find tons of games (I like JirboBreak , a free game inspired by the Atari classic Breakout ) and mobile version of popular websites like Pandora , Facebook , MySpace and the New York Times . Most apps will cost you , but the vast majority are $9.99 or less. The apps work on the old iPhone too, but you'll enjoy them a lot more on the iPhone 3G because many of the programs , including Yelp(local business reviews ), Whrrl (mobile social networking) and UrbanSpoon(restaurant reviews), use you exact location --- provided by the iPhone 3G's GPS chip --- to make recommendations. The apps also load much faster over the 3G network. . The new iPhone 3G has following features except that _ . A. it looks and feels better B. it has a faster network C. it is easy to locate a place D. it is too expensive for people to buy Answer: D Question: The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it. An important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the America economic system. The important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individual are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual. The word "embraces" in Para. 3 probably parallels _ . A. divide B. hug C. comprehend D. support Answer: C Question: Every January we celebrate the life of a great man, Martin Luther King who fought for civil rights. He believed that all Americans should be treated fairly, no matter what their skin colors were. Dr. King was born in 1929 in Atlanta. Because he was black, he could not go to the same schools as white children. Black Americans also had to use separate restrooms, restaurants, theaters and swimming pools in some states. Dr. King thought this was wrong. He was a Christian minister who worked for equal rights for black people. He helped organize _ to change those unfair laws. It was a hard fight. Dr. King was attracted and arrested many times. But more and more Americans grew to understand that it was wrong to treat black people differently from white people. In 1963, Dr. King led many people in a march to Washington, D. C. where there he gave his famous speech "I Have a Dream". He said people should be judged by their hearts, not by their skin colors. His efforts helped bring about new laws to create equal rights for all Americans. The third Monday of January is a holiday to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King. We should respect his courage in working to improve the lives of so many people. Martin Luther King said people should be judged by _ . A. their skin colors B. their hearts C. unfair laws D. different rights Answer: B
Which reaction is endothermic? Answer: Most cities and towns in China have night markets every day. During the day, the streets are quiet . At night, they become crowded and lively . Usually people arrive at three or four in the afternoon. By 6:00, the streets are like rivers of people. Night markets are fun places to shop in. You can buy clothes, shoes and many other things. If the price is too high, you can _ with sellers . You can also buy nice food. When you are hungry, you can sit down for a meal. Smelly tofu is popular, but it really smells bad. The best thing is everything at night markets is cheap. Choose the best title of this article. Answer: Women teachers are holding back boy students by blaming them for typically male behavior, according to a new study. Women teachers are always saying that boys are "silly" in class. They refuse to "sit nicely like girls" and are more likely to be addicted to "schoolboy tricks".Women teachers may also keep low expectations of boys' academic achievement and encourage girls to work harder by letting them think they are cleverer than boys. The study suggests that under-performance among boys in most national exams could be linked to lower expectations of their women teachers. The researchers did their research mainly on women teachers, since nearly 90 percent of primary school teachers are female. According to the research, women teachers said they often found boys' play in the classroom or in the playground, such as playing with toy guns. The researcher also found that boys were often punished and urged to follow a more feminine style of play instead of being taught how to play responsibly with their favorite toys by their women teachers. Bonny Hartley, the study's lead author, said, "By seven or eight years old, children of both boys and girls believe that boys are less focused, less able, and less successful than girls -- and think that adults admit this idea. There are signs that these expectations have the potential to become self-fulfilling in influencing children's achievement. Boys are really held back by their women teachers." Which can be the best title for the passage? Answer: People with an impulsive personality refer to those who tend to do things without considering the possible dangers or problems first. According to a new study by researchers at the University of Georgia, such people may be more likely to have food addiction. The study found that people exhibiting impulsive behavior weren't necessarily overweight, but impulsiveness was related to a direct relationship with food, and therefore, less healthy weight. Food addiction has been compared to addictive drug use. Studies have linked the dopamine release that occurs after tasting delicious food to the dopamine release that happens when people consume other addictive substances. Impulsive behavior involves several personality traits . Two of these traits, known as negative urgency and lack of perseverance, were particularly associated with food addiction and high BMI during the study. Negative urgency is characterized by the tendency to behave impulsively when experiencing negative emotions. Some people might drink alcohol or take drugs. For others, it could mean eating to feel better. Lack of perseverance is when a person has a hard time finishing hard or boring tasks. People with a lack of perseverance might have difficulty attempting to change addictive eating behavior, which could also cause obesity. "Impulsiveness might be one reason why some people eat in an addictive way despite motivation to lose weight," said Dr. Ashley Gearhardt, a clinical psychologist. He was involved in developing the Yale Food Addiction Scale in aid of those people. "We are theorizing that if food addiction is really a thing, then our measure, the Yale Food Addiction Scale, should be related to helping control impulsive action," said Gearhardt. Clinical psychologist Dr. James MacKillop, whose lab was conducting the study, believes that therapies used to treat addictive drug behavior could help people who suffer from addictive eating habits. "Most of the programs for weight loss at this point focus on the most obvious things, which are clearly diet and exercise," MacKillop said. "It seems that managing strong desires to eat would naturally fit in with the skills a person would need to eat healthily." What can be inferred about the Yale Food Addiction Scale from the text? Answer: After an extra day in space,the crew of Discovery returned to Earth,landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California early on Tuesday morning.The shuttle and its crew spent two weeks in space,most of it aboard the International Space Station.It was the first flight of NASA's spaceshuttle fleet since February 2003,when the shuttle Columbia came apart while reentering Earth's atmosphere. NASA officials delayed Discovery's return for one day because of cloudy weather in Florida,where the shuttle was supposed to lanD. On Tuesday morning,mission controllers directed Discovery to a landing site in California,where the skies were clear.The crew members will have to wait until Wednesday to see their families when they all meet together in Houston at the Johnson Space Center. Discovery had a very busy mission in space,compared to past missions.The space shuttle docked with the International Space Station most of the journey,delivering badly needed supplies and repairing damaged parts.The crew spent a lot of time testing new repair techniques on their own shuttle,conducting three different spacewalks(where astronauts exit the space shuttle to do work outside).On the third spacewalk,astronaut Steve Robinson went underneath the shuttle to remove material sticking out from between the spacecraft's protective tiles. There were concerns in the last remaining days of Discovery's mission that a torn heat blanket--another shield against overheating in the space shuttle--may pose a problem to crew members. NASA officials and technicians worked on ways that the crew could fix the problem, but later decided it was not a risk. With the shuttle and its crew safely back on firm ground, NASA is hailing this mission, labeled STS114,as a huge success. "I hope this shows people that we're coming back," NASA spaceflight chief Bill Readdy said after Discovery's successful landing. "We've got some more work to do. We know what we need to do and we'll do it. Which is the most probable period of time that Discovery was aboard the International Space Station? Answer:
Recent developments in astronomy have made it possible to detect planets in our own Milky Way and in other galaxies. This is a major achievement because,in terms,planets are very small and do not give out light. Finding planets is proving hard enough, but finding life on them will prove _ more difficult. The first question to answer is whether a planet can actually support life. In our own solar system,for example,Venus is far too hot and Mars is far too cold to support life. Only the Earth provides ideal conditions,and even here it has taken more than four billion years for plant and animal life to evolve . Whether a planet can support life depends on the size and brightness of its star, that is its "sun". Imagine a star up to twenty times larger, brighter and hotter than our own sun. A planet would have to be a very long way from it to be capable of supporting life. On the contrary, if the star were small,the life--supporting planet would have to have a close orbit round it and also provide the perfect conditions for life forms to develop. But how would we fund such a planet? At present, there is no telescope in existence that is capable of detecting the presence of life. _ . It is impossible to look for life on another planet using earth--based telescopes. Our own warm atmosphere and the heat generated by the telescope would make it impossible to detect objects as small as planets. Even a telescope in orbit round the earth like the very successful Hubble telescope,would not be suitable because of the dust particles in our solar system. A telescope would have to be as far away as the planet Jupiter to look for life in outer space because the dust becomes thinner the further we travel towards the outer edges of our own solar system. Once we detected a planet,we would have to find a way of blocking out the light from its star, so that we would be able to "see" the planet properly and analyze its atmosphere. In the first instance, we would be looking for plant life,rather than "little green men" . The life forms most likely to develop on a planet would be bacteria. It is bacteria that have generated the oxygen we breathe on earth. For most of the earth's history they have been the only form of life on our planet. As Earth-dwellers,we always cherish the hope that we will be visited by little green men and that we will be able to communicate with them. But this hope only exists in science fiction. If we were able to discover lowly forms of life like bacteria on another planet,it would completely change our view of ourselves. As Daniel Goldin of NASA observed,"Finding life elsewhere would change everything. No human efforts or thought would be unchanged by it." It can be inferred from the passage that---- Answer: finding life on another planet will be shocking news Food for Italians isn't a trend; it's a way of life. Italians live to eat, and the importance of food in family life is absolutely important and deep-rooted in everyday routines. In Italy, kids are encouraged to be part of every social occasion that revolves around food -- it's not about dividing the children from the adults, giving them separate meals or putting them to bed early. In Britain, by contrast, my sister and I often see children eating separate meals from their parents. Letting children experience food like an Italian will develop not just their palate but also their social skills, manners, teaching them new and mature ways to interact. Here are some food customs that are part of every Italian child's upbringing. One of the most celebrated Italian food customs is the morning coffee. Coffee shops and bars have customers streaming in and out of them each morning as the Italians get their daily dose-and this habit is just as much about the social setting as it is about the coffee. While the morning is all about coffee, pre-lunch or dinner, it's all about the local snacks. Most often, Italian city centres and squares are jam packed with locals who come out with their kids to enjoy this pre-dinner treat, and children are encouraged to enjoy snacks available. This is a brilliant way to get kids to try new tastes without the pressures of meal times. It's important to note that "kids' menus" do not exist in Italian restaurants--children are treated like adults and are offered plates from the main menu -- in smaller amounts, if they're young. Post-lunch, most cities can seem quite deserted. But by 4 p.m. onwards, the crowds start to re-emerge. One by one, families spill out and the streets liven up. Everyone begins their afternoon stroll, enjoying the afternoon snacks, like ice-cream, which turns over a huge trade in Italy. What will parents do at meal times in Italy? Answer: Encourage children to eat with them. In a cold winter, a couple had to move out of their big house because of bankruptcy . The husband worked day and night to support the family but with no care of his wife. So she thought, "he doesn't love me anymore, he just thinks about his work". One day, she wanted to take a shower, but her husband stopped her at the door, "Let me take it first, OK?" "Why not let me first," she asked. "I was tired, you take it later, OK?" She was very sad. On a rainy day, she found nothing to do and turned on his computer. After a few minutes, her eyes were full of tears...it was his diary: "Today, I was quite sad, she asked me why I was always taking the shower first, and I said I was tired. She was unhappy. I wasn't as rich as before! We moved to the small house and it was very cold. But I found that if one person took the shower first, the room could get a little warmer. So every time I rushed to the bathroom first. When she took the shower, the room would get warmer, at least 1degC or 2degC.Now I can't give her comfortable life or buy expensive dresses for her, but at least, I can give her 1degClove." The couple moved out of their house _ . Answer: in a cold winter Now, everybody is taking _ . From your best friend to your favourite pop star, selfies are taking over Facebook and Sina Weibo. The word "selfie" was even named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2013. But why do people feel the need to take them? And are they doing us more harm than good? According to some scientists, humans have an area in their brain that controls social activity. Receiving 'LIKE' on a selfie you have posted online can be the same as someone stopping you in the street and speak highly of you on your appearance. The act of taking a selfie also puts you in a position of power. You are the director and the subject of your own work of art. It helps people feel in control of their appearance and can be a powerful tool. But can it go too far? Scientists warn that too much time spent on selfies can influence people's confidence, especially in teenagers. If you are spending a lot of time choosing the perfect selfie clothes, then there could be a problem. At the same time, posting selfies online can harm your personal relationships. UK studies found that many people find it hard to talk to people who are often posting selfies online. So next time you want to use your smartphone to take a quick selfie, it may be better to drop it straight back into your pocket. What does the passage mainly talk about? Answer: What good and harm taking selfies brings to people. When I was in my first year of high-school I tried out for my school's basketball team. Although I was very successful in other sports, particularly soccer and baseball, I was only a mediocre basketball player. I remember walking into the gymnasium and feeling shocked when I saw how many people were also trying out. I knew I was a good athlete, but I didn't know if my skill would be as good as the other participants. Try-outs lasted for four long days. At the end of each day, the basketball coach had a short discussion with each player. He told some of the players to come back for the next day, and told other players that they had not made the team. This is called getting cut. All of us were afraid of getting cut at the end of each practice. On the fourth day of try-outs there were only twenty kids left. I was one of them, but we all knew only eighteen students would make the team. This day was the most intense day of them all. There were many opportunities to impress the coach but there were so few people that the pressure was very high. I was not one of the best players on the team, so I was especially worried on this last day. At the end of practice the coach told every player to take one shot from the same spot. Many kids missed their shot but mine went in the basket. After practice we waited as the coach talked to each player. When my turn finally came my heart skipped a beat when I walked towards the coach. My head was spinning when the coach started speaking and I was almost shaking because I was anxious. The coach told me that I had done very well and that he was impressed. However, the team only eighteen spots and unfortunately none of these would be mine. What does "getting cut" mean? Answer: When the coach tells you that you cannot join the team.
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. 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. What is the reason why our scientists are interested in the moon? A. The moon is beautiful. B. The moon is different from the Earth. C. The moon is Earth's nearest neighbor -- it is the easiest place in space to get to. D. The moon is the easiest place in space to get to and it has no air,unlike Earth. Answer: D. The moon is the easiest place in space to get to and it has no air,unlike Earth. On Tuesday,a new study published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation:Heart Failure revealed that women who ate five or more dishes of baked fish a month had a thirty percent lower risk of heart failure in comparison to women who ate less than one dish a month. Researchers examined the diets of 84,493 women,whose ages ranged from 50 to 79.The women who had eaten lots of baked fish like salmon ,were more healthy than those who mostly ate tuna or white fish. Eating baked fish also appeared to provide a protection against high blood pressure. The study also found that those women who ate more baked fish were likely to have a lower weight,exercise more and eat more fruits and vegetables in comparison to those who ate fried fish. Researchers noted that past research had discovered the fatty acids in fish probably decreased the risk of high blood pressure by improving blood pressure along with heart and blood functioning. This study showed the link between eating fish and heart failure risk but it was not designed to show cause and effect. This study also showed that just by eating one dish of fried fish a week led to a 49% greater risk of heart failure,and eating fried fish led to lower fiber intake and higher calorie intake. The American Heart Association suggested eating a minimum of two dishes of fish especially fatty fish each week. If a person eats one dish of fried fish a week,he or she _ . A. will take in more fatty acids B. is less likely to get heart failure C. will like eating more vegetables D. has a greater risk of heart failure Answer: D. has a greater risk of heart failure Human wants seem endless, When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, he dreams of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view. The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears. The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as cars and new houses. By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the "life-enriching" level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction--the feeding, comfort, safety and transportation of the human body--this level means mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness, It includes a variety of goods and services many of which could be called "luxury" items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing. On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumers spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level? A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes and crime. After filling our stomachs, our garages, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health and safety to enjoy more fully the good things on the first three levels. According to the passage, man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when _ A. he has saved up enough money B. he has grown dissatisfied with his simple shelter C. he has satisfied his hunger D. he has learned to build houses Answer: C. he has satisfied his hunger Have you ever had a troubling problem that has left you wondering where to turn for help? Eve Hobsbawm is a life adviser.She offers advice to people struggling with all kinds of problems, from relationship difficulties to what to cook for dinner. She does this through a website inviting people to email her with their problems.There ' s nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that Eve is only eight years old. This junior trouble-shooter, who also goes by the name 'Miss Evie Mouse' , lives in London with her parents.Not only is Miss Mouse willing to lend an ear to her clients, she will also offer them a helping hand, for a fee of course.She charges between 10p for advice on little, everyday worries and PS for more complicated problems.Her areas of expert knowledge, if not of experience, are problems about love, life and work-life balance. A problem shared is a problem halved, but Eve can' t always help.A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like "Does space ever end?" and she won't solve schoolwork-related problems, especially not maths. She explained to the Guardian newspaper that she was inspired to set up the company by her father who runs a tech start-up.Eve said, "As soon as I saw his business and understood the kinds of things businesses do, I thought that' s what I' m going to do." But since setting up her company in December she has been so overwhelmed with messages that she has had to take a step back."There has been a lot of sudden interest in my site, which is nice," she says, " but I need to do my homework too, so I won' t be solving any more problems for a bit." Which of the following can best describe Eve? A. She has a lot of experience in life. B. She is very popular among students. C. She has a natural talent for business. D. She is warm-hearted and ready to help. Answer: C. She has a natural talent for business. I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother's idea. She wanted me to "make something" of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition. With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home. " How many did you sell, my boy?" my mother asked. " None." " Where did you go?" " The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues." " What did you do?" " Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post." " You just stood there?" " Didn't sell a single one." " My God, Russell!" Uncle Allen put in, " Well, I've decided to take the Post." I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned. Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home. One day, I told my mother I'd changed my mind. I didn't want to make a success in the magazine business. " If you think you can change your mind like this," she replied, " you'll become a good-for-nothing." She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me. My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father's plain workman's life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband's people for true life and love. Why did the boy start his job young? A. He wanted to be famous in the future. B. The job was quite easy for him. C. His mother had high hopes for him. D. The competition for the job was fierce. Answer: C. His mother had high hopes for him.
I had my first job at a local diner called the Buttercup Bakery when I was 22. I worked there for seven years and learned so many lessons, especially from a fellow waitress Helen who had incredible self-respect and did what she loved--serving people. She made everyone smile and feel good, customers and co-workers alike. Being a waitress changed my life. One of my regular customers was Fred Hasbrook, an electronics salesman. Thanks to the newfound confidence I picked up from Helen, I dreamed of having my own restaurant. But when I called my parents to ask for a loan, they said, "We just don't have the money." The next day, I shared my dream with him and said, "Fred, I know I can do more if somebody would just have faith in me." He walked over to some of the other diner regulars and the next day handed me checks totaling $50,000--along with a note that I have to this day. It reads, "The only collateral on this loan is my trust in your honesty as a person. Good people with a dream should have the opportunity to make that dream come true." I took the checks to Merrill Lynch--the first time I had ever entered a brokerage house--where the money was invested for me. I continued working at the Buttercup, making plans for the restaurant I would open. My investments soured, though, and I lost the money. After great deliberation I decided to apply for a job at Merrill Lynch. Even though I had no experience, I was hired and ended up becoming a pretty good broker. Eventually I paid back Fred and my customers the $50,000, plus 14-percent annual interest. Five years later, I was able to open my own firm. I got a thank-you note from Fred, which will be imprinted on my head forever. He had been sick and wrote that my check had helped cover his mounting medical bills. His letter read, "That loan may have been one of the best investments that I will ever make." Which of the following statements is not true of Fred Hasbrook? When I was a little girl I lived in a place with no winter. It was always warm there. It never got cold. It never snowed. Sometimes it rained. Sometimes there was wind. But there was no snow on the trees or on the ground. There was no snow falling on our heads. There was no snow to make a snowman. My teacher's name was Mrs. Scott. One day in December, Mrs. Scott told us that we were going to make a snowman. We were excited! We wanted to see a snowman. We knew how a snowman looked. We knew a snowman was made of three snowballs. A snowman had to have a carrot nose and black eyes and buttons. A snowman had a hat and a scarf. We knew all these things. Mrs. Scott asked us to bring everything we needed to our classroom to make a snowman. Jimmy said, "I can bring the hat and the scarf." Anita said, "I can bring a carrot for the nose." Selma said, "I can cut out some black circles for the eyes and the buttons." Ricky asked, "But who can bring the snow?" Mrs. Scott said, "I know what to do." The next day all the children brought the things for the snowman. We did not know where Mrs. Scott would get the snow. Then she showed us. Our snowman is made of three bushes! Three bushes painted white! We put all the things on the bushes and it looked like a real snowman. What did the children want to make? Friends are important in our lives, but how to keep our friendship is more important. Here are some ways for you. Write letters If your best friend moves to other cities, you could buy the same magazine, E-mail, phone or write each other about the articles in the magazine that make you laugh. This will make you have the same interest. Don't forget to visit each other as often as you can. Think of your friends first What are your friends' thoughts, dreams, hopes and fears? What are her past experiences ? From these, you could think of ways to support your friends. You put your friend first, she or he feels special, and you both grow closer to each other. Gifts from the heart Take photos of a whole day or weekend together. Write a short story about your time you enjoyed. Save the movie tickets, restaurant stubs or special gifts you find every place you travel. Put everything in a box you'll keep all the time. Create your own fun ways to keep your friendship if you can. According to the passage _ is TRUE. A poor traveler arrived at a small village. He had no food or money. He only had a cooking pot. He made a small cooking fire, placed his pot on it, and poured in some water. When a few villagers asked what he was doing, he said that he was making stone soup which was a recipe passed down from his father. He then dropped a round stone into the pot. Then the traveler told the villagers stories of his travels and the exciting things he'd seen. He tasted his soup and said it was nice, but a bit of salt would be better. One villager went home and came back with some salt for the soup. A few more villagers stopped to see what was going on when they heard the traveler speaking. The traveler told more stories and said that some carrots or onions would be nice to the delicious soup. So another villager said he could give a few carrots and brought them from his home. This continued with the traveler asking for onions, a bit of meat, celery , potatoes to the soup. Finally, the soup was OK and everyone enjoyed the tasty meal. What did the traveler want to do when he said the soup was nice? Making friends might seem to come easy for some persons, but it's maybe very hard for most persons. No matter how many friends you might already have, it is always a good idea to make new friends. Being shy keeps a lot of people from making friends. Also, making friends might need a person to step outside of their comfortable places, which are hard for a lot of people, whether they are shy or not. However, overcoming the shyness to step out of your box is an important step in making friends. There are lots of ways to meet new friends. First of all, remember that a good friendship is based on interests, so if you are ready to make friends, start to join clubs or go places where you have interest. For instance, if you like to play sports, join a sports team or after school sports club. If you have interests in music or writing, join clubs or organizations that you are interested in. When you see someone in a place like that, and you think that they look nice, it is always a good idea to go up to them and introduce yourself and ask interesting questions so that you can start a conversation. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, and remember that friendships don't always happen quickly. Some friendships happen right away, and you'll be able to tell if someone will be a great friend right after you meet them. Some friendships take a long time to develop. Anyway, the friends that you meet are going to be worth it. If a friendship develops quickly, it doesn't mean that it is extra valuable, and if a friendship takes a long time to develop, it doesn't mean that it isn't worth it because it's too hard. Making friends might be a bit difficult for you, and the friends you will make may not look anything like you. However, even though it might be scary to start conversations, you are worth doing it. All friendships start with a single hello. If you want to make friends, you should _ .
On a hot August morning, in a classroom overlooking New York's Hudson River, a teacher guides a group of 3-year-olds completely in Chinese. This is just a language summer camp run by the primary school Bilingual Buds, which offers a year-round course in Chinese as well as Spanish for kids as young as 2. A lot of research now shows the regular, high-level use of more than one language may actually improve early brain development. Knowing two or more languages can improve the ability to focus, decide and deal with information better. These important skills are grouped together, known in brain terms as "executive function". The research suggests _ develop ahead of time in bilingual children, and are already evident in kids as young as 3 or 4. Bilingual education, common in many countries, is a growing trend across the United States, with 440 elementary schools offering the study in Spanish, Chinese and French. But Tamar Gollan, a professor at the University of California, has found a vocabulary gap between children who speak only one language and those who grow up with more. On average, the more language spoken, the smaller the vocabulary in each one. Gollan's research suggests that while that gap narrows as children grow, it does not disappear completely. Gollan says, "Vocabulary tests help us find that bilinguals have the disadvantage, where you know the word but you just can't get it out." In fact some of the values of bilingualism can't be measured at all, of course. To speak more than one language is to open the mind to more than one culture or way of life. Bilinguals also appear to be better at learning other new languages. Clarisse spent her early childhood in Switzerland speaking French. At 6, she learned English. Later she learned Spanish, German, and, during three years living in Tokyo, Japanese. Now she has easily mastered several languages. From the passage we can learn _ . A Clarisse likes French best instead of Japanese B bilingual education is mainly loved by children C bilinguals can have a disadvantage in learning other new languages D knowing more languages can help children learn more about foreign cultures Answer: D When an ice cube melts, its state of matter changes from a A gas to a liquid B solid to a liquid C liquid to a solid D solid to a gas Answer: B A pond is near river but not connected to it. What would most likely allow fish to move from the pond to the river? A a fire B a drought C a snowstorm D a flood Answer: D My friend has a big police dog named Kim. Police dogs are often very smart. Every Sunday afternoon my friend takes Kim for a long walk in the park. Kim likes walking very much. One Sunday afternoon a man visited my friend. He talked to my friend a long time. They talked and talked. Soon it was time for my friend to take Kim for his walk, but the man still stayed. Kim became very worried about his walk in the park. He walked around the living-room sometimes and at last sat down in front of the man and looked at him. But the man went on talking. After thirty minutes, Kim couldn't stand it. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down in front of the man again but this time he held the man's hat in his mouth. What is the dog like? A Smart B Dangerous C Big D Easygoing. Answer: A Opera \|BooingattheRoyalOperaHouse Audience love to make a noise. They will cough, laugh or clap. Disrupting an event satisfies our sense of narcissism . The booing of a violent scene in the Royal Opera House's new production ofGuillaumeTellmay have been justified, but it set a bad beginning. Audience enjoyed a secret feeling of excitement, the unacknowledged desire to do it again. (Hunter-Tilney,FinancialTimes) Publishing \|TheTrueDetectiveofthe1940s With their beautiful covers and well-designed headlines,TrueDetectivewas a significant part of the publishing industry in America. At its peak in the 1940s it sold two million copies a month. (John Marr,TrueCrime) Books \|Readingbythesoftglowofyourphone Readers are using smart phones more often than before."It's partly a matter of convenience. But it's also a function of screen size and resolution. However, the use of e-readers is falling fast."(Jennifer Maloney,TheWallStreetJournal) Pop music \|WhytheInternetdidn'tkillmusic Art thrives in the age of the Internet. Only the music industry has been basically disrupted."Writers, performers, directors and even musicians report their economic fortunes to be similar to those of their counterparts 15 years ago, and in many cases they have improved. Against all odds, the voices of the artists seem to be louder than ever."(Steven Johnson,TheNewYorkTimes) For more articles which are read most this week, visithttp://www.bbc.com/culture. If you want to know the influence of the Internet, you should read the article written by . A John Marr B Hunter-Tilney C Steven Johnson D Jennifer Maloney Answer: C
Originally, both the British and the American spoke with a rhotic accent. Rhotic essentially means an accent where the letter "r" is pronounced strongly after a vowel . Rhotic accents are strong in both the US and Scotland, but seem to have disappeared from British English and its _ , such as Australian English and New Zealand English. The major American accent -- the typical accent of the mid-western US -- is rhotic, and British English is, as a rule, non-rhotic. Specifically, US speakers pronounce every "r", wherever they appear in a word. Most British speakers (and you will note that there are some British Isle accents that are strongly rhotic, like US) do not pronounce every "r". Americans stress the "r" at the end of words such as "teacher" or "neighbour", but in many non-rhotic British accents it is more of a "schwa" (an unstressed sound) so it comes out as, "teacha" (unstressed) or "neighba". This main difference also differs across the country of origin. For example, the US has a clear difference in the accents between people of the north and south, not to mention less clear differences across the states. Similarly, British people have a different accent according to their locality. The "cockney " accent is greatly different to the middle and upper class accents. Another common difference appears to be that Americans pronounce words such as "herbal" without the "h". Syllables may be stressed differently, too. "Oregano" in the US tends to be pronounced "o-reg-a-no" while in British English it is more likely to be "o-reg-AH-no". American people trend to pronounce words like "herbal" with the "h" _ . Answer: Which of these conditions would most likely be shown in the fossil record as a reason for mass extinctions? Answer: If you watch British television on March 15, you might be surprised to see celebrities wearing funny red noses and joking; around. But don't worry. They're not mad. It's all part of a money raising event called Red Nose Day. Founded in 1985 by two British comedians, the aim of the event is to raise money to fight poverty and injustice in the UK and Africa. Celebrities and public figures support the event by making appearances on comic TV shows. For example, UK Prime Minister David Cameron once appeared in a music video by One Direction, which the band produced for the event. Britons don't just raise money for charitable causes on one day a year, but they do it all year round. One way of doing so is by shopping in charity shops. These small shops sell clothes, books and household goods just like any other shop except that it's all secondhand. There are nearly 10,000 charity shops in the UK. Their business model is simple: Anybody who has things they don't want anymore can donate them to a charity shop, where they are checked for damage, cleaned and priced. The money that is made by selling them is used for a charitable cause. The idea of buying used clothes may sound unpleasant, but for shoppers who have less spending money, it has been a welcome option. Now, shopping at charity shops is also becoming popular with young people looking for alternative fashion. "You can find very unique clothes for a very cheap price. It doesn't bother me that other people may have worn them. I simply wash them before I wear them." said Anne Marie, a 19-year-old from the US. So next time you spot a charity shop, why not go inside? Who knows, you might find a lovely dress for just a few pounds. Even better, you can enjoy wearing it in the knowledge tha t your money helped a good cause. What is the text mainly about? Answer: Four strange scholarships that actually exist The scholarship for the tall If you find yourself having to lower your head to enter doorways then you might get this unusual scholarship. If you are a boy 6'2" or taller, or a girl 5'10" or taller, then you can be in the running for the Tall Clubs International Scholarship. All you have to do is write a simple message titled "What being tall means to me," and you could get $1,000. The scholarship for the fat This unusual scholarship is made available to New England high school seniors who are single, overweight, and have maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. Every year two people are awarded the $500 prize. It's kind of like saying being fat and unpopular is not that bad after all. The scholarship for the short If you aren't tall enough for the tall scholarship, maybe you are short enough for the short one. The Billy Party Foundation offers this unusual scholarship to students who are short. One needs to be shorter then 4'10" and have a medical certificate as proof of . The scholarship for golf caddies Did you know that you could get a free ride to college for being a golf caddie? Okay, it's a little harder than that, but each year the Evans Scholars Foundation covers tuition and housing for hundreds of student caddies from all over the country. Most Evans scholars go to one of the fourteen universities where the Evans Scholar Foundation owns and operates a scholarship house. Students caddies who win the scholarship for golf caddies can _ . Answer: When you think of all the ways your body can get hurt---falling off a bike, stepping on a nail, being bitten by a crazed dog---the aches and pains that come from sitting at a computer may not seem like much. But more doctors are getting worried about just that. If you sit at a PC the wrong way, the nerves and muscles in your back, neck and arms can get out of line. _ is the study of how people work and how jobs and equipment can be designed so that people are safer and more comfortable in the things they do---whether that's working on a factory assembly line or sitting in front of a computer. The monitor You should not have to tilt your neck up or down to lock at the screen. Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen. How far away should you sit? Reach your arm out so your fingertips just touch the screen. The keyboard It should be directly in front of you. Don't unfold the legs on the bottom of the keyboard so that it tilts up toward you---it should be as flat as possible, or even tilted away from you. You want your wrists "neutral," which means straight, not bent. This puts less strain on your nerves and muscles. Arms should be close to the body. Don't look at your fingers as you type. Use a document holder to hold papers at the same level as the monitor. Keep the mouse on the same level as the keyboard and close by--- so you don't have to reach for it. The chair Your feet shouldn't dangle---the blood will pool in your feet. They should rest flat on the floor, or on phone books, if necessary. Your back needs support. Roll up a towel and stick it there. The Body If you think of your body as a collection of right angles when you sit at a computer, you should be just fine. Your hips should be at a 90-degree angle to your back. That takes the pressure off the spine. And your knees should bend at a 90 degree angle so your feet are flat. How shouldn't a keyboard be placed? Answer:
Which likely would be a reason a deer leaves its habitat? Answer: dry brush has accumulated and a camper left a lit cigar If a person is navigating then they are most likely Answer: holding a wheel Right is right. Right? Of course. But is left wrong? Well, the Romans used to think so. They thought left-handed people were mistakes of nature. Latin, the language of the Romans, had many words that expressed this view. Some words we use today still have this meaning. The Latin word "dexter" means "right". The English word "dexterous" comes from this word. It means "handy" (clever with hands). So, right is handy. But the Latin word for left is "sinister". The English word "sinister" comes from this word. Sinister means "evil" (very bad). Is it fair to call right-handed people handy and left-handed people evil? Well, fair or not, many languages have words that express such beliefs. In old English, the word for left means "weak". That isn't much of an improvement over "evil". Not very long ago, children were often forced to write with their right hands. Doctors have since found that this can be very harmful. You should use the hand you were born to use. People who use their left hands are just starting to get better treatment. But why they get all these bad names in the first place? One reason may be that there are not as many left-handed people as there are right-handed people. There is one left-handed person for every five right-handed ones. People who are different are often thought to be wrong. But attitudes do seem to be changing. Fair-minded right-handed people are finally starting to give left-handed people a hand. After we read the article we can certainly know that _ . Answer: left-handed people have been treated poorly My friend Jennie gave her bone marrow( )to a 50-year-old woman, a woman she has never met. At the end of March, the Red Cross called back. Six different blood elements were tested ; Jennie matched five completely and was about a 3/4 match of the six. So she was the best match. In April, Jennie went for a complete physical exam by one of the doctors who would perform the surgery. The doctor had to make sure that it would be no tread to her. The doctor told her that the surgery would need to have two quarts of bone marrow from her hip bones. Jennie would probably be released the same day the surgery took place and should expect to be painful for a couple of months. "I didn't think it was that big a deal until I realized I was a match," Jennie said. "There was not a question in my head. It didn't seem like something that was going above and beyond. " Jennie was left with two very small scars on her lower back from the surgery and was giving medication to help reduce the pain. She still felt a great deal of pressure on her lower back. "Being only 21, I felt like I am not old enough to significantly impact someone's life," Jennie said. " It seems strange to me that I could possibly save this woman's life which was being cut short by cancer. " Three weeks after the surgery, Jennie received a car from the Red Cross representative who told her the transplant was successful. "I feel good, and I think it will actually work for her. " She said, "So many people say that they'd only donate if it was for a family member or close friend. This woman was someone's family and someone's friend. Obviously no one she knows is a match, and the fact that you'd be able to help a perfect stranger is greater. " Before Jennie knew she was the best match, her feeling could be described as" _ ". Answer: calm There are many kinds of ants in America.One kind of ants is very strong.People are afraid of them and the other animals are afraid of them,too. These ants are often in big groups .They eat all the animals on their way.They can kill and eat elephants.And they can eat horses,too.Sometimes they can even kill people and eat them.When the ants come near,people leave their homes.But people are sometimes happy after the ants pass by.Because they can see no insects or snakes. Where are insects or snakes after the ants pass by? Answer: Ants kill and eat them.
San Diego Summer The summer after my second year in high school, I finally had the opportunity to live with my super-cool sister in San Diego for three weeks. It was going to be great! I would lie on the beach in the sun. Perhaps I would surf a little or ride my bike around Coronado Island. Meanwhile, I would spend every morning, Monday through Friday, teaching YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) kids how to play tennis...for FREE. Since college wasn't too far off, and since I had practically zero hours of community service, my volunteering at the YMCA was smart. I like tennis and I even kind of like little kids. Anyway, life was going to be amazing for those three weeks. On my first day at the YMCA, I was shocked by the smallness of the children. The kids could barely grasp a racket , let alone swing one. This is when it occurred to me how potentially terrible the situation was--a group of thirty small children with rackets in hand and only four coaches. The odds were definitely against us. Luckily, the kids did not have blood on their minds, and they were ly obedient and cooperative. It soon became painfully obvious that I was the only "coach" actually coaching. Rather ironic when one considered that I was the only one of the four NOT being paid. I must admit, however, that despite all of my efforts these children were not getting much. I had to keep telling myself that while I couldn't enjoy the fruits of my labor at the moment, I would be reveling in the benefits once college application time came. Thus, I soldiered on. As I returned home the day before the opening of school, I had complete peace of mind. Although I did not spend every day at the beach as I had initially hoped to do, I did accomplish several things and I felt as if I were a better person because of my three weeks in San Diego. The author taught YMCA kids to play tennis because she _ . A loved small children and was active as a volunteer B must do community service to be admitted to college C wanted to earn some money to pay for her college fees D would like to do something for others as a sincere Christian Answer: B For those who study the development of intelligence in the animal world, self-awareness is an important measurement. An animal that is aware of itself has a high level of intelligence. Awareness can be tested by studying whether the animal recognizes itself in the mirror, that is, its own reflected image .Many animals fail this exercise bitterly, paying very little attention to the reflected image. Only humans, and some intelligent animals like apes and dolphins, have been shown to recognize the image in the mirror is of themselves. Now another animal has joined the club . In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , researchers report an Asian elephant has passed the mirror self-reflection test. "We thought elephants were the next important animal" said Diana Reiss of the Wildlife Conservation Society ,an author of the study with Joshua M.Plotnik and Fans B.M..de Waal of Emory University. With their large brains, Reiss said elephants "seemed like cousins to apes and dolphins" The researchers tested Happy, Maxine and Patty, three elephants at the Bronx Zoo. They put an 8-foot-square mirror on a wall of the animals' play area (out of the sight of zoo visitors and recorded what happened with cameras, including one built in the mirror. The elephants used their long noses to find what was behind it, and to examine parts of their bodies. Of the three, Happy then passed their test, in which a clear mark was painted on one side of her face. She could tell the mark was there by looking in the mirror and she used the mirror to touch the mark with her long nose. Diana Reiss said, " We knew elephants were intelligent, but now we can talk about their intelligence in a better way". Why does the author mention apes and dolphins in the text? A They are most familiar to readers. B They are big favourites with zoo visitors. C They are included in the study by Reiss. D They are already known to be intelligent. Answer: D It was a winter morning,just a couple of weeks before Christmas of 2005. While most people were warming up their cars,Trevor,my husband,had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival,he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone. The bike,a black Kona 18 Speed,was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work,putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get foods, saving us from having to walk along long distances from where we live. I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that,several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike,then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before. People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another,but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it made us believe more in the beauty of humanity as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we,too,can share with others. No matter how big or how small,an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can last forever. We can infer from the passage that _ . A the couple worked 60 hours a week B people were busy before Christmas C the stranger brought over the bike D life was hard for the young family Answer: D Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about Swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice. Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener, but he is afraid to speak because he's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone as long as he knows English. When there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make. Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is very important. It's easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) Wat's the best way to learn English well according to the passage? A By reading. B By listening to the radio. C By speaking. D By doing more practice. Answer: D Being less than perfectly well-dressed in a business setting can result in a feeling of discomfort. And the sad truth is that "clothing mismatches" on the job can ruin the day of the person who is wearing the inappropriateattire --and the people with whom he or she works. Offices vary when it comes to dress codes. Some businesses have very strict standards for office attire, while others maintain a more relaxed attitude. However, it is always important to remember that no matter what your company's attitude is, you are working in a business environment and you should dress properly. Certain items may be more appropriate for evening wear than for a business meeting, just as shorts and a T-shirt are better suited for the beach than for an office environment. Your attire should reflect both your environment and your position. A senior president has a different image to maintain than that of a secretary. Like it or not, you will be judged by your appearance. This is never more apparent than on "dress-down days", when what you wear can say more about you than any business suit ever could. In fact, people will pay more attention to what you wear on dress-down days than on "business professional " days. Thus, when dressing in "business casual" clothes, try to put some good taste into your choices, recognize that the "real" definition of business casual is to dress just onenotch down from what you would normally wear on business-professional attire days. Remember, there are borders between your career and our social life. You should dress one way for play and another way when you mean business. Always ask yourself where you are going and how other people will be dressed when you get there. Is the final destination the opera, the beach, or the office? Dress properly and you will discover the truth in the principle that clothes make the man--and the woman. When you're in doubt, it's safe to be on the side of dressing slightly more traditionally than the situation demands. Which of the following is NOT the rule offered in the passage about business dress? A Dress a bit traditionally if you are not sure about proper dress for an occasion. B Think about how others will dress if invited to a dinner. C For a business meeting and a concert, you should dress differently. D Ask others for advice when you are not sure about what to dress. Answer: D
London, May 5, 2003 Emma Richards of Britain has become the first woman and the youngest person to finish the Around Alone, which is a round-the-world sailing race. The journey started in New York last September and went east around South Africa to New Zealand. It crossed the Pacific Ocean and went around South America, ending up yesterday in Rhode Island, the smallest state in America. In the end, the trip covered over 46,000 kilometres. The same sea route was taken in the past by many famous travelers who wanted to learn about the world. Emma, a 1996 graduate of the University of Glasgow, finished the race at the age of twenty-eight. The race requires competitors to sail alone. Emma said that actually it was very difficult to be all by herself for such a long time even though she's really into sailing. Her worst moment was when she had to climb the high mast in a bad storm to fix some broken parts. She sailed hundreds of kilometres away from land and the wind was blowing very hard. Only her strong willpower kept her going to make it all the way. These days, Emma is happy to be home with her parents and sleep in a bed that stays still. What is the best way to explain Emma's success? Hercule Poirot looked over the small gate which gave admission to Pine Crest. It was a modern nicely-built house. It was on a hill top, and the hill top was planted with a few sparse pines. It had a small neat garden and a large elderly man was watering with a big tin. Spence's hair was now grey all over. He had not shrunk much in girth , though. He stopped watering and looked at the visitor at the gate. Hercule Poirot stood there without moving. "God bless my soul," said Spence. "It must be. It can't be but it is. Yes, it must be Hercule Poirot!" "Aha," said Poirot, "you remember me. I'm grateful." Spence abandoned the watering can and came down to the gate. "What brings you down here?" "What has brought me to many places in my time," said Poirot, "and what once a good many years ago brought you to see me. Murder, Spence." "I'm done with murder since I retired," said Spence, "except in the case of weeds. Killing weeds is never easy as you think, something's always wrong. How did you know where to find me?" he asked as he opened the gate and Poirot passed through. "You sent me a Christmas card. It had your new address on it." "Ah yes, so I did. I'm old-fashioned, you know, I like to send round cards at Christmas time to a few old friends. I'm an old man now." "We both are." "Not much grey in your hair," said Spence. "I take care of my hair with a bottle," said Poirot. "There is no need to appear in public with grey hair unless you wish to do so. By the way, why have you come to live in Woodleigh Common?" "As a matter of fact, I came here to join forces with a sister of mine. She lost her husband, her children are married and living abroad. So I moved in here. Pensions don't go far nowadays, but we do comfortably living together." Which statement is TRUE according to the passage? Science. And technology students in China and the US have a1ong way to go before they call develop a deep understanding of scientific reasoning, researchers have found. As part of a research to compare science education in China and the US,LeiBao, a professor from the Department of Physics of the Ohio State University, gave 5,760;freshmen in three US and four Chinese universities two tests to evaluate content knowledge and another to assess scientific reasoning \|Though Chinese students did better than theirprefix = st1 /UScounterparts in the first two tests that Emphasized on learning facts, both groups "scored ly poorly" on the third test, designed to assess their ability on systematically explore a problem, the results showed. Lei Bao said that the finding challenges conventional wisdom,which holds that teaching science facts will improve students' reasoning ability."Our study shows that ,contrary to what many people would expect,even when students are thoroughly taught the facts,they don't necessarily develop the reasoning skills they need to succeed.''IBao said:'"Because students need both knowledge and reasoning, we need to explore teaching methods that target both." 'The current education systems and assessments of China and the US do not emphasize on deep understanding of scientific reasoning in the disciplines of science;technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM),the study concluded. Bao explained that reasoning is good skill for everyone to possess-not just scientists and engineers:The general public also need good reasoning skills in order to correctly interpret scientific findings and think rationally.STEM students need to _ scientific reasoning in order to handle open-ended real-world tasks in their future careers in science and engineering. How to boost scientific reasoning? The study suggests that educators must go beyond teaching science facts if they hope to boost students' reasoning ability.Bao points to inquiry-based leaning. where students work in groups,question teachers and design their own investigations.This teaching technique is growing in popularity worldwide. Which of the following is correct according to the passage? Zhao Wenxuan,a film star from Taiwan,has been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career,he had worked in an airline in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan Province. His change of job to acting was quite by chance. One day,he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named "Wedding Feast." Full of excitement,he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film -- Mr. Li An. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English,natural manners and low pay for his work in the film. The film "Wedding Feast" proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the U. S. Thanks to the film,Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and southeast Asia. In 1994,Mr. Zhao acted as a leading role in the Hong Kong film,"Red Rose and White Rose",in which many film stars like Ms Chen Chong from U. S. and Ms Ye Yuqing from the local area participated. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play,actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle. Since 1993,Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shootings of 13 films, most of which are thought highly of. Mr. Zhao said the that Taiwan should think to cooperate much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film "Love Affairs" directed by Mr. LiXin,a director from Shanghai Film Studio. The text suggests that _ . Former President Jimmy Carter believes U.S central intelligence agency is spying on him -- so much so, he gives up email to avoid government spies. "You know, I have felt that my own communications are probably monitored," Carter told NBC's Andrea Mitchell in an interview broadcast Sunday. "And when I want to communicate with a foreign leader privately, I type or write a letter myself, put it in the post office and mail it. "I believe if I send an email, it will be monitored," Carter continued. The 89-year-old said the National Security Agency and others have abused the argument that gathering intelligence is important to homeland security. "That has been extremely liberalized and, I think, abused by our own intelligence agencies," Carter said. The 39th president, however, stopped short of criticizing No. 44 over the handling of the N.S.A. scandal , the crisis in Ukraine or anything else. "I don't have any criticism of him," Carter said of Obama. He was asked if the president ever asks him for advice. "Unfortunately, the answer is no," Carter said. "President Obama doesn't. But previous presidents have called on me and the Carter Center to take action." Why not Obama? "That's a hard question for me to answer, you know, with complete directness," he said. "I think the problem was that in dealing with the issue of peace between Israel and Egypt, the Carter Center took a very strong and public position of equal treatment between the Palestinians and the Israelis. And I think this was a sensitive area in which the president didn't want to be involved." Which of the following is NOT true according to the report?
Question: Life in 2060 Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let's make believe(;) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different. Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment of young and old. What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven't yet started to take on heir supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants. Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet's surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good. Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then. People are now largely vegetarians . You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more. Such would be our life in 2060. Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060? A. Because they don't eat meat . B. Because doctors advise them not to eat meat. C. Because the number of animals decreases. D. Because all the animals have died of diseases. Answer: C. Because the number of animals decreases. Question: Every day at noon, when it was time for recess, Mrs. Snooter would honk a loud horn. This was the signal that told her third grade class to go outside and start playtime. The students in Mrs. Snooter's class always tried to get to the front of the line in order to make sure they were the first outside. As soon as the doors opened, the whole class would race to the seesaw at the back of the playground. However, it was not an easy race. There were many things between the door and the seesaw that needed to be passed, and Mrs. Snooter's third grade class enjoyed the excitement that they added to the race. First, the students had to pass the kindergartener's sandbox. This may sound simple, but the kindergarteners would often trap students by digging large holes in the sandbox. If students jumped over the holes, they might have sand thrown in their eyes. If a student could pass the sandbox test, the next problem was the jungle gym. The fifth grade class came to recess before Mrs. Snooter's class and would hang out on top of the jungle gym. They thought they were cool because they were the oldest kids in the whole school, and would not let any other classes come near the jungle gym. It was difficult, but some students in Mrs. Snooter's class would make it past. Finally, there was a long run to the seesaw. Only a few students would still be racing at this point, and they would run as fast as they could. Every day, there was one boy who would push himself a little harder than the other students. Most of the time, he was the winner of the race, and would play on the seesaw with his friends. Which of the following grades did not share recess with Mrs. Snooter's class? A. third grade B. fifth grade C. kindergarten D. second grade Answer: D. second grade Question: Most people go to school or go to work by car or by bus. They think it's convenient . But I usually ride a bike to go to school. Here are some reasons : It's healthy. Riding a bike is good exercise for us. It makes us feel good. It's green. Riding a bike is green. It causes very _ , so if more people ride bikes, the open air will be cleaner. It's cheap. After spending 60 yuan on an old bike, you can ride and go to interesting places. It's interesting. It's very interesting to ride a bike if you want to have a trip with friends. You can stop if you like to see the beautiful things. You can also talk and sing happily and feel relaxed . There are _ reasons for the writer riding a bike. A. two B. three C. four D. five Answer: C. four Question: If you are trying to achieve big goals in your life and work, the chances are that, from time to time, you hit rock bottom. Nothing works, nothing goes right, and nothing succeeds. At times like these, you may feel like throwing in the towel. But before you do, read the following story. It might just change your mind. One day, a small business owner decided he'd had enough. Enough of the endless work, enough of the lack of response, enough of the disturbing loneliness. He went into the woods to have one last talk to the wise man. "Mr. wise man," he said. "Can you give me one good reason why I shouldn't give up?" The answer took him by surprise. "Look around you," the wise man said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes." the man replied. "When I planted the fern and the bamboo, I took very good care of them. I gave them both equal amounts of food and water. I gave them sunlight in spring and protected them from the storms in autumn. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not give up on the bamboo. In the, second year, the fern grew even better than before but nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not give up on the bamboo. In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But l would not give up. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. Still would not give up." Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout came out from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small. But day by day the sprout grew. Within six months, the sprout had risen to a height of 100 feet. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive."Did you know, young man, that all this time you have been struggling, you have been growing? Grow the roots that you need to produce your fruit." "Don't compare yourself to others. All things have different purposes, and different journeys. The bamboo has a different purpose from the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come. You will rise high." The small business owner left the forest. And never went back. If nothing seems like it is happening in your life, despite all the work you're putting in, remember that you're probably growing roots not fruit. Stick with it. One day not far from now, there'll be a great harvest. From the passage we can conclude that the small business owner will A. not turn to the wise man for help again B. not give up in face of difficulties C. give up his business later D. grow some bamboo later Answer: B. not give up in face of difficulties Question: Early in the 18th century, Captain Cook, a famous explorer of Australia, unexpectedly caught sight of an unusual animal during his first visit to Australia. The animal had a large mouse like head and jumped along on its large legs. To his great surprise, the unusual animal carried its young in a special pocket of flesh. Captain Cook pointed to the animal which was eating grass in the distance and asked his native guide what the animal was referred to. The guide seemed not to know that he was pointing at and finally said "Kang-a-roo", but their requests were met with puzzled looks of the native people. Before long they got to discover that the native guide who made the answer to Cook's question really meant, "I don't know what you pointing at. " Funny enough, the name " Kang-a-roo", stuck and it is still in use today. Which of the following sentences best expresses the main idea? A. captain Cook's guide made a joke. B. Native Australians could not speak English in Cook's time. C. Some words have rather funny origins . D. Captain Cook was a lover of wild animals. Answer: C. Some words have rather funny origins .
Question: Targeting teens Using the Web makes teens a target. Posting too much personal information for those millions of cyber eyes to see can cause some big problems and can even invite a threat to your life. As Mary learned, not everyone on the Internet is who he or she says they are. Adults will sometimes pose as other teens, posting fake photos and nice messages to gain trust. They use their fake identity to access the personal information of others, such as home address, phone number, or school name. "That's not the most common scenario ", says David Finkelhor, a sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire. "Only 3 percent of teens aged 10 to 18 who use the Internet report being asked to meet offline. But the danger is real. Safety measures Mary's My Space profile is set to "private", which means that only the people she adds under the "friend" category can access her page. She also doesn't have any pictures of herself on her site. The only self-identifying material she has posted is her name, grade, and a list of hobbies. "People can only add me if they know my last name or my e-mail, "Mary says. " I don't want random people to see my profile. I just go online to talk to my friends." Stay safe and have fun online Experts say almost 90 percent of U.S. teens are online. But not everyone knows how to surf the Web in a smart way. With these tips, you can have fun, stay safe, and avoid embarrassment! Pick a safe password. Make sure your password is something that other people won't be able to guess. Use numbers in between letters. "spar123ky" is better than "sparky 123." Pick a safe username. Make sure yours doesn't say too much about you, "Happygirl13" is better than "AliceWaters13." Don't include your name, age, or where you are from. Never tell a stranger your name, school, address, age, birthday, phone number, or friends' names. Who is most likely to be a victim online? A. A liar. B. A teenager. C. A stranger. D. An honest person. Answer: B. A teenager. Question: Ballet as a charming dance form has fascinated audiences for many years. It is a form of dance that combines beauty and grace to tell a story in a dance form. Generally performed in theatres, ballet has always been a favored dream of many little girls. While ballet dancers need to work very hard for many years to perform in a professional ballet company, this does not discourage the girls. Many people think that ballet originated in France, due to the ballet steps that all have French names. However, ballet can be traced back to Italy during the Renaissance period of the 1400s. While this was really just a pioneer to the classical ballet, the dances performed in Italy during this time led to the further development of ballet in France. The first ballet company arose in France and was called The Queen's Ballet Company. In the 1800s the romantic style of ballet appeared, thanks in part to the ballet La Sylphide. La Sylphide made much use of the toe dancing technique and brought about many changes to ballet. All romantic ballets focused on women and this encouraged women to take on increasingly to become ballerinas. While ballet prospered in other nations, it started declining in France. The decline could be because ballet was seen as being very worldly with mythical steps. The shift from mythical steps to more reasonable style that could be co-related to human movements came about in the twentieth century. This was because of the many different styles of dance that were becoming increasingly popular. The change that started in the twentieth century continues to transform ballet even today where it mixes different styles of dance. Some ballets today have even gone so far as to combine another style of dance into the ballet. In 1944 a ballet was introduced called Fancy Free that use Jazz dance with the ballet steps to create a revolutionary ballet, and it was well received. With time, ballet has developed and changed in many forms. A ballet by professionals continues to charm audiences despite the fact that most of us cannot even dream of performing most of the steps and moves of a ballet dancer. Why do people think ballet comes from France? A. Because Frenchmen introduced ballet to Italy. B. Because Frenchmen created many ballet steps. C. Because the ballet steps are all named in French. D. Because the first ballet company was founded in France. Answer: C. Because the ballet steps are all named in French. Question: "You are what you eat," says the old saying. So how can we know what food is healthy? Unluckily, a lot of food that looks good may have pollution. Where is the pollution from? It has something to do with how people produce food: growing it on the farm, processing it in factories, and making it ready for you to eat. Here's what happens: Most farmers use chemicals to stop their crops from getting sick. Many of these chemicals remain in the food that you eat. Some people believe this may cause cancer. These chemicals may also pollute water and air, and kill animals and even people by accident. Most drinks are just flavored water . Every drink coming in plastic bottles which you then throw away means a waste. Sugary drinks make you fat. In the factories, much of what you eat and drink gets messed. Often things are put into food to make it delicious and look good but they might be harmful to people. And some food like meat often gets polluted by bacteria. What you can do: Try to get organic food. Organic food doesn't have any ingredients that are bad for the land, air or water. Don't eat processed food or drinks. Eat fresh food whenever you can and cook at home. Which of the following is NOT true? A. A lot of food that looks good isn't good. B. Organic food doesn't pollute the environment. C. Some ingredients in drinks may be bad for people's health. D. All the food has pollution. Answer: D. All the food has pollution. Question: David: I like blue. I have a clothes shop, and I find when I changed the wall's color to blue, my clothes sold better. Someone told me that blue can make people feel safe. Mary: I'm a nurse. I heard that green can make people feel energetic. Because it's the color of nature, it can also give people a feeling of hope. It's my favorite. Li Ming: I like red. In our country, red means good luck. For example, during Spring Festival, most Chinese people like wearing red clothes , because we believe it will bring us good luck in the future. Sam: I like orange because it's a warm color. When I'm sad, if I see something orange buying things that are orange ---- bags, hats, cups, anything! I live in an orange world! Linda: I think black is a powerful color . We know that the leaders of a country always wear black clothes. And, it makes people look thin. If you want to give a gift to a friend who is sad, which of the following is the bestaccording to the passage? A. A blue cup. B. A green pencil case. C. An orange coat D. A black wallet Answer: C. An orange coat Question: In the modern world more and more people meet the problem of identity.The most interesting example is that of a so - called " _ ", which refers to an American who has an Asian face but holds Western values. In Shanghai, there now live a group of people from abroad.They look no different from the locals and speak fluent Chinese or even Shanghai dialect, but when it comes to writing Chinese characters, they are almost illiterate .Jack is such an example.He never learned to read or write Chinese characters, which he finds mysterious and difficult.From time to time, he files to the US as he does not feel Shanghai is where he comes from."But when I am in the States, I feel that's not my home either," he said. At De Gaulle Airport in France, there is a Swiss man who has been living in the waiting - room for a long time because he lost h is passport during his travels.He was refused entry into several countries.But when he was eventually allowed to return to Swizerland, he refused to leave the airport.His reason was very simple--"I am sure who I am.I need no acknowledgement from others," he said during an interview.For th is reason he was honored by the Western media as "the Hero of identity." As the Internet becomes more and more popular, the problem of identity becomes more serious.In a virtual world, people can have different addresses registered with different names.In the Internet chat room, even one's gender is hard to determine.It seems that in the glohal village, people are saying hello every day to each other without knowing whom they are talking to. What will be the next crisis of identity? With the development of cloning technology, it might be: who is the real "I"? We can infer from the passage that the author believes _ . A. there will be more problems relating to identity in the future B. Internet technology helps solve problems of identity C. only people traveling abroad have problems of identity D. people don't need to worry about identity Answer: A. there will be more problems relating to identity in the future
There is a park near our school. We can see many trees and flowers there. We can see a hill behind the park, too. At the foot of the hill we can see a river. There are some boats on it. It is Sunday today. There are many Young Pioneers in the park. Some are walking and singing. Some are dancing or playing games. Ann and her sister Kate are flying a kite. Tom and his brother Sam are throwing a frisbee . Their parents are sitting under a tree. All the family are having a good time. Who's Sam? He is _ . One Sunday, I took my daughter to the seaside. On arriving at the beach, I saw JoJo, a wealthy man in hotel business. We sat down to chat in an open air cafe while I watched my daughter enjoy herself on the swings in front of us. Suddenly, our conversation was interrupted by a stranger, who politely asked permission to speak to me privately. People often want to tell me something about my TV show. We stood a bit away from my table. He said, "I'm James, the father of a 7-year-old girl who's very sick. The doctors said that if she was treated in the UK, she would probably survive. But I'm poor, so can you help me, please?" I stared into the man's eyes full of tears and asked how I could help. After I went back, JoJo asked me, "What's wrong?" I told him about it and he was very sorry for that family. All day I thought about James's family. I even thought about making a special TV show to raise money for the sick child. On Monday morning, JoJo walked into my office. Actually, JoJo was very busy, and I never imagined he would have the time to come and see me. "Please, call the man and tell him I'll pay all the expenses for the girl's treatment," JoJo said with a cheque in his hand. "I've been married for 35 years; I wasn't lucky enough to have a child. Sometimes I feel lonely. I want to help this child." I picked up the phone to call James. Now James's daughter is well and JoJo sometimes goes to visit her. I'm so happy that there are so good people on this earth. Why did JoJo make up his mind to help James? _ . He is a real turtle . Someone who always moves very slowly. She is such a sheep. A follower; someone who can't think for him or herself. He's being an ostrich . Someone who hides his/her head in the sand and refuses to face problems or reality. He's a lamb. A gentle, patient, understanding person. Nice and considerate. What a crab he is! A grouchy person; someone who is often angry and in a bad mood. If a person is like a turtle, which of these is most likely to be a problem to him or her? Write a winning story! You could win PS1,000 in this year's Fiction Prize and have your story printed in Keep Writing magazine. Ten other lucky people will win a cheque for PS100. Once again, we need people who can write good stories. The judges, who include Mary Littlejohn, the novelist, Michael Brown, the television reporter, and Susan Hitchins, the editor of Keep Writing, are looking for interesting and original stories. Detective fiction was extremely popular last year, although the competition winner produced a love story. You can write down about whatever you want but here's some advice to start your thinking: Write about what you know This is the advice which every writer should pay attention to and, last year, nearly everyone who wrote for us did exactly that. Love, family, problems with friends ---- these were the main subjects of the stories. However, you need to turn ordinary situations into something interesting that people will want to read about. Make the reader want to continue reading by writing about ordinary things in a new and surprising way. Get your facts right It's no good giving a description of a town or explaining how a jet engine works if you get it wrong. So avoid writing anything unless you're certain about it. Hold the reader's attention Make the beginning interesting and the ending a surprise. There is nothing worse than a poor ending. Develop the story carefully and try to think of something unusual happening at the end. Think about the characters Try to bring the people in your story alive for the reader by using well-chosen words to make them seem real. Your story must be your own work, between 2,000 and 2,5000 words and typed, double-spaced, on one side only of each sheet of paper. Even if you're in danger of missing the closing date, we are unable to accept stories by fax or email. You must include the application form with your story. Unfortunately your story cannot be returned, nor can we discuss our decisions. You should not have had any fiction printed in any magazine or book in this country ---- a change in the rules by popular request ---- and the story must not have happened in print or in recorded form, for example on radio or TV, anywhere in the world. Your fee of PS5 will go to the Writers' Association. Make your cheque payable to Keep Writing and send it with the application form and your story to: Keep Writing 75 Broad Street Birmingham B12 4TG The closing date is 30 July and we will inform the winner within one month of this date. Please note that if you win, you must agree to have your story printed in our magazine. What shouldn't a writer do? Which of the following would likely reduce pollution the most?
Question: As a plant's roots get bigger, they split apart A. worms B. water C. granite D. atoms Answer: C Question: Many countries have passed safety laws that require seat belts in vehicles. A modern three-point seat belt, also called a safety belt, is a harness to prevent the driver or a passenger from flying forward and hitting hard against the interior of a vehicle during a collision. A modern seat belt will help to position you properly to gain maximum benefit from your car's airbags that will inflate during a collision. Using a seat belt also prevents you from being ejected from a car into the path of oncoming traffic. Research shows that when you wear a modern seat belt, you reduce the risk of death or serious injury by 70% or more during an auto accident. Seat belts have existed in different forms since the early days of automobiles, and they have changed from a single lap belt to the three-point seat belt we use today. In 1911 the first airplane seat belt was installed. Then, in the 1920's they were used in racecars. By the 1930s, a group of American physicians created lap belts for their own vehicles and urged vehicle manufacturers to provide seat belts on all vehicles. Dr. C. Hunter Shelden made a major contribution to our safety with his article in the November 5, 1955 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). He strongly encouraged the manufacture and use of door locks, airbags, and retractable seat belts, like the ones we use today. The modern three-point seat belt, including a lap belt and a shoulder belt, was introduced as standard equipment on Volvo cars in 1959. In 1970, the state of Victoria in Australia made the wearing of a seat belt compulsory for every car driver and front-seat passenger. Today many countries have also mandated the use of five-point safety harnesses for carefully designed child safety seats that can protect a child during a serious car accident. An airbag is a Supplemental Restraint System, or SRS, and consists of a rapidly inflatable restraint cushion that works together with a seat belt to protect you during a collision. Modern cars often contain several airbags in various locations. Since airbags can only inflate once and will quickly deflate after the initial impact, they will not provide any protection for you during a secondary collision. The inflation of airbag can protect or hurt you. The risk zone for a driver's airbag is the first 8 centimeters from its pre-inflation location. While driving, you should remain about 25 centimeters from the airbag in the center of the wheel. As a driver, wear your seat belt and make sure children correctly use their seat belts. Failure to wear a seat belt properly means the airbags in your car might injure or even kill you during an accident. An essential part of your safe driving skills is the habit of making sure that you and each of your passengers are always properly positioned and wearing a seat belt. There are many wonderful benefits of being able to drive a car, but there are also severe consequences during an accident for anyone who chooses not to wear a seat belt. Which of the following statements is true? A. Seat belts were first used in airplanes and then applied to vehicles. B. Airbags, door locks, and seat belts were all designed at the same time. C. The lap belt is more modern than the 3-point safety belt. D. Buying the latest seat belts is an essential driving skill. Answer: A Question: Peter: Paul, what are you going to do this afternoon? Paul: I plan to climb a hill. Would you like to go with me? Peter: Thank you. But I don't want to be tired. I want to sleep at home. Have a good time! Paul: I'm sure I will. But now I don't know what to wear. Peter: What about your new trousers? Paul:My new trousers are made of wool. I don't think they can make me comfortable. Peter: You're right. Wool clothes are not fit for a trip. How about your blue jeans? What are they made of? Paul: Cotton. They are good for trips. And shall I wear my leather shoes? Peter: No. They will make your feet hot. You know, it is hot these days. And they are also too heavy for a trip. Try your trainers. Paul: OK. And trainers go well with my jeans. Peter: And why not wear your cap? It looks cool on you. Paul: Thank you. I will wear it. Peter thinks leather shoes are too _ for a trip. A. big B. cold C. heavy D. new Answer: C Question: "San Francisco, open your Golden Gate," sang the girl in the theatre. She never finished her song. The date was 18th, 1906. The earth shook and the roof suddenly divided, buildings crashed to the ground and people rushed out into the streets. The dreadful earthquake destroyed the city that had grown up when men discovered gold in the deserts of California. But today the streets of San-Francisco stretch over more than 40 steep hills, rising like huge cliffs above the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. The best way to see this splendid city, where Spanish were the first to make their homes, is to take one of the old cable cars which run along the nine main avenues. Fares are cheap; they have not risen for almost a hundred years. You leave the palm trees in Union Square -- the heart of San-Francisco and from the shop signs and the faces around you, you will notice that in the city live people from many nations -- Austrians, Italians, Chinese, and others, giving every part of the city a special character. More Chinese live in China Town than in any other part of the world outside China. Here, with Chinese restaurants, Chinese post-boxes, and even odd telephone-boxes that look like pagoda , it is easy to feel you are in China itself. Fisherman's Wharf, a place all foreigners want to see, is the end of the ride. You get out, and then set out to find a table in one of gay little restaurants beside the harbor. As you enjoy the fresh Pacific sea food, you can admire the bright red paint of the Golden Gate Bridge in the harbor and watch the traffic crossing beneath the tall towers on its way to the pretty village of Tiberon. When you finish your meal, you may decide to take a boat-trip around the bay to look at the sights. You can stare at the famous, now empty, prison of Alcatraz. Then why not go to the fishing village of Sansalito -- a little like London's Chelsea or New York's Greenwich Village--to see people painting and to look at their pictures. You will be able to enjoy a view of the city from the sea and take pleasure in the soft red and blue Spanish-type houses shining in the bright Pacific light. If you have time you might like to go by bus to Carmel, a hundred miles south of San-Francisco, where you will discover a wild and wonderful coast with high cliffs. Which of the following can be the best title? A. San-Francisco -- a prosperous city after the earthquake. B. San-Francisco -- a charming travel city of America. C. San-Francisco -- a city to open her Golden Gate. D. San-Francisco -- a harbor stretching over steep hills Answer: B Question: Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members don't know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it's quite often for brothers and sisters to fight with (...)each other and then they can only go to their friends for some ideas. It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends in their lives. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among(......) them on the phone. This communication is very important in children's growing up, because friends can discuss something. These things are difficult to say to their family members in fact. However, parents often try to choose their children's friends for them. Some parents even stop their children from meeting their good friends. Have you ever thought of the following questions? Who choose your friends? Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you? Have you got a good friend your parents don't like? Your answers are welcome. Choose the best answers:(. ) Which of the following is the writer's attitude ? A. Parents should choose friends for their children. B. Children should choose everything they like. C. Parents should understand their children better. D. Teenagers should go to their friends for help. Answer: C
If someone asks me: "Do you like music?" I'm sure I will answer him or her: "Of course, I do." Because I think music is an important part of our lives. Different people have different ideas about music. For me, I like rock music because it's so exciting. And my favorite rock band, the "Fox Ladies is one of the most famous rock banks in the world. I also like pop music. My classmate ,Li Lan, loves dance music, because she enjoys dancing. My best friend, Jane, likes jazz music . She thinks jazz is really cool. "I like dance music and rock very much,: says my brother, "because they are amazing." But my mother thinks rock is boring. "I like some relaxing music." She says. That's why she likes country music, I think. Who likes dancing? Answer: I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a freezing cold wet day in the winter of 1975. I remember the right moment, hiding behind a fragile mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen stream. That was a long time ago ,but it's wrong what they say about the past, I,ve learned, about how you can bury it, because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I,ve been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years. One day in summer, my friend, Rahim Khan called from Pakistan. He asked me to come to see him. Standing in the kitchen with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins After I hung up, I went for a walk along Spreckels Lane on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early afternoon sun sparkled on the water where dozens of small boats sailed, driven by a gentle breeze. Then I glanced up and saw a pair of kites with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park, over the windmill, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home. And suddenly Hassan5S voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the hare-lipped kite runner. I sat on a park bench near a willow tree. I thought about something Rahim Khan said just before he hung up, almost as an after thought. There is a way to be good again. I looked up at those twin kites. I thought about Hassan. Thought about Baba. AU. Kabul. I thought of the life I had lived until the winter of 1975 came along and changed everything. And made me what I am today. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Alice flipped a switch and the ceiling fan started running because Answer: What would happen if you swing at a golf ball and miss? Answer: I wasn't interested in becoming a model at first. I worked as a receptionist in a beauty shop during high school. It was in South Dakota. A woman who had worked for Vogue--a famous fashion magazine said to me, "Why don't you go to New York and be a model?" So I went to New York at eighteen. I went to the first model agency, they thought that I was too long-waisted. It was too bad since I came all the way from South Dakota. I did an information check on the internet and found that Hunting Hartford had just bought the agency. I looked up in the telephone book and dialed. Then I went there. About half an hour later, the man who had just taken over the agency--he had been a male model before--came in. I was just staring at this unfamiliar man when he said, "You! Come into my office!" How do you feel as a fashion model? Quite OK, I should say. But you stop thinking when you are working. It takes a lot of nervous energy as well because the camera goes one, two, three very fast and you have to move very fast. I like my job because it gives me freedom. I can have half a day off to do things I like. I can't do that if I do a normal job. I never like becoming a secretary. They have to sit in the office for eight hours a day, facing the same people. Most models, after one or two years, can't be still very interested in it. But I like being a model. Maybe I was a born one, as many people say. Why did the author like being a model? Answer:
Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. One family between us and the ticket counter made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. Their clothes were clean. The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly said, "Please let me buy eight children's tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus." The ticket lady told him the price. The wife's head dropped, and the man's lip began to quiver . The father asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady told him the price again. The man didn't have enough money. Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground (We were not wealthy either). My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket." The man knew what was going on. He wasn't begging for money but certainly thanked the help in a difficult, embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad's eyes, took my dad's hand in both of his, and with a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied, "Thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family." My father and I went back to our car and drove home. We didn't go to the circus that night, but we didn't go without. Why was the writer impressed by the family? Because the family was very large. My English teacher is very funny. He has really long hair and wears an earring on one ear. He likes to wear purple shirts and orange pants. He also uses all kinds of slang words from the 1970s. When he likes something, he'll say it's really "groovy" . I think he played the guitar in a rock band when he was young. One day, he walks into the classroom and sees that there is a new student. He asks him, "Hey, man, what's happening?" The student is very confused, but we all laugh because we know that the teacher is just saying hello. "You're new, aren't you?" the teacher asks. The student is surprised and says to himself, "Is this a teacher? He looks strange." Then he explains to all of us, "Sorry. Maybe I'm in the wrong classroom." How is the English teacher different from other teachers? He uses slang words and has strange looks. Which is a source of kinetic energy? Motion The turtle and the fox were best friends. One day Turtle wanted to find Fox and ask if he would come fishing with him. Turtle went to foxes house. Fox was not home. Turtle went to look for Fox. Fox lived near several friends. Turtle went to Bear's house first. Bear lived next door to Fox. Bear answered the door, but Fox wasn't there. Turtle went to Duck's house next. Duck lived next door to Bear. Duck answered the door, but Fox wasn't there. Turtle went to Goose's house next. Goose answered the door, but Fox wasn't there. Finally, Turtle stopped at Rabbit's house. Rabbit wasn't home, and Fox wasn't there. Turtle was sad because he wanted to go fishing with his friend. He walked slowly toward the stream to go fishing by himself. When he got to the stream, he found Fox and Rabbit were there. They were fishing. They asked Turtle to join them. Turtle was very happy that he had found Fox, and he joined them for a fun afternoon of fishing in the stream. Who was Turtle's best friend? Fox In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated . The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers,and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was" Land of the White Elephant". Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage. How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country. In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen. This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants. By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased. Thailand was once called "Land of the White Elephant" because _ . white elephant was a national symbol until the 1920s
Question: On a Friday night, a poor young violinist was playing his violin at the entrance of the subway station. The music was so great that people put some money into his hat. The next day, the violinist came to the entrance again. He put down his hat as usual. Beside the hat was a piece of paper with some words on it: "A George Sang has put an important thing into my hat by mistake. Welcome to claim it."After a while a man named George Sang ran here quickly and got back his important thing. The important thing was a lottery ticket .Sang bought it and won a prize of $500,000. But when he gave$50 to the violinist for his wonderful music, he threw the lottery ticket, too. The violinist was a college student. That morning, he was going to Vienna for his education. However, when he found the ticket, he _ the flight and returned to the entrance. He said, "Although I don't have much money, I live happily. If I lose honesty , I won't be happy forever." George Sang put _ into the violinist's hat on a Friday night. A. money B. a lottery ticket C. money and his lottery ticket D. nothing Answer: C Question: How would you like to sleep with one half your brain asleep and the other half awake? Dolphins sleep this way. Recently, scientists at Indiana State University have discovered that ducks sleep this way too. They found that ducks sleep half awake so they can rest and watch for danger at the same time. After putting their ducks in a row and videotaping them, some researchers found ducks on the end of each row spent more time asleep with one eye open, apparently looking for _ "The more the ducks felt threatened, the more they slept with one eye open," said lead author Niels C. Rattenborg, a graduate student at Indiana State University, Terre Haute. "The unique aspect is not that they do it, but that they control it. When they sleep at the edge of a group, they tend to realize greater danger, so they spend more time sleeping with one half of their brain." Ducks with one eye open were still awake enough to detect predators, said the authors of the study, which appears today in the journal Nature. The researchers studied four groups of four ducks held in plastic boxes, which were arranged in a row. Ducks on the end were found to sleep with one eye open 31.8 per cent of the time, compared to 12.4 percent of the time for ducks in the central position. Also, ducks in the central position did not open one eye more than the others, while ducks on each end kept the eye facing away from the group open 86.2 per cent of the time. Brain wave readings of the ducks showed that the half of the brain receiving signals from the closed eye indicated that half of the brain was sleeping. Signals from the half of the brain receiving signals from the open eye showed a state between fully awake and asleep. The under lined word "predator" is most likely to mean _ . A. an animal that is likely to be friends with ducks B. a human being who looks after and feeds ducks C. a scientist who does research work on animals D. an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals Answer: D Question: When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I would make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have the three-day holiday posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home, and a little snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments shining against the green of a pine. "Where did it come from?" I asked. "I asked the Gates boy to cut it," my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but when in great need... such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon." The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Crystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached out a little awkwardly at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas. "It's not like the one you used to find," my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn't know where to look for a better one. But I couldn't be fussy ." "Don't worry," I told her. "It's perfect." It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: All Christmas trees are perfect. From the passage, we can conclude that _ . A. his mother didn't like Christmas trees B. the writer didn't like the tree cut by someone else C. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees D. his mother didn't want to have a Christmas tree during wartime Answer: C Question: Asian parents are spending billions of dollars on private tutors for their children and the practice is growing despite doubts about its effectiveness, according to an Asian Development Bank study published Wednesday, AFP reported. "Shadow education" is an expanding business not only in wealthy countries, but also in some of the region's poorer nations as parents try to give their children the best start in life, the study said. Nearly nine out of 10 South Korean elementary pupils receive private tutoring, while the figure for primary school children in India's West Bengal state stands at six out of 10. The study estimated that the costs of private tutoring in South Korea were equivalent to 80 percent of government spending on public education. Japan spent $12 billion on extra teaching in 2011, while the figure for Singapore stood at US$ 680 million in 2009. Extra academic work aims to help slow learners and support high achievers. Many Asian parents view it as a constructive way for adolescents to spend their spare time. However, it can also reduce the students' time for sports and other activities important for their overall development as well as cause social tensions as richer families are able to pay for better-quality tutoring, the study said. The study calls for a review of educational systems to make such extra teaching less attractive. What is the text mainly about? A. The government policy on educational systems. B. How to provide the best education for children. C. The importance for children's overall development. D. The reasons for the popularity of private tutors for children. Answer: D Question: Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the sea to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down at the beach, he saw something moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.As he got close,he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing,instead he was reaching down to the shore,picking up something and very gently and throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out,"Good morning!What are you doing?'' The young man paused ,looked up and replied,"Throwing starfishes into the ocean." "I guess I should have asked ,why are you throwing starfishes into the ocean?" "The sun is up and the tide is going out.And if I don't throw them in, they will die." "But ,young man ,don't you realize that there are miles of beach and starfishes all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!" "The young man listened politely.Then he bent down ,picked another starfish and threw it into the sea ,and said ,It made a difference for that one." The wise man was lost in thought when the young man kept trying. Yes, there is something very special in every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain the power to shape the future.Each of us can do something for the future,each of us must find our starfish. And if we throw our starfishes wisely and well,the world will be better. The words "something very special "refer to _ . A. the gifts from friends B. the courage to make decisions C. our own starfish in hand D. the ability to make a difference Answer: D
Question: I have had just about enough of being treated like a second-class citizen, simply because I happen to be that unfairly treated member of society --- a customer. The more I go into shops and hotels, banks and post offices, railway stations, airports and the like, the more I am convinced the things are being run merely to suit the firm, the system, or the union. There seems to be a deceptive new motto for so-called "service" organizations --- Staff Before Service. How often, for example, have you queued for what seems like hours at the Post Office or the supermarket because there was not enough staff on duty to manage all the service grilles or checkout counters? Surely in these days of high unemployment it must be possible to hire cashiers and counter staff. Yet supermarkets, hinting darkly at higher prices, claim that uncovering all their cash registers at any one time would increase operating costs. And the Post Office says we cannot expect all their service grilles to be occupied "at times when demand is low". It is the same with hotels. Because waiters and kitchen staff must finish when it suits them, dining rooms close earlier or menu choice is cut short. As for us guests, we just have to put up with it. There is also the nonsense of so many friendly hotel night porters having been thrown out of their jobs in the interests of "efficiency" and replaced by coin-eating machines which offer everything. Not to mention the tea-making kit in your room a kettle with a mixed collection of tea bags, plastic milk boxes and lump sugar. Who wants to wake up to a raw teabag? I do not, especially when I am paying for "service". Can it be stopped, this worsening of service, this growing attitude that the customer is always a trouble? I angrily hope so because it is happening, sadly, in all walks of life. Our only hope is to hammer home our anger whenever and wherever we can and, if all else fails, bring back into practice that other, older slogan --- Take Our Deal Elsewhere. The writer argues that the quality of service is changing because _ . A. customers' demands have greatly changed B. customers' needs have become more complex C. the staff receive more consideration than customers D. staff members are less considerate than their employers Answer: C. the staff receive more consideration than customers Question: It was September of 2003 and I was struggling to find work after experiencing downsizing . I had fallen on some of the grandest challenges of my life. I found myself sitting in my house constantly worried. I decided to force myself to find some volunteer work to occupy my thoughts. The first place I sought out was the Arizona Humane Society. It offered me a program, "Equestrian Therapy Program" ,whose mission is to build self-esteem and confidence in children who have been through difficult times in their lives. Being with animals was the only time I truly felt 1 had a place in the world. But I had never been around a horse in my life. I found myself a little apprehensive during my first day--being around such large strong animals was much harder than the three cats I'm accustomed to caring for. I found that I wasn't different during my first day around these fantastic creatures from the kids who came into the program. But there is a strange transformation when one is around horses. I found myself playing the role of student, observer, teacher, mentor, worker, friend, and companion; not only to the kids,but to the horses and staff! Before long, I was good at handling the horses and kids and having a grand time working with human and animal elements equally. I realize this experience has helped me to develop my horizons in ways I never thought likely. I started this wanting to give others help and realized in doing so I was the one who really benefited the most. 1 believe the companionship and peace that comes from working with our animal brothers is something that can and will make the world a better place! Why did the author want to do some volunteer work? A. To help kids in trouble. B. To make a living. C. To build up others' confidence. D. To improve his state of mind. Answer: D. To improve his state of mind. Question: A poor man worked for a rich man. The rich man made the poor man works all day, but didn't give him enough food. So the poor man often felt hungry. One day, when the poor man was having breakfast, the rich man came in and said to the poor man, "It's very _ to come back for the other meals. So I want you to have your breakfast, lunch and dinner together now before you go to the fields." "How can I eat three meals at breakfast time?" the poor man answered but he said, "All right." He finished his meals and went out. Two hours later, the rich man went out for a walk, he saw the poor man sleeping under a tree. He was very angry and said, "Why don't you work in the fields?" the poor man sat up and said with a smile, "I have already had my dinner and you know very well that after dinner it is time to go to sleep." Why did the poor man often feel hungry? A. The rich man didn't give him enough food. B. His parents didn't give him enough food. C. He ate only one meal a day. D. He was poor and lazy. Answer: A. The rich man didn't give him enough food. Question: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States. The institute stressed laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering. MIT's early emphasis on applied technology at the undergraduate and graduate levels led to close cooperation with industry. Curricular reforms under Karl Compton and Vannevar Bush in the 1930s emphasized basic science. MIT was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1934. Today, the institute comprises various academic departments with a strong emphasis on scientific, engineering, and technological education and research. MIT is one of the most selective higher learning institutions, and received 18,357 undergraduate applicants for the class of 2018 -- only admitting 1,419, an acceptance rate of 7.73%. MIT's 168-acre campus spans approximately a mile of the north side of the Charles River basin in the city of Cambridge. The campus is divided roughly in half by Massachusetts Avenue, with most dormitories and student life facilities to the west and most academic buildings to the east. MIT's on-campus nuclear reactor is one of the most powerful university-based nuclear reactors in the United States. In 1999 Bill Gates donated $20 million to MIT for the construction of computer laboratory named the "William H. Gates Building". While Microsoft had previously given financial support to the institution, this was the first personal donation received from Gates. Other notable campus facilities include a pressurized wind tunnel and a towing tank for testing ship and ocean structure designs. On MIT's campus, you can't find _ . A. Massachusetts Avenue B. a nuclear reactor C. a pressurized wind tunnel D. the Charles River Answer: D. the Charles River Question: Jake is testing how light affects plant growth. He grows two plants in identical pots with the same amount of water and fertilizer. Jake grows one of the plants in the sun, and the other in the shade. Which part of Jake's process indicates that there is a control for this investigation? A. He is growing plants in identical pots. B. He is using the same amount of water. C. He is growing one plant out of the sun. D. He is using the same amount of fertilizer. Answer: C. He is growing one plant out of the sun.
If a person has a respiratory system then they are able to remove from a room A time of day B all warmth C the paint color D breathable gas Answer: D Chinese students aren't the only ones who have a sleep loss problem. In Australia, teenagers are also missing out on, on average, one hour's sleep every night during the school week. Organized activities and homework push bedtimes later, the first large-scale Australian study of children's sleeping habits has revealed . Their sleep deprivation is enough to cause "serious drop-offs in school performance, attention and memory", and governments should consider later or flexible school start times, said the study's leader, Tim Olds. ks5u His survey, of more than 4,000 children aged 9 to 18, found those who slept least did not watch more television but spent their time socializing with family or friends or listening to music. "Almost all children get up at 7 or 7:15 -- they have to get to school on time," said Olds. He favors a later start over an earlier finish because he believes organized sports and activities would still consume the latter end of the day. Olds' research also establishes lack of sleep as a cause of weight gain in children, and a possible source of future problems with depression, anxiety and increased susceptibility to illness. It was already known that overweight children sleep less, but Professor Olds found sleep duration was strongly linked to weight across the full range of body sizes. The thinnest children sleep 20 minutes more than the _ . This showed being overweight had no specific effect on sleep patterns, and it was more likely that shorter sleep times stimulate appetite and make kids hungry. The US National Sleep Foundation says teenagers aged 13 to 18 need eight to nine hours' sleep a night. Younger school-aged kids need 9 to 11 hours. On that basis, Professor Olds said, half of Australian children are under-sleeping on weekdays and a quarter on weekends. What effects does lack of sleep directly have on the students according to the survey? A They become overweight but begin to eat less than before. B They feel more depressed and anxious about their school work. C They are more likely to be affected with illness in the future. D They pay less attention in class and their memory declines. Answer: D College graduation brings both the satisfaction of academic achievement and the expectation of a well-paid job. But for 6,000 graduates at prefix = st1 /San JoseStatethis year, there's uncertainty as they enter one of the worst job markets in decades. Ryan Stewart has a freshly-minted degree in religious studies, but no job prospects. "You look at everybody's parents and neighbors, and they're getting laid off and don't have jobs," said Stewart, "then you look at the young people just coming into the workforce... it's just scary." When the class of 2003 entered college, the future never looked brighter. But in the four years they've been here, the world outside has changed greatly. "Those were the exciting times, lots of _ opportunities, exploding offers, students getting top dollar with lots of benefits," said Cheryl Allmen-Vinnidge of theSan JoseStateCareerCenter. "Times have changed. It's a mew market." Cheryl Allmen-Vinnidge ought to know. She runs the San JoseStateCareerCenter, sort of a crossroad between college and the real world. Allmen-Vinnidge says students who do find jobs after college have done their homework. "The typical graduate who does have a job offer started working on it two years ago. They've postured themselves well during the summer. They've had several internships ", she said. And they've majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields have seen big declines in starting salaries. Ryan Stewart may just end up going back to school. "I'd like to teach college some day and that requires more schooling, which would be great in a bad economy," he said. To some students, a degree may not be a ticket to instant wealth. For now, they can only hope its value will increase overtime. The purpose of a college career center is probably to _ . A help students do their homework B find jobs for students while they are in school C prepare students to find jobs after they graduate D help high school students get accepted to college Answer: C There are five people in my family. We all like watching TV, but we like different TV shows . My grandpa is a great fan of Beijing Opera . He likes watching it very much. Now he is in a Beijing Opera club . There he talks about Beijing Opera and acts in it with other Beijing Opera fans. My grandma likes cross talk , and she often watches it on TV. Her favorite cross talker is Guo Degang. My father is a reporter from a TV station . He watches all kinds of TV shows, but his favorite TV show is news. My mother is a teacher. Her favorite TV shows are soap operas . She thinks they are very interesting. But I think they are very boring. I like playing basketball, so my favorite TV shows are sports shows. I like watching basketball games best on TV. What kind of TV shows do your family like? The best title of the passage may be _ . A Popular TV shows B Different TV shows C My Favorite TV Shows D My family's Favorite TV Shows Answer: D Over the past few months, PSY's funny video for "Gangnam Style" has become a YouTube sensation, resulting in over 112,000,000 views since July 15. It's also been Tweeted more than 780,000 times and received over 260, 000 likes on Facebook, reportsMashable.com. With the rapper making an appearance at Thursday's MTV Video Music Awards, here's what you need to know about the break-out artist. His real name is Park Jae-Sang. The 35-year-old Korean pop rapper is known for his comedic music videos and performances. The video for "Gangnam Style" is no exception. When his first albumPSY--From the Psycho World!was released in 2001, he was nicknamed "PSY" because of his unusual dress, special lyrics and funny dance movies. Gangnam is a wealthy neighborhood in Seoul . Gangnam may only be 15 square miles, but the district in Seoul, South Korea, is home to the headquarters of some of the country's most influential companies, including Samsung, Hyundai and LG. The region also makes up 7% of South Korea's GDP. 41% of students at Seoul University, a very famous college, come from Gangnam. The lyrics of PSY's song describe the personality of a girl and a guy. He studied in the U.S. Born in South Korea on December 31, 1977, PSY attended Banpo Elementary School, Banpo Middle School and Eva High Sch ool. But when it came time to achieve a college degree, the rapper attended both Boston University and Berklee College of Music in the U.S. "Gangnam Style" is giving K-pop international fame. "Gangnam Style" is currently No.1 on the iTunes music video chart. The video has surpassed Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"; Justin Bieber's "As Long As You Love Me"; and Katy Perry's "Wide Awake". This is the first time a Korean artist has ranked this high on iTunes. According to the text, PSY _ . A is already in his forties now B made his first album in 2003 C danced only in his "Gangnam Style" D has developed his special comedic style Answer: D
The London 20120lympics are being praised as a sporting and logistical success,but the influence on economy is far less certain.Some London tourist attractions,businesses and hotels reported that their business actually fell during the Games.But as Olly Barratt reports from London,the overall UK economy is looking for long-term results. Showing an Olympic-sized party like this cost the UK almost l 5 billion dollars.But while spectators went to east London'S Olympic Park,central London has been much quieter than. normal. Arthur lRason,a central London stallholder,said,"Am I taking less? Yeah,I'm taking less.There'S no question about it." Restaurants were among businesses that reported lower takings than normal at this time of year.And one tourism trade association says a survey of its members found the Games had had a negative influence all over the UK.But during the recent recession ,British officials still insist the Games were worth it.Boris Johnson,Mayor of London said,"I think it'S been an amazing display of what you can do if you plan and you work for years and years on a project. And I think it's a great advertisement for British engineering and British industry." The government hopes the Games will be a great help to the British brand worldwide,and they are also an opportunity to sweet-talk potential investors from all over the world.And a fall in takings for some attractions should not have come as a surprise. What can we learn from the text? Answer: Most British businessmen thought poorly of the London Games. Smythe was charged with the murder of his wife. In his defense, he testified that at the time he killed her, he believed that his wife was planning to destroy the world by detonating a massive explosive device that she had developed and built in the basement of their home. He further testified that he had tried many times to dissuade his wife from her plan and had tried to destroy devices that she stored in the basement. She had, he testified, foiled his efforts by on two occasions signing papers for his hospitalization, which lasted for a brief period each time. He said that he had concluded that the only way to prevent her scheme was to kill her and that he had become so obsessed with the importance of doing so that he could think of nothing else. One day when he saw her open the door to the basement he lunged at her and pushed her down the steps to her death. The best defense raised by Smythe's testimony is Answer: insanity. Every person is unique and so are our sleep needs. But in today's busy world, how much sleep should we be getting each night? Research suggests that most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Children and teens need even more sleep than adults. The following is a breakdown of the recommended number of hours of sleep people need by age: INFANTS (0 to 2 months): .........................15 to 18 hours (2-12 months): ...........................14 to 15 hours CHILDREN (12-18 months): ........................13 to 15 hours (18 months-3 years): .................12 to 14 hours (3-5 years): ................................11 to 13 hours (5-12 years): ...............................9 to 11 hours TEENS (13-19 years): .............................8.5 to 9.5hours ADULTS (more than 20 years): .................7 to 9 hours As children grow, they go through many changes, including changes in sleep. Children and teens, like adults, need a regular sleep and wake timetable, even on weekends. Sleep should follow a relaxing bedtime plan. The bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet. Getting a good night's rest may become more difficult as they grow older because of more responsibilities and activities, the influence of TV, computers and so on. However, sleep is still an important part of teens' health and overall quality of life. So, how do teens measure how much sleep they need? If a teen has trouble staying awake during school, they probably are not getting enough quality sleep. Most sleep problems are treatable. If teens are having trouble in getting enough sleeps they need, it is important to see a doctor or other health experts. This article is mainly about _ . Answer: sleep James Stallman Rockefeller, the oldest-known U. S. Olympic medal winner and the former head of the bank that became Citigroup, died Tuesday. He was 102. Records of the U. S. Olympic Committee show that Rockefeller was the oldest American medal winner. He was the captain of Yale University's eight-man rowing team with coxswain that won gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics - beating the Canadian team by less than 16 seconds. The oars from the winning race and the gold medal were prominently displayed in Rockefeller's house. "I think he was really proud of that - probably more than the bank career," said his grandson. Rockefeller suffered a stroke on Thursday, said his grandson, who lived with him at his Greenwich home for two years, attributed his long life to a regimented lifestyle: breakfast at eight a. m. , lunch at 1 p. m. , cocktails at 6 p. m. and dinner promptly at 7 p. m. . He liked plain food, without sauces or cheese, and plenty of fresh vegetables, including those grown in the garden of his estate. Rockefeller was in good health until shortly before he died. He drove his car up until last year and would review documents from the various charities and businesses he helped lead. Rockefeller, born on June 8, 1902, was a grandson of William Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil with his brother, John D. Rockefeller. He graduated from Yale in 1924 and served in the Airborne Command during World War II. He started at the bank, and then called the National City Bank, in 1930, following his uncle and grandfather, who were leaders of the bank. He became president in 1952, chairman in 1959 and retired in 1967. In 1955, under Rockefeller's leadership, the bank merged with the First National Bank of New York to form Citigroup. Rockefeller also was a director of numerous companies, including Pan American Airways, Northern Pacific Railroad, NCR and Monsanto, and served on the boards of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the American Museum of Natural History. Rockefeller and his wife. Nancy Carnegie Rockefeller, had four children. His wife died in 1994. Rockefeller lost his wife when he was _ . Answer: in his early nineties Whether you're eating at a fancy restaurant or dining in someone's home. Proper table manners are likely to help you make a good impression. According to a US expert, Emily Post, "All rules of table manners are made to avoid ugliness." While Henry Hitchings of the Los Angeles Times admits that good manners can reduce social conflict, he points out that mostly their purpose is protective - they turn our natural warrior-like selves into more elegant ones. So where did table manners come from? In medieval England, a writer named Petrus Alfonsi took the lead to urge people not to speak with their mouths full. And King David I of Scotland also proposed that any of his people who learned to eat more neatly be given a tax deduction . Disappointingly, that idea never _ . It was during the Renaissance, when there were real technical developments, opinions of correct behavior changed for good. "None of these was more significant than the introduction of the table fork," wrote Hitchings. "Gradually, as forks became popular, they brought the new way of eating, making it possible, for instance, to consume berries without making one's fingers dirty." Forks were introduced to Britain in 1608 and 25 years later, the first table fork reached America. Yet while most of the essentials are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a few clear differences between what's normal in the US and what holds true in the UK. For example, in the US, when food needs cutting with a knife, people generally cut a bite, then lay aside the knife and switch the fork to their right hand. Then they pick up one bite at a time. By contrast, Britons keep the fork in the left hand and don't lay the knife down. Though globalization has developed a new, simpler international standard of table manners, some people still stick with the American cut-and-switch method.The Los Angeles Times noted, "They are hanging on to a form of behavior that favors manners above efficiency." What does the story mainly talk about? Answer: The development of table manners in Western countries.
Lucy came in from the cold and can's stop shivering. It might help her to sit near A a running boiler B an iceberg C a wet towel D a sofa Answer: A. a running boiler Just saw the superhero movie, Kick-Ass, and it raised an interesting question: just because we are not superhuman, can we lead a super-heroic life? I believe we can do it in some easy steps! Activate our super powers. Superheroes are all good at different things. Some are really fast, some can see things others can't, and some can move things with their mind. Also we all have special talents and passions. We just have to know what they are and develop them. Try this. List several things you're especially good at-- we'll say these are your core super powers. Next, write down what makes each of your core super powers and look for chances to use them and improve them. Get a _ or two. Superheroes are out there all day, fighting the good fight. And who's there to help? Every superhero has teamed up with someone else to defeat some enemies they couldn't deal with alone. We need a support team: one or more who can be trusted and will help us when necessary. Our team members should bring different, constructive perspectives and all kinds of super powers. But we must choose wisely. Be brave and bold. Does it take more courage to venture down a dark road or to face a life of no ventures at all? Both can be pretty scary. But we should be brave and bold just as some successful person said: "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition ." Live the code. Superheroes die to protect others. They don't cheat or lie or steal. They're good role models, and they do the right things even when nobody is watching. Though nobody's perfect, yet we should learn from superheroes and struggle not to disobey the superhero code. Turn a friend down who trusts me? Of course I won't. One of the similarities between superheroes and human beings is that both of them _ . A are very clever and passionate B have their strong points C try to remove their own weak points D know how to be clever and bold Answer: B. have their strong points There once was a very wealthy man who had made great achievement. He had more money than he could ever spend, and he was admired and looked up to by his neighbors. Still,he knew that something was missing in his life. He wasn't happy. All his life he had been striving for happiness, but he had never been able to find it. Then one day, he heard about a hidden temple in Nepal that had a special room that contained the secret of happiness. He immediately sold all that he owned and set out to find this hidden temple. After many years of searching and countless hardships he arrived there. He was tired and penniless, but he knew that none of that was important now because he had found the temple. He asked a wise, smiling monk if he could enter the special room. The monk agreed and showed him the stairs leading to the room. He climbed them with legs shaking with expectation and slowly opened the door. He stared into the room with sunlight streaming through the window and saw what he had come so far to find. There hanging on the wall was the secret of happiness. The man gazed at himself in the mirror and laughed. It is time that we all realized that we were the secret of our own happiness. Happiness is a choice that we can make. Don't spend the rest of your life searching the world for happiness then. Just look in the mirror and laugh. Just let the happiness flow from your heart, mind, and soul until it fills your life and the lives of all those around you. According to the text, the man_. A was not happy because of his wealth and success B wasn't popular with people of his neighbors C would regret for what he had done D found the secret of happiness at last Answer: D. found the secret of happiness at last Across Britain,burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers.But,according to a new study,we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year. Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work.Now,the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours,they would earn as much asPS172,000 a year. The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do,as well as the hours they are working,to determine the figure.This would make their yearly incomePS30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns. By analysing the numbers,it found the average mother works 119 hours a week,40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime.After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18,it found that,on most days,mums started their routine work at 7 am and finished at around 11 pm. To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour,it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on,including housekeeper,part-time lawyer,personal trainer and entertainer.Being a part-time lawyer,atPS48.98 an hour,would prove to be the most profitable of the"mum jobs",with psychologist a close second. It also asked mothers about the challenges they face,with 80 percent making emotional demand as the hardest thing about motherhood. Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends. The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother's Day.The emotional,physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never-ending,but children are also sources of great joy and happiness.Investing in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent. The biggest challenge for most mothers is from _ . A emotional demand B 1ow pay for work C heavy workload D 1ack of training Answer: A. emotional demand High-quality customer service is preached by many, but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done. Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, s, co-workers, strangers--and anyone who will listen. Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide to frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School. "Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers," said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde Group. "The store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement." On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four others, and will no longer visit the specific store. For every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative review. The resulting "snowball effect" can be disastrous to retailers. According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. Ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers. The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople. During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved parking problems by getting moonlighting local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space. Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions. Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers. "Retailers who're responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren't so friendly," said Professor Stephen Hoch. "Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help." Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.ks5u Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints? A Most customers won't bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences. B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them. C Few customers believe the service will be improved. .ks5u D Customers have no easy access to store managers. Answer: B. Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean.""I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?""The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don't throw them in they'll die." "But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!" The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one." There is in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better. The writer told this story in order to show us _ . A how and where we can write a good article B everyone can do something for the future C wise men are sometimes stupid D young people are actually wiser than old people Answer: B Renata Di Pietro was studying to be an opera singer. But at 23, while on a music scholarship at the University of Iowa in 1976, her sight began to fail. Soon, it became increasingly difficult to read scores and pick up hand signals from conductors, and the gifted singer was forced to drop out. After moving to Cleveland, Georgia in 2005, Di Pietro relied on guide dogs to get around. Over the years, she became depressed when she'd lose one of the dogs, who had become her best friend, to old age or death. "It's very painful, because you love each one," she says. In 2009, Di Pietro was _ by information from a friend that miniature horses typically live for at least 30 years and make calm and strong guides. She started with a male horse, but he was too hard to control. Angel came next, a mini white female horse Di Pietro has mostly trained herself. "Horses have the ability to avoid the things in the way," she says. "If I am about to run into something, she slides her body in front of me." Di Pietro, now 59, has taught her guide horse to make some sounds with her hoof when she comes to stairs. "Angel can find a chair and locate the nearest door for me," Di Pietro says. Currently, she's training Angel to pull her wheelchair and to fetch. Despite her disability, Di Pietro still sings, performing with her husband, musician Carl Hummer, at special events. Angel is always by her side. "I fight a battle every day to take courage to engage the world," Di Pietro says. "Angel is my warhorse. We fight that battle together." Angel can do a lot of things for Di Pietro now EXCEPT _ . A supporting her in case of her falling B helping her find a chair to sit on C keeping her company every day D fighting with her against others Answer: D We arranged that Kissinger would fly to Vietnam early in July and then stop in Pakistan on the way back. There he would develop a stomachache that would require him to stay in bed and not be seen by the press. Then, with President Yapha's help, he would be taken to the airport where a Pakistani jet would fly him over the mountains to China. Kissinger's trip was given the name Polo after Marco Polo, another Western traveler who made history by journey in China. Everything went quite smoothly. His slight illness in Islamabad received only small attention from reporters covering him. They accepted the story that he would be kept shut up for at least a few days and began making arrangements for their own activities. Because of the need for complete secrecy and the lack of any direct communication facilities between Beijing and Washington, I knew that we would have no word from Kissinger while he was in China. Even after he had returned to Pakistan, it would still be important to keep it secret, so before Kissinger left, we agreed on a single code word - Eureka - which he would use if his missions were successful and the presidential trip had been arranged. On July 11, Al Haig, who knew our code work, phoned to say that a cable from Kissinger had arrived. "What's the message?" I asked. "Eureka". he replied. The reporter in Islamabad believed that _ . A Marco Polo made a trip to China B Kissinger would make a journey to China C Kissinger was making arrangements for their activities D Kissinger was sick Answer: D For centuries,mankind and dogs have suffered from a communication failure.We can tell dogs what we want them to do and sometimes they comply,but we've always struggled when it comes to understanding the true meaning of their barks and whimpers.There is exciting news now-a dog translator has been invented to help you communicate with your furry friend. Researchers at North Carolina State University have fashioned some kind of miracle dog translator body harness .What's special about it is that it doesn't just rely on the dog's vocalizations to interpret what Fido is banging on about. Oh no-this miracle harness reads and interprets the ordinary dogs'body language as well,giving us a full two-way dog communication experience. Researcher David Roberts says:"Dogs communicate primarily through body language,and one of our challenges was to develop sensors that tell us about their behavior by observing their posture remotely." Sensors on the harness monitor the dog's heart rate and body temperature and software builds up a vocabulary,letting the human know what the dog is feeling. What would dogs say if they could talk to us?The human can even communicate back through the harness thanks to vibration motors,supposedly by tapping into the dog's senses so that it can understand what you're trying to say to it. The dog harness is designed for dogs involved in search and rescue and other front-line work,but it's got us dreaming of a beautiful future,one where humans and dogs can co-exist as equals,with the dog able to fully express itself at all times. For what purpose is the dog harness designed? A It is designed for dogs to understand what people are trying to say to them. B It is designed for a full two-way dog communication experience. C It is designed to monitor the dog's heart rate and body temperature. D It is designed for dogs doing seach and rescue and other front-line work. Answer: D Dear Mr. Expert, I grew up in a abusive home, I always promised myself that I'd get out as soon as possible. Now, at age 20, I have a good job and a nice house of my own, and I'm really proud . Here's the problem: some of my friends who still live with their parents spend the weekends with me. But now they make mine theirs. They bring boy friends over, talk on the phone, etc. I enjoy having my friends here sometimes -it makes the place feel comfortable and warm, but this is my home, not a party house, what shall I do? Joan Dear Joan, If your family didn't pay attention to your needs when you were a child, you probably have trouble letting others know your needs now. And if you've gathered your friends around you to rebuild a happy family, you may fear that saying no will bring back the kind of _ that you grew up in. You need to understand that in true friendship it's okay to put your own needs first from time to time. Be clear about the message you want to send to your friends. For example, "I really love you, but I also need some personal space. So please call me before you come over ." Edward We can infer from the first letter that _ . A Joan lives in a happy family and she has a lot of friends B Joan's friends visit her more often than she can accept C Joan doesn't like the parties at all D Joan dislikes the boyfriends that her friends bring over Answer: B
Question: In this school, most students come from rich families and some of them have famous parents. People from Hollywood sometimes go to Beverly Hills High School to look for future actors. School life There are lots of good things about going to this school: There are two theatres, a television studio and a radio station. The students make TV programmes and films in their drama classes. The biggest activity of the school year is the school dance. Travelling to school In California, children can learn to drive three months before their sixteenth birthday. Lots of students in Beverly Hills High School have their own cars, but they have to pay a lot of money to park their cars in the school parking area. What the children think Most children enjoy going to Beverly Hills High School because it is fun and there is much to do. But some children do not like the school if their parents don't have enough money to buy them a fast car or expensive clothes. The students make TV programmes and films _ . A. in a theatre B. in a television studio C. in a radio station D. in their drama classes Answer: D. in their drama classes Question: There is no better way to enjoy Scottish traditions than going fishing and tasting a little bit of whisky at a quiet place like the Inverlochy Castle. When Queen Victoria visited the castle in 1873, she wrote in her diary, "I never saw a lovelier spot ," And she didn't even go fishing. Scotland is not easily defined. In certain moments, this quiet land of lakes and grasses and mountains changes before your very eyes. When evening gently sweeps the hillside into orange light, the rivers, teeming with fish, can turn into streams of gold . As you settle down with just a fishing pole and a basket on the bank of River Orchy, near the Inverlochy Castle , any frustration will float away as gently as the circling water. It's just you and purple, pink, white flowers, seeking a perfect harmony. If you are a new comer to fishing, learning the basics from a fishing guide may leave you with a lifetime's fun. For many, fishing is more than a sport; it is an art. Scotland offers interesting place where you can rest after a long day's fishing. Set against a wild mountain and hidden behind woodland, the beautiful Inverlochy Castle Hotel below the Nevis is a perfect place to see the beauty of Scotland's mountains. Ben Nevis is the highest of all British mountains, and reaching its 1343-metre top is a challenge. But it's not just what goes up matters; what comes down is unique. More than 900 metres high, on the mountain's north face, lies an all-important source of pure water. Its name comes from the Gaelic language "usquebaugh" or "water of life"; and it is the single most important ingredient in Scotland's best known drink: whisky. The story of Queen Victoria is to show that _ . A. the queen is rich in tour experience B. the Castle is a good place to go in Scotland C. tasting whisky is better than going fishing D. 1873 is a special year for the queen Answer: B. the Castle is a good place to go in Scotland Question: When a rabbit sees something dangerous, it runs away. Its tail moves up and down as it runs. When other rabbits see this tail moving up and down, they run too. They know that there is danger. The rabbit has told them something without making a sound. It has given them a signal . Many other animals use this kind of language. When a bee has found some food, it goes back to its home. It cannot tell the other bees where the food is by speaking to them, but it does a little dance in the air. This tells the bees where the food is. Some animals say things by making sounds. A dog barks, for instance, when a stranger comes near. A cat purrs when pleased. Some birds make several different sounds, each with its own meaning. But human beings have something that no animal has ---a large number of words which have the meanings of things, actions, feelings or ideas. We are able to give each other information, to tell or inform other people what is in our mind or how we feel. By writing words down we can remind ourselves of the things that have happened, or send messages to people far away. No animals can do this. No animals have the wonderful power of language. No one knows how man learned to make words. Somehow he learned to make them. As centuries went by, he made more and more new words. This is what we mean by language. People living in different countries made different kinds of words. Today there are about fifteen hundred different languages in the world. A very large English dictionary, for example, _ four or five hundred thousand words. But we don not know all these. The words we know are called vocabulary. We should try to make our vocabulary larger. Read as many books as possible. When we meet a new word, look it up in the dictionary. A dictionary is the most useful book. According to the passage, how can we make our vocabulary larger? A. By talking much to others B. By learning more languages C. By looking up any word in a dictionary D. By doing as much reading as possible Answer: D. By doing as much reading as possible Question: A teenager has gained a six-figure sum for a vampire novel she wrote after being inspired by the Twilight. Abigail Gibbs, 18, who started writing the book aged 14, released chapters of her novel online, where the book eventually received 17 million hits. Harper Collins in Britain has now signed this talented author following her extraordinary Internet success. Miss Gibbs, from Brixham, Devon, who is about to start studying English at Oxford University, is the first author to be discovered on Wattpad. Wattpad is an online library which allows subscribers to upload or read other people's stories. Miss Gibbs also said Stephenie Meyer's famous Twilight books had influenced her novel, The Dark Heroine. "I read the Twilight and did really enjoy it. At first, my parents were a bit opposed to my writing because I was staying up till 3 a.m. on school nights and they were worried that I might fall behind." Miss Gibbs finished her book at the age of 16. She posted each chapter after she had written it on the Internet site, until she got to five chapters before the end when she stopped. "I had signed with an agent and he basically said, 'Don't post anymore so as to keep the readers' anxiety". That was tough because I disappeared in the site for a year and there were a lot of fans asking where I was. I have had so many requests from fans to upload the last five chapters; some people even said they were going to write their own endings." Her fans can buy the e-book for PS2.99, or wait for the paperback book priced at PS6.99 in shops next month. Her parents didn't support Gibbs' writing because _ . A. they didn't like vampire novels B. writing might influence her studies C. Gibbs spent too much time online D. a possible failure might let Gibbs down Answer: B. writing might influence her studies Question: Pingyao, located in the center of Shanxi Province, is a famous historic cultural city of China and a world cultural heritage site. It is 90 kilometers south of Taiyuan on the Fen River. People lived in Pingyao during the New Stone Age. Its long period as a county government seat has left Pingyao with lots of historic buildings and sites, with a 2,700-year history. Ninety-nine of _ are under government protection, including Zhengguo Temple, Shuanglin Temple and Pingyao Ancient City. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, businessmen organized commercial groups that did business nationwide. Shanxi Province had some of the most important ones and Pingyao was their center. In 1823, a store, known as Rishengchang (Sunrise Prosperity), traded in bank checks rather than in silver or gold coins. It was the beginning of modern Chinese banking. Branch banks were soon set up in major cities in China and other parts of Asia, leading to great development in Pingyao. Its lacquer ware became well known as well. In Pingyao Ancient City are many traditional houses and commercial buildings, 3,797 of which are protected and more than 400 of which are in good condition. Not only do the houses in Pingyao show Shanxi's history and culture, but this large number is valuable for studying its history, customs, ancient buildings and art. Most of these houses are still used as homes and shops of local people. In 1997, Ancient Pingyao City was listed in World Heritage List as "World Culture Heritage Site" . During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Pingyao was a leading center in _ . A. growing rice and corn . B. raising cattle. C. commercial trade. D. making gold coins. Answer: C. commercial trade.
So many of us expect everything we do to be successful. We look forward to success to show us our value or to be the top of the group wherever we are. How many times in our schooling did we hope for a high mark? We want it and then feel like a failure when we don't achieve what we want. Even when we succeed we still pass that and go onto the next success and then the next. We are not often taught how to face failures. For me, failure taught me more than success did. Success is of the moment and temporary but failure means we have ever done. It makes me stop and think. It opened my eyes and brain to different possibilities. Failure is just a choice in redoing not in giving up. Experiencing failure,I looked deeper and further. I have a grandson who plays hockey and as all players do,he went through a _ . So I saw he was unhappy with himself. Then I said to him, "Why don't you think of it differently rather than being unhappy?" And I asked, "Scoring is your goal, right?" He answered,"Of course." "Why aren't you scoring now? Do you need a readjustment ?"All of a sudden he calmed down--he was thinking of what I had just said. So in the next game I saw him trying different things to do better. Later he started scoring. Now when something is wrong, he takes the time to think it over rather than just keeping the "failure" mode . Look at failure differently. Failure is what gives us power to try a different way of doing things. It teaches us to rethink, redo, and then success will come about. Don't give up but learn to use a different way. According to the author,failure _ . Answer: makes us learn more than success does A story from the Bible tells of old Babylon, where the men decided to build a tower that would touch the sky.But God was unhappy, and he made them speak different languages.They couldn't understand each other, so their dream never came true. Yet the dream remains alive: if all men speak the same language, they can do anything.L.L.Zamenhof from Poland was among the men who this dream.He developed Esperanto between 1877 and 1885. As the most successful man-made world language, it is spoken by over two million people around the world.Last month, the World Esperanto Congress , dealing with language rights, ended in Sweden.The 2004 conference will be held in Beijing.Most Esperanto speakers are in Central and Eastern Europe and in East Asia, particularly Chinese mainland. Esperanto has two advantages.First, it's easy.Each letter has exactly one sound and there are just 16 basic grammar rules.The second advantage is that it belongs to no one country.But Esperanto has only reached a small number of people compared with natural languages widely used around the world-such as English or Chinese.While these languages are deeply connected with their nations and cultures, Esperanto doesn't have this background. Will Esperanto really become a global language? It remains a question. What is the basic difference between Esperanto and English? Answer: Esperanto is not supported by any country or culture. We all want to protect our planet, but we're mostly too busy or too lazy to put up big change that would improve our lifestyle and save the environment. Here are some tips you can take to improve our environment. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs . It is true that these bulbs are more expensive, but they last much longer and they can save energy and in the long term your electricity bill would be reduced. Donate. You have lots of clothes or things you want to throw away. If they are still usable, give them to someone who needs them. You may also choose to give them to associations . Turn off your devices. When you do not use a house device, turn it off. For example, if you don't watch TV, turn it off. Turn off the light when you leave a room. It's an easy habit to take up which will help you save a lot of money. Walk or cycle. Driving is one of the biggest causes of pollution. If you want to use your car, ask yourself the following question: do I really need my car? Walk or use your bike if the journey is a short one. What's the best title for this passage? Answer: What Makes the Biggest Pollution? Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently--animals. That's right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives. One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It's not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It's also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and "earthquake nerves". A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach. A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes. A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing. In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists. During an earthquake in China in 1975, _ . Answer: snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores , or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you've started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying, "Do your chores now", you'll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores,just say, "If chores are't done by 4 p.m, here are the consequences." Then it's up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don't argue or fight with them,just say, "That's the way it's going to be." It shouldn't be punitive as much as it should be persuasive. "If your chores aren't done by 4 p.m, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that's going to be your loss." On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your child says they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off. When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you're trying to talk to him, make no bones about it; he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don't try to communicate with him when he's wearing headphones--even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you're talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature . The main idea of the passage is _ . Answer: how parents can deal with their kid's behavior without losing their control
James got up at five to seven. His parents and his little twin sisters went traveling in France and he had to look after himself at home. He opened the fridge, but he found only two hamburgers in it. He decided to have breakfast in the restaurant at the other side of the street. He sat at a table and the waiter came up and said, "Can I take your order , James?" "But you don't show your menu to me, Mr. Hunt," said the boy. "Oh, sorry! I forget it. Here it is." James looked at the menu carefully. It was: Bread $1.30 Sandwich $1.80 Hamburger $2.40 Pizza $2.40Egg $0.30 Milk $0.50 Coffee $0.70 Coke $0.30 James brought out his wallet and found there was only 6.50 dollars in it. "Well," said Mr. Hunt. "What about a hamburger, a pizza, two eggs and a glass of coke?" "Oh, no," said the boy. "I'll buy a picture-book this afternoon. It's 1.50 dollars." "I see," said the waiter. And then he brought the boy a nice breakfast. At last James had _ for his breakfast. Answer: two eggs, a hamburger, a piece of bread and a glass of coffee My teenage son Karl became _ after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six failing grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked. One night I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. "I want to talk to you about Karl's absences." Before he could say another word I choked up and said sadly, "I love my son. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands." For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, "Thank you for your time." and hung up. Karl's next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. He was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting. I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, "Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?" I nodded. "That was me. I thought I'd play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That's when I knew I had to make you proud. Who was it that telephoned Karl's mother that day? Answer: Karl himself O2 molecules stacked on top of each other create weight which is then tallied by a Answer: barometer Alex was right next to his close friend when he heard a strange noise. He was afraid of this noise so he built a shield. From behind the shield, Alex had to shout, "Who is there?" Then he saw an animal that had a green stripe across its back. Alex was scared. Then the animal stepped into a plate filled with frosting and the animal slipped and fell on the ground. Alex had to be quiet so he could get to the out and to the playground without the animal hearing him. After he was far enough away, Alex started to run very fast. He ran and ran until he finally made it to the playground where he hid for the rest of the day in the sand box. When he felt safe he called his mother and had her pick him up and get away. When his mom got there, Alex said, "Thank you for coming to get me mom, I was so scared." His mom told him, "You are very welcome Alex. I'm here whenever you need me." What color was the animal's stripe Answer: green Last year, I was on a plane with my friend, waiting for it to take off. The pilot's voice was heard throughout the plane: "Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. Our engines don't work. We are going to jump-start them. _ " That was all he said. "See what happens?" Shouldn't we have had a better plan than that? At that point. I could only laugh nervously. One woman started crying, "Oh no! We are going to crash!'' There were sighs of hopelessness and anxiety, and we hadn't even taken off yet. The pilot even seemed unhappy. He told us our one engine was working double time, and his plan was to get up in the air and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air, and what happened? Nothing. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched down than applause burst out as everyone on the airplane breathed a sigh of relief. All too often, people stop trying to achieve their goals just because they don't have a guaranteed result. But success will never be guaranteed. The best thing that you can do is just get up in the air, and see what happens. While I do prefer planning better than "see what happens" when it comes to flying, it really isn't such a bad idea for life. If your effort is to build a business then get up in the air and see what happens! Don't give yourself all the reasons why you can't. Do not wait until you have everything you need. You never will! If your goal is to start a friendship, say "Hello", get up in the air and see what happens! The results could be very rewarding. If your goal is to learn a new skill, get up in the air and see what happens! It might not be as difficult as your think. It could be fun! What can be the best title for the passage? Answer: We Will See What Happens
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. Where can you read this article? A. In a story book. B. In a science magazine. C. In a novel. D. In a brochure. Answer: B. In a science magazine. Peat may be beneficial to A. cats B. birds C. tomatoes D. dolphins Answer: C. tomatoes Well, what a bonus! Lots of us are using technology to find rides, and not just to school. It's awkward to call a friend and ask for a ride, and half the time they'll say, "Sorry,my car is full." But with Twitter and Facebook, you just tweet Ashleys Pool Party and look for other people heading the same way. It may sound risky, but many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don't branch out beyond friends of friends when asking on Twitter. For me, I only rideshare with people I know, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern. The sharing economy got big during the recession . It allows people to access more goods and services using technology, while also allowing them to share cost. And that, technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom. According to the researchers at the University of Michigan,30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver's license. Today it's six in ten. So it's not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn't rushing to get a license. All I wanted was an IPhone, Juliet Schor (Sociology professor at Boston College) knows people of my age love being connected and for young people driving means they have to disconnect from their technology, and that's negative. So if they could sit in the passenger side and still be connected, that's going to be a plus. To me, another plus is ridesharing represents something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, we still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on twitter. Driving has become less of a choice for young people because _ . A. they have to try hard to get a license B. it makes their connecting using technology impossible C. driving one's own cars creates a negative impression D. driving means offering free rides to others Answer: B. it makes their connecting using technology impossible On May 1, Ohner telegraphed Byer, "Will sell you any or all of the lots in Grover subdivision at $5,000 each. Details will follow in letter." The letter contained all the necessary details concerning terms of payment, insurance, mortgages, etc., and provided, "This offer remains open until June 1." On May 2, after he had received the telegram but before he had received the letter, Byer telegraphed Ohner, "Accept your offer with respect to lot 101." Both parties knew that there were 50 lots in the Grove subdivision and that they were numbered 101 through 150."For this question only, assume that Ohner and Byer were bound by a contract for the sale of lot 101 for $5,000, that on May 3 Ohner telephoned Byer to say that because he had just discovered that a shopping center was going to be erected adjacent to the Grove subdivision, he would "have to have $6,000 for each of the lots including lot 101," that Byer thereupon agreed to pay him $6,000 for lot 101, and that on May 6 Byer telegraphed, "Accept your offer with respect to the rest of the lots." Assuming that two contracts were formed and that there is no controlling statute, Byer will most likely be required to pay A. only $5,000 for each of the 50 lots. B. only $5,000 for lot 101, but $6,000 for the remaining 49 lots. C. $6,000 for each of the 50 lots. D. $6,000 for lot 101, but only $5,000 for the remaining 49 lots Answer: B. only $5,000 for lot 101, but $6,000 for the remaining 49 lots. Five years ago, I met her in a shopping center. I was walking through the shop when I saw her. Then she came back to my house with me. After that, we became friends. Once she had to go into hospital to have an operation on her leg. I was worried about her and looked after her every day. I made breakfast for her. I was not good at cooking, but she never complained. I also helped her take showers. I have no idea why we can be good friends, because she is quite different from me. I like writing, reading and playing computer games. But she loves outdoor activities. She likes playing balls best. She also loves sleeping. She will run all around the house to lick my face if someone shouts "Kiss for Dad." That is the only name she knows me by--Dad, though I call her by many names--Pickle, Missile and Little. But her real name is Pixar. This week she turns seven years old. Pixar was _ years old when the writer met her. A. two B. five C. seven D. one Answer: A. two
Homes & Gardens 12mths: PS27.04 Established for over 80 years, Homes & Gardens has always been engaging and accessible. Delivering inspirational decorating through real-life stories and beautiful photography, it is the ultimate sourcebook of beautiful ideas and detailed information, and inspires its readers to become their own interior designers. Delicious 12mths: PS29.99 Whether you are passionate about cooking and entertaining, or simply love food, Delicious is the magazine for you. Every month it's packed with mouth-watering recipes, including menus from Jamie Oliver, tasty mid-week suppers and children's meal ideas. Mother & Baby 12mths: PS19.50 Mother & Baby is the UK's best selling parenting magazine, and is full of information on pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. Mother & Baby has over 40 years of experience on advising mothers how to care for their babies and is a well loved and trusted brand. TIME 12mths: PS34.99 TIME brings you the pick of the most interesting and relevant new stories, delivering accurate knowledge at all times on all topics, which allows you to anticipate trends. With more than 30 million eager readers every week, can you afford not to take TIME? ON THE WHEEL 12mths: PS55.00 The perfect read for anyone interested in classic cars, as it has the best buying advice, road tests and features. Features on restorations, road tests, reader models, keep the car fan entertained every month. The classified section and buyers guide provide a rich source of valuable information on price and makes and models. The readers of these magazines are possibly _ . Answer: Nearly all of today's Native Americans in North, Central and South America can trace their ancestry to just six women whose descendants immigrated around 20,000 years ago, a DNA study suggests. The finding does not mean that only these six women gave rise to migrants who crossed into North America from Asia in the earliest population of the continent.Rather, it suggests that only six left a particular DNA legacy that persists to today in about 95% of Native Americans, said study co-author Ugo Perego in Utah. "The women did not necessarily arrive together, nor even all live at the same time," he said.Results indicate the women arrived sometime between 18,000 and 21,000 years ago. The work was published this week by the journal PLoS One.Perego is from the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation in Salt Lake City and the University of Pavia in Italy.The work confirms the previous indications of just six maternal lineages, as well as a date of around 20,000 years ago when the first people in North America arrived after crossing a land bridge from Asia, Perego said. The researchers studied mitochondrial DNA, which is passed only from mother to daughter.They created a "family tree" that traces the different DNA _ found in today's Native Americans.By noting mutations in each branch and applying a formula for how often such mutations arise, they calculated how old each branch was.That indicated when each branch arose in a single woman. The six "founding mothers" obviously did not live in Asia because the DNA signatures they left behind are not found there, Perego said.So they probably lived in Beringia, the now-submerged land bridge that stretched to North America, he said. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: What makes a house a home? Not size, of course. I've been in some of the grandest houses in America, and it's readily apparent that no one lives there. Earlier this year, I had dinner in a mud hut in Ethiopia, where we sat on chairs next to the hostess's bed --- a home that had more warmth than any house I've been in since. Now John Edwards is exploring what makes a house a home in his just-released Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives. There Edwards writes, "This is a book about homes, the values they rest on, the dreams they are filled with, and the people they have shaped. The houses and circumstances are different, but much of what you find inside will be familiar." Whether you're sitting in an airport right now, waiting to fly to your childhood home for Thanksgiving, or in your own home waiting for the s to arrive, you know what he's talking about. We've lived in our townhouse for 21 years. The loose windows make noise in the wind. The fireplace is so shallow it holds only one log. The kitchen window offers a view of the world passing by. It's where friends sit on the kitchen counter drinking wine while dinner is being fixed. I lived there for only 18 years, but it will always be my true home. Even the lamp in the west living room window, which I could see far down the road when driving home late at night, still shines. While all this talk about childhood memories can be warm and comforting, home is whom you're with, not where you are. As Edwards writes, "Home is family. Home is safety. Home is faith." Happy homecoming! It can be inferred according to the text that _ . Answer: Many years ago a kind farmer bought a tank of gas for a mom with two children. He didn't accept any money but just smiled and said, "Pass it on to someone else." The mom was my mother. After many years, I had a similar experience. A few weeks ago as my husband and I were filling up our car with a coupon for 99 cents a gallon, I got into a long line to pay. I could see that the young man before me was having some kind of problem; I quickly realized that he had misunderstood the coupon and thought it was 99 cents to fill his small truck. Everyone was saying, "99 cents a gallon is so cheap - they can't give the gas away." He was embarrassed and was just calling his wife when I got to the counter . He said to his wife, "Just come here because I don't have enough money on me." I asked the cashier how much his was, and she told me. I told her I would pay for it and touched the man on the arm and told him to tell his wife it had been paid for. He nodded and turned back to the phone, then stopped and looked at me. "What?" I told him again, and I was so surprised to see everyone stop what they were doing to watch me as if I had just grown another head. When he asked how he could give the money back to me, I just said, "Pass it on to someone else in need!" We know from the passage that the young man _ . Answer: Zhou Yan, a Junior 3 student, wishes he never got a mobile phone. Last week, he went to see a doctor because his arms and fingers were injured. The doctor told him that he had had "mobile phone disease ". A growing number of teenagers are getting "mobile phone disease" because more and more are using mobile phones. Zhou got his mobile phone five months ago. He sent messages to his friends with it all the time, even when going to bed. Zhou started to do badly in exams because he spent too much time playing with his mobile phone. His mom got very angry with him, but he didn't stop playing with the mobile phone until his arms got injured. Yang Ling, a doctor, says that if someone uses his mobile phone too much, like Zhou Yan, he might get "mobile phone disease". If teenagers find their arms or fingers hurt , they should go to see a doctor as soon as possible. Yang says teenagers should try to use their mobile phones less, especially at school. Yang Ling thinks teenagers should _ . Answer:
You cannot go without a pencil when writing or drawing something. You have probably noticed letters H and B printed on your pencils.What,for example,do HB,2H or 3H mean? Those are letters showing the hardness of the lead or graphite in a pencil.H refers to hard lead.The bigger the Arabic number before the letter H,the harder the lead,and the lighter will be the colour. The hardest pencil has 6H on it.Such pencils are often used in making engineering drawings.People seldom write with them.B stands for soft lead.The bigger the number before the letter B,the softer the lead,and the darker will be the colour, the softest being the 6B pencil.Such pencils are favoured by artists. The HB pencil has a lead core that is neither too soft nor too hard.Its colour is medium in its blackness.It is most suitable for ordinary writing and drawing. According to the passage,an HB pencil is best for people like _ . Answer: students It's impossible to determine how many people would have lost their lives without the contribution of African-American inventor Dr Charles Drew. Charles Drew was born on June 3, 1904, in Washington, DC. His early interest was in education, but he was also an outstanding athlete. While in college, he was awarded as the man who contributed the most to sports during his four years in school. Drew's sister Elsie suffered from tuberculosis and died in 1920. Her death influenced his decision to study medicine. After becoming a doctor and working as a college instructor, Drew went to Columbia University, where he earned his Doctor of Medical Science degree. During this time he became involved in research on blood and blood transfusions. At Columbia, he wrote a paper on "banked blood", in which he described a technique he developed for the long-term preservation of blood plasma. Before his discovery, blood could not be stored for more than two days because of the rapid breakdown of red blood cells. Drew had discovered that by separating the plasma from the whole blood and then refrigerating them separately, they could be combined a week later for a blood transfusion. Drew became the first African American to receive a PhD in medical science. After World War II broke out, Drew was called upon to put his techniques into practice. He was named a project director for the American Red Cross but soon quit his post after the government issued an order that blood taken from white donors should be separated from that of black donors. On April 1, 1950, after he attended the annual free clinic at the John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital, he and other three physicians decided to drive back home. As he was tired from spending the night before in the operating room, he lost control of his car. Drew was badly injured and was taken to Alamance General Hospital in Burlington, North Carolina. He was pronounced dead half an hour after he first received medical attention. Drew's funeral was held on April 5, 1950, at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC. But contrary to popular thought, he was not refused a blood transfusion by an all-white hospital. He indeed received a transfusion but was beyond the help of the doctors attending to him. As Dr. John Ford, one of the doctors who survived the accident, later explained, "We all received the very best of care. The fact that he was a Black did not in any way limit the care that was given to him." Over the years, Drew has been considered one of the most honored figures in the medical field. In which section of a magazine can we most probably find the passage? Answer: People On the whole, it's not something we parents shout about, but one in four of us does it. Hiring private tutors for our children is now widespread. "It's expensive, but worth it," says Ashan Sabri, whose daughter Zarreen, is having tuition in biology and chemistry in preparation for A-levels this summer. "My husband and I tried to tutor her at home, but we found all our knowledge was out of date and we were only confusing Zarreen. We also tried a group revision course but all the children were sitting in a room for different kinds of exams. On the whole, we think one-to-one tuition works best." The real reason is: does tutoring do any good? "It's not the _ ," says Professor Judith Ireson, author of a 2005 Institute of Education report on the subject. "It's still up to the child to do the learning. If he or she isn't interested, sending them to a private tutor won't do any good. However, we did find that students who had private tuition in mathematics during the two years before GCSE achieved on average just under half a grade higher than students who did not have a tutor." In which case, surely it's time to break open the champagne? Not necessarily, says Elaine Tyrrell, head of The Rowans School, Wimbledon, a preparation school which regularly gets children into the best private schools. "While we recommend private tutoring for a few children whose first language isn't English, we don't encourage it for the others. With the level of education they get here, children really ought to be able to pass the entrance exams without any extra teaching. And our worry is that they might just get used to getting help from last-minute tutoring, but, once they actually get to that school, they won't be able to cope." But Mylene Curtis, owner of Fleet Tutors, one of the biggest tutoring agencies in the country, holds a different view. "In some respects, the hurdles children have to leap in order to get into these schools are set at a higher level than the reality," says Curtis. "We often find that, once a child has got into a school, the standard of work isn't as high as was feared. The trick is to do well enough in the exam to win a place." What does Ashan Sabri think of the group revision course? Answer: It isn't effective because it doesn't focus on specific exams. There are plenty of creams etc on the market that help you look younger, but today, Dr Oz is going to show how some people are actually living longer. "We are going to talk about extreme life extension," he says. "I am talking in details about allowing us to go into our second century of life with the energy that you have when you are a young person." Owing to advances in technology and research on how diet affect the aging process, Dr Oz says it might be possible for some people to live to see their 120th birthdays. There's one man in Oprah's audience who Dr Oz says may become the first man in history to live to be 150 years old. Joe Cordell is one of thousands around the world who believe they've found the key to an extreme long life --- calorie restriction leads to a longer, healthier life. At 59 Joe weighs 130 pounds. He may not look like a person who needs to count calories, but as part of his life extension program, he inspects every mouth of food that passes through his system. Every day for the past seven years, Joe has limited himself to about 1,950 calories. He believes that by eating less and restricting his caloric intake, he will _ a genetic switch that slows the aging process. Joe doesn't take away himself of food. Instead, the then 52-year-old father filled up on natural fruits, vegetables and lean proteins that were packed with necessary vitamins and nutrients. "Whenever you are thinking about calorie restriction, you should continually think about getting the most nutritional amount per calorie," Joe says. In keeping with this principle, Joe starts every morning with three apples...but he only eats the peels. "Most of the fiber is in the peel, and more importantly, most of the nutrients are in the peel," he says. "It is important to eat some nuts with breakfast so that you do take in some fat, some healthy fats," he says. "I think it helps the absorption of the nutrients, and it is very filling." For lunch, Joe usually eats a large salad, loaded with vegetables. At dinnertime, he and his family enjoy lean meat or fish and more vegetables. When Joe started practicing calorie restriction, he weighed 175 pounds. Since then, he has lost 45 pounds, and he says he hasn't had a cold in seven years. Though he is in his "golden years", researchers studying Joe say he has the body of a 20-year-old athlete. According to Joe, the appropriate fat intake may help _ ? Answer: the absorption of the nutrients Rocks found on Earth are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous based on Answer: how the rocks were formed.
Question: What is America's number one sport? Can I still say baseball? You could make that statement 30 years ago,but things have changed.Baseball of course has the richest history of all sports.But with the popularity of basketball and American football,there can now be an argument on which sport is American's number one sport. Basketball really took a turn in the1980's as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird took the NBA to another level.Of course,basketball was already popular and had seen such stars as Jerry West and Dr.J,but the real breakthrough came in the 1980's and from there it really took off with Michael Jordan into the 90's.Basketball has even become very global now as many NBA stars competed in the Olympics and faced no competition.Today,they had better be ready because there are so many talents in other countries and the competition will be stiff. Like basketball,American football has always been a favorite of many sports fans and its popularity has grown widely.The ratings that Super Bowl Sunday brings are amazing.They have even talked about making Super Bowl Sunday a national holiday. In the year 2050,basketball and American football will have history like baseball's rich history and maybe American national sport.They have been trying for years,but it is not going to happen. So what is American's number one sport? To me baseball will always be Americans' hobby--rich in history and many memories for people of all ages.If you have any comments on this subject,do give your opinions. This passage mainly talks about A. baseball and its history B. the most popular sport in the world C. which sport is the number one in America D. whether basketball is a global sport pastime Answer: C. which sport is the number one in America Question: As a boy,Tim was much influenced by books about the sea, but in fact by the age of fifteen he had decided to become a doctor rather than a sailor. His father was a dentist and as a result Tim had the opportunity of meeting many doctors either at home or elsewhere. When he was fourteen he was already hanging around the clinic of a local doctor where he was supposed to be helping to wrap up medicine bottles,but was actually trying to listen to the conversations taking place between the doctor and his patients in the next room. During the war Tim served in the Navy as a surgeon ."That was the happiest time of my life. I was dealing with very real suffering and on the whole making a success of it ."In California he taught the country people simple facts about medicine. He saw himself as a life-saver. He had proved his skills to himself and his ability to take decisions. Thus,while he was able to tell them what to do, he could feel he was serving them. After the war, he got married and chose to be a doctor in the countryside,working under an old doctor who was popular in the area,but who hated the sight of blood and believed that the secret of medicine was faith. This gave the younger man many opportunities to go on working as a life -saver. Tim decided to become a doctor at fifteen mainly because A. hisfather wanted him to be so B. his father was a surgeon himself C. e had read many books about medicine D. e had chances to meet many doctors through his father Answer: D. e had chances to meet many doctors through his father Question: Today, I will tell you a story about AbdulRahman, a friend of mine, who was the victim of the big name DHL. I am sure that 90% of you have at least heard of it. It is known for being the best company when it comes to shipping. It is thought to be fast ,reliable and safe. AbdulRahman's brother bought him a mobile phone while he was in the United Kingdom. He wanted to send it to him here in Kuwait . AbdulRahman specifically asked him to send it through DHL. He trusted the company that much, as most people do. But in the end, even though the company told him that it would take up to 5 days for the phone to arrive at AbdulRahman's door, he never received it. And after two weeks of him calling them and hearing the same response "We will investigate the matter, and let you know of our decision by next week. We might pay you back up to 50% of the item's cost." So they are not paying him the full price of the thing they have lost, or as we think, they have stolen. We have reason to think that way, because according to the records, the mobile phone went "missing" while it was in a "sorting facility" of the company. Last Tuesday, they stopped telling him "We are investigating the matter" and officially said, "We ended the investigation. Your shipment is missing." We are still waiting to hear their "decision" about whether they will try to make it up to him, by "maybe" paying him up to 50% , and nothing more. We can learn from the passage that DHL _ . A. generally has a good reputation B. focuses more on speed than safety. C. doesn't provide international service D. mainly sells mobile phones overseas Answer: A. generally has a good reputation Question: The production of coffee beans is a huge, profitable business, but, unfortunately, full-sun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage. The change in how coffee is grown from shade-grown production to full-sun production endangers the very existence of, certain animals and birds, and even disturbs the world's ecological balance. On a local level, the damage of the forest required by full-sun fields affects the area's birds and animals. The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other special that depend on the trees' flowers and fruits. Full-sun coffee growers destroy this forest home. As a result, many special are quickly dying out. On a more global level, the destruction of the rainforest for full-sun coffee fields also threatens human life. Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life, and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases. In addition, new coffee-growing techniques are poisoning the water locally, and eventually the world's groundwater. Both locally and globally, the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate, and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover, the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic soil conditions. It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects many aspects of life, from the local environment to the global ecology. But consumers do have a choice. They can purchase shade-grown coffee whenever possible, although at a higher cost. The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee. The purpose of the text is to _ . A. entertain B. advertise C. instruct D. persuade Answer: D. persuade Question: Sitting in front of the television may be relaxing, but spending too much time in front of the TV may take years off your life. That's what Australian researchers found when they collected TV viewing information from more than 11,000 people older than 25 years. The study found that people who watches an average six hours of TV a day lived an average 4.8 years less than those who didn't watch any television .Also ,every hour of TV that participants watched after age 25 was associated with a 22-minute reduction in their life expectancy . It's no mystery that sitting in front of the TV isn't exactly healthy. The more TV you watch, the less physically active you are. And the less exercise you get, the more likely you are to develop disease such as diabetes or hear problems. Lennert Veerman is the lead author of the study ,which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine .Working at the University of Queesland, Veerman acknowledges that it may not just be the sedentary nature of watching TV that lowers life expectancy,but also the poor diet that onscreen junk-food advertising can promote. But Veerman says that association between watching too much TV and lower life expectancy exists, even after adjusting for diet. Veerman says that it might make sense for doctors to start asking their patients about how much time they spend in front of the TV, and to treat TV time as they would be other risk factors for poor health, such as lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet. Veerman points out that people who are concerned can simply turn off the TV and get off the couch. "Exercise is good," he says, "but even light physical activity also improves health." What can we learn from the text? A. It is a difficult decision to get rid of watching TV. B. Doctors should ask their patients to watch less TV. C. It is necessary for doctors to know their patients' TV time. D. Taking enough exercise can be better for your health. Answer: C. It is necessary for doctors to know their patients' TV time.
I'm Mrs. Smith. Here are some lost things . They're in the "Lost and Found" box. This is a watch. It is blue. David found it this morning. Is it yours? That is a jacket. It is yellow and black. Alan found it this afternoon. Those are two pencils. One is blue. One is red. Mary found them in the classroom. By the way, Jack lost his key . It's a white key. He must find it. Can you help Jack? Boys and girls, if you lose something, you can ask me for help, Call me. My telephone number is 887-9569. A _ in the lost and found box. Answer: New rules and behavior standards for the middle school students came out. Middle schools are going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The following are some of the new rules. You should not be allowed to dye your hair, smoke or drink. You should not copy others' work in an exam. Don't do it again if you did it! Good students love animals and care for other people. Being kind to animals is being kind to ourselves. Be friendly to the people around you. Try to think of others, not only yourself. Don't look down on new ideas. Everyone's ideas are important. You should welcome them, because new ideas make life better for everyone. Learn to protect yourselves. If you have to go home late, you should let your mother or your father know. Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for our studies. But some things on the Internet aren't good for teenagers, so try to look at web pages that are good for you. The new school rules will help teenagers by telling them _ . Answer: I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother's idea. She wanted me to "make something" of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition. With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home. " How many did you sell, my boy?" my mother asked. " None." " Where did you go?" " The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues." " What did you do?" " Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post." " You just stood there?" " Didn't sell a single one." " My God, Russell!" Uncle Allen put in, " Well, I've decided to take the Post." I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned. Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home. One day, I told my mother I'd changed my mind. I didn't want to make a success in the magazine business. " If you think you can change your mind like this," she replied, " you'll become a good-for-nothing." She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me. My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father's plain workman's life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband's people for true life and love. What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up? Answer: DALLAS - A suburban Dallas woman accused of killing her two young children told a 911 operator that she first tried to poison them because they were autistic and she wanted "normal kids," then choked them with a wire until they stopped moving, according to the recorded call. Irving police on Wednesday released recordings of the 911 call after Saiqa Akhter was charged with capital murder in the death of her 5-year-old son, Zain Akhter and her 2-year-old daughter, Faryaal Akhter. Police said the children were attacked at the family's apartment Monday night. In the recording released Wednesday, the woman identified herself as Saiqa Akhter and repeatedly told the operator she killed her two children. At one point, the woman hung up and the dispatcher called her back. "I killed both of them. I told you," she told the operator. Later, she explained that both children were lying motionless on the bed in the master bedroom. "They are not doing anything. They are just blue and they are not taking any breaths and ... their heart is not beating," she said. She told the operator she initially tried to poison the children with bathroom cleaner but they refused to drink it. When that didn't work, "I used a wire on their necks," she said. When the operator asked the woman why she attacked her children, she said, "They're both not normal, not normal. They're autistic. Both are autistic." Pressed further, she said, "I don't want my children to be like that. ... I want normal kids." Later, the dispatcher asked the woman what she was feeling. "Nothing," she responded. At one point, water could be heard running in the background and the dispatcher asked what the woman what she was doing. She told the operator she was trying to wash the smell of cleaner off of her hands. The dispatcher then told the woman to go sit on a couch in the living room and wait for police. At the end of the recording, police can be heard arriving at the home. What would be the best title for this text? Answer: Until she was six, Oprah Winfrey lived on a farm with her grandmother. She remembers, "One day, my grandmother was boiling clothes because at that time we didn't have a washing machine. I was four years old, and I remember thinking, 'My life won't be like this. It will be better.' " It is better-- much better. Winfrey is a billionaire, and "the Oprah Winfrey Show", which is watched by over 20 million people every day, has won many awards. As a little girl, Winfrey was always different. She learned to read when she was three. She read the Bible in church and was famous for being the little girl who talked a lot. Since then, talking has been the most important part of her life. She got her first big chance while at Tennessee State University. At age 17, she was offered a job at a radio station. Next, she hosted a talk show, " People Are Talking" , which soon became very popular. People felt comfortable telling her about their lives, and people liked her warm interviewing style. After a year, the show was renamed " The Oprah Winfrey Show" , and she was a star. Winfrey's real dream, though , was to be an actor. Finally, she achieved this when she starred in " The Color Purpose" in 1985. Her performance won her an Oscar nomination . She now has her own production company. Harpo Productions ("Harpo" is "Oprah" spelled backward).Winfrey says her greatest lesson in her life is " not living my life to please other people, but doing what my heart says". What was Winfrey's real dream according to the passage? Answer:
Ames had painted Bell's house under a contract which called for payment of $2,000. Bell, contending in good faith that the porch had not been painted properly, refused to pay anything. On June 15, Ames mailed a letter to Bell stating, "I am in serious need of money. Please send the $2,000 to me before July 1." On June 18, Bell replied, "I will settle for $1,800 provided that you agree to repaint the porch." Ames did not reply to this letter. Thereafter Bell mailed a check for $1,800 marked "Payment in full on the Ames-Bell painting contract as per letter dated June 18." Ames received the check on June 30. Because he was badly in need of money, check on June 30. Because he was badly in need of money, Questions Ames cashed the check without objection and spent the proceeds but has refused to repaint the porch.In an action by Bell against Ames for any provable damages Bell sustained because the porch was not repainted, Bell probably will A. succeed, because by cashing the check Ames impliedly promised to repaint the porch. B. succeed, because Ames accepted Bell's offer by not replying to the letter of June 18. C. not succeed, because Bell's letter of June 18 was a counteroffer which Ames never accepted. D. not succeed, because there is no consideration to support Ames's promise, if any Answer: A When I was an official of a school in Palo Alto, California, Polly Tyner, the president of our board, wrote a letter that was printed in the Palo Alto Times. Polly's son, Jim, had great difficulty in school. He was classified as the educationally handicapped and required a great deal of patience on the part of his parents and teachers. But Jim was a happy kid with a great smile that lit up the room. His parents knew his difficulties, but they always tried to help him see his strengths so that he could walk with pride. Shortly after Jim finished high school, he was killed in a motorcycle accident. After his death, his mother submitted this letter to the newspaper. "Today we buried our 20-year-old son. He was killed in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. How I wish I had known that the last time I had talked to him would be the last time. If I had only known that, I would have said to him, 'Jim, I love you and I'm always so proud of you.' I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he had brought to the lives of the people who loved him. I would have taken the time to appreciate his beautiful smile, his laughter, and his genuine love to other people. "When I put all the good things on the scale and try to balance them with all the irritating things such as the radio that was always too loud, the haircut that wasn't to our liking, the dirty socks under the bed, etc., I find that the irritations really don't amount to much. "I won't get another chance to tell my son all that I would have wanted him to hear, but, other parents, do have a chance. Tell your young people what you would want them to hear as if it may be your last conversation. The last time I talked to Jim was the morning of the day when he died. He called me to say, 'Hi, Mom! I just called to say I love you. You have to go to work now. Bye.' That day, he gave me something to treasure forever. " If there is any purpose at all for Jim's death, maybe it is to make others appreciate life more and to tell people, especially family members, that they should take the time to let each other know just how much they care. You may never have another chance. Do it today! What did Polly think of Jim? A. He was a lovely boy with a beautiful smile who always loved others. B. He was physically sick but always happy. C. He was an irritating boy with some bad habits. D. He seldom expressed his love for his parents. Answer: A On the first day of school our teacher introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know.I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a little old lady with a warm smile.She said, "Hi, handsome.My name is Rose.I'm eighty-seven years old." "Why are you in university at such a YOUNG age?" I asked.She replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of kids, and then retire and travel." I knew she was joking.I was curious what might have encouraged her to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a university education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.We became friends.Every day we would talk nonstop after class.I always enjoyed listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.And Rose easily made friends wherever she went. At the end of the term we invited Rose to make a little speech.She cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.I've learned a few secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success.You have to laugh and find humor every day.You've got to have a dream.When you lose your dreams, you die." "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.Anybody can grow older. _ doesn't take any talent or ability.The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change..." When the author and Rose first met, they began their conversation in a _ manner. A. polite B. impolite C. serious D. humorous Answer: D Most friendships die a nature death: people move, change jobs, or start different stages of life. Other friendships, however, end unexpectedly. When a friendship is over and you don't understand why, it can be especially painful. Sometimes a friend ends your relationship without telling you why. The loss of friendship might be worth _ . Knowing when a friendship is over and why it ends may help you build stronger friendships in the future. See if you can find a problem. When a friendship is over, examine your relationship. Perhaps you remember your friend complaining that you're always late. Maybe you seldom return your friend's phone calls. When a friend ends your relationship, try to find out the reasons why the friendship is over. Writer a letter to your friend . Express you feelings about the friendship. Do you miss seeing them? Do you have any regrets? Would you act differently if you were still friends? Make it an honest communication. * Express you feeling of being hurt or anger. Write or talk about how you feel in a letter. When a friendship is over, it's important to communicate exactly how hurt you feel, and why. Write until you have nothing left to say. When a friend ends your relationship, you do have the right to express yourself. * Communicate that you are open to pick up the friendship . When a friendship is over and you want to reconnect some day, send Christmas, or birthday cards. Say hi and send greetings through mutual friends. When a friendship is over, don't give up until you're ready. * Decide to make your present friendships better. An adviser once told me that simply talking about your relationship strengthens your relationship. Talk to your present friends. Are they happy with your friendship? If a friend ends your relationship, learn something from it. What can we know from "See if you can find a problem."? A. You are always late when you and your friend plan to go out. B. Perhaps your friendship is over because of your problem. C. Your friend is fond of complaining all the time. D. You often refuse to answer your friend's phone calls. Answer: B Many crimes and social problems are caused by children. Despite the damage these teenage criminals cause, parents are not responsible in most countries. This article will discuss whether parents should be forced to pay for their children's crimes. There are many reasons why parents should not be responsible for crimes committed by teenage children. First of all, teenagers today are independent. They often move out of the parents' house at 18 years of age or younger. They are expected to learn to take care of themselves and make their own decisions, and not to stay like small children attached to their parents. Secondly, parents are working. They cannot watch their adolescent children all the time. A third point is that even children from good families can sometimes commit crimes. Parents should not be responsible if they have worked hard to raise their children properly. However, young troublemakers cause many problems, and I feel we should make parents responsible. Firstly, most juvenile crimes are committed by adolescents whose parents do not care or make any effort to control their children. If parents had to pay fines , they might make more effort. Another point is that even though the children may seem mature, they are not really able to make good decisions. Parents should be responsible for raising and teaching their children until they are fully grown. Furthermore, if children know that their parents will have to pay, they will think carefully before getting into trouble. In summary, there are good reasons both for and against making parents pay for acts committed by their children. However, I feel strongly that if we want to reduce the number of such crimes, we need to make parents take more responsibility. What can be the best title for the passage? A. Proper ways to educate children B. Reasons for children's crimes C. Should children move out? D. Should parents pay? Answer: D
Barack and Michelle Obama have two daughters: Malia, born in 1998, and Sasha, born in 2001. Before his inauguration, President Obama published an open letter to his daughters in Parade magazine, describing what he wants them and every child in America "to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world." While living in Chicago, they kept busy schedules. Soccer, dance and drama for Malia, gymnastics and tap for Sasha, piano and tennis for both. Malia and Sasha attended the private Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC. The Obama girls began classes there on January 5, 2009. In his victory speech on the night of his election, President Obama repeated his promise to Sasha and Malia to get a dog to take with them to the White House. On April 12, 2009, it was reported that the Obamas had adopted a six-month-old Portuguese water dog given to them as a gift. The dog was named Bo by Malia and Sasha. Though Malia and Sasha Obama are the president's kids, it doesn't mean they'll be catered to. The girls are still required to do their chores. Besides bed-making, Malia and Sasha must clean up their rooms and keep on top of their homework. The Obamas want their girls to grow up in a "normal" way. Malia and Sasha were permitted to take _ to the White House by Obama. A a cat B a dog C a horse D a doll Answer: B. a dog Do you know why people look the way they look? What inside our bodies makes us grow in a certain way? The answer is DNA. It was first discovered by a young Swiss doctor in 1868. DNA is like a computer program for your body. Almost every cell in your body includes DNA. The way DNA in the cell decides why you are the way you are. For example your friend might have larger ears than you. This is because their DNA is different from yours. DNA lives in the cell and is ordered in a structure called a "double helix ". In each double helix there are links called as chromosomes . These chromosomes are made from four bases that arrange themselves in millions of different ways. The way these bases choose to line up is what makes the DNA code for that cell. DNA is also called a "gene ". This is a very interesting thing. Genes are passed down from your parents. That is why you might have the same smile like your dad's or mom's! In February, scientists found the skeleton of Richard III, King of England from 1483-1485, under a car park in England. It seems unlikely that scientists could identify a 527-year-old skeleton. However, they matched the skeleton's DNA to a sample from one of his direct descendants . How amazing! What is the main function of "genes"? A They decide your children's appearances or characters. B They make your children have the same smile as you. C They make your children stay healthy. D They're good for scientific researches. Answer: A. They decide your children's appearances or characters. Danny was just tired about the way things were going. His mum came to school and talked on and on about Rick Jackson. It seemed that she would never stop talking. "Somebody's got to stop that boy!" she was shouting. "Rick's troubling everybody in the neighborhood. And he loves to pick on little boys like Danny." Mrs. Green, Danny's teacher, was concerned a lot. "I didn't know that Danny was being picked on," she said. "He's never said anything about this to me!" Mrs. Green looked at Danny. "How long had this been going on?" she asked. Danny could only shake his head and look at the floor. He knew if he said a word about this, he would have trouble at school. Danny hadn't said anything about the problem because he wanted to do things with the boys in the neighborhood. After all, most of them were nice to him. He hated to leave the _ just because of Rick. Maybe the time had come to find new friends. He felt it hard to make up his mind. When Danny's mother came for Mrs. Green, the matter was now _ to Mrs Green. A serious B common C untrue D similar Answer: A. serious We often use the words "growth" and "development" as if they meant basically the same thing. But this may not always be the case. One can easily imagine instances in which a country has achieved higher levels of income (growth) with little or no benefit coming to most of its citizens (development). In the past, most development policies were aimed at increasing the growth rate of income per capita . Many are still based on the theory that benefit of economic growth will come to all members of society. If this theory is correct, growth should encourage development. By the early 1970s, however, the relationship between growth and development was being questioned. A major study by the World Bank in 1974 concluded that it is now clear that more than decades of rapid growth in developing countries has been of little benefit to a third of their population. The World Bank study showed that increase in GNP per capita did not promise important improvements in such development indicators as nutrition, health, and education. Although GNP per capita did indeed rise, its benefit came down to only a small part of the population. This realization gives rise to a call for new development policies. These new policies favor agriculture over industry, call for national redistribution of income and wealth, and encourage programs to satisfy such basic needs as food and shelter. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the international macroeconomic crises of high oil prices, worldwide recession and the third world debt, forced attention away from programs designed to get rid of poverty. However, the lesson remains: economic growth does not promise economic development. Efforts may be required to change growing output capacity into economic benefit that reaches most of a nation's people. According tothe study by the World Bank in 1974, economic growth in some backward countries brought _ . A benefit to a third of their population B benefit to two thirds of their population C little benefit to their people D no benefit at all to their people Answer: B. benefit to two thirds of their population The Spring Festival is supposed to be a period of time entirely for family reunion. However, as people's enthusiasm for digital hongbao increased, the amount of the time they spend with family members during the holiday decreases. There has been widespread criticism over digital hongbao that it has _ family reunion. "I used to discuss programs in the Spring Festival Gala with my family members, but this year, I hardly had the time to watch the gala because I was staring at my cellphone all the time," said Kang, a 30-year old radio station editor. "I went to Karaoke with my cousins during the holiday, and I was grasping digital hongbao the whole time, even when I was singing Karaoke." "On the last day of the holiday, I started to regret spending too much time on these digital hongbao. Therefore, instead of fighting for hongbao, I watched TV with my mom that night. I left home feeling sorry! I should have spent more time with my parents." But Kang said regret came with a sense of achievement when he managed to bring classmates together. "Next year, I will still play the game, but with less money and for a smaller amount of time," Kang said. Dong Chenyu, a teacher from Beijing Foreign Studies University, said it unfair to blame hongbao for destroying family reunion. "When television was invented, people accused it of standing in the way of face-to-face human communication. The same accusation came up on telephone and text message services when they were first invented. The same goes with digital hongbao," Dong said. "It does nothing but offers a new way of human communication. The rest is people's choice. As long as no one expects to earn money from this and takes this as a means of gambling , it's a good way to improve human connections," Dong said. What's mainly described in the passage? A The Spring Festival is the best time for family reunion. B Digital Hongbao is a double-edged sword. C People's holiday enthusiasm has decreased. D Digital hongbao has become a popular way to make money. Answer: B. Digital Hongbao is a double-edged sword.
Producing money requires both artistic and technological skills. Dollar bills are made so that they are interesting to look at but very hard to copy. In total, there are sixty-five separate steps required to make a dollar bill. The money making process begins when. a yearly order is sent by the Federal Reserve Board. That order will then be divided in half. Half will be done here in Washington, D. C.and the other half will be done in Fort Worth, Texas. Next, the Bureau orders special paper which is actually cloth since it is 75% cotton and 25% linen. This paper is made so that it can last a long time. And, it is made with details that make it hard to copy. For example, bills contain security threads. These narrow pieces of plastic are inside the paper and run along the width of the bill. This special paper is also made with very small blue and red fibers. Once the money is printed, guillotine cutters separate the sheets into two notes, then into individual notes. The notes are organized in "bricks," each of which contains forty one-hundred-note packages. The bricks then go to one of twelve Federal Reserve Districts, which then give the money to local banks. Ninety-five percent of the bills printed each year are used to replace money that is in circulation, or that has already been removed from circulation. You may know that America's first president, George Washington, is pictured on the one- dollar bill. But do you know whose face is on the two, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred-dollar bills? They are, in order. President Thomas Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, President Andrew Jackson, President Ulysses Grant and statesman Benjamin Franklin. The average life span of a one-dollar bill is twenty-one months. But a ten-dollar bill lasts only about eighteen months. The one hundred-dollar bill lasts the longest, eighty-nine months. One popular question is about the two-dollar bill. This bill is not printed very often. This is because many Americans believe two-dollar bills are lucky, so they keep them. We can learn from the passage that the security threads _ . A. are narrow pieces of plastic B. are pressed outside the bills C. are longer than the width of the bills D. are actually made of cotton and linen Answer: A Dickson Despommier, a public health professor at Columbia University in New York City developed an idea with his students nine years ago. They imagined people in cities growing crops inside a tall building. Tomatoes could grow on one floor of the skyscraper , potatoes on the next, small animals and fish on the floor above. This vertical farm, or "farmscraper", could have space for restaurants and other places that serve food, like schools or hospitals. They could serve foods that are truly locally grown. But why would anyone want to build a farm indoors in a city? Dickson Despommier believes it will become necessary. The world needs to find places to produce enough food to feed the growing population. Space, he says, is an all-important issue. The professor also points to the problems of traditional farms. They use a lot of freshwater. Their fertilizer and animal waste can pollute water resources. And their growing seasons can be limited. But inside the vertical farm, crops could grow all year. And there would be no wind to blow away soil. Farmers would not have to worry about too much or too little rain, or about hot summers, freezing winters or insects. And without insects there would be no need for chemicals to kill them. Farm machines that .use fossil fuels, like tractors, would not be needed either. And water could be recycled for drinking. "The vertical farm reuses everything, so there is no waste," says Professor Despommier. Even buildings could be saved. Old buildings could become new farms and provide jobs. The professor has been actively proposing the idea to cities as far away as Dubai and Canada. But so far it exists only in plans and drawings, and a model at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Critics say building a farmscraper would cost too much, especially considering the price of land in many cities. Dickson Despommier estimates the cost at about twenty to thirty million dollars. But he says the building would not have to be very tall. And his graduate students have found many empty lots and unused buildings in New York City that could provide space. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. A vertical farm has been built in Chicago. B. Old buildings could be changed into new farms. C. Traditional farms use less water but pollute more water D. There are some vertical farms being put into use in Canada. Answer: B Garry Golden is a futurist. Futurists are scientists who analyze the way the world is today and use that information.to predict what the world will be like in the future. Golden focuses on the study of transportation. He spends his days studying the relationships between cars, subways, and trains. But he's most excited about imagining the way these relationships will change in the future. Many public transportation supporters dislike big cities because they spend hours driving from one side of the city to the other. And there aren't enough buses and. subways. However, Golden sees a trend toward fewer cars' in the future. He explains, "Cities have a cost of car ownership, which is a challenge. All these vehicles cost the city in services, in having to repair roads and other things. "Cars also take up a lot of space. Golden points out that having so many parking spaces is wasteful. Much of the time the parking spaces sit empty. What is the solution?"I think cities will make new laws to limit the number of cars people can have ," says Golden. "Instead, people will use taxis, subways, and buses. New technology, like smartphones, can make these forms of public transportation even better. Imagine if everyone had a smartphone and used them to signal when they wanted to ride the bus. Buses could change their route to meet people's requests." How soon would these changes come? Golden admits that it will take several years. Cities can be slow to change. Also, new systems of transportation can be expensive. "But it's coming," he says. "The trend of the empowered city will be here soon. " The other trend that excites Golden is electric cars. Golden especially believes in the future of electric cars that have sensors to understand the world around them. "If we have cars that can communicate with one another, they can adjust speeds to cut down on traffic jams,"he says. Rush hour in big cities would be much less painful. One challenge is that it is hard to cheaply produce batteries that are strong enough for these cars. But Golden argues we could, also make cars out of strong plastic composites . The cars would then be much lighter and much cheaper to make. Golden remains positive about the future. "There are so many exciting developments ,"he says. "In thirty years we will live a different world. " What is Golden's attitude to the future of transportation? A. Uncertain. B. Worried. C. Hopeful. D. Careful. Answer: C Laura was married for 6 months. Her husband was using drugs. She didn't want her son or her unborn baby to live that way, but she was afraid to ask her husband to leave. She left him a note instead. After reading the note, Laura's husband waited for her to come home and then beat her and her son. He smashed(......)dishes, pictures and toys and left the house in a terrible mess . He said it was all her fault. After Laura cleaned up the mess she went to the hospital. She was badly hurt all over her body, but the baby was fine. Laura had little education and she never had a good paying job. She was ashamed to ask for help from the police, courts or women's shelters. Laura wanted her marriage and family to work. Sometimes her husband was very nice to her. She decided to try harder se her children could have a home and a father. Laura joined a church and told a priest about her problem. But her husband kept using drugs and hurting the family. Finally, she told her husband she loved him, but they should live apart for a while. He beat her again. The priest had called and could tell Laura was in trouble. He came over to talk to her, He asked the husband to go out for a while. Laura packed up her kids and left. Her husband went to jail. Laura got a lot of help from groups that help women who have been beaten. Now she is in college, has her own apartment and works on special projects at a women's shelter. "We got out , and it changed the life for me and my children. You can do it. You can break the cycle." Laura said. Why did Laura not leave her husband in the beginning? A. Because she loved him very much. B. Because he could make her live a rich life. C. Because he was her son's father. D. Because she hoped to keep the family. Answer: D You're walking down the street, minding your own business, when you see a snowball. No big deal, right? Except that the snowball is as tall as you are and weighs about a ton. Did we mention that it's June? That's the experience thousands of Londoners had when they crossed paths with "Snowballs in Summer", the brainchild of artist Andy Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy makes sculpture from all sorts of things he finds outside-leaves, earth, and rocks, as well as ice and snow. He wanted to find out how busy city people would react to an unexpected snowball melting in their midst. During the winter of 2005, he rolled 13 giant snowballs near his home in prefix = st1 /Scotland. He filled each one with a surprise in the center-such as pebbles, berries, feathers, or sheep's wool which would emerge as the snow melted. The finished snowballs were stored in a deep freeze until summer, then transported toLondonin refrigerated trucks. At midnight on June 21, 2006, while the city slept, Goldsworthy and his co-conspirators rolled their snowballs into place. People walking to work or school must have thought the sky was falling when they stumbled across snowballs of the size of baby elephants. Some of them had never even seen snow in real life, and they couldn't resist poking the snowballs or even breaking off a chunk . As the snow started to melt, things got even more interesting. The perfectly round snowballs took on different shapes as the stuff inside began to poke through. Two days later, most of Goldsworthy's snowballs were gone, and their fillings scattered. But Londoners were left with a really good story about that odd summer day when the snowballs came. What is really special about the snowballs is that_. A. they lie in the street B. they are in the shape of baby elephants C. they have pebbles, berries, feathers in them D. they appear in June Answer: D
Diamonds may be forever. But what's a girl to do when she gets dumped or divorced and those rings, necklace and love gifts lose their emotional sense? Help is just a click away on new Web sites that provide an outlet for selling jewelry from past relationships, sharing break-up stories and helping broken hearts heal . "You go through a divorce. What do you do with that ring? Maybe you have a child you can pass it on to. Maybe you don't. It just sits there, " said Megahn Perry, who with her stepmother Marie Perry runswww.exboyfriendjewelry.com. Three months after its start with the slogan "You Don't Want It. He Can't Have It Back," the web site has 3,000 registered users and more than 600 postings of rings, bracelets and earrings for sale--all with a personal tale attached. As one woman posting a diamond ring for $3,500 wrote: "Beautiful ring came with a wrong man. Decided to sell to regain the money that I spent finishing payments on the ring that my ex didn't." The idea was born when Megahn Perry, a Los Angeles actress and writer, was looking for a safe place to sell a wedding set after a divorce and realized others might have former boyfriends' jewelry with memories that make them too painful to wear. The local pawn shop proved an unattractive choice. So she teamed up with her stepmother Marie, researched the market and found a _ in it. How many people have registered on this website within three months? Answer: About 3,000. Millions of Americans return from long-distance trips by air, but their luggage doesn't always come home with them. Airline identification tags can come loose, and the bags go who-knows-where. And passengers leave all kinds of things on planes. The airlines collect the items and, for 90 days, attempt to find their owners. They don't keep them, since they're not in the warehouse business. And by law, they cannot sell the bags, because the airlines might be tempted to deliberately misplace luggage. So once insurance companies have paid for lost bags and their contents, and they no longer belong to passengers, a unique store in the little town of Scottsboro, Alabama, buys them. The "Unclaimed Baggage Center," is so popular that the building, which is set up like a department store, is the number-one tourist attraction in all of Alabama. More than one million visitors stop in each year and take one of the store's shopping carts on a hunt for treasures. Each day, clerks bring out 7,000 new items, and veteran shoppers rush to paw over them. You can find everything from precious jewels to hockey sticks, best-selling novels, leather jackets, tape recorders, surfboards, even half -used tubes of toothpaste. The store's own laundry washes or cleans all the clothes found in luggage, then sells them. The Unclaimed Baggage Center has found guns, illegal drugs and even a live rattlesnake. The store has a little museum where some of its most unusual acquisitions have been preserved. They include highland bagpipes, a burial mask from an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb, and a medieval suit of armor. Statistics indicate that less than one-half of one percent of luggage checked on U.S. carriers is permanently lost and available to the store. The reason why the airlines cannot sell the bags is that _ . Answer: they are likely to make a profit on the bags on purpose Getting a new PC is one thing, Keeping it running smoothly is quite another. While a personal computer should continue to perform well for years, users know that system unsteadiness does exist Yet you can reduce it to the smallest amount by following the tips below . First, put in as little software as possible. You'11 have fewer software -related problems and a system that is easier to manage. Second, you should ensure that you have as much memory (RAM) in your PC as you need If you run Windows 98,your computer should have as least 128 megabytes (MB)of RAM and more You can also get by with 128 MB of RAM if you use Windows NT or Windows2000,but these operating systems will run much more smoothly if you have 256 MB of RAM or more. Third, make sure you buy good hardware. Noname products may be cheaper and sometimes just as good as named-brand products, but name-brand products usually became well-known because of famous companies because Windows will more often support the hardware that you buy ,If you are starting out with to have been tested thoroughly with your operating system, and you will generally experience fewer problems. Fourth, do prepare for disaster .No matter how well your system runs when you get it ,the day will come when it will need to be replaced .Hopefully, you will replace it because technology has become outdated, but you may need to replace it also because the hard drive crashes or you begin experiencing problems that no one can figure out .That's why it 's important to you're your important to copy your important information regularly. Whether you use a tape backup device or a CD-RW drive, it's important to make a regular backup plan and stick to it . How many pieces of advice on buying good hard-ware does the writer give us ? Answer: Three Dear Sir, I have to travel every day from Souk Road to the airport. Two buses travel along their route : the number 49 and number 16. But by the time the number 16 bus reaches Souk Road it is always full, so I can't get on it. I have to wait for the number 49, because sometimes there are empty seats on it. The timetable says that there are buses from Souk Road to the airport every ten minutes. If this is so, why do I have to wait half an hour for a bus nearly every day? The regulations say that if there are empty seats on a bus, the bus must stop at every stop where people are waiting. Why do the half-empty buses go straight past me when I am standing at the bus stop? The regulations say that no bus may carry more than 40 seated passengers and 20 standing passengers. Yesterday I was the first to get off the bus when it reached the airport. I counted the other passengers as they got off. There were 129 of them. It is clear that our bus companies break the regulations and think little of their passengers. Can nothing be done to make your service better? Yours Tired passenger How long does the writer usually have to wait for a bus? Answer: Half an hour. Nancy is an English school girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little brother. His name is John. John is only four. Nancy likes him very much. Today is Sunday. Nancy wants to do her homework. She takes out her pencil-box and opens it. "Oh, dear! Where's my pen?" She can't find her pen. She goes to ask her brother in his bedroom. "John! I can't find my pen. Can you see it? Oh, what are you doing with my pen? " "I'm writing to my friend, Peter." John answers. "But how can you? You don't know how to write! " "It doesn't matter. Peter can't read. " John says. ,. How old is Nancy's brother? Answer: Four.
A scientist working at her lab bench and a six-old baby playing with his food might seem to have little in common.After all,the scientist is engaged in serious research to uncover the very nature of the physical world,and the baby is,well, just playing...right?Perhaps,but some developmental psychologists have argued that this"play"is more like a scientific investigation than one might think. Take a closer look at the baby playing at the table.Each time the bowl of rice is pushed over the table edge,it falls in the ground---and, in the process, it belongs out important evidence about how physical objects interact ; bowls of rice do not flood in mid-sit, but require support to remain stable. It is likely that babies are not born knowing the basic fact of the universe; nor are they ever clearly taught it. Instead, babies may form an understanding of object support through repeated experiments and then build on this knowledge to learn even more about how objects interact. Though their ranges and tools differ, the baby's investigation and the scientist's experiment appear to share the same aim(to learn about the natural world ), overall approach (gathering direct evidence from the world), and logic (are my observations what I expected?). Some psychologists suggest that young children learn about more than just the physical world in this way---that they investigate human psychology and the rules of language using similar means. For example, it may only be through repeated experiments, evidence gathering, and finally overturning a theory, that a baby will come to accept the idea that other people can have different views and desires from what he or she has, for example, unlike the child , Mommy actually doesn't like Dove chocolate. Viewing childhood development as a scientific investigation throws on how children learn ,but it also offers an inspiring look at science and scientists. Why do young children and scientists seem to be so much alike? Psychologists have suggested that science as an effort ---the desire to explore, explain, and understand our world---is simply something that comes from our babyhood. Perhaps evolution provided human babies with curiosity and a natural drive to explain their worlds, and adult scientists simply make use of the same drive that served them as children. The same cognitive systems that make young children feel good about feel good about figuring something out may have been adopted by adult scientists. As some psychologists put it, "It is not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children." According to some developmental psychologists, A. a baby's play is nothing more than a game. B. scientific research into babies; games is possible C. the nature of babies' play has been thoroughly investigated D. a baby's play is somehow similar to a scientist's experiment Answer: D How do coal and the sun compare as sources of energy? A. Coal is renewable, and the sun is renewable. B. Coal is renewable, and the sun is nonrenewable. C. Coal is nonrenewable, and the sun is renewable. D. Coal is nonrenewable, and the sun is nonrenewable. Answer: C Imagine a huge rabies epidemic, where all the cats in the world died, which species would over run the earth? A. Rodents B. Pachyderms C. Butterflys D. Homo sapiens Answer: A iD Tech camps Camp Address: 910 E Hamilton Ave. Suite 300 Campbell, California 95008,USA Phone: (888) 709-8324 This summer, encourage the excellent in your child! At iD Tech Camps>> students age 7-17 can learn to code, design video games, engineer robots, model 3D characters, build websites, and Print 3D Capers meet new friends, learn STEM skills, and gain self-confidence. Alexa Cafestem Camp Camp Address:California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois Phone: (212) 796-8350 This summer, encourage the excellent in your daughter. At Alexa Cafe, girls ages 10-15 d,discover technology in a unique environment that celebrates creativity, and puiamhropy . Girls learn engineering principles, code games, design websites' model and print 3D objects. A Water Planet Dolphine Therapy Camp Camp Address: 203 Greenwood Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407, USA Phone: (850) 230-6030 1-week camp in Panama City Florida where children with Special Needs swim with dolphins. Water Planets dolphin therapy programs use the emotional impact of a dolphins meeting in his own environment combined with expressive art, massage, and music as a beneficial experience. iD Tech Mini Camp Address: a lot of places>> California and more, USA Phone:(323) 287-5580 This summer, encourage the awesome in your child! We've full every half-day camp session with tons of tech awesomeness. Kids ages 6-9 can discover programming, game design, or robotics. And with an emphasis on creativity and exploration, every camper becomes a maker of fun. What number had you better dial to make your kid's more confident? A. (888) 709-8324. B. (212) 796-8350. C. (850) 230-6030. D. (323) 287-5580. Answer: A A city without cars would be very strange, right? But Venice is such a city. Venice is in the northeast of Italy. It wasn't built on land, like Beijing or Shanghai, but on more than 110 islands. Seawater is everywhere around the city. Even so, travel isn't difficult. The waterways have always been the best ways to get around. There are 117 waterways and more than 400 bridges that can guide you where you want to go.People in Venice move from place to place by boat. They like to enjoy the scenery and cool summer nights while taking boat trips. They can talk to other people as they go along. Venice grew out of small islands in saltwater lakes when some Italians escaped from a war more than 1,500 years ago, and built homes there. Water makes the city special, but it is also a big problem. Once, people used too much underground water. This made the city get lower little by little. Now the city has gone down by 23 centimeters. Another problem is the rising seawater. The temperature has risen over the years. This has made the ice of the Arctic Ocean melt . Every year, high waters hit the city in autumn and winter. When a lot of water comes, more than half of the city is underwater. Scientists are trying different ways to stop the city from getting even lower. ,. The passage is mainly about _ . A. the waterways of Venice B. the history of Venice C. the scenery of Venice D. the problem of Venice Answer: D
(2013*,B)On a sunny day last August,Tim heard some shouting.Looking out to the sea carefully,he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea. Two 12yearold boys,Christian and Jack,rowed out a boat to search for a football.Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters,a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water.The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore.But they were no match for _ and the boat was out of control. Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves. "Everything went quiet in my head,"Tim recalls ."I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line." Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water.Every 500 yards or so,he raised his head to judge his progress."At one point,I considered turning back," he says."I wondered if I was putting my life at risk."After 30 minutes of struggling,he was close enough to yell to the boys,"Take down the umbrella!" Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella.Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat.He took over rowing,but the waves were almost too strong for him. "Let's aim for the pier ,"Jack said.Tim turned the boat toward it.Soon afterward,waves crashed over the boat,and it began to sink."Can you guys swim?"he cried."A little bit,"the boys said. Once they were in the water,Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier.Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs.Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys'faces. "Are we almost there?"they asked again and again."Yes,"Tim told them each time. After 30 minutes,they reached the pier. Why did the two boys go to the sea? Answer: Do you sometimes put off doing your homework on a school night to watch TV?A new study says that middle school students who watch TV or play video games during the week do worse in school. The study also says that watching TV and playing video games on weekends don't affect school performance that much. "They could watch a lot on weekends and it didn't seem to connect with doing worse in school,"said Dr. Iman Sharif of Children's Hospital at Montefiore inprefix = st1 /New York. The study appears in the October issue of Pediatrics. Researchers drew their conclusions after surveying 4,500 students in New Hampshire and Vermont middle schools. To reach their findings,researchers didn't look at grades or test scores. Instead,they asked students to rate their own performance on a scale ranging from "excellent'' to "below". Other studies have found a connection between kids' ability to learn and the amount of TV they watch. One study even found that kids with televisions in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than kids without them. What should fl kid do?The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids watch TV no more than two hours and that televisions be kept out of children's rooms. Weekend viewing should be kept to four hours at most each day. What could be the best title for the passage? Answer: If, at the end of a conversation somebody says to me, "as soon as I know, I'll ring you up", he is talking too much for granted. He is proposing to attempt the impossible. So I have to say, "I'm afraid you can't. You see. I'm not on the telephone. I just haven't got a telephone." Why don't you have a telephone? Not because I pretend to be wise or pose as unusual. There are two chief reasons: because I don't really like the telephone and because I find I can still work and play, eat, breathe and sleep without it. Why don't I like the telephone? Because I think it is a pest and a time-waster. It may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait for an expected call that doesn't come; or irritating delay, as when you keep ringing a number that is always engaged. As for speaking in a public telephone box, which seems to me really horrible. You would not use it unless you were in a hurry, and because you are in a hurry you will find other people waiting before you. When you do get into the box, you are half asphyxiated by stale, unventilated air, flavored with cheap face-powder and chain-smoking; and by the time you have begun your conversation your back is chilled by the cold look of somebody who is fidgeting to take your place. If you have a telephone in your own house, you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring; when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath. Are you strong-minded enough to ignore it, to say to yourself, "Ah, well, it will all be the same in a hundred years' time. You are not. You think there may be some important news or message for you. Have you never rushed dripping from the bath, or chewing from the table, or dazed from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number? Suppose you ignore the telephone when it rings, and suppose that, for once, somebody has an important message for you. I can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later. Think of the proverb: "ill news travels apace." I must say good news seems to travel just as fast. And think of the saying: "the truth will out." It will. The write does not like telephone in a public telephone box, because _ . Answer: It was a long process that involved creating a resume, submitting an online application and attending a round of interviews. Naturally Tan Kaiyin, a 21-year-old student is excited when she was selected, as more than 660, 000 people signed up to volunteer at the 16thAsian Games in Guangzhou, but only less than 10 percent were finally chosen to work in the venues and wear the white and green sport uniforms. Like in any major sporting event, volunteers play a vital role in assisting with operations and Tan's function here is not any different. She is based at the Garden Hotel and is tasked with helping guests and officials who have issues with their accreditation cards . "I deal with guests from all over the world, I have never met so many international people and it is very, very exciting to have this opportunity to interact with them. They come to the office because they need to make a change in their accreditation card and usually they are in a hurry, so we try our best to get it done quickly." She admits the first few days involved extremely long hours, however she likes the challenge as it gives her an immense sense of satisfaction especially when an irate guest turns a frown into a smile and says "thank you". Tan deals with people from different cultures and personalities and feels she has learned so much in the past week, an experience that she would have never gotten if not for the Guangzhou Asian Games, therefore she is very happy and grateful for being a part of this. She also has kind words for her managers and fellow colleagues and says the hard work and positive atmosphere has bonded them into a family. She enjoys her responsibilities so much that she is afraid of feeling lost when the Games finally end on Nov. 27. However, she is aware of all the positive effects the Games have had on Guangzhou. From improvements to air and water quality to better transportation and infrastructure in the city, but most importantly to her is the fact that the Asian Games has placed Guangzhou prominently onto the world map. This, she believes, will encourage people from all over the world to continue visiting her city, and this in turn will give the residents of Guangzhou a fantastic opportunity to continue learning about different cultures. The official Asian Games Volunteer Slogan is, "Together, we can make it better!" Indeed it seems they can. Which word is not suitable to describe Tan? Answer: What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any especially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs. Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job. Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may _ when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work. What is the passage mainly about? Answer:
"If music is the medicine of the soul , let it play on," said a famous person. I think he said so because probably he got some help from music. Music has some strange abilities. Medical scientists have found that a person that feels stressed can actually listen to some kind of music and become well. The researchers said that since stress comes as a result of life events such as starting a new family, starting a new business, and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches the human mind in a positive way. Music helps you to forget the life events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life. Depression is a disease cause by stress, smoking, social problems and so on. Depression is also caused by problems such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headache, and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or good days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feeling make you healthy. Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is a side effect of some major health problems such as cancer of the liver and cancer of the breast. Good music makes you feel relaxed and removes the pains from these diseases and you feel all right. Good music can send you to sleep. And you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A The health benefits of listening to music B Stress can bring us many kinds of diseases C Some diseases have something to do with music D Tips for us to live a healthy and comfortable life Answer: A. The health benefits of listening to music When Russell Lyons volunteered for the first time, he read Goodnight Moon to a class of San Diego preschoolers. And it wasn't reading-he'd memorized the book and was reciting it out loud. He was 4. Still, he said it felt good up there, in front of the other kids, lending a hand. He wanted more of that feeling. Thirteen years later, he's getting a lot of it. He's on a five-month road trip across America-not sightseeing, but volunteering. The University City resident has spent time at an animal reserve in Utah, a women's shelter in St. Louis, a soup kitchen in New York, a retirement home in Tucson. This week he's in Los Angeles, at a program that supports disabled youth. "I just like helping people and feeling that something I do is making a difference," he said. He resists the idea that his "Do Good Adventure" is all that unusual. It bothers him that the media often describes young people as lazy, self-centered and materialistic. So he sees his trip as a chance to make a statement, too. "About 55 percent of teens do volunteer work, higher than the rate of adults," he said, according to a 2002 study. "Not everybody knows that." Of course, some teens do volunteer work because it looks impressive on their college applications. Lyons said he mentioned his trip on his submissions. But charity work is a habit with him. Even before the cross country trip, he was volunteering abut 200 hours a year at various places. He's made sandwiches for homeless families in Washington D.C.. He's taught math to fifth-graders in Cuernavaca, Mexico. He gets some of that drive from his mother, Leslye Lyons, who has been involved in nonprofits for much of her life. She was there when her son "read" to the preschoolers-a memory of hers "that will never go away." What did Russell Lyons think of his first volunteering? A Creative. B Impressive. C Persuasive. D Imaginative. Answer: B. Impressive. BEIJING, July 21-More and more parents in Shanghai have found that their children are forgetting how to use Shanghai dialect to express themselves, according to a report in the city's Jiefang Daily on July 11, and some have begun forcing them to speak it at home. Language experts say that the promotion of Putonghua, and the large number of non-Shanghainese setting down in the city have meant that the local dialect has lost its previous high social status, according to the report. They have urged that the dialect be protected alongside Putonghua (also known as Mandarin), the nation's common tongue that has been systematically promoted since new China was founded in 1949. In their opinion, dialects carry and preserve local culture . They say that a dialect is not only a linguistic tool. But is also like a person's "birthmark" and part of their local identity and feeling of belonging. They recommended that TV and radio stations set up channels and programs using dialects , and that schools offer selective courses in which the dialects are taught. The experts also suggested that dialect be protected while maintaining high standards of Putonghua and a multicultural environment in the city. What is the opinion of the language experts ? A Putonghua should be taken place by local dialects. B Shanghai dialect should be spoken by all the Chinese. C People can only use local dialects in some selective courses in school. D Dialects should be protected while Putonghua is widely used. Answer: D. Dialects should be protected while Putonghua is widely used. One spring,when 1 was 1 0,during one of my father's layoffs,I could tell my mother was unhappy.I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother's Day gift. One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins,which,I learned years later,was known for its high-end fashions and style.I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins,telling her I was looking for a Mother's Day present. "Do you think she'd like a purse ?"she asked."I think she might."I told her. She took out an Italian purse made of leather.She asked me what I thought,and I told her that my mom would like it. "How much money do you have?''she asked. "Twelve dollars,"I said. "You're in luck,"she told me."It's only $11.You have a dollar left over for the card." She wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business,and I rode off home with the package under my arm. When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning,she asked in an accusing tone,"Where did you get this?" "I bought it at the Agins.It cost me$1 1.''I said. My mother was shocked into silence. It wasn't until many years 1ater,when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars,that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me.I always felt regretful that I never had a chance to properly thank her. ''You know,my son,what really amazes me to this day,"my mother said.''Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough.But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that 9 11 never forget." The author's mother was shocked into silence because _ A the Agins charged so little money for the purse B the author bought a card to go with the purse C she wasn't expecting a gift from her son D the purse was bought from the Agins Answer: A. the Agins charged so little money for the purse Animals use resources in the environment to survive. Which of the following resources does an animal use for energy? A air B food C shelter D water Answer: B. food
Do you want to help others--but don't know where to start? Do you feel that the challenges facing us are too big for one person? One advantage of supporting the American Red Cross is that each of our individual contributions is magnified when we all join together.Another advantage is that it's easy to start helping.You can start this every minute,by using your mobile to send a text message to make a $10 donation to one of our ongoing campaigns. Donate to Help Victims of Natural Disasters Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, which helps people affected by disasters such as floods,earthquakes.wildfires and hurricanes. Please consider making a donation today to help the thousands of people who have been affected by these disasters. Donate to Help Reduce Deaths from Measles Text PREVENT to 90999 to give $ 10 to the Red Cross and help us vaccinate children against measles. Started in 2001.the Measles & Rubella Initiative--led by the American Red Cross, provides technical and financial support to governments and communities for mass vaccination campaigns around the world.The Initiative has supported the vaccination of more than 1 billion children helping to reduce measles deaths by 78%globally(compared to 2000). Please consider making a donation today to help us continue _ .To learn more,visit www.Measlesrubellainitiative.org. Important Information for Text Donors You can make a $ 10 donation to the American Red Cross.Charges will appear on your wireless bill.All purchases must be authorized by account holder.You must be over 18 years old or have parental permission to participate.Text STOP to 90999 to STOP.Text HELP to 90999 for HELP. We should text _ to 90999 if we want to help victims of natural disasters. REDCROSS Some weightloss camps, which are rare in China just a few years ago,have multiplied in Beijing, Qingdao, Shenzhen,and other cities. Today about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, are reportedly overweight.Of these, 90 million--about 7 percent--are obese . Experts say the obesity epidemic is spreading to children, though more slowly than in adults. The obesity, they say, will do harm to the health of China' s citizens and economy."We're seeing a very large number of teenagers who are quite heavy and aren't moving much," said Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor. Popkin carries out an ongoing healthandnutrition survey of 16,000 households in China. He says more kids today are overeating and putting on weight "quite quickly." In just ten years China's childhood obesity rate has doubled,with the greatest gains coming in urban areas."In big cities it's a big problem." Some experts blame the extra fat on a range of factors, many of them tied to China' s rapidly changing economy and culture. The diets of Chinese adults and children are far higher in meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars than ever before. In addition,kids--especially city dwellers--are more today and spend more time indoors in front of homework, television,computer games, and the Internet. Shuwen Ng,a health economist, says that kids in China now have pocket money, and they spend a portion of it on junk food. Ng adds that advertising and peer groups influence kids' food choices. Certain foods, such as new candies or fast food, have attractive features. China' s childhood obesity rate stillfall behind that of the United States, where some 15 percent of kids are said to be obese. But the longterm effects are equally serious. According to the passage we can infer _ . junk food leads to childhood obesity Self-esteem is all about how much we feel valued,accepted and thought well of by others---and how much we value,love and accept ourselves.Poeple with healthy self-esteem are able to feel good about themselves,appreciate their own worth,and take pride in their abilities,skills,and accomplishments with others,feel happier,find it easier to deal with low self-esteem may feel as if no one will like them or accept them or that they can't do well in anything. Here are some steps that may help improve your self-esteem: Try to stop Try to thinking about negative thoughts about yourself.If you're used to focusing on your shortcomings,start thinking about positive aspects of yourself that outwheigh _ .Each day,write down three things about yourself that make you happy.it is good to aim high,but your goals should be within reach.That's why you should set pratical goals and never expect the impossible.Mistakes are part of learning,so view mistakes as learning opportunities.Accept that you will make mistakes because everyone does.Also, you should recognize what you can change and what you can't.if you realize that you're unhappy with something about yourself that you can change, then start today.If it's something you can't change(like your height),then start to work toward loving yourself the way you are.Feeling like you're making a difffference and that your help is valued can do wonders to improve self-esteem.So don't hesitate to make a contribution.Help a classmate who's having trouble,help clean up your campus,or volunteer your time in some other way. Self-esteem plays a role in almost everything you do.It's never to be late to build healthy positive self-esteem.It takes some work,but healthy self-esteem is an asset you'll have for life. What does the author mainly want to tell us in this passage? How people can improve their self-esteem. "When an American asks me this question, it's like a wall of ice crashing down between us." my Moscow-born friend Galina said. The question is "How are you?". The answer Americans give, of course is, "Fine." But when Russians hear this they think one of two things: you are experiencing a rare moment of fineness or you are lying. Ask a Russian, "How are you?" and you will hear, for better or worse, the truth. I have experienced many painful minutes of silence after my grandmother made her stock response: "Terrible," to which she might add, "Why? Because being old is terrible and I am very old." "'Fine' makes Russians think that Americans have no soul," I explained recently to an American-born friend. "That they just want to go home, eat a frozen dinner in front of the TV, and wait out the hours before going to work to make money again." He laughed, "You know, there's something to that." The thing most Russians don't realize is that, in English, "How are you?" isn't a question at all, but a form of "hi", like the Russian "privyet!" Psychologists at the University of Michigan have shown that, while Russians are, indeed, easier to be depressed than Americans, their open acceptance of bad experiences might be healthier. Recently, when I looked through a few American guides on traveling to Russia, I was disappointed to find that they all suggested that tourists adopt the American approach to "How are you". If an American answers "fine" to the question "how are you", the Russian will think _ . he is not honest Let's Learn More about Each Other Are the lives of city kids the same as those in villages? In many ways, they are very different. But what are the differences? Hu Peng of Wuhan and four friends decided to find them out. Earlier this month, they lived for a week in Caidian, a village near Wuhan. Hu and his friends went door to door in Caidian and asked the kids there lots of questions. They wanted to learn more about village kids' everyday lives, so they asked these questions like --Do your parents teach you how to do housework? How much money do you usually spend on dinner? What would you do if a thief came into your house? They also asked 150 city kids the same questions.What's the Difference? Last week the team gave a report to their class. There are lots of differences between children's lives in cities and those in villages. The biggest difference is independence. Hu's team said that 60 percent of city kids couldn't do much housework, but 90 percent of village kids could care for themselves. City kids told Hu they cared about school a lot, and they had no time for washing clothes or making their beds. Village kids said they helped their parents with housework a lot. They cooked, did some cleaning and fed animals. Hu's team also found that village kids had less pocket money . Many never used computers. They played in rivers or on mountains. Some didn't really like to make new friends. Hu and his friends said their trip gave them more self-confidence because they were doing something by themselves. But _ also made them a little worried because they saw they still had a lot to learn. "When we grow up, our parents can't take care of us," said Hu. "We have to learn to take care of ourselves." Shen Guanquan, one of Hu's friends said, "When children learn to care for themselves, they learn to do lots of things." From the article, the biggest difference is _ between city kids and village kids. independence
Almost everyone likes dogs, and almost everyone likes reading stories about dogs. I have a friend. The friend has a large police dog. Its name is Jack. Police dogs are often very clever. Every Sunday afternoon my friend takes Jack for a long walk in the park. Jack likes these long walks very much. One Sunday afternoon a young man came to visit my friend. He stayed a long time. He talked and talked. Soon it was time for my friend to take Jack for his walk. But the visitor still stayed. Jack became very worried. He walked around the room several times and then sat down in front of the visitor and looked at him. But the visitor paid no attention. He continued talking. Finally Jack couldn't stand it. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down again in front of the visitor but this time he held the visitor's hat in his mouth and ran out of the room. Which one is right according to the passage? A. Everyone must like dogs. B. My friend" name is JACK C. The visitor paid no attention to my friend's behavior. D. JACK is clever.. Answer: D If you don't have a college degree, you're at greater risk of developing memory problems or even Alzheimer's . Education plays a key role in lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder, and it's well documented that those with a college degree possess a cognitive advantage over those less educated in middle and old age. Now, a large national study from Brandeis University published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry shows that those with less schooling can significantly make up for poorer education by frequently engaging in mental exercises such as word games, puzzles, reading, and lectures. "The lifelong benefits of higher education for memory in later life are quite impressive, but we do not clearly understand how and why these effects last so long," said lead author Margie Lachman, a psychologist. She suggested that higher education may encourage lifelong interest in cognitive efforts, while those with less education may not engage as frequently in mental exercises that help keep the memory agile . But education early in adulthood does not appear to be the only route to maintain your memory. The study found that intellectual activities undertaken regularly made a difference. "Among individuals with low education, those who are engaged in reading, writing, attending lectures, doing word games or puzzles once a week or more had memory scores similar to people with more education," said Lachman. The study, called Midlife in the United States, assessed 3,343 men and women between the ages of 32 and 84 with an average age of 56 years. Almost 40 percent of the participants had at least a 4-year college degree. The researchers evaluated how the participants performed in two cognitive areas, verbal memory and executive function --- brain processes involved in planning, abstract thinking and cognitive flexibility. Participants were given a series of tests, including tests of verbal fluency, word recall, and backward counting. As expected, those with higher education said they engaged in cognitive activities more often and also did better on the memory tests, but some with lower education also did well, explained Lachman. "The findings are promising because they suggest there may be ways to level the playing field for those with lower educational achievement, and protect those at greatest risk for memory declines," said Lachman. "Although we can not rule out the possibility that those who have better memories are the ones who take on more activities, the evidence is consistent with cognitive plasticity , and suggests some degree of personal control over cognitive functioning in adulthood by adopting an intellectually active lifestyle." What do we know about the study called Midlife? A. Participants each were given a battery to test their memory. B. The average age of the participants are 56 years old. C. Participants had to perform in one of the two cognitive areas. D. One in four of the participants had a 4-year college degree. Answer: B Electronic books have changed the way many people read for pleasure. Now online textbooks are changing the way some students learn and some teachers teach. More than one hundred seventy-five thousand students attend the public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington. Last year, the school system used digital books in fifteen schools. This school year, middle schools and high schools changed from printed to electronic textbooks in their social studies classes. Luke Rosa is a history teacher at Falls Church High School. His students work on laptop computers at school. He explains the idea to them this way. "I mean, it's just like a regular textbook, except it's got it all online." Peter Noonan, an assistant superintendent of schools, said, "The world's changing. And the online textbooks can change right along with the events that are happening." Digital books also cost less than printed textbooks, he said. A student named Melanie Reuter said, "I don't have to carry a textbook around, so that's nice." But another student said, "I don't like it because the Internet sometimes doesn't work." Students also need access to the Internet when they are not at school. About ten percent of students in Fairfax Country do not have a computer or online access at home. Public libraries in the country have free Internet. There are also after-school computer labs as well as computer clubhouse supported by the country. Middle school student Slieman Hakim is happy about that. He said, "My family only has one computer; my sister and I both do our homework on it. So I come here to do my homework. It's good." Other school systems in the area are also considering online textbooks. According to the passage, one of the disadvantages of digital textbooks is that _ . A. they are more expensive B. they can't be used if the computer is offline C. they're soon out of date D. reading online does harm to the students' eyes Answer: B I was puzzled! Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse which was of no use to anybody? She had written letters to the local paper, even to a national, protesting about a projected by-pass to her village, and, looking at a map, the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn't as if the area was attractive. I was more than puzzled, I was curious. The enquiry into the route of the new by-pass to the village was due to take place shortly, and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her. So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door, being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods. "I've always loved this place," she said, "it has a lot of memories for me, and for others. We all used it. They called it 'Lovers lane'. It's not much of a lane, and it doesn't go anywhere important, but that's why we all came here. To be away from people, to be by ourselves. " she added. It was indeed pleasant that day and the songs of many birds could be heard. Squirrels watched from the branches, quite bold in their movements, obviously few people passed this way and they had nothing to fear. I could imagine the noise of vehicles passing through these peaceful woods when the by-pass was built, so _ but as I hold strong opinions about the needs of the community over-riding the opinions of private individuals, I said nothing. The village was quite a dangerous place because of the traffic especially for old people and children, their safety was more important to me than an old woman's strange ideas. "Take this tree," she said pausing after a short while. "To you it is just that, a tree. Not unlike many others here." She gently touched the bark, "Look here, under this branch, what can you see?" "It looks as if someone has done a bit of carving with a knife." I said after a cursory inspection. "Yes, that's what it is!" she said softly. She went on, "He had a penknife with a spike for getting stones from a horse's hoof, and I helped him to carve them. We were very much in love, but he was going away, and could not tell me what he was involved in the army. I had guessed of course. It was the last evening we ever spent together, because he went away the next day, back to his Unit." Mary Smith was quiet for a while, then she sobbed. "His mother showed me the telegram. 'Sergeant R Holmes ...Killed in action in the invasion of France.'..." "I had hoped that you and Robin would one day get married." she said, "He was my only child, and I would have loved to be a Granny, they would have been such lovely babies'- she was like that! " "Two years later she too was dead. 'Pneumonia , following a chill on the chest' was what the doctor said, but I think it was an old fashioned broken heart. A child would have helped both of us." There was a further pause. Mary Smith gently caressed the wounded tree, just as she would have caressed him. "And now they want to take our tree away from me." Another quiet sob, then she turned to me. "I was young and pretty then, I could have had anybody, I wasn't always the old woman you see here now. I had everything I wanted in life, a lovely man, health and a future to look forward to." She paused again and looked around. The breeze gently moved through the leaves with a sighing sound. "There were others, of course, but no one can match my Robin!" she said strongly. "And now I have nothing - except the memories this tree holds. If only I could get my hands on that awful man who writes in the paper about the value of the road they are going to build where we are standing now, I would tell him. Has he never loved, has he never lived, does he not know anything about memories? We were not the only ones, you know, I still meet some who came here as Robin and I did. Yes, I would tell him!" I turned away, sick at heart. Which of the following words can best describe Mary Smith? A. Selfish. B. Faithful. C. Changeable. D. Stubborn. Answer: B Traditional fairytales are being abandoned by parents because they are too horrible for their young children, a study found. Research revealed one in five parents dislike old classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Rapunzel and are in favor of more modern books. One third of parents said their children have been left in tears after hearing the horrible details of Little Red Riding Hood. And nearly half of mothers and fathers refuse to read Rumplestiltskin to their kids as the themes of the story are about kidnapping and crimes. Similarly, Goldilocks and the Three Bears was also a tale likely to be left on the book shelf as parents felt it forgives stealing. The survey of 2,000 adults was conducted to mark the launch of the hit US drama GRIMM, which starts tonight at 9pm on Watch, and sees six episodes based on traditional fairytales. The survey found a quarter of parents questioned wouldn't consider reading a fairytale to their child until they had reached the age of five, as they prompt too many awkward questions from their children. Steve Hornsey, General Manager of Watch, said: "Bedtime stories are supposed to calm down children and send them off to sleep soundly. But as we see in GRIMM, fairytales can be dark and dramatic tales so it's understandable that parents worry about reading them to young children." "As adults we can see the innocence in fairytales, but a five-year-old child with an over active imagination could take things too seriously. Despite the dark nature of classic fairytales, as we see in GRIMM, good will triumph over evil and there is always a moral to the story." The study also found two thirds of mums and dads try to avoid stories which might give their children nightmares. However, half of parents said traditional tales are more likely to have a strong moral message than a lot of modern kids' books, such as The Gruffalo, The Hungary Caterpillar and the Mr. Men books. Which of the following may Steve Hornsey agree to? A. There is a moral to a classic fairytale. B. Fairytales are dark. C. Adults take fairytales too seriously. D. Fairytales are not good for children's sleep. Answer: A
1685 was a very good year for German composers. Within the space of a month, two of the greatest were born: Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. Handel's father was a barber and surgeon, which sounds like a strange combination today, but back then those occupations went hand in hand. Even though Handel was very interested in music, his father didn't think that was a good way to earn a living, so he wanted his son to be a lawyer. The story goes that Handel _ a quiet piano into the house so that he could practice in secret. One day, Handel went along when his father went to shave a duke. While his father was working, Handel sat down and played the duke's organ. The duke was so impressed that he convinced Handel's father to let his son study music, and Handel finally got to learn how to compose. Handel soon discovered that what he liked most was opera. In fact, he was so passionate about opera that he even fought a duel over it with one of his friends. Since Italy was the place to learn about opera composing, Handel went off to Italy to study. When he got home, he got a job as court composer for a German prince. Having landed such a wonderful job, Handel immediately asked his boss for time off. He wanted to go to England, where he'd heard that there weren't nearly enough composers to satisfy the British taste for Italian opera. After great success writing opera in London, Handel came back to Germany. Then fate played a funny trick on Handel and his boss. The Queen of England died, and it just so happened that the prince Handel worked for was next in line to the British throne. When he arrived in London as King George, followed Handel, his court composer in Germany. In addition to serving the King, Handel became one of the most successful opera composers of his time. And he also produced them and traveled all over Europe to hire the best singers. There are stories of battles with rival opera producers and of fights between rival singers. Handel apparently had quite a temper. If you ever go to London, look for Handel's grave in Westminster Abbey, where there's a wonderful monument to him. Why did Handel later settle down in Britain instead of Germany? A. Because he could find better jobs in London. B. Because he enjoyed greater fame in London. C. Because his boss became King of Britain and brought him along. D. Because London was a wonderful place to learn about opera. Answer: C Our love of music and appreciation of musical harmony is learnt and not based on natural ability, a new study by University of Melbourne researchers has found. The researchers said previous theories about how we appreciate music were based on the physical functions of sound, the ear itself and a born ability to hear harmony. The study shows that musical harmony can be learnt, and it is a matter of training the brain to hear the sounds. So if you thought that the music of some foreign culture (or Jazz) sounded like the crying of cats, it's simply because you haven't learnt to listen by their rules. The researchers used 66 volunteers with a range of musical training and tested their ability to hear combinations of notes to determine if they found the combinations familiar or pleasing. They found that people needed to be familiar with combinations of notes. If they couldn't recognize the notes, they found the notes _ . This finding put an end to centuries of theories claiming that physical functions of the ear determine what we find attractive. The study found that trained musicians were much more sensitive to unpleasant notes than non-musicians. When they couldn't find the note, the musicians reported that the sounds were unpleasant, while non-musicians were much less sensitive. This shows the importance of training or nurturing the brain to like particular sound of combinations of notes, like those found in jazz or rock. Depending on their training, a strange chord sound was pleasant to some musicians, but very unpleasant to others. This showed us that even the ability to hear a musical note is learnt. To confirm this finding, they trained 19 non-musicians to find the notes of a random selection of western chords. Not only did the participants' ability to hear notes improve rapidly; the chords they had learnt sounded more pleasant--regardless of how the chords were played. The question of why some combinations of musical notes are heard as pleasant or unpleasant has long been debated. " We have shown in this study that for music, beauty is in the brain of the beholder ," a researcher said. Although non-musicians were less sensitive to music, they can still _ . A. find the beauty of chords without training B. enjoy the beauty of music when played by musicians C. be trained to like particular music D. make friends with real musicians Answer: C A young mother thought that it was very wrong to waste any food when there were so many hungry people in the world. One evening, she was giving her small daughter her tea before putting her to bed. First she gave her a piece of bread and butter, but the child said that she did not want it like that. She asked for some jam on her bread as well. Her mother looked at her for a few seconds and then said, "When I was a small girl like you. I was always given either bread and butter, or bread and jam, but never bread with butter and jam." Lucy looked at her mother for a few moments with pity in her eyes and said to her kindly, "Aren't you pleased to live a happy life this now?" When she was young, Lucy's mother could only eat _ . A. both bread with butter and bread with jam B. either bread and butter or bread and jam C. bread and butter D. bread and jam Answer: B Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son's soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, my son's team in the lead. Parents surrounded the playground, offering encouragement. With less than ten seconds remaining, the ball suddenly rolled in front of my son's teammate, Mickey O' Donnel. With shouts of "Kick it!" echoing across the playground, Mickey turned around and gave it everything he had. All around me the crowd erupted . O'Donnel had scored! Then there was silence. Mickey had scored all right, but in the wrong goal, ending the game in a tie. For a moment there was a total _ . You see, Mickey has Down syndrome and for him there is no such thing as a wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a joyous hug from Mickey. He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they scored. The silence was finally broken when Mickey, his face filled with joy, hugged my son tightly and shouted, "I scored! I scored. Everybody won! Everybody won!" For a moment I held my breath, not sure how my son would react. I need not have worried. I watched, through tears, as my son threw up his hand in the classic high-five salute and started chanting, "Way to go Mickey! Way to go Mickey!" Within moments both teams surrounded Mickey, joining in the chant and congratulating him on his goal. Mike happily and everyone sent their wishes to him. Later that night, when my daughter asked who had won, I smiled as I replied, "It was a tie. Everybody won." After Mike scored, the author help his breath, because _ . A. Mike cheated everyone B. everyone would accept the fact C. the score was out of his expectation D. his son might get angry with Mike Answer: D One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream and listen to the singing of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their original position after the wind had died down. When I think about the bamboo trees' ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word " _ " comes to my mind. When used in reference to a person, this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other negative situation that stretches the limits of a person's emotions. Have you ever felt like you are about to lose control of your emotions? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it. During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health.You felt emotionally tired, mentally exhausted and you most likely bored unpleasant physical symptoms. Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend, but don't break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you. A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant moments. Will hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant moment may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having. If the situation gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo trees, bend, but don't break! According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A. The author was an idle child when he was living near the river. B. We should try our best not to let our bad times get the best of us. C. Our being likely to lose control of our emotions is common in our life. D. We should always believe things may not be as bad as they seem to be. Answer: A
Joe, 75, lived very happily and had a beautiful family. He had four grandchildren, and they all visited him during their holidays. But while he was working, he lost his favorite watch. Before they came to visit, Joe was preparing his home for the kids: cleaning the house and buying their favorite foods. The watch was a gift from his deceased wife when their first child was born, Joe loved the watch very much. He was very upset . When his grandchildren came, they promised him they would find the watch. One granddaughter asked: "Grandpa, do you remember when you saw the watch last before it went missing?" Joe answered: "I guess when I was cleaning the barn ! " The children looked for more than two hours but could not find it. One grandson went to search the barn again, and he asked the others not to follow him and to keep silent . He was there for about 15 minutes and then rushed to his grandfather. He found the watch! Joe was surprised and asked how he was able to find it. The little boy said: ;'I sat there without making a noise, and the barn was so silent. After a few minutes, I heard the 'tick, tick' sound and found the watch." Joe hugged him and thanked the little boy. This shows the power of silence. If we stay calm, we are better able to find a solution ! One of the grandchildren found the watch by _ . A cleaning the barn B searching the barn carefully for two hours C making no noise and following the ticking sound D asking his brothers and sisters for help Answer: C Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends.They believe that their family members, especially their parents.Don't know them as well as their friends do.In large families.it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice. It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends.Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone.This communication is very important in children's growing up, because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members. However, parents often try to choose their children's friends for them.Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of "choice" is an interesting one.Have you ever thought of the following questions? Who choose your friends? Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you? Have you got good friend your parents don't like? When teenagers stay alone,the usual way of communication is to _ , A go to their friends. B talk with their parents C have a d discussion with their family D talk with their friends on the phone Answer: D Use the information to answer the question. Over the last 150 years, the use of fossil fuels has increased, resulting in more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some scientists think that these atmospheric gases will result in global warming. Scientists have recorded data on global temperature changes and have predicted possible changes in sea level that may affect Maryland residents. Which result of global warming will most negatively affect coastal residents in Maryland? A loss of shore land B erosion of mountains C decrease in average temperature D increase in the size of the polar ice caps Answer: A Late last summer, I was introduced to a new special someone. We met at an Apple product announcement. She was helpful, smart, and even funny, talking of jokes and making me laugh. What more could a man ask for? Since then, we have had some major communication issues. She frequently misunderstands what I'm saying. Sometimes she is just unavailable. Often, she responds with the same repetitive statement. Her name is Siri. At first, Siri, the voice-activated digital assistant on Apple Iphones, seemed a little too good to be true. Siri cheated me into a relationship promising to help me set up appointments, to gently wake me in the morning for work, and to give me the ability to text someone while I was driving. It didn't work out that way. "There's something wrong, and I can't answer your questions right now. Please try again in a little while," Siri will say when I ask something, or: "I'm really sorry about this, but I can't take any requests right now. Please try again in a little while." She is always polite. But I'm starting to suspect that "I'm really sorry" is just something Siri says to shut me up. Apple introduced Siri as a beta test, meaning it was still a work in progress. That was unusual for Apple. It wanted a head start. But it doesn't seem ready to change anything yet. Many people I have spoken to have switched Siri off and turned to the iPhone's voice dictation service, which is more reliable because it doesn't use Siri's artificial intelligence software. Over time, things have really gone bad between Siri and me. We hardly speak anymore. Although she doesn't know this, I've started seeing someone else. Her name is Google Voice Search (GVS). GVS, available in the latest operating software, is a much better listener. It's ly smarter. If I ask GVS a question, like, "Who is Tim Cook?", it responds with an answer " He's the chief executive of Apple". If I ask Siri the same question, the response is: "I don't see Tim Cook in your contacts." How did the author feel when he first met Siri? A He felt quite satisfied with her functions. B He didn't care what functions she had at all. C He felt unsatisfied with her limited functions. D He felt she was smart but very boring. Answer: A About 1 in 15 households drink bottled water today, spending about $ 4 billion a year on it. Although the reasons for the trend are many, bottled water's health benefits fall near the top of the list. Surveys have found that about 25 percent of bottled water drinkers choose the beverage for health and safety reasons; another quarter believe it is pure and free of contaminants . Regardless of its pristine image, bottled water is not necessarily any purer or more healthful than what flows right out of the tap. Consider that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the bottled water industry watchdog, does not require that bottled water meet higher standards for quality, such as the maximum level of contaminants, than public water supplies regulated by the EPA. For the most part, the FDA simply follows EPA's regulatory lead. Granted, bottled water is often filtered to remove chemicals such as chlorine that may impart a certain taste. But that doesn't make it any safer. In fact, about 25 to 40 percent of bottled water comes from the same municipal water supplies as tap water. Furthermore, some bottled waters do not contain any or enough of the fluoride needed to fight cavities. The only way to determine whether a certain water contains the mineral is to check with the company that bottles it. This is not to say that bottled water is necessarily any better or worse, from a health standpoint, than tap water. It's certainly preferable to tap water for those who like its taste. The problem is that many consumers pay 300 to 1,200 times more per gallon for bottled water than for tap water because they think bottled water is the more healthful of the two. Bottlers add to the confusion by sprinkling terms such as "pure", "crystal pure" and "premium" on labels illustrated with pictures of glaciers, mountain streams, and waterfalls, even when the water inside comes from a public reservoir. However, the FDA has set forth regulations requiring clear labeling of bottled waters. The mini glossary of bottled waters explains what some of the terms used on bottles really mean. What's the main idea of this passage? A Bottled water may be preferable to tap water in taste. B Bottled water is always safer to drink than tap water. C Consumers should consider carefully the reason for buying bottled water. D The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the bottled water. Answer: C
Coincidences happen all the time to ordinary people, but the following events are perhaps some of the strangest of them all. 1. In the 19thcentury, the famous writer, Edgar Allan Poe, wrote a book called The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before three of them decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the boat Mignonette sank, and only four survivors were left in an open boat for many days. Finally the three older members killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker. 2. In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I went to a small restaurant for dinner. When the owner took King Umberto I's order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the resemblance between each other and found many more similarities. Both men were born in the same place, on the same day, of the same year (March 14, 1844, Turin, Italy). On the day that the King married Queen Margherita, the restaurant owner had married a lady named Margherita. The restaurant owner opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto I was crowned King of Italy. On July 29, 1900, King Umberto I was informed that the restaurant owner had died that day in a shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, someone in the crowd killed him! 3. Mark Twain was a popular American author who wrote famous books such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain was born on the day of the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1835, and died on the day of its next appearance in 1910. He himself predicted this in 1909, when he said: "I came in with Halley's Comet in1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it." The author wrote the text with a feeling of _ . Answer: I have two kids, a boy and a girl. I don't worry about my girl; I'm sure she'll be well trained in mixed martial arts. I worry about my son. I'm pretty sure he's going to be feminine . Sorry to say that, but let's face it. No dad wants his son to go feminine. At the rate we're moving in a couple of years you won't be able to tell the difference between boys and girls. Sound extreme? Think about this. In every movie where advanced time-traveling beings come to our planet, there's one constant: You can't tell the male aliens from the female aliens! But that's the future. Kids today are soft and fat. People ask why. Is it junk food? No. Junk food has been around for fifty years. Is it video games? No. Video games have been around for thirty years. None of the kids playing them back in the day were terribly obese. We're all scratching our heads trying to figure out what we've introduced to society to ruin our kids. But it's not anything we've added that has ruined our kids. It's stuff we've gotten rid of. Take the gym rope for example. Remember that thing that stretched from the floor to the ceiling in your gym class that you could never climb? Most of the kids couldn't make it to the top. But that wasn't the point; the point was you had to try while some middle-aged guy who couldn't make it up a flight of stairs shouted at you. We should have put our son on that rope, and given him a head start. But we didn't want to shame the boy, so we took it down. Taking down the rope would be a good idea if there were no ropes in life. But they're everywhere. You just can't see them. They're in every goal unrealized and expectation not met. The point everyone missed about the rope is you weren't supposed to make it to the top. It was there to create a fire that burned in the oversize belly of every kid. What does the rope probably symbolize? Answer: Starting a new school term is always exciting. It is a chance to see your friends again. But most exciting of all, the new term is a chance to take up new hobbies. It is common in Britain for students to take up new hobbies after the Christmas holidays. Deciding to start something new is a common New Year plan. Most schools provide different kinds of hobby classes. Students take them in their free periods or after school. Some classes you have to pay for and others are free. For example, I once took a free Wednesday evening gymnastics class in my school. But when I learnt how to play the drum my parents had to pay for the lessons. The most popular hobby classes at my school were piano lessons and drama club. Both classes offered exams students could take. Students with many hobbies sometimes felt more stressed than those without any. But the students with hobbies left school with some more skills. I haven't continued any of the hobbies I began at school. But I have never regretted(, ) taking them. My best friend today is someone I met in my gymnastics class. Which of the following statements is right? Answer: If you watch British television on Friday March 15, you might be surprised to see celebrities wearing funny red noses and joking around. But don't worry, they're not mad, it's all part of a biennial fund-raising event called Red Nose Day. Organized by the charity Comic Relief, founded in 1985 by two British comedians, the aim of the event is to raise money to fight poverty and injustice in the UK and Africa. Celebrities and public figures support the event by making appearances on comic TV shows broadcast by the BBC. This year, for example, UK Prime Minister David Cameron appeared in a music video by One Direction, which the band produced for the event. But Britons don't just raise money for charitable causes on one day a year, they do it all year round. One way of doing so is by shopping in charity shops. These small, inconspicuous shops sell clothes, books and household goods just like any other shop. But there's one big difference--it's all secondhand. There are nearly 10,000 charity shops in the UK, according to the Charity Retail Association. Their business model is simple: Anybody who has things they don't want anymore can donate them to a charity shop, where they are checked for damage, cleaned and priced. Most items go back on sale at a small part of their original price and the money that is made by selling them is used for a charitable cause. The idea of buying used clothes may sound off-putting, but for shoppers who have less spending money, such as the elderly or those in low-paying jobs, it has been a welcome option for years. Now, "thrifting"--shopping at charity shops-- is also becoming popular with young people looking for alternative fashion. "I love shopping at thrift stores. You can find very unique clothes for a very cheap price. It doesn't bother me that other people may have worn them, I simply wash them before I wear them," said Anne Marie, a 19-year-old Internet user from the US, in a comment on a Yahoo forum. So next time you spot a charity shop, why not go inside? Who knows, you might find a lovely dress for just a few pounds. Even better, you can enjoy wearing it in the knowledge that your money helped a good cause. One reason for the popularity of the thrift shops is that _ . Answer: A recent study suggests that teens' relationship with parents, friends and teachers may have a lot to do with why they don't get a good night's sleep. David Maume, a sociologist and sleep researcher, analyzed federal health data, which interviewed 974 teenagers when they were 12, and then again at 15. He found that family dynamics have much to do with how well kids sleep. Teens, who had warm relations with their parents and felt like they could talk to them or their parents were supportive of them, tended to sleep better. However, families that were going through a divorce or a remarriage tended to affect teens' sleep. And problems at school also affected teens' sleep. Feeling safe at school and having good relations with teachers tended to promote better sleep. As did good relationships with friends. Kids who took part in sports or other positive social activities or shared similar academic goals with their friends were also more likely to get a good night's sleep. These add up to what makes lots of sense: a general feeling of well-being helps teens sleep. If we're happy and contented, we're much more likely to sleep better than if we're sad and anxious. Now, of course, teens can hardly resist being drawn to their computers and social networking. Maume also found that when parents were strict not only about bedtime, but also about limiting technology, kids slept better. It's a finding that seems obvious, but parents really do matter when it comes to health habits of their teenagers. Clearly, teenagers aren't getting 9 to 10 hours a night, which puts them at risk for all the consequences of lack of sleep, including poor academic performance, colds and stress. According to Maume's analysis, who will probably have a poor night's sleep? Answer:
Paulsen Corporation sued Dorr for ten fuel oil deliveries not paid for. Dorr denied that the deliveries were made. At trial, Paulsen calls its office manager, Wicks, to testify that Paulsen employees always record each delivery in duplicate, give one copy to the customer, and place the other copy in Paulsen's files; that he (Wicks) is the custodian of those files; and that his examination of the files before coming to court revealed that the ten deliveries were made. Wicks's testimony that the invoices show ten deliveries is A admissible, because it is based on regularly kept business records. B admissible, because Wicks has first- hand knowledge of the contents of the records. C inadmissible, because the records must be produced in order to prove their contents. D inadmissible, because the records are self-serving. Answer: C The moon looks bigger than the stars at night. But in fact, it is smaller than any of them. The moon looks big to us, because it is closer to us than any star. The moon goes around the earth. It makes one trip about four weeks. The moon is a round ball and looks beautiful. Don't you think so? Now people know quite a lot about the moon. There is no air or water on the moon so there are not any trees or animals, or people on the moon. The moon gets its light from the sun, but some places on the moon are quite dark. Then days on the moon get hotter than boiling water. The nights get colder than the North Pole on the earth. There is _ on the moon. A not anything B no river C no air or water D no hill Answer: C 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 ! " ,. Which of the following is true? A The professor wanted to show the students how heavy the glass was. B The weight of the glass would change if you held it longer. C The glass itself made the arm ache and the muscle stress. D The professor's arm would ache if he held the glass for a long time. Answer: D My cousin Bob likes watching sports matches very much . He goes to the stadium to watch football matches at the weekend. He is also good at playing football. Now he is in the Football Club. Beckham is his favourite football player. When Bob is free, he always buys newspapers about sports. He watches sports news on TV,too. Bob's school is very big and beautiful. There is a football field, a tennis court and a swimming pool in it. He usually plays football with his friends after school. He wants to be a good football player. Bob goes to the stadium to watch football matches on _ A Tuesday B Wednesday C Thursday D Sunday Answer: D Why do we play sports?You might say "to get exercise"and you'd be right.To have fun? That's true,too.But there's more.In fact,there are at least 5 more reasons.According to the Women's Sports Foundation,girls who play sports get a lot more than just fit. Girls who play sports do better in school.You might think that playing sports will take up all your study time.But research shows that gilrs who play sports do better in school than those who don't.Exercise improves learning,memory,and concentration,which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom. Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goalsetting skills.Sports teach valuable life skills.When you work with coaches,trainers,and teammates to win games and achieve goals,you're learning how to be successful.Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life. Sports are good for a girl's health.In addition to being fit and keeping a healthy weight,girls who play sports are also less likely to smoke.And later in life,gilrs who exercise are less likely to get osteoporosis . Playing sports improves self-confidence.Girls who play sports feel better about themselves.Why?It builds confidence when you know you can practice,improve,and achieve your goals.Sports are also a feel-good activity because they help girls get in shape,keep a healthy weight,and make new friends. Exercise cuts the pressure.Playing sports can reduce stress and help you feel a little happier.How?The brain chemicals released during exercise improve a person's mood.Friends are another mood-lifter.And being on a team creates tight bonds between friends.It's good to know your teammates will support you--both on and off the field! What's the main purpose of the passage? A To advise parents to take exercise B To tell us the benefits of playing sports C To explain why girls like playing sports. D To introduce some ways of taking exercise. Answer: B
After the Summer Olympics are over, when all the athletes have gone home and the television audience has switched off, another group of athletes and fans will arrive at the host city, and another competition will begin. These are the Paralympics, the games for athletes with a disability. But in Beijing in 2008, for the first time, one of the greatest Paralympics athletes did not take part. She is a British athlete by the name of Tanni Grey-Thormpson. Born with spine hifida which left her paralysed from the waist. Tanni used a wheelchair from the age of 7. at first, she did not like sports, apart from horse-riding, which gave her a sense of freedom. But in her teens, she started taking sports more seriously. She tried swimming, basketball and tennis. Eventually she found she began to love athletics, and never looked back. Indeed, Tanni's athletic career took off . In 1984, when she was 15, she pulled off a surprise victory in the 100metres at the Junior National Wheelchair Games. In 1988, Tanni went to her first Paralympic Games in Seoul. She won bronze in the 400 metres. Even greater success followed at the 1992 Barcelonn. Paralympics. Tanni won gold in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres relay, setting two world records in the process. In the same year she achieved the first of her six London Wheelchair Marathon victories. Tanni's success had been part motivation , part preparation, "The training I do that enables me to be a good sprinter enables me to be good at a marathon too. I train 50 weeks of the year and that keeps me prepared for whatever distance I want to see.... I am still competing at a very high level, but as I get older, things get harder and I want to retire before I fall apart." Indeed Tanni retired finally after the Visa Paralympic World Cup in 2007. Her wish is to coach young athletes for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. In spite of ups and downs, she never takes her fate lying down. In her splendid life, she has won an amazing eleven gold medals, four silvers and one bronze in series of Paralympics- a top level athletic career covering two decades. She has won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times, more than any other competitor, and she has set over thirty world records. What advice does she have for young athletes? "Work hard at your studies, and then train, train and train again." What can we learn from Tanni's success? Young Jack moved to a new house. When entering his new bedroom, he saw that it was full of toys but it was tidy. That day he played all he liked, but went to bed without tidying up. The next morning, when Jack got up, he found all the toys had been put back in their proper places. He was sure that no one had entered his bedroom, but the boy didn't pay much attention to it. The exact same thing happened that day, and the next day. But on the fourth day when he went to get his favourite toy, the toy jumped out of his hands and said, "I don't want to play with you!" Jack felt surprised, but the same happened with every toy he touched. Finally, one toy said to him: "We don't want to play with you. You always leave us so far away from our proper places. You don't know how _ it is for us to climb back up onto the shelves, or jump into the box. We feel most uncomfortable and unhappy. You don't know how uncomfortable and cold the floor is! We don't play with you any more if you don't promise to leave us in our proper places before you go to bed." Jack remembered how comfortable he felt in his bed and how bad he felt when he had once slept in a chair. He realized how badly he had treated his friends, the toys. He asked for their forgiveness , and from that day on he always put his toys nicely in their proper places before he got into bed. Why did all the toys refuse to play with Jack? "Excuse me," said a young man , standing shyly at the open church door. " I'm here to pick up an Easter basket for my daughter. Am I in the right place ?" " Well, we have baskets, but they're not Easter baskets for kids; they're food baskets,"I explained. That morning I arrived at St. Michael's Church in Carmichael, California, to help give out the baskets to needy families for Easter. To make sure every family would receive one, we had handed out numbers to them that matched the baskets they were supposed to receive . Each one contained a whole ham, potatoes, bread,vegetables, and a pie--enough food to help feed a family for a week. "Why don't you come in ?" I said to the man. He looked disappointed. He shook his head and said," I can't ...My daughter is waiting for me over there.I'm grateful for the food,but when I heard you were giving away baskets for Easter...well, I thought they would be Easter baskets for children." He continued, "I promised my daughter one ,and I wanted to surprise her." I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do.The man hadned me his number, and I walked over to the baskets. A bulge in one of the baskets caught my eye. " What is that ?" I wondered. Leaning over and looking more closely, I could see, unmistakably, an Easter basket filled with candy, chocolate, and Easter eggs.One of the volunteers must have added it by mistake! I thought. Then I looked at the man's number in my hand.Well, he'll be..... "Happy Easter," I said to the man , handing him the only food basket with an Easter basket inside -the very same basket with his number on it. " Someone knew just what you needed." The young man looked disappointed at first because _ . Moving can bring out the best and the worst in people, I'm finding. And I've discovered where a very generous spirit lives: Defiance, Ohio. After suffering through many months of unemployment, my wife and I had to move this week from Colorado to Ohio, where she would work as a sales assistant. Not knowing a person there, we were pretty concerned about all the work, including how we'd get all the things unloaded without killing ourselves. We decided to pay a couple of college students to help with all the heavy lifting once we got there. But one neighbor after another stopped by and joined in. "What? Have we moved to some other country? Maybe we've died and gone to heaven!" I thought. Unloading actually became fun as we connected with so many wonderful new friends as we worked. The more people that helped, the easier the work became. A job we were afraid might take days for the two of us alone was done in just a few hours. Many total strangers would either walk by or drive by to ask us if we were moving in. Many were delighted that this fine old house that had sat empty for so long was coming to life again. We were invited to an outdoor meal yesterday by neighbors on the same street. All the while, my brain was on this new sense of hope that people could be outgoing and kind to strangers. Among all the conversations were lots of offers to be of help to one another in a variety of ways. It's wonderful to live in such a kind little town. I feel so grateful to be here, and wish the rest of the world could see how an entire society can be a model for what it's like to look out for one another. I used to stay away from friendships with strangers, but now I live in Defiance! The author and his wife moved to Defiance because _ . Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water. But it also leads to a fossil fuel. Natural gas is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, the fuels created by plant and animal remains over millions of years. Burning it releases fewer pollutants than oil or coal. The gas is mainly methane . It produces half the carbon dioxide of other fossil fuels. So it may help cut the production of carbon gases linked to climate change. Russia is first in what are called "proved reserves" of natural gas. The United States is sixth. Over the years, big oil and gas companies recovered much of the easily reached supplies of gas in America. They drilled straight down into formations where gas collects. As these supplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries. But now the industry is taking a new look. Companies are developing gas supplies trapped in shale rock two to three thousand meters underground. They drill down to the shale , then go sideways and inject high-pressure water, sand or other material into the rock. This causes the rock to break, or fracture, releasing the gas. Huge fields of gas shale are believed to lie under the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan and the south-central states. Gas shale exploration is being done mainly by small to medium sized companies. Eric Potter is a program director in the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. ERIC POTTER: "The types of opportunities that are left for natural gas exploration in the U.S. have changed. So it's a different class of resource -- not as easy to develop, and not even recognized as something worth pursuing, say, twenty years ago." He says more than half the gas in the United States is now coming from these new reserves. But hydraulic fracturing can also produce debate and anger over the risk of groundwater pollution. This method of drilling is not federally supervised under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Some in Congress want to end that exemption from the law. Natural gas provides Americans with about one-fourth of their energy. And, unlike oil, most of it is produced in America. Gas producers invested heavily in reaching new supplies when prices were high. But prices are down sharply now because the recession cut demand for energy. So energy expert Eric Potter says it is too early to know how the new gas shale reserves will affect the market. When did gas producers invest heavily in finding new supplies of natural gas?
Father upset by Manchester school's 'Victorian' wall of shame Josie Robinson, who appeared on a so-called wall of shame at her school in south Manchester, was in tears. Her father has hit out at the "Victorian" methods. Chorlton High School put up pictures of year 10 pupils who teachers believed had behaved badly. Children singled out for praise were placed on the wall of fame. Its head teacher said the scheme was designed to motivate pupils. Carlo Robinson, whose daughter Josie was put on the wall after missing lessons, wants to make a complaint. The teenager had been missing school and turning up late because she was upset that her mother was ill. She said: " I thought it was embarrassing." Mr Robinson added: "She was in tears. She couldn't tell me at first - it took her about an hour- because she wasn't sure what I would think of it. When she told me I was really shocked. I contacted at least 20 friends and they all agreed it was wrong - it's like Victorian times." Head teacher Andy Park said: "We've successfully used a similar scheme in the past with Year 11 students to _ pupils and it really did make a difference - pupils took it in the right spirit and were motivated by it to improve their performance. Obviously this latest scheme wasn't intended to cause offence to pupils. It was actually developed to praise the students moving forwards successfully and to support pupils who needed to make improvements. No parents have complained directly to the school and I'd be very happy to meet with any parents to discuss further." Mr Robinson told the reporter he had contacted the school to schedule a meeting with the head teacher. Why had Josie been missing school, according to her father? A She got up late. B She hated the wall of shame. C She wasn't on the wall of fame. D Her mother was not well. Answer: D Some people are pessimistic when they think about the future. They say that, a hundred years from now, we will have used up most of the earths resources. We will have made our seas so dirty that we will not be able to eat fish from them. There will be so many people in the world that we will have to use all the countryside for housing; there will be no farmland left. Other people have a different idea about the future. In their view, the city of the future will be a huge pyramid-shaped building, which will be floating on the surface of the sea. About 5,000 families will live there, and there will also be schools, shops in it. In a hundred years' time, people will not need to use oil. They will heat their homes with power from the sun. Think of space. Perhaps a station will be set up on the moon; people will be able to visit the moon as tourists. They may even spend their holidays in space, travelling from planet to planet. What an interesting picture! Many people don't think about the future. "I don't care. I'll be dead. "they say. But it is our duty to care because the world of a hundred years' time will be the world of our children's and their children after them. In the pessimistic view, people will _ in a hundred years 'time. A have to use power from the sea B have to live on the moon C be able to grow food on the sea D find it difficult to live on the earth Answer: D Dear Mr. Wang, Someone comes to the office to see you in the morning, but you and your wife are out. He comes here at 10am. Because he is very busy, he goes away half an hour later. He tells me that he is your classmate at college . Now he teaches Chinese in a high school in this city and he lives near the No. 6 Middle School. He is a very tall man with short hair. He wears a pair of glasses. He tells me his telephone number is 33426685. He is often at home at 7:00 pm. So you can call him in the evening. Which of the following is TRUE? A Mr. Wang and his wife are classmates. B Mr. Wang's classmate is short. C Mr. Wang goes out with Mrs. Wang in the morning. D Mr. Wang's classmate meets Mr. Wang in the morning. Answer: C If you're into sports, you've seen it happen. You've probably even experienced it: basketball players shaking hands after four quarters of knocking each other around, tennis players leaping over the net to shake hands with their opponents after a hard-fought match, soccer players exchanging sport shirts after an intense 90 minutes, even boxers touching gloves at the beginning of each round, then hugging each other after beating each other into a pulp for 12 rounds. It seems like competitors in every event, from spelling bees to hockey, behave this way. What's going on? It's all part of sportsmanship, a great tradition in sports and competition that means playing clean and handling both victory and defeat with grace, style, and dignity. What is sportsmanship? Sportsmanship is defined as: playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting the judgment of referees and officials, treating opponents with respect. Some people define good sportsmanship as the "golden rule" of sports --- in other words, treating the people you play with and against as you'd like to be treated yourself. You demonstrate good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the referees, judges, and other officials. But sportsmanship isn't just reserved for the people on the field. Cheerleaders and fans also need to be aware of how they behave during competition. Sportsmanship is a style and an attitude; and it can have a positive influence on everyone around you. Learning good sportsmanship means finding that the positive attitude learned on the field carries over into other areas of life. At school, for example, you're able to appreciate the contributions made by classmates and know how to work as part of a team to complete a project. You may enjoy more success at work as well, because a big part of learning good sportsmanship is learning to be respectful of others, including customers and co-workers. The purpose of writing this passage is to _ . A advise readers to take some exercise B provide some basic sport knowledge C show the meaning of sportsmanship D expect players to compete actively Answer: C Look at the students in the photo. The boy in green shoes is Martin. He is from England. He`s fourteen years old. His hair is yellow. He likes yellow very much. The boy in a blue shirt is his brother , Tom. He is thirteen. They look the same. The girl in a yellow dress is Lisa. She is their friend. She is from America. She is tall and she has long brown hair. She likes yellow, too. What color is Tom`s shirt? A yellow. B Green. C Brown. D Blue. Answer: D
Question: Wind turbines are efficient sources of cheap energy but also a source of concern as their huge spinning blades frequently kill birds and bats. A new type of wind generator developed in Spain offers a creative solution to that problem. In 2002, Spanish inventor David Yanez saw a short film about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the U.S., collapsing in strong wind. It was a vivid example of the powerful vibrations wind can create when it blows past a long pole, such as a car antenna or even a stick of bamboo. It gave him the idea for a new type of wind-energy generator. "The initial philosophy or spirit was to create a generator of dreams that had all the qualities one would want: It should be as cheap as possible, need as little maintenance as possible, the setup as simple as possible," he said. Yanez and his friend Raoul Martin took the idea to an engineering firm, where they were told it would never work. Undiscouraged, they started experimenting on their own in a small wind tunnel they built. Good initial results were repeated by a larger working model called Vortex installed in a nearby field. "What we have is a mast , which is the top piece and acts as a blade," Yanez said. "It's constructed from the same material as a conventional generator, and what it does is it oscillates , transmitting the oscillation to a conventional alternator, which by its own oscillation converts the wind's energy into electric energy." Yanez said the output of the 6-meter-tall generator, and even that of smaller models, was better than expected. The Vortex creates about 30 percent less energy than a comparable bladed wind turbine, but it is lighter and cheaper to build and maintain. It is made mostly of reinforced plastic and has very few moving parts. Also, it does not create noise and--even more important for many environmentalists--it does not present a threat to passing birds. The current prototype works at wind speeds ranging from 1.5 to 7 meters per second. The inventors say the next step is building a 12.5-meter tall bladeless generator with a 4-kilowatt capacity that could power small businesses or individual homes, or provide supplemental power to a main grid. The commercial version of the Vortex Bladeless generator should be ready for the market by 2017. The author mentions a short film about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to show _ . A. what the initial philosophy or spirit was B. what inspired Yanez to create the generator C. how the bridge was destroyed in strong wind D. how wind creates powerful vibrations Answer: B. what inspired Yanez to create the generator Question: Father Maurice Chase used a special way to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Catholic priest took $ 15,000 in cash to Los Angeles' gutter and gave it away. Twenty wheelchair-bound people received $100 bills, while the rest received $1to $ 3 each. "I come out here to tell them that God loves them and I love them and that someone is concerned about them," Chase said. Chase has given away cash and blessings every Sunday at the same corner for 24 years. Several hundred people wait for him every week. He makes a point of coming on Thanksgiving and Christmas, too, but this is the first year he spent his birthday in the downtown neighborhood where people live mainly in shelters and on dirty sidewalks. "It's the place that makes me the happiest.I just love it," said Chase. "I look forward to coming here." The money comes from donations he receives from rich and famous people he met during his work as assistant to the president of Loyola Marymount University. The crowd broke into choruses of "Happy Birthday" several times. Some people presented him birthday cards, to his delight. Travis Kemp, a 51-year-old disabled man with long black hair, was one of the lucky 20 to receive $ 100. He said he had no special plans for spending the money. "He has a lot of respect from me," Kemp said. "I know I couldn't do it." What's the source of the money Chase used to help people? A. All his savings. B. His earnings as a Catholic priest. C. Donations from the wealthy and celebrities. D. Donations from Loyola Marymount University. Answer: C. Donations from the wealthy and celebrities. Question: Educators across the U.S. are calling for major changes to the admission process in higher education. The National Center for Educational Statistics (or NCES) reported that U.S. colleges and universities received more than 9 million applications between 2013 and 2014 and admitted more than 5 million students. But the problem is not in the number of students, a new report says. The report is called "Turning the Tide -- Making Caring Common." The report argues that the process schools use to choose students causes major problems. David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy. He says that most colleges and universities require many things from students when they apply. Schools usually require an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers describing why a student is a good candidate. But, Hawkins says, schools are most concerned with a student's high school grades and standardized test results. The Education Conservancy is an organization that fights to make higher education equal and available. Lloyd Thacker is the Executive Director of the Education Conservancy, saying that the college admission process has changed a lot. "Over the past 30 years, college admissions have become more complex." He says that ranking systems for colleges and universities are a big part of the problem. U.S. News and World Report is a media company that creates a list of what it calls "America's Best Colleges." The company bases the list on information collected from colleges and universities across the country. This information includes results of standardized tests like the SAT from all of a school's students. Higher average test results help put schools higher on the list. Thacker claims, "Too many students are learning to do whatever it takes in order to get ahead, even if that means sacrificing their own individuality, their health, their happiness and behavior..." "The impact on students and on parents is that college is all about where you go. The rank has nothing to do with the quality of education that goes on at the college." The Harvard report states that the best way to change the admission process is by changing college applications. Which of the following does Lloyd Thacker probably agree with? A. Colleges are supposed to admit more and more students. B. It is necessary to apply for a proper university by referring to the rank. C. There is little relationship between colleges' rank and the quality of education. D. The better the applicants' grades are, the more likely they will be admitted. Answer: C. There is little relationship between colleges' rank and the quality of education. Question: We all know that Paris is a popular travel destination, which has much more to offer than just seeing the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower that are well-known. Experience this amazing city through some of its secret places. River Boats Tour the heart of Paris by boat along the Seine River! Boats offer 8 must-see tourist stops along their boat tour route. The cost is 13 Euros for a whole day of river boating with stops for tourists to walk through the Parisian sites. There is a 15-minute interval between two boats. Boating along the Seine is a good way to drink in the unique atmosphere of Paris! Children's Science Museum If you are travelling to Paris with kids, the Children's Science Museum is the perfect place to visit. The Children's Science Museum has many exhibits for children. Some exhibits exercise a child's cognitive skills. The cost is low by European standards at only 8 Euros per adult and 4.50 Euros per child. Medieval Tavern In Paris , tourists can enjoy the night at Medieval Tavern every Thursday night from 8PM--2AM. This tavern opens its doors to the people of Paris and invites them to experience a life from long ago. The menu includes foods that were enjoyed in old days. The entire experience can be enjoyed for only 15 Euros per person! Luxembourg Garden The garden is the second largest public park in Paris. Whether you are interested in a walk through the flowers or a pleasant ride on the old carousel , this park is a good choice. Children like playing in the theater while adults enjoy free musical performances. Welcome to Paris and enjoy these attractions. At Medieval Tavern tourists_. A. have to pay extra money for delicious food B. have to spend 15 Euros per person for food C. can enjoy the food in the old days every Thursday night D. can spend every night experiencing the old life from 8PM to 2AM Answer: C. can enjoy the food in the old days every Thursday night Question: If you have failed in the past to try to make big changes in life,try again now,one tiny step at a time. Every year it's the same.As December comes to an end,you think about the new year and all the ways you want to improve your life. But as you start to write down your hopes for the new year,you think about the last year.You excitedly write down all the changes you are going to make,but by the end of January those ideas get lost in your busy life. Here's a suggestion:Forget the too big,hard-to-achieve goals and just think about the small ones."We often think that we have to do everything in big steps, even though it's so hard for us to reach it." said Robert Maurer,who recently wrote the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life."What we try to do is to begin with such a small step that we can't find any excuse not to do it." "Kaizen",a Japanese word,is used to mean to change behavior and attitudes .During World War Il,American factory managers were able to increase productivity by trying small, continuous improvements instead of sudden changes.After the war,the idea was brought to a rebuilding Japan.It made Japan develop fast. The Japanese called it "kaizen", which means "improvement". Maurer studied the idea and did some experiments with it. "Kaizen" could possibly help people succeed in doing everything The writer of the passage suggests we should _ . A. make changes at the end of the year B. do few experiments with "kaizen" C. do things with hard-to-achieve goals D. take a tiny step to achieve big goals Answer: D. take a tiny step to achieve big goals
The action that results when waves made in a pond strike the edges and bounce back is known as A amplitude. B frequency. C vibration. D reflection. Answer: D. reflection. A recent research shows that most people while attending their very first or second interview face the problem of interview nerves. This interview nerves simply make them nervous and depressed. This mainly happens due to lack of confidence and belief in oneself. Most of them even suffer from sleepless nights. They feel as if interviews are nothing but a questioning by an unknown person who will judge them by their answers. They simply can't understand or _ that the interviews are as beneficial for them as for the company. To overcome these problems, people need to make their mind set for facing the interview full of confidence. This can be done by building up confidence that this job is for me only. They need to make preparations for the estimated questions to be asked in the interview. They also need to be familiar with a few details of the company like its products, vision, recent achievement, etc. This is just to have an upper hand in the interview so that you can explain that you are the right candidate for the company. One must be completely relaxed before the interview. Because stress is one of the major reasons which reduces one's performance ability. Another way of getting over with your nerves is by a well known therapy called as hypnosis. Hypnosis is a very effective therapy which is generally used for curing nerves of Examinations, Interviews, Meetings, etc. Hypnosis mainly activates your subconscious mind so that you are extra alert and attentive what you are doing. Thus this gives you a lot more confidence to deal with. Now here are some of the tips you must follow for your interview. * You must be fully prepared for the interview and you must possess everything required. * You must maintain a complete eye contact with the interviewer, because it will show your confidence. * You must not do any nervous acts like being fidgety, fixing your tie or touching your clothes dress again and again. * Be positive while talking and use your hands to express yourself. * With hypnosis you can come in terms with such a situation and will be well prepared to face a barrage of questions that come your way. People feel nervous while attending interview in that _ . A they doesn't sleep well B they lack confidence C they doesn't know about the company D they are afraid to miss the chance Answer: B. they lack confidence What would you think if someone suggested knocking down St Paul's Cathedral to widen the road? Or pulling down Big Ben to make way for a car park? It would be ridiculous, right? But when it comes to devastation of the natural world, we aren't so easily shocked. But we should be...or we'll be in a lot of trouble. _ . Ancient forests are destroyed. Wetlands are becoming dry. Woodland is disappearing, and all in the name of progress. This is bad in itself, but it's devastating for biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals and other living things that are all interconnected. The ecological services provided by biodiversity are vital to everyday life. The air we breathe is a product of photosynthesis by green plants. Insects, worms and bacteria break down waste and make soils rich. And tiny organisms clean the water in rivers and sea. In fact, all life on the earth exists thanks to the benefits of biodiversity. More than 90 percent of the calories consumed by people worldwide are produced from 80 plant species. And 30 percent of medicines are developed from plants and animals. Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem is necessary to preserve all living things. The loss of biodiversity could be devastating. "It is wrong to think that biodiversity can be reduced indefinitely without threatening humans," said Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson, known as the "father of biodiversity". He warned, "We are about to reach a critical point beyond which biodiversity loss will become irreversible ." But what can we do? The present problem is that the concept of biodiversity is so vague . People might care about giant pandas, but it is much harder to excite them about the fate of tiny sea creatures which are being boiled to death in the cooling systems of power stations along coastlines. TheGuardiannewspaper is trying to help. _ has launched the Biodiversity 100 campaign to try to convince governments around the world to take action to deal with the widespread concerns about biodiversity. This includes persuading the UK government to create a series of marine reserves to reserve the decrease in the sea-life caused by industrial fishing, stopping fishing sharks by the Japanese fishermen and banning the killing of dingoes (wild dogs) in Australia, among many other things. There is a lot to do. And we'd better act quickly if we don't want to end up with a planet that can't sustain life! The writer thinks it _ to pull down Big Ben to make way for a car park. A unreasonable B necessary C difficult D reasonable Answer: A. unreasonable Hilversum is a medium-sized city between the major cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht in the Gooi area of North Holland, the Netherlands. Unlike most of the Netherlands, Hilversum is actually in a hilly area with the soil mostly consisting of sand. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, it still attracts travelers to come over to cycle and walk through the surrounding forests. They visit it for a relaxing day off from the urban madness. For Dutch people, Hilversum is all about textile and media industries, and modern architecture. In history, Hilversum was largely an agricultural area. Daily life was marked by farming, sheep raising and wool production. A railway link to Amsterdam in 1874 attracted rich traders from Amsterdam to Hilversum. They build themselves large villas in the wooded surroundings of the town. One of the families moving in was the Brenninkmeijers, currently the wealthiest family of the Netherlands. They moved in after big success in the textile industry and aided a substantial textile industry in Hilversum. But the textile boom lasted only several decades. The last factory closed in the 1960s. The change to a media economy started in 1920, when the Nederlandse Seintoestedllen Fabriek (NSF) established a radio factory in Hiversum. Most radio stations called in the large villas in the leafy areas of the town. Television gave another push to the local economy. Hilversum became the media capital of the Netherlands, and Dutch televison stars moved into the leafy neighborhoods surrounding the town. In the early 1900s, modern architcts W.M. Dudok and J. Duiker placed hundreds of remarkable buildings in Hilversum. These modern architectural masterpieces are so many that Hilversum almost feels like an open air museum. Dudok alone shaped most 20th century Hilversum and approximately 75 buildings in 1928-1931. It has wide international fame and is included in many architecture textbooks. The building has a remarkable shape and looks like a combination of "blocks". Actually, one may start his journey of modern architecture by walking or biking the W.M. Dudok Architectural Route in Hilversum. What is known about W.M. Dudok's Hilversum Town Hall? A It consists of approximately 75 buildings B It looks like an open air museum in the city C It is a classic example in architecture textbooks D It has shaped most of 20th century Hilvesum. Answer: C. It is a classic example in architecture textbooks In March 1987, I started a new magazine called Creating Excellence. It was a very proud moment for me. I'd worked hard for over a year to create it, and the premiere issue was a real success. Shortly after we mailed 25,000 copies, I received one in the mail. But this one wasn't as beautiful as the ones we'd sent out. It was marked in red ink correcting the grammatical errors in it. A talented editor had read the issue carefully and found more errors than I could have imagined. I felt _ A magazine called Creating Excellence should be perfect in its content . The stories were good, but the errors this woman had found showed that we were far from being excellent. At first, I was upset with my editor for not having caught more mistakes, and also upset with the woman who seemed to have taken pleasure in pointing them out. Later, I was upset with myself for not having employed a better editor. Then I realized that I had to face up to my mistakes. I called the woman who had shown me that we were not so excellent. I thanked her for taking the time to read our magazine so carefully. As painful as it was, I accepted responsibility for it. Then I offered her the job of editing our publication. The result was a great improvement in it; we could now be very proud of our magazine. From this I learnt that an upsetting moment could be an opportunity to see the truth, and accepting responsibility could help to prevent one making the same mistakes for a second time, and to make "excellence" a reality. What do we learn about the woman who had found the errors in the magazine? A She was causing trouble on purpose. B She liked pointing out the errors of others. C She contributed a lot to the success of the premiere issue. D She ended up joining the magazine. Answer: D. She ended up joining the magazine.
Zhao Wenxuan,a film star from Taiwan,has been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career,he had worked in an airline in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan Province. His change of job to acting was quite by chance. One day,he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named "Wedding Feast." Full of excitement,he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film -- Mr. Li An. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English,natural manners and low pay for his work in the film. The film "Wedding Feast" proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the U. S. Thanks to the film,Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and southeast Asia. In 1994,Mr. Zhao acted as a leading role in the Hong Kong film,"Red Rose and White Rose",in which many film stars like Ms Chen Chong from U. S. and Ms Ye Yuqing from the local area participated. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play,actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle. Since 1993,Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shootings of 13 films, most of which are thought highly of. Mr. Zhao said the that Taiwan should think to cooperate much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film "Love Affairs" directed by Mr. LiXin,a director from Shanghai Film Studio. From the text it can be inferred that _ . Answer: After several days' warm weather around the New Year's Day,a strong cold wave with a sandstorm from Mongolia attacked Tianjin Sunday afternoon. From 3 o'clock p.m.,the strong cold wave from Mongolia engulfed most areas of North China and the biggest wind-force was 7.Tianjin also suffered this year's first sandstorm with the cold wind whistling.The sky became dusky and the air was permeated with sand.By 11 o'clock at night,the wind became weaker and the sandstorm died down.From Monday morning,the northern areas had a big drop in temperature.It is learned that flu and the infection of the upper respiratory tract are easy to be infected due to the severe pollution by dust in the air.Relevant experts remind residents to pay attention to their health care. We learn that _ from the passage. Answer: The message what the "Eat up All on Your Plate" campaign tries to convey is not new. Our ancestorshad poems about the importance of frugality in the consumption of food. But it makes a lot of sensewhen many are yet to have the awareness that food waste borders on a crime. The campaign has been started online and thousands of people have answered the call. Manyrestaurants have joined the program by announcing that customers are encouraged to order half a dish andtake home what they can't finish. However, it is estimated that 50 million tons of grain are wasted every year in China, enough tofeed 200 million people for a year. True, official banquets paid with public money contribute much to such waste. But it isimportant that everyone thinks about how they can do their bit to reduce food waste. We need to developthe habit of never ordering or cooking more than we can eat and feeling guilty when we dump ourleftovers. Many people have a bad habit of entertaining guests with more than enough food, believing that theyhave not satisfied their guests' appetites if there is no food left on the table. In fact, to be a good host theyorder more than their guests can possibly eat and their guests eat more than they want out of politeness. Such a mentality needs to change. People need to be made aware that it is impolite to force guests toeat more than they are comfortable with and it is insensible and uncivilized to waste food. Even if one iswealthy, ordering more than one can eat is a bad way to show off one's wealth. The writer thinks the campaign "Eat up All on Your Plate" makes sense because _ . Answer: Warner Brothers is an American company that produces movies and television shows. It started as a small family business operated by four brothers -- Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner. In nineteen-oh-three, the brothers began their business by traveling throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania showing movies using a projector . By nineteen-oh-seven, they opened a movie theater in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Within ten years, the Warner brothers started producing movies, and moved that part of the business to California. In nineteen eighteen, their first complete picture was called "My Four Years in Germany." The film was based on a book by the United States' ambassador to the court of Kaiser Wilhelm. In nineteen twenty-five, they began to work to include the technology for sound in their movies. Two years later, Warner Brothers Pictures released the first major movie with sound, or "talking picture." It was called "The Jazz Singer" and it was a huge success. In the nineteen thirties, the company made several films that were highly praised, including "Little Caesar," "The Public Enemy", "The Gold Diggers" and "Forty-Second Street." The Warner Brothers' success continued in the nineteen forties with movies like "The Maltese Falcon," and "Casablanca." Movies during this time starred popular actors like Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Gary Cooper and Bette Davis. The company continues to produce popular movies today. By the nineteen seventies, the Warner Brothers studios had also become well set up in television. In nineteen ninety, Warner Communications combined with Time Incorporated to form Time Warner Incorporated. In two thousand one, the company combined with America Online. The company now includes film production, cable television networks, music and publishing. This year, the company announced a deal with the CBS Corporation to form a new television broadcast network. The CW began broadcasting this month. According to the text, which of the following is not sound film? Answer: In the morning , we went camping in Green Nature Park. We were happy because it was a sunny day. However, in the afternoon , when we finished our picnic , it was dark and windy. Soon ,there was a shower. Unluckily, none of us brought an umbrella. We ran about but we could find no place to hide . Twenty minutes passed and it was still raining .There were hours to go before we reached the campsite . It was even worse that our compass showed that we went to the wrong way. We had lost our way! We had to make a quick decision as it was raining heavily. Chris said we could set up a tent to hide in, so Mary and Tom helped to set up _ . Chris and I tried to make a fire to keep up warm. But we couldn't as everything was wet. We dried ourselves and waited inside the tent. At about five o'clock , it stopped raining. We decided to give up the camping trip because all of us were tired. This camping trip may not be successful but we know each other better. And the most important thing I've learned from this trip is the importance of team spirit . Which of the following is NOT true? Answer:
Meals at the family dinner table could be the key to preventing a generation of teenage girls from developing eating disorders . New research shows girls who regularly have family meals are much less likely to adopt extreme weight-control behaviors such as vomiting, and using diet pills. The research, published in the international journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, surveyed students aged 13 to 17 in 2003 and followed them up five years later. Regular family meals were found to have a protective effect regardless of the age, weight, socioeconomic status, dieting habit or relationship with the family. Belinda Dalton, director of the eating disorder clinic The Oak House, said eating with family helped "normalize" young people's relationship with food. "When teens are feeling that they are not managing, they turn to something that they can control and food is something available and accessible for them to control. Clearly, if they are sitting with their family on a regular basis, then their family can be more in control of their eating," Ms Dalton said. "It's about young people feeling connected within their family, and _ builds self-esteem and a sense of worth and works very actively against someone developing an eating disorder. An eating disorder expert, Kirsty Greenwood, said meal times were often difficult for sufferers. "It's typical that they feel very ashamed of their eating habits and often won't eat with other people. Perhaps it's because they haven't experienced the important of the family meal while growing up," she said. The study found eating regular family meals made no difference to the future eating habits of boys. The author writes this passage with the purpose of _ . A. stressing the necessity of family meals for the teenage girls B. showing the results of a research C. providing some suggestions on family dinner D. presenting the difference in eating habits between boys and girls Answer: A A group of students are observing a fish tank for a school assignment. The group is to share the observations with the class. Which statement about observations is true? A. Observations should always be recorded. B. Observations should be collected only once. C. Observations are only collected by scientists. D. Observations are always correct if used in a chart. Answer: A For many parents, raising a teenager is like fighting a long war, but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict between neighboring countries, the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do? Both sides want peace, but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part,this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents' point of view, the only cause of their fight is their adolescents' complete unreasonableness. And of course, t _ Both feel trapped. In this article, I'll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrel on unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teen's hair, the cleanness of the bedroom, the preferred style of clothing, the child's failure to eat a good breakfast before school, or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends. Second, blaming. The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third, needing to be right. It doesn't matter what the topic is--politics, the laws of physics, or the proper way to break an egg--the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong,for both wish to be considered an authority--someone who actually knows something--and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately, as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other, they'll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress. Why does the author compare the parent teen war to a border conflict? A. Both can continue for generations. B. Both are about where to draw the line. C. Neither has any clear winner. D. Neither can be put to an end. Answer: B If a head is exceptionally round A. that is an unusual feature B. most heads are round C. a parent probably had a round head D. there is fluid on the brain Answer: C Dear Alice You really have two different questions here, so we'll discuss them one at a time. Your problems at school may be a result of a number of things. You don't say much about how these classmates get along with each other. It's possible that all the students are feeling a little cautious in the first term. It's also possible that the others are unkind. If this is not so, you have to find out why you are the class "outsider".In your letter you say you often offer to help others with their work. Is it possible that your classmates don't understand your offers? Could it seem that you were trying to "buy" friends with these offers, Is it possible that you took no notice of your classmates when you had your good friend near you? They may have felt hurt at that time. It may take a time for them to believe in you if so. Try to ask one classmate directly what the problem is. If you hear a negative answer, at least you'll know what to do Yours truly Shelia From the letter we know that Alice was very _ . A. lucky B. Unkind C. clever D. unhappy Answer: D
We Americans are wasteful people, not used to saving. The frontiersmen began this pattern, for natural resources were so plentiful that no one ever imagined a shortage, within a few years of the first Virginia settlement, for example, pioneers burned down their houses when they were ready to move west. They wanted to have the nails for future use. No one ever gave a thought to the priceless hardwoods that went up in smoke. As a people,we destroy many things that other people save. I noticed a letter from one of England's largest banks. It was enclosed in a used envelope that had been readdressed to me. Such a practice would be unthinkable in the United States. American banks, even the smallest, always use expensive stationery with the names of all twenty-eight vice-presidents listed on one side of the page. What is the author's purpose of telling the story about the English bank? To show the saving tradition of the English people. American nutrition expert Professor Barry Popkin says that the number of overweight people in the world is now bigger than the number of people who don't have enough to eat. A billion people worldwide now weigh too much and the number of obese people is now more than 300 million. "Obese" means at least 15 kilos heavier than you should be. However, there are also 800 million people in the world who don't have enough to eat. Professor Popkin says that the number of hungry people is falling slowly but the number of overweight people is rising fast. The main reasons for this are: * People are doing less hard physical work * More people worldwide now eat too much fatty food * Too many people are driving cars instead of walking * People spend too much time in front of a television The United States has the highest rate of obesity in the developed world and Japan has the lowest. Professor Benjamin Senauer is absolutely certain of the reasons for this. "Japanese people are fit. They use public transport and walk," he said. "The average American drives to work and drives to supermarket. When he gets home, he sits on a couch in front of the TV and eats junk food." In Britain and many other European countries, there are three times as many obese people as there were 20 years ago. About two thirds of British adults are overweight or obese. "The effects of this are clear," said London doctor Elena Power. "We have more illnesses related to weight and fewer fit people. China used to be one of the slimmest nations in the world. However, Professor Wu Yangfeng from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing recently estimated that 20 percent of the world's overweight people live in China. The Chinese government is especially worried about the increase in obesity among schoolchildren. "We have a serious problem," said Professor Wu. "It requires an improvement from everyone, or it will get worse. Professor Popkin probably agrees that _ . walking to work helps people keep fit. Everyone knows the story of Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment. He was a man of many gifts and interests. His natural curiosity about things made him try to find ways to make them work better. Although he made important discoveries, Ben didn't "invent" electricity. He did, however, invent the lightning rod which protected buildings and ships from lightning damage. In America, most people warmed their homes by building a fire in a fireplace even though it was kind of dangerous and used a lot of wood. Ben said that he had another better way. His invented an iron stove which allowed people to warm their home less dangerously and with less wood. The stove that he invented is called a Franklin stove. Ben also set up the first fire company and the first fire insurance company in order to help people live more safely. As the postmaster, Ben had to find out the best way for delivering the mail. He went out riding in his carriage to measure the routes and needed a way to record the miles. He invented a simple _ for it. In his old age, Ben retired from business and public service and wanted to spend his time reading and studying. He found, however, that his old age had made it difficult for him to reach books from the high shelves. Even though he had many grandchildren to help him, he invented a tool called a long arm to reach the high books. The long arm was a long wooden pole with a grasping claw at the end. Later, other famous inventors, like Thomas A. Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, would follow in Ben's footsteps by trying to find ways to help people live better. Today's curious thinkers are keeping Ben's traditions alive by inventing new and improved ways to make things work. Benjamin Franklin invented a long arm in order to _ . get books from the bookshelf more easily It may not be news to parents of teenage girls, but researchers have confirmed that no one can stop their 16-year-old daughter from deciding how the family spends its money. The willpower and determination of teenage girls in how a family's money is spent on everything from food and meals to mobile phones, and, of course, clothes. Teenage boys did not show up at all in the analysis, which was designed to find out the influence of young people on household spending. The findings on the spending power of teenage girls were calculated from Office for National Statistics records of family spending during the 1980s and 1990s. Researchers examined how much money went on services and leisure goods in different kinds of homes. They checked spending on food, restaurant meals, alcohol, tobacco, services, heating, transport, clothes and sports in 2,745 British families. They found that teenage girls in the UK typically played an active role in family decisions about the allocation of household resources. But older children-- those over the age of 21 who are still living with their parents--appear to have no say in household decisions. They also tried to calculate to what extent the bargaining power of a teenager affected family budgets. "Every parent knows that children, even at a very early age, have their own preferences with regard to consumption, researchers said. "But children are only interested in a limited range of goods--mainly sweets and toys--and parents are able to use punishment to reduce their children's bargaining power or remove it." When they become teenagers, however, girls are much more independent and they are capable of earning their own money, which improves their bargaining power in family decisions. The researchers could not explain why girls have more influence over spending while the evidence for boys is much less conclusive. However, this study could be of great significance to market research and how marketers target children. From the passage we can learn that _ . teenage girls have more influence over family budgets than teenage boys Healthy eating doesn't just mean what you eat, but how you eat. Here is some advice on healthy eating. Eat with others. It can help you to see others' healthy eating habits. If you usually eat with your parents, you can find that the food you eat is more delicious Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty---sometimes you are just thirsty, you need no food. Stop eating before you feel full. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After you don't eat for the past ten hours, your body needs food to get you going. You can be cleverer after eating breakfast. Eat healthy snacks like fruits, yogurt or cheese. We all need snacks sometimes. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks between your three meals. This doesn't mean that you can eat a bag of chips instead of a meal. Don't eat dinner late. With our busy life, we always put off eating dinner time. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to most of the food before you sleep. Which snack is NOT mentioned in the passage ? Ice cream
Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family's only surviving relative lived. It was Sally's relative -- a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The _ would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors . As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative's home and subscribed for the local paper. For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming. "Thirty thousand dollars!" All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it. There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour -- note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, "Ah, it'll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we'll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter." Aleck responded with decision and calmness. "You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work. "Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?" "No, there's no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er..., I've turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat." "Why, Aleck, it's splendid! What does it amount to?" "I think -- well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more." "My! Isn't it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!" Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out. A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold. Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?[:Zxxk.Com] A young mother thought that it was very wrong to waste any food when there were so many hungry people in the world. One evening, she was giving her small daughter her tea before putting her to bed. First she gave her a piece of bread and butter, but the child said that she did not want it like that. She asked for some jam on her bread as well. Her mother looked at her for a few seconds and then said, "When I was a small girl like you. I was always given either bread and butter, or bread and jam, but never bread with butter and jam." Lucy looked at her mother for a few moments with pity in her eyes and said to her kindly, "Aren't you pleased to live a happy life this now?" Lucy wanted to eat _ . Mr. and Mrs. Black want to go to Beijing. But their dog Bobby can't go there with them. So they leave him in a dog shop. It is Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Black get back home from Beijing very late at night. So they don't get Bobby back. On Monday morning, Mr. Black brings the dog back in his car. When he gets home, he says to his wife, "Bobby barks all the time. I think he wants to tell me something. He doesn't like the shop?" Mrs. Black looks at the dog carefully and then says, "You're quite right. He wants to tell you something. He wants to tell you that you bring the wrong dog home." . Mr. and Mrs. Black want to go to _ . In the middle of a dark forest, there lives an owl . All the animals know that he is the wisest among all of them. So they often go to him and tell him their troubles. Then the owl always teaches them what they should do. One day, a little bird goes up to the owl. She is crying. "what's wrong with you?" asks the owl. "I'm not happy at all. I don't want to be a bird," the bird says. "Why don't you want to be a bird?" asks the owl. "I am so small, weak and useless," she cries. "I want to be big and strong like the lion. He is very important, but I am not" Then the owl whispers something in her ear. At once the bird dries her _ and goes away. One week later, the bird came back. "Oh, thank you very much. You are a very wise owl," she says to the owl. "I am very happy now. Every day, I sit on top of the tallest tree and watch for lions and tigers. When they come near, I shout at the top of my voice. Then my friend all run and hide. They are very thankful to me. I am useful and important now" The wise owl smiles and says, "No one in this world is useless." The animals in the forest visit the owl because _ They're WILD animals By Ernst-Ulrich Franzen March 11, 2010(3) Comments The story about the woman who lost some fingers while feeding a bear at a zoo in Manitowoc, after she ignored warnings and barriers , reminded me of the story I heard about a couple who put their baby on the back of a wild horse in South Dakota to get a really cute picture. We all do silly things at times -- no one is immune -- but treating wild animals as lovely pets has to fall into a special category. Teddy bears and Disney movies aren't actually representative of real bears. Comments (3) View Comments 3 Comments _ 1. TosaLeft - Mar 11, 2010 10:46AM Don't you think that maybe, just maybe some alcohol was involved? 2. tk421 - Mar 11, 2010 11:09 AM It was already approved that alcohol was involved. Stories that begin with a drunk person saying "Hey, I got an idea, watch this!" rarely end well. 3. Tristan Kloss - Mar 11, 2010 11:41 AM Alcohol certainly isn't involved when people decide to keep "pets" like chimpanzees, baby tigers, etc. Stupidity, definitely. Dogs are pets because of thousands of years of domestication. Even farm animals, which have been kept by humans for thousands of years as well, aren't let in the house. So why keep animals that treat human contact with, at best, indifference(, ) and, at worst, violence? TosaLeft thinks the wounded woman _ .
The Galapagos Islands are in the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of South America They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth. Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises go slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Strangely, each of these islands has its own particular kinds of tortoises. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, and each kind is slightly different from the other. Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises were around these islands. However, all that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived in 1535, crews would seize as many tortoises as they could. They would roll the tortoises onto their backs when they were brought onto the ships. The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews. Almost 100,000 tortoises were carried off in this way. The tortoises faced other problems, too. Soon after the first ships, settlers arrived, bringing pigs, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats. A11 0f these animals ruined life for the tortoises. Donkeys and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs, dogs and cats ate thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs-or even any baby tortoises. Finally, in the 1950s, scientists decided that something must be done. The first part of their plan was to remove as many cats, dogs and other animals as they could from the islands. Next, they tried to make sure that more baby tortoises would be born; This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year. Perhaps these wonderful animals will not disappear after all What happened soon after people brought animals to the islands? Answer: The animals ate the tortoises' food and eggs. Happy Days Clud For young people From 12...18 years old Every Friday 7:30p.m...10:30p.m 29 Milton Street Just PS1 a week Parker's Sweet Shop 14 Barrett Road 5minutes from town centre Try our famous chocolate eggs and sugar Hearts Prices lower than in other shops Open Monday--Saturday 9am.--5pm International Library Books, CDs and Videos over 100 foreign newspapers and magazines Entrance free Monday...Saturday 9:30--6:00p.m News England House, Muswum Street Painting Competition For young people 8...16 years old Paint a picture of an animal Send it to: Young Artist Magazine 12 High Street Before 14 September and win a bicycle! What time does Happy Days Club open? Answer: 7:30 p.m. You've bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, "Will that be paper or plastic? You reply "Plastic, please." This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let's follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer's choice. Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal's stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten. Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill . Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can't possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers. Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won't be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment. Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags! One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, "Plastic please." Wrapped in a big plastic bag, Plastic Bag3 _ . Answer: still does harm to the environment Did you see snow in your hometown last winter? Did you feel it was warmer than before? "There have been 21 warm winters in China since 1986," said scientists. They also said that in the past 100 years, as the global temperatures went up by 0.74 degC , the temperature in North China has climbed 1.4 degC in only 50 years. China needs to take quick action to cut carbon dioxide emission because it's the main reason for global warming. The good news is that China has seen the importance of going green. China set the goal of cutting energy use by 20% and pollution emission by 10% in the 11th Five-Year Plan. Can you slow down global warming? Sure! You and your family can take steps to cut the amount of carbon dioxide that is sent out into the air. Here are some pieces of advice to help you save the earth.. Wear used clothes. Wearing your brother's, sister's or dad's old T-shirt means you save the energy. Change your light bulbs . Use energy-saving light bulbs. And don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room and turn off your television and computer when they are not in use! Ride the bus. Taking a bus saves a lot of oil every year. Say no to plastic bags. The next time your parents go to the market, ask them to use baskets Open a window. Don't use the air conditioner, and let some fresh air in. When you have to use the conditioner, set the temperature higher in the summer and lower in the winter to save energy. Make small changes in your daily life. Don't use paper cups, bags and boxes. It's time for all of us to do something to save the earth. The passage is mainly about the ways to _ . Answer: slow down global warming Making a film takes a long time and is very hard work. Writing the story for the film may take many weeks. Shooting the film often takes at least six months. Actors and camera men work from very early in the morning until late at night. Each scene has to be acted and re-acted, filmed and re-filmed, until it is just fine. Sometimes the same scene has to be acted many times. The film studio is like a large factory, and the indoor stages are very big indeed. Scenery of all kinds is made in the studio. Churches, houses, and forests are all built of wood and cardboard. Several hundred people work together to make one film. Some of these people are the actors and actresses. The director of the film, however, is the most important person in a film studio. He decides how the scenes should be filmed and how the actors should act. Most people go to see a film because they know the film stars are in it. Sometimes the film may be very poor. It is best to choose a film made by a good director. Some famous directors make their films very real; people feel that they themselves are among the people in the films. The director of a film _ . Answer: is the most important person in a film studio
Next year marks the 150thanniversary of when large numbers of Chinese started working on a huge project in the United States. They help to build America's first transcontinental railroad between 1863 and 1869, connecting the East Coast with the West. People know little about the Chinese railroad workers and what happened to them after the project was finished. Stanford University in California wants to learn more about the lives of these men by reaching out to their families. Bill Yee's ancestors came from southern China. He said, "My great-great-grandfather came to America during the'gold rush'days and he returned to China as a wealthy man. And then my great-grandfather came to work on the railroad and died there." But that did not stop his grandfather from coming to the US on false papers. He operated a laundry. Bill Yee's father continued to run the business and has never returned to China. "Things were pretty bad in some parts of China in the 1860's. They came to America at all costs in order that they no longer had to bear hunger," Bill Yee said. Shelley Fisher Fishkin is helping to direct the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford University. She said, "Many of the Chinese workers who came to work on the transcontinental and other railroads returned to China after their work was done and created families there. Some of them settled in America and created new families, but they had families who they left when they came here and they may have descendants in China." There is a need to create a record of the object and spoken history from the families of the railroad workers. "The US could not have become the modern industrial nation without the railroads. And the railroads would not have come together without the work of these Chinese workers," said Shelley Fisher Fishkin. Why did Stanford University carry out the project? On October 12, 1987, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots( )crossing the computers' screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror , they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of( ) by computer viruses! Obviously all these computers had been infected( ) by computer viruses. It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young man fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence. These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem( )Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the function , damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information. We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading to a list of computers. Among the countries that suffering computer viruses are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But till now, how to get rid of the terrible remains a problem. The most serious damage caused by the viruses is that _ . A famous foreign company in China wanted a Clerk for its public relation department . A beautiful girl with a master's degree went through a lot of challenges and her name was on the list. In the final stage she faced an interview together -with another girl. Both of them were outstanding , not only in looks but also in education. The girl was successful in the interview. It seemed that she would get the chance. At last the examiner asked her, "Can you come to the office next Monday?" Shocked by the unexpected question, the beautiful girl couldn't make a decision at the moment, so she said, "I have to talk with my parents before I give an answer. " The examiner felt surprised but said calmly, "If so, let' s wait till you are ready. " The next day, the girl came to tell the examiner that her parents had agreed to let her begin work next Monday. But the examiner said regretfully , "Sorry, another suitable candidate has got the job. You had better try another place. "The beautiful girl was surprised. She asked for an explanation and was told, "What is needed here is a person who knows her own mind. " That was how a good opportunity _ a beautiful girl ran away. The examiner regarded _ as the most important. I don't think there is anything wrong with your blood. The key to your problem is that long nap after dinner. If you didn't sleep for hours during the early part of the evening, you would be more ready to sleep at bedtime. If you didn't nap after dinner, you would not want to stay up so late, and you would not feel the need to take a sleeping pill. The pill is still working in your system when you get up in the morning. This helps account for the fact that you feel tired all day. You should get out of the habit of sleeping during the early evening. Right after your evening meal, engage in some sort of physical activity-a sport such as bowling, perhaps. Or get together with friends for an evening of cards and conversation. Then go to bed at your usual time or a little earlier, and you should be able to get a good night's rest without taking a pill. If you can get into the habit of spending your evenings this way, I am sure you will feel less tired during the day. At first it may be hard for you to go to sleep without taking a pill. If so, get up and watch television or do some jobs around your house until you feel sleepy. If you fall asleep and then wake up a few hours later, get up but do not take a sleeping pill. Read a while or listen to the radio, and make yourself a few hours' sleep that night, you will feel better in the morning than you usually feel after taking a pill. The next night you will be ready to sleep at an earlier hour. The most important thing is to avoid taking that nap right after dinner and avoid taking pills. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? The air plant has wonderful and amazing features. It takes in moisture from the air through its leaves.Although it is seen growing on another object or plant to support itself. To prevent the roots from being too wet,avoid planting it in soil. Keep the roots in a well--ventilated environment. Air plants can grow well hanging from fishing lines. They can also be hung from seashells, teacups or even on wood. Water the air plant once in a while. Simply let the water fall from the roots. The roots will take in the water for the air plant. The air plant can live between 0degCdeg and 51 degC. It does not need to be in the light all the time. However, sunlight(morning and evening only)helps it to reproduce faster. When it flowers,it turns a colorful pink, red or orange.At most 8 young plants can grow from the air plant.When these grow to half the size of the parent plant, simply pull them away gently from the parent plant and plant them in another place. The lifespan of an air plant _ the care it gets and the environment it is placed in. Generally, all air plant can live for many years. Because they are so beautiful and easy to take care of, air plants are excellent as birthday gifts or housewarming gifts. The air plant takes in moisture from _ .
A person is going to explore in the ocean and sees that when they get down to a darker part, Answer: Martin Lynch, an American businessman, had been going on vacation to a small Mexican fishing village for a number of ears. One morning while going for a walk along the beach, he saw his friend Pablo Perez, a local fisherman. Martin watched Pablo _ his boat and pack the fish in a box. Martin noticed Pablo was smiling and looked very happy. He could also see several large fish in the boat. Martin greeted Pablo and asked how long it took to catch the fish. "Just a few hours," replied Pablo. Martin asked, "Why didn't you stay longer and catch more fish?" "I have enough for my family," Pablo said. "And what do you do with the rest of your day?" asked Martin. "I take a nap, play with my children, spend time with my wife, and go into the village to see my friends and play cards, I have a full and busy life." Martin explained that if Pablo worked longer hours and caught more fish, he could make more money. With the extra money, Pablo could buy more boats and catch money more fish. By selling the fish, Pablo could open his own factory and sell direct to supermarkets. "Then what?" asked Pablo. "Well you would probably have to move to Mexico City to run the business. Finally, you would be able to sell your business and make millions of dollars," replied Martin. "How long will that take?" asked Pablo. Martin thought for a while and said it would probably take at least 15 years. "And then what" asked Pablo. "Well, that's the best part," Martin said. "You will be able to retire, buy a house near the ocean, sleep longer, play with your children, spend more time with your wife, see your friends, and play cards." We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: I know my son seems very naughty. He cannot concentrate on reading, he makes silly mistakes in his homework or often fails his exams. Whenever such things happen, his teacher shouts,"Ask your parents to come here." And then I have to go with my tail between my legs to find out what's going on with my son and to listen to the teacher scold him. I really feel sorry for my son's mistakes and usually feel personally responsible. But I can't help feeling angry with him after a meeting with his teacher. Gradually, I have realized that anger will do him no good, and that actually he needs my help. On the other hand, I think that to educate our "little emperors ",there needs to be more understanding and cooperation between teachers and parents. The writer's child _ . Answer: Everyone has those nights-you lie in your bed for hours, tossing and turning, totally unable to fall asleep. You wish you could just turn your brain off as if it were a light. That would make things much easier, wouldn't it? Now it looks like you are one step closer to this wild dream of yours-scientists from Oxford University, UK have just discovered the "switch" that tells the brain to go to sleep, reported Forbes. To understand the study, you first need to know that there are two mechanisms that regulate sleep. There's one that we're already familiar with --our body clock, which works in a 24-hour cycle based on the light changes throughout the day. The other one is what scientists call the sleep "homeostat ". This mechanism has nothing to do with daylight. Instead, it keeps track of the brain's waking hours and urges it to rest if it has been awake for a long time. "It is similar to the thermostat in your home. A thermostat measures temperature and switches on the heating if it's too cold," Professor Gero Miesenbock, who led the study, told The Telegraph. Our bodies use both of the mechanisms to regulate sleep. "The body clock says it's the right time, and the sleep thermostat has built up pressure during a long waking day," explained Miesenbock. There is no way that scientists can trick the body clock. But with the sleep homeostat, there might be something they can do. The researchers found that the sleep homeostat works by activating a specific group of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. They tested their theory on fruit flies by removing the neurons from the insects' brains. And as expected, they found that the flies without the homeostat neurons did not keep a regular sleep pattern anymore. Now that scientists have pinpointed the exact place in the brain-- or, the "switch"--that regulates sleep, they can begin investigating how to activate these cells at any given time so that people can be sent to sleep instantly. More importantly, figuring out how sleep mechanisms work may also help us to one day one of the oldest mysteries of all: why do we need to sleep in the first place? How does the author explain the function of the sleep homeostat? Answer: Wade is my good friend. We study at the same school. At weekends he usually turns on his computer. He sends and gets e-mails to and from his friends back in France. He also gets on the Internet to learn about what is going on in the world. His parents sometimes take him to some places of interest in China. Sometimes I ask him to come over to my home for a weekend. My parents say that they can't understand what we talk about because there are two languages in our talks--Chinese and English. My mother sometimes says to him,"Can you talk to my son in Chinese only,Wade?" He always smiles and answers, "Not today. I'm going to speak good Chinese very soon." He is not good at Chinese and I am weak at English. But we like these talks because we can learn when we are talking. At weekends Wade sometimes _ . Answer:
Question: It is easier to go down the hill than to climb up the hill,so it is easier to fall into bad habits than into good ones.Bad habits do not come suddenly. They come little by little without one being aware of their danger. School boys first pick up little bad habits in the school and on the street. When they can't write their lessons,they copy from their schoolmates. If they see bigger boys smoking,they also want to learn to smoke. If they see their friends gambling ,they want to gamble. When they get bigger,the habits become stronger and stronger,so that they can no longer get rid of(,)them. From copying,they learn to steal,from gambling,they learn to cheat. At last they become distrusted by everybody. How necessary it is that we get rid of the bad habits in the beginning. It is important for us to _ . A. copy others B. learn steal and cheat C. get rid of the bad habits in the beginning D. laugh at others Answer: C. get rid of the bad habits in the beginning Question: Many years ago, there was an old man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he told them to go and look at a pear tree. It was far away from his home. The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in autumn. When the sons came back, the old man asked them to say what they had seen. The first son complained the tree was ugly. The second son said the tree was covered with buds and full of hope. The third son said the tree was full of green leaves. They looked so beautiful, and it was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen. The youngest son said that the tree was bowed down with heavy fruits. It was full of life and fulfillment . The man explained that all of his sons were right, but each of them had seen just one season of the tree. He told them that they couldn't judge a tree or a person by only one season. "If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the hope of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your autumn." said the old man. It is true that we shouldn't let the hard season break the happiness of the other seasons. Never give up during the difficult days and better times are sure to come some day. What do you think of the old man? A. Selfish. B. Silly. C. Fair. D. Wise. Answer: D. Wise. Question: Choose the best answer (,): David Copperfield is one of the world's most famous magicians . He became the youngest member of the Society of American Magicians when he was 12. Now he is famous all over the world. In 1983, he made the Statue of Liberty in New York disappear for a few minutes. In 1986, Copperfield first came to China. He walked through the Great Wall in Beijing! During his second visit in 2002, lots of Chinese people were lucky enough to enjoy his shows. Copperfield's shows are not just magic. He also dances and does lots of interesting things to make his fans happy. He even asks his fans to help him do tricks ! One of Copperfield's greatest tricks is flying. In his shows in China, he even made some fans fly around the theatre! In another trick, an electric saw cut Copperfield's body into two halves. Copperfield's magic is different each time. What do you think he will do next time? It will be fun to wait and see! _ is one of Copperfield's greatest tricks. A. Dancing B. Walking C. Flying D. Cutting Answer: C. Flying Question: Do you like traditional Chinese paper-cutting? Ding Xiang, a student at Nongsishi Middle School in Xinjiang, is really good at it. At the eighth National Excellent Talents Competition last month in Beijing, the 15-year-old girl got the gold award for her paper-cutting skills. At the competition, Ding cut a piece: Millennium Dream . The piece has two papers. One shows an ancient cave painting and the other a Chinese-made spaceship. The two papers form a sharp contrast . Ding said she wanted to show three things with the piece: China's long history, China's rapid development, and her hope for the future of paper-cutting. This piece helped Ding walk away with the gold award. "I was very surprised to get the award." Ding said in an interview with Yili Daily, a Xingjiang newspaper. "I should thank paper-cutting for bringing me the award." All the hard work has paid off. In two years, Ding's skills have improved a lot, and she has the gold award to prove _ . Ding said she has learned a lot from paper-cutting. "I have learned to observe things carefully," Ding told Yili Daily. "I have become more confident, too. It is a great help in my studies. Also, I have learned a lot of history from the art." Ding Xiang got the gold award because of _ . A. a wonderful paper-cutting work B. an ancient cave painting C. a Chinese-made spaceship D. a dream for many years Answer: A. a wonderful paper-cutting work Question: I noticed that the little boy was paying mostly with change . It seemed that he had broken his pig bank to do this shopping. However, the cashier told him he was $ 8.00 short after counting his money. It was clear that the boy had already used all the money. The lady in front of me said, "Well, I could pay half of that." I told the boy that I could pay the other half. We searched our handbags. However, both of us only had ten-dollar bills . Other customers behind began searching their pockets to find some change. It was amazing and moving that all these strangers seemed to have the same idea. All of us wanted to help the boy. Within minutes the cashier said, "I have too much money." The cashier didn't need our ten-dollar bills. Then the lady in front of me said, "Wait! I didn't get a chance to give anything!" I smiled at her and said, "You did your share, because it was your idea and you started all this." The little boy smiled and thanked us. I was left with a good feeling. I saw the love and goodness of others all around me. The woman in front of me smiled and said, "It feels good to give, doesn't it?" I smiled back and said, "Yes!" ,. Why did the writer and the woman both feel glad? A. Because the boy had saved some money. B. Because they both didn't need to give anything. C. Because the cashier didn't look down on the boy. D. Because all the customers around were willing to help the boy. Answer: D. Because all the customers around were willing to help the boy.
Bean and other seed shoots are also known as sprouts . The dry bean seeds contain a store of nutrients just waiting to be released when they sprout. Under the right conditions they will germinate . As they grow, the food value of the seeds is multiplied into vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. This happens almost overnight! It is easy to grow your own sprouts, but you need to buy your seeds from supermarkets or health food stores. Seeds for planting in the garden are often powdered with chemicals, so when becoming sprouts they are not safe to eat. Try growing sprouts from a variety of beans and seeds. You will find different sprouts at different stages. Bean sprouts are best when they are about three centimeters long. Wheat and sunflower sprouts taste best when the sprouts and the seeds are of the same length. If the sunflower sprout is too long it leaves a funny stinging feeling in the throat after eating. Alfalfa sprouts are best when their small leaves are well developed. Pea and soybean sprouts are good long or short. If you leave your sprouts in filtered sunlight for a few hours, the leaves will turn green as chlorophyll is added. Eating sprouts with green leaves benefits your blood, cells, and the digestive system. As sprouts grow, the food value of the seeds will _ . Answer: increase Festivals play an important role in a culture's identity.I can't think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. Here are some special festivals around the world. Boryeong Mud Festival-Boryeong, South Korea For two weeks in July, millions gather in Borueong to experience the grey pools and slides.What began as a way of promoting the region's mineral-rich mud has turned into a festive party, complete with music and fireworks.While the mud is usually only available in cosmetic products, here you can cake yourself in grey as you want. Holi-India Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India's most important holidays, During the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February throughout the country, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world. Koninginnedag-The Netherlands Although their current Queen's birthday is really during the winter, the Queen still celebrates it on April 30th, the country's official " Queen's Day" since 1949.Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas .Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music acts, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day. National Elephant Day in Thailand In Thailand, March 13 is regarded as National Elephant Day to show that the Thai elephant plays an important role in the Thai history.Thai Elephant Day has been held on an annual basis since the idea was first approved by the Thai government in 1998.Special events are held at a number of venues in northern Thailand.At the Mae Sa Elephant Camp, it has become a tradition on March13 for the dozens of elephants there to be treated to a huge feast of fruits and sugarcane. What is the main purpose of the text? Answer: To introduce some unique festivals around the world. Why can some people sleep through noises like a honking car or flushing toilet, while others are awakened by the lightest sound? To find the answer, sleep researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital conducted an unusual study of 12 self-described deep sleepers. After tests confirmed that the healthy volunteers were solid sleepers, they took part in a three-night study in the university's sleep laboratory. The participants spent the night in a big and comfortable room. But the room also included four speakers positioned near the top of the bed. During the night, the deep sleepers were subjected to 14 different recorded sounds, like street traffic, toilets flushing, an ice machine dispensing and an airplane flying overhead. Next door, the researchers monitored their sleep patterns and brain waves. As expected, all of the participants slept ly well, but there were differences in how they responded to the noisy interruptions. Some of the sleepers didn't wake up even when a sound was blasted at 70 decibels ; others were awakened by sounds at 40 or 50 decibels. The researchers discovered that the difference in a sleeper's reaction to noise could be predicted by the level of brain activity called "sleep spindles''. A sleep spindle is a burst of high-frequency brain activity coming from deep inside the brain during sleep. The source of the spindles is the thalamus, a part of the brain that sends sensory information to the rest of the cortex . Before the study, the Massachusetts researchers theorized that the spindles are the brain's way of preventing sensory information from passing through the thalamus and waking the rest of the brain during sleep. They found that the sleepers who experienced the most sleep spindles during the night were also the soundest sleepers and were least likely to be awakened by noise. Scientists already know that most people become lighter sleepers with age, most likely because older people experience less "slow wave sleep'', which is the deepest stage of sleep. People also produce fewer sleep spindles as they age. But even when controlling for the stage of sleep a person was in, the number of sleep spindles still predicted their risk for awakening because of noise. More research is needed, but the findings suggest that a better understanding of sleep spindles could lead to new behavioral or drug therapies for people with sleep disorders. For instance, future studies may try to determine whether diet, exercise or other behaviors may influence the number of sleep spindles a person produces during the night. Some participants can sleep well through loud noises mainly because _ . Answer: their brains react differently to noises Alabama Students in Alabama take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam, which consists of multiple-choice questions. In the classroom, Alabama high school students must prove specific skills in English and take certain math classes. Among the 2013 U.S. News Best High Schools in Alabama, two were awarded gold medals, 16 received silver medals and 72 were considered bronze medal schools. One of the gold medal schools, Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School, lies about 90 miles south of Birmingham in the state capital of Montgomery, within the Montgomery County School District. Alaska To graduate, Alaska high school students must get at least 21 credits, including a half credit in Alaska history. Alaska judges students from the third grade through senior grades. Students first take the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Examination at the tenth grade. It includes math, reading and writing skills. 10 schools were awarded silver medals and 21 received bronze medals among the U.S. News Best High Schools in 2013. While Alaska's capital is Juneau, several of the state's Best High Schools are in or near Anchorage, in the Anchorage School District. Delaware Delaware students have a high GPA and 10 hours of community service. If they hand in their FAFSA by a certain date, they may get the Inspire Scholarship, which helps pay for tuition at Delaware State University. Before they go to college, however, students must pass the Delaware Student Testing Program Exams. Among the Delaware schools in the 2013 U.S. News Best High Schools, there are three silver medal schools and four bronze medal schools. The top school in the state is Delmar Senior High School. It is part of the Delmar School District and is about 50 miles from Delaware's capital, Dover. Alaska's graduation exam is different from the others' in the aspect that _ . Answer: it includes its own state history as well You're not doomed to toss and turn every night. Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that relate to your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips. No. 1: Stick to a sleep schedule Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. If you don't fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing. Go back to bed when you're tired. No. 2: Pay attention to what you eat and drink Don't go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine -- which take hours to wear off -- can ruin quality sleep. No. 3: Create a bedtime ritual Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to light music. Be careful of using the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime has impact on sleep. No. 4: Get comfortable Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you have children or pets, set limits on how often they sleep with you -- or insist on separate sleeping quarters. No. 5: Limit daytime naps Long daytime naps can affect nighttime sleep -- especially if you're struggling with poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid-afternoon. If you work nights, you'll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight -- which adjusts your internal clock -- doesn't interrupt your daytime sleep. No. 6: Include physical activity in your daily routine Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is important, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep. If this seems to be an issue for you, exercise earlier in the day. No. 7: Manage stress When you have too much to do -- and too much to think about -- your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace to your life, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and dividing tasks. Give yourself permission to take a break when you need one. Share a good laugh with an old friend. Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night -- but if you often have trouble sleeping, contact your doctor. Identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get the better sleep you deserve. Which of the following sleep tips is not mentioned in the passage? Answer: Follow a flexible sleep timetable.
Dave is a six-year-old boy who has a well-deserved reputation for bullying younger and smaller children. His parents have encouraged him to be aggressive and tough. Dave, for no reason, knocked down, kicked, and severely injured Pete, a four-year-old boy. A claim for relief has been asserted by Pete's parents for their medical and hospital costs and for Pete's injuries.If the claim is asserted against Dave, the most likely result is that Dave will be A liable, because he intentionally harmed Pete. B liable, because, as a six-year-old, he should have known that his conduct was wrongful. C not liable, because a child under seven is not liable in tort. D not liable, because he is presumed to be under his parents' control and they have the sole responsibility Answer: A. liable, because he intentionally harmed Pete. "It's the best...uhh...What? You don't want it?...,"the inexpertienced young man uttered,his hope dashed. "Again,you disappointed me,Andrew.When are you going to learn? You have to be sure and confident. And think how best to make him part with his money. Apply yourself, Son. All your college education will not help if you don't put your mind to selling. Think on your feet. Use psychology," Andrew spoke with diffidence overwhelmed by his father's criticism. "You've been in this shop for six months and you haven't succeeded in selling a single computer. I tell you what. I'll give you one more chance. I'll give you another three more weeks. If you still can't make one sale, I'll call in your elder brother to replace you. He will also take over the shop when I retire. There. I'll just give you one last chance to prove yourself," said Mr. Whitely, his patience wearing thin. Andrew's heart missed a beat. This time he would have to do it. Do or Die! A sense of urgency gripped him. Somehow he must prove himself to his father. It was now the end of the day and the shop was being closed. The assistant employed by his father, called Mike, chuckled and put his arms round poor Andrew to comfort him," Sort it out yourself. It's gotta come from yourself." he said. The shop was located in a bustling shopping center. Andrew left the shop and walked round the complex aimlessly and by chance entered a large bookstore. He glanced at the books and was about to leave when his eyes caught some interesting titles:' How to increase your confidence,'' The art of communication,''How to sell well'amongst others. The next minute he was out of the store with the shopping bag bugling with books. In his apartment (for he loves separately from his parents and little sister),he settled himself in his easy chair and devoured the contents of the books, one by one. His keen intelligence enabled him to focus the details that matter and pick out the ideas and techniques expounded.In a week his image underwent a transformation. Gone was the stubble that used to give him an untidy image likened to a heroin addict.He was also smartly dressed now. Instead of his usual slurred speech and incoherence ,he spoke with clarity, purpose and forcefulness.He was more convincing and persuasive. Above all, confidence flowed from his being and he seemed to have learned a few tricks of the selling trade. He worked hard at his sales pitch and one day he succeeded in selling a computer. His first sale. He had finally achieved the quota of one sale within the given time frame of three weeks. The job, the shop, was his. He had to thank Mike for it. And now he had to go beyond his first successs and score, consistently and persistently. Nevertheless he had proved himself at last and the future looked bright and promising. We learn from the story that at the beginning Andrew's father _ . A holds the view that Andrew is hopeless B has lost his patience with Andrew C has given the shop to Andrew D still hopes Andrew will improve Answer: D. still hopes Andrew will improve Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea. Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women. Elizabeth Blackwell spent most of her life in _ . A England B Paris C the United States D New York City Answer: C. the United States You do something about twenty times a minute without even thinking about it--you breathe! In fact, every day you take about twenty-thousand breaths. The organs of your body that allow you to breathe are called your lungs. You have two of them that work together, located in your chest inside the rib cage. The main purpose of your lungs is to breathe in good air and breathe out bad air. The good air contains oxygen, which your body needs. The bad air is a gas called carbon dioxide, which your body cannot use. When you breathe in through your nose or mouth, air travels down the back of your throat. It passes through your voice box and into your trachea, or windpipe. Your trachea is divided into two air passage tubes. One leads to your left lung. The other leads to your right lung. Inside your lungs, oxygen is removed from the air you breathe and pumped into blood cells. Your lungs also get rid of harmful carbon dioxide from these cells. This process takes place inside hundreds of millions of tiny air sacs. Each adult lung is about the size of a football. When they are healthy, your lungs feel a little like a sponge and are pinkish-gray. When lungs are damaged by smoking, they can appear gray or have black spots on them.One disease that is very common in children involves the lungs. It's asthma. Asthma narrows the breathing tubes, making it harder to breathe. You probably already know that your lungs are important when you swim. But you may not know this--your lungs are the only part of your body that can float on water! Which of the following about your lungs is WRONG? A They move about 20 times a minute. B Generally each person has two lungs. C They pump the air you breathe into blood cells. D They can float on water. Answer: C. They pump the air you breathe into blood cells. Time:2017-01-24 From:kekenet.com Editor: clover The head of China's largest online seller Alibaba does not think China and the United States will have a trade war despite comments from the Trump administration. Jack Ma is the chairman of the Alibaba Group. At the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, he said, "China and (the) U.S. will never have a trade war. Give Trump some time. He's open-minded, he's listening." _ said he would do all he could to prevent trade relations between the countries from getting worse. Last week, Ma met with Trump at the Trump Tower in New York City. The Chinese billionaire is said to have discussed a plan to permit one million small U.S. businesses to sell goods on Alibaba's online shopping platform. During the campaign and after winning the presidential election, Trump strongly criticized the Chinese government's support for its businesses. He blamed unfair trade policies for taking away U.S. jobs. And he said that China unfairly controls the exchange value of its currency, the yuan. Trump also has threatened to place import taxes on goods from China and other countries in response to their trade policies. According to theSouth China Morning Post, Ma said, "American international companies made millions and millions of dollars from globalization." He added that the U.S. should not blame the loss of jobs and companies on globalization. However, a new study by an American business group says many U.S. businesses feel unwelcome in China. The companies say the cost of doing business in China is increasing. They add that rules and regulations are unclear or not enforced in a consistent way. The American Chamber of Commerce in China led the study, which looked at responses from 462 companies. William Zarit is chairman of the chamber. He says trade policies in China make it difficult for American companies. He says, "we feel that over the last few years that we've been taken advantage of to some extent, with our open market and the lack of open areas in the Chinese market." Another major concern for U.S. companies in China is fake products. Fake products are copies of the originals that cost businesses with the legal right to sell them millions of dollars each year. Ma defended Alibaba's efforts to fight fake products on its shopping platform. He said his company is doing all it can to fight the problem. "Fighting against fake products is a war against human greediness," Ma said. I'm Mario Ritter. The text likely take from the _ . A economic magazine B trade speech C website D global news Answer: C. website
Li Ping is going to England. He wants to know something about English people. One day he sees an English girl in the street. Then he comes up to her. "Excuse me, may I ask you some questions?" "Of course you may."answers the girl politely. "I'll go to London. What should I notice when I'm talking with English people in London? "asks Li Ping. "Well, don't ask a woman how old she is and..." "But how old are you? "Li Ping stops the girl and asks suddenly. "I..."The girl gets angry. "Why do you get so angry?"asks Li Ping. "Now we are in China, not in England, you see" Does the girl like to answer the first question? Yes,she does. One of the most exciting and attractive fields of work today is the fashion industry. Some of the most well-known people in this industry are the fashion designers with unbelievable financial Kingdoms. But most of the clothes that you wear have been designed by people that the world has never heard of. Although these unknown fashion designers will never make a very large amount of money as their famous workmates, most still would not think of changing their careers. They are doing what they love. If you spend hours looking through fashion magazines and like making your own clothes, a career as a fashion designer might be right for you. You do not have to go to design school to become a fashion designer, but many people who want a career in this field do. One of the most famous places to study is the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. It is located in the heart of the "garment" district on Eighth Avenue, also known as Fashion Avenue. Becoming a fashion designer is not just a matter of classroom education. Students know that they cannot just leave school and start designing on their own. Many think that they need at least four years' experience working for someone else after they graduate. The best schools encourage students to work closely with the fashion industry while they are still studying. You need ambition and hard work to get a career in fashion. Students often work 12 hours a day. They are encouraged to have realistic ambitions and not to expect success overnight, if ever. Success means finding a job in the fashion industry and more years of hard work. Which of the following old sayings shows the writer's opinion about learning fashion design? Experience is the best teacher. Mrs. Jones is waiting for an important telephone call, but she has no vegetables at home, so she leaves the baby and says to her five-year-old son, "I'm going to the shops, Jimmy, and I'll be back in a few minutes." While she is out, the telephone rings, and Jimmy answers. "Hello," says a man. "Is your mother here?" "No." answers Jimmy. "Well, when she comes back, tell her Mr. Baker telephones." "What?" says Jimmy. "Mr. Baker, write it down B-A-K-E-R." "How do you make a B," asks Jimmy. "How do I make B? Listen, little boy, is there anyone else with you? Any brothers or sisters?" "My brother Billy is here." "Good, I want to talk to him, please." "All right." Jimmy takes the telephone to the baby's bed and gives it to Billy. When their mother comes back, she asks, "Does anyone telephone?" "Yes," says Jimmy, "a man. But he only wants to talk to Billy." Mrs. Jones is waiting for _ . a call It's important for us to be healthy. But how can we keep healthy? First,you should eat fruit and vegetables three or four times a week. Then eat some tofu every day because it's good for people, both the young and the old. Milk is also necessary ,especially for women. So you should have milk twice a day. It can help you to be strong. Next, doing more exercise is better. You can do morning exercises or evening exercises. After supper you should take a walk. You should have milk . twice a day If you were given a chance to choose your favorite life metaphor , what would it be? Do you agree with Forrest Gump's mother that life is "a box of chocolates" because "you never know what you're going to get"? Or do you prefer the phrase from the 1930's song that "life is just a bowl of cherries "? Though simply stated, each conveys a very different view. A "box" implies mystery, because we don't know what is in a closed box. Meanwhile, a "bowl" of cherries is completely in view. For many centuries, the metaphor of life that probably burst into most people's mind was the one suggested by Shakespeare: "All of life is a stage..." On that stage, we take seven roles. More recently, psychologist Erik Erikson took up the idea of life as a stage. Erikson regarded development as a "powerful unfolding" in which we are driven from one stage to the next as our bodies, minds, and social roles develop. Stage metaphors fit with many of our common-sense ideas about change, but the problem with the stage metaphor is that it isn't particularly accurate. None of the studies that try to clarify the universality of adult life stages actually studied people as they developed over time. All of them were based on performances of their samples at one point in time. People's actual lives don't fit into these stage metaphors. They don't automatically transform when people reach a certain age. Instead, people's real lives are messy, unpredictable, and full of surprises. Today, I'd like to focus on an even longer study, an 80-year study which is the subject of a recent book by Howard Friedman and Leslie Martin. Their final chapter summarizes the "many changes of healthy and unhealthy pathways" that their participants took over the course of their lives. As I too discovered in my research, the pathway provides a perfect metaphor of human development. We don't all go down the same road marked with the same signposts based on age. People travel through diverse routes as they track the years of adulthood. Friedman and Martin use health and long life as their measure; I've used sense of achievement. In both cases, we are in perfect agreement in evaluating development not according to age but "the key features of life". The paths that Friedman and Martin describe seize the changes that characterize people as they age. Some examples are "The High Road" (reliable, full of plans); "Not Easy Street" (exposed to high stress throughout life), "Catastrophe Lane" (a downwardly twisty life); "Happy Trails to You" (cheerful, sociable), "The Road to Resilience" (able to handle stress with a strong will). Though I haven't yet been able to follow my participants for 80 years, I too saw some of these pathways among my samples: "The Minding Way" , "The Downward Slope" , "The Straight and Narrow Path" , and "The Successful Trail". The pathway metaphor gives you hope for changing the direction of your life if you are unhappy with it so far. You can't stop the clock from ticking the minutes between one birthday and the next, but you can adjust the road that you're on by changing yourself, your situation, or both. What does the passage focus on? The pathway as a perfect life metaphor.
Discover Newsmagazine of science devoted to the wonders an stories of modern science, written for the educated general reader. Published by Disney Magazine Publishing Co., Discover tells many of the same stories professionals read in Scientific American. A truly delightful family science magazine, each issue brings to light new and newsworthy topics to make dinnertime and water-cooler conversations interesting. Cover Price: $59.88 Price: $19.95($1.66/issue) You Save: $39.93(67%) Issues: 12 issues/12 months Self Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Self is a handbook devoted to women's overall physical and mental health. Every issue contains usable articles such as "Style Lab", in which wearable clothes are mixed and matched on non-models and the "Eat-right Road Map", with tips on how to eat properly. Cover Price: $35.86 Price: $15.00($2.5/issue) You Save: $20.86(58%) Issues: 10 issues/12 months Instyle Instyle is a guide to the lives and lifestyles of the world's famous people. The magazine covers the choices people make about their homes, their clothes and their free time activities. With photos and articles, it opens the door to these people's homes, families, parties and weddings, offering ideas about beauty, fitness and in general, lifestyles. Publisher: The Time Inc.Magazine Company. Cover Price: $47.88 Price: $23.88($2.38/issue) You Save: $24.00(50%) Issues: 10 issues/12 months Wired This magazine is designed for leaders in the field of information engineering including top managers and professionals in the computer, business, design and education industries. Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Wired often carries articles on how technology changes people's lives. Cover Price: $59.40 Price: $10.00($1.00/issue) You save: $49.40(83%) Issues: 10 issues/12months Which magazine offers the biggest price cut? A. Instyle B. Wired C. Discover D. Self Answer: B. Wired One day, Mr. Arnold was teaching a lesson, and things were going as normally as ever. He was explaining the story of mankind to his pupils. He told them that, in the beginning, men were nomads; they never stayed in the same place for very long. Instead, they would travel about, here and there, in search of food, wherever it was to be found. And when the food ran out, they would move off somewhere else. He taught them about the invention of farming and keeping animals. This was an important discovery, because by learning to cultivate the land, and care for animals, mankind would always have food steadily available. It also meant that people could remain living in one place, and this made it easier to set about tasks that would take a long while to complete, like building towns, cities, and all that were in them. All the children were listening attracted by this story, until Lucy jumped up: "And if that was so important and improved everything so much, why are we nomads all over again, Mr. Arnold?" Mr. Arnold didn't know what to say. Lucy was a very intelligent girl. He knew that she lived with her parents in a house, so she must know that her family were not nomads; so what did she mean? "We have all become nomads again," continued Lucy, "The other day, outside the city, they were cutting the forest down. A while ago a fisherman told me how they fish. It's the same with everyone: when there's no more forest left the foresters go elsewhere, and when the fish run out the fishermen move on. That's what the nomads did, isn't it ? The teacher nodded, thoughtfully. Really, Lucy was right Mankind had turned into nomads. Instead of looking after the land in a way that we could be sure it would keep supplying our needs, we kept developing it until the land was bare. And then off we would go to the next place! The class spent the rest of the afternoon talking about what they could do to show how to be more civilized. The next day everyone attended class wearing a green T-shirt, with a message that said " _ " And , from then on, they set about showing that indeed they were not. Every time they knew they needed something, they made sure that they would get it using care and control. If they needed wood or paper, they would make sure that they got the recycled kind. They ordered their fish from fish farms, making sure that the fish they received were not too young and too small. They only used animals that were well cared for, and brought up on farms. And so, from their little town, those children managed to give up being nomads again, just as prehistoric men had done, so many thousands of years ago. The writer tries to make us believe that _ . A. mankind has been progressing mainly through traveling about B. it's unwise for mankind to use the land in an uncontrolled way C. it's quite good for students to learn more about the history of mankind D. in the beginning men were nomads. Answer: B. it's unwise for mankind to use the land in an uncontrolled way Reading is a good hobby for all kinds of reasons. First , reading is fun. You can always keep yourself happy if like reading. You will never feel bored or tired. Next, you can read a book anywhere----in a car, on a plane, or even in the bathroom. All you need is a book! Another good reason for reading is that it is useful. If you read as a hobby, you will get better and better at it. And you will read faster and find it easier to understand what you read. As your reading skills improve, you will probably find your schoolwork becomes much better. Some people say that reading is out of date . This is not true. You can read on computers, and the better you read, the better your computer skills will be. Good readers may become writers, too. They always have more things to write about. Reading is a wonderful hobby. Why not start reading ri ght now? You can read faster _ . A. after you read a book B. after you finish your schoolwork C. if you read as a hobby D. if you are a student Answer: C. if you read as a hobby You had me at "Hello"! It turns out our opening words speak volumes--people take less than a second to form an impression of someone's personality based on their voice alone. We know that our voices can convey information about our sex, age, even body strength and certain personality characteristics, but Phil McAleer at the University of Glasgow and his colleagues wondered whether we make an instant impression. To find out, they recorded 64 volunteers as they read a passage. They then picked the word "hello" and asked 320 listeners to mark the voices for personality characteristics--including trust, dominance and attractiveness. Although it's not clear how accurate such immediate judgements are, what is obvious is that we all make them, and very quickly. "We were surprised by just how similar people's marks were," says McAleer. It makes sense that decisions about personality should happen really fast, says McAleer. The impression that our voices convey appears to be related to several factors, such as sex differences and age groups, especially the pitch of voice on the top. For example, the pitch of a person's voice influenced how reliable they seemed. "A guy who raises his pitch becomes more trustworthy," says McAleer. "Whereas a girl who changes from a high to a low pitch is seen as more trustworthy than a girl whose voice goes up at the end of the word." It is possible to change some of these aspects of your voice, he says. "It has been said that Margaret Thatcher and the Queen were both trained to make their voices appear more dominant." Some aspects, though, can't be changeable. "The methods used in this paper are familiar, but the conclusions are new and very interesting," says Jody Kreiman, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. The way the study links personality to attractiveness and reproductive fitness makes sense biologically, she says. The team hope that their work can be used to help create artificial voices for people who have lost their own due to a medical condition, as well as creating lovely and charming voices for satnavs , and other robotics. "You might also use this kind of work to find the right person to front a team," says McAleer, "you don't want a really unreliable voice running your call centre." What can we learn from the passage? A. The first impression of one's personality is formed by his voice. B. People can change someone's personality by their pitch. C. A guy's pitch convey is different from a girl's. D. Voice cannot be changed for personality characteristics. Answer: C. A guy's pitch convey is different from a girl's. Tina was not like many of her classmates. She didn't listen to popular music or watch many movies, and she wasn't interested in nice clothes. When she got together with her friends, they wanted to listen to rock and pop music. When Tina asked if they would like to try classical music, they all looked at her strangely."Classical music is for old people, " one of her friends said. Tina was worried that something was wrong with her. She decided to talk to her father. As she entered his study , her father could feel something was wrong. "Dad, am I strange?" she asked her father."Of course not, " he answered. "Why do you ask that?" "Because I don't like the same things as my classmates do. They want to listen to Mariah Carey's music. I like Yo Yo Ma's." "I can understand, Tina, it's all right _ You don't have to copy what other people do. Everybody has different tastes. Some of them are popular, and others aren't. "After talking with her father, Tina felt better. She realized that being different made her special. It was an important lesson for her to learn. Tina liked to _ . A. listen to Mariah Carey's music B. go to the movies C. listen to classical music D. buy nice clothes Answer: C. listen to classical music
William Shakespeare is the most famous playwright . Although he died in 1616, people still go to see his plays. Among the most popular are Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet -- the story of a prince who struggles to respond to the crimes around him. Shakespeare, who was born in 1564, was an actor as well as a writer. Most of his ideas for plays were taken from history, people's conversation, ancient stories, and also from other writers. He wrote not only about kings and queens and princes, but also about friends and ordinary people. He wrote about the cruelty of war and the bravery of heroes, as well as about jealousy, joy, hate, ambition and love. His stories live on. The tragedy Romeo and Juliet was reborn as the musical West Side Story and more recently as the movie Romeo and Juliet with the wonderful performance of Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. He invented a number of great characters: powerful magicians, thrilling witches, smart women and both wise and wicked men. He also invented some great phrases. If you've ever said, "Oh, for goodness sake!" you can thank Shakespeare for that. "To be, or not to be: that is the question," Hamlet says. "Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it is morrow," says Juliet to her Romeo. Don't be surprised if you don't understand everything when reading Shakespeare or watching one of his plays because the meanings of many words have changed over the years. And Shakespeare's characters speak in poetry, so their speeches can be complicated. It does help to find out a little bit about the story before reading a Shakespeare play. It's worth the effort. As Shakespeare wrote, "All the world is a stage." And in his plays you'll find that an entire world is waiting for you. We can infer from the passage that _ . A most of Shakespeare's plays have been made into films B language changes with the development of society C Shakespeare made lots of money from his works D it is more useful to read Shakespeare's works than to watch them Answer: B "When I grow up, I want to be..." Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations may have changed from when you were in primary school. However, it seems career options aren't only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website monster. Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17. Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are some of the most esteemed members of society, and they make good money. Joining these high-profile professions is often seen as a sign of upward social mobility. It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models "for their wealth". Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun pathway to "wealth". However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see fulfillment and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens' survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet ,waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers' career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs. With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills. What is the top career choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17 according to the article? A Medicine B Law C Bank D Education Answer: A Imagine you are doing this reading in this text on the computer; what else are you doing? Maybe you're eating a sandwich or drinking a cup of Starbucks. Should you eat while reading? There aren't many believable numbers, but we do know the number of people who eat while sitting in front of some type of screen is growing. A recent study found that 33 percent of families always have the TV on during meal times and another 27 percent people have it on at least half the time. Another 10 percent may be texting, emailing or talking on a cell phone while eating. Any type of these behaviors is bad, considering the following evidence: A Canadian study found that children who watch more than three hours of cartoons a day are 50 percent more likely to be fat than children who watch fewer than two hours. The researchers concluded that more than 60 percent of overweight incidents can be connected with screen watching too much. A three-week study found that adults who usually play with smartphones less burned 119 more calories per day. One Chicago researcher found that people eat more potato chips while reading online than when they have the laptop turned off. There has been very little investigation into eating with your eyes staring at a screen or reading a book, but it is likely that his mindless eating is related to weight gain. Simply speaking, your brain has no idea what is going on with your mouth because it is occupied by other things. You don't notice how full your stomach is, and you often don't even notice the taste or the act of chewing and swallowing, as a result of which, developing an adapted dietary habit is a must. What will the author probably continue to write? A Express healthy eating ways. B Give more useful investigations into eating. C Describe the study about the old who watch less TV while eating. D Tell the proper ways to watch TV. Answer: A There is good news for old people with Alzheimer's disease . As we know, people who have Alzheimer's disease may get lost easily. Sometimes they can't find the way to their home. All the family members must be worried about their safety. Now, some has invented GPS-enabled walking shoes. The shoes are very special and useful. They can help people find old people easily, wherever they go. These walking shoes are especially important for people who are in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. According to the research, such old people have the highest danger. Let's see some terrible facts. About 60c/o of patients with Alzheimer's disease get lost for days when they go for a walk. Up to half of those who are lost and not found within 24 hours can die outside. If old people wear such shoes , you needn't worry about that. These shoes can help their families to find _ easily if they are lost. So you see, the shoes can ensure old people's safety. These walking shoes are equipped with a GPS device in the heel. The shoes are very comfortable and they look like the shoes that many old people wear. The GPS-enabled walking shoes have a great advantage. Of course, the shoes are suitable for children .Parents can ask them to wear such shoes. Then they can find their children easily. But some children have different ideas. Sometimes, they don't want their parents to know where they are. What will they do? Well... some children say that they will take them off and put them at home. What does this passage mainly talk about? A People who have Alzheimer's disease can't find the way to their home sometimes. B The GPS-enabled walking shoes can help us find the old or the children easily. C The GPS-enabled walking shoes look like the shoes that many old people wear. D We can see the GPS-enabled walking shoes easily wherever we go around the world. Answer: B A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the money box without stopping, and continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year-old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on. In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell's playing in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment. The outlines were: in a common environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we enjoy beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected situation? One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?" When children stopped to look at the violinist, their parents _ . A would give him some money B would stop to enjoy the music C would applaud for the performance D would urge them to continue walking Answer: D
The Gunpowder Plot was conspiracy to kill King James I, as well as the members of the House of Lords and Commons at the re-opening of Parliament. It was designed by a group of Catholics in protest against the anti-Catholic laws that were being introduced by the king. Robert Catesby was the leader of the group. It was he and his cousin, Thomas Wintour, and two other friends, Thomas Percy and John Wright, who formed the center of the group. They were joined by nine more men; among them was Guy Fawkes, from the city of York in the north of England. Fawkes found a store room directly under the House of Lords and rented it out under the false name of John Johnson. The conspirators stored thirty-six barrels of gunpowder there, and Fawkes, who was an explosives expert, was to light the fuses on 5th November 1605. The plot failed because one of the conspirators, Francis Tresham, sent a letter to his relative, who was a member of the House of Lords. The letter warned him not to attend the opening ceremony of Parliament. The letter was passed on to the authorities, who took action. Guy Fawkes was found in the cellar on the night of 4th November with the thirty-six barrels and a number of fuses. He was imprisoned and ill-treated, eventually giving away the names of the conspirators. Soldiers of the king surrounded Holbeach House, in the Midlands, where they knew the conspirators to be hiding. In the fight that followed, four of them were shot dead, including Catesby and Percy, who were actually killed by the same bullet. The others were imprisoned and hanged along with Guy Fawkes on 31st January 1606. These days, on 5th November, children all over Britain celebrate Guy Fawkes Night by building huge bonfires and lighting fireworks. It's a family tradition and an occasion to eat potatoes baked by the flames. There is always a 'guy' on top of the fire, a model of Guy Fawkes, dressed in the clothes of the 17th century. According to the passage, the total number of people involved in the plot is _ . A. 40 B. 4 C. 36 D. 13 Answer: D Did you ever notice that when you're fat, men don't look you in the eye? They look across your shoulder. There's no eye contact. My name is Leslie. I am a real person. Up until two years ago, I was never looked in the eye by anyone. I was too tired to be a lover to my husband. I was falling asleep by 8 o'clock most evenings. When I did go out for an evening. my husband was ashamed of me. And he said so to my face. When I walked, my thighs scrape together. I couldn't even cross my legs. I was fat. Not just "overweight". Fat! I was 5'55"tall and weighed 205 pounds. About 18 months ago, my husband Darrell left a "Dear Leslie"letter on my bed and asked for divorce. I went to a psychologist for advice. I knew that my weight was the source of my troubles. But I'd tried 14 different diets, at which I failed one by one. He listened carefully and recommended an entirely different program. This was not a "diet."It was a unique new weight-loss program researched by a team of specialists who help to treat the severely fat. I entered the program. Within the first four days, I lost only three pounds. So I was disappointed. But during the three weeks that followed, my weight began to drop from 205 pounds to 124 pounds. To me it was a miracle. The reason why the program worked was simple. I was always eating. I could eat six times every day. I could snack in the afternoon. Snack before dinner. I could even have snack at night while watching TV. How can you eat so much and still lose weight? The secret is in the combination of foods, approved by the research team, which you eat in each 24 hour period. You will enjoy a variety of meats, chicken, fish, vegetables, potatoes, sauces. Even some light wine or beer if you wish. But be sure to have them in the right proportion , thus a complete 24-hour fat-reduction cycle is formed. Without hunger, without nervousness, it lets you lose pounds so easily. Once you lose the weight, youll keep it off. Forever, I am sure of that. Leslie went to psychologist for advice in order to _ . A. lose her weight. B. recover her marriage C. get a vegetarian diet D. become an advisor Answer: A The crisis at the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Station in northern Japan has raised worries about radiation risks. We spoke Tuesday with Jonathan Links, an expert in radiation health sciences. He is a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland. Professor Links says workers within the nuclear plant are the only people at risk of extremely high doses of radiation. JONATHAN LINKS: "Of course, we don't know what doses they've received, but the only persons at risk of acute radiation effects are the workers." For other people, he says, there may be a long-term worry. People can get cancer from low doses of ionizing radiation, the kind released in a nuclear accident. Professor Links says scientists can use computers to quickly model where radioactive material has blown and settled. Then they measure how large an area is contaminated. He says if the situation is serious enough, officials could take steps like telling people not to eat locally grown food or drink the water. JONATHAN LINKS: "But that would only be the case if there was a significant release and, because of wind direction, the radioactive material was blown over the area, and then settled out of the air into and onto water, plants, fruits and vegetables." The reactors at Fukushima are on the Pacific coast. But Professor Links says people should not worry about any radioactive material leaking into the ocean. JONATHAN LINKS: "Even in a worst-case scenario accident, the sea provides a very high degree of _ . So the concentration of radioactivity in the seawater would still be quite low." Japan is the only country to have had atomic bombs dropped on it. That memory from World War Two would create a stronger "psychological sensitivity" to radiation exposure, Professors Links says. Next month is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the explosion and fire that destroyed a reactor at Chernobyl in Ukraine. The nineteen eighty-six event was the world's worst accident in the nuclear power industry. A new United Nations report says more than six thousand cases of thyroid cancer have been found. These are in people who were children in affected areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The report says that by two thousand five the cancers had resulted in fifteen deaths. The cancers were largely caused by drinking contaminated milk. The milk came from cows that ate grass where radioactive material had fallen. To get the latest updates, go to www.unsv.com. Contributing: James Brooke According to the passage which of the following is not TRUE ? A. Water people drink ,food and vegetables people eat may be polluted by nuclear radiation . B. Japan is the only country to have had atomic bombs dropped on it. C. You can go to www.unsv.com. to get the latest news . D. The nuclear accident in Japan is the worst in the nuclear power industry. Answer: D Every year in late spring at Wild Friends, the wildlife health center, workers receive baby animals, including songbirds and rabbits. This is the busiest time when workers care for and raise all the little ones before sending them back into the wild. There are many reasons for these little animals' coming to the center. First of all, street cats or dogs catch, injure or take away little birds from their nests. Sometimes people catch baby animals and keep them at home, giving them food that they are not used to. It would make them sick. Most people don't realize that it's against law to get live animals out of their nests. As for songbirds, people often find them on the ground in their yards, thinking they have no other choice but to leave them on the ground to die. This is because many people wrongly believe that once a bird is touched by a person, its mother will not accept this child bird. But that's not true. If a little bird falls out of the nest, you should check whether it is injured. If not, you should put the bird back in the nest. If the bird is injured, call your local wildlife center quickly. As for the progress of protecting wild animals, people at Wild Friends devote all their energy to this work. Over the last weeks, they have been able to send many of the birds and rabbits that came here earlier this spring back to nature. Which of the following will probably injure young birds? A. Giving them food they don't like. B. Letting them play with children. C. Leaving them on the ground. D. Bringing them to the center. Answer: C If an object eventually warms, it was exposed to A. resistance B. salt C. moisture D. sand Answer: A
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is perhaps the most famous portrait in the world, but now some suspect that the woman with the mysterious smile may not be a woman after all. They are suggesting that the Mona Lisa may be a self- portrait, da Vinci in drag . Italy's National Committee for Cultural Heritage (INCCH) is carrying out the research. They think the artist, who died in 1519, was buried at a French castle and they plan to dig up his body. Using CSI-style technology, they want to rebuild da Vinci's face. Jason Rosenfeld, a member of INCCH, says, " It shows the reason why we preserved Einstein's brain or King Tut's mummy , which throws light on the problem we are working on." "Now we want to get the body of Leonardo. We want to see what he died of, we want to see his DNA, we want to see the size of his head, and what his facial feature were like, so we can know whether this was a self-portrait." The Mona Lisa was painted around 500 years ago. Beyond that, we know almost nothing about the painting that is now on display at the Louvre in Paris. But will the exhumation discover the truth behind the Mona Lisa? Not likely, according to Rosenfeld. "If the French government really wants to help find out what this is about, what they should do is allow us to clean the Mona Lisa. We will learn much more from it and understand it better if we are allowed to clean the painting than by digging up a body." What's the question that the INCCH is researching on? Answer: Whether the Mona Lisa is da Vinci's self-portrait. "Fingers were made before forks." When a person gives up good manners, put aside knife and fork, and dives into his food, someone is likely to repeat that saying. The fork was an ancient agricultural tool, but for centuries no one thought of eating with it. Not until the eleventh century, when a young lady from Constantinople brought her fork to Italy, did the custom reach Europe. By the fifteenth century the use of the fork was wide-spread in Italy. The English explanation was that Italians were unwilling to eat food touched with fingers, "seeing all men's fingers are not alike clean. Anyone who used a fork to eat with was laughed at in England for the next hundred years. Not until the late 1600's did using a fork become a common custom. By the fifteenth century, forks were used _ . Answer: all over Italy The most generally accepted basis on which a court will hold that X has a legal duty to aid another is the recognition by X that there is immediate danger of serious harm to Answer: another human being from X's own nonnegligent conduct Experts believe that storms and severe weather in North America and Asia have disrupted bird flight paths across the world and swept huge numbers of bird species towards the British Isles. Birds flying to the other side of the Atlantic or to the Pacific to lay their eggs have been trapped in Britain and Ireland, adding their numbers to native species, and causing great excitement in the bird-watching community. Local birdwatchers have already observed a total of 442 species in the British Isles this year. The highest number ever seen in one year is 445, in 2008. "We only need four more to break our record," said Lee Evans, who runs the British Birding Association. "With three months to go I'm sure we'll do it." Last month an extremely rare Siberian Rubythroat bird was seen in Scotland, sending hundreds of birdwatchers north in the hope of catching a glimpse of this colourful Asian beauty. Another very uncommon bird, the bufflehead duck was cited in Cornwell and caused similar excitement. "I couldn't believe it," said Evans. "The poor thing was completely _ . It must have been blown to England by the storms while trying to fly from Canada to the southern United States for the winter. That's 3000 miles!" Evans said that global warming over the past decade was playing a key role in transforming bird movements across the world. In addition, melting Arctic sea ice may also be opening up bird flight paths over the North Pole, making it easier for birds from the Pacific -- such as the slaty-backed gull and tufted puffin, both of which appeared in London earlier this year -- to reach Britain. Bird-watching is becoming an increasingly popular hobby among all age groups, added Evans. "A fifth of our members are under 18. This is a round-the-year hobby that you can enjoy from the kitchen window or from a car. More and more people are bird-watching, and as a result more and more unexpected species are being spotted in the British Isles." According to the passage, which of the following birds comes from Asia? Answer: Rubythroat. Most young people like to go to rock concerts these days. They like the loud and exciting sound of the music and they enjoy the excitement of a big concert. Rock stars usually have a different style. Their music is exciting and different, and the way they dance and dress makes them popular with young people. The words of rock songs are usually quite simple, but the music itself is complex . But some rock stars have problems after they become famous. They don't know what to do when they suddenly succeed, and often they start to drink or to take drugs . Then their health becomes bad. Some like Elvis Presley , died very young because of drugs. Most young people like _ these days. Answer: rock music
While engineers have made out fantastic products for sitting still--Munchery instead of walking to lunch, Uber instead of walking to the bus stop--services to make you move have been less appealing for consumers. Fitbit's stock price fell 18% after they announced their latest Apple Watch-like product named Fitbit Force. And new data suggests that, for the first time, death rates for large parts of the American population are rising, with signs pointing to inactivity and weight gain as the reasons. Our digital lifestyles and desk-based workplaces are contributing to serious health problems and could be shortening our lives, wellness firms want us to believe. Northrup, president and co-founder of the connected exercise device TAO-Wellness, was in Las Vegas to promote TAO's small device that encourages exercises. He lifts the device, about the size of an apple, and says workplaces should start encouraging on-site exercise. Nick Mokey, the managing editor of Digital Trends, agrees. "I hate to break it to you, a room full of people sitting down, but sitting is killing you," he says to the audience. They shift in their seats. In the health section of the Sands Exposition Hall, people are selling devices made by LifeSpan Fitness. They say they're the largest seller of treadmill desks in the US. At the center of their exhibition area is a Bike Desk, which looks like three gym bikes attached to a table. That's for people who just want to sit and enjoy conversation. Treadmill desk-related shame is their biggest obstacle, they say when LifeSpan installs two in opposite ends of the same building, neither tends to get used. If the company installs two next to each other, people will use them. "You don't want to be so noticeable, especially at work," company spokesman James Lowe says. What's more, what if we get sweaty using a treadmill in the office? According to new data, the rising death rates in America are caused by _ . Answer: lack of exercise When I first saw the bookAlice in Lace, I thought I was going to like it. And as it turned out, I love it! I love books about life and being a kid. And Alice in Laceis just that kind. It's a humorous book about being thirteen and the problems kids might face. Alice and her friends get a strange assignment from their totally cool teacher, Mr. Everett. It was like playing the game of "Life," but you had to act it out. So Pamela is pregnant, Elizabeth buys a car and Alice gets married. Well, of course, Pamela wasn't really pregnant, but she walked around with a pillow under her shirt to get people's reactions. Elizabeth didn't really buy a car, but she went to the car lot and made the sales guy think she was. The whole class got assignments like these! I would love to do something like that for school. In the book Alice has a lot to think about. "Getting married is hard!" Alice says. She has to plan the ceremony, the honeymoon, find a place to live, pay for furniture and two months' rent and food. Maybe she and her "husband" could work it out -- if they were getting on fine! Although this book was funny, it really made me think about how problems like these could really mess up your life. Take teenage pregnancy for example. How could you have a baby and stay in school? You couldn't find a babysitter every day to stay with your kid. A child really consumes your life. I understand what the teacher was trying to do. He was trying to discourage the class from getting into these problems by giving them a glimpse of life. As someone about to become a teenager myself, I can say sometimes a story makes you think about what's up ahead. Overall, I would say this book is wonderful. My favorite part of the book is discovering that if I like it, there are seven other Alice books I can check out at my local library. I love this book, and I hope you will too. Why did Mr. Everett give his students such assignments? Answer: To prevent them getting into those troubles at an early age. There are some strong-minded people that are able to stop smoking today and be free from the addiction the next day. However, some smokers may have to seek help from medication in order to kick the habit. What medication actually does is to reduce the wish to smoke. Some of the medication must be taken with a doctor's guidance. The five most common medications to stop smoking are Bupropion SR, nicotine gum, nicotine inhalers, nicotine nasal spray and nicotine patches. People can buy nicotine gum and nicotine patches in chemists. However, the other medications require a prescription. Zyban tablets have been found to be highly effective in curing people of smoking addiction. The tablet needs to be taken whole, without crushing it, as crushing can lead to side effects. It can be bought on the prescription of a doctor. Nicotine patches are filled with nicotine and they are applied to the skin. The skin takes in the nicotine and carries it to the blood stream. The amount of nicotine in these patches is quite limited, not enough to lead to addiction. But you shouldn't take them for dinner. In fact, millions of people have benefited from these nicotine patches. Nicotine gum is supposed to be a safer choice. It is used in such a way that it comes into contact with the blood vessels in the mouth and then releases the nicotine. The nicotine should not go through the stomach; otherwise, it may cause certain side effects. These different types of medications have to be taken quite carefully. Do ask your doctor before taking any of these. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: overuse of nicotine patches may lead to addiction Today Han Mei's classmates are having an art lesson in the park. Now they are playing near the lake. The boy in black is flying a kite. He is Li Lei. The girl in red is reading a book. Who is she? Ha, she's just Han Mei. Lucy and Lily are twins. They look the same and they are dancing under a big tree. There is a boat on the lake. Mrs. Green and Mrs. Brown are in the boat. They are their teachers. And now the children are drawing pictures on the grass near the lake. The teachers are teaching how to draw pictures. But what is Joe doing? Oh, he is looking for his pencil case. What is Han Mei doing? Answer: She is reading a book. If you see a mushroom on an old decaying log, its because a mushroom is a decomposer, which gets its food from Answer: non-alive things
Question: Which best describes a characteristic of the jet stream? A. It forms a boundary between a cold air mass and a warm air mass. B. It creates the high winds around the eye of a hurricane. C. It forces the hot air along the equator to rise to areas in North America. D. It causes high pressure air masses to rotate clockwise. Answer: A Question: Across the United States, universities and colleges have been looking to become more sustainable and more than 600 schools have already planned to become eco-friendly. The EcoDorm, home to 36 students at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, was designed to be sustainable from top to bottom, or in this case, from its rainwater-collection system to its garden. The dormitory is bringing new meaning to the concept of living "green" at college. At Warren Wilson College, a biological science school with fewer than 1,000 students, the sustainability drive came from the student body. The EcoDorm concept was presented ten years ago by two students; a planning committee firstly suggested using building materials like corncob. Although the architects disagreed with the idea, they came up with other creative solutions: Wood siding was taken from the trees grown in the school yard that were suffering from a disease, and rainwater was collected in an old railway car and pumped back into the house to clean the toilets. All in all, the dorm uses nearly two-thirds less electricity than a similar-sized traditional building world. But even the most sustainable homes need continued efforts from its livers. And in the case of EcoDorm, students live by their words. Most also take advantage of the dorm's bio-garden, planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. "I didn't have to worry about paper towels being wasted or feel bad about drying my clothes outside," Jeremy Lekich, the dorm's gardener, said. "Basically, it has made my life easier." What can be inferred from the text? A. A long-term development calls for students' efforts. B. Students' ideas should be encouraged at college. C. Green living is a new trend at American colleges. D. Students can learn to protect the environment through practice. Answer: C Question: Today, home-ownership has reached extremely high levels. Modern generations tend to believe there is something wrong with them if they rent. However, is high home-ownership really as rosy as people imagine? Staring at data first, we realize that the most successful, stable, attractive country in the Western world is Switzerland. It has tiny unemployment; wealth; high happiness and mental-health scores. Does it have high home-ownership rates? Absolutely not. In Switzerland, about seven in ten of the population are renters. Yet, with Europe's lowest home-ownership rate, the nation thrives. Now go to the other end of the misery distribution. Spain has approximately the highest home-ownership rate in Europe (at more than 80%). But one-quarter of its population are unemployed. A likely reason is that high levels of home-ownership mess up the labour market. In a sensibly functioning economy it is easy for people to move around to drop into the vibrant job slots thrown up by technological change. With a high degree of owner-occupation, everything slows. Folk get stuck. Renters can go to new jobs. In that way they do the economy a favour. As Friedman said, the rate of unemployment depends on the flexibility of the housing market. Next we come to economic breakdown. Most analysts accept that at heart it was the housing market--obsessive pursuit of homes, the engendered mortgage lending and an unavoidable house-price crash--that sank the Western world. Germany, say, with its more efficient rental market, had a far smoother ride through trouble. As for the monetary system, in the past few decades, in the hope of getting untaxed capital gains way above their true labour earnings, many people threw their spare cash into buying larger houses or building extra bedrooms. TV programmes about how to make easy money, beautiful rising house prices, and most importantly, our falulty tax system encouraged that. When at some point market broke down, everyone suffered. Our countries ought, instead, to design tax systems that encourage people to invest in productive real activities and in innovation. Renting leaves money free for better purposes. That also points to the role of sensible budgeting over a person's lifetime. Why should we think that when we die it is necessary to have paid off an entire house? Our children do not deserve it. Let them pay for themselves. We should rent--and enjoy our lives with the money saved. Finally, moderation usually pays off. Our scientific understanding of how economies function is horribly limited. This suggests that the golden rule should be to avoid extremes. A 50-50 mix of home-ownership and renting, not the 70-30 split that is now observed in so many Western nations, makes sense. The main reason to make people invest in housing market is _ . A. the problematic taxing approach favouring house buying B. people's desire to avoid their money from devaluing C. easy channels to obtain methods to make easy money D. people's wishes to live in larger and more comfortable houses Answer: A Question: Several different stories are told about the origin of Saint Valentine's day. One legend dates as far back as the days of Roman Empire. According to the story , Claudius , the Emperor of Rome, wanted to increase the size of the army. He knew that it would be easier to get young men who were not married to join the army; therefore, he made a rule that no young men could marry until he had served in the army for a number of years. A priest named Valentine broke the rule and secretly married a great number of young people. Finally, Claudius found out about Valentine and put the priest in prison, where he remained until his death on February 14. After his death, Valentine was made a saint and the day of his death was named Saint Valentine's day--- which is time for people to send one another their greetings of many kinds. February 14, Valentine's Day, is sweetheart's day, on which people in love with each other express their tender emotions. People sometimes put their love message in a heartshaped box of chocolate or a bunch of flowers tied with red ribbons. Words of letters may be written on the flower-covered card, or something else. Whatever the form may be , the message is almost the same: "will you be my Valentine?" February 14 is chosen as Valentine's Day because _ A. people want to remember Valentine B. lovers express their tender emotions on this day. C. people send one another greetings of many kinds on this day. D. people want to fix a date for lovers to express their emotions. Answer: A Question: Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, which consist of(...)Diaoyu Dao, Huangwei Yu, Chiwei Yu, Nanxiao Dao, Beixiao Dao, Nan Yu, Bei Yu, Fei Yu and other islands, are in the northeast of China's Taiwan Island, in the waters between 123deg20'-124deg40'E and 25deg40'-26deg00'N . They belong to the Taiwan Island. The total area of these islands is about 5.69 square kilometers. Diaoyu Dao, in the western tip of the area, covers an area of about 3.91 square kilometers and is the largest island in the area. The highest part on the island stands 362 meters above the sea level. Huangwei Yu, which is about 27 kilometers to the northeast of Diaoyu Dao, is the second largest island in the area, with a total area of about 0.91 square kilometers and a highest height of 117 meters. Chiwei Yu, about 110 kilometers to the northeast of Diaoyu Dao, is the easternmost island in the area. It covers an area of about 0.065 square kilometers and stands 75 meters above the sea level. Ancient ancestors in China first discovered and named Diaoyu Dao through their fishing activities on the sea. In China's historical books, Diaoyu Dao is also called Diaoyu Yu or Diaoyu Tai. The earliest historical record of the names of Diaoyu Dao, Chiwei Yu and other places can be found in the book Voyage with a Tail Wind published in 1403. It shows that China had already discovered and named Diaoyu Dao by the 14th and 15th centuries. These historical reports clearly show that Diaoyu Dao and Chiwei Yu belong to China. The sea waters around Diaoyu Dao is traditionally Chinese fishing ground. Chinese fishermen have been involved in fishing activities in these waters for generations . The largest island of Diaoyu Dao is _ meters taller than the second largest one. A. 75 meters B. 117 meters C. 245 meters D. 362 meters Answer: C
Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really made a conscious effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you. Sometimes you remember things that really did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remember locking it carefully the night before. Memory "trick" work the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office. We always seem to find something funny and amusing in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness. Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when "trick" of our memory can cause us great trouble. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A One night the writer forgot to lock the front door. B One night the writer forgot having locked the front door. C The writer remembered to lock the door. D the writer remembered unlocking the front door. Answer: A. One night the writer forgot to lock the front door. Every year Chris Brogan posts his three words for a new year. I and many others have followed his lead for the past three or four years. They helped me a lot.My words for last year were"passion","focus"and"delegate"and I stayed true to them.This year,2012,my goals are more personal and less professional. FOCUS Focus is making a repeat appearance on my list this year because I'm too much of a multitasker. The problem is that I have trouble finishing one thing with so many things calling me. When I was working as a writer,all my projects were handled via a schedule,which kept me organized.This year I'm going to have each task scheduled.I'm putting a fitness and housekeeping routine into my schedule. HEALTH I get so busy taking care of everyone else,I forget to take care of myself and this has to change. My health suffers and my weight suffers.I have to get my 1}ealth in check,not only for me-but because I promised my 9 year-old son.I'11 make sure to take time to exercise every day and make good food and lifestyle choices. I miss beingthin,and it's time to get it back. CELEBRATE What good is having it all if I'm not taking time to enjoy it?I have a wonderful job,a happy family,and so much to be thankful for. So how come I spend all my time working? Last summer my family took our first vacation in four years,the best thing I've done for myself and my family in a long time.This year,I'm making sure to take time to enjoy life and celebrate its many blessings. Do you have any words for 2012? Why does the writer have"health"as one of his three words? A He wants to take better care of others. B He's gaining weight and feeling bad. C He did not take any exercise in the past. D He got the idea from his son. Answer: B. He's gaining weight and feeling bad. Ted, my little brother, is in Grade One. Last Friday he came back from school with a letter. The letter was from his teacher. "I got a red flower today. Could you please sign this note?" he said to Mum. The note showed that he had been talking in class. Ted hardly gets top scores in his school work. The best he gets is "OK", but often he gets "You can do better than this." Mum knows what it means. She tells me "You can do better than this" means "Extremely bad" in China. In the USA, teachers never say anything too bad about their students, even if the students are making trouble in class or not working hard enough. The worst they might say is "Please be nicer tomorrow". Many parents are satisfied with--- a B-grade for each subject. But things in Chinese schools are quite different. Parents have _ for their children. I sometimes felt that my second-grade cousin spent more time on homework than I did when I was a 6thgrader in the USA! Yet his parents and teachers didn't think he worked hard enough. Is it too strict in China? Or is it not strict enough in the USA? Maybe both are true. If a student in the USA gets "OK" in his school work, it means _ . A he gets top scores B he gets medium scores C he gets extremely bad scores D he gets the worst scores Answer: B. he gets medium scores Montreal(Reuters)-Crossing the US-Canada border to go to church on a Sunday cost a US citizen $10,000for breaking Washington's strict new security rules. The expensive trip to church was a surprise for Richard Albert, who lives right on the Canadian border. Like the other half-dozen people of Township 15, crossing the border is a daily occurrence for Albert. The nearby Quebec village of St. Pamphile is where they shop, eat and go to church. There are many such situations in these areas along the largely unguarded 5,530-mile border between Canada and the US -- which in some cases actually runs down the middle of streets or through buildings. As a result, Albert says he did not expect any problems three weeks ago when he returned home to the US after attending church in Canada, as usual. The US customs station in this area is closed on Sundays, so he just drove around the locked gate, as he had done every weekend since the gate appeared last May, following a tightening of border security. Two days later, Albert was told to go to the customs office, where an officer told him he had been caught on camera crossing the border illegally. Ottawa has given out special passes to some 300 US citizens in that area so they can enter the country when Canadian customs stations are closed, but the US stopped a similar program last May. That forces the people to a 200-mile detour along hilly roads to get home through another border checkpoint. Albert has requested that the customs office change their decisions on the fine, but he has not attended a Sunday church since. "I feel like I'm living in a prison." he said. Albert was fined because he _ . A failed to obey traffic rules B broke the American security rules C worked in St.Pamphile without a pass D damaged the gate of the customs office Answer: B. broke the American security rules It will be hot--hot enough that most locals will have cleared town for cooler places. But because athletes competing at the 2004 Olympics have no choice but to stay in the hot weather, many plan to turn to science to stay cool. Some will put their hands in ice water just before competing and nearly all will be wearing fabrics designed with hot weather in mind. "Normally we warm up before exercise,"said Gordon Sleivert, director of sports science and medicine at the Canadian Sport Center in Victoria, British Columbia."But in this case we're taking the warm out of warm up. It's like pre-cooling." Experts are predicting the average high this August in Athens will be 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with temperatures often reaching above 100(the average temperature in Sydney for the 2000 summer games was 64). Although some events, such as the marathon, will start early(1 a.m.) to avoid hot weather, _ Drinking lots of water will help athletes keep cool, but humidity remains a problem. The body's ability to cool down is weakened by damp air since sweat drips off the skin rather than evaporates ,resulting in dehydration without the cooling. "Getting hot is a real problem because when our brains heats up, the brain waves are more like when you're really sleepy. Everything feels harder," said Sleivert. The passage mainly tells us that _ . A why it is very hot in Athens B the hot weather is a big problem for Olympic athletes C how important science is to every athlete D the Olympics will be put off because of the hot weather Answer: B. the hot weather is a big problem for Olympic athletes
Today was an important day for Sam: he was going to go to the pet store and pick out a pet to take home and live with him! Sam was worried that he would not find a pet that would like him better than the other pets, but he knew he would find the pet for him. The pet store had a big, white door and Sam opened it up and heard lots of barking! He saw a nice man standing next to the dogs who said that his name was Chris. Sam said hello and petted the dogs. He really liked one of the dogs named Rocky, but Rocky did not like him. Chris said that Rocky was mean and did not like some people even when the people were very nice. Sam was a little sad, but he saw the next cage! There was a small, yellow dog in the cage named Button. Sam put his finger through the bars in Button's cage and Button licked his fingers. Sam laughed, and asked Chris to let him play with Buttons. Sam and Buttons played together in the grass outside of the store, and Sam was so happy. Buttons loved Sam, and Sam loved Buttons! Sam had some papers that he had to sign, and he showed Chris all of the toys and items he had bought to bring home with his new pet: Chris was so happy, too! Sam put his new friend on a leash and took Buttons home with him, and they loved each other very much. What is Sam's dog's name? In order to grow as a child I should have The secret in re-remembering is to allow the full power of your memory to flow freely without "trying" to remember any one specific thing. I recently sat down to a relaxed and enjoyable dinner with some friends. At the beginning of the meal, a friend told us that his car had just been broken into and his briefcase had been stolen. He was frustrated because his diary and a number of other items important to him were in the briefcase. He said he could remember only four items that were in his stolen briefcase, that he knew there were many more, that he had to give a full report to the police within two hours, and that the more he tried to remember the more blocked he became. Several of us at the table who were familiar with Memory Principles then took him through the following exercise; instead of continuing to allow him to think of what he could not remember, we asked him when he had last had his briefcase open. It turned out that it was at the office just before he left work, at which point he suddenly remembered that he had put two important magazine articles in the briefcase. We then asked him when he had last had the briefcase open before leaving home for work. It turned out to have been the night before, and he remembered having put in two more articles as well as a tape recorder, in preparation for the following morning. Finally we asked him to describe the inner design of his briefcase, and as he went through a detailed description, he remembered pens, pencils, letters and a number of other items that he had completely "forgotten" before. Within 20 minutes, he remembered 18 additional items. The secret is to "forget about" whatever you are trying to remember and " _ " all experiences that connect in any way with the item you are trying to remember. This method works at once almost in all cases, and takes the form of a created Mind Map around the "missing" center. This memory method, like the others, improves your memory as well as your creativity, and in addition gives you confidence when you realize that, no matter what you have forgotten, there is still a chance to solve any memory mystery ! What can be the best title for the passage? How can you help to ensure that you will stay free from becoming ill after eating meat? Cycling isn't always easy. Busy streets and few bike lanes and parking areas can make it a battle. But not even these difficulties can stop Europeans' love for cycling. According to Reuters, more bicycles have been sold than cars in 26 of the European Union's 28 states this year. In some European countries, people really love bicycles. "People ride to work and take their bikes to the grocery store", Bill Strickland, editor of Bicycling magazine, told the reporter from Reuters. So what has led to cycling's growing popularity in Europe? Cycling is "a safe, clean, healthy, inexpensive way to get around town," the Daily Star concluded. "It not only reduces traffic problems and pollution, but also contributes to public health." Bike-friendly rules have also been made. Dozens of cities have joined a European Union initiative to make bicycles a form of city transport, like cars. Quite a few cities such as Stockholm, London, Florence and Munich now offer special bike lanes. Copenhagen takes it a step further by keeping bicycles and cars separated as much as possible. On these _ , traffic lights are designed to the rhythms of bicycles, not cars. For people living far from city centers, getting to work by bicycle alone may take too much time. That's why many European countries now allow cyclists to bring their bicycles onto subway trains. Europeans are also creative in solving parking problems. Amsterdam has come up with a high-tech solution: you lock your bike to a rack , which then goes underground. When you want your bike back, it is brought back to the surface. The writing style of the passage is a(n) _ .
Here is a dog with a lantern in his mouth, he is looking for his master . Carlo, a lovely dog, had been taught to be useful. The roads, in the place where his master lived, were often so bad that it was not safe for any person to go out without a light on dark nights. So Carlo's master taught him to carry a lantern for him at night; and he did it as steadily as any boy could have done. Carlo never trotted too far before his master so that the bright light of the lantern might guide his master's steps. When he came to a deep rut or hole in the road, he would turn round to his master, seemed to say, /Take care, there is a hole here. " The dog's master lived about a mile from the town; and when he could not get home before dark, Carlo used to be sent to him with the lantern. Carlo knew where to go. He also knew the road which his master would take. But Carlo didn't always find his master right away. When he reached the town, he would run off to a house where his master often was. Still holding his lantern, he would scratch at the street-door with his feet and bark ; as much as to say, 6/Here am I, Master, with the lantern, are you ready for home? " Someone would perhaps come to the door and sa 6/Your master is not here. " Carlo would growl , seemed to say, "Then he is somewhere else, and I must find him. " He would then run off to one house after another, until he found his master, then the two went home together. The master taught Carlo _ . Answer: to carry the lantern to guide his steps at night Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip.White had two reasons for making this _ journey.First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did.He raised PS70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam.White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world.He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not. White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later.He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains.He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team.No jeep carrying food, water and medicine.No doctor.Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road. The journey was lonely and desperate at times.He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains.He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need.There were other dangers along the road.In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had.The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia.For l,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him.This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end.Now Mr.White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures. Which of the following words can best describe Phil White? Answer: Determined. Report Card Name: James Stuart Time: January 24th, 2012 Subjects Grades Comments English B+: Your reading and writing are good. But you have a strong accent , so you are not good at speaking. And you do not put much effort into this subject. If you work hard, you can get a better grade in this subject. Physics A+:You are good at this subject. You are hard-working. I am glad that you do best in this subject Math C:You like this subject. But you are not good at this subject because you are a little bit lazy. It is disappointing. You can do better if you try your best. Music B:It is a happy thing to hear you play the piano. You are crazy about the music. Although you like this subject best, your accent has a bad influence on your singing. James got the best grade in _ . Answer: physics Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to pre-school children. But a new study suggests that calling attention to the words and letters on the page may lead to better readers. The two-year study compared children who were read in this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the print showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. These results were found one year and even two years later. Shayne Piasta, an assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, was an author of the study. She says most pre-school teachers would find this method manageable and would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read story-books in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed text. "If you get children to pay attention to letters and words, it makes sense that they will do better at word recognition and spelling." But she says research suggests that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way. More than 300 children aged four and five were observed in classrooms. They came from poor families and were below average in their language skills. For thirty weeks, the children took part in a program called Project STAR--- Sit Together and Read. The project is based at Ohio State. It tests the short-term and long-term results of reading regularly to pre-school children in their classrooms. There are different ways that adults can talk to children about print. They can point to a letter and discuss it, and even trace the shape with a finger. They can point out a word and discuss the meaning of the print or how the words tell the story. And they can talk about the organization of the print--- for instance, showing how words are written left to right in English. What does Shayne Piasta suggest pre-school teachers should do in class? Answer: Change the way they teach and pay more attention to words and letters. Standard English is that variety of English which is usually used in print,and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers learning the language.It is also the variety which is normally spoken by educated people and used in news broadcasts and other similar situations.The difference between standard and non-standard,it should be noted,has nothing in principle to do with differences between formal and informal language:Standard English has informal as well as formal variants. Historically the standard variety of English is based on the London Dialect of English that developed after the Norman Conquest resulted in the removal of the Court from Winchester to London.This dialect became the one preferred by the educated,and it was developed and promoted as a model,or norm,for wider and wider parts of society.It was also the norm that was carried overseas.But not one unaffected by such export.Today,standard English is codified to the degree that the grammar and vocabulary of English are much the same everywhere in the world where English is used:difference among the local standards is really quite minor,so that the Singapore,South Africa,and Irish varieties are really very little different from one another so far as grammar and vocabulary are concerned.Indeed,standard English is so powerful that it puts a tremendous pressure on all local varieties,to the degree that many of the long-established dialects of England have lost much of their vigor and there is much pressure on them to converge towards the standard.This latter situation is not unique to English:it is also in other countries where processes of standardization are under way.But it sometimes creates problems for speakers who try to strike some kind of compromise between local norms and national,even super-national ones. Standard English is used in the following situations EXCEPT_. Answer: by educated and native speakers only
Billy and Bobby were small boys. They were brothers, and they often fought each other. Last Saturday their mother said to them, "I'm going to cook our lunch now, go out and play in the garden......and be good." "Yes, Mum," the two boys answered, and they went out. They played in the garden for half an hour, and then Billy ran in. "Mum," he said, "Bobby's broken a window in Mrs Allen's house." Mrs Allen was one of their neighbours. "He's a bad boy," his mother said. "How did he break it?" "I threw a stone at him," Billy answered, "and he quickly moved down." Last Saturday their mother asked them _ . A. not to play in the garden B. to cook their lunch C. not to go out D. to be good Answer: D. to be good I hated every minute of it, digging in the smelly dirt in spring, planting the tiny seeds in rows, and weeding the plants while sweat poured down my face. I wanted to spend the summer with my friends. But instead, I spent every Saturday and my summer vacations working in my mom's large vegetable garden. My mom was determined that l would learn how to plant and harvest a proper garden. I grew up and left home, happy to leave that old vegetable garden behind. But a few years later, living in a little house with my husband, I looked out of the back window and saw a big sunny spot. "That might be a good place for a vegetable garden," I thought, surprising even myself. I could hear Mom's voice in my head "Put the peas in rows, and the lettuce in bunches. Leave room between the tomatoes and cucumbers so they can spread. Pulling weeds right after it rains is easier." Over the years, with each new house I've moved to, the first thing I've looked for is room for a garden in the backyard. As a teenager I would complain, sitting down to a table full of fresh vegetables from the garden, but now I exclaim to my own three teens, "Look at all this food you will never eat something so good and fresh picked from your own backyard!" Now a third of my small backyard is a vegetable garden, and every year it grows just a bit bigger. When my son Simon was five, his eyes became wide as he helped me pick peas and beans one morning. "Wow! Mom, we have so much free food!" So, thanks, Mom, for knowing more than I did, about how much I would love digging in the dirt. Thank you for teaching me when I was unteachable and for somehow sparking an interest that would lead to a lifetime joy. Why did the writer thank her mother? A. Because she worked hard to raise her up. B. Because she left her enough vegetables. C. Because she made her interested in gardening. D. Because she made her into a knowledgeable person. Answer: C. Because she made her interested in gardening. Last year more than one million Filipinos worked abroad as servants,nurses,sailors and in other difficult but low-paid jobs.Southeast Asians leave their poorer countries for their richer neighbours. Many of these wage-earners return in the end.In the meantime,they send home huge amounts of money--in the Philippines' case,over 10% of its GDP.Between January and November,the amount was up 18% on the same period of 2005.Poverty and unemployment are still high in the Philippines and other labour-exporting countries.They would be far worse but for this outflow of bodies and inflow of dollars.As for those Asian countries that import labour,as in Europe,falling birth rates mean they are going to need more foreign workers. On January 13th leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) signed an agreement to help migrant workers--with the realization that the flow of labour between their countries is a growing problem that they cannot blame on outsiders.A 2005 study showed that 8.4 million Southeast Asians worked outside their home countries,but this did not include the huge numbers of Indonesians doing so without papers.So the true total is probably rather higher. Of the ten ASEAN countries,the Philippines,Indonesia,Myanmar,Cambodia,Vietnam and Laos export labour,Singapore and Brunei import it,and Thailand and Malaysia do both.Sziraczki of the UN's International Labour Organization points out that,in the next ten years,the total labour force of the worker-exporting countries should grow by about a third.It makes sense to work on the problem before it gets out of control. People in the receiving countries seem to be worried about competition for their jobs.Most Thais said their government should admit no more foreign workers,and a few thought otherwise.Even in Singapore,just over half of people are against admitting more foreign workers.Malaysians think that the increase in foreign workers has worsened crime rates . The flow of labour is a growing problem because _ . A. there is a greater flow of labour than reported B. more Indonesians work abroad without papers C. some countries suffer from low birth rates D. the ASEAN is against admitting foreign workers Answer: A. there is a greater flow of labour than reported There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as a result or product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a rise, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language--all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts. By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they meet with new experiences and unexpected obstacles . In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept. In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to face the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may "fail" at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is extremely important to our ability to grow. Do we notice ourselves as quick and curious? If so, then we tend to take more chances and to be more open to unfamiliar experiences. Do we think we're shy and indecisive? Then our sense of fear can cause us to hesitate, to move slowly, and we think we're slow to adapt to change or that we're not smart enough to deal with a new challenge. Then we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all. These feelings of insecurity and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we protect ourselves too much, then we stop growing. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making. Which of the following can be viewed as the process of personal growing? A. Helen was always willing to accept challenges. B. Jane won the first prize in the speech competition. C. Jerry picked up French during his stay in Paris. D. Father's salary rose from 5,000 to 7,000. Answer: A. Helen was always willing to accept challenges. How could we tell time if there were no watches or clocks anywhere in the world? The sun is probably the world's first "clock", except in the far north, where the Eskimos live. There, it's dark most of the winter, and light most of the summer. But in most of the world, people have used the sun as a clock. Even today, if you don't have a clock, you can still know that when the sun shines, it's day and when it's dark, it's night. The sun can also tell you if it's morning, noon, or afternoon. Some people live near the sea from the _ In the daytime, for about six hours, water rises higher and higher on the beach. And then it goes down and down for about six hours. The same thing happens again at night. There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours. Seamen on the ship learn how to tell time by looking at the moon and the stars. The whole sky is their clock. In some places in the world the wind comes up at about the same time every day or changes direction or stops blowing. In these places the wind can be the clock. A sand clock is an even better clock. If you had fine dry sand in a glass shaped like the one in the picture, you would have what is called an hourglass. The sand in the hourglass goes from the top part to the bottom in exactly one hour. When the hourglass is turned over, the sand will take another hour to go back again In which page of newspaper can you probably read this passage? A. News B. Science C. Advertisement D. Sports Answer: B. Science
Harry is a boy with a learning disability. On his fourth birthday, he was given a pug called Millie. Two weeks after the dog's arrival, he was happier and calmer and said his first words, "dog" and "mummy". Just two months later, thieves stole the dog, and now the heartbroken little boy is back to where he started. He has refused to talk since losing his best friend. His mother was worried and gave him another dog, but he just "pushed it away". Mrs Hainsworth, his mother, says, "My son is very sad. He'll go over to her cage and just beat on the bars. There is no word coming out, but you just know he's screaming 'Where is Millie' inside. Millie was really his best friend. They would play together happily for hours. None of his toys has ever held his attention that long. Now he has just completely turned quiet again. "Harry suffers from a condition which affects his ability to speak and move. But the dog's being with him achieved more in days than months of speech therapy and physiotherapy had. Mrs Hainsworth says, "My son was so happy when he saw Millie. Being with Millie changed him, and within two weeks he had said his first words and was working on saying 'dad'. Just last week, his teachers and I were saying how much Millie had helped him. And now this!" Mrs Hainsworth is considering buying another pug in the hope that her son will accept it. Maureen Hennis of the charity, Pets as Therapy, says she has seen many cases of dogs helping people with speech problems. "People may talk to a dog when they wouldn't like to talk to another human," she says. "A dog doesn't care if words come out wrong." According to Maureen Hennis, Millie was able to help Harry because . A. dogs are man's best friends B. dogs are very clever and helpful C. children don't have stress when talking to dogs D. children would rather talk to dogs than to humans Answer: C Jesse Owens was born in Alabama in the USA, in 1913. There were ten children in his family. Jesse was the youngest. He went to school in the city of Cleveland. At school he showed he had a special talent for athletics . He could run fast. He could jump high. He could jump far. Because he was good at athletics, Jesse became a student at Ohio State University. In May, 1935 in Michigan, USA, he broke the world record for the long jump. This was his first world record. On the 25th May Jesse did something unusual. In 45 minutes he broke six world records. Some people think that this was the greatest athletics achievement ever. In 1936 Jesse went to the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. There were only nineteen black athletes in the USA team. He won gold medals in the 100 meters race, the 200 meters race, the long jump and the relay race. Jesse was not a professional athlete. This meant that he could not get money for running. Later, he became a professional athlete. To make money he had to appear in strange races. Sometimes he had to race against horses. In 1960 somebody broke Jesse's last world record. In 1980 Jesse died. Jesse Owens was born in _ in the USA. A. Alabama B. Cleveland C. Ohio D. Michigan Answer: A Complete silence is found only in laboratories called anechoic rooms. The walls and ceilings, made of blocks of special sound-sucking materials, are more than three feet thick, while floor coverings are six-foot layers of feathers or cotton wool. Silence here can be as painful to the ears as the din(continuous loud noise) of a steelworks or a rocket blast-off, yet scientists get used to this and stay in these silent rooms for hours at a time, using microphones and electronic equipment to test the various materials being developed to make the world a less noisy place. Architects have used scientific discoveries to solve noise problem in a number of ways. Walls are hollowed (having empty space inside) and then filled with sound-sucking materials similar to cotton wool. Extra-thick carpets cover the floors, and thick woolen curtains cover the windows. Air conditioning and heating channels are made less noisy by having the air passing through hundreds of tiny holes in baffles made of sheets of soundsucking materials. Unfortunately, these techniques and others often work too well in some buildings. Noise-proof rooms become almost anechoic and people living in them are disturbed by the lack of sound. One way of handling this problem is to use what they call "sound perfume"--artificial (similarly produced, made by man) noise is piped to rooms through small loudspeakers. The passage suggests that _ . A. loudspeakers are as important as sound-proofing materials B. anechoic rooms will be included in all new buildings C. pipes should be used as sound-proofing materials D. scientific devices are sometimes too successful Answer: A There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do. In the ancient world, as is today, most boys play with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world. What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. It is the universality of toys about their development in all parts of the world and their continuing to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles. Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological progress that characterizes inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of advancement. The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of materials then ready for use. (words: 285 ; time : 5ms) Regarded as a kind of art form, toys _ . A. follow a direct line of development B. also greatly interest adults C. are not characterized by progress in technology D. show the pace of social progress Answer: C Long long ago a man went to India and he had never been there before. When he got there, he saw a lot of fruit, but much of it was expensive because they couldn't grow much because there was little water. Finally he saw a big basket of some very red and long fruit. And it was the cheapest in the shop. So he went up and asked, "How much each kilo?"and the shop keeper said, "Two rupees . "Two rupees in India was nothing. So he bought a whole kilogram of the fruit and started eating it. But after he ate some of it:oh, my god!His eyes watered, his mouth watered and burnt, and his face became red. He jumped up and down, saying, "Ah!Ah!Ah!" But he still continued to eat the fruit!Some people who were looking at him shook their heads and said, "You're crazy, man. Those are chilies !You can't eat so many!People use them as a _ , but only a little bit to put into food for taste. You can't just eat them like that. "But the silly man said, "No, I can't stop!I paid money for them, and now I'll eat them up. It's my money!" And you think that man was silly, right?We sometimes do a lot of things like that. We spend money, time or effort doing something. And even though it's been a long time, hard experience tells us it won't work, and we know there's no more hope, we still continue just because we've put money, time, effort and love in to 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'd paid. So even if you've lost something, let it go and move on. That's better than continuing to lose. Which of the following sentence is TRUE? A. The man went to India to buy fruit. B. The man didn't want to waste money. C. The man bought the fruit because it was expensive. D. India can grow a lot of fruit. Answer: B
Mobile phones help us easily find people anywhere at any time. A mobile phone can include many things, such as games, music and Internet surfing. Today, 4,600,000,000 people around the world have mobile phones, according to CBS News. However, using mobile phones too often may cause cancer . It's reported that people who used a mobile phone for 10 years or more were more likely to get cancer. The advice below may help you reduce the risk of cancer: An earphone gives out much less radiation than phones. However, you should take it off your ear when you're not talking to anyone. Your phone gives out radiation when you talk or text , but not when you're listening or getting messages. Listening more and talking less can lower the risk of cancer. Hold the phone away from your body when you're talking, not against your ear. Also, don't keep it in your pocket. Phones gives out less radiation to send texts than to carry a person's voice. Texting also keeps radiation away from your head. Do not use your mobile phone when the signal is weak. Fewer signal bars on your phone mean that the phone needs to give out more radiation to work. Make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal. How many pieces of advice to reduce cancer are mentioned in this passage? Five. Though he wore his whiskers only four years, today we can hardly think of Abraham Lincoln without them. He often talked about the little girl in Westfield, New York, who suggested in a letter that he grow the famous whiskers. And he would add, "Sometimes a small thing can change our lives!" Grace Bedell sat in her room looking at a picture of Lincoln. Her little lamp threw shadows on the picture. A frame of small shadows lay around the thin face and covered the hollow cheeks . "Whiskers!" she thought. "How nice!" she said to herself. "There will be more people to elect him President if he lets his whiskers grow. Somebody ought to tell him." She reached for a pen and began to write the letter. On February 16 of the following year a special train carried the newly elected President Lincoln to the White House. The train stopped briefly at a station near Grace's town. At the station Lincoln was speaking to a large crowd, among whom were the Bedell family. Lincoln continued his speech, "I have a little friend in this place," he said. "That little lady told me how to improve my appearance, and I want to thank her. If she is present, I would like to speak to her. Her name is Grace Bedell." Grace's father led her forward to Lincoln. She looked and laughed happily, for up there on his face were the whiskers. If you visit Springfield, Illinois, today you will see the house in which Abraham Lincoln used to live. On the wall of a room hangs a piece of paper covered with a child's handwriting: "Dear sir..." Which of the following did Grace most likely tell Lincoln in her letter? Her age. BEIJING, March, 17th --The Japanese automaker Toyota will _ some 4,400 units of FJ Cruiser cars in China over seat belt flaws, China's consumer quality watchdog said Saturday. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on its website that Toyota China will recall these imported cars produced between December 2007 and March 2013. Toyota is busy working on the solution to the flaw and will release improvement methods before April 15, according to the administration. This marks Toyota's second recalling this year after the auto giant announced in January that it would recall 22,869 units of Lexus IS cars in China due to wiper arm problem. China's private auto ownership reached 93.09 million units by the end of 2012, up 18.3 percent compared with the year before. Along with the fast expanding auto market, Chinese drivers grow more concerned about the quality of their cars. Also on Saturday, the AQSIQ said in a statement on its website that its research has basically confirmed the German automaker Volkswagen's direct shift gearbox (DSG) transmission has defects which may cause engine power failures and urged Volkswagen to recall defective cars after China Central Television (CCTV) exposed Volkswagen's gearbox defect on Friday. To better protect the interests of Chinese consumers, the AQSIQ announced late last year that it would formulate a guideline to regulate a recall system for faulty cars. What was China's private auto ownership by the end of 2011? About 79 million units. Five Things You Should Know About Adult Asthma About 44 million people in Asia Pacific suffer from asthma. The numbers are on the rise especially in China and India where there is rapid industrialization and urbanization. Dr Mariko Koh, Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory and Asthma Programme at Singapore General Hospital, tells us more about adult asthma: 1. Chronic inflammation of the airways When the airways are inflamed, mucus forms, blocking airflow, causing breathlessness, wheezing and tightness in the chest. 2. Common triggers Exposure to allergens such as mites, cockroaches, pets and pollen can trigger asthma. Tobacco smoke, respiratory infections, exercise and some medications like aspirin and beta blockers are also possible triggers. 3. Effective treatment Asthma can be controlled with medication. The main treatment of asthma is inhaled corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and block of the airways. Reliever medications may be used to treat acute symptoms. Take note: it is not too late to take medication after an asthma attack. 4. Take medication daily To ensure good control over asthma, medication must be taken daily on a long term basis to prevent attacks. Also, go to your doctor for regular checkups. 5. Quality of life Asthma sufferers can lead normal active lives as long as the symptoms are well controlled. Taking medication as directed and avoiding triggers can make a big difference to the quality of life. The author would most likely to agree that _ . daily intake of medication in the long run is helpful in controlling asthma "Tell me again how you learned to ride a horse," I would ask my father when I was a little girl in Denmark. I was no more than four years old--too little to learn to ride a horse by myself. But I liked to hear my father tell his story. And then he would begin. "When I was a little boy, as little as you are now," he would say, "I wanted to ride the horses. But I was too small to mount a horse. So I would slip into my father's stables to be with the horses and admire them. Such big, powerful animals they were! "The gentle workhorses stood quietly in their stalls, eating their hay. I would climb up the side of one of the stalls and slide over onto the horse's back. "Then I would hold its mane and imagine us running quickly over the grasslands, down to the shore, and even into the sea. "When I grew tall enough to mount a horse," he said, "my wish came true." "You swim with the horses now," I said. "You even swim with Fiery. And he has spirit!" Everybody knew about Fiery, the great black male horse with the fierce temper, and how he behaved when he first came to the stables. He raised itself on its back legs with the front legs in the air. He snorted and kicked. He rolled his eyes. And everyone was afraid of him. Everyone, except my father. I wanted to hear more. "Now tell me how you made Fiery your friend," I begged. This was my favorite story. "Well, little Else," my father went on, "I just talked to him. I talked as a friend. You must talk to a horse like Fiery. "I'd say, 'No, little horse. No, my friend. You can't run free. You must learn to let me ride you.' "And soon Fiery began to listen. He knew from my voice that I would be his friend." So Fiery let my father teach him to carry a rider. Then Fiery would take my father across the soft green grasslands or even into the lively waters of the northern sea. I loved to see Father riding Fiery without a saddle into the sea. There they swam, Father and Fiery, out in the cold, clear water. Often I would watch them from the shore, holding tight to my mother's hand. They swam so bravely. I was so proud of them! Then Father and Fiery would come splashing out of the water and run along the shore toward us. They made a fine stop--just in time! Fiery towered over us. He tossed his head and shook sea water from his shining black coat. Father was laughing and patting Fiery's neck. And I was making a wish. I wished that someday I could have a horse, too . . . but a smaller one! What does Else learn from her father's story? How to make friends with a horse.
Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no," criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum. Humor is often the best way to keep a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. Recently a neighbor of mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. Airborne, he felt miserable, and he knew she did, too. Two hours after she returned home, she received a long-distance phone call. "Person-to-person for Mrs. I. A. Pologize," intoned the operator. "That's spelled 'P' as in..." In a twinkling, the whole day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire. An English hostess with a quick wit was giving a formal dinner for eight distinguished guests whom she hoped to enlist in a major charity drive. Austerity was a fashion in England at the time, and she had asked her children to serve the meal. She knew that anything could happen--and it did, just as her son, with the studied concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large roast turkey. He successfully elbowed the swinging dining-room door, but the backswing threw the bird onto the dining-room floor. The boy stood rooted: guests stared at their plates. Moving only her head the hostess smiled at her son," No harm, Daniel," she said. "Just pick him up and take him back to the kitchen"... she enunciated clearly so he would think about what she was saying... "and bring in the other one." A wink and a one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a conspiracy of fun. Which of the following is NOT stated in the passage? A Comedians on TV are believed to have done a lot in making people more tolerant of racial and religious differences. B To make up differences, humor is a most acceptable as well as a most effective means. C People often turn to humorous ways when meeting with difficult situations because of its effectiveness. D Only by adopting the means of humor can one succeed in some jobs. Answer: C. People often turn to humorous ways when meeting with difficult situations because of its effectiveness. Each Indian was supposed to keep his birth name until he was old enough to earn one for himself.But his playmates would always give him a name of their own.No matter what his parents called him, his childhood friends would use the name they had chosen.Often it was not pleasing, such as Bow Legs or Bad Boy.But sometimes a name fit so well that the youngster found it difficult to shake it off.If he could not earn a better one from a war later, he could be stuck with a name like Bow Legs for the rest of his life. The Indian earned his real name when he was old enough for his first fight against the enemy.His life name depended on how he acted during this first battle.When he returned from the war, the whole tribe would gather and observe the ceremony in which he would be given his name by the chief.If he had done well, he would get a good name.Otherwise he might be called Crazy Wolf or Man-Afraid-Of-a-Horse.So an Indian's name told his record or described the kind of man he was. A man was given many chances to improve his name, however.If in a later battle he was brave in fighting against the enemy, he was given a better name.Some of our great fighters had as many as twelve names--all good and each better than the last. An Indian's names belonged to him for the rest of his life.No one else could use them.Even he himself could not give them away because names were assigned by the tribe, not the family.So no man could pass on his name unless the chief and the tribe asked him to do so. Sometimes an Indian would be asked to give his name to a son who had performed a noticeable deed.I know of only three of four times when this happened.It is the rarest honor for a person--the honor of assuming his father's name. An Indian could be given the second name by _ . A his father B the enemy C the chief of the tribe D his childhood friends Answer: D. his childhood friends Leo is thirteen years old. He has a brother and a sister. He has 10 tennis bats, 8 baseballs, 6 ping-pong balls, 12 soccer balls and 18 volleyballs, but he never plays sports. His brother, Neal likes soccer . He is a member of the city soccer club. He plays soccer every day with his friends. His sister, Nancy likes volleyball, but she doesn't play it. ,,. What does Nancy like ? A Soccer. B Her brother. C TV D Volleyball. Answer: D. Volleyball. Charlotte Hollins faces a battle. The 23-year-old British farmer and her 21-year-old brother Ben are fighting to save farm that their father worked on since he was 14. Although confident they will succeed, she is aware of farming's many challenges. "You don't often get a day off. Supermarkets put a lot of pressure on farmers to keep prices low. With fewer people working on farms it can be isolating," she said. "There is a high rate of suicide and farming will never make you rich!" Like others around the world, Charlotte's generation tend to leave the farm for cities. Oliver Robinson, 25, grew up in Yorkshire. But he never considered staying on his father and grandfather's land. "I'm sure Dad hoped I'd stay," he said. "I guess it's a nice, straightforward life, but it doesn't appeal to me. For young, ambitious people, farm life is hard." For Robinson, farming doesn't offer much "in terms of money or lifestyle". Hollins agrees that economic factors stop people from enjoying the rewards of farming. He describes it as a career that provides "for a vital human need", allowing people to work "outdoors with nature." Farming is a big political issue in the UK. The "Buy British" campaigns urge consumers not to purchase cheaper imported foods. The 2001 foot and mouth crisis closed thousands of farms, stopped meat exports, and raised public consciousness about the troubles on UK farms. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's 2005 campaign to get children eating healthily also highlighted the issue. This national concern gives hope to farmers competing with powerful supermarkets. While most people buy food from the big supermarkets, hundreds of independent Farmers' Markets are becoming popular. "I started going to Farmers' Markets in direct defiance of the big supermarkets. I seriously objected to the super-sizing of everything-what exactly do they put on our apples to make them so big and red? It's terrible," said Londoner Michaela Samson, 31. Why did Oliver Robinson refuse to stay on the farm? A He hoped for a simpler life B He was fed up with a hard farm life. C Farm life was too demanding though he liked it. D He hoped for something challenging and rewarding. Answer: D. He hoped for something challenging and rewarding. Toyoda said those changes were being made nearly around the clock,but during three hours of often tense questions and answers he repeated that there was no link to the vehicle's electronic systems. Many drivers making complaints against Toyota and the government say their acceleration problems had nothing to do with floor mat interference or sticky gas pedals .Outside experts have suggested electronic problems. House lawmakers expressed serious criticism on Toyoda,the grandson of the company's founder. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA)is seeking records on Toyota's recalls and is conducting its own review on whether electronics were behind the car faults.NHTSA also continues to look into steering complaints from drivers of the popular Corolla model. Toyota has recalled 8.5 million cars,more than 6 million of them in the United States. It may be a while before car buyers believe that Toyota really makes safe cars. Toyota's January sales already fell 16 percent even as most other automakers jumped back from last year's bad results.Analyst Koji Endo of Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo said he expects February sales,due out next week,to be down 30 percent to 40. Toyota's sales problem could continue beyond that. It will take some time to feel the full effect of this,he said. The best title for this passage is _ . A Toyota is in trouble B Toyota is under hearing C Toyota is finished D Toyota is still running Answer: A. Toyota is in trouble
A taxi driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Motivational speakers charge thousands of dollars to give training to company executives and staff. It cost me a $12 taxi ride. I had flown into Dallas for the purpose of calling on a customer. Time was limited and my plan included a quick turn-around trip from and back to the airport. A spotless taxi pulled up. The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As he got in the driver's seat, he mentioned that the neatly-folded Wall Street Journal next to me was for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy. I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, "Obviously you take great pride in your work. You must have a story to tell." "You bet," he replied, "I used to be in Microsoft. But I got tired of it, thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my position in life where I could feel proud of being the best I could be. I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, helping people and feeling like I have done a full day's work and done it well. I thought about my personal strengths and ... wham! I became a taxi driver. One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I could simply meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to go above the customer's expectations! I like both the sound and the return of being 'great' better than just getting by being 'average'." Which of the following isthe taxi driver likely to agree? A Being great is a must in life. B Life is not easy for all of us. C Don't expect too much in life. D Every one of us has strengths. Answer: D. Every one of us has strengths. Have you ever remembered something with your nose? Maybe the smell of hot dogs makes you think of being at a baseball game. Or the smell of barbequed meat reminds you of a night around a fire. Scientists know that smells can make people think of powerful memories. Wouldn't it be great to somehow save those memories? _ is exactly what Mark Crames, a businessman making perfumes , is trying to do. His company, Demeter Fragrance, makes more than 200 kinds of perfumes. "Imagine every smell in the world as a musical note," Crames said. "We try to join those notes to make a piece of beautiful music." He has made many perfumes and he got the idea from plays, storms and even animals. Everyday smells mean different things to different people. "A perfume called Poison Ivy might make you think of sadness or surprise," Crames says. "But it could make another person think of a great time at summer camp." Crames produces perfumes using a high-tech method called headspace technology. This month, Crames is making scent for Tootsie Roll and Junior Mints. Not every smell can be easily copied. "One of our most needed perfumes is a little dog's breath," he says. "But it is so chemically complicated that it's very hard to get." What scent would you like to bottle? A zoo? Or grandma's old house? Crames may be able to help you bring back your memories, so all you have to do is have a smell when you want to remember. The passage mainly tells us _ . A how to remember things B how to make perfumes C a businessman with good smell D smells can help us remember Answer: D. smells can help us remember Players Wanted Are you good at playing basketball? Can you play ping-pong or soccer? Can you swim very well? If so, you are welcome to join our school sports team. Please call Victor at 8863543 or send an email to sports@ yahoo.com. Dancers Wanted Can you dance? Do you like kids? Can you help them with dancing on weekends? Come and join us. Call Tom at 3854922 for more information. Chess Club Do you like playing chess? Mr. Wang can teach you. He gives lessons here every Friday afternoon.Tel: 8358939 .Add: Room 102 in School's P. E. Building. Let's Learn Japanese Can you speak Japanese? Do you want to learn Japanese? Join the Japanese club now. Time: 2:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.( from Monday to Friday ) Call Mary at 6253928. Betty speaks Japanese. She wants to work from Monday to Friday. Where can she work? A At the Japanese club. B At the dance club. C In school's P.E. Building. D at the chess club Answer: A. At the Japanese club. Liverpool is famed for many things -- most especially The Beatles and its football team. But few would associate the city with one of the most famous political speeches in history. Yet tourism officials in the city have published the claim that Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" was written at a city centre hotel. The allegation has been made in a guide to a major art event named Liverpool Discovers. A map in the guide shows more than 20 locations where famous people were born along with places associated with celebrities and events in their life. The guide claims, "Martin Luther King visited his supporters in Liverpool three times, and the first draft of his famous speech 'I Have a Dream' is claimed to have been written at Adelphi Hotel." The speech, delivered to civil rights campaigners on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in 1963, is one of the most quoted texts in history and was a definitive moment in the American Civil Rights Movement and in the fight for racial equality. Dr. King's biographer, Godfrey Hodgson, said that the suggestion did not fit the facts. He said, "I don't believe it. If he had been to Liverpool, there would have been massive media reports, as he would have been a big figure by then. Dr. King did visit the UK on a number of occasions but he was not in the UK around the time of this famous speech in 1963."Prof. John Belcham, a history lecturer of University of Liverpool who wrote an 800year history of Liverpool in 2008, confirmed that he was unaware of any connection between Dr. King and the city. What would be the best title for this passage? A Martin Luther King and His Speech B Is Liverpool Connected to Martin Luther King? C Liverpool Is a Good Choice for Holidaymakers D The Most Famous People in Liverpool Answer: B. Is Liverpool Connected to Martin Luther King? Hello! My name is Jim. I'm from the US. Now I am in China with my father and mother. I like China. I like Chinese food, too. I have breakfast at home. I eat an egg, bread and porridge in the morning. I don't like milk. I have no time to go home for lunch. So I have it at school. The lunch in our school is very good. I can have different food for lunch. I eat rice, meat and vegetables for lunch. Sometimes I have noodles and dumplings. I have supper at home with my parents . Sometimes we go out to eat with friends. We have meat, vegetables and fruit. For breakfast, Jim has _ . A an egg, an apple, and porridge B an egg, bread and porridge C an apple, break and milk D an egg, an apple and break Answer: B. an egg, bread and porridge
Buyer, Inc., contracted in writing with Shareholder, who owned all of XYZ Corporation's outstanding stock, to purchase all of her stock at a specified price per share. At the time this contract was executed, Buyer's contracting officer said to Shareholder, "Of course, our commitment to buy is conditioned on our obtaining approval of the contract from Conglomerate, Ltd., our parent company." Shareholder replied, "Fine. No problem." Assume the following facts. Shareholder is willing and ready to consummate the sale of her stock to Buyer, but the latter refuses to perform on the ground (which is true) that Conglomerate has firmly refused to approve the contract. If Shareholder sues Buyer for breach of contract and seeks to exclude any evidence of the oral condition requiring Conglomerate's approval, the court will probably Answer: My best friends are John and Ann. We do many things together. John lives near my house and we are in the same class. He's fifteen years old and he's tall and thin. He's got blond hair and blue eyes. He's polite and very clever. He's very good at math and he helps me with my homework sometimes. He usually wears jeans and a T-shirt but in the photo he's wearing black trousers and a yellow T-shirt. We also play basketball at a nearby park together and sometimes we play video games at my home. Our friend Ann doesn't go to our school. She's short and thin, with straight brown hair and brown eyes. She's a little bit shy. We all have Kung Fu lesson every Tuesday and Friday afternoon. We love it. Ann is really good at Kung Fu. We call her the" Kung Fu Kid". She sometimes plays basketball with us, too. In the picture she is wearing a dress, T-shirt and a baseball cap. The three of us have great fun together, Who wears a baseball cap in the picture? Answer: Welcome aboard the Luxury Cruise bus to Dallas, Rouge, and Atlanta. We plan to arrive in Dallas at 1:45 this afternoon. There will be a fifteen-minute rest stop at that time. We will give a thirty-minute dinner stop in Rouge at 6:15 for those of you who are continuing on to Atlanta. We should arrive in Atlanta at 1:15 tomorrow morning. Please remember the number of your bus for re-boarding. That number is 3224. This bus is air-conditioned for your comfort. Please remember that smoking of cigarettes is permitted only in the last six rows, and the smoking of any other material is not allowed, as is the drinking of wine. The passengers will have a fifteen-minute rest stop at the city of _ . Answer: There was once a fairy who was learning how to be a fairy godmother. She was the kindest and cleverest of all fairies. However, she was also a very ugly fairy. And no matter how friendly she was to others, it seemed that everyone always believed that the most important thing about a fairy was her beauty. In the fairy country, she was always laughed at. Every time she flew off to help a child or anyone else in trouble, before she could say a word they were already shouting: "Ugly! Get out of here!" Although she was little, her magic was very powerful because she studied very hard in the fairy school. And more than once she had considered using her magic to make herself beautiful. But then she remembered what her mother had always told her: "My dear, you are what you are, so just be yourself. Remember, you are this way for a very special reason." Then, one day, the witches of the neighboring land invaded the country, putting all the fairies in prison. The ugly fairy was helped by her ugly face, since the witches believed all fairies were beautiful. So no witches thought she was a fairy. That way she was able to follow the witches back to their home. Once there she used her magic to prepare a big party for everyone. The witches got really excited. They sang and drank. While _ , the fairy hurried off and set free all the fairies. Then they worked together and succeeded in locking the witches inside the mountain for the next hundred years and more, everyone remembered the great bravery and intelligence of the fairy. From that day on, no one in that land ever saw ugliness as a bad thing, and whenever someone ugly was born, people were filled with joy, knowing that for that new person great things waited ahead. The lesson the ugly fairy learned from her mother was that _ . Answer: Do you like travelling ?More and more students like riding bikes to travel on the road.But it may be dangerous on your trip.For your own safety ,do the following things. Wear a bike helmet and it can protect your head.Look for a helmet that fits you well.Even the best,most expensive helmet won't protect you if it doesn't fit. Wear the right clothes.They can make you feel better.And they can also protect you.Bright-colored clothes help people see you clearly-even in the daytime.Don't wear dark-colored clothes like black or brown while riding a bike. Keep the rules of the road while riding a bike.Always ride on the right side of the street in the same _ .Never change your direction without first looking behind you.Don't ride too closely to cars-the cars may stop and the doors open suddenly !Finally,don't wear earphones while riding a bike-you need to hear what's going on around you. When you ride on the road.you'd better wear _ . Answer:
A Southampton University team found that people who were vegetarians by 30 had recorded five IQ points higher on average at the age of 10. Researchers said it could explain why people with a higher IQ were healthier as a vegetarian diet was connected to lower heart disease and obesity rates. The study of 8,179 people was reported in theBritishMedicalJournal. Twenty years after the IQ tests were carried out in 1970, 366 of the participants said they were vegetarians -- although more than 100 reported eating either fish or chicken. Men who were vegetarians had an IQ score of 106, compared with 101 for non-vegetarians; while female vegetarians averaged 104, compared with 99 for non-vegetarians. There was no difference in the IQ scores, between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarians but reported eating fish or chicken. Researchers said the findings were partly related to better education and higher class, but it remained statistically significant after adjusting for these factors. Vegetarians were more likely to be female, to be of higher social class and to have higher academic or vocational qualifications than non-vegetarians. However, these differences were not reflected in their annual income, which was similar to that of non-vegetarians. Lead researcher Catharine Gale said, "The findings that children with greater intelligence are more likely to report being vegetarians as adults, together with the evidence on the potential benefits of a vegetarian diet on heart health, may help to explain why a higher IQ in childhood or adolescence is linked with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in adult life. But Dr Frankie Phillips of the British Dietetic Association said," _ Do people become vegetarians because they have a very high IQ or is it just that they are clever enough to be more aware of health issues?" What's the result of the research mentioned in the text? A. Intelligent children are more likely to become vegetarians later in life. B. Children with a higher IQ are less likely to have heart disease later in life. C. Intelligent children tend to belong to higher social class later in life. D. Children with a healthier heart tend to have a higher IQ later in life. Answer: A It is well known that the United States' population come from all over the world. The immigrants can learn the language, English, to keep this country united, but it is unnecessary to change their culture for an American way of life. I believe that recent immigrants should learn English in order to live in the country. They should learn the "public language". If they don't learn English, they won't be able to communicate and do what they want. For example, my mother's friend came to the United States from Ecuador three years ago. She doesn't speak English. One day, her daughter, Anita, couldn't breathe. Anita didn't know what was going on, but she told her mother to call an ambulance. When her mother called the hospital, she couldn't communicate. The operator couldn't understand what Anita's mother was saying. Fortunately, her mother's sister arrived and called the ambulance. The doctor told her sister that if she hadn't arrived at the hospital on time, Anita could have died. A pill had gotten stuck in her throat. Immigrants should learn English to speak with the public, but they can also keep their language at home. The children of immigrants should learn how to speak their parents' language. It is very important to communicate with our relatives and family. If we learn English only and forget our private "language", we won't be able to communicate with our parents. For example, Florence, my co-worker, speaks English only. Her mother didn't teach her Spanish (her mother's mother language). Now, Florence can't communicate with her grandparents or other relatives in Puerto Rico. She has lost her mother's mother language, tradition and culture. Immigrants have the freedom to keep their culture and values. Immigrants should know where they come from and what their family's culture is. In this way, they can transmit it to future generations. In conclusion, immigrants should learn English in order to communicate with the public and to keep the country united, but they shouldn't give up their own culture. The author develops the passage mainly by _ . A. following the natural time order B. providing typical examples C. comparing opinions from different people D. presenting a cause and analyzing its effects Answer: B If you're into sports , you 've seen it happen -----tennis players jump over the net to shake hands after a hard match ;football players exchange jerseys after 90 minutes of knocking each other around ;even boxer touch gloves at the beginning of each round .Players in every event ,from spelling _ to golf ,act in this way .It's all parts of sportsmanship , A great tradition in sports and competition .It means playing and being calm all through the match . Everyone feels great when they win .In the last few years ,your may see some players celebrate a goal with a long dance .However , it's always hard for people to say in public that they made a bad play .Good sportsmanship is what they really need .It's the golden rule of sports . Good sportsmanship means that you play by the rules ,talk politely to every during games and stay cool even when you lose the game .At the school sports meet, for example , it's more important for you to know how to work as part of a team and cheer your team on .hey may help you enjoy more success at your future work .In competition---as us in life--you may not always win ,but believe me ,sportsmanship will help you get through , and there is always the next match . What match do you know will last 90 minutes ? A. Tennis B. Football C. Golf D. Spelling Answer: B Donald had his own difficulties in sleeping that night. Not just because of the bright lights of the shelter or people's constant voices, it was the happening repeatedly nightmare that caused him to stay awake, to fear sleep. Donald was back in his small house. He did his best to ignore the howling winds outside his window. Yet he could not turn out the fearful whimpers of his little dog, or the uncomfortable sounds of his mother anxious in her room next door, unable to sleep through the storm despite her insistence they would be all right. Donald did not want his mother to be upset, but on some level, he was glad to hear she was awake, It meant he was not alone in the dark. Though he was 12, until recently it was impossible for Donald to fall asleep unless his mother lay down by his side. Suddenly there was a crash. Their living room window is shattered by 125 miles an hour winds. Troy rushed to Donald and sat anxiously on the edge of his bed. He did his best to calm his mother, and she had to comfort him. Soon water was seeping into the single floor house. Quickly it rose from ankle level to leg level. At Donald's insistence, they pushed their way through the water --- now chest high --- toward the front door. When they fought their way into the living room, water rose to their chins. It was a struggle for the boy and mother to stay afloat. In a total panic, desperate to hold on to something, Troy caught a curtain rod. She was breathing hard, shouting that she couldn't swim. Donald cried out, "Mom! Hold on!" Just then Donald also caught a floatable wood board. The passage is mainly about _ . A. how a storm happened and caused damage B. how a mother and son experienced a storm C. how a mother and son survived a storm D. how a son helped his mother in a storm Answer: B No matter what your age or style, MNA (Museum of Northern Arizona) Education Programs have a program to fit your desires. Stay close to home and enjoy the following: MNA Ventures The MNA Ventures program offers opportunities to discover and explore the Colorado Plateau -- 130,000 square miles of mountains and canyons centered in the Four Corners area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Discovery Programs The Discovery Programs offer educational experiences that emphasize the artistic traditions, natural sciences, Native American culture, and history of the Colorado Plateau. A variety of program choices provide fun learning opportunities for students of all ages and interests. Programs range in length from half-day classes to week-long classes, and offer experiences for three-year-olds to adults. Discovery classes take place mainly in the Museum grounds but may include field trips to go with the experience. Custom Tours The Museum of Northern Arizona's Custom Tours offer opportunities to discover and explore the wonders of the Colorado Plateau. Experience the rich natural wonders and cultures of this area through experts' eyes by traveling with scientists, writers, artists, and professional guides. Group Exhibit Tours There are self-guided programs for the archaeology of the Colorado Plateau, Native American culture, and the geology and biology of the Colorado Plateau. If you want to be guided by experts, you should attend _ . A. Group Exhibit Tours B. MNA Ventures C. Discovery Programs D. Custom Tours Answer: D
By Zhan Lisheng Updated: 2008-09-27 07:50 prefix = st1 /GUANGZHOU -- At least 13 people were killed and nine left missing after Typhoon Hagupit swept through the country's southern region on Wednesday, authorities said. More than 11.5 million people in Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi provinces were affected by the disaster, with direct economic losses reaching 13.46 billion yuan ($1.97 billion), Ministry of Civil Affairs figures showed. Hagupit, the strongest typhoon to hit Guangdong and its Pearl River Delta region in 12 years, reportedly headed south toward Vietnamon Thursday. The typhoon killed nine people and left nine missing in Guangdongalone, causing direct economic losses of more than 7.7 billion yuan, Yang Minyi, a press official with the provincial flood, drought and wind prevention office, said yesterday. Direct losses to agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery in the region were estimated at 4.2 billion yuan; industrial and transport sector, 1.5 billion yuan; and water conservancy infrastructure, 1 billion. A total of 6.52 million people in 344 towns in the cities of Maoming, Yangjiang, Zhanjiang, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen in the Pearl River Delta region and in the west of Guangdong _ the typhoon in the province. More than 15,300 houses fell down and 365,800 hectares of farmland were affected, authorities said. Wang Yugui, a pig farmer in Maoming city, said Hagupit proved fatal to his business. About two-thirds of his 4,000-odd pigs had drowned or were left missing in the typhoon. "The typhoon has landed me in huge debt and I really don't know how to weather the losses," Wang told China Daily yesterday. Wang said many others in the city suffered similar losses when Hagupit hit the city on Wednesday morning. Hagupit also hit a South Korean freight ship, named Zeus, in the waters off Jiangmen. All 17 sailors onboard were still missing, the Yangcheng Evening News reported on Friday. We can know from the report that _ . A. at least 13 people were killed in Guangdong. B. Guangxi and Hainan suffered more economic losses than Guangdong. C. so far Hagupit has been the strongest typhoon to hit Guangdongin this century. D. Hagupit hit South Koreabefore it landed inGuangdong. Answer: C. so far Hagupit has been the strongest typhoon to hit Guangdongin this century. "Everything happens for the best," my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment." Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way up to sports announcer. I hitchhiked to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station and got turned down every time. In one studio, a kind lady told me that big stations couldn't risk hiring an inexperienced person. "Go out in the sticks and find a small station that'll give you a chance," she said. I thumbed home to Dixon, Illinois. While there was no radio-announcing job in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I applied. The job sounded just right for me. But I wasn't hired. My disappointment must have shown. "Everything happens for the best," Mom reminded me. Dad offered me the car to job hunt. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer. As I left his office, my frustration boiled over. I asked aloud, "How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?" I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, "What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?" Then he put me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother's words: "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment." I often wonder what direction my life might have taken if I'd gotten the job at Montgomery Ward. Which of the following words can be used to best describe author? A. Diligent and polite. B. Persistent and inexperienced. C. Confident and handsome. D. Hardworking and energetic. Answer: B. Persistent and inexperienced. Below is adapted from an English dictionary. Use the dictionary to answer the following questions. figure / fig@ / noun, verb * noun 1. a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade / sales figures 2. a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3. (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers 4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly 6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it 7. the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one's figure 8. a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating * be / become a figure of fun: be / become sb. that others laugh at * cut a...figure: sb with a particular appearance: He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket. * put a figure on sth: to say the exact price or number of sth. * a fine figure of man / woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person * figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect * figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) * verb 1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning. 2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn't seem to figure at all. 3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth: We figured that attendance at 150,000. * figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel? * figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven't figured on his getting home so late. * figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost? * It / That figures!: That seems reasonable. Which sentence is used as figure of speech? A. John is fond of animals and raises a rabbit as a pet. B. In some countries, bamboo can be used to build houses. C. We all regard Mr. Smith as an important figure in our company. D. I didn't really mean my partner was a snake. Answer: D. I didn't really mean my partner was a snake. Rumor is the most primitive way of spreading stories--- by passing them on from mouth to mouth, but civilized countries in normal times have better sources of news than rumor. They have radio, television, and newspapers. In times of confusion ( ), however, rumor appears and becomes widespread. At such times the different kinds of news are in competition: the press, television, and radio against the . Especially do rumors spread when war requires control on many important matters. The normal news sources no longer give out enough information. Since the people can not learn through legal channels all that they are anxious to learn, they pick up "news" wherever they can and when this happens, rumor grows. Rumors are often repeated even by those who do not believe the tales. There is an interest about them. The reason is that the cleverly designed rumor gives expression to something deep in the hearts of the victims -- the fears, doubts, forbidden hopes, or daydreams which they hesitate to voice directly. Pessimistic rumors about defeat and disasters show that the people who repeat them are worried and anxious. Optimistic rumors about record production or peace soon come point to self- satisfaction or confidence--and often to over-confidence. Which of the following statements is mentioned as a reason for people to repeat a rumor? A. They are too willing to believe. B. They take an interest in rumor. C. They have a strong desire to make a fool of other people. D. They find some rumors reflect their own unexpressed beliefs. Answer: D. They find some rumors reflect their own unexpressed beliefs. In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the filmmaker Walt Disney. He had an unusual voice and he wanted to work in Disney's cartoon film for children. When Walt Disney heard Nash's voice, he said "Stop! That's our duck!" The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and wore his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audience liked him because he was lazy and greedy, and because he lost his temper very quickly. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey's eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn't a _ like Mickey. In the 1930s, 40s and 50s Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto made hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational films about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared---there were no more new cartoons. Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today's children can still see the old cartoons on television and hear that famous voice. Where do today's children see Donald Duck? A. In new film B. At the cinema C. On television D. At concerts Answer: C. On television
They say love can cover a lot of crimes; yet never have I seen it more beautifully showed than in the life of a dog named Jessie. Jessie came into our lives at the age of six months. By that time he had already experienced the hard knocks of life. He was found abandoned on the side of the road, where we adopted him and took him home. From the beginning, it was obvious that Jessie was traumatized . He was afraid of everything: the car, the doors, the stairs, and just about everything else. We couldn't foresee where Jessie's fear would take us. Jessie was with us for about six months, when we became foster parents to a mixed-breed young dog. Jessie did not like her at all. We all lived in a nervous co-existence, until dinnertime. Within moments a food fight erupted between Jessie and this foster child. It all happened so fast, and I was in the middle. My husband managed to get in between the two dogs, grabbing Jessie by his collar. Jessie screamed all the way down the hall and into the bedroom. I, quickly put the foster dog into her own bedroom and hurried down the hall. The crashing I heard in the bedroom, scared me to death. But nothing prepared me for the scene I witnessed as I opened the bedroom door. There was my husband, on top of a terrified Jessie, holding back his head. Blood dripped from my husband's arm. To tell you the truth, as I was sitting beside my husband in the emergency room, I just didn't know what to do with Jessie. I was so angry at that dog. Day after day, week after week, however, my husband faithfully trained the dog that others would have put down. As his arm healed over the next months, something rare and beautiful began to take place. Jessie, under my husband's gentle persuasion, began to understand and obey. And Jessie adored him. I could see, that although the tempest had ruled Jessie's former life, affirmation and love had calmed the storm. It can be inferred from the text that the writer's husband's arm bled because of _ . Jessie's bite Fungi can do their food chain jobs without ingestion Big Ben, one of London's best-known landmarks, which is famous for its accuracy and chimes ,stopped ticking for 90 minutes, an engineer said Saturday. Officials do not know why the 147-year-old clock on the banks of the River Thames stopped at 10:07 p.m. Friday. It continued keeping time, but stopped again at 10:20 p.m. and remained still for about 90 minutes before starting up again, a spokeswoman for the House of Commons said. A recent period of hot weather may have been to blame. Temperatures in London reached 90 Saturday, and forecasters called it England's hottest day in May in the past fifty three years, since 1953. Big Ben, which is operated by the Palace of Westminster, survived attack by German Luftwaffe bombers during World WarII,continued to mark the time within11/2 seconds of Greenwich Mean Time. However, the clock has experienced occasional problems. In 1962, snow caused the clock to ring in the New Year 10 minutes late. In 1976, the clock stopped when a piece of its machinery broke. Big Ben also stopped on April 30, 1997, and once more three weeks later. Big Ben is actually the clock's 13-ton bell, which was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the British commissioner of works at the time the clock was built. The official name for the Gothic tower holding Big Ben is St. Stephen's Tower. Standing 315 feet tall, it was completed in 1859 after an 1834 fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster. How many times has Big Ben gone wrong up to now? Six. From the modern London Eye to the historic Tower of London, below are London's most visited tourist attractions. Many of London's top attractions are free, making them affordable places to learn about some culture. Whether you prefer history or modern art, you'll find it at one of these must-visit spots. British Museum The world-famous British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times, from around the world. The most interesting and exciting parts include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection. Some exhibitions require tickets. National Gallery The greatest and most beautiful building of Trafalgar Square, London's National Gallery is a vast space filled with Western European paintings from the 13thto the 19thcenturies. In this impressive art gallery you can find works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Constable, Renoir, Titian and Stubbs. Some exhibitions require tickets. Tate Modern Sitting on the banks of the Thames is the Tate Modern, Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art. Its unique shape is due to it being a power station before. The gallery's restaurants offer wonderful views across the city. Some exhibitions require tickets. Coca-Cola London Eye The Coca-Cola London Eye is a major feature of London's skyline. It has some of London's best views from its 32 capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Climb aboard for a breathtaking experience, with an unforgettable view of more than 55 of London's most famous landmarks -- all in just 30 minutes! Madame Tussauds At Madame Tussauds, you'll come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Lady Gaga you'll meet influential figures from show business, sport, politics and even royalty. Strike a pose with Usain Bolt, get close to One Direction or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen. In Madame Tussauds, visitors can _ . see figures of many influential people Max mixed some orange flavored powder in a glass of water until there it was dissolved. His sister tasted it and it tasted like a citrus fruit
Elephants and people are in competition for space. In much of Africa, elephants are now put in national parks. Elephants suffered a serious and steady decrease in numbers in the 1970s. This was the same time when scientists were beginning to learn a great deal about elephants and their behavior. Studies through the 1980s and into the 1990s showed a lot about their sounds and methods of communication. In Kenya alone, in the 1970s and 1980s, the elephant population decreased from 170,000 to 25,000. The sharp drop in numbers was the result of poachers illegally killing elephants for their ivory. The price of ivory went from $3 a pound to $50 to $100 a pound. Africa became very attractive to poachers. Bull elephants carried the largest tusks , so they were more often killed. With males gone and older females killed by poachers as well, there were many young elephants unable to benefit from the wisdom of the older females and matriarchs, who lead the herds. Kenya took a stand, international trade in ivory was officially forbidden, and $3,000,000 worth of confiscated ivory was burned in Kenya. The following year, only 50 elephants were lost to poachers in Kenya instead of 3,000. But Kenya has the fastest growing human population in the world. People throughout Africa won't tolerate elephants eating their crops and destroying their livelihoods. In South Africa, elephants live behind the fences of national parks. In some parts of Africa, big-game hunters pay a lot of money to hunt elephants. This keeps their numbers down, and the money goes toward conservation. In Kenya, there were some attempts at birth control to keep the elephant population at manageable numbers to reduce conflicts with people. Faced with a growing human population, elephants are losing the battle for space. It's unlikely, though, that they will become extinct. They will live in natural parks that bring tourists to Africa as well as India and other parts of Asia. The money from tourism will help elephants to survive. We know from the passage that in Kenya _ . Answer: the human population is growing fast There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Over head was a blue sky with white clouds. All who saw this picture thought it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture has mountains too. But these were rough and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening played. Down the side of mountain ran a waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a _ in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest... perfect peace. Which picture do you think won prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? " Because ," explained the king, " peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace. The king's words suggested that _ . Answer: real peace means keeping calm in a wild situation. Minimalism is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features. As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life. When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn't take everything with me, but I kept asking myself "how could I possibly throw this away?", "what if I need it one day?", and "what about all of the memories?" Now that I've moved, and left that stuff behind, I don't even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now. I've learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it. You might think nostalgically about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. 1've heard it a hundred times, "you don't need things to make you happy." It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is. Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It's about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don't have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don't need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I'll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden. _ There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don't really need? Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it's because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things. Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy - really living life to our full potential. I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can't do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms. Many people don't want to let go of some of their belongings because _ Answer: they fear their memories will be gone with the thrown-away stuff Here, a reporter is interviewing the 12-year-old singer, Mara Justine, who's one of the youngest contestants of America's Got Talent. Reporter: Why did you choose to compete on America's Got Talent instead of one of the other singing competitions? Mara: Well, America's Got Talent actually called me because I had auditioned before, when I was 9 or 10 . I guess they looked over those videos. They asked me to audition again. Reporter: How does it feel to be one of the youngest people on the show? Mara: There are a lot of other people with more experience .,but I just try to do my best .I always go on to the stage thinking good thoughts, never bad thoughts. Reporter: Who is your role model or idol ? What inspires you? Mara: For singing, my idols are Aretha Franklin and Christina Aguilera, but a role model to me would be my mom. I love her with all my heart--she encourages me to believe in my dreams. Reporter: What are your other hobbies? Mara: I love playing video games, and I usually go to the park with my family. We usually play basketball. We also like to play tennis! What type of writing is the passage? Answer: An intervie "Soon,you're going to have to move out!"cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind,or at least known in my neighborhood. One tiny 9-inch plant,bought for $ 1.25 in the spring.has already taken over much of my rose bed,covering much of other plants,and is well on its way to the front door. Roses require a good deal of care,and if it weren't for the pleasure they give. it wouldn't be worth the work.As it is.I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year.Bushes must be pruned in early spring,leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later.It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant.A big mistake. Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out be even more perfect for tomatoes.The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing have turned the little plant into a tall bush.The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves. Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is twofold.First.I have to find the red ones among the leaves,which means I almost have to stand on my head.and once found I have to reach down and under,pick the tomatoes and withdraw my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won.I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June. But they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light. Here I am faced with a painful small decision:To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses.Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind.I'll think about that tomorrow. The writer planted the tomato because _ . Answer: there was room for it in the garden
Question: A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage.Foods can go bad if they get too warm.But for many of the world's poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult.Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity. Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses.Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they cannot sell quickly. But in nineteen ninety-five a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bah Abba found a solution.He developed the "Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System." It uses two round containers made of clay.A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one.The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand.The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks.A wet cloth covers the whole cooling system. Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation process.Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees.This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria.Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks. People throughout Nigeria began using the invention.And it became popular with farmers in other African countries.Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed the first 5,000 pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby. In 2000, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise.This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being.A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history.Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.The award is given every two years.The most recent one was given last year. The evaporation process of the cooling system is used to _ . A. prevent the loss of water B. cause dry and wet air to exchange C. keep the stored food dry D. take heat away from the inner pot Answer: D Question: The best afternoon I ever had with my grandfather was when we went down to the river and fished. It was a hot July day, and I was bored. My grandfather was sitting in the backyard, reading. "Hey, you look like you need some fun," he said. "Want to go fishing?" I said sure, and he went to the garage. He came out with two poles, some hooks, and some fishing line. Everything was in pieces, but he showed me how to put it all together. I asked if we needed worms, and he said no. Then, we set off to the river. It was only about ten blocks to the river, but walking along past the library and the store, he told me about how he used to go fishing with his friend Steve. They used to catch catfish, then take them home so that their mothers could cook them for dinner. When we got to the park at the river, my grandfather went right to the bank, then turned and walked up along the side of the river until we were off in the shade under the trees right at the edge of the park. There, he taught me how to throw my line in the water. Then we sat down to wait. While we were fishing, my grandfather told me lots of stories about what he and Steve did as kids. We didn't have any worms, so we never caught any fish, but sitting there as he told me stories made it a great afternoon. What did they walk past? A. Park B. River C. Garage D. Library and store Answer: D Question: Few of us haven't read Cinderella, the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams. Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone's heart--we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity . Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too. Her story is featured in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school. Mary is shy but loves to dance. Compared with other girls, she is invisible. However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears. Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not--kind, handsome and desirable. Mary and Joey's paths cross at a ball. They meet and fall in love with each other. But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl of his dreams. Of course, there is a wicked stepmother, who turns out to be Dominique Blatt and she takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies. Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn't get into the top dance school. Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey falling for Mary, even if that means embarrassing her. The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern day twists to the classic fairy tale. Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful. There is also a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies. "The movie takes the Cinderella fairytale as its jumping off point," writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson. "The focus is firmly on following your dream." According to the passage, Another Cinderella Story _ . A. follows Cinderella with nothing new B. pays more attention to the looks of the actors C. encourages young people to follow their dreams D. focuses more on materialism than other films Answer: C Question: He wrote that the "human mind is capable of excitement without the application of gross and violent stimulants ". And it appears that simply reading those words by William Wordsworth proves his point. Researchers at the University of Liverpool found the works of Shakespeare and Wordsworth and the like had a beneficial effect on the mind, lifting the readers' spirits by catching their attention and leading to moments of self-reflection. Using equipment, they examined the brain activity of volunteers as they read pieces of classical English literature both in their original form and in a more simplified, modern translation. And, according to the Sunday Telegraph, the experiment showed the more "challenging" works set off far more electrical activity in the brain than the ordinary versions. The research also found poetry, in particular, increased activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, an area concerned with "autobiographical memory", which helped the reader to reflect on and reevaluate their own experiences in light of what they had read. The academics said this meant the classics were more useful than self-help books. The brain responses of 30 volunteers was monitored in the first part of the research as they read Shakespeare in its original and "modern" form. In one example, volunteers read a line from King Lear, "A father and a gracious aged man: him have you madded ", before reading the simpler "A father and a gracious aged man: him you have enraged ". Shakespeare's use of the adjective "mad" as a verb caused a higher level of brain activity than the straightforward translation. "Reading classics is not just a matter of style. It is a matter of deep versions of experience that promotes the cognitive ability," said Prof Davis, who will present the findings at the North of England education conference in Sheffield this week. In what way did the researchers make their conclusion? A. By questionnaire. B. By online chatting. C. By lab experiment. D. By telephone interview. Answer: C Question: Charles Blackman:Alice in Wonderland An Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV),Australia 10 June --12 August 2015 Venue The Ian Potter Centre Admission Free entry Charles Blackman is famous for his beautiful painting of dreams. In 1956, he heard for the first time Lewis Carroll's extraordinary tale of Alice in Wonderland -the story of a Victorian girl who falls down a rabbit hole, meets a lot of funny characters and experiences all kinds of things. At that time, Blackman's wife was suffering form progressive blindness. The story of Alice moving through the strange situations, often disheartened by various events, was similar to his wife's experiences. It also reflected so much of his own life. All this contributed to the completion of the Alice in Wonderland paintings. Illustrator Workshop Go straight to the experts for an introductory course in book illustration. The course includes an introduction to the process of illustration and its techniques, workshop exercise and group projects. Dates Sunday 17 June &Sunday 5Aug.10am--1pm Venue Gas Works Arts Park Wonderful World Celebrate the exhibition and Children's Book Week with special activities just for the day, including a special visit from Alice and the White Rabbit Date Sunday 24 June, 11am--4pm Venue Exhibition Space, Level 3 Topsy-Turvy Visit the exhibition or discover wonderful curiosities in artworks in the NGV Collection and make a magic world in a box. Alice and the White Rabbit will be with you. Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland will be screened. Dates Sunday 8,15,22,29 July, and Tuesday 24-Friday 27 July, 12noon--3pm Venue Theatre, NGV Australia Drawing Workshop Distortions of scale ( ) can make artworks strange but interesting. Find out how Charles Blackman distorted scale in his paintings to create a curious world. Then experiment with scale in your own drawings. More information upon booking. Date Friday 27 July, 10:30am-3pm Venue Foyer, Level 3 To understand the Alice in Wonderland paintings, you should go to _ . A. Exhibition Space .Level 3 B. Gas Works Arts Park C. Theatre, NGV Australia D. Foyer, Level 3 Answer: D
News 1 : Have you ever thought of being able to fly around the world in a few hours though it is about 40,000 kilometers? One day,maybe you can. Last Saturday,the American X-43A airplane made its first flight. It reached a speed of 8,000 kilometres an hour. This makes it the fastest plane in the world. The X-43A is only three to four metres long,but it's very heavy:it weighs 1,270 kilogrames. News 2 : Have you ever got angry at books that are full of mistakes? Don't worry,things will get better soon. Last week,China started checking textbooks,dictionaries and children's books all over the country. The government said the results of the checking would come out at the end of June. News 3 : There will be a new "star" in the sky soon. China plans to send a satellite into space by December 2006. It will stay in space for one year. It will go around the moon and take pictures. It must be very expensive,right? That's for sure-1. 4 billion yuan! News 4 : Floods across the northern Mexican state of Coahuila killed at least 32 people and left100 more missing. It was reported on Monday. The heavy rain hit the state all night last Friday,so some banks of the river were broken. Along the river about 3,000 families were seriously affected . Which of the following about the new "star" is NOT TRUE? It will go around the earth for one year. What do plants do after they use their chlorophyll to make energy from sunlight? save it for future use The idea of not having a phone at ail could be beneficial sounds crazy to people who are addicted to the global Internet or even just Facebook. Indeed, it sounds like a pain. But some luxuries of a phone-free lifestyle make us realize that freedom has long been absent from our lives with a phone. According to The Wall Street Journal's Anton Troianovski. people expect less of you when you don't have a cell phone. Melissa Hildebrand, for example, doesn't even own n phone. She just leaves if her friends don't turn up on time for an event or meeting. "She gives them 15 to 30 minutes to show up," writes Troianovski. With a cell phone in hand, one receives apology calls, which will lengthen the waiting. Without a phone, that responsibility seems to reduce. Dean Obeidallah of CNN believes that not having a cell phone gives him the ability to see things; A beautiful woman burning past while fixing her makeup; Asian tourists busy taking photos; a businessman talking on his phone and looking important. "Instead of texting or checking my e-mail, I began to actually, look at the people I sharing the streets with. It is truly like a movie set filled with extras from all walks of life, Obeidallah said. Along with these small benefits of not having a phone, however, come all its inconvenience. Nancy Kadlick told The Wall Street Journal that she once missed an airport pick-up due to not having a phone. For Rebecca Greenfield, a columnist for the Atlantic Wire, the inconvenience of not having a phone outweigh(;) these small luxuries. But she also said: "Not having one every once in a while sounds like a nice practice." According to Dean Obeidallah, not having a phone can help him_. enjoy the surroundings Mr and Mrs Smith have just opened a small restaurant. In order to attract customers, they put a notice in front of the restaurant, which said: "Meals on the house for three days." A foreign student who didn't know much English passed by the restaurant on the second day. It was lunchtime and he felt hungry. "Well, here is a restaurant. I'm going to have something to eat," he said. He saw the notice when he walked towards the restaurant. "American people are really strange. They even eat dinners on the house! But how can I get onto the top of the house?" he asked himself He looked around and found a ladder against a tree nearby. He was very glad. But as he reached the top, he heard someone shouting at him, "Hey, what are you doing up there?" Mr Smith was looking at him angrily. Beside him was a policeman. 'Doesn't your notice say 'Meals on the house for three days'? Is it just a joke?" the foreign student answered. On hearing this, both Mr Smith and the policeman burst into laughter. Do you know the meaning of on the house"? On the house may mean that the meal is free for the customers; Dooley was a pitcher for the City Robins, a professional baseball team. While Dooley was throwing warm-up pitches on the sidelines during a game, he was continuously heckled by some spectators seated in the stands above the dugout behind a wire mesh fence. On several occasions, Dooley turned and looked directly at the hecklers with a scowl on his face, but the heckling continued. Dooley wound up as though he was preparing to pitch in the direction of his catcher; however, the ball traveled from his hand, at high speed, at a 90-degree angle from the line to the catcher and directly toward the hecklers in the stands. The ball passed through the wire mesh fence and struck Patricia, one of the hecklers. Patricia brought an action for damages against Dooley and the City Robins, based upon negligence and battery. The trial court directed a verdict for the defendants on the battery count. The jury found for the defendants on the negligence count because the jury determined that Dooley could not foresee that the ball would pass through the wire mesh fence. Patricia has appealed the judgments on the battery counts, contending that the trial court erred in directing verdicts for Dooley and the City Robins.""On appeal, the judgment entered on the directed verdict in Dooley's favor on the battery claim should be reversed and the case remanded, if a jury could find on the evidence that Dooley intended to cause the hecklers to fear being hit.
Question: The pounding was driving Edward crazy. A new neighbor had just moved into the apartment below him. The newcomer was deaf, or seemed to be, because he played his stereo loud enough for the whole building to hear. On the first day he heard the stereo rocking over, Edward marched downstairs and politely told the newcomer that his stereo was too loud. He asked the new tenant to turn the volume down and keep it down as long as he lived in the building. The tenant appeared surprised and embarrassed, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was that loud." So, Edward returned upstairs, feeling good, because he had taken a stand and politely let the newcomer know that loud music was not going to be tolerated. The next day all was quiet, and Edward continued to be pleased with himself. The following day, Edward thought it must be Fourth of July, because a marching band was playing on his street. In fact, it was the new neighbor who was playing his music loud again. Edward was not one to repeat himself, feeling that each time you repeated yourself, you diminished the value of your words. So, he did what he always did with rude neighbors-grin and bear it. Eventually, they would move away. What else are you going to do? In Los Angeles a year ago, a woman had complained to her upstairs neighbor that he was playing his drums too loud and too often. The drummer repeatedly ignored her. One day the woman walked upstairs and shot the drummer in the head and his girlfriend in the chest. The woman was sentenced to prison for 20 years. The dead drummer won't bother anyone with his drums, but the woman might be wishing now that she had learned to grin and bear it. If she were still living in her apartment, she could always move. When you're in prison, you don't have that option. What did Edward always do with rude neighbors? A. Grinning and bearing it. B. Persuading them to stop repeatedly. C. Shouting them to dead. D. Moving away from the rude neighbors. Answer: A Question: which one of these would make a great organic manure later on? A. a plastic spoon and fork B. a white plastic chair C. a family of raccoons D. a plastic water bottle Answer: C Question: Mr. Black gave his wife money every Friday evening, but she always spent it before the next Wednesday. For the next three days she had none. Every Tuesday evening Mr. Black asked her, "But what did you spend all that money on?" and she always answered, "I don't know." One Friday Mr. Black brought home an exercise book and a pencil and gave them to his wife along with the money. "Now look!" he said to her. "When you get money from me, write it down on this page, and on the next page write down what happens to the money." When Mr. Black came home the next Tuesday, his wife came to him and showed him the book. "I have done what you told me," she said happily. On the first page she had written "Friday, 28th June. I got PS18 from John," and on the next page, "Tuesday, 2nd July. I have spent it all." Mrs. Black began to write down how much her husband had given her _ . A. At the beginning of July B. By the end of June C. On Friday evening D. Every weekend Answer: B Question: MEDINA, Saudi Arabia: 3 people were killed when Saudi special forces stormed a Russian airliner and freed more than 100 passengers from hijackers on Friday. The hijackers admitted to be Chechens and threatened to blow up the plane. They seized the airliner on Thursday after it took off from Istanbul and forced it to fly to prefix = st1 /Saudi Arabia. There they demanded that Russiatake back its army in the Muslim district of Chechnya, which goes against the Russian government for its independence. SAN FRANCISCO: California's officials warned on Tuesday that tight electricity supplies could lead to a second following day of statewide power failure. "If we can get some more resources from outside the state of Californiaand if people can save a great deal, that would certainly help. " Said a local official. JAKARTA: 4 teenage girls were pressed to death in a shopping center in the Indonesian capital on Sunday. The accident happened when the British boy band ALwas performing. Hundreds had gathered to the popular shopping center in Jakartato hear the group perform. Foreign bands nowadays seldom come to Indonesia. KABUL: Afghanistan's ruling Taliban killed 100 cows at the presidential palace inKabulon March 19. The Taliban carried out the cruel deed to make up for not acting earlier to destroy all the country's statues. The world has found fault with the destruction of the valuable fortune of the world. The hijackers seized the Russian airliner because _ . A. their Chechen families were threatened to blow up B. the plane was forced to fly from Istanbul to Saudi Arabia C. they wanted Russiato end his fighting against rebelling Chechens D. Saudi Special Forces killed 3 people Answer: C Question: On February 3rd, 1949, New York Harbor was an exciting place. Many people were there to greet a ship from France. On the ship were 49 French railroad boxcars filled with gifts from the people of France to the people of America. These boxcars were from the famous Merci Train(Merci:a French word meaning "thank you"). After World War II, a lot of factories, roads and farms in France had been destroyed. Many French people had no jobs or money and had little to wear and little to eat. In the winter of 1947, a train was sent across the United States, stopping in cities and towns along the way. At every stop, people gave whatever they could. Factories gave clothing and medicine. Farmers gave food. Families gave money. Even school children gave away their pocket money. All the things were then taken to France by ship. By 1949,the French had begun to recover from the war. The Merci Train was their way of saying "thank you" to America. French people had filled the boxcars with gifts. Most of _ were personal, like hand-made toys, children's drawings, or postcards. But the boxcars themselves were perhaps the most meaningful of the gifts. On each car, the French people had painted the pictures of all their 40 provinces. with an American eagle on the front. The boxcars were taken to each state of America, where they were warmly greeted. Now many of the states still keep their boxcars. Gifts sent by the French people can still be seen in some museums. The Merci Train came out of the war, but it now reminds the world that countries can also work together in peace. The best title for this passage is _ . A. The Story Of The Merci Train B. American Museums Where The Boxcars Kept C. Gifts That American People Liked D. World War II Answer: A
There are a lot of things you can do to help in your community, whether with your mom's chores, or if a friend is upset. Here are some little things you can do to give a helping hand. Be a volunteer. Being in charitable organizations is a great way to help the poor, like giving away food or money. You can also donate money on some charitable website like Tencent Charity. Put yourself in another person's shoes. It can give a strong reason to help someone else if you show your sympathy. It is the best way to show people that you really care about someone. Try to offer first. When people need your help, they'll probably ask you first. But if you have the chance, try to offer to help before they ask you. This will show that you are willing to help from the start. Think about what might happen if you don't help. More people will feel sad if you just leave them when they need you, you don't want to see people unhappy, do you? It's always nice to lend a hand. According to the passage, if you want to help the poor, you can _ . Answer: be a volunteer Sandra usually gets up at six in the morning. She usually has breakfast at six thirty. She goes to school at around seven o'clock. School starts at seven thirty. Sandra learns many subjects at school: math, English, science, history, art, music and PE. Her favorite subject is music. It's relaxing, and the music teacher is fun. Sandra has four classes in the morning. At eleven forty she comes home for lunch. She has lunch with her grandmother. In the afternoon, she isn't very busy. She has only two classes. After school she does her homework and plays with other kids. In the evening, Sandra's parents come home from work at five o'clock. The family have dinner at six. After that they usually listen to music or watch TV. Sandra goes to bed at nine thirty. Her grandmother goes to bed at nine, and her parents go to bed at around ten o'clock. Sandra usually does homework _ . Answer: in the afternoon What do you do if you are hit in the mouth and one of your teeth is knocked out? A dentist may be able to put the tooth back in for you, but you have to get to the dentist first.In the meantime, you have to store the tooth so that it will stay healthy. The simplest thing to do is put the tooth back into your mouth, or you could put it in milk.Frank Courts, a dentist at the University of Florida, worked with other researchers to find the safest way of keeping knocked-out teeth.He tried putting teeth into milk, into water, and into cell-culture medium .He also tried, just drying the teeth in the open air.He used teeth that had to be removed from people's mouths for various reasons.The teeth were put into one of the solutions or stored in the air for one hour.Then cells from the root of the teeth were scraped-off the teeth.Dr.Courts and the others then studied how healthy these cells were. The cell-culture medium worked best to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth.However, few people keep cell-culture medium handy at home or in school. The next best thing was milk.But Dr.Courts said that the best thing of all was to wash the tooth and put it right back into its socket in the mouth.For some people, though, this is just too painful or upsetting.So milk will do, until you get your tooth (and your mouth)to a dentist. The best way to keep a knocked-out tooth healthy outside the mouth is to store it_. Answer: in cell-culture medium There once was a boy named Kevin. He met Jessica one afternoon at a park on a hot summer day. They both started talking and became great friends. They spent the whole day together and ate their lunches together next to the pond. Kevin sure enjoyed the park more than he liked going to the beach or store. There were many ducks, frogs, birds and chipmunks playing around the pond. In fact, one of the chipmunks even came up and stole Kevin's car keys when he was eating! Kevin knew that he needed to go have his keys, but the chipmunk ran with an evil smile on its face. Eventually, the chipmunk ran into its hole that he called home. Kevin tried everything he could to have the chipmunk come out with his keys, but he couldn't find out how to make the little guy give up. Finally, Jessica came over and placed a potato chip at the opening to the hole. In seconds, the chipmunk came out with the keys and dropped them in front of Kevin right before grabbing the chip and running back into the hole. The chipmunk then went in to have his snack and left Kevin and Jessica alone. Kevin thought that maybe next time he could go to the park in the early spring or winter so that the chipmunks would be busy sleeping during the cold weather months. Kevin then said goodbye to Jessica and went home. What type of animal stole Kevin's car keys? Answer: chipmunk A new pollen study showed that drought was responsible for the extinction of civilizations more than 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. The reason behind why the civilizations in and around modern-day Israel suddenly broke down more than 3,000 years ago has remained a mystery up until now. A new pollen study by Tel Aviv University researchers finally solved this Bronze Age mystery. Prof. Israel Finkelstein showed that owing to serious climate changes, the entire world of the Bronze Age _ in a short period of time. The discovery was made on the basis of a high-resolution analysis of pollen grains taken from sediments beneath the Sea of Galilee and the western shore of the Dead Sea. Prof. Finkelstein received support from the European Research Council to conduct research aimed at reconstructing ancient Israel. Researchers of the part of the project that dealt with climate change extracted about 60 feet of samples of gray muddy sediment from the center of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. They had to drill through 1,000 feet of water and into 65 feet of the lake bed and were able to recover evidence dating over the past 9,000 years. "Pollen is the most enduring organic material in nature," explained Dr. Dafna Langgut, a pollen researcher who carried out the actual work of sampling. "These grains tell us about the plants that grew near the lake in the past and therefore prove the climatic conditions in the region." Researchers noted a sharp decrease in Mediterranean trees like oaks and pines in the Late Bronze Age. According to study experts, this could be because of repeated periods of drought. The droughts may have resulted in long famines, forcing people to migrate from north to south. The text is most probably taken from _ . Answer: a newspaper report
Rush Hour 15:00 23:00 My Life as Mcdull 9:00 13:00 1Action Movie Do you like Jackie Chan? Rush Hour is another movie of his. It's so exciting. Come and have fun! 2Cartoon Mcdull is a little pig. He's kind of silly but he's very cute. Do you want to enjoy happiness with him? Be sure to watch it! Mr. Bean 11:00 19:00 Harry Potter III 17:00 21:00 3Comedy Rowan is a great actor. His movie Mr. Bean is coming. It's very funny. Don't miss it! 4Science Fiction Harry Potter has been in the wizardry school for three years. He begins a new life. How is everything going? What kind of movie is Mr. Bean? A Action Movie. B Cartoon. C Comedy. D Science Fiction. Answer: C. Comedy. One day, when I arrived at school, an ice cream truck was parked in the schoolyard. Ice cream men usually drove their trucks to primary schools. I had never thought one ice cream truck would come to bring ice cream to us older kids. When I went up to the truck, I was quite surprised to hear the man call out, "Free ice cream!" To make sure of his words, I asked, "I'm sorry, what did you say?" "Free ice cream. Choose whichever you like." he said, smiling. After I was certain that the man was just giving away the ice cream, I talked with him for a long time. He told me that his dream had always been to travel around giving away ice cream, and that's what he was now doing. With his mother's support, he kept doing what he loved even during hard times. Now, however, some large companies are helping him his plan. The man said he wanted to encourage people to do exactly what their heart told them to do with their lives. I kept asking him, "So your dream was just to drive around and give away ice cream? It seems like a very unusual goal." "Yes, just meeting people and making them smile," he replied. At that point he handed me my ice cream. I thanked him, but what I got from him was much more than just an ice cream. It can't easily be explained in words. I believe what he is doing is exactly what a great person does all the time: small acts of big love. With his mother's and some large companies' support, _ . A the man became rich B the man could produce ice cream C the man could travel D the man's dream came true Answer: D. the man's dream came true Bob was a homeless boy who lived in a house for homeless children. He always felt lonely and sad. He felt he was a nobody in this world. One day, he said to Mr. White, head of the house, "Why did my parents bring me to this world? What value do I have now?" Mr. White gave Bob a stone and said to him, "Take it to the market, but don't sell it no matter how much money they pay you. Bob took the stone to a market called Green Market. A man wanted to buy it for 100 pounds, and Bob wouldn't sell it. Later, another buyer would pay more for the stone, but Bob still wouldn't sell it. The next day in Center Market, the people would buy it at a much higher price. But Bob wouldn't sell it. The third day, Bob took the stone to Street Market. This time, the people there offered a price which was ten times higher than that in Green Market. But Bob wouldn't sell it. Bob couldn't understand. He asked Mr. White, " Why did they pay me so much money for just a stone?" " Even for a stone, if you think it valuable, it will be valuable, " said Mr. White. ,. For what reason didn't Mr. White want Bob to sell the stone? A Bob wanted a higher price. B The stone is very expensive. C Mr. White wanted to teach Bob a lesson. D Mr. White wanted to play a joke on Bob. Answer: C. Mr. White wanted to teach Bob a lesson. Frank was a barber and my grandma Joan was a hairdresser, who moved from London to Rugby and then settled in Cambridge. The worked together in their own shop on Mill Road, and it was above it that my mother and my two older sisters were born. I remember visiting them often at the salon and sitting in the back room eating my lunch, which always seemed to be a boiled egg. I can still recall the burst linoleum ,the almost overpowering smell of hairdresser s chemicals, the barber s shop was at the front and the ladies' salon at the back. They was always barber's banter and customers would try to talk to me, but I mistrusted strangers and was not interested, much to my grandpa's disgust. Frank was a conscientious objector in the second world war and was sent to Bedford prison, Later, he was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp for hard labor, and to guard the prisoners. He made good friends with some of the Italians and after war they visited each other for many years until they all became too old to travel. Grandma was a fantastic cook and picked up a lot of Italian cookery tips on her visits. She could make a delicious meal from basic materials and was a very inventive person, who recycled long before it was fashionable. That generation lived through hard times and two world wars. They were resourceful through necessity, making use and re-using whatever they could. Although my grandfather was a _ man who could be quite difficult sometimes, they were devoted to each other and spent many happy years together. My grandma had a heavy stroke in her 90s and was never the same again, as though part of her brain had been switched off. She tried hard to carry on with her cooking, sewing and knitting etc, but it became too much of a challenge. She died a few years later in 1998, and it broke Frank's heart. Exactly a year later, Frank died, aged 91. The nurse who was with him when he died said his last words were: "I'm coming. Joan." The author's attitude to the customers made grandpa _ . A pleased B unhappy C embarrassed D optimistic Answer: B. unhappy Trip 1 One Week in The Mountains Bring your strong shoes and warm clothes for this walk in a beautiful area of the Green Mountains. You may go hiking or have a try of rock climbing. This is also a protection area for wild animals. You can find many kinds of animals living in this area. Time: May 8--May 14 Tel: 64639818 Adult : $1l0.00 Child: $55.00 Trip 2 Three Days In The Country There are many beautiful gardens. Take your camera and enjoy the wonderful sight in Hunter Valley. It is a good place for fishing and horse riding. You can also find different kinds of flowers here. This is also a great walk for bird-lovers. Time: May 20--May 22 Tel: 63986432 Adult $50:00 Child: $25.00 Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. It is a trip full of adventure . A guide will lead the tour. Many of the plants you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. Time: May 16--May 18 Tel: 63875629 Adult: $30.00 Not for children Trip 4 Five Days By The Sea Wear your sun hat and enjoy wonderful sunshine all the time from morning to evening. Our hotel is next to the sea. We have our own boats too. You can swim in the sea or in the swimming pool. Every day our boat will take you to different places for swimming. Time: May 23--May 27 Tel: 67538293 Adult: $80.00 Child: $40.00 ,. Sam wants to stay in Hunter Valley with his wife, his five-year-old daughter and his seven-year-old son. How much will it cost? A $25. B $50. C $l00. D $150. Answer: D. $150.
Ever since farmers began to grow grain, they have had to protect their crops from birds. In the 1300's, English farmers hired children to protect their crops. They were called "bird scares". The children chased birds and threw stones at them. Bird scares were replaced in the 1800's by scarecrows. A scarecrow is anything that is set in a field to scare birds away. Often it is a pole dressed like a person. Some farms with small fields still use scarecrows today. Farming became big business in the twentieth century. Scarecrows could no longer protect the huge fields of grain, so farmers used poisonous chemicals on the fields. The poison made the grain bitter. The birds usually would not eat the bitter grain. Although they can prevent crops from being destroyed by insects and birds, some chemicals can be harmful to humans. Therefore, farmers are using fewer chemicals now than they did twenty years ago. Perhaps scarecrows may be seen more often in the fields in the future. The author's purpose is to _ . A. give information about children who worked as bird scares B. tell how crops have been protected from birds C. make the readers feel sorry for birds that eat poisoned grain D. entertain the readers with a funny story Answer: B Mr. Smith is an old man. He is very kind, so many people like him. He likes traveling. But he has a problem, he can't see clearly. One day he came to New York to visit his best friend. But his friend wasn't at home. So he had to find a hotel to live in. In the afternoon he went to buy two bottles of wine. When he came back to his room, he found a fly was on the wall. But he thought it was a snail, so he put bottles on it. Of course, it came down to the floor and they broke. He had to buy another two bottles. The waiter in the hotel knew this, then she put a snail into the wall. When he came back, he looked up at the wall and found the fly was there again. So he walked carefully and hit it hard. At once he cried loudly. How many bottles of wine did Mr. Smith buy? A. one B. two C. three D. Four Answer: D Did you hear of the supercomputer? Recently, China's Tianhe-1 was ranked as the world's fastest supercomputer, according to a new list of world's TOP 500 supercomputers. It took 200 Chinese scientists two years to build the fastest supercomputer. It can do 2,507 trillion calculations in a second! That means it will take a personal computer 600 years to finish the work that a supercomputer does in a day! The US now leads the world in the area of supercomputers. It is home to more than half of the world's top 500 supercomputers. Japan also has advanced technology. China is developing its supercomputer technology quickly. But experts say it will take years before China's total computing power can catch up with that of the US. Supercomputers can work on many different things. They can solve problems in areas like national defense , energy and science. In business, you can also use supercomputers. Oil companies use them to find oil and gas. Banks use them for quick trades. Food companies even use supercomputers to make sure that they put potato chips into cans without breaking them. To make a supercomputer, scientists first need to link thousands of small computers together. Then they use software to turn them into one supercomputer. In fact, any person with enough knowledge about computers can make a supercomputer. But you need the top technology to make a supercomputer run fast. Which of the following is true? A. A personal computer needs 300 years to finish the work that a supercomputer does in a day. B. Japan now leads the world in the area of supercomputers. C. Supercomputer can be used by food companies. D. Scientists needn't use software to turn small companies into one supercomputer. Answer: C Dear daughter, You are a wonderful person and your mother and I think the world of you. It will not be long before you leave home to make your way in the world. Can I please give you some friendly advice? Here are some things that you should never do. 1. Never Look Down Upon Yourself. You are great and able to achieve great things so believe in yourself. When things go badly, never stop believing. Some girls get upset, blame themselves and lose self-esteem. All kinds of problems can follow. 2. Never Get Obsessed With Your Appearance. We think you look great (though some of the clothes you wear worry us!). Please be happy with the person ,you are and the body you have. Eat reasonably, take exercise and be healthy. Some girls show too much concern about losing weight or getting the perfect shape. You look fine. 3. Never Compromise Your Personal Safety. _ . This means that you cannot trust people until you really know them and that sometimes you have to avoid things that look like they might be fun. Never get drunk or take drugs. Unluckily there are some bad people out there and it is best not to take risks. 4. Never Give Less Than Your Best. We are very proud of what you have achieved so far. You should be proud too. Keep doing well. Keep trying your hardest at everything you do. No one can ask for more than that. 5. Never Forget That Your Parents Love You. Whatever happens in life, your family will still be your family. Whatever difficulties you meet with, you can always talk to us and we will try to help. We are here for you. The father advises his daughter not to _ . A. ask her parents for help B. be proud of what she has achieved C. believe in herself when things go badly D. stop trying her hardest at everything she does Answer: D English as a second language (ESL) websites for children can help build vocabulary, teach correct spelling and pronunciation of words, and assist with basic grammar such as understanding sentence structure, parts of speech, tenses, and singular and plural word forms. English learning websites for children include: * ESL Kid is an organized website that serves as a comprehensive directory of English as a second language resources for children, teachers, and parents. There are categories for different subjects, such as ABC games, dictionary, spelling, literature and music. Since this is just a directory, parents should help children explore the sites linked to it. * MES Games has several categories of interactive games. Some games are more suited to younger children and beginning learners, such as the vocabulary building games in which players must first listen to a spoken word and then identify the correct items. More advanced children will enjoy online sport games based on grammar concepts that go with multiple choice questions. * ESL Kids Lab has many resources for helping children learn English as a second language. These include free video English lessons categorized by grade level, ideas for games, and printable worksheets. However, the inferiority of this website is also obvious -- it contains lots of advertisements. * ESL Kid Stuff has a variety of resources, including a list of select online English learning games and song lyric sheets. Downloading worksheets and flashcards requires a yearly membership fee, however. * English Interactive lets children and beginning ESL students click on words to hear their pronunciation and build essential vocabulary skills. After viewing the words, students can try an interactive quiz. * English Vocabulary Games has a variety of interactive games designed to help ESL children build vocabulary. According to the passage, which of the following provides chargeable service? A. MES Games B. ESL Kids Lab C. ESL Kid Stuff D. English Interactive Answer: C
Question: To protect the environment, we are on the way. Here are a few things we can do. Unwanted gifts? Give them away! Have you ever received a gift that you didn't like? Did you throw it away? If so, you can have another choice now. Two British companies hopes people will give away their unwanted gifts to them. And they will resell the gifts to raise money for the poor. In this way, the gifts can be refused and have a future life. And people can make a difference to the world. Wear the trousers that reduce pollution! A chemistry scientist and a fashion designer have created a new kind of trousers. The trousers are made of a new material which can help reduce air pollution around us. Scientists have tested the material. The result shows that it isn't harmful to human. This new kind of trousers may appear at the market in two years. Professor Ryan said, "If thousands of people wear the trousers, the air quality will be improved." Plant trees with Felix Felix Finkbeiner, a 14-year-old German boy, is not famous as a child actor but an environment hero. At the age of 9, Felix got the idea that children could do something to protect the environment. So he started a club. Felix soon got support from children all over the world. Some of them have become his good friends. The club has an aim of planting 212 million trees. They have planted over 3.5 million trees all around the world. Felix said, "The answer to controlling global warming is trees--lots of trees!" Felix started a club _ . A. to become famous B. to become a child actor C. to protect the environment with other children D. to make friends with the children around the world Answer: C. to protect the environment with other children Question: On Thursday October 3, Adam Harper decided to stop drinking coffee. Adam is a MBA student at Harvard University. He studies long hours, gets very little sleep and as a result, he drinks a lot of coffee---anywhere from five to six cups a day. Recently, Adam felt that drinking thus much coffee was making it hard for him to sleep at all. He also began having problems with his concentration , and complained of stomachaches. Adam's doctor made this suggestions: stop drinking coffee altogether. When Adam got up on October 3, he began his day without his morning coffee. By 11:00 a.m., Adam was in a terrible mood . He was tired and had a headache. At 11:30, he had a meeting with his student advisor. In the meeting, he found it almost impossible to continue. What was going on? Caffeine, a chemical found in coffee, was most likely the reason for how Adam felt. Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts energy levels and improves concentration- but only for a short time. Lowering caffeine consumption often causes a drop in blood pressure and the result is a "coffee headache", People who stop drinking coffee often say they feel tired and moody, and find it hard to focus. The good news is that these feeling usually pass after four and five days. During this time, doctors suggested taking some aspirin for the headache. So, if Adam can wait, in less than a week, he may be feeling much better. What happened to Adam on Thursday October 3? A. He didn't go to his study. B. He complained about the student advisor. C. He didn't drink any coffee at all. D. He decided to stop drinking coffee. Answer: D. He decided to stop drinking coffee. Question: Interactive television advertising,which allows viewers to use their remote controls to click on advertisements, has been pushed for years. Nearly a decade ago it was predicted that viewers of "Friends", a popular situation comedy, would soon be able to purchase a sweater like Jennifer Aniston's with a few taps on their remote control. "it's been the year of interactive television advertising for the last ten or twelve years," says Collin Dixon of a digital-media consultancy. So the news that Cablevision, an American cable company, was rolling out interactive advertisements to all its customers on October 6th was greeted with some skepticism. During commercials, an overlay will appear at the bottom of the screen, prompting viewers to press a button to request a free sample or order a catalogue. Cablevision hopes to allow customers to buy things with their remote controls early next year. Television advertising could do with a boost. Spending fell by 10% in the first half of the year. The popularization of digital video recorders has caused advertisers to worry that their commercials will be skipped. Some are turning to the Internet, which is cheaper and offers concrete measurements like click-through rates-especially important at a time when marketing budgets are tight. With the launch of interactive advertising, "many of the dollars that went to the Internet will come back to the TV," says David Kline of Cablevision. Or so the industry hopes. In theory, interactive advertising can engage viewers in a way that 30-second spot or not. Unilever recently ran an interactive campaign for its Axe deodorant , which kept viewers engaged for more than three minutes on average. The amount spent on interactive advertising on television is still small. Magna, an advertising agency, reckons it will be worth about $138 million this year. That falls far short of the billions of dollars people once expected it to generate. But DirecTV, Comcast and Time Warner Cable have all invested in it. Yet there are doubts whether people watching television, a "lean back" medium, crave interaction. Click-through rates have been high so far (around3-4%, compared with less than 0.3% online), but that may be a result of the novelty. Interactive ads and viewers might not go well together. When Cablevision's planned interactive TV advertising program,the public_. A. accepted it immediately and completely B. had some doubt about it C. showed an indifferent attitude toward it D. refused to accept it Answer: B. had some doubt about it Question: Who knows why kids do anything? When it comes to cyberbullying , they are often motivated by anger or frustration . Sometimes they do it for entertainment or because they are bored and have too much time on their hands and too many tech toys available to them. Many do it for laughs or to get a reaction. Some do it by accident, without thinking before they do something. The power-hungry do it to make others suffer. And some think they are righting wrong and standing up for others. Because their motives differ, the solutions and responses to each type of cyberbullying incident has to differ, too. There is no "one size fits all" when cyberbullying is concerned. However, education can help considerably in preventing and dealing with the consequences of cyberbullying. If we can help kids understand how much bullying hurts, and how in many cases words can hurt, fewer may cooperate with the cyberbullies. They will think twice before forwarding a hurtful e-mail, or visiting a cyberbullying "vote for the fat girl" site, or allowing others to take videos or cell phone pictures of personal moments. And, in addition to not lending their efforts to continue the cyberbullying, we also need to teach our children not to stand silently by while others are being hurt. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that in the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Kids will feel more comfortable to break the silence if given an anonymous method of reporting cyberbullying web-sites. School administration, community groups and even school policing staff can receive these anonymous tips and take action quickly. If our children do not allow the cyberbullies to use them to embarrass or hurt others and realize that silence, when others are being hurt, is not acceptable, cyberbullying will quickly stop. It's a tall task, but a noble goal. And in the end, our children will be safer online and offline. We will have helped create a generation of good cybercitizens, controlling the technology instead of being controlled by it. The writer organizes the passage following the pattern of _ . A. effect--cause B. problem--solution C. topic--supporting details D. conclusion--evidence Answer: B. problem--solution Question: In the United States, a person has to be sixteen to drive, seventeen to see certain movies, and eighteen to vote. People can get great discounts on all sorts of things provided they're over sixtyfive. Everywhere we look there are age limits that define what people can and can't do. But creativity has no boundaries, no limitations. Anyone can invent. Sitting in the car and waiting for her mom to return from shopping, Becky decided she might as well try to finish her math homework. But it was growing dark and getting hard to see the paper. "I didn't have a flashlight, and I didn't want to open the car door because then the whole car would light up." recalled Becky. "So I thought it would be good to have my paper light up somehow, and that's when the idea came to me." It isn't every day that a tenyearold invents a product eagerly sought by several businesses, but that's exactly what Becky Schroeder did when she created a tool that enabled people to write in the dark. Her invention ---- the Glosheet. That night Becky went home trying to imagine different ways of making her paper glow in the dark. She remembered all sorts of glowinthedark toys like balls and Frisbees and wondered how they were made. She was determined to find a solution. So the very next day, Beck's dad took her on an outing to the hardware store. They returned with a pail of phosphorescent paint. She took the paint and stacks of paper into the darkest room in the house. There, she experimented. "I'd turn on the light, turn it off, turn it on," said Becky. "My parents remember me running out of the room, saying "It works, it works! I'm writhing in the dark!" She used an acrylic board and coated it with a specific amount of phosphorescent paint. She took a complicated idea and made it work rather simply. When the coated clipboard is exposed to light, it glows. The glowing board then lights up the paper that has been placed on top. Two years after her initial inspiration, in 1974, Becky became the youngest female ever to receive a U.S. patent. She didn't actively market her Glosheet. She didn't need to. The New York Times wrote an article about an incredible invention ---- patented by a twelveyearold, and the inquiries and orders streamed in. What caused Becky to invent Glosheet? A. She was having trouble with math problems. B. She was trying to do homework when it got dark. C. She was trying to earn money. D. She was working on a school project. Answer: B. She was trying to do homework when it got dark.
Dear Mike, Thanks for your family photo. This is a photo of my family. I have a happy family. There are five people in my family. They are my grandmother, my parents, my sister and I. The old woman is my grandmother. The man is my father. His name is David. He is a teacher. And what about the woman? She is my mother. Her name is Linda. She is very nice. Look at the girl. That's my sister. She is in a middle school. Her name is Lucy.Do you know the boy ? It's me. Yours, Tony What's the name of the boy? Answer: This is a picture of a classroom . You can see a teacher's desk, five desks and six chairs. You can see a girl and a boy, too. Four English books are on the teacher's desk. One pencil-case is on a desk. Two pens and two rulers are in the pencil-case. A schoolbag is behind a chair. A ball is on the floor. The girl is Lily. She is 12.The boy is Mike. He is 11.They are in Class 5.They are good friends. Their teacher is Mr. King. He is not here. Are Lily and Mike good friends? Answer: The summer vacation is over. It's true that time flies. In the vacation, the weather was very hot, but I enjoyed myself. I did my homework in the morning. I got up at 6:30a.m. and took a walk in the garden for half an hour. After breakfast I began reading English and Chinese and did some math exercises. It usually took me three hours or more. I worked quite hard and I made great progress . I spent the afternoon outside. I went swimming and it was fun. I would not go home until it was about five or six o'clock. Sometimes my friends came to see me and we spent some time listening to music. In this way I spent my vacation happily. I not only studied hard, but also became a good swimmer. Now I'm in good health and high spirits . The writer had a very good summer vacation because he _ . Answer: A young American doctor was sleeping when suddenly his doorbell began to ring. It was already midnight, but what could the doctor do? He had to get up, put on his coat and go downstairs. When he opened the door, he saw a man standing with a hat in his hand. "How do you do?" said the man. "Can you come at once to a place out of town? It's quite far but you have a car and I can show you the way." "Certainly," said the doctor. "I'm quite ready. I can come at once." After a few minutes the car was standing at the front door, the man got into the doctor's car, and they drove off. They drove on for a long time. Then the man said, "Here we are. This is my home. Now I can pay you and you can go back to the town." "I must see the patient. How can I go back without seeing the patient?" "There is no patient," explained the man. "Nobody is ill. I live here, you see, and I must get home from a town, There are no taxis this time of the night, but a doctor often _ , so excuse me. Here is money. Thank you, doctor. Good night." ,. What was the doctor doing when the doorbell started to ring? Answer: Gia was new in the neighborhood. She really wanted to meet some new friends. She was lonely and tired of playing with her toys all by herself. Her mother told her that the best way to meet new friends was to go somewhere where other kids are at. She remembered seeing a park on the corner when they were moving in. She asked her mother if she could go to the park. Her mother walked her down the street to the park. When Gia got to the park she was not happy. There was no one there. She sat on a swing and looked at the ground. It seemed like this was going to be another lonely day. Gia heard a noise and looked up. There was a girl coming down the hill. She smiled, but she was a little scared. What if she wasn't nice? That would make her sad. Gia was so happy when the girl walked up and said, "Hi, my name is Julie. What's yours?" Why did Gia go to the park? Answer:
Having a dental fear is a common problem. Learning to overcome your fear of the dentist is possible with a little determination and guidance. It is worthwhile to overcome the issue as healthy teeth might help you be healthy physically and spiritually. Admission Admitting you have a fear is the first step in overcoming dental fear. When you acknowledge your fear, you can start the process. Dentistry has come a long way over the years. The anesthetics are improved, the techniques are of higher quality and dental offices have a better understanding of these issues you are concerned and all these can help you overcome it. Research Speak to family and friends about your fear. Be open and honest about your issues and get feedback from them regarding their dental experiences. You can contact your local Dental Society and express your concerns. Another good approach is to simply call dental offices and get useful information from the front office staff. First visit Most dental offices schedule your first visit by a dental assistant. This gives you a chance to ease into the situation. Do not hesitate to express your fear and hesitation. Pay attention to what the assistant says. It can be very useful and it can gently guide you to a new attitude towards dentists. Relaxation techniques There are many things you can do to relax yourself. Slow, steady, deep breathes are keys to relax properly. Another aid in relaxation is to bring your iPod to play some relaxing music while you are in the dental chair. Music is a wonderful tool to use and is a helpful distraction . Facing your fear and making the first dental appointment are necessary for your health. Ignoring your dental health because of your fear will only worsen the issues and cause you to have serious dental problems. What should you do when you first visit a dentist? Answer: Ask someone to accompany you It's Sunday morning. My parents, my uncle, my sisters and I are all at home.My father is sitting near the window. What is he doing? He is reading a newspaper. He wants to know what happens all over the world. My mother is watering the flowers in the small garden. There are some beautiful flowers in it. Some are red, and the others are yellow. They look nice. My uncle is my mother's brother. He is a worker. He is watching TV now. He is a basketball fan . And he is good at playing basketball. Now he is watching NBA on TV. Where are my sisters? Lily is over there, and she is listening to the radio . She likes popular music very much. Lucy is in her room. She has a computer. Now she is surfing the Internet. She is writing an e-mail to her friend. What am I doing? I am doing my homework. What are the sisters doing? Answer: Lily is listening to the radio, and Lucy is surfing the Internet. Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature . He is the first Chinese who lives and works in China to win the prize. Mo Yan, the pen-name for Guan Moye, was bom in 1955 and grew up in Gaomi in Shandong province in eastern China. His parents were farmers. He left school to work at the age of 12, first on the farm, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the PLA and during this time he began to study literature and writing. His first short story was published in 1981. He has written many famous books about his childhood and his hometown. The novel Honggaoliang jiazu is one of them. It tells five stories that took place in Gaomi during the 1930s and 1940s. The book was published in 1987 and translated into English in 1993. It was made into a popular movie in 1987 by the well-known director Zhang Yimou. Besides his novels, Mo Yan has published many short stories and essays . He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in China. Many of his books have been translated into English, French and many other languages. The Nobel Prizes were set up by Alfred Nobel, a great Swedish inventor, in 1895. The winner will win a medal, a diploma and a cash award of 8 million Swedish Kronor (about 7 million yuan). When did Mo Yan leave school to work on the farm? Answer: In 1967 Free Fun Guides Free Admission to Hundreds of Museums Sept. 25 What a weekend! This Saturday, Sept. 25, hundreds of U.S. museums are admission free for the Smithsonian's yearly Museum Day. Unlike previous Museum Day celebrations, you must sign up for a free ticket that admits two people to any of the participating museums. That means filling out a form and having the ticket emailed to you. Not bad for a free offer that will give you admission to museums such as the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and the Air & Space Museum in San Diego. Free Books for Kids @ Barnes & Noble! If your kids love to read -- and we hope they do! -- be sure to sign them up for Barnes & Noble's summer reading programs so they can earn a free book! It's easy for kids ages 12 and under to participate. For Barnes & Noble's Passport to Summer Reading program, just download and print out your passport. Read any eight books, make a list of them on the back of the passport and bring it to any Barnes & Noble by September 7. Choose your free book from the list. FREE Night of Theater Across the U.S. in October It's the yearly run of the Free Night of Theater, when hundreds of theaters in 120 U.S. cities give away thousands of tickets to local productions. While the kickoff date is October 15, many of the theaters start releasing their free tickets by Oct.1 or in waves during the month of October for performance dates throughout the month. Ticket seekers are limited to two tickets for one performance. Find your city on the Free Night of Theater Website and check the listings for performances, their dates and their ticket giveaway times and locations. Which of the following shows the similarity between Museum Day and Free Night of Theater? Answer: They take place once a year. On Nov.18th, 1908, three men went up in a balloon. They started early in London. The headman was Augusta Gaudron, and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way. Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope, and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight. It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand. After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 meters, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men's basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand, but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice. At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they climbed up to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 meters! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland heavily but safely. They had travelled 1,797 kilometers from London! The balloon landed _ . Answer: in a foreign country
Once upon a time, there was a lovely vegetable field, on which grew a very thick tree. Both the vegetables and the tree gave the place a wonderful appearance, which was the joy of the garden's owner. What no one knew was that the vegetables in the field and the tree couldn't stand each other. The vegetables hated the tree's shadow, because it left them only just enough light to survive. The tree, on the other hand, hated the vegetables because they drank nearly all the water before it could get to him, leaving him with just enough to survive. The situation became so extreme that the vegetables got totally fed up and decided to use up all the water in the ground so that the tree would dry up. The tree answered back by refusing to give the vegetables shadow from the hot midday sun, so they both began to dry up. Before long, the vegetables were really thin and the tree's branches were drying up. Neither of them thought that the gardener, on seeing his vegetable field becoming worse, would stop watering it. When he did that, both the tree and the vegetables really learned what thirst was. There seemed to be no solution, but one of the vegetables, a small courgette , understood what was going on, and decided to deal with it. Despite the little water and the unbearable heat, the little courgette did all he could to grow, grow...He managed to grow so big that the gardener started watering the field again. The gardener wanted to enter that beautiful big courgette in some gardening contest. And so the vegetables and the tree realized that it was better to help each other than to fight. They should really learn how to live in harmony with those around them, doing the best they could. So they decided to work together, using both the shadow and the water in the best combination to grow good vegetables. Seeing how well they were doing, the gardener now gave the best of care to his vegetable field, watering it better than any other field for miles around. What is the result of the fight between the tree and the vegetables? A. They grew taller and stronger. B. They were both drying up. C. The tree defeated the vegetables. D. The vegetables defeated the tree. Answer: B. They were both drying up. Bobbi Kristina Brown's family has been gathered around her since she was hospitalized on Saturday after being found unconscious in the bathtub of her suburban Atlanta townhome. Whitney Houston's only child is now at Emory University Hospital and is still fighting for her life, as a family statement said on Monday. Nothing has changed, despite reports that are popping up and painting a more serious picture. Fox News reported Wednesday that the situation is horrific. "It's now a matter of when the family wants to let go and accept that she's pretty much not going to make it," a source told FOX411. "They've left it up to the family as to how long they want to keep her alive." People Magazine is also reporting that a doctor told Brown's family on Wednesday that nothing more could be done. "Everyone is coming to the hospital to say goodbye," said a family member. And the Daily Mail says Brown has been taken off life support. But Bobby Brown issued a statement late Thursday denying these reports. "If we issued a statement every time the media published a false report regarding this matter, that's all we would be doing 24 hours a day. This is false, just as is the vast majority of the other reporting that is currently taking place," he said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. A source close to the family tells USA TODAY that it's wrong to say the family is gathering to say goodbye, because the family has been there since the beginning, so nothing is any different today for them. Also, Brown is "not brain dead," as has been reported. And, as for other stories saying that the Houston family is feuding with Bobbi Kristina's dad, Bobby Brown? Those aren't true either. They "are NOT fighting," says our source. According to Fox News, Bobbi Kristina is _ . A. within an inch of life B. on the way to success C. left aside by her family D. in a good state Answer: A. within an inch of life Over 500 dogs being delivered to a butcher house were saved by a Chinese animal protection organization. The incident then resulted in a debate among Chinese netizens about the necessity of pouring so much money and efforts into saving dogs. On Friday, a truck loaded with over 500 dogs was stopped by volunteers from animal protection organization on Beijing section of Jingha expressway. Beijing Times reported these dogs were being delivered to slaughter houses in the city of Changchun, northeast one in Jilin Province and would be eventually served on dinner tables. After negotiations with the truck driver and a philanthropic founda tion, Shangshan Foundation purchased these dogs with much money. Dogs were then delivered to the headquarter of China Small Animal Protection Association (CSAPA) , being taken care of and waiting for adoption. After the dog saving mission was reported, Chinese net users debate over whether saving dogs worth so much efforts and money while there are still many poor and needy people in China lacking assistance. Some net users argue the dog saving mission is placing too much attention to animals while lots of needy people are still left unattended. A microblogger "Xiaowulaitajie" said on China's twitter-like website, weibo. com, "Dogs are saved, adopted and they attracted media attention. We'd better spend such money and take such efforts in helping the needy people. " Another microblogger, Liluping, said "We poured such huge sum of money into saving dogs. I would rather the money be spent on disaster relief. " Some applaud volunteers' actions and show eagerness of offering their helping hands to those saved dogs. Still many disapprove those "saving dogs" critics. They argue that such act nevertheless _ social progress. A microblogger named "broken bridge" said, saving dogs does not go against taking care of people. Such enthusiasm in public affairs will help raise social awareness in helping the needy. I think people and animals are created equal. Attention should be paid to people as well as animals. What does the passage mainly talk about? A. Why some people disagree to save the 500 dogs. B. How the volunteers saved the 500 dogs to be killed. C. These dogs were finally saved and sent back to their owners. D. Different Chinese net users have different opinions on the mission. Answer: D. Different Chinese net users have different opinions on the mission. Putting Movies on Mobile Movies in the theater get their recognition at awards ceremonies such as the Oscars.But how about movies for phones? They are getting their turn at MoFilm --the first mobile film festival. The first MoFilm competition, received 250 entries from more than 100 countries.Entries were restricted to films that were five minutes or less in length-ideal for viewing and sharing on mobile phones.An independent jury then selected a shortlist of five film-makers.The winner was chosen from the shortlist by an audience voting using their phones. New Platforms The awards highlight the increasing impact that mobile phones are making in the entertainment industry.Many grassroots filmmakers start out with short films.They are _ by the lack of opportunities to screen their work.Therefore, mobile phones are increasingly being seen as a new platform for these short works. It is a good place for anyone who wants to express themselves and find a way to have that expression seen by a wide audience.Just think about how many people have mobile phones in the world! *New Technology Advances MoFilm is pioneering content for mobile and online services that is a world away from Hollywood.The majority of films made for mobiles are now short in length, taking into account the screen size.However this could be overcome as technology advances. In the near future, longer films will likely be seen on the mobile phone.And there are mobile companies creating phones where users can watch movies at higher quality. Wherever you see movies, one thing is certain: the qualify of work, the simple ability at story telling, and the thing that inspires someone to tell a story can really come from anywhere. Nowadays the majority of films made for mobiles are short in length because of _ . A. online services B. the mobile phone C. technology advances D. the screen size Answer: A. online services Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city." The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, "Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid. After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy than to be rich and afraid." When the Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse, he thinks the City mouse has _ . A. bad house and bad food B. bad house but nice food C. good house and nice food D. good house but bad food Answer: C. good house and nice food
WASHINGTON -- President Obama brought together the leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss cooperation on containing North Korea and its nuclear weapons programs. Japan and North Korea have had tense relations over unresolved issues, some of them dating back 100 years. The three leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation in dealing with North Korea. The meeting took place Tuesday in the Hague, after a twoday nuclear security summit. President Obama praised South Korean President Park Geunhye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for overcoming their differences to discuss a serious threat to regional peace. He emphasized the importance of cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue. Obama said the three discussed steps to deepen diplomatic and military cooperation, including joint military exercises and missile defense against Pyongyang. He said further discussions would take place next month, during his visits to Seoul and Tokyo. The South Korean president stressed the importance of a united response to North Korea, but also called on the North to choose a peaceful path. "I sincerely hope that this meeting will offer a chance for us to reconfirm our trilateral coordination and strengthen the cooperation on the nuclear front," said Park. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed. "Particularly it is extremely important that we were able to confirm close cooperation among Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea on the issue of North Korea, the three countries who would like to cooperate so that North Korea will be able to take a positive position with regard to nuclear and missile issue," said Abe. Japan and South Korea have several unresolved issues, including Japan's refusal to apologize again for crimes committed 70 years ago. Former U.S. diplomat Richard Armitage told an audience this week that painful historic injustices take a long time to heal, and that it is in Japan's interest to continue apologizing for as long as necessary. "There is a historical record of enormous generosity, achievement and respect for human rights and human freedom," said Armitage. What is the main topic about the three leaders' meeting? A. Diplomatic and military cooperation. B. A peaceful path to solve the Asia problems. C. A serious threat to regional peace. D. A united response to North Korea. Answer: D. A united response to North Korea. In today's world, almost everyone knows that air pollution and water pollution are harmful to people's health. However, not all people know that noise is also a kind of pollution, and this is harmful to people's health, too. People who work and live under noisy conditions usually become deaf today. However, scientists believe that 10 percent of workers in Britain are being deafened by the noise where they work. Many of the workers who print newspapers and books, and who weave cloth become deaf. Quite a few people living near airports also become deaf. Recently it was discovered that many teenagers in America could hear no better than 65-year-old persons, for these young people like to listen to pop music and pop music is a kind of noise. Besides, noise produced by jet planes or machines will make people ill or even drive them mad. It is said a continuous noise of over 85 decibels can cause deafness. Now the government in many countries have made laws to control noise and make it less than 85 decibels. In China, the government is trying to solve not only air and water pollution problems but also noise problems. The government of China is trying to solve _ . A. only air pollution B. only air and water pollution C. only water pollution D. air, water and noise pollution Answer: D. air, water and noise pollution The Olympic Flame from the ancient games was reintroduced during the 1928 Olympic Games. An employee of the Electric Utility of Amsterdam, lit the first Olympic flame in the Marathon Tower of theOlympic Stadiuminprefix = st1 /Amsterdam. The modern practice of moving the Olympic Flame via a relay system from Olympia to the Olympic venue began with the 1936 Summer OlympicsinBerlin,Germany. The relay, captured in Leni Riefenstahl'sfilm, "Olympia", was part of the Nazi propaganda machine's attempt to add myth and mystique to Adolf Hitler's regime. Hitler saw the link with the ancient Games as the perfect way to illustrate his belief that classicalGreecewas an Aryan forerunner of the modern German Reich. Although most of the time the torch with the Olympic Flame is still carried by runners, it has been transported in many different ways. The fire traveled by boat in 1948 to cross the English Channel, and it was first transported byairplanein 1952, when the fire traveled toHelsinki. All carriers in the torch relay toStockholm, where these events were held instead, traveled on horseback. Remarkable means of transportation were used in 1976, when the flame was transformed to a radio signal. From Athens, this signal was transmitted bysatellitetoCanada, where it was received and used to trigger alaserbeam to re-light the flame. In 2000, the torch was carried under water by divers near theGreat Barrier Reef. Other unique means of transportation include aNative Americancanoe, acamel, andConcorde. In2004, the first global torch relay was undertaken, a journey that lasted 78 days. The Olympic flame covered a distance of more than 78,000 km in the hands of some 11,300 torchbearers, traveling to Africa and South America for the first time, visiting all previous Olympic cities and finally returning toAthensfor the2004 Summer Olympics. Another means of catching attention has been the lighting of the fire in the stadium. At the 1992 Barcelona Games,ParalympicarcherAntonio Rebolloshot a burning arrow over the cauldron from a platform at the opposite end of the stadium. Two years later, the Olympic fire was brought into the stadium ofLillehammerby aski jumper. The practice of the Olympic Flame has been carried on for about _ . A. 72 years B. 80 years C. 60 years D. 56 years Answer: A. 72 years People come in all shapes and sizes,colors and races . Some speak differently while others act differently. My mother is in a wheelchair. I would like to say something about this special woman I call "Mommy". My mom does what a mom needs to do every day. She picks me up from school,drives me to meetings,cooks dinner,and helps me with my homework. This is just part of what makes her great,though. She is my best friend and can immediately notice when I am unhappy. She helps me solve problems that my friends do not understand. Mommy makes me laugh when times are tough. I look forward to coming home because I know there is someone there who cares about what I have done. Mommy has always tried to be like a "normal" mom. But I think my mother is a wonderful woman and she doesn't need to change. She teaches me life lessons that no teacher or friend can. She shows me how to accept everyone for what is inside,rather than what is on the outside. You may have realized that all the qualities I admire have nothing to do with what she looks like. Everyone could be the way she is,but most are not. I want everyone to look beyond the surface and see what is inside others. You may fail to notice someone who is very special like my mom because you cannot accept their outside features. What can we learn from the passage? A. Most people accept who they are. B. People admire the writer's mother very much. C. The writer doesn't mind her mother's disability. D. The writer's mother is a normal person in fact. Answer: C. The writer doesn't mind her mother's disability. The Ministry of Education in Singapore is releasing a new book this month that summarizes the thinking behind the model method for teaching math.The approach has drawn interest from many comers of the world thanks to the country's top performance on international exams.Last night, education officials and researchers from the US and Singapore highlighted some key differences between the two systems. Singapore's method is highly visual and explores fewer topics, but in greater depth.While Singapore's text books have an average of 34 lessons with 15 pages of explanation for each, much bulkier texts in the US include an average of 157 lessons, with about four pages of explanation per lesson.There arc some more surprising differences. Professional development is intensive for all teachers in Singapore, but strangely about half of the elementary teachers do not have university degrees.That is certain to change, though, as education standards for entering teachers are increasing, said Madame Low, the director of curriculum, planning and development with Singapore's Ministry of Education." Starting salaries for math teachers match public sector accountants or engineers.Teachers are treated as professionals," added Madame Low. Mentoring programs for new teachers in Singapore last five years! Teacher evaluations there are extremely comprehensive, and teachers who succeed receive bonuses worth one to three months of salary.Grades one and two have smaller class sizes--only 30 students.Students are taught in English, not their native tongue.Many are bilingual or trilingual. People often ask, how applicable is a successful model in Singapore to the more diverse and much larger US? I'm also interested in the practical challenges.Given that books in the US are written with state standards and assessments in mind, matching them up with another country's approach might be tough. What do you think? How applicable is a successful model in Singapore to the US? What is NOT stated but can be implied from the passage? A. Grades one and two have smaller class in Singapore. B. In Singapore, entering standards for teachers are lifted. C. In the US, higher degrees are required to become elementary teachers. D. Many students in Singapore can speak two languages, some even three. Answer: C. In the US, higher degrees are required to become elementary teachers.
Each student at an engineering college in Canada gets a steel ring upon graduation in addition to graduation certificate. There is a story behind the unusual ring. Several years ago, a graduate from this engineering college designed an iron-steel bridge. Unfortunately, because of many mistakes in his design, the bridge collapsed soon after it came into use. This event shook the engineering college. And the college authorities decided to take back the framework of the iron-steel bridge and use it as raw material for making rings to give the students upon their graduation. The college wants the students to remember this lesson forever so as to avoid making such mistakes again. The wrongly-designed iron-steel bridge was finally _ . Answer: People should listen to music for no more than one hour a day to protect their hearing, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests. It says 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of permanently damaging their hearing by listening to "too much, too loudly". It said audio devices , concerts and bars were causing a "serious threat". WHO figures show 43 million people aged 12-35 have hearing loss and the number is increasing. In that age group, the WHO said, half of the people in rich and middle-income countries were exposed to unsafe sound levels from personal audio devices. Meanwhile 40% were exposed to damaging levels of sound from clubs and bars. The proportion of US teenagers with hearing loss went from 3.5% in 1994 to 5.3% in 2006. "What we're trying to do is raise awareness of the problem that is not talked about enough, but has the potential to do a lot of damage that can be easily prevented," said Dr Etienne Krug, the WHO's director for injury prevention. The full report argued: "While it is important to keep the volume down, limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would do much to reduce noise exposure." Dr Krug said: "That's a rough recommendation, it is not by the minute, to give an idea to those spending 10 hours a day listening to an mp3-player. But even an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud." How many people aged 12-35 were most likely to suffer from hearing loss according to WHO? Answer: After achieving a 9 percent GDP growth, hosting a successful Olympic Games and carrying out its first space walk last year, you'd think China would be happy.Yet China is not pleased. That, at least, is the opinion of a new book written by a group of Chinese authors. China Is Not Happy was published in March, 2009.It is a follow-up to the 1996 work China Can Say No, a bestseller that complained about the influence of the West, and the US in particular, on China.Thirteen years later, the authors of China Is Not Happy list their dissatisfaction with how China is being treated in the world today.They argue that China needs to use its growing power and economic resources to build its own position. "From looking at the history of human civilization, we are most qualified to lead this world." the book says. The authors, single out the US for special scorn , and say their book's message has been helped by the economic crisis ," This economic problem has shown the Chinese people that America does have problems, that what we've been saying is right." said Wang Xiaodong, one of the aulhors in an interview with The Wall Street. Since being released on March 13, the book has become a bestseller in many Chinese bookstores.The publisher has printed 270,000 copies, and says sales are far better than expected. Yet much of the response to the book has been negative.Several reviews in the Chinese media have criticized the book's radical opinions. The book is a way to "fish money from the pockets of the angry youth and angry elderly," wrote one critic in the China Youth Daily.Meanwhile, a well-known sociologists Li Yinhe, has said that China needs patriotism , but there is a limit. Wang Xiaodong admitted in an interview that the book's title is a bit of a trick." Those words in the title are just for the purpose of promoting the book in tine marketplace," he says."We didn't choose them.It was the people selling the book who chose the title " The book China Can Say No was released in _ . Answer: I have a good memory of my grandfather,Jack. He was sitting in his armchair in the front room. I sat next to him. We were reading aloud,our heads bent over the page in front of us,a finger marking the words;separated by seven decades,brought together by words. It's a common scene in British families;however,in our case,the usual order of things is reversed .Granddad had been blind since I was tiny,so I was reading to him.When reading aloud,people usually read something that's of interest to the listener. So I didn't read children's books;I read the sorts of things Granddad liked to hear about. Much of the vocabulary in Granddad's reading material was far beyond me. When I met unfamiliar words,I'd spell them out. Granddad would help me. It must have been painful for him to hear news;but he never hurried me along or complained. Our reading wasn't really about getting knowledge. It was a way for us to spend time together. My grandfather wasn't always blind. He had been a good carpenter .The first Christmas of my parents' marriage,he built my mother a bookcase,which now belongs to my son Jonah,providing a link between four generations. I was a fortunate child;I spent a lot of time with my grandfather,and he opened the world to me in a particular way. Reading was our way of building a relationship that has had a lasting effect on me. In the school holidays,I sometimes accompanied him on trips to the seaside with the local association for the blind. This might seem strange,but I felt that my personal value was realized because I could finally do something for Granddad. A decade later,I found a position in a nursing home,which reminded me of my early experiences;reading to senior citizens was a connection back to Granddad. More than simple conversation,reading aloud is a connection between two individuals and it can have a big emotional effect on elderly people. How did the author feel during the trips with Granddad? Answer: Lots of kids go through times when they'd like to change their hair. Often, it's girls who are most concerned , but boys may be interested in how their hair looks, too. Sometimes hair will change as you get older----all by itself----when you go through puberty . Maybe it used to be lighter and now it's darker. Or maybe it's oilier than it used to be, and now you need to wash it more. It's also normal, as you're getting older, to notice your appearance more often. You might suddenly decide you want a hairstyle like other kids at school have. But some styles and looks require chemical treatments and long hours in the chair at the hair salon. Some people dye their hair a different color, get a bunch of braids ,or make their hair straight when it's curly . Are these treatments OK for kids? That's something you should discuss with your parents. At any age, any chemical or heat applied to the hair can damage the hair or cause it to break off. Any styling that pulls hard on the hair can also hurt the scalp or cause hair loss. Styling tools, such as curling irons and straightening irons, get very hot and can cause burns. And chemicals used to color, curl, or straighten hair can be very harmful if they get into your eyes or onto your skin. The word "kid"in this passage refers to _ . Answer:
Question: Saturday, March 24th We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand . All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North. Tuesday, March 27th Bangkok is wonderful and surprising. The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai. Friday, March 30th Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life--no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say"hello". Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand. B. The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus. C. The writer is traveling alone in Thailand. D. The writer will take a bus to Chiang Mai. Answer: B. The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus. Question: Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family.Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, "Mom, I can't peel potatoes.I have only one hand." Mom never looked up from sewing."You get yourself into the kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me."And don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!" In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel bar to the next.When it was my turn, I shook my head.Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying. That night I told Mom about it.She hugged me, and I saw her "we'll see about that" look.The next afternoon, she took me back to school.At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars. "Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised.She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other arm.Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached.I'd never forget the next time, crossing the rungs.I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open. One night, after a dance at my new junior school, I lay in bed sobbing.I could hear Mom come into my room."Mom," I said, weeping, "none of the girls would dance with me." For a long time, I didn't hear anything.Then she said, "Oh, honey, someday you'll be beating those boys off with a bat." Her voice was soft and weak.I glanced at her to see tears running down her cheeks.Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf.She had never let me see her tears. From the passage, we know monkey bars can help a child train _ . A. the skill to circle round a bar B. the skill to throw and catch things C. the speed of one's hand movement D. the strength and skill to hang and swing Answer: D. the strength and skill to hang and swing Question: In prison you spend the majority of your time in an 810 cell. At work you spend most of your time in a 68 cubicle . In prison you get three meals a day. At work you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it. In prison you get time off for good behavior. At work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work. In prison a guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you. At work you carry around a security card and unlock and open all doors yourself. In prison you can watch TV and play games. At work you get fired for watching TV and playing games (or being on the Internet). In prison you get your own toilet. At work you have to share. In prison they allow your family and friends to visit. At work you cannot even speak to your family and friends. In prison all expenses are paid by taxpayers with no work required. At work you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners. In prison you spend most of your life looking through bars , waiting to get out. At work you spend most of your time waiting to get out and inside bars. In prison there are wardens who are often sadistic . At work they are called managers. Which of the following words can best describe a manager's image in the author's mind? A. Cruel. B. Strict. C. Kind. D. Serious. Answer: A. Cruel. Question: Alaska polar bears are losing their fur and U.S. Geological Survey scientists don't know why. In the past two weeks, nine of 33 bears checked by scientists in the southern Beaufort Sea region near Barrow were found to have alopecia -- loss of fur, said Tony DeGange, chief of the biology office at the USGS Science Center in Anchorage. Three of four bears inspected Thursday near Kaktovik showed the symptoms as well. Scientists have been collecting blood and tissue samples from the suffering bears, but they do not know the cause or the significance of the outbreak, the Anchorage Daily News reported. "Our data set suggests that this is unusual but not unprecedented," DeGange said. Ten of 48 bears checked by the team in 1998-1999 had a similar condition, he said. In a long-standing project, the USGS has sent polar bear research teams to the area since 1984. The teams track and examine the bears to help determine their general health and habits. This year they saw their first bear with hair loss on March 21. The team will end up this year's operations in May when the sea ice becomes too dangerous for safe travel. "We took biopsies in 1999 and couldn't establish a causative agent for the hair loss then," DeGange said. "But now we have this unexplained death event going on with seals . And they haven't been successful in figuring out what caused the seal deaths. Is it just a matter of coincidence or is it related? We don't know." In December 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an "unusual death event" based on a number of ringed seals found on beaches on the Arctic coast of Alaska during the summer. Dead and dying seals were found to have hair loss and skin sores. Affected seals were later observed in Canada and Russia. What is the purpose of the project USGS has been doing since 1984? A. To send polar bear research teams to where the bears live. B. To track the bears' route and give them physical examination. C. To find out the bears' physical condition and living habits. D. To search for the cause of the bears' loss of fur and solutions. Answer: C. To find out the bears' physical condition and living habits. Question: The future of written English will owe more to Hollywood films than Dickens or Shakespeare, if the findings of a study into children's writing are anything to go by. Researchers who looked at the entries to a national competition found they were increasingly using Americanisms such as garbage, trash can, sidewalk, candy, sneakers, soda, and flashlight. The stories, written by pupils aged 7 to 13, show how fairy cakes are referred to as cupcakes and a dinner jacket has become a tuxedo. "Smart" is now often used for "clever" and "cranky" for "irritable". Television also has a powerful influence on children's work, with Lady Gaga and Argentinean footballer Lionel Messi among the famous names from TV cropping up repeatedly. But pupils are let down by basic spelling, punctuation and grammar, according to the study by Oxford University Press (OUP), which looked at the entries to BBC Radio Two's "500 Words" competition. Children struggled to correctly spell simple words such as "does" and "clothes" and often failed to use the past tense correctly, frequently writing "rised" instead of "rose" or "thinked" instead of "thought". Researchers also found that punctuation was underused, especially semi-colons and speech marks. Some did not know how to use capital letters. However, exclamation marks were overused. Researchers found 35,171 examples in total, with some young writers using five at a time! Popular US fiction such as the Twilight novels and films is thought to be fueling the increasing use of American vocabulary and spelling. Meanwhile, fears that texting was spoiling children's written work were unfounded, they said, with youngsters only using text language when they were referring to a text message. Samantha Armstrong from OUP said: "Perhaps we are catching a glimpse of the language of the future." Chris Evans, whose radio show runs the competition, said the results were "fascinating", adding: "Who'd have thought that Messi and Gaga would be some of the most used names?" Which of the following was NOT frequently found in the pupils' stories? A. A variety of Americanisms. B. Overuse of exclamation marks. C. Names of famous TV stars. D. Text message language. Answer: D. Text message language.
Don't be afraid! We are not encouraging people to steal. It's one of the most popular topics currently talked about by people in cities, together with, "How many vegetables did you steal today?"or, "It's harvest time for your peaches," and, "I bought you a new car today." Listening to a conversation like this, you do not have to feel strange. These people don't really have their own farms or so much money that they can casually buy someone else a car. They are just playing games on Social Networking Sites(SNS) like kaixing001.com. Can you imagine millions of people in China spending lots of time on SNS playing games and talking to friends? This is especially true of white-collar workers in cities, Take kaixing001.com for example --the number of current members has already hit 38 million. However, the large number of people using SNS highlights another problem. That is, lots of people choose to escape from reality, NSN just offers them a virtual environment where they can escape from reality. Different games provide netizens with different experiences: dreaming, chatting and playing. It offers people the opportunity to escape from reality. But the virtual world is not the real one; no one can live in _ forever, and reality is not as surfing on the Internet. Since this kind of social networking sites have become so popular, people have started to think about moving it into the real world. And so far as we know, a farmland of this kind exists in Shanghai where it has reached its first base. After playing the "Happy Farm"game on kaixing001.com, would you like to put yourself among the real world while smelling the fragrances of the countryside? Recently a farmland service called "Happy Farm in Reality" was opened in the suburbs of Shanghai where white-collar workers can experience the real farmers' for themselves. You can find the passage in _ part on a newspaper. Answer: entertainment A lot of people say math is not their strong suit. One New Jersey parent wants to help change that. Laura Overdeck grew up with numbers. She always helped measure ingredients when her mother baked, and she learned about angles from her father. She went on to major in astrophysics in college. Overdeck knew she wanted her own children to be good at math, too. "And when our first child was about two, we just started giving her a math problem every night," Overdeck said. The problem was usually a story, involving animals, cars or candies that let the kid count. "Our third child started, at age two, yelling that he wanted his own math problem because he saw his brother and sister doing it. And we thought, 'Wow, we have a household where math is the popular thing at bedtime,'" Overdeck said. In February, Overdeck launched Bedtime Math, an Internet website where she posts daily puzzles for children. Overdeck is particularly keen to hook children on numbers before they go to school. So why introduce little ones to math so early? Sain Beilock, an expert on performance anxiety, says the more fun and familiar math is early on, the less likely children will feel nervous when they start to learn math in school. "My lab has shown recently that kids as early as first grade report feeling anxious about doing math," Beilock said. "You can hear totally educated adults say, 'You know I'm just not that good at math.' or 'I'm kind of afraid of math.' And that's a totally acceptable thing for a well-educated person to say, but you never hear them say, 'Well, you know, I'm just not that good at reading,'" Overdeck said. She wants children and their parents to become as fluent in numbers as they are in Harry Potter. Beilock's attitude towards Overdeck's idea is _ . Answer: agreeable London will stage its biggest political funeral in almost half a century on Wednesday when Britain's governing elite join the Queen and global leaders to bid farewell to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, better known as the " Iron Lady". In an event comparable to that of Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965, Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with admirers from parliament to the city's most famous cathedral. The bells of London's symbolic Big Ben clock tower will fall silent for the first time since Churchill's funeral and more than 700 men and women from Britain's armed forces will honor a woman who led them to victory in the 1982 Falklands War as foreign politicians from around 170 nations look on. Surveys have shown that many are unhappy that the estimated l0-million($15 million)pound bill for the funeral is being picked up by the taxpayer, while some left-wing lawmakers say the luxurious funeral is too expensive. But her admirers, of whom there are many in her party and in southern England, argue that her historical profile deserves such a funeral. She was the country's first and only woman premier, was Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and won three general elections. More than 2,300 mourners will attend including 11 serving prime ministers from around the world, the British government's entire cabinet, two heads of state and 17 foreign ministers. But there will be notable absences. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to attend and Nancy Reagan, the widow of Thatcher's great U*S. ally Ronald Reagan, is also unable to come. Thatcher struck up a close relationship with Reagan during the Cold War, backed the first President George Bush during the 1991 Gulf War, and was among the first to discover that Gorbachev was a man she could "do business with. " Covered in the red, white and blue British flag, Thatcher's coffin lay overnight in a 13th-century church in Britain's parliament, a forum she dominated for years. Which of the following might serve as the best title of the passage? Answer: London will witness its biggest political funeral. The food on the moon has come a long way from the freeze - dried bread to half - dried food. They have changed a lot in the past few years. And now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini - greenhouses on the moon. Scientists say they are looking forward to a time when people on the moon or even Mars will be able to eat green and fresh vegetables. Paragon Space Development Corporation has shown people what it called the first step toward growing flowers - and finally food - on the moon. Paragon, which is a partner of NASA in experiments at the International Space Station, calls it a "Lunar Oasis " This is a closed greenhouse placed in a metal box. It is designed to safely land a laboratory plant on the moon surface, and protect it while it grows. The small greenhouse is to be sent up into space by Odyssey Moon Ltd, which takes part in the Google Lunar X Prize. This competition offers $ 20 million to any company which can send up, land and operate a lunar rover on the moon surface. Leaders of Paragon say future testing of the "Lunar Oasis" will be driven by Odyssey's flight schedule, which will not happen until 2012 at the earliest. When it is sent up, the greenhouse will have the seeds of cabbage inside it. Because they go from seed to flower in just 14 days, they can complete their life cycle in a lunar night. "Growing plants on the Moon or Mars seems so far away, but it is important that we do this research now," Paragon president Jane Poynter said. "It takes a long time to do a lot of research." The seeds of cabbage are chosen because they _ . Answer: can grow very quickly Like every language, American English is full of special expressions, phrases that come from the day-to-day life of the people and develop in their own way. Our expression today is "to face the music". When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to face the music," it does not mean he's planning to go to the concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you didn't do this or that. Awful music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has to face the music, especially as children. We can all remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you." and only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was! The phrase "to face the music" is familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old. And where did this expression come from? The first explanation comes from the American novelist, James Fenimore Looper. He said, in 1851, that the expression was first used by actors while waiting to go on the stage. When they got their cue to go on, they often said, "Well, it's time to face the music." And that was exactly what they did--facing the orchestra which was just below them. And an actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of an audience that might be friendly or perhaps _ , especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression "to face the music" came to mean "having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice." Other explanations about the expression go back to the army. When the men faced an inspection by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean, shiny enough to pass the inspection? Still the men had to go out and face the music of the band as well as the inspection. What else could they do? Another army explanation is more closely linked to the idea of facing the results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not have been done. For example, when a man is forced out of the army because he did something terrible, he is dishonored. The band does not play. Only the drums tap a sad, slow beat. The soldier is forced to leave, facing such music as it is and facing the back of his horse. What's the meaning of "to face the music"? Answer: To face something far less pleasant.
As the saying goes, man struggles upwards; water flows downwards. Water runs downhill from mountaintops to streams to rivers to oceans. But downhill isn't the only way that water moves .A new study measures how water travels from country to country for human consumption. This flow isn't the type we usually think about .These scientists looked at the water used to grow and make the products which get shipped from nation to nation as imports or exports. They call this a flow of "virtual water ". We typically think about water as the liquid that flows from a tap. However,92%of the water used by people goes into growing crops,according to water researcher Arjen Hoekstra. He recently studied the hidden travels of virtual water used in products made from things like crops and meats .These products are shipped around the world. For example, consider a sugary soft drink. Hoekstra estimated that to produce one half-liter of the drink requires between 170 and 310liters of the water--about 95%--is used to grow and process the ingredients .Another 4%goes into the packaging and labeling. In Hoekstra's calculation, when one country produces a half-liter of soda and sells it abroad,it exports as much virtual water as would fill a large refrigerator. According to Hoekstra's new report,dry countries like Israel and Kuwait,both in the Middle East,get the majority of their virtual water from other countries,through imported products. More surprisingly, some wetter countries,like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, also get the majority of their virtual water from other places. That means that most of the water used to grow or produce the products and food consumed in those countries came from other countries. In the United States most of the virtual water used comes from American sources .In China even less of the water associated with its products. In which countries does most part of virtual water come from outside? _ Answer: There are 45 students in our class. I have made a survey, 36 students say they like to exercise. Most boys play basketball together twice a week. But girls think basketball is difficult for them, they'd like to play volleyball together twice a week. My friend, Tony, is good at running. He runs fastest in our class. He runs for 30 minutes on the playground every evening before he goes to bed. Is it interesting? Gray is good at swimming. He goes to the swimming club three times a month in winter, and three times a week in summer. So he is pretty healthy. Some of my classmates have good eating habits. They eat both meat and vegetables. 70% of them drink milk every day. 15 students say they drink milk three or four times a week. But some students like to eat junk food, especially Sally. What's worse is that she doesn't like to exercise, so she is very fat. She always says " I'm going to lose weight tomorrow." How often do most boys play basketball? Answer: I am a taxi driver. One Monday morning, I had stopped at New York Hospital when I found _ man dashing down the steps. He was waving to me. I waited until he jumped into the cab. " LaGuardia Airport, please," he said. As always, I wondered about my passenger. " What do you do?" " I am in the neurology department at the hospital." For some unknown reason, I decided to ask for his help. " Could I ask a favor of you?" He didn't answer. " I have a son, 16. He's doing well in school. He wants a job this summer. Is there any possibility that you might get him a summer job?" After a pause, he said, " The medical students have a research project. Maybe he could fit in. Have him send me his school records." He searched his pocket and handed me a card. That evening, I pulled the card from my pocket. " Robbie," I announced proudly, " this could be a summer job for you. Send him your school records." He read it out loud, " Fred Plum, New York Hospital." " Is this a joke?" he said in disbelief. After I shouted and threatened to cut off his pocket-money, Robbie promised to send off his grades the next morning. Two weeks later, when I arrived home, my son handed me a letter from Plum. He was to phone Plum's secretary for an interview. Robbie got the job. The white coat he wore made him feel more important than he really was. As high school graduation neared, Plum was kind enough to write letters of recommendation for universities. To our delight, Robbie was admitted to New York Medical College. It never occurred to me that a stranger should change my son's future. It can be inferred from the passage that Plum is _ . Answer: Can you imagine that you can save your own life during a heart attack by coughing ? Let's see how... A heart attack can happen to anyone. Let's say it's 4:17 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. Not only was the workload extremely heavy, you also had a disagreement with your boss, and no matter how hard you tried, he just wouldn't see your side of the situation. You're really upset and the more you think about it, the more nervous you become. All of a sudden you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to spread out into your arm and up into your . You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home, unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy who taught the course didn't tell you how to perform it on yourself. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seems in order. Without help the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very powerfully. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and last long, as when producing from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without stopping until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm . In this way, heart attack victims can get to a phone and, between breaths, call for help. Now, do you understand the whole matter? Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives! According to the passage, CPR is most probably something done to _ . Answer: What do some animals use to adapt to hot temperatures? Answer:

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