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Kewen Lichadson is thirty two years old now. He works in the Lasailian Park in the South Africa, where many wild animals such as lions, tigers, leopards and wolves are living. When you get there you may have a chance to see him playing with these wild animals without anything to protect himself except a small bag of pepper . Sometimes he would go swimming with them side by side. It is reported that nearly all the wild animals are brought up by him even from the time they were six months old. For so many years he has cared for them day and night that they have made great friendship between them. "Sometimes if I could not get home at night I would stay with these animals throughout the night. It's quite warm and safe." He often says to the reporter. "Compared with animals, the human beings are less trusted." he may go on. "You needn't have to worry about whether these wild animals could make a secret attack from the back, but for the human beings I can't give you a good answer because, I believe, they are more cunning ." When asked why, he would tell you, "I'm not a talented animal tamer, you know. But I believe, like any of us they have their own feelings. Instead of sticks, whips or iron chains , I treat them with as much patience and respect as possible. Perhaps this might be dangerous but for me this is not a kind of job but love." We can't learn from the passage that _ . A. we should love and respect the animals B. we should live with the animals peacefully in this world C. the animals are also lovely and friendly D. the animals are usually more clever than the human beings Answer: D. the animals are usually more clever than the human beings Today is fine. The sky is blue, Now it's nine o'clock in the morning. There's a sports meeting in the forest on the big mountain. Look,a horse, a panda and a cat are running. Over there a dog and two tigers are jumping. Two monkeys are climbing the trees. Four birds are flying around and singing. There are some other animals there, too. The elephants are standing. A monkey is sitting on an old elephant. The monkey has a flag in his hand. Polly is sitting in the tree. A fox, a baby panda and some small animals are sitting under the tree. They are all watching. --What colour is the sky today?--It's _ . A. white B. yellow C. black D. blue Answer: D. blue The food in White Rose Restaurant was cheap and good, but nobody seemed to want to eat there. There were very few people going to eat there. The owner was very worried about it. Then he thought of a good idea. A few weeks later, his restaurant was always full of men and their girlfriends. Whenever a gentleman came with a lady, a kind waiter would give each of them a beautiful menu. The menus looked exactly the same on the outside, but there was an important difference inside. The menu that the waiter handed to the man gave the correct price for each dish and each bottle of wine, while the menu that he handed to the lady gave a much higher price! So when the man calmly ordered dish after dish and wine after wine, the lady thought he was much more generous than he really was! The man could make a good impression on the lady. When a gentleman and his girlfriend went into the restaurant, the waiter would give _ a beautiful menu. A. the gentleman B. the lady C. each of them D. neither of them Answer: C. each of them There was once a young man called Paul in a village in the USA. Paul was very lazy because his father was a rich farmer and he didn't have to work. Mr Smith, a neighbour of his, was a blacksmith . He used to work in his shop all day. Paul spent hours and hours watching how the blacksmith worked every day. "Young man, why don't you try your hand to make a shoe tack , even it is only to pass the time?" said the blacksmith one day, " Maybe it will be useful to you some day." Finally, the lazy boy began to have a try. After practicing some times, he becameskilledand could make very nice tacks. Years later, Paul's father died and he lost all the things because of a war . He had to move to another country and live by himself. It happened that there were many shoemakers paying high prices to buy tacks for the shoes, because in that part of the country there was a great need of tacks for soldiers' shoes. Paul went to talk with them. He told them that he would make the tacks if they could help him find a workshop in the village. The shoemakers agreed. Then Paul made a lot of money by making tacks. "How funny it is!" he said to himself, "Even by making shoe tacks, one can become rich." How many kinds of people appeared in the story except Paul ? A. Five. B. Four. C. Three. D. Two. Answer: B. Four. A greenhouse is used as a model of the atmosphere. Which of the following cannot be demonstrated by the model? A. energy used to evaporate water B. changes in greenhouse gases C. light energy trapped as heat energy D. energy that builds up in the greenhouse air Answer: B. changes in greenhouse gases
Children are very, very _ and have excellent memories. Around Christmas last year, we were heading to Grandma's house. The drive was an hour long, so we had plenty of time to chat. We were waiting to get onto the freeway when my daughter Hayley noticed a homeless man, no sign in hand. "Mom, is that man homeless?" I told her I believed he was. We got onto the freeway and drove away. But the chatting had stopped. Hayley was quiet all the way there. We spent a few hours at Grandma's then packed up to head home. As we drove back, Hayley rustled around in her seat, trying to reach something on the floor of the car. I asked her to sit still, worried her seatbelt would slip from the booster seat. She mumbled something and sat back. "Mom, will the homeless man still be outside tonight?" I told her I was not sure, maybe. It was a freezing night, and I started to think of the man now too, and how cold he must be. All of a sudden, as we got onto the freeway exit, Haley shrieked : "There he is! There he is!" and started rolling down her window. "Mom, I found these gloves and scarf back here. Can I give them to him? Can I?" she asked. I pulled over to the edge of the road, and beckoned the man to come over. Haley smiled at him and handed him her gift. I looked in the front passenger seat, loaded with leftovers from Grandma's house, and handed those out to him as well. The man thanked us, he clutched my hand in his and I could feel the bitter cold of them. We wished him a safe night and continued on our journey to our warm home. "Haley, that was very sweet of you!" I told her. "Well, they were your gloves and scarf, Mom, but his hands looked colder, and he has to keep looking for his house!" We had talked about homelessness before , and I could hear myself telling her: "Someone who has lost their home." She had taken my words literally and thought the man's home was like a lost puppy. On the ride home, and as I carried my sleeping angel into the house that night, my heart filled with gratitude. The girl thought "a homeless person" was a person who _ . A had no home to go to B had lost his or her puppy C was in need of gloves and scarves D couldn't find his or her home Answer: D. couldn't find his or her home Throughout the world, boys and girls prefer to play with different types of toys. Boys typically like to play with cars and trucks, while girls typically choose to play with dolls. Why is this? A traditional sociological explanation is that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers, and the "society". Growing scientific evidence suggests, however, that boys' and girls' toy preferences may have a biological origin. In 2002, Gerianne M. Alexander of Texas A&M University and Melissa Hines of City University in London surprised the scientific world by showing that monkeys showed the same sex typical toy preferences as humans. In the study, Alexander and Hines gave two masculine toys (a ball and a police car), two feminine toys (a soft doll and a cooking pot), and two neutral toys (a picture book and a stuffed dog) to 44 male and 44 female monkeys. They then assessed the monkeys' preference for each toy by measuring how much time they spent with each. Their data showed that male monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the masculine toys, and the female monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the feminine toys. The two sexes did not differ in their preference for the neutral toys. If children' s toy preferences were largely formed by gender socialization, as traditional sociologists' claim, in which their parents give "gender appropriate" toys to boys and girls, how can these male and female monkeys have the same preferences as boys and girls?They were never socialized by humans, and they had never seen these toys before in their lives. According to the study, if given a stuffed dog, _ A only the male monkeys showed interest B the female monkeys showed more interest C the male and female monkeys showed the same interest D neither the male nor the female monkeys showed any interest Answer: C. the male and female monkeys showed the same interest Plants are flowering faster than scientists predicted in reaction to climate change,which could have long damaging effects on food chains and ecosystems. Global warming is having a great effect on hundreds of plant and animal species around the world,changing some living patterns,scientists say. Increased carbon dioxide (CO2)in the air from burning coal and oil can have an effect on how plants produce oxygen,while higher temperatures and changeable rainfall patterns can change their patterns of growth. "Predicting species' reaction to climate change is a major challenge in ecology,"said the researchers of several U.S. universities.They said plants had been the key object of study because their reaction to climate change could have an effect on food chains and ecosystem services. The study,published on the Nature website,uses the findings from plant life cycle studies and experiments across four continents and 1,634 species.It found that some experiments had underestimated the speed of flowering by 8.5 times and leafing by 4 times. "Across all species,the experiments under-predicted the speed of the advance--for both leafing and flowering -- that results from temperature increases,"the study said. The design of future experiments may need to be improved to better predict how plants will react to climate change,it said. Plants are necessary for life on the Earth.They are the base of the food chain,using photosynthesis to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water.They let out oxygen which is needed by nearly every organism on the planet. Scientists believe the world's average temperature has risen by about 0.8 degC since 1900,and nearly 0.2 degC every ten years since 1979. So far,efforts to cut emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases are not seen as enough to prevent the Earth heating up beyond 2 degC this century-- a point scientists say will bring the danger of a changeable climate in which weather extremes are common,leading to drought,floods,crop failures and rising sea levels. Scientists pay special attention to the study of plants because . A they can prove the climate change clearly B they are very important in the food chains C they play a leading role in reducing global warming D they are growing and flowering much faster than before Answer: B. they are very important in the food chains (2013*II,B)In 1947 a group of famous people from the art world headed by an Austrian conductor decided to hold an international festival of music,dance and theatre in Edinburgh.The idea was to reunite Europe after the Second World War. It quickly attracted famous names such as Alec Guinness,Richard Burton,Dame Margot Fonteyn and Marlene Dietrich as well as the big symphony orchestras .It became a fixed event every August and now attracts 400,000 people yearly. At the same time,the "Fringe" appeared as a challenge to the official festival.Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited in 1947,in the belief that everyone should have the right to perform,and they did so in a public house disused for years. Soon,groups of students firstly from Edinburgh University,and later from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge,Durham and Birmingham were making the journey to the Scottish capital each summer to perform theatre by littleknown writers of plays in small church halls to the people of Edinburgh. Today the"Fringe",once less recognized,has far outgrown the festival with around 1,500 performances of theatre,music and dance on every one of the 21 days it lasts.And yet as early as 1959,with only 19 theatre groups performing,some said it was getting too big. A paid administrator was first employed only in 1971,and today there are eight administrators working all year round and the number rises to 150 during August itself.In 2004 there were 200 places housing 1,695 shows by over 600 different groups from 50 different countries.More than 1.25 million tickets were sold. What was the purpose of Edinburgh Festival at the beginning? A To bring Europe together again. B To honor heroes of World War II. C To introduce young theatre groups. D To attract great artists from Europe. Answer: A. To bring Europe together again. Do you know Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng? Fei Junlong was born in 1965. He is a Chinese astronaut selected as a member of the Shenzhou program. He was born in Jiangsu and joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in 1982 at the age of 17. And since then he has only returned home six times. As a fighter pilot , he was selected to an astronaut in 1998. He married Wang Jie in 1991 and has one son. Nie Haisheng was born in September 1964. He is also a Chinese astronaut selected for the Shenzhou program. He is from Hubei. After graduating from high school he joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force, and became a fighter pilot. In 1998 he was selected for the astronaut program. He was one of the three astronauts who were in the final group to train for the Shenzhou 5 fight. Yang Liwei was also picked out for the flight, with Zhai Ahigang. On September 23,2005 it was reported that Zhai and Nie would be one of the three pairs of astronauts who would be in the final training for Shenzhou 6. But in the end, Fei and Nie were chosen, and Zhai missed his chance to space again. Nie Haisheng got married to Nie Jielin and has an 11-year-old daughter. How many people did the writer mention in this passage? A 5. B 6. C 7. D 8. Answer: D. 8.
Mr Reese was born in a big city. His father had several companies and got a lot of money. He could give his son all the young man wanted. He was busy with his business and never asked him how he got along with his studies. So the boy spent most time in the restaurants or cinemas. Of course he was weak at his lessons and learned nothing at school. He made many friends but none of them was good and when they knew he came from a rich family, they began to teach him to gamble . Of course he lost much money. Now Mr Reese was twenty and finished middle school. He could not do anything. But his father didn't mind it until one day he found the young man had sold one of his companies. He became so angry that he made him leave his house. The young man couldn't gamble any longer. His friends made him pay his debt. He had to ask his mother to help him and the woman often gave him some money. But one evening his father happened to find it. The old man stopped his wife from doing so. They began to fight in the room. The young man brought out a knife and killed his father. His mother helped him to run away, but soon after that he was caught and sentenced to death. It was a cold and wet day. Suddenly it began to rain hard when Mr Reese was being sent to the execution ground . Soon both he and the soldiers were wet through. He said angrily, "Bad luck! I shall be shot in such bad weather!" "Don't complain , brother, "said one of the soldiers. 'You're luckier than us all. We'll have to go back to the city after that!" The bad young men taught Young Reese to gamble in order _ . [ ] A. to play with him B. to spend spare time C. that the could get much money from him D. that they could find jobs in his father's companies Answer: C Everyone has a family name. In China, the family name is the first name, but in English countries the family name is the last name. Do you know how English people get their family names? And what do they mean? English people usually get their family name in these ways . Some family names come from the places of their homes. A man live on or near a hill, his family name may be Hill. In England, people's names may be Wood, Lake because they live near the wood or the lake. Some family names come from a person's job. If a person is a cook, his family name may be Cook. And many people get their family names from their father's family names. If you hear the name "Jackson", you can know that he is the son of Jack. A man lives near the lake. His family name may be _ . A. Hill B. Wood C. Lake D. Cook Answer: C 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. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the story? A. The rising water. B. The broken window. C. The lucky dog. D. The noisy environment. Answer: C When children learn a language, they learn the grammar as well as words or vocabulary. No one teaches them; children just " _ ". Before babies begin to produce words, they produce sounds. Some of these sounds will remain if they occur in the language being learned, and others will disappear. This is called the "babbling stage". A child does not learn the language "all at once". The child first speaks only one-word "sentences". After a few months, the two-word stage arises. During this stage, the child puts two words together. These two-word sentences have definite patterns and express grammatical and meaningful relationships. Still later, in the telegraphic stage, the child will produce longer sentences. These longer sentences are mainly made up of content words. The child's early grammar lacks many of the rules of the adult grammar, but gradually it will become perfect. All normal children everywhere learn language. This ability is not dependent on race, social class, geography, or even intelligence . This ability is uniquely for human. The two-word sentences produced by babies _ . A. are simpler than those produced in the "babbling stage" B. are much more difficult than those produced in the telegraphic stage C. are strictly grammatical D. are meaningful and have function Answer: D Many people watched the lift-off of the space shuttle Columbia on March 21, 1982. But none watched more closely than eighteen-year-old Ted, as Ted's insects were on board the shuttle. The Shuttle Student Involvement Program invited students to make a science experiment. The experiment would be done by astronauts on the space shuttle. Ted had always been interested in space and flight. Insect flight especially interested him. Ted noticed that insects need gravity to take off and land. They need gravity to fly in a straight line. But in space, there is no gravity. Could insects fly in zero gravity? That is what Ted wanted to find out. Ted made an experiment called "Insect in Flight Motion Study". He entered his experiment and soon news came that _ . A large team of scientists and engineers helped Ted get his experiment ready to fly. There were many questions to be answered first. What kind of insects would Ted use in his experiment? The insects would have to be strong enough to live on the shuttle for nine days without much food. What kind of container would hold the insects? Would the insects die during the shuttle flight? After months of hard work, the "insectronauts" were chosen. A group of moths, flies, and honeybees were put into a special box and put onto the space shuttle. When Columbia flew into space, it was carrying insect passengers. On March 24, astronauts Gordon Fullerton and Jack Lousma took out the box that held the insects. They began filming the insects with a special video camera. When the space shuttle landed Ted was able to watch the video film of insects. Just as he thought, most of the insects did have trouble flying in zero gravity. The flies did well. But the moths' flight seemed "uncontrolled". They would often just hang in the air. The bees had the most trouble. They couldn't fly at all! The film showed bees spinning around in all directions. Others were just floating about in the box. Ted learned the answer to his question about insects' flight in zero gravity. But he also learned a lot more. He learned about the hard work needed in making a successful experiment. Of the three kinds of insects sent into space, which one flew worst in zero gravity? A. The flies. B. The honeybees. C. The insects. D. The moths. Answer: B
Once Lu Xun spoke to the young men about the study of foreign languages. He said: " You must not give up studying foreign languages for even a day. To master a language, words and grammatical rules are not enough. You must do a lot of reading. Take a book and force yourself to read it. At the same time, turn to dictionaries and memorize grammatical rules. After reading a book, it's only natural that you won't understand it all. Never mind. Put it aside, and start another one. In a few months or half a year, go over the first book again; you are sure to understand much more than before ... Young people have good memories. If you memorize a few words every day and keep on reading all the time, in four or five years, you will certainly be able to read works in the foreign language. If you can't understand it all when you read a book, you should _ A. start with its beginning again B. look up the new words in your dictionary and recite them C. start another one and go over the first one later D. stop to learn the grammatical rules in the book Answer: C. start another one and go over the first one later Frank Lloyd Wright did not call himself an artist. He called himself an architect. But the buildings he designed were works of art. He looked at the ugly square buildings around him, and he did not like what he saw. He wondered why people built ugly homes, when they could have beautiful ones. Frank Lloyd Wright lived from 1869 to 1959. When he was young, there were no courses in architecture, so he went to work in an architect's office in order to learn how to design buildings. Soon he was designing buildings that were beautiful. He also wanted to make his buildings fit into the land around them. One of the houses he designed is on top of a high hill. Other people built tall, square houses on hills, but Wright did not want to lose the beauty of the hill. He built the house low and wide. Now other architects know how to design buildings to fit into the land. Frank Lloyd Wright showed them how to do it. The selection answers only one of the following questions about Wright, namely: A. Where was he born? B. When did he live? C. How many buildings did he design? D. where are the buildings he designed? Answer: B. When did he live? There are many reasons that goals go unfulfilled. For many, goal setting is a never ending circle that starts, stops, and begins again. To help us succeed in reaching our goals, let's examine the reasons why many people fail at reaching them. Here are 7 Reasons That You Won't Reach Your Goals: 1. You Don't Have Any Goals Too many people are afraid to "set" their goals. Afraid of failing. Afraid of disappointment. Well, you definitely won't complete them if you don't try. Make a choice and set your goals. Otherwise you will end up wherever life takes you. 2. You Don't Start OK, so you have a goal. What have you done about it? Have you started it yet? What are you waiting for? Procrastination is responsible for the failure of many goals. 3. You Aren't Willing to "Buy" Your Goals Yes, you have to buy your goals. Why? Because every goal has a price. It has a cost. Time. Money. Sweat. Sacrifice. You will have to "pay" for your goals in some manner. 4. Your Goals Are Unrealistic. Make sure that your goals are possible and that you set an adequate time frame for success. 5. You Won't Stick With It Over half of goals will be given up within 30 days. You set your goals .You started them. And then...you gave up. Are you using life's daily happenings as excuses? Goals are not reached through one effort. Rather, they are made in small steps over time. 6. You Will Fail...And You Won't Get Back Up! No one succeeds immediately. Those who appear to have effortlessly succeeded have usually put in years of preparation and practice. You have to fall down many times before you will succeed. Skill is learned by doing. 7. You Quit Before The Finish Line Too many people stop...right before the finish line. It's almost like they are afraid of succeeding. Often a life event is used as the reason for not finishing. Something always comes up before you finish. Are you reaching your goals? Which of these is keeping you from succeeding? Set your goals. Stay the course. Always get back up when you fail. And make sure you cross the finish line. What can be learned from the sixth tip? A. He who has hope has everything. B. Two heads are better than one. C. Practice makes perfect. D. Keeping up contributes to success. Answer: D. Keeping up contributes to success. The government of prefix = st1 /Norwayis planning to build an unusual storage center on an island in the Arctic Ocean. The place would be large enough to hold about two million seeds. The goal is to present all crops known to scientists. The British magazine New Scientist published details of the plan last month. The structure will be designed to protect the world's food supply against nuclear war, climate change and other possible threats. It will be built in a mountain on the NorwegianislandofSpitsbergen. The mountain is less than one thousand kilometers from the North Pole, the northernmost position on earth. An international group called the Global Crop Diversity Trust is working on the project. The director of the group, Cary Fowler, spoke to New Scientist. He said the project would let the world rebuild agriculture if, in his word, "the worst came to the worst". Norwayis expected to start work next year. The project is expected to cost three million dollars. Workers will drill deep in the side of a sandstone mountain. Temperatures in the area never rise above 0oC. The seeds will be protected behind concrete walls a meter thick and high-security door. The magazine report says the collection will represent the products of ten thousand years of farming. Most of the seeds at first will come from collections at seed banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America. To last a long time, seeds need to be kept in very low temperatures. Workers will not be present all the time. But they plan to replace the air inside the storage space each winter. Winter temperatures on the island are about eighteen degrees below 0oC. The cold weather would protect the seeds even if the air could not be replaced. Mr. Fowler says the proposed structure will be the world's most secure gene bank. He says the plant seeds would only be used when all other seeds are gone for some reason. Norwayfirst proposed the idea in the 1980s. But security concerns delayed the plan. At that time, the Soviet Union was meeting inRomeof the Food and Agriculture Organization. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the above passage? A. The government of Norwaywill perform the project alone. B. Seeds to be collected there were produced ten thousands years ago. C. Spitsbergen is chosen because it is free of the threat unclear war forever. D. Temperature is a major consideration when choosing the storage place. Answer: D. Temperature is a major consideration when choosing the storage place. It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries. Then one day, some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frogs' legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places. This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was to catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent to the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a better future. But the dream didn't last long. The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and there seemed to be more insects around lately. The villagers decided that they couldn't just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money they'd just had to buy pesticides and medicine. Soon there was no money left. Then the people realized that what was happening. It was the frogs. They hadn't been useless. They had been doing an important job--eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, soon there were more and more insects. They were doing harm to both crops and people. Now, the people are still poor. But in the evening they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs. _ . Why did the villagers agree to sell frogs? A. They needed money to buy medicine. B. They wanted to please the visitors. C. The frogs were easy money. D. The frogs made too much noise. Answer: C. The frogs were easy money.
Concern with money, and then more money, in order to buy the conveniences and luxuries of modern life, has brought great changes to the lives of most Frenchmen. More people are working harder than ever before in France. In the cities the traditional leisurely midday meal is disappearing. Offices, shops, and factories are discovering the great efficiency of a short lunch hour in company lunch rooms. In almost all lines of work emphasis now falls on ever increasing output. Thus the "typical" Frenchman produces more, earns more, and buys more consumer goods than his counterpart of only a generation ago. He gains in creature comfort and ease of life. What he loses to some extent is his sense of personal uniqueness, or individuality. Some say that France has been Americanized. This is because the United States is a world symbol of the technological society and its consumer products. The so called Americanization of France has its critics. They fear that "assembly line life" will lead to the disappearance of the pleasures of the more graceful and leisurely (but less productive) old French style. What will happen, they ask, to taste, elegance, and the cultivation of the good things in life to joy in the smell of a freshly picked apple, a stroll by the river, or just happy hours of conversation in a local cafe? Since the late 1950s life in France has indeed taken on qualities of rush, tension, and the pursuit of material gain. Some of the strongest critics of the new way of life are the young, especially university students. They are concerned with the future, and they fear that France is threatened by the triumph of this competitive, goods-oriented culture. Occasionally, they have reacted against the trend with considerable violence. In spite of the critics, however, countless Frenchmen are committed to keeping France in the forefront of the modern economic world. They find that the present life brings more rewards, conveniences, and pleasures than that of the past. They believe that a modern, industrial France is preferable to the old. Which of the following is NOT true about Frenchmen? Answer: Tiger and horse performance You can see the terrible tigers and gentle horses at Fuzhou Zoo. Keep away from the tigers . Sometimes they aren't friendly enough .You can ride the horse and take photos . Time :Feb .1--Feb .3 Tel : 87324568 Adult : 60Y= Child : 30Y= Bear and lion performance You can see fat black bears and scary lions at Chengdu Zoo. They will perform many activities. If you are not brave enough , you shouldn't come to see them . (children under 6 aren't allowed to come ) Time ;Feb. 2 _ ----Feb . 5 Tel : 85897043 Adult : Y=50 Child :Y=25 Dolphin performance You can see lovely dolphins at Dalian Zoo . The dolphins will jump out of the water and give you a performance . If you can swim , you are also allowed to come into the water and play with them with the help of the trainers . Time : Feb .4 _ Feb.8 Tel: 83126094 Adult :Y=80 Child :Y=4o ,. Which of the following is NOT true ? Answer: Dealing with School Pressure Get organized.By becoming more organized, you can reduce your stress level drastically Make a daily schedule of all your activities.Another way to become more organized is by getting your supplies and desk in order.Label folders for each class and arrange your notes and assignment by topic or date so you can easily find information. Don't _ .Putting off doing your schoolwork will only make you more stressed.If you get an assignment that is due in a month, and you don't have any other assignment to finish, go ahead and begin working on it. Exercise.Performing some sort of physical activity for thirty minutes three times a week will considerably lower your stress level.Taking the time to exercise will help get your mind off the chaos and stress in your life. Get plenty of sleep and eat healthily.You need between seven to eight hours of sleep per night in order to rest your mind and body so they can perform well during the day.Eating well-balanced meals will provide your with enough energy to accomplish your daily activities. Adopt a positive attitude.If you are always negative, then stress will overwhelm you.By looking at things in a positive light, you will not only reduce your stress, but you will also feel better about yourself. Realize that it's okay to say "no".If you already have a full schedule, don't attempt to add anything else to it.If your friends want you to go out at the last minute but doing so would conflict with your schedule, don't feel bad about turning them down.They will understand.They have been stressed before too. According to the tips, your life will be if you study without a proper schedule. Answer: Ideas about polite behavior are different from one culture to another. Some societies, such as America and Australia for example, are mobile and very open. People here change jobs and move house quite often. As a result, they have a lot of relationships that often last only a short time, and they need to get to know people quickly. So it's normal to have friendly conversations with people that they have just met, and you can talk about things that other cultures would regard as personal. On the other hand there are more crowded and less mobile societies where long-term relationships are more important. A Malaysian or Mexican business person, for example, will want to get to know you very well before he or she feels happy to start business. But when you do get to know each other, the relationship becomes much deeper than it would in a mobile society. To Americans, both Europeans and Asians seem cool and formal at first. On the other hand, as a passenger from a less mobile society puts it, it's no fun spending several hours next to a stranger who wants to tell you all about his or her life and asks you all sorts of questions that you don't want to answer. Cross-cultural differences aren't just a problem for travelers, but also for the flights that carry them. All flights want to provide the best service, but ideas about good service are different from place to place. This can be seen most clearly in the way that problems are dealt with. Some societies have 'universalist' cultures. These societies strongly respect rules, and they treat every person and situation in basically the same way. 'Particularist' societies, on the other hand, also have rules, but they are less important than the society's unwrinen ideas about what is right or wrong for a particular situation or a particular person. So the normal rules are changed to fit the needs of the situation or the importance of the person. This difference can cause problems. A traveler from a particularist society, India, is checking in for a flight in Germany, a country which has a universalist culture. The Indian traveler has too much luggage, but he explains that he has been away from home for a long time and the suitcases are full of presents for his family. He expects that the check-in official will understand his problem and will change the rules for him. The check-in official explains that if he was allowed to have too much luggage, it wouldn't be fair to the other passengers. But the traveler thinks this is unfair, because the other passengers don't have his problem. People like Malaysians prefer to associate with those Answer: Living near the beach may come with an extra perk : better health. A new study analyzed information from more than 48 million people in England and found that the nearer they lived to the coast, the more likely people were to report good health within the past year. Living near the coast may be associated with better health because the seaside environment reduces stress, the researchers said. They pointed to another British study that found that people who took trips to the coast experienced more feelings of calmness and relaxation than those who visited urban parks or the countryside. The difference from living near the coast was relatively small. But a small effect, when applied to an entire population, can have a substantial impact on public health, said study researcher Ben Wheeler of Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Exeter, England. However, it's too soon to advise people to hit the beach to improve health, Wheeler said. The study only found an association, not a cause-effect link, and it's possible that other factors could explain the results. For instance, it could be that people who are wealthier, and therefore healthier, are more able to move to desired locations such as the coast, Wheeler said, a phenomenon known as the migrant effect. But the study did find that the association between coastal living and better health was strongest for those living in the poorest areas, which perhaps indicates that wealth cannot explain the results, Wheeler said. Because the study looked at only England--an island country in which everyone lives within 72 miles of the coast--it's not clear whether the findings would apply to other populations. Far from England, a health expert not involved in the study said that while the British research certainly doesn't prove that people's health and the place they live are linked, it's possible that _ to the seas does something for our bodies. If future studies confirm the results, the next step would be to find out it is what coastal environments that can benefit health. Wheeler said it may then be possible to bring those benefits to people living in other areas, through virtual environments, for instance. What Ben Wheeler said means _ . Answer:
John Smith,an office worker,lives in Washington.He inherited a million dollars when he was 23,but he wasn't happy at all.When his college friends were looking for their jobs,he didn't have to.Jack decided to living a simple life like everyone else.He gave $l0,000 of his money to a charity to help poor children live a better life.Today he is 36.He still wears cheap shoes and clothes and drives a small car only,but he is very happy. Up to now John has helped some children from poor countries all over the world,by sending them each $200 a month.The money was used for the children's study, food, medicine and clothing.John receives a report each year on the children's progress.They can write to each other, but usually the children do not speak English. When John first heard about these children,he wanted to help them."It was nothing special," he said."Until I went to these countries and met the children I was helping,I didn't know anything about their life." Once John went to meet a little girl in Africa.He said that the meeting was very exciting."When I met her.I felt very ,very happy."he said."And I saw that the money was used for a good cause.It brought me happiness.I want to do everything I can to go on helping those children." What's the main idea of the story? A Help others,and you will feel happy. B It's necessary to write letters to poor children. C Live a simple life,and you can give others help. D It's the most important to help the children in Africa Answer: A John Smith was a writer, who wrote detective stories for magazines , though he never dealt with criminals . One evening he could not finish an end for a story. He sat in his study , but he had no ideas. So he decided to go to the cinema. When he came back, he found that he had had a visitor. Someone had broken into his house. The visitor had had a drink, smoked several of his cigarettes and had read his story. The visitor left him a note. "I have read your story and I don't think it is very good. Please read my suggestions and you can finish it. By the way, I am a thief. I'm not going to steal anything tonight. But if you become a successful writer, I will return." John read the thief's suggestions. Then he sat down and wrote the rest of the story. He is still not a successful writer, and he is waiting for his "visitor" to return. Before he goes out in the evening, he always leaves a half-finished story in his study. The visitor _ . A stayed in John's house for a night B took some of John's things away C left John some advice D was a good friend of John's Answer: C "English may be the global language of business but it is not enough by itself for companies to gain a lasting presence in many markets," the European Commission says in a study published last month. The study collected by the British National Centre for Languages for the EU leader, says over 10 per cent of 2,000 small and medium-sized firms in 29 European countries sampled in the study have lost export contract because of lack of language skills. The study says French is used to trade with partners in Africa, Spanish in Latin America, and Russian in Eastern Europe. "The picture is far more complex than the much-quoted view that English is the world language," the study says. Multilingual Commissioner Leonard Orban admitted that English plays an important role worldwide, but he wants to improve more linguistic variety within the EU. The EU's linguistic headaches have exploded with the group's expansion. Languages have become a sensitive topic in Brussels where English is increasingly eclipsing French as the main working language of the organization. Translation of EU papers into EU's 23 official languages costs 1 billion euros (US $1.31 billion) a year. "We want to be open not only to official languages of the Union, but also to others like regional languages, languages of minorities, immigrants' languages and third countries' languages," Orband said. Many EU students have improved their language skills during non-formal learning activities. Young people from more than 20 different nationalities travel across Europe to participate together in many cultural programmes, language courses, thematic workshops and other activities that are organized in about 100 cities. Which language is NOT mentioned in the passage? A Japanese. B Spanish. C French. D Russian. Answer: A Julianna Huth, a second grader at Green Primary School, in Green, Ohio, is a fan of the digital world. The 8-year-old enjoys e-books at home and at school. "It's just cool that you can read on your IPad," said Julianna, who started using e-books when she was 6. "It's more fun and you learn more from it." Children would say that books on e-readers are fun. They include music, cartoons and other interactive functions that make reading a book feel like playing a video game. But is it better than a book? Julianna's teacher, Kourtney Denning, thinks highly of e-books. "Traditional books aren't good enough anymore," she said. "We have to transform our learning as we know it." Julianna's mother, Cathy Ivancic, said that electronic devices like the IPad were new and fun and gave children the motivation to read, including those who didn't like reading. Some people, however, are suggesting a closer look, especially for younger children learning to read. "Read traditional books with your child. We don't have any evidence that any kind of electronic device is better than a parent," said Julia Parish-Morris, who has studied e-books and how children interact with them. Ms. Parish-Morris and educators are concerned that children can be distracted by the cartoons and gamelike features within e-books. Keeping a focus on the story is important in developing reading and writing skills. "The most important thing is sitting and talking with your children," said Gabrille Strouse, a professor who has studied e-books. "Whether you're reading a book or an e-book, co-interacting, co-viewing is the best way for them to learn." Lisa Guernsey, director of the early education initiative at the New America Foundation, says conversations about how events of a story relate to(......) the child's own life, or asking open-ended questions about what happened, are examples of natural dialogue. But this kind of interaction is often different with e-books , she said, and in some cases, disappears. "We are seeing some evidence that parents expect the e-books to do it all and are stepping back from communicating with their children," she said. What is the text mainly about? A Why e-readers are popular among children. B Bad effects of e-books on children. C Advantages of traditional books. D How to use e-books wisely. Answer: D There are a lot of differences in life in the US that you can only learn by living here. However, we will try to introduce you to some of the more important cultural differences. Personal Space When two people are talking to each other, they tend to stand a distance apart. Each person has an invisible boundary around their body into which other people may not come. Interestingly,the average personal distance varies from culture to culture. Americans tend to require more personal space than in other cultures. So if you try to get too close to an American during your conversation, he or she will feel that you are "in their face" and will try to back away. Try to avoid physical contact while you are speaking, since this may also lead to _ . Tipping Restaurants do not include a service charge in the bill, so you should tip the waiter 15% of the total bill. If service is slow or particular bad, some Americans will tip only 10%. If service is particularly good, it is appropriate to tip 20%. If service is so bad that you will never eat in the restaurant again, leave two cents. It tells the waiter that you haven't forgotten to leave a tip. Tipping is only appropriate in restaurants which offer table service. You do not tip the cashier in a fast food restaurant. Gestures To wave goodbye or hello to someone, raise your hand and wave it from side to side, not front to back. Wave the whole hand, not just the fingers. Waving the hand front to back or the fingers up and down means "no", "stop", or "go away'. Holding your hand up with the palm facing forward but no movement means "stop". If you want to point at an object, extend the index finger and use it to point at the object. It is not polite to point at people. Although showing your fist with the thumb up or your open hand with the tips of the thumb and index finger together forming an "O" means "OK", these are stereotypes . Americans understand these gestures, but they are mainly used by actors in movies, not in real life. Which of the following statements is TRUE when you eat out in the US? A The tip always ranges from 10% to 20% of the total bill. B You needn't leave a tip if you will never eat in the restaurant. C It's unnecessary to tip the waiter in a restaurant. D Tipping is not necessary in fast food restaurants. Answer: D
Patrick Johnson,an artist for the Washington Post,found some treasure in his new house35,000 dollars in a place where no one could see it. Although he had car and house payments in his head, he still decided to return all of the money to the previous owner of the house,Mr. Williams. Would you have done the same? Just hours after he had bought the house,Patrick came into the small house,where he was planning to lay out his tools and hang things up. He looked up and noticed a little hole in the wall. He didn't know what it was inside, so he walked towards the wall. It was very dark inside,but an old box caught his eye. "I caught the thing,it was heavy. I thought it might be some pieces of wood." he said. Actually it was not. It was filled with lots of dollar bills. But he and his wife knew they had to return the money to Mr. Williams. "I've got two boys and we teach them to be honest and to do what is right. I knew this was a teachable moment that I would never get back again." Patrick said to his wife. "So I thought we would do something honest with it. It's been a great thing for us and our kids." Patrick decided to return the money to _ . A his wife B the bank C their sons D Mr. Williams Answer: D Scientists think it will be possible to record people's dreams and then interpret them, according to a new report. They claim to have developed a system which allows them to record higher level brain activity. Dr Moran Cerf told the journal Nature: "We would like to read people's dreams." Previously the only way to access people's dreams is for psychologists to ask about them after the event and try to interpret them. Dr Cerf hopes to eventually compare people's memories of their dreams with an electronic visualization of their brain activity. He told the BBC: "There's no clear answer as to why humans dream. And one of the questions we would like to answer is when do we actually create this dream?" The scientist believes his latest research shows that certain neurons or individual brain cells are linked with specific objects or concepts . He found that a particular neuron lit up when a volunteer thought about Marilyn Monroe. If a database was built up identifying various neurons with concepts, objects and people it would allow them to "read the subject's minds", according to Dr Cerf. However, Dr Roderick Oner, a clinical psychologist and dream expert, said that this kind of visualization would be of limited help when it came to interpreting the "complex dream narrative ". In addition to getting a detailed picture of individual neurons subjects had to have electrodes implanted deep in the brain using surgery. The Nature researchers used data from patients who had electrodes implanted to monitor and treat them for brain seizures . However, Dr Cerf said he hoped that it would be possible at a later stage to monitor people without invasive surgery .He said it would be "wonderful" to be able to read the minds of coma patients who are unable to communicate. What's the main idea of the whole passage? A People can use many ways to interpret dreams. B Scientists have different opinions about dreams. C People's dreams will be recorded in the future. D We have developed a system to record higher level brain activities. Answer: C My old digital camera broke down, so I wanted to buy a new one. Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand. So I went on the Net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store. There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked an assistant, "Can I have one of those? " He looked perturbed . "Do you want to try it first?" he said. It didn't quite sound like a question. "Do I need to?" I replied, "There's nothing wrong with it." This made him look a bit offended and I started to feel bad. "No, no. But you should try it," he said encouragingly, "compare it with the others. I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based around the same basic box. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model. But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice, the clever choice, the wise choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The assistant seemed a sincere man. So I let him take out my chosen camera from the cupboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers... and when he started to introduce the special features, I interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well. Why do we think that new options still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine. The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he _ . A knew very little about it B wanted to make sure the one he chose would be the best C didn't trust the shop assistant D had a special interest in taking pictures of his fellow shoppers Answer: B Bamboo is a giant grass that grows in warm places. It has many uses. Everything--from chairs and fishing rods to basket and paper can be made from it. And that's not all. It can be eaten, too. People in China like bamboo shoots very much. They think the bamboo shoots are a delicious vegetable for parties and meals. In many parts of Asia, bamboo shoots are a favorite food. The winter shoots are the best because they are soft, with a white and green color. Usually they are boiled in water with some salt. Spring shoots are darker and harder, so they take longer to cook. But they are cheaper than winter shoots. Fresh bamboo shoots are seldom found outside bamboos' hometown. But people in other places can buy bamboo shoots, too. These shoots are kept in bottles and cans. They need no cooking and are almost as good as fresh bamboo shoots. Winter shoots _ . A taste better B have a lighter color C take less time to cook D all of the above Answer: D Members of an elephant family may be out of sight but they are always in the minds of the herd's matriarchs , researchers have found. Tests have found that female elephants are able to remember the whereabouts of at least 17 family members simultaneously and perhaps as many as 30. They watch which of their relations are ahead of them when the herd searches for food, which of them are lagging behind and which are traveling in separate groups. Professor Richard Byrne, of the prefix = st1 /UniversityofSt Andrews, said that the elephants performed a good memory by being able to recall where each of their s was in a changing environment. "It's hard enough for us to watch two or three children in a busy shopping centre. Imagine trying to do it with 30 or so," he said. Researchers tested the ability of African elephants to remember where each family member had got to. Elephants have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and are able to identify one another from traces of urine on the ground. To test the memories of the elephants, samples of urine-soaked earth were collected by researchers and placed in positions where a herd was about to pass. Observations showed that the animals exhibited surprise when they could detect the odor of a family member they knew was behind them. Interest was shown when the urine was that of a close traveling in the same group or in a separate herd, but samples left by unknown individuals were ignored. The researchers, who reported their findings in the journal Biology Letters, concluded: " It seems that female elephants have a general interest in monitoring family members with whom they are traveling. Elephants' order of traveling often changes and overtaking is common, suggesting that elephants must frequently update their expectation of where others are in relation to themselves." Elephants identify their family members mainly by using their_. A eyes B nose C ears D mouth Answer: B
Everyone has done experiments in high school laboratories, but have you ever thought about designing a satellite to explore space? On Nov. 19, a team of students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the US _ peers and even scientists by successfully launching a satellite. The first satellite designed and built by high school students was sent up into space along with a record-setting. 28 other small ones on a rocket were sent from a NASA center in Virginia, CNN reported. It took the students seven years to build. The students call their tiny satellite TJ3Sat, which is named after their school. It is just 10x10x12 centimeters and weighs only 0.89 kilograms, according to Orbital Sciences, a company which developed the rocket and supported the students' project. It can be controlled with a smartphone. Like most satellites, TJ3Sat can send and receive data. The small spacecraft is equipped with a voice synthesizer , which can switch text to voice and transmit those sounds back to Earth over radio waves, said Orbital officials. In this case, anyone can give it a try via the project's website (school website) by submitting a text. The texts that get approved will be sent to the satellite, changed to voice and then broadcast back to Earth via radio waves. "I can say 'Go Colonials' on our ground station and when it is on the other side of the world, in India, someone can hear 'Go Colonials'over the radio," the team explains on the website. The satellite will stay in space for at least three months. School principal Evan Glazer told The Washington Post that the project started in 2006 as an activity in the spare time. Later it became a research project for a select group of seniors. At a time when American students are busy with SATs, the launch of the satellite shows what diligent teenagers can achieve when allowed to pursue their own curiosities, Glazer said. "It used to be that kids growing up wanted to be an astronaut," Andrew Petro, program executive for small spacecraft technology at NASA, said in a statement. "I think we might be seeing kids saying what they want to do is build a spacecraft. The idea here is that they really can do that." According to the article, the launch of the satellite _ . A is evidence of the advance of spacecraft technology B proves that hard-working teenagers can achieve a lot C shows the importance of extracurricular activities at school D has inspired many people to take an interest in space travel Answer: B. proves that hard-working teenagers can achieve a lot Many American youngsters earn their own allowance by doing temporary jobs for their neighbors. Babysitting is one of the common of these jobs. Most couples do not have maids or relatives living with them, and they need to have someone watch the children if they want to go out. Another way is by mowing lawn in summer and clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways in winter. Many people mow their own lawns,but often people prefer to give the job to a neighbor's child. In winter, snow clearing from streets and highways is the government's responsibility. Homeowners or tenants, however, must clear sidewalks and driveways. Since clearing snow is very tiring, many people prefer to hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves. Besides, many American teenagers usually work two to three hours after school and all day on Saturday or Sunday at the local supermarket. They work as cashiers or stockroom clerks. Or they help customers carry things to their cars. Other favorite jobs are waiting on tables in restaurants or working part-time at stores or gas stations. By earning their own allowance,teenagers acquire a feeling of independence and a sense of responsibility which prepares them for a productive life in society. What is the advantage of youngsters earning allowance? A They acquire a feeling of independence. B They acquire a sense of responsibility. C The actions prepare them for a productive life in society. D All of the above. Answer: D. All of the above. The "Neighborhood Watch" scheme all started a few years ago in the quiet village of Mollington after a number of burglaries in the village and the surrounding area. The villagers came up with the idea that they themselves could keep an eye on their neighbors' possessions while they were away on holiday. Since then, and with the support of the government and police, more than 50,000 "Neighborhood Watch" schemes have been set up all over the country. The object of each "Watch" group is to reduce the opportunities that criminals have in any particular street or area. Each villager who is a member of the scheme will call the police whenever they see something suspicious. It is the police who actually check out each report and look into what is happening. Villagers who are part of the "Watch" are not supposed to act as police or put themselves in danger. When a new "Neighborhood Watch" scheme is set up in an area, one benefit is that most burglars dare not take a chance on breaking into someone's house because they know that there is a high risk of being seen by neighbors keeping a lookout. Burglars also know that people are more likely to have fitted good locks to their doors and windows. Another benefit is that, since the "Neighborhood Watch" schemes came into existence, there is growing evidence of a new community spirit. It is bringing people together as never before, and encouraging people to care for each other. New friendships are being made, and contact is often established with old people living on their own, who are often the most frightened and the most at risk. When a new "Watch" scheme starts in an area _ . A the police send fewer officers to the area B villagers put signs on the indoors C burglars are less likely to break into houses D people fit new locks to their doors and windows Answer: C. burglars are less likely to break into houses Editor: Today our topic is part-time job. Are they good for school children or not? Headmaster: Certainly not. Children have got two full-time jobs already: growing up and going to school. Part-time jobs make them so tired that they fall asleep in class. Mrs. White: I agree. I know school hours are short, but there's homework as well, and children need a lot of sleep. Mr. White: Young children, perhaps some boys, stay at school until they're eighteen or nineteen. A part-time job can't harm them. In fact, it's good for them. They earn their pocket money instead of asking their parents for it. And they see something of the world outside school. Businessman: You're quite right. Boys learn a lot from a part-time job. And we mustn't forget that some families need the extra money. If the pupils didn't take part-time jobs, they couldn't stay at school. Editor: Well, we have got two for, and two against. What do our readers think? Mrs. White thinks the young children maybe _ . A need to stay at school until they are eighteen or nineteen B need to have some pocket money C should see something of the world outside school D need to have a lot of sleep Answer: D. need to have a lot of sleep In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I'd hitch a ride . I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn't give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured(...) me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home. Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favor I'd been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water. After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, "You haven't changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same." I couldn't remember where I'd met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon. The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because _ . A her work delayed her trip to Sydney B she missed the only train back home C the town was far away from Sydney D she was going home for her holidays Answer: B. she missed the only train back home
No one can deny that buttons are an important clothing device. But, can they rise to the level of art? Organizers of an exhibit in New York think so. Peter Souleo Wright organized "The Button Show" at Rush Arts Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Eleven artists used the small, ordinary objects to create sculptures, portraits and wearable art. Some of the works are political, some are personal and others are just fun. Wright said each artist reimagines and repurposes the buttons to make art. "What I tried to do with this show," he said , "was to look at artists who were promoting that level of craft." He said he wanted the button art to be comparable to a painting "because of the amount of detail and precision in the work". Artist Beau McCall produced "A Harlem Hangover". It looks like a wine bottle that fell over on a table. A stream of connected red buttons hang over the side, like wine flowing down. Similar red buttons form a small pool on the floor. McCall layers buttons of different shapes and sizes to create the bottle. The stitching that holds them together is also part of the artistic design. For San Francisco-based artist Lisa Kokin, buttons are highly personal. After her father died in 2001, she created a portrait of him using only buttons. That memorial to her father led to other button portraits, including those of activists Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez. Others use buttons for details. Artist Amalia Amaki of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, placed them on and around old photographs. Los Angeles artist Camilla Taylor attached buttons to three large sculptures that look like headless animals with long , narrow legs. "The Button Show" ends at March 12. The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation paid for the exhibition. The foundation was created in 1995 by the Simmons brothers: artist Danny, hip-hop producer Russell and rapper Rev. Run. The foundation seeks to bring the artists to urban youth and to provide support for new artists. If you want to see "The Button Show", you should _ . A buy tickets before March 12 B phone Peter Souleo Wright before March 12 C go to Rush Arts Gallery D go to the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundationn Answer: C. go to Rush Arts Gallery One day Billy and Sandy went to the neighborhood fair. They were so exited because this year Bob the clown was going to be there. They had heard a lot about Bob the clown, he was funny and knew a lot of balloon tricks. He always made the kids laugh and gave out small prizes to many of the children at the fair. Billy and Sandy had even heard that sometimes Bob the clown would give out free cotton candy and candy apples. They had waited all year and were so excited. They did all their chores and cleaned their rooms so they could go to the fair. When they got to the fair they were so happy to see that Bob the clown was handing out cotton candy and candy apples. Billy and Sandy waited in line and then once it was their turn Billy got a balloon in the shape of a dog and Sandy got a big bag of cotton candy. They were both happy and could not wait to tell their friends all about Bob the clown. What did Billy and Sandy have to do before they could go to the fair? A do chores and clean the kitchen B rake the lawn and clean their rooms C do their chores and clean their rooms D sweep the sidewalk and wash the dishes Answer: C. do their chores and clean their rooms The Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday called attention to the struggles of traditional operas in China. The newspaper said the number of unique traditional Chinese opera styles had decreased to 286 from 368 in 1959, with three disappearing every two years on average. Altogether, 74 opera styles had only one troupe left, and most were at the risk of fading away. Xie Boliang, a professor at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, said, "It is well known that people should be held accountable for soil erosion, but why do we feel at ease when traditional operas fade away?" Overwhelmed by modern culture and entertainment such as movies, TV programs and pop music, traditional Chinese operas have been severely marginalized. Despite being included on the state-level Intangible Cultural Heritage list, some operas still have no place to perform. Because of the market slump and low salaries, more traditional Chinese opera practitioners are finding other work, as are many directors and playwrights. Sun Jiazheng, chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, said traditional operas are important carriers of Chinese culture, and should be preserved. The State Council issued a circular in July calling for the promotion and protection of traditional Chinese operas, saying that it would allocate financial support and extend preferential policies to opera troupes and schools. What is the purpose of this passage? A To call for more people to watch traditional Chinese operas. B To tell people traditional Chinese operas are facing danger. C To inform us of the notice of the State Council. D To criticize the market slump and low salaries. Answer: B. To tell people traditional Chinese operas are facing danger. One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift . Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap . On September 11th ,1958,Mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap, saying, "I promised you a gift , and here it is." What an honor!I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told it stories .I told it over and over how much I loved it! One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing bad been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days I Heard Mum and Dad whispering such words as "hopeless", "pitiful", and "dying", which sounded _ . Christmas was coming. "Don't expect any presents this year," Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room. "If your baby brother lives, that'll be Christmas enough." As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. I'd never seen him cry before . The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say, "What? He's all right?" He hung up and shouted upstairs. "The hospital said we can bring Richard home !" "Thank God !" I heard Mum cry . From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty; they were filled with love! Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming? A Excitement. B Happiness. C Sadness. D Disappointment. Answer: C. Sadness. Ask runners why they run and you'll get a variety of answers; to stay healthy or to feel better. Some have an even bigger reasonto stay calm or out of prison. But Back on My Feet puts recovering addicts and the homeless on the road to a brighter future, starting with a simple step; attending group runs three tunes a week. At 5:30 a.m. on a hot July day, Back on My Feet's Team Brooklyn gathered in a parking lot. After a round of hugs and some warm-up, the group of eight volunteers and seven residents set out on a run to nearby Prospect Park. Some ran three miles, some longer, but the goal for all was to finish as a team "It's helping me put my life back together," said Jimmy, a 58-year-old cancer survivor who was homeless and a former alcohol addict. "It's healthy. It makes me feel good inside," adds Jimmy. Many are skeptical about the idea of homeless runners, according to Anne Mahlum, who founded Back on My Feet in 2007 after starting a running club for men at a shelter near her Philadelphia home. They did want to run, and in just six years, Mahlum's small running club has expanded to 10 cities around the country, and 388 active members. The only requirement for joining, besides wanting to, is insisting on at least 30 days."The first day we give them new shoes and Back on My Feet shirts," Mahlum says. "Then they run a mile the first day. And then gradually we'll encourage them to build goals. "After 30 days,residents gain access to services like financial aid,housing assistance and employment opportunities through Back on My Feet's partners. In its first year, the New York chapter has seen 41 members obtain employment, 34 gain housing and 50 work in job-training programs. That's not to say it's always easy. "I wanted to quit. But then I started to push myself,"said Adel, 39, who began running in March. "Now I would love to run a 10-mile run. Or maybe a marathon one day, who knows. I ran this far, so why not?" According to the author, Back on My Feet is . A in need of money B well-known around the world C meeting difficulty D making progress Answer: D. making progress
Brief News Report Huiyin fire Huiyin Household Appliances Store on West Wenchang Road was damaged in a fire last night. The fire, which was discovered at about 11 o'clock, spread very quickly. Nobody was injured but tens of people had to be rescued from an upstairs room. A number of household appliances are believed to have been destroyed. It isn't known how the fire started. Road delays Repair work started yesterday on the Grand Canal Road. The road is being resurfaced and there will be long delays. Drivers are asked to choose another way if possible. The work is expected to last two weeks. Next Sunday the road will be closed and traffic will be diverted . Accident A woman was taken to hospital after her car collided with a truck near Jiangdu Hotel yesterday. She was allowed home later after treatment. The road was blocked for an hour after the accident and the traffic had to be diverted. A policeman said afterwards, "The woman was lucky. She could have been killed." What do you know about the Grand Canal Road? A. An accident happened there and the traffic was diverted. B. The surface of the road needed repairing for two weeks. C. The road was blocked for an hour after a traffic accident. D. Another road was open for the drivers during the road repairs. Answer: B. The surface of the road needed repairing for two weeks. All Ric O Barry wants is to stop the dolphinkilling, so he is headed to this seaside Japanese town, Taiji.The American activist, who is the star of a new awardwinning documentary that portrays the dolphinkilling here, got an unwelcome reception when he showed up here this week for the start of the annual hunt. His movie, The Cove , directed by National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, was released in the United States a month ago but has not yet to come out in Japan. Scenes in the film, some of which were shot secretly, show fishermen banging on metal poles stuck in the water to create a wall of sound that scares the dolphins-- which have supersensitive sonar --and sends them fleeing into a cove. There, the fishermen sometimes pick a few to be sold for aquarium shows, for as much as $150,000. They kill the others, spearing the animals repeatedly until the water turns red. The meat from one dolphin is worth about 50,000 yen, and is sold at supermarkets across Japan. Greenpeace and other groups have tried to stop the hunt for years.Activists hope The Cove will bring the issue to more people internationally--and eventually in Japan. Already,the Australian town of Broome dropped its 28year sistercity relationship with Taiji last month,partly because of the movie. "Some regions have a tradition of eating dolphin meat," said fisheries official Toshinori Uoya. "Dolphinkilling may be negative for our international image, but it is not something orders can stop." The town government in Taiji--which has made whales and dolphins its trademark--refused to comment about The Cove, or the growing international criticism against dolphinkilling. Many in Taiji take the dolphin hunt for granted as part of everyday life. They are _ about The Cove,seeing themselves as powerless victims of overseas pressure to end a simple and honest way of making a living. Ric O Barry made The Cove because he wanted to _ . A. stop the dolphinkilling B. win an international award C. support Greenpeace's efforts D. make Taiji wellknown in the world Answer: A. stop the dolphinkilling When US student Olivia Priedeman, 17, woke up one morning, she thought she had had a dream about making plans with a friend. But it wasn't a dream. Her phone showed that during the night, Priedeman had read a text message from her friend. She did it while she was fast asleep. Reading and sending text messages while asleep--called "sleep texting"--is an unusual sleep behaviour, similar to sleepwalking. It's also a growing concern among doctors: young people can't live without their cell phones. One in three teenagers sends more than 100 text messages a day, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. And at least four out of five teenagers said they sleep with their phone on or near their bed. Elizabeth Dowdell, a professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, has studied sleeping texting. She said that having a phone nearby all night is a big part of the problem. Andrew Stiehm, a sleep medicine expert with Allina Health in Minnesota, agrees. It's possible for the part of the brain that controls motor skills to wake up, while the part of the brain that controls memory and judgment may be still asleep. That's why some people can perform basic movements ---such as walking, talking, texting or even driving--while they're sleeping. Some of Dowdell's students said that they're disturbed by their nighttime texting behavior. But because sleep texting is _ , it's a difficult habit to break. Dowdell said she knows of some students who wear socks on their hands to keep themselves from texting. Marjorie Hogan, a doctor at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, suggests keeping all electronic devices outside the bedroom at certain times. What does doctor Hogan suggest people who sleep text do? A. Stop text during the daytime. B. Take some medicine to control the behaviour. C. Keep their phones out of their bedrooms while they sleep. D. Wear socks on their hands to stop themselves from texting. Answer: C. Keep their phones out of their bedrooms while they sleep. I get off the bus and walk a few blocks. I stop when I get to a garage-like place and walk to the metal door with brown paint. I turn the knob and walk in. A thousand eyes look at me as I take my place at the end of the long line. When I finally get up to the window, I hand the officer my ID. "I'm here to visit Mr C. Yes, I'm his daughter." I learn that line by heart. The officer hands me a piece of paper with my name as the visitor and my father's as the prisoner. It tells me which floor to go to. As I get on the elevator, a rush of excitement runs through me. Then I go to the eighth floor, look around and see the faces I see here every Sunday and Thursday. There he is. I stand on tiptoe to get a better view since I can hardly see him. He doesn't look like my father. He's got a beard now and he looks a lot weaker. He's the dad that I see through a window. My dad who is separated from the world. The only place he now knows is his room in the prison. When I look deep into his eyes, I see emptiness and pain. It's difficult to hear him through the thick glass and over everyone else who is trying to talk. We try to carry on a normal conversation about simple things including my day and what I'm doing in school, but we mostly talk about how we can't wait until he gets out. After an hour my time is up. We say our good-byes and love-yous. I get on the bus to go home. My favorite place is where my father is--prison. I know, how can prison be anyone's favorite place? But it is because my father is there. It'll no longer be my favorite place once he gets out, though--home will be. It can be inferred from the passage that the author's father is _ . A. working there for a long time B. just in prison for a short while C. still healthy and strong in prison D. seldom keeping in touch with people outside Answer: D. seldom keeping in touch with people outside Where do dogs come from? Gray wolves are their ancestors. Scientists are pretty consistent about that. And researchers have suggested that dogs' origins can date back to Europe, the Near East, Siberia and South China. Central Asia is the newest and best candidate, according to a large study of dogs from around the world. Laura M. Shannon and Adam R. Boyko at Cornell University, and an international group of other scientists, studied not only purebred dogs, but also street or village dogs. Dr. Shannon analyzed three different kinds of DNA, Dr. Boyko said, the first time this has been done for such a large and diverse group of dogs from 38 countries. And that led them to Central Asia as the place of origin for dogs in much the same way that genetic studies have located the origin of modern humans in East Africa. The analysis, Dr. Boyko said, pointed to Central Asia, as the place where "all the dogs alive today" come from. The data did not allow precise dating of the origin, he said, but showed it occurred at least 15,000 years ago. Greger Larson of Oxford University, who is leading a large international effort to analyze ancient DNA from fossilized bones, said he was impressed by the study. "It's really great to see not just the number of street dogs, but also the geographic breadth and the number of remote locations where the dogs were sampled," he said in an email. He also praised the sampling of different kinds of DNA and the analytic methods. Dr. Larson, who was not involved with the study, said he thought the Central Asia finding required further testing. He said he suspected that the origins of modern dogs were "extremely messy" and that no amount of sampling of living populations will be definitive. He said a combination of studies of modern and ancient DNA is necessary. According to the research on a large number of dogs, we can know _ . A. dogs mainly lived in Europe and the Far East B. dogs would like to live in Central Asia C. dogs' ancestors come from gray wolves D. the Near East has many gray wolves Answer: C. dogs' ancestors come from gray wolves
It's a goal for millions and millions of families every year----keep the Christmas spending within a certain amount, but can still afford the gifts that your loved ones will enjoy. Never has this concern been greater in recent years than right now. Even so, there are several things that you can do to help. Hit the sales. No one wants to get up at four o'clock in the morning and fight to get the best deal on Black Friday, and it's surely very tough to pick up the courage and get out there in the cold for a good deal, but sometimes----it can be well worth. Many retailers offer _ all through the day----and some even offer online Black Friday specials, so you may still be able to get a great deal on Black Friday. Pay close attention to advertisements. Once the Christmas shopping season is coming, retailers hungry for business will do just about whatever to get you in the store. Pay very close attention to weekly advertisements of sales among the major retailers and you may be lucky enough to find different prices for the same thing in different shops. Shop online. Some of us don't like running from store to store in order to get the best price on the perfect gift, and some of us don't like to go out in the cold at all----thankfully for us, we can do online shopping. The world of online shopping lets people visit all the major retailers as well as some specialty stores that could only be found on the Internet. Customers can find exactly what they are looking for, at the best possible price without ever having to leave the house. With traditional Christmas shopping consumers are sometimes limited to what's left in stock if they wait too long to get to a particular store. We can have more choices _ . Answer: on the Internet New York Hall of Science (NYHS) Founded in 1964, it is New York City's only hands-on science and technology center. Being an interactive science museum, it has the largest collection of hands-on science exhibits in New York City, exploring biology, chemistry and physics. The museum focuses on education for children aged 5 and up, with the aim of conveying the excitement and understanding of science and technology to children. Queens County Farm Museum (QCFM) The museum, dating back to 1697, is the only working historical farm in New York City. It is an actual farm and you can wander around the farm to see the fields and animals. It's a good chance for your kids to meet sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and cows! The museum sells feed for young hands who are willing to get licked by sheep and goats. The animals are friendly to visitors. The museum also offers many exciting hands-on programs, such as Apple Pressing Workshop, Honey Bee Alive and a lot more. American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) It is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. With a history of 143 years, the museum is well-known for its collections and exhibitions representing people and animals throughout the ages. One of the museum's great attractions is a series of fossil halls that include the must-see dinosaur wing. It also provides hands-on events for school groups of all ages on a variety of topics. Museum of the Moving Image (MMI) The museum originally opened in 1988 and reopened in January 2011 after a $ 67 million expansion. As the best media museum in New York City, it promotes public understanding and appreciation of the art, history, technique and technology of film, television and digital media. With a balance of hands-on activities and information, it can entertain and educate people of different ages. What can we learn about Queens County Farm Museum? Answer: It is an open-air museum. Watch for us on TV THIS summer, many Beijing middle school students had a different kind of vacation. Instead of hanging out with friends or traveling, they were training hard for the National Day celebration. To mark the special anniversary of China this year, the students performed a group dance in a big parade on Tian'anmen Square on October 1. Students were training from 7:30am to around 10:00am or from 4 pm to 6:30pm. It was to avoid the summer heat. They wore white hats, T-shirts and dark-blue trousers. The hats and T-shirts were printed with a red logo, the number '60". The first week of training was PE. Students practiced standing and squatting . Then they moved on to practice the group display. The use colored sheets in the shape of flowers as a prop . When we watch the parade on TV we will see them making colorful patterns with them. What do the students think of their unusual summer? "Sometimes we find it a bit tiring." says Lu Wenqi,13."But most of us think it's a great honor to take part in such an important celebration." Li Hui, 15, thinks the same as Lu. She says her classmates are seldom late for training. "It's a wonderful chance for us,' says Li. "When my parents were in college, they also took part in a national day celebration. Now it's my turn!" By Wang Min 21st Century Teens staff How long were the students training every day? Answer: two and a half hours The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has just published a report on new materials and has looked at the case of nanotechnology , which describes the science of the very small. Nanotechnology covers those man-made materials or objects that are about a thousand times smaller than the microtechnology we use, such as the silicon chips of computers. Nanotechnology gets its name from the nanometer, which is a billionth of a meter. There are about 600 consumer products already on the market that use nanotechnology. Nanomedicine is also being developed to fight cancer and other fatal diseases. The Royal Commission found no evidence of harm to health or the environment from nanomaterials, but this "absence of evidence" is not being taken as "evidence of absence". In other words, just because there are no apparent problems, this is not to say that here is no risk now or in the future. The commission is concerned about the pace at which we are inventing and adopting new nanomaterials, which could result in future problems that we are ill-equipped to understand or even find with current testing methods. One of the problems about nanotechnology is that when we make something very small out of a well known material, we may actually change the functionality of that material even if the chemical composition remains the same. Indeed, it is not the particle size that should concern us, but its functionality. Take gold, for example, which is a famously inert substance, and valuable because of it. It doesn't rust or corrode because it doesn't interact with water or oxygen. However, a particle of gold that is between 2 and 5 nanometers in diameter becomes highly reactive. This is not due to a change in chemical composition, but because of a change in the physical size of the gold particles. How can a change in size result in a change of function? One reason is to do with surface area. Nanoparticles have relatively a much bigger surface area. It is like comparing the surface area of a basketball with the total surface area of many pea-sized balls with the same weight of the single basketball. The pea-sized balls have a surface area many hundreds, indeed thousands of times bigger than the basketball, and this allows them to interact more easily with the environment. It is this increased interactivity that changes their functionality--and makes them potentially more dangerous to health or the environment. Which process explains that there might be risks in nanotechnology? Answer: expand surface area -increase interactivity - change functionality-cause possible dangers A calculation based on the chemical energy of gasoline shows that a car should be able to go 100 miles on a gallon of fuel. When the car was driven on a test track, the car only went 25 miles on a gallon of fuel. What accounts for most of the difference? Answer: the waste heat from the combustion of fuel in the engine
One day a woman spotted a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven and ragged. Passers-by wanted nothing to do with him. But the woman smiled. "Are you hungry?" she asked. The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly used to the finer things in life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. "No, " he answered sarcastically . "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away. "To his surprise, the woman continued standing. And her smile became even broader. "What are you doing, lady?" he asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. " Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" He asked. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" "See that cafeteria over there?" She asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold. " "Are you crazy, lady? I don't want to go in there!" Then the homeless felt strong hands lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good deal for you, Jack, "the officer answered. "Don't blow it. " Finally, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The woman turned to the officer, "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?" "Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice. " Then, she sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him. "Jack, do you remember me?" Old Jack searched her face. "I think so --I mean you do look familiar. " "I'm Penelope Eddy. I'm a little older perhaps, "she said. "In my younger days when you worked here, I came through that very door, cold and hungry. " "I was just out of college, "the woman continued. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally _ and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked down the streets, saw this place and came in to see if I could get something to eat. " Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. " "You made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen and you paid for it out of your own money. " "I got a job that very afternoon. Eventually I started my own business. "She pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to meet the personnel director of my company. I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office. " There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you, "he said. "Don't thank me. "the woman answered. "Thank the Universe. It led me to you. " ks5u Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer, "she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And thank you for the coffee. " She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you take sugar. That's black. " "Yes. I do. "the officer said. "But I don't need it now. I'm sure the coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar. " What is the BEST title for the passage? Answer: The Namib Desert in Africa is one of the driest places on earth.With half an inch of rain falling every year,humans call barely survive there for a week with no water.But the Namib beetle does just fine.It collects morning dew that condenses on its back. Inspired by this little creature,27--year--old Edward Linacre,a former student from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne,Australia,has designed a new"Airdrop" irrigation system which can pull water from even the driest desert air.His invention won the 2011 James Dyson Award,an international design award.Hopes are high that the system will be able to solve the problems of growing plants on dry land,according to the may Mail. Linacre studied the Namib beetle and found that it had hydrophilic skin on its back,which helped catch water molecules passing in the air.These water molecules accumulated into small drops of liquid water.He realized that as long as the air temperature was low enough,even the driest air contains water molecules that can be extracted . Following this principle,he designed the new system which works by pumping air through a network of underground pipes to cool it to the point at which water condenses.The water is then delivered directly to the roots of plants. According to the research,about 11.5 milliliters of water could be collected from every cubic meter of air in the driest desert.Further development could raise that number even higher . The idea of getting water from the air is not new.However,the Airdrop has certain advantages compared with its competitors.Similar systems often require great amounts of energy because they use refrigeration equipment to lower the temperature.But Airdrop simply uses the temperature difference between the air and the cool earth underground The new"Airdrop"irrigation system Answer: Dr. Julie Coulton, a British psychologist, focuses her research on the extraordinary function of the play in the physical and spiritual development of children and Martti Bergson from the University of Helsinki shows that playing outside, in the open air, contributes to a better development of the brain. Thus parents must encourage their children to spend as much time as possible in the open air, and at the same time, to ask schools and kindergartens to assure the small a playground outside. Recent statistics and studies show an alarming increase of the number of hours spent by children in front of the TV and the computer and a decrease of the time spent outside. As a consequence more and more children suffer from eye problems and have to wear glasses. Also the problem of fatness among children concerns many parents who don't know what to do anymore to make their children eat healthy and balanced. Children need a space where to develop their creativity mid parents should encourage them all the time. Too many rules hold back the child's personality and creativity and prevent them to develop the desire to know, to find out, to learn. If you tell your child so many times: "Don't do that, don't mess the room, don't go there ...", he will lose the desire to do something, anything. Parents must watch their children without suffocating them. Should you consider they mustn't do that or this, you have to logically explain them your reasons and they will understand. Through playing a child learns how to communicate, how to take decisions. Playing is connected to the intellectual, emotional and social progress of the child. Playing lets your children learn how to express his feelings. Children who watch TV or surf the Internet too much may suffer all the following EXCEPT . Answer: A portable lung which could help those with breathing problems lead a normal life is being developed by scientists. The Swansea University scientists say it could take many years before the device , the size of a spectacle box , is available . Lung patients , who have seen how it would work , have welcomed the research. Its research suggests that one person in every seven in the UK is affected by lung disease---- this equates to approximately 8 million people. As of 6 March 2009, 217 people were on the waiting list for a lung transplant according to figures by NHS Blood and Transplant . Now scientists in Swansea are developing a portable artificial lung which could transform the lives of patients . Researchers claim that in the long term the device could offer an alternative to lung transplant , giving hope to those who suffer from conditions such as emphysema and cystic fibrosis. The device mimics the function of a lung---by getting oxygen into and carbon dioxide out of the blood stream . Professor Bill Johns came up with the idea after his son died of Cystic Fibrosis . It is important that we make something that will help people , who instead of being confined to a wheelchair with an oxygen bottle , can actually walk around and do things for themselves , he said. Although the research has been welcomed by leading charities , caution has also been voiced over the length of time it will take before a portable lung will become available . "We have to stress that this is several years away from being used , even in a trial stage," said Chris Mulholland , head of the British Lung Foundation. Patient Elizabeth Spence from Swansea has been refused the double lung transplant she needs but remains hopeful that one day the new device could save her . " My body will reject the lungs , so this possibly could be an answer--- another way of getting new lungs without actually having the transplant," she said. Which edition can you probably find the passage ? Answer: It is six o'clock in the morning. You are asleep in my left arm and I am learning the art of one-handed typing. Your mother, more tired yet more happy than I've ever known her, is sound asleep in the room next door. When you're older we'll tell you that you were born in Hong Kong in the lunar year of the pig. "It's a boy, so lucky," our neighbours told us. They said you were the first baby to be born in the block this year. This, they told us, was good Feng Shui, in other words, a positive sign. Naturally your mother and I were only too happy to believe that. Your coming has turned me upside down and inside out. I am pained by the memory of each suffering child I have come across on my journeys as a journalist. To tell you the truth, it's nearly too much for me to even think of the children being hurt and abused and killed. Last October, in Afghanistan, when you were growing inside your mother, I met Sharja, aged twelve, motherless, fatherless, guiding me through the grey ruins of her home. Everything was gone, she told me. There is another memory of Rwanda, and the churchyard where I found a mother and her three young children huddled together where they'd been beaten to death. The children had died holding on to their mother. Daniel, these memories explain some of the protectiveness I feel for you, and the occasional moments of blind terror when I imagine anything bad happening to you. We can see that this text is written to _ . Answer:
Rooster Morris is an author, entertainer, storyteller, musician, and composer. He has performed for over 4.5 million students in elementary schools, public libraries and museums. Rooster shares with the audience some of the stories in children's books. Kids walk away from his performances, believing they can write, draw, perform, sing, or play a musical instrument. Most importantly, students walk away, believing reading will open the doors to every opportunity in life. Everyone knows authors write books, but how many students actually have the opportunity to watch a published author read from their books? When a student has the advantage of meeting an author and has the opportunity to ask questions, they realize authors are people from far-away places. Rooster points out these misunderstandings and explains how he started writing. Rooster talks of habits being one of the most important things in a person's life. If people develop good habits, they will achieve their goals and be ready for anything. Rooster talks about how he wanted to play the fiddle when he was a young boy. He learns to make a habit of practicing the fundamentals. Rooster shows the kids the pay-off -- he plays a song in front of the audience and brings the excitement to a new level. Rooster will educate and entertain the audience. Many students begin writing after having seen Rooster's program. When children hear someone they admire say, "You can do anything if you want to do it," it motivates them into action. Laid-Back West, Inc. has been booking authors for schools for over 13 years. We know the value of a successful author visit and can invite Rooster and other authors to visit your school. Rooster talks about how he learnt to play the fiddle in order to prove that _ . Answer: forming good habits is important Which of the following has the least momentum? Answer: a 1 kg mass with a 100 m/s velocity A man walks into a doctor's office. He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. "What's the matter with me?" he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, "You're not eating properly." This is a popular joke among British schoolchildren. It reflects Britain's famous _ and satirical way of seeing the funny side of life. This unique sense of humor is often cited as one of Britain's defining national characteristics. "The famous British sense of humor has long been our most cherished national characteristic," says the British journalist Leo Mckinstry. "We have valued it above historic military victories and great works of literature, above our rich scenic landscape and our talent for invention." The British sense of humor differs from other countries because it is generally more negative. When it comes to making the British laugh, there is nothing more effective than a socially inappropriate joke. Popular British comedy shows such as Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and The office are full of sarcasm , teasing and self-deprecation . It reflects the culture where mocking, moaning and ridicule is part of everyday life. While most Britons don't take these jokes too seriously, foreigners are often puzzled by them. A recent survey found that most foreigners who visited Britain found that the British are "arrogant, unfriendly and have almost no sense of humor". Do foreigners not understand British humor or are the British just not as funny as they think they are? Mckinstry certainly thinks the British are funny. "Accusing the British of having no sense of humor is like telling Rolls-Royce that its cars are down-market." he says. What does the doctor actually mean by the remark, "You're not eating properly"? Answer: You don't eat the way people usually do. Shower Radio -- Warranty and Directions Introduction Before using the radio, please read all directions, and put warranty information in a safe place. You may need to refer to the warranty information later. Warranty The radio is warranted for one year. If it fails to work because of problems of materials, please return it to the address on the warranty card. We will not pay shipping costs for returning the radio. We will either repair or replace the radio. At least four weeks is needed to examine the problem and repair the radio. If you have not heard from us within six weeks, call our customer service department at 1-800-123-4567. Radios that are returned not for problems of materials will pay service fee and the cost of the repairs. Customers will be informed of the charge by postcard. Radios will not be returned until these fees are paid. Directions The radio is designed and built to operate well in a damp environment. To Operate the Radio 1. Put two AA batteries following the introduction. 2. Turn the POWER dial in a clockwise direction until it clicks. 3. Press the station selector button for your desired station. The station's call number will be visible on the digital screen. 4. To switch between AM or FM stations, move the AM/FM switch. To Operate the Timer 1. Each time the Timer Set button is pressed, five minutes will be put on the timer. The amount of time on the timer will be visible for five seconds on the digital screen. 2. When the timer doesn't work, a sound will be given off. The timer may be reset again after one minute. Troubleshooting Before returning the radio for service, please check the following items: Problem: Radio cannot be heard. 1. Check batteries. 2. Check Power/Volume Control. Problem: Timer does not work. 1. Check batteries 2. Follow directions for setting timer. 3. Turn the power control on. 4. Adjust the volume control. If you don't receive a repaired radio in six weeks, you can _ . Answer: make a phone call Everyone tries to get to school on time. But when bad weather gives you trouble, can you still make it before the bell rings? In northern China during spring, big sandstorms often make trouble for students and everyone else. When the sky is dark with sand, buses and cars all move much more slowly. Sometimes, people can't even see for 20 metres. Sandstorms usually happen in spring. This year, sandstorms started in late March. They have happened in more than 10 provinces in northern China this year. More than 70 million people have had problems in those places because of the sandstorms. People in southern China don't have to worry about this kind of bad weather. Most of the sand comes from Gansu and Inner Mongolia . In northern China, lots of places have few trees and don't get much rain. People there have been cutting down too many trees. When there aren't many trees, the ground can't keep enough water. Over the years, the ground dries up and turns to sand. When spring comes and the ice melts , the ground becomes looser . Strong winds take the loose sand into the sky. Sandstorms are bad for people's health. If people breathe too much sand, they could cough or have asthma . Sandstorms also give farmers lots of problems. Sometimes their sheep get lost in the storms and never get back home. The winds also tear down farmers' houses. What can you do to stop sandstorms? Here's an idea: Ask you parents to help you plant some trees this spring. If you see people cutting down too many trees, tell them about the dangers of sandstorms, and ask your government to stop them from cutting. In which season do sandstorms usually happen? Answer: In spring.
Alfred Nobel, a Swedish - born chemist, who died in 1896, at one time believed that his invention of explosives could bring wars to an end, But later he found he was wrong. Nobel was born in Sweden in 1833. With only one year of formal schooling, he became a chemist and inventor by age of 16. He was also a _ , speaking English, Russian, German and French besides Swedish. He wrote poetry . He began his work with producing liquid nitroglycerin for use in mining and construction. He then discovered that liquid nitroglycerin could be dried. He called it dynamite, after the Greek word dynamis, meaning "power". Then he became rich. When he died, his estate was worth about 89 million. Nobel never married, and he left most of his estate to those who have been known as Nobel Prizes. The money is invested and the interest is given out as yearly prizes for persons who have done something special for mankind in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, literature, and peace. Prizes were first awarded in 1901. Over the years, many great people such as Albert Einstein in physics, Marie Curie in chemistry, Martin Luther King, Jr. for peace and Mo yan for literature got the awards. Alfred Nobel believed _ . Answer: Plants are very important. This is because plants can make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals and man cannot make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals can get their food by eating plants and other animals. Man gets his food by eating plants and animals, too. So animals and man need plants to live. This is why there are so many plants around us. There are two kinds of plants: flowering plants and non-flowering plants. Almost all the trees around us are flowers and fruit. Non-flowering plants don't grow flowers. You can't see many non-flowering plants around you. If you look carefully at the plants around you, you'll find that there are many kinds of plants. Some plants are very big and some very small. Most of them are green. We can live on the earth because of the plants around us. Which of the following doesn't come from a plant? Answer: Animals make decisions based on Answer: People should be warned against using mobile phones outdoors in stormy weather because they may"be struck by lightning",according to doctors. Three experts have described how a teenage girl was struck by lightning while using her phone in a large London park.The girl,aged 15,recovered,but a year later was still wheelchair-bound and found to be suffering complex physical and emotional problems. The girl also had a perforate eardrum on the side where she had been holding the mobile phone.She was having general recovery in Northwick Park Hospital,Middlesex. Swinda Esprit,a senior house officer, said that while the brain and muscle damage was similar to that of many lightning victims--who can experience heart attacks on being struck--the ear problems were not. She said that the damages were particularly relevant for people who might be involved in less serious lightning incidents,who might otherwise recover, but would never get their full hearing back if struck while on the phone. "We were shocked by the damage,which is why we wanted to draw attention to it,"Dr Esprit said."A year on and she still was suffering these difficult hearing." They added that three other cases had been reported in newspapers in China,South Korea,and Malaysia.In the Malaysian case,a sales executive was killed by lightning while talking on his phone during a thunderstorm near Kuala Lumpur. "All these events resulted in death,"the doctors wrote."This rare phenomenon is a public health issue,and education is necessary to stress the risk." The Australian Lightning Protection Standard recommends that metallic objects,including cordless or mobile phones,should not be carried outdoors during thunderstorms.However, "the United States National Weather Service says on its website that both are safe to use "because there is no direct path between you and the lightening". Paul Taylor, of "the Met Office'',said the ear injuries were a consequence of mobile phones being metal,and not related to radio waves. Mr. Taylor said that mobile phones should be treated as another piece of metal,similar to carrying coins or wearing rings,and people need to be warned against the possible danger. The purpose in writing this passage is _ . Answer: Have you seen a historical film recently? Do you think it was accurate? Some say that there is no such thing as a historical film. In many cases, Hollywood film-makers simply change the facts. Just look at these supposedly "historical" films. 1. The Patriot The film was released in 2000 and was directed by Ronald Emmerish and starred Mel Gibson. It is set near Charleston, South Carolina, during the American Revolutionary War(1775--1783) and follows the story of Benjamin Martin and his fight for American freedom against the British. The film was criticized for inventing and exaggerating British cruelty. The most criticized scene was one showing the burning of a church containing people of the town, of which there is no historical record. Another historical inaccuracy was the description of American-owned slaves being freed to serve with the American forces. In reality, many slaves ran away from their American owners and fought with the British against the Americans. 2. Brave Heart The film(1995) starred Mel Gibson was directed by Toby Reisz. It is based on the life of Scottish national hero William Wallace and his fight against English rule in Scotland during the 13th century. The film includes an affair between William Wallace and Princess Isabella (based on Isabella of France). The film implies she is a mother-to-be when William Wallace will be killed. However, historically, the real Isabella was a child of nine still living in France at this time, never having met Wallace. The film also caused controversy because of its anti-English nature. Apparently, when the film was shown in Glasgow, there was a loud noise made by happy American audience. 3. U-571 This 2000 film was directed by Jonathan Mostow and starred Mathew MacConaughey, Havey Keitel and Jon Bon Jovi. It took place during the Second World War(1939--1945). In the film, a German submarine(warship underwater) is boarded in 1942 by American soldiers who made themselves up as Germans. They took away the German submarine's code-language machine, which, in the film, helps the Americans get many secret messages from Germany. However, the film was heavily criticized because it was actually the British who got the machine in May 1941 when they boarded U-110. The movie was also criticized for showing a scene where the U-boat sailors killed American sailors in the water after their ship sunk, which is, in 99% cases, impossible to happen. 4. The 300 Spartans The latest controversy surrounds the film The 300 Spartans. The film (directed by Zack Synder) tells the story of the battle between the Greeks and Persians in 480 BC. It is regarded as a key event in the birth of western democracy by some historians. In the film, 300 Spartans under the king fight against the enemies, 120,000 Persians led by Emperor Xerxes. The tiny Spartan forces repeatedly gain advantage over the invaders. These actions delays the Persians' attack and gives the Greek armies enough time to prepare for the defense of Athens. But the Iranians (modern-day Persians) aren't happy with the film. They say the film describes them as savage, killing-loving, and war-loving. As far as time is concerned, the war in _ broke out earliest. Answer:
Some dances gain more popularity than others because they can be performed to different kinds of music and the steps change accordingly. One such dance is waltz . There is a basic form for waltz, which you can see in this drawing of a dancing couple. The man places one arm around the woman's waist and she places her opposite hand on his shoulder. Then, they stretch their other arms out from their bodies and clasp hand. If someone tries to teach you a formal kind of dancing, chances are your teacher will start with the waltz. Have you ever tried to dance like this? There are lots of different kinds of waltz, all performed to different types of waltz music. The music might be fast or slow but what they all have is a regular one-two-three, one-two-three rhythm. The traditional form is the old-school waltz in which dancers turn all the time with a hopping , springy step. This waltz has a slow, smooth, gliding step. There's also the Mexican waltz, which moves much faster. Listen to this Mexican waltz music and you can imagine how fast the dancers had to move. Formal dancing has even become a profession, with people entering competitions. Have you ever seen a formal dance competition? Today, ballroom dancing is almost considered a competitive sport; professionals perform different dances, each with strict rules. Everything from where the dancers place their hands to how they move is judged. In the glide waltz, dancers are judged by how smoothly they move. " I can dance with a glass of water on my head," is a well known sentence used by skilled dancers in the old days. In the past, some people learned how to dance by reading books, while others studied with a teacher called the "dancing master." How do people learn to dance today? What is the author's purpose in writing the passage? A To tell us to learn waltz. B To tell us how to dance. C To tell us something about waltz. D To tell us the development of waltz. Answer: C A woman in blue jeans stood at the window of expensive shop. Though she hesitated for a moment, she finally went in and asked to see a dress that was in the window. The assistant who served her did not like the way she was dressed. Glancing at her scornfully , he told her the dress was sold. The woman walked out of the shop angrily and decided to punish the assistant the next day. She returned to the shop the following morning dressed in a fur coat, with a handbag in one hand and a long umbrella in the other. After searching out the rude assistant she asked for the same dress. Not realizing who she was, the assistant was eager to serve her this time. With great difficulty, he climbed into the shop window to get the dress. As soon as she saw it, the woman said she did not like it. She enjoy herself making the assistant bring almost everything in the window before finally buying the dress she had first asked for. What kind of man do you think he was? A He was eager to serve the women in fur coats. B He was a snob C He didn't love the women in jeans. D He was fond of rich ladies. Answer: B These are Cara and Ben. They are twins . They are twelve. This is their bedroom. It's a nice room. There are two beds in the room. The yellow bed is Cara's and that green one is Ben's. The twins have one desk and two chairs. The chairs look the same. Cara's sweater is on his bed. Ben's coat is on his chair. Their clock, books and pencil-boxes are on the desk. Their schoolbags are behind the chairs. Cara's sweater is _ . A on his bed B on Ben's bed C on the chair D on the desk Answer: A Email has brought the art of letter writing back to life, but some experts think the resulting spread of bad English does more harm than good. Email is a form of communication that is changing, for the worse, the way we write and use language, say some communication researchers. It is also changing the way we interact and build relationship. These are a few of the recently recognized features of email, say experts, which should cause individuals and organizations to rethink the way they use email. "Email has increased the spread of careless writing habits," says Naomi Baron, a professor of linguistics at an American university. She says the poor spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure of emails reflect a growing unconcern about the way we write. Baron argues that we shouldn't forgive and forget the poor writing often shown in email. "The more we use email and its tasteless writing, the more it becomes the normal way of writing," the professor says. Others say that despite its poor writing, email has finished what several generations of English teachers couldn't: it has made writing fashionable again. "Email is a critical new communication technology." says Ian Lancashire, a professor of English at Toronto University. "It fills the gap between spoken language and the formal methods of writing that existed before email. It is the purest form of written speech." Lancashire says email has the mysterious ability to get people who are usually scared by writing to get their thoughts flowing easily onto a blank screen. He says this is because of email's close similarity to speech. "It's like a circle of four or five people around a campfire," he says. Still, he accepts that this new-found freedom to express themselves often gets people into trouble. Emails sent in a day almost exceed the number of letters mailed in a year. But more people are recognizing the content of a typical email message is not often exact. In Lancashire's opinion, email is a wonderful technology because _ . A it can be useful all over the world B it is the fastest way to communicate C we can express ourselves in a free way D we can save a lot of paper Answer: C Early last Tuesday, six men carrying machine guns, a pistol and a hunting rifle got on a four--car electric " milk train" at the Dutch town of Assen. Shortly after it left Beilen, ten miles away, the terrorists stopped the train and seized the passenger as hostages. As police and Dutch soldiers ringed the train, another group of terrorists stuck in Amsterdam, forcing their way into the Indonesian consulate and taking 41 more hostages, including 16 children. By week's end the terrorists had murdered three people aboard the train, and four more had been wounded in the raid on the consulate. The kidnapping, and the subsequent cold--blooded murders, virtually rocked the Netherlands. While the Cabinet met in emergency sessions, television and radio station paused normal programming in favor of solemn music and news bulletins. The terrorists were Indonesians from the South Moluccan Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and they were demanding that the Dutch help them gain independence from the Jakarta regime. The twin acts of violence were not the first signs of South Molucca anger. Just before a 1970 visit to the Netherlands by Indonesia's President Suharto, they attacked the Indonesian embassy in the Hague, killing a Dutch policeman. Last week's kidnappings are two days before the Dutch Appeals Court was to trial 16 South Moluccan's who were implicated in a plot last April to kidnap Queen Juliana and other members of the Royal family. They planned to storm the palace at Soestdijk after attacking the gates with an armoured car . The Moluccan headache is a heritage of the old days of empire. A chain of islands at the eastern of the Indonesian archipelago, the Moluccas were once known as the Spice Islands. When the Netherlands gave up its East Indies colonies in 1949, the Moluccans wanted to set up a South Moluccan Republic, some 12,000 islanders were allowed to settle to the Netherlands. Their number swollen by Dutch--born children now reached 35,000. the young Moluccans here are demanding that the Dutch help them gain independence from the Jakarta regime. Why did television and radio stations pause normal programming? A The acts of violence shocked the whole country. B The terrorists destroyed necessary equipment. C the Cabinet needed to think quietly. D Their men were too sad to produce good program. Answer: A
Have you ever thought about why traveling is important? It may seem obvious, but a good trip introduces you to a "new world". Geography matters: where you are going plays a huge role in how you think. About six months after I moved to China, I got the chance to travel with a group of friends to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This trip was great fun: I got to swim, cycle and stay in tree houses in the jungle. But more importantly, this trip was meaningful. All of these three countries were bombed by the US military during the conflict with the North Vietnamese, the Vietnam War. As someone with strong anti-war opinions, I wanted to learn how the people of this area remember the war. I was not disappointed. When I was in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I got the chance to explore the Vietnam War Remnants Museum, which has the largest collection of anti-facts from the Vietnam War. One exhibit is especially memorable. It is full of photos and artwork showing the effects of Agent Orange, a chemical weapon used by the US military against the land and population of Vietnam. The aim of the Agent Orange campaign was to destroy plant life to make it more difficult for North Vietnamese fighters to hide behind trees. But ordinary Vietnamese were hurt the most. I had tears in my eyes as I looked around the exhibit. Ks5u Another time during our trip, my friends and I were arriving in a town in Cambodia on an overnight bus. As we got off the bus, taxi drivers came over offering rides. One of them asked me, "Where are you from, man?" I replied, "America!" And he said, "Ahh...the place where they make the bombs!" He laughed. I didn't. Ks5u Traveling offers perspective . There are few things more important than that. In what way did the writer think his trip to the three countries was meaningful? A. It brought him to a different part of the world. B. It taught him how people live in those countries. C. It made him think of what changes he should make in his life. D. It helped him see how people in other countries view American wars. Answer: D Every year, billions of kilograms of fresh produce are wasted in the United States. Meanwhile, millions of poor Americans go hungry, without access to healthy and affordable meals. Evan Lutz, CEO and founder of Hungry Harvest, was inspired to act after seeing extreme poverty in areas of Baltimore. Maryland. He wants to reduce the so-called food desert in that area. His work is to make sure to food goes to waste and no person is ever hungry in America. And he combines that goal with a love for business. Hungry Harvest is a business which collects and sells fruits and vegetables that most food companies will throw away. Everything doesn't grow the same way on a farm. But all that is too big or too small gets thrown out. That is why everything in a grocery store looks similar. Hungry Harvest will box those imperfect ones and deliver them to customers once a week. For every purchase, Hungry Harvest delivers healthy food to people in need. Hungry Harvest has recovered 300,000 pounds of produce to date and provided 100,000 pounds to those in need. Lutz established Hungry Harvest in 2014. Its success depends on team work. Every week on Monday or Tuesday they will decide what will go into the next week's box by calling up packing houses and wholesalers to see what they will normally throw away that week. They then place the order. The last step is to send goods to customers. In January 2016, Lutz appeared on the American business competition television show "Shark Tank" and got even more than he expected: $100,000. Lutz is using the money to expand. Actually, more than six billion pounds are wasted each year due to "ugly" surface. Hungry Harvest is on the way to saving more food from going to waste and feeding hungry families. Who will not benefit from Evan Lutz's business? A. Hungry Harvest B. Hungry families C. Fruit farmers D. Food companies Answer: C Everyone has got two personalities-the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control your behavior, but when you're asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, people frequently change their positions. The important position is the one that you go to sleep in. If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don't like to displease people. So you never express your real feelings. You're quite shy and you aren't quite sure of yourself. If you sleep on your stomach, you are a rather secretive person. You worry a lot and you're always easily upset. You always stick to your own opinions or judgment, but you don't raise your hopes too much. You usually live for today not tomorrow. This means that you enjoy having a good time. If you sleep curled up, you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and so you're often defensive. You're shy and you don't normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own. You're easily hurt. If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well--balanced personality. You know your strengths and weakness. You're usually careful. You believe in yourself. You sometimes feel anxious, but you don't often get sad. You always insist on what you think even if it makes people rather angry. Which of the following people, in the author's opinion, most likely have personalities opposite to each other ? A. The people sleeping on their stomachs and those sleeping on his backs. B. The people sleeping on their sides and those sleeping curled up. C. The people sleeping on their backs and those sleeping on their sides. D. The people sleeping curled up and those sleeping on their stomach. Answer: B Young people and older people do not always agree with each other. They sometimes have different ideas about living, working and playing. But in one special program in New York State, adults and teenagers live together in a friendly way. Each summer 200 teenagers and 50 adults live together for eight weeks as members of a special work group. Everyone works several hours each day. They do so not just to keep busy but to find meaning and enjoyment in work. Some teenagers work in the woods or on the farms near the village. Some learn to make things like tables and chairs and to build houses. The adults teach them these skills. There are several free hours each day. Weekends are free, too. During the free hours some of the teenagers learn photo-taking or painting. Others sit around and talk to sing. Each teenager chooses his own way to spend his free time. When people live together, rules are necessary. In this program the teenagers and the adults make the rules together. If someone breaks a rule, the problem goes before the whole group. They talk about it and ask, "Why did it happen? What should we do about it?" One of the teenagers has this to say about the experience: "You stop thinking only about yourself. You learn how to think about the group." Living together, _ . A. the teenagers have to obey the rules the adults made. B. the members don't have to obey the rules. C. the members are not allowed to break the rules they make together. D. the members have no free time except on weekends Answer: C Large population has caused many problems. For example, the traffic is very heavy in some big cities. During the last ten years, big cities like Beijing and Harbin were full of cars and buses. Now the streets are completely crowded and it's very difficult to drive a car along them. Drivers must stop at hundreds of traffic lights. What are our cities going to be like in the future? How can we solve the problem? There are some good ideas to reduce the use of private cars. In 1971, the officer in Rome began an interesting experiment: Passengers on the city buses didn't pay for their tickets. In Stockholm there was another experiment: People paid very little for a season ticket to travel on any bus, trolley bus and train all over the city. In many cities now some streets are closed to vehicles and _ are safe there. In London there is another experiment: Part of the streets is for buses only. So the buses can travel fast. There are no cars or taxis in front of them. , . The city of _ once experimented on a completely free bus service. A. London B. Paris C. Rome D. Stockholm Answer: C
A young man is sitting by the road eating something. A policeman is coming over. At once ,the man gets up quickly and runs down the road. The policeman runs after him. The man runs very fast. But the policeman runs faster. After a few minutes, the policeman catches him. 'Where are you going?' says the policeman. 'You must be a criminal if you run like that when you see a policeman.' 'No, no,' says the man, 'I'm not a criminal. I'm just too fat, you see. The doctor says to me that I must always run fast after eating.' 'I see,' says the policeman, 'You are running to help to lose some weight .' Why does the young man run? Answer: Helping your children to read and write at home will improve your children's skills and confidence -- it will also make them learn better in the classroom environment. Reading and writing skills are needed by every child in every subject in every year of their school life and outside school. As parents, you can play an important role in improving your children's literacy by practicing reading, writing, spelling and speaking with them outside school. By listening, asking questions, giving information, and reading with your children outside school -- you can make a difference. Students who improve their reading and writing will increase their vocabulary and their ability to use English correctly. Here's some advice on how to help your children to read, write and spell: * reading aloud each night * letting children take part in everyday conversations * listening to your children read * reading your children's writing * using a dictionary * encouraging your children to talk about funny things * trying not to ask questions that require "yes" or "no" answers * Practicing reading and writing by filling in forms, writing letters, sending cards or e-mails. ,. This passage is mainly written for _ . Answer: Wildwood School Library Guide This will offer you some information about our school library. You can use this guide to help your kids use our library. Service hours: 3:00 p.m.--5:30 p.m.on school days; 8:30 a.m.--11:00 a.M.on weekends On school days, your kids may borrow or return books during opening hours only when his classroom teacher allows him to.At the weekend, our library is open to both you and your kids. Borrowing: Each student can borrow one or two books at a time. More books can be borrowed only for class reading activities and school research. Returning: Books borrowed from the library can be kept for 15 school days. The books must be returned before the due date or the kid can not borrow other books. Damaged or Lost Books: When a book is returned in a damaged condition, the kid will have to pay three dollars for the damage. Full price must be paid if a book is lost. We encourage students to carry their library books in plastic bags to protect them from rainy weather. Please call us at 33621323 for more information. _ must be paid when a student loses the book he borrows. Answer: Plants, like animals, are subject to diseases of various kinds.It has been estimated that some 30,000 different diseases attack our economic plants; forty are known to attack corn, and about as many attack wheat.The results of unchecked plant disease are all too obvious in countries which have marginal food supplies.The problem will soon be more widespread as the population of the world increases at its frightening rate.Even in countries which are now amply fed by their agricultural products there could soon be the major crops; the resulting famines could kill millions of people, and the resulting hardship on other millions could cause political upheavals disastrous to the order of the world. Some plants have relative immunity to a great many diseases, while others have a susceptibility to them.A blight may be but a local infection easily controlled; on the other hand it can attack particular plants in a whole region or nation.An example is the blight which killed virtually every chestnut tree in North America.Another is the famous potato blight in Ireland in the last century.As a result of that, it was estimated that one million people died of starvation and related ailments. Plant pathologists have made remarkable strides in identifying the pathogens of the various diseases.Bacteria may invade a plant through an infestation of insect parasites carrying the pathogen.A plant can also be inoculated by man.Other diseases might be caused by fungus which attacks the plant in the form of a model or smut or rust.Frequently such a primary infection will weaken the plant so that a secondary infection may result form its lack of tolerance.The symptoms shown may cause an error in diagnosis, so that treatment may be directed toward bacteria which could be the result of a susceptibility caused by a primary virus infection. According to the passage, some plant diseases can _ . Answer: During my review for the medical boards, I gained 101 pounds in four months and promised to exercise when all of this was over. I successfully passed the medical boards and _ . One morning, I woke up and decided to go to a park to start working out. I got out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and put on my sports shoes. Then I headed for the park. While going there, I decided to set a goal for myself, that, I had to finish 10 rounds before I went home. Upon reaching the park, I joined the people in walking around the park. I was enjoying every step, breathing in fresh air, appreciating the green grass and looking at the dried leaves falling from the trees while listening to my iPod. On my 5th round, I felt tired, hungry and thirsty. I thought of giving it up, going home and sleeping again. As the idea battled in my mind, I was reminded about the goal I had set just a while ago. I kept on walking and as I looked around, I saw myself in the midst of men and women much older than me who continued to move on. Some even suffered from a stroke that had difficulty walking, some took on small steps with a cane on hand and some took on pauses before they continued their walk but still they kept on walking. Suddenly I realized that each of us has set our own goals in our lives, such as reaching a dream, building up a career, correcting a past mistake or starting a business. The process won't be easy. We may encounter a lot of difficulties and obstacles that may push us to just give up. Amazed by the men and women whom I walked with that morning, I finished my goal in the end. Let us be inspired with the people around us who experience the same or even a greater amount of difficulty but still don't give up and continue until they reach their goals and now are savoring their success. What inspired the author to finish 10 rounds that morning? Answer:
Question: My 6-year-old granddaughter Caitlin and I stopped at a shop for a chocolate cake. As we were going out of the door, a young teenage boy was coming in. The boy had no hair on the sides of his head and some blue hair on top. He held a skateboard under one arm and a basketball under the other. Caitlin, who was walking in front of me, stopped when she saw the teen. I thought she'd be scared of him. I was WRONG. She backed up against the door and opened it as wide as it would go. I walked to the other side and let the boy pass. He said: "Thank you very much." On our way to the car, I talked with Caitlin about holding open the door for the boy. I wanted to make sure whether she was troubled by his appearance. But the only thing Caitlin noticed about the teen was the fact that his arms were full. "He would have had a hard time to open the door." I saw the shaved head and the blue hair. She saw a person carrying something under each arm and walking toward a closed door. In the future, I hope to get on her level and raise my sights. What made Grandma feel uncomfortable? A. The skateboard under the teen's arm. B. The terrible taste of the chocolate cake. C. The strange appearance of the teen. D. The rude action of the teen. Answer: C Question: What does little birdie say, In her nest at peep of day? Let me fly, says little birdie, Mother, let me fly away, Birdie, rest a little longer, Till the little wings are stronger. So she rests a little longer, Then she flies away. What does little baby say, In her bed at peep of day? Baby says, like little birdie, Let me rise and fly away. Baby, sleep a little longer, Till the little limbs are stronger. If she sleeps a little longer, Baby too shall fly away. How do you understand the last sentence If she sleeps a little longer, Baby too shall fly away? A. If the baby sleeps for a long time, she can fly. B. The baby is too lazy, so she wants to sleep longer. C. The baby has a special ability to fly like a bird after she sleeps longer. D. You should get enough power and abilities before you do something. Answer: D Question: Below are some tips for women traveling alone. Exercise hotel safety There are many ways you can make a solo stay at a hotel safer. At cheek-in, you might consider asking for a room near the elevator so you won't need to walk down long, potentially ill-lit hallways to reach your room. When filling out guest registration forms, consider using your first initial instead of your name, and skip the" Mrs/Miss/Mr" check box. Additionally, make sure the clerk writes down your room number instead of saying it out loud. This will prevent anyone nearby from knowing where to find you later. Arrive during the day Arrive in new cities during the day. Areas around bus and train stations can be scary and/ojr deserted, and small towns tend to shut down early. Veteran solo traveler Mara Rothman of San Francisco notes that plenty of beautiful towns can appear mysterious at night, and locals who are genuinely trying to help you can appear unnecessarily threatening. Arriving during the day means you'll be able to find a place to stay and get to know where you are before dark. Keep your documents safe If you choose to wear a money belt, use it for storage and not as a purse. Constantly reaching under your shirt for money draws attention to it, and tends to defeat the purpose. Instead,keep your passport, extra stores of money, and other important documents well hidden, and use a bag or purse for carrying daily spending money. Dress appropriately To avoid attracting unwanted attention, dress as conservatively as the women you see around you. This doesn't necessarily mean wearing the traditional dress, as that can sometimes have the opposite result. A good rule of thumb is to dress modestly. Think knee-length or longer skirts. Bare arms, shoulders, and legs are considered risked in some countries, so do the research before you go and once you're there. Note which body parts the local women cover and do the same. Know when to make friends Traveling alone doesn't always mean being alone. There are plenty of situations in which seeking out company can make for a safer and more enjoyable experience. Smaller hotels and hostels are great places to find like- minded travelers to explore new places with. In some countries, there are women-only sections in trains and women's waiting rooms at train stations. Sticking close to families on public transportation and in unfamiliar public markets and bazaars is another technique some women use. Show confidence to a great extent Whether you're on a street at home or 7 ,000 miles away, walking confidently and with direction is an effective technique for deterring unwanted attention, since appearing lost or confused can make you weak and easily damaged. If you are lost,walk into a shop or restaurant and ask for directions there. Try to avoid obviously looking at maps while you're in the street. Study your route before you go, or find one of those wallet-sized maps that you can carefully palm and refer to secretly. Use common sense Using common sense is perhaps the single best tip for staying safe and having a good time while you,re traveling alone. This category includes the usual recommendations: don't walk around late at night , don't drink with strange men,don't ride in empty compartments on trains, don't compromise safety to save a few bucks on a hotel or transportation, and know how to use a pay phone. Which is the safest way for a woman when she gets lost along the way? A. Keeping the important documents well hidden. B. Looking at maps when she is in the street. C. Asking the way in a store or in a restaurant. D. Finding a place to stay and get her bearings before dark. Answer: C Question: It's seven thirty in the morning. The students are coming into the classroom. A girl is opening the windows. Some of the students are laughing and talking. Some others are listening to them. Some are reading books. Some are doing their homework. Miss Zhao is standing behind the teacher's desks. She is writing on the blackboard. Sue and Lily are wearing their new dresses today. Ann is cleaning her desk. Mike is helping her. They all look happy. What are Bill and Jim doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing basketball on the playground. Which of the following is Not right? A. Ann is cleaning her desk. B. Mike is helping Ann. C. Bill and Ann are still playing basketball. D. The students all look happy in the morning. Answer: C Question: At the beginning of the 20th century there was a big farm called Hollywood Ranch. It was near Los Angeles in California. A few years later Hollywood was one of the famous places in the world. From the 1910s to the 1950s Hollywood was the film center of the world. Every family knew the names of its film stars--Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman and hundreds more. The reason why people went to Hollywood to make films was the sun. At first,people made films in New York on the east coast of the United States. But then they heard about Los Angeles where there are 350 days of sun every year. As they made all the films by sunlight,the west coast was a much better place to make films. Also near Hollywood you can find mountains,sea and desert. They did not have to travel far to make any kind of film. When TV became popular, Hollywood started making films for television. Then in the 1970s they discovered people still went to the cinema to see big expensive films. After about thirty years they are still making films in Hollywood and people watch them all over the world. Which statement is true? A. The west coast was a better place to make films. B. There are no mountains near Hollywood. C. People no longer went to the cinema after television became popular. D. Hollywood began to make films for television after the World War I. Answer: A
Residents of Golestan Province in northern Iran have one of the highest rates of esophageal cancer in the world. They don't drink alcohol or smoke--the two primary risk factors for the disease in the west--but they do consume tea, nearly 1.2 liters per day, on average. So local researchers set out looking for a connection. They employed 300 esophageal cancer patients who were diagnosed in the eastern part of Golestan and matched them up with 571 healthy controls who shared their age, gender and place of residence. All but one of them drank tea, and they gave interviewers information about their tea consumption and brewing habits. Teaming up with investigators from the U.S., England, France and Sweden, the researchers calculated that people who said they drank "hot" tea (149 to 156 degrees Fahrenheit) were more than twice as likely to develop esophageal cancer as people who said they drank the beverage "warm" or "lukewarm" (less than 140 degrees). Those who said they took their tea "very hot" (at least 158 degrees) were more than eight times as likely to get esophageal cancer, according to the study, published online Thursday in the British Medical Journal. The scientists have now connected it with esophageal cancer. The problem doesn't appear to be the tea itself, but the temperature at which it is consumed, their study found. The researchers also asked people how long they waited to drink their tea after pouring it. Those who said they waited two to three minutes were nearly 2.5 times more likely to develop the cancer compared with people who said they waited at least four minutes. Impatient tea drinkers who waited less than two minutes were 5.4 times as likely to be diagnosed with esophageal cancer, the study found. The study didn't assess the mechanism linking hot tea to esophageal cancer, but the researchers said the temperature of the liquid was almost certainly to blame rather than the compounds in the tea itself. Which would be the best title for this passage? Answer: Temperature and Esophageal Cancer As we all know, the Dragon Boat Festival is our country's traditional festival, but do you know there is also a Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea, which also falls on May 5 of the luar calendar ? It has been reported that South Korea will apply to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) to make the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival its own intangible cultural heritage . If successful, people from other countries may see the Dragon Festival as a Korean creation. As the birthplace of the yearly event more than 2,000 years ago, China is not happy with the situation. "It would be a shame if another country successfully made a traditional Chinese festival part of its own cultural heritage ahead of China," said Zhou Heping, deputy culture minister. The Ministry of Culture is even thinking of making its own application to UNESCO, covering all traditional Chinese festivals, including the Dragon Boat event. It is thought that the festival is held in memory of the great poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), who lived in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu was known to be a patriot and admired by ordinary people. He is said to have jumped into Miluo River, because he had lost hope in his country's future. When people heard about Qu's death, they sailed up and down the river searching for his body. They also beat the drums to frighten away the fish and threw Zongzi into the water to stop the fish touching Qu. Dragon boat racing is said to come from this search for the poet's body. Over the years, the Dragon Boat Festival has spread throughout the world. In Japan and Viet Nam, as well as South Korea, the festival has mixed with and become part of the local culture. What is the purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival's being held? Answer: In memory of Qu Yuan My name is Frank. I am from St. John Middle School in America. I am in Class Three, Grade Seven. We study Chinese at school. Our Chinese teacher is Joy Black. He is not Chinese, but he is good at Chinese. I have a lot of friends in my school. Jimmy is tall and has black hair. He is good at playing basketball. He is in the school basketball team . May is short and she wears glasses. She is good at Maths. Sandra has long hair. She likes swimming. She is in the school swimming team. Maria is new here. She is from Hong Kong. She has black hair and big eyes. She is good at English and computers. Nick is tall. He has small eyes. He is funny. He plays football very well. , Joy Black teaches Frank _ . Answer: Chinese Postmen wanted English teachers wanted No experience nec essary but you must be Warm and patient college students. Hard--working. Able to speak standard English, good with children. Free to choose working hours. Time: on weekends Write to No.38 Changehong Rd...Xiangyang E--mail address: Sunshine--School@163.com Taxi drivers wanted Tour guides wanted Full--time taxi drivers. Over five years Two years 'working experience. experience, good knowledge of the city. Good English and good at talking to people. Under 45 years old. Age:20--30 Fore more information, please come to Shunda Go to Friendship Traveling Company to ask the Taxi Company to visit the manager. manager for more information If you want to be a postman,it's necessary for you to have _ . Answer: a driver's license Betty and I are best friends.Our birthdays are on the same day,so every year we have a birthday party together.But this year,we had a costume party instead. While we were writing the invitation,my mum came in and asked."Why not invite John?"John had been in our class for only a few months,but he was always getting better grades in math than anyone else in class.I wrinkled my nose and said,"Mum,he wears the same pants to school every day.How can he even afford a costume?"Mum said nothing.The next day,mum gave me an envelope with a shopping certificate in it."I thought it would be nice of you to give this to John,"Mum said.But how?We didn't want to make John embarrassed.We discussed it for a long time.Finally,Betty and I had a good idea. On the day of our party,kids arrived,dressed differently.John arrived,in an old sheet ,but still in the same brown pants as usual.We danced,ate snacks and played games in groups.Before eating the birthday cake,Betty said in a loud voice,"Now it's time for the great prize game.It's the following riddle..."It was a math game.None of us was surprised when John came up with the right answer first and walked off with the envelope. Everything went on well as we planned.John wore a new pair of pants and a new shirt the next week.He felt happy.So did we. When we helped others,we need to find a proper way,or we may hurt them in another way. John's family may be very _ according to the passage. Answer: poor
Films in Beijing Theater This Week HARRY POTTER (III) American film Director: Alfonso Cuaron Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson Time: From Monday to Wednesday, at 6:00 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=50 KUNGFU HUSTLE Chinese film Director: Zhou Xingchi Starring: Zhou Xingchi, Liang Xiaolong, Yuan Hua Time: From Wednesday to Friday, at 9:00 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=40 A WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES Chinese film Director: Feng Xiaogang Starring: Liu Dehua, Liu Ruoying, Ge You, Li Bingbing Time: From Friday to Sunday, at 6:30 p.m. Ticket Price:Y=40 (Half on Sunday for children) TROY American film Director: Wolfgang Peterson Starring: Julian Glover, Brian Cox, Nathan Jones, Adoni Maropis Time: From Tuesday to Saturday, at 9:30 a.m. Ticket Price:Y=30 If an adult with his child goes to Beijing Theater to watch A world Without Thieves on Sunday, they will spend _ on the film. Answer: Y=60 Although I had left school against the advice of my teacher, I had, without telling anyone, tried to continue my studies in literature at evening classes. It was a tiresome walk from one end of the city to another and to sit among adults was uninteresting. I was the youngest in the class, so the friendship I knew at school was absent, I put up with it for a short period. It was too long a walk on cold winter's nights and it was hard to put my heart into Shakespeare with wet shoes and trousers. So I continued reading books and started writing poetry at home. By chance, I won some prizes and rewards for literature. A young woman from a TV company came to the college one day. She wanted to make a short film about me, to which I said, "No, I couldn't do that." Not that I had any real excuse, I was just frightened. In the end she persuaded me that I should do it the following day. So I did. They made a short film of me reading one of my poems and I became more interested in literature than ever. I wondered what I should do after this, and decided some weeks later that I could not imagine myself spending the rest of my days dealing with machines. So one evening, I hesitatingly told my parents that I wanted to return to school. They wanted to know if I was sure, if I knew what it meant and whether I realized that if I gave up my job training, it would be very difficult to get a good job. But nothing could stop me, and they asked about the matter on future. The writer did NOT feel comfortable at the evening school because _ . Answer: all of the above Have you ever wondered what a Degree in your job or career? It means a lot of Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma . Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today's growing fields--without having to go to college full-time. With Harcourt, you study at home, in your spare time, so you don't have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking&Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering, and more! Your training includes everything you need! Books, lessons, learning aids-even professional-quality tools and equipment--everything you need to master your training and more ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition price you pay. Your education is nationally recognized! Nearly 2, 000 American companies-including General Electric, IBM, Mobile, General Motors, Ford, and many others--have used our training for their employees. If companies like these recognize the value of our training, you can be sure that employees in your area will, too! Earn your degree in as little as two years! Get a career diploma in just six months! The career of your dreams is closer than you think! Even if you have no experience before, you can get valuable job skills in today's hottest fields! Step-by-step lessons make learning easy. Prepare for promotions , pay raises, even start a business of your own! Send today for FREE information about Harcourt at home training! Simply fill in your name and address on the coupon above. Then write in the name and number of the one program you're most interested in, and mail it today. We'll rush your free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities. In the field you've chosen. Act today! Mail coupon today! Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www. Harcourt-learning.com E-mail: Harcourt@learning.com. People can get a Specialized Associate Degree by _ . Answer: studying in their spare time At the end of their season lumberjacks will seed a new Answer: track of land Humans may not have landed on Mars just yet, but that isn't stopping a European company from devising a plan to send four people to the Red Planet within the next few years. This project, called Mars One, aims to send a small group of people to Mars in 2022 and eventually establish a permanent colony on the planet. "Everything we need to go to Mars exists," said Mars One co-founder Bas Lansdorp in March 2014. "We have the rockets to send people to Mars, the equipment to land on Mars, the robots to prepare the settlement for humans. For a one-way mission, all the technology exists." Yet the four astronauts chosen for the trip will be stuck on Mars--forever. And despite Mars One's thorough planning, there are a number of challenges that may prevent the mission from ever taking place. The biggest road block could be the mission's huge cost ($6 billion). However, Lansdorp is confident that Mars One will be able to fund the project by selling the broadcast rights for the mission and subsequent experiences living on the planet. Those broadcast rights will also play a part in helping to select the people who will be sent to Mars. Lansdorp said the company will hold a selection process similar to a reality show. Lansdorp is expecting at least 1 million applications from people around the world. In addition to the cost, several other potential problems could inhibit the mission to Mars. "It's even more challenging to send people there with life support, with food, with air, with all the other things like books, entertainment, means of communication and of providing for their own resources for a long stay on Mars," said Adam Baker, senior lecturer in space engineering at Kingston University in London. "The size of the rockets you'd need to do this would be absolutely _ " Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage? Answer: Ready for a One-way Trip to Mars
Question: One afternoon, in Paris, I took a trip to an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet view of some great paintings of excellent artists. A young couple looking at the paintings in front of me were talking non-stop. I watched them a moment and decided she was doing all the talking. In fact, I was surprised at this man for putting up with her everlasting speech. Bored by their noise, I moved on. I met them several times as I moved through those rooms of art. Each time I heard her voice, I moved away at once. I was standing at the museum gift shop buying some cards when the couple walked to the exit . "He's a brave man," said the shop assistant. "Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age. But he and his wife come in whenever there's a new art show." It explained the non-stop talk! A sudden sense of shame came to my heart for what I was thinking just now. "But what does he get out of the art?" I asked. "His wife describes each painting so he can see it in his head." At that moment I realized what is patience, courage and love. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person who can't see and courage of a husband who would not allow blindness change his love towards art. And I felt the love shared by the two as I watched them walking away holding each other's hands. The passage mainly shows us _ . A. patience, courage and love B. how to watch paintings C. how art changed people's life D. a trip Answer: A Question: On this vivid planet, it appears color1ful with many world famous buildings. Among these largest artificial articles in the world, many were designed by the same architect--Ieoh Ming Pei. Pei, the 1983 Laureate of the Pritzker, Architecture Prize, is a founding partner of I. M. Pei & Partners based in New York City. He was born in China in 1917, the son of a banker. He came to the United States in 1935 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Graduate School of Design (M. Arch. 1946). From 1945 to 1948, Pei taught at Harvard. In 1948 he accepted the newly created post of director of Architecture at Webb & Knapp, Inc., and this association resulted in major architectural and planning projects in big cities. In 1958, he formed the partnership of I. M. Pei & Associates, which became I. M. Pei & Partners in 1966. The partnership received the 1968 Architectural Firm Award of The American Institute of Architects. Pei has designed over forty projects in the world, twenty of which have been award winners. His outstanding projects have included the East Building of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library near Boston; the Fragrant Hill Hotel near Beijing, China. Pei is now a member of the National Council on the Arts, and before served on the National Council on the Humanities. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is a member of the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a student, he was awarded the MIT Traveling Fellowship, at Harvard. He later won a lot of honors. In 1982, the deans of the architectural schools of America chose I. M. Pei as the best designer of significant non-residential structures. What would be the best title for the text? A. Ieoh Ming Pei's Life and Background B. A Famous Professor--Ieoh Ming Pei C. An Unusual Architect--Ieoh Ming Pei D. A Great Architect of Residential Structures Answer: C Question: The deadly earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 damaged two nuclear power stations. Officials are now working to prevent dangerous radiation from poisoning the air in the area surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The Japanese government has ordered people living within 12 and a half miles of the plant to , and asked those living 12 and a half to 20 miles away to stay indoors. Nuclear power plants create energy using a chemical reaction that produces large amounts of heat. Reactors in Japan have many long, thin rods, called fuel rods , which must be kept cool. If the reactor's fuel rods aren't cooled, the reaction can burn out of control. That's what happened at the two Japanese plants after the quake caused a power failure and the cooling systems malfunctioned . This overheating could cause radiation to escape and sicken many people. Japan's 54 nuclear reactors are built to withstand the many small or moderate earthquakes the country faces each year. But Friday's earthquake was one of the most severe earthquakes ever recorded. People exposed to unsafe levels of radiation have a higher than normal risk of getting cancer. The Japanese government has been distributing potassium iodide pills to people in the surrounding areas to protect those who may have come in contact with radiation from the power plant. The pills flood the body with healthy potassium iodide. The potassium iodide works to crowd out "bad" iodine in the body that may have been poisoned by radiation. On Tuesday morning, 750 workers left the Fukushima Daiichi plant. However, 50 workers stayed behind to use sweater to cool the fuel rods. These dedicated employees are risking their own lives to save many others. On Thursday, officials used helicopters, fire trucks, and water cannons to spray water on the reactors to cool the fuel rods. But it's not clear whether these efforts were successful. Officials are now working on a power line to restore electricity to the plant. They hope this will help restart the plant's cooling system and stop the fuel rods from leaking radiation. This text is most probably taken from _ . A. a research paper B. a newspaper report C. a class presentation D. a chemistry textbook Answer: B Question: Women wearing skirt suits are viewed as more successful than those wearing trouser suits, scientists have found. They are seen as the uniform of the high-flying career businesswoman, but it seems trouser suits are not the best way to make a good first impression . Research has shown women who wear skirts and jackets are considered as more confident, higher-earning and easier to adjust to society than those wearing a trouser suit. Scientists also found that opinions of others, based just on the clothes they are wearing, are formed within seconds of first meeting. So while trouser suits are linked with strong will and success, a skirt suit gives a better first impression.Professor Karen Pine, who co-led the research at the department of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, said, "We make very rapid judgments about people within the first few seconds of meeting based on their clothing. " "It was surprising that studies have suggested that women who dress in a more mannish style were seen as having greater professional status .The skirt suit seems to balance professionalism with attractiveness," added Pine. Researchers showed 306 volunteers a series of pictures of a man or a woman wearing suits before asking them to rate them on a number of personality traits . The facial features of the man and woman in the pictures had been covered so the volunteers were only making judgments about what they were wearing. The woman was rated more confident and: having a higher salary and easy to adjust to society when she was wearing skirt suits. We can infer from the text that _ . A. women wearing skirt suits will be more successful than men B. women wearing trouser suits won't be successful C. skirt suits will help women make it in hunting a job D. suits bring people more good luck. Answer: C Question: Dear Daughter, As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write to tell you all that is on my mind. First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are. Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period when you go from teacher taught to master inspired, after which you must become a self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn is of no practical use in real life, the learning skills you get will be something you will value forever. Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy, don't be bothered by what others think or say, but make up your own mind. Most importantly, make true friends and be happy. Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks, or even personalities. Start planning early what you'd like to do. Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat--this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you'll love it! So please treasure your college years -- make the best use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, and learn through your successes and challenges. May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you grow into just what you dream to be. Love Dad & Mom (Excerpt from Kai-Fu Lee's letter to his daughter) The purpose of the author in writing the letter is to tell his daughter to _ . A. smile to her trouble in life B. fight till she succeeds C. be confident and happy D. make the most of her college Answer: D
Rock stars and their money Around the world young people are spending unbelievable sums of money listening to rock music. Forbes reports that at least fifty rock stars have incomes between two million and six million dollars per year. "It doesn't make sense," says Johnny Mathis, one of the older music millionaires, who made a million dollars a year when he was popular in 1950s. "Performers aren't worth this kind of money. In fact, nobody is." But the rock stars' admirers seem to disagree. Those who love rock music spend about two billion dollars a year for records. They pay 150 million to see rock stars in person. Luck is a key word for explaining the success of many. In 1972 one of the luckiest was Kon Mclean, who wrote and sang "American Pie". Mclean writes his own music, so he earns an additional two cents on every single record of the song. Neil Young who performs in torn blue jeans, sometimes sings to an audience of 10,000, each of whom has paid five dollars for a ticket. After paying expenses, Young leaves with about $ 18,000 in his blue jeans at the end of an evening. How do the rock stars use their money? What do they do when the money starts pouring in like water? Most of the young stars simply show the money around. England's Elton John gave someone a $ 38,000 Rolls car and bought himself 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses, then lighted up and spelt :E-L-T-O-N. He also bought himself two cars, "one for each foot". Many rock stars live like Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane. Those performers return from a tour, pay their bills, and buy new toys. Then when they need money again, they do another tour. They save no money and live _ www.zxxk.com In the end the rock stars' life is unrewarding. After two or three years riches and fame are gone. Left with his memories and his tax problems, the lonely star spends his remaining years trying to attract strangers. New stars have arrived to take his place. This passage is mainly about _ Answer: the way rock stars live Anyone who has worn a cast knows that rebuilding muscle strength once the cast is removed can be difficult. Now researchers at the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) at Ohio University have found that the mind is _ in maintaining muscle strength following a long period of not moving and that mental imagination may be key in reducing the associated muscle loss. Strength is controlled by a number of factors----the most studied by far is skeletal muscle. However, the nervous system is also an important, though not fully understood, determining factor of strength and weakness. Brian C. Clark and colleagues set out to test how the system functions in strength development. They designed an experiment to measure changes in wrist muscle strength in three groups of healthy adults. Twenty-nine subjects wore a hard cast that extended from just below the elbow past the fingers, effectively preventing the hand and wrist from moving, for four weeks. Fifteen subjects who did not wear casts served as the control group. Of the 29 people wearing a hard cast, half were asked to regularly perform an exercise, imagining they were strongly contracting their wrist for five seconds and then resting for five seconds. This was repeated four times in a row followed by a one-minute break for a total of 13 rounds per session and five sessions per week. The other half performed no imagination exercises. At the end of the four-week experiment, both groups who wore casts had lost strength in their unmoving limbs when compared to the control group. But the group that performed imagination exercises lost 50% less strength than the non-imagination group. The nervous system's ability to fully make the muscle recover also returned more quickly in the imagination group compared to the non-imagination group. What can we learn from the experiment? Answer: The speed of non-imagination group's muscle recovery was slower. There are seven days in a week. They are Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Most children go toschool from Monday to Friday. Most people don't work on Saturday orSunday and most shops are closed in England on Saturday and Sunday. But in China shops are open every day. Sunday is always a holiday.Some people go to church on that day. The time between Fridayevening and Monday morning is the weekend. It is time for rest. Wedon't work all the time. We have to rest from time to time. We rest overthe weekend. There are _ people in most shops in England on Sunday. Answer: no What structure can be found in both a virus and a cell? Answer: nucleic acid chain What to do if a fire starts? Imagine it's late at night. You hear the smoke detectors go off. You smell smoke when you wake up. Do you know what to do? If a fire starts in your home, remember your escape plan and leave as quickly as possible. Keep the following things in mind to make a safe escape. * Call"Fire!"to warn everyone in your family. * If you know where the fire is, close as many doors as possible between you and the fire. * If you're in bed, roll out of bed and onto the floor. Crawl on the floor next to a wall. Being near the ground makes it easier to breathe. If possible, cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth. * Feel the entire surface of a door before you open it. If the door is warm or hot, do not open it. The fire is probably right outside your room. Find another way to leave the room. If the door is cool, open it a little. * Look out and try to see the fire. If it is safe, leave the room. Remember to stay on the floor. * If your clothes catch fire, stop immediately. Drop to the ground and roll. Remember:Stop, drop and roll. * Call the fire department from outside and wait for help to arrive. What is the first thing you should do if a fire starts in your home? Answer: Call"Fire"to warn your family members.
A habit is any action that we have performed so often that it becomes something we do almost without thinking. Some of them are thought to be bad habits. People spend countless hours and dollars each year trying to drop these bad habits but often fail. Why? Change is hard work and _ . However, there is still some advice for you to follow. First, look at why you do it. In other words, what's the result of doing this thing? If your bad habit is shouting at people when you are unhappy or under pressure, what do you get from it? It may make you feel a little better for the moment. Or maybe you have a bad habit of leaving your homework undone. The result could be that you get more time to spend on the Internet! Next, take a look on the other hand. What are you losing because of your habit? Shouting at other people is a bad habit because it makes people around you feel bad and unhappy. Leaving your homework undone is a bad habit because you may be punished by your teacher. Having more Internet time means that you are losing the chance to learn the things that you need to learn. When you think that way, you'll find that it's not wise to keep your bad habit! Now it is time to make a decision. What will you choose? I'm sure you will choose to do what you think is more important. According to the passage, if you want to drop your habits, you have to _ . Answer: As we all know, children are our future, and it's up to us to arm them with the tools to succeed. Sadly, today's children are sometimes being armed with more dangerous tools like weapons, drugs and gangs in the USA. Once a relatively peaceful environment, many schoolyards of today are becoming unsafe for both students and teachers. Home schools are available to give you choices. Home schooling provides top-quality education, flexibility and freedom to create your own schedule. At Sunny Home School we believe the choice should be yours. Thanks to modern technology, home schooling information is becoming readily available across the nation. A recent study by the ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) and TAP (Tests of Achievement and Proficiency) shows us that students of home schools do particularly well when compared with the nationwide average. In every subject at every grade level, students of home schooling scored obviously higher than those in public and private schools. If you're new to home schooling, you may be asking yourself, "Will home schools really work for my children?" Fact: A nationwide study using a random selection of 1,516 families found students of home schooling to be scoring, on average, at or above the 80thpercentile (80) in all areas, on standardized achievement test. (Note: The national average on standardized achievement test is the 50thpercentile.) Collectively, the staff at Sunny Home School brings 65 years of experience in home schooling curriculum. We've placed students in the top 2% of the nation in math and many are successfully moving on to college. One study found that of the home schooled students, 94% said home education prepared them to be independent persons. For more home schooling information, call us today toll free at (1800)542-8668. The purpose of the passage above is _ . Answer: Jack London had endured more hardships by the age of twenty-one than most people experience in a lifetime. His struggles developed in him sympathy for the working class and a lasting dislike of hard work and provided inspiration for his career as a writer. London grew up in San Francisco in extreme poverty. At an early age, he left school and supported himself through a succession of un skilled jobs ----working as a paper boy, in bowling alleys, on ice wagons, and in canneries and mills. Despite working long hours at these jobs, London was able to read constantly, borrowing travel and adventure books from the library. The books London read inspired him to travel, and his job experiences led him to become active in fighting for the fights of workers. He sailed to Japan on a journey aiming at catching seals and joined a cross-country protest march with a group of unemployed workers. After being arrested for vagrancy near Buffalo, New York, London decided to educate himself and reshape his life. He quickly completed high school and entered the University of California. After only one term, however, the appeal of fortune and adventure proved uncontrollable. London gave up his studies and traveled to the Alaskan Yukon in 1897 in search of gold. Jack London was among the first of these miners. He may have searched for more than gold, however. London once commented, " True, the new region was mostly poor; but its several hundred thousand square miles of coldness at least gave breathing space to those who else would have choked at home." Although he was unsuccessful as a miner, London's experiences in Alaska taught him about the human desire for wealth and power and about humankind's inability to control the forces of nature. While in Alaska, London also absorbed memories and stories that would make him known one hundred years later. Once back in California, London became determined to earn a living as a writer. He rented a typewriter and worked up to fifteen hours a day, spinning his Alaskan adventures into short stories and novels. According to legend, London's piles of rejection slips from publishers grew to five feet in height! Even so, London preserved. In 1903, he earned national fame when he published the popular novelThe Call of the Wild. He soon became the highest paid and most industrious writer in the country. During his career, he produced more than fifty books and earned more than a million dollars. Several of his novels, includingThe Call of the Wild(1903),the Sea-Wolf(1904),the White Fang(1906),have become American classics. In fact, he was a creative writer whose fiction explored several regions and their cultures: the Yukon, California, Hawaii, and the Solomon Islands. He experimented with many literary forms, from traditional love stories and dystopias to science fantasy. His noted journalism included war communication, boxing stories, and the life of Molokai lepers . He was among the most influential figures of his day, who understood how to create a public persona and use the media to market his self-created image of poor-boy-turned-success. London's great passion was agriculture, and he was well on the way of creating a new model for spreading through his Beauty Ranch when he died of kidney disease at age 40. He left over fifty books of novels, stories, journalism, and essays, many of which have been translated and continue to be read around the world. His best works describe a person's struggle for survival against the powerful forces of nature. "To Build a Fire", for example, tells the story of a man's fight to survive the harsh cold of the Alaskan winter. What is TRUE about Jack London? Answer: Ethyl alcohol can be made by distilling and fermenting simple sugars from Answer: Do you want to visit Disney World? However, will you worry about your pet if you go to Disney World? To meet the needs of these people, a pet hotel has been built near the Disney World Resort in Florida. The new pet hotel is named Best Friends Pet Care Resort and it is mainly open to dogs and cats. It has an area of 4,645m2. About 270 dogs and 30 cats can be kept there at the same time. Besides dogs and cats, it can also provide services for birds, pigs and rabbits. However, it can't take care of snakes and turtles now. Best Friend Pet Care Resort is a very expensive hotel. There are several types of dog rooms, such as rooms with air-conditioners and VIP rooms. There is even a "private dog park". Owners can have a high-quality vacation with their dogs there. The cats are kept in the "Kitty City". The "Kitty City" is very comfortable and clean. Workers there will clean it once a day. Apart from having good equipment, Best Friends Pet Care Resort also have other plans to meet the psychological needs of pets. Workers play music to the pets, walk with them, play with them and even read stories to them before they go to bed. "We aim to make sure that pets will have a fun vacation here, just like their owners at Disney World," said the manager of the resort. How many kinds of animals can be kept in Best Friends Pet Care Resort? Answer:
Tim Berners-Lee is the man who wrote the software program that led to the foundation of the World Wide Web. Britain played an important part in developing the first generation of computers. The parents of Tim Berners-Lee both worked on one of the earliest commercial computers and talked about their work at home. As a child he would build models of computers from packing material. After graduating from Oxford University he went on to the real thing. In the 1980s, scientists were already communicating using a primitive version of e-mail. While working at a laboratory in Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee wrote a program, which let him store these messages. This gave him another idea: write a program that will let academics from across the world share information on a single place. In 1990 he wrote the HTTP and HTML programs which form the basis of the World Wide Web. The next year his programs were placed on to the Internet. Everyone was welcome to use them and improve them if they could. Programmers used this codes to work with different operating systems. New things like web browsers and search engines were developed. Between 1991 and 1994 the number of web pages rose from 10 to 100,000. In 1994 Tim Berners-Lee formed the newly formed World Wide Web consortium , or W3C. More than 200 leading companies and laboratories are represented by W3C. Together they make sure that everyone can share equally on the web. "The Web can help people to understand the way that others live and love. It helps us understand the humanity of people." he says. From the passage, we can infer that Tim Berners-Lee is . Hello, I'm Peter in the second grade. Now I have one thing to say: It's not easy being a kid. Being a kid might look like fun, but sometimes it's not fun at all. Yesterday I was playing outside with my friend. We were having a good time. But suddenly, my mother said, "Peter, it's time to come inside now. It's getting dark." When you're an adult, no one can tell you what to do or when to do it. When you are a kid, you have to get up early in the morning and go to school. At school, you have to study math, English, science and history. After school, you have to do your homework. When you are an adult, you do not have to go to school and you never have homework to do. When you are a kid, the older kids sometimes _ you. When I was walking home from school on Monday, Tom and Steve bothered me. Steve took my schoolbag and put it in a tree. It made me very mad. When you are an adult, no one can pick on you. When you are a kid, you have to go to bed early. On school nights, my mom asks me to go to bed at 9:00 pm. But I do have parents who love me, which is really great. So I think I like being a kid, even though it's not easy being a kid. ,. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Car Pollution Some cars do not run the way they should. Bad smoke from a car can get into the air. This bad smoke is called pollution. Pollution turns the air a gray color1. It is very dirty. It is not good for people to breathe this dirty air. To keep pollution down, the states tests cars every two years. This test checks to make sure the cars do not pollute the air. If a car does not pass the test, the owner cannot drive it the next year. Some car owners drive their cars even though they cannot pass the test. It is also very bad for the air. People want to find a way to get these cars off the road. So a state program was started that now seems to be helping. In this program the States buys cars that cannot pass the test or will help pay for repairs. This program has been helping people buy better cars or fix their old ones. It has also been helping to cut down on pollution. To meet the needs for the program, a car must be drivable and the owner must meet certain income restrictions . In order to get help from the program, a motorist must have a family income of no more than 185% of the national poverty guidelines . For a family of four, that would be no more than $32,653 each year. The state program that takes polluting cars off the road has just finished its first year, and people say it has been successful. For the past year, the state program has been buying cars that can't pass the test. Some car owners get as much as $1,000 for their old ones, while others receive as much as $500 for repairs. The cars bought by the States through the program are put out of use and sent to dismantlers . A car owner can get some money from the program if he / she has _ . I first went to Harrow in the summer term.The school had the biggest swimming pool I had ever seen.It was a good joke to come up behind a naked boy, and push him out the pool. I made quite a habit of this with boys of my own size or 1ess. 0ne day I saw a boy wrapped in a towel on the side of the poo1.He was no bigger than 1 was,so I thought him _ .Coming secretly behind,I pushed him in,holding on to his towel so that it would not get wet.1 was surprised to see an angry face come out from the water, and being of great strength making its way by face strokes to the shore.I fled,but didn't succeed.He overtook me,pulled me hard,and threw me into the deepest part of the poo1.I soon climbed out on the other side,and found myself surrounded by a crowd of younger boys."Do you know what you have done? " They said."It's Amery:heis in Grade Six.He is champion at gym.he has won his football award." 1 was frightened and felt ashamed.How could I tell his position when he was wrapped in a bath towel and so small.He didn't seem pleased at all.so I added in a most brilliant word."My father.who is a great man.is also small."At this be laughed,and after some general words about my rude behavior and how I had better be careful in the future,expressed all was over. The best title of the article is _ . When it comes to film, people usually favor good over evil, focus on the main characters and ignore the supporting characters. But when it comes to the Minions , these conventions go right out of the window. Originally comedic background characters in the Despicable Me series, these yellow pill-shaped screwballs have totally stolen the show. This summer the characters appeared in their own self-titled movie in theaters abroad, having the second biggest opening weekend of all time for an animated film, according to USA Today. Recently, McDonald's has been including Minion toys with kids' meals in some regions, causing loyal fans to go to the restaurant to collect them all. Related video games, clothing, toys and other merchandise are sweeping the world. The movie's huge popularity even surprised its writers. "We never knew the Minions were going to be so popular. It just became a force of nature," the film's co-writer, Cinco Paul, told the Los Angeles Times. So, what makes the banana-loving Minions a big hit? For many, the most attractive is obviously their cuteness. Their simple, graphic nature can easily transcend cultures and age groups. "Even children can draw them", Los Angeles Times reporter, Rebecca Keegan, wrote. But there's more than just cuteness. US entertainment website, HitFix, explains that their way of communicating makes the creatures infectious as well. They largely speak in nonsense words. But it seems everyone can understand them through their exaggerated movements and expressions. They desire nothing more than to serve their most despicable master, Felonious Gru. And this evil characteristic strikes a chord with humans. "Perhaps we love Minions because they remind us of ourselves," Huffington Post associate Web editor, Sara Boboltz, wrote. What has McDonald's done to attract customers?
Question: Peter is thirteen years old. He is in Grade Two this year. He likes playing football and watching football matches. And he often reads newspaper. He does his best to know where and when there is going to be a football match. Now Peter is having lunch. He is listening to the radio, too. He is very happy because there is going to be a nice football match on TV at four this afternoon. He wants to watch it very much. But he is going to have English and Chinese lessons. He thinks hard and finds a way. "Hello, Mrs. Black," Peter says to his teacher on the telephone. " Peter is ill in bed. He wants to ask for half a day's leave ." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," says Mrs. Black, "But who's that? " "It's my father, Mr. Black." Peter wants to ask for half a day's leave because _ . A. his father is ill in bed B. he wants to watch the football match C. he doesn't like to have English and Chinese lessons D. he is ill in bed Answer: B. he wants to watch the football match Question: Oprah Winfrey, the American media queen, is undoubtedly one of the most successful women in the world. She's the host and owner ofThe Oprah Winfrey Show, which continuingly wins high ratings, and the founder of Harpo Productions, which produces her television shows and movies. Certainly Winfrey feels right these days. Early on, however, _ . She stayed with her grandmother after birth and moved to Wisconsin to live with her mother at 6, and hence began the most difficult period in her life. They lived in the low-income community and her mother showed her less attention. Her classmates came from families with more money and she couldn't participate with them in a lot of activities. The young girl had held too much anger and pain inside and she rebelled. She repeatedly ran away from home and got into various troubles. During that time, she turned heavy smoker, became addicted to alcohol and drug and was sent to a juvenile detention home at the age of 13. Fed up, Oprah's mother sent her to Tennessee to live with her father. To a large extent, this man saved Oprah's life and helped pave the way for her success. She received a full scholarship to Tennessee State University where she majored in Speech and Performing Arts. After graduation, she landed a job as a news reader at a television station, where she did not do well at first. But she did not give up; instead, she worked harder. She put in long hours and prepared carefully before going on camera. Her hard work paid off: she moved up swiftly to news reader and reporter in Baltimore and was offered her own talk show in 1977. From then on, her career began to take off. Some people are handed money at birth and are nurtured into success; other people create their own success, and Oprah Winfrey definitely belongs to the latter. "There is no such thing as failure in my life," she concluded, "Life is a marathon. I think the ones who survive in life do it by hammering at it one day at a time." Well, by doing so, she won the game. Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage? A. Oprah Winfrey, from a problem girl to the American media queen. B. Oprah Winfrey, from a news reader to a marathon winner. C. Even famous people have a disgraceful past. D. All that glitters is not gold. Answer: A. Oprah Winfrey, from a problem girl to the American media queen. Question: After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe's hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15. Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: "Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. " (Regardless of your politics, you don't want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated--no trading disks, no on-line communication--or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?--as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system. In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened--an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike--on the artist's birthday. The much-feared M-day was _ . A. Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike B. Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated C. the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike D. the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday Answer: C. the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike Question: Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner, Lester Young, Holiday was a great influence on jazz and pop singing. Her voiced style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of controlling tempo . Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and direct approach to singing. Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, Clarence Halliday (Holiday), a musician, did not marry or live with her mother. Her mother had moved to Philadelphia when thirteen, after being driven away from her parents' home in Sandtown-Winchester, Baltimore for becoming pregnant. With no support from her own parents, Holiday's mother arranged for the young Holiday to stay with her older married half sister, Eva Miller, who lived in Baltimore. During her final period of separation from her mother, Holiday began to perform the songs she learned while working in the brothel . By early 1929, Holiday joined her mother in Harlem. Their landlady was a sharply dressed woman named Florence Williams, who ran a brothel at 151 West 140th Street. In order to live, Holiday and her mother had to work there. Holiday had not yet turned fourteen at that time. On May 2, 1929, the house was raided , and Holiday and her mother were sent to prison. After spending some time in a workhouse, her mother was released in July, followed by Holiday in October, at the age of 14. She co-wrote a few songs, and several of them have become jazz standards, notably God Bless the Child, Don't Explain, and Lady Sings the Blues. She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including Easy Living and Strange Fruit. Her early career is hard to track down exactly. But, she later gained work singing in local jazz clubs before being spotted by a talent scout , John Hammond, in 1933, aged 18. Her voice and recordings are loved for the depth of emotion and intensity she could bring to classic standards. Her range of voice was not the greatest, but, her extraordinary gravelly voice was soon to become very famous and influential. She was an important icon of the jazz era and influential in the development of jazz singing. In the late 1930s she began singing a civil rights song called Strange Fruit--a song which told the tale of a lynching of a black man in the deep south. It was very controversial for that period and it was not played on radios. It was recorded for Commodore records and she performed it many times over the next 20 years. In early 1959 she found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver. The doctor told her to stop drinking, which she did for a short time, but soon returned to heavy drinking. By May she had lost twenty pounds, friends Leonard Feather, Joe Glaser, and Allan Morrison tried to get her to check into to a hospital, she put them off. On May 31, 1959, Holiday was taken to Metropolitan Hospital in New York suffering from liver and heart disease. She was arrested for drug possession as she lay dying, and her hospital room was raided by authorities. Police officers were stationed at the door to her room. Holiday remained under police guard at the hospital until she died from cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959.Billie Holiday had difficult life experiences which influenced her attitude towards life. She experienced many violent relationships. She also became increasingly dependent on various drugs which contributed to her early death in 1959, aged just 44. Why was the song Strange Fruit limited on radios? A. It was about a cruel story. B. It concerned civil rights. C. It was recorded very badly. D. It was performed many times. Answer: B. It concerned civil rights. Question: A study by St. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents . Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University teamat built a home-assistance robot. "If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions," he said. To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St, Louis. One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog.The groups' respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits. After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks. "He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him," said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago. Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature.Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing , and blinking his lights. "AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him," said the study's author, Dr. William Banks, " He's an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling: of being personal, not just a robot. " The first time those who contacted with the robotic dog _ . A. accepted it immediately B. found it easy to interact with it C. were not quite comfortable with it D. were confused by its behavior Answer: C. were not quite comfortable with it
Deep sea animals like giant squid live Answer: Look and feel better in 30 days, guaranteed! Our proven workout system helps you reach your goals fast. Many Americans are overweight for lack of physical activity. Many are struggling to lose weight, but most give up just within days. If you've struggled with diets and workout routines, only to feel like you aren't getting anywhere, our gym is for you! Take a moment to read this page to find out what we can do for you. Let us help you Reach your fitness goals quickly and safely Work out in a comfortable environment Look and feel great Get the results you've been looking for Have you tried dieting and working out, only to be let down? Do you have trouble pulling yourself to the gym every day? Our program is designed for the "average Joe or Jane" to be able to lose weight and keep it off, with a combination of nutrition, motivation, and fitness. Our fitness method Our workout system will ensure that you lose weight and build muscles quickly and safely. We have developed a workout that targets all the right muscle groups, while at the same time burning unwanted fat. Our experienced trainers can help you with nutrition in between workouts to allow you to reach your goals faster. Nutrition is a big part of getting fit; don't overlook it! If working out on your own hasn't produced the type of results you want, that's why we're here. Join today! We charge $500 for each membership, but people who join our gym today can get a 20 percent discount. Those who join in the following week can get a 10 percent discount. For more information, please click here. From the text, we can learn that if you join the gym, _ . Answer: The film starts out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school shouting and killing people. This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives. Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival. The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999. The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house. The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone - - fun and friendly, or hard and lonely. In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano. But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens. "I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director . The film is named Elephantbecause _ . Answer: I can remember the day my father came home from the war. As he walked up the front path of our home, he saw Mum and me and he dropped the suitcase. I was only five years old so Dad made a fuss of me, then began making an even bigger fuss of my mother. This left me free to examine all the stuff lying around the broken suitcase, and I was quick to notice a newspaper advertisement displaying a new piano. When Dad saw me holding up the newspaper cutting, he smiled. "Yes, that's right," he said. "I bought your mum a piano for ten pounds down and two pounds a week." A few moments later, a horse pulled a cart with a piano on top. Soon we all stared at it in our small lounger room. Mum had never been close to a piano before, except at the kindergarten I attended, and she used to say how wonderful it would be if the teachers could teach her to play. After tea that night, Mum began to teach herself to play. She plinked the keys for about two hours and drove everybody in the street mad, until Dad gently said, "Enough is enough." From that day on, she would plink between doing the cooking and housework. Three months went by and Mum was now a skilled pianist, holding parties with all the neighbors gathering around to sing. Although we were poor, Mum felt like a princess and was delighted at all the attention she was receiving. At the height of Mum's happiness, I began to notice that Dad was looking increasingly worried. It turned out that since returning from the war, he'd been unable to find a job. Then, a few weeks later, I observed two men taking Mum's piano away. Mum sobbed in the kitchen. Suddenly, it all became clear to me: no job, no money, no piano. Dad finally got a job. Mum was happy again as if he'd just win the lottery . Dad had to study to qualify as an account. Every night after dinner he'd place a stack of books on the kitchen table and study late into the night. Mum didn't say much but I could tell she was proud of Dad. Two years later, Dad bought Mum another piano. This time he paid cash for it. What made the author's mum proud of his dad? Answer: When you get tired of homework, several minutes' walk in a nearby green park helps you relax at once. Or you may stand facing the lake or the seas. They will calm (not to be excited or nervous) you just like the green plants. Wonder why? Color is a key part of the answers. Since it is so, green and blue help make people feel more quiet and safe. All colors have special power. Scientists have found that many colors have specific effects on people's mind and feelings. Try an easy and interesting experiment and you'll see how color " _ " you sometimes. Wrap two boxes of the same size with colored paper, one red and the other white. Then weigh the two boxes with your hands. Which one is heavier? Most people will think that the red box is heavier, even though they weigh the same. Colors can affect learning. Scientists have found that students spend more time reading if they read information written in blue text. Blue helps most people calm down and think more. Clever uses of colors in daily life are to be seen everywhere. Hospitals and libraries seldom paint their walls, tables and desks red. They use light colors, like light blue or green. Red makes people excited while light colors help them relax. Haven't worked out how color affects your daily life? Start with your small room. Try to make some changes in it and you'll get to know how important color is! The reading mainly shows us _ . Answer:
Friedrich Dobl, a Yugoslav working in Germany, was fed up with traffic jams. At long weekends and holiday times when he wanted to get him quickly he always found himself behind hundreds of other cars moving slowly along the notorious foreign workers' route through Germany and Austria. How easy it all was for police and emergency services. A siren, a flashing light? And like magic everyone was out the way. Going home from work one night he passed a garage. And there in front of him was the answer to his problems. An old ambulance was for sale. The red cross had been removed. But not the flashing light, and the siren. He tried the light. It flashed magnificently. He tried the siren. That too sounded impressive. He bought the ambulance and opened up for himself a dream world of motoring. It began early in the morning, all his luggage in the back of the ambulance and motorway in Germany looking reasonably clear. Soon, as always, a long line of traffic appeared ahead. He switched on the flashing light and set off the siren. Cars swiftly slowed and pulled off the fast lane. Other cars stopped and drivers waved him ahead to an open road all his own. In record time he crossed the border into Austria. The big bluff was working. Police even waved him through the confusion caused by an accident. But then the Yugoslav made his big mistake. Until then he had only stopped for petrol. Now he was driving past a real accident, lights flashing , to late realize that it was not another traffic jam as he assumed. They stopped him, and after hearing the story of his ride across two countries fined him 12. 5 pounds. The red cross had been removed _ . At least once a month one of my little kind kids and I try to have a father and daughter date night. Last night we were out for diner together after doing some fun things. We talked about some of her kind activities she did at school for their 100 Acts of Kindness challenge her class had. It was great to listen to the little things she and her classmates did to spread kindness. Many times on our date night we try to do an act of our own, as she is often my sidekick on our kindness adventures. My later smile card is one about anonymously buying a stranger's meal so I asked Rachel if we should find someone in the restaurant and buy their dinner. She loved the idea so we chose an older couple sitting behind us. I had a few Smile Cards on me (as always!) so we separately told our server our plan. He was new and wasn't sure how to do it but said he would go and find out. When he dropped off the checks, she smiled at us and told us he would give them the Smile Cards and that the world needed more people like us. Rachel got the biggest smile on her face when he said that to her and I love that he helped remind her that kindness matters. My daughter normally likes to stay and watch the reactions of our kindness "victims" but we had to get going. When we got home she was so excited to tell her Mom about what we did. My wife told Rachel how nice that was and how it would spread many smiles with the server, his manager, the couple and anyone else they told about the experience. We love any ripple of kindness we can send out into the world and I'm sure we made the couple smile with that one last night! What do Father and Rachel do at least once a month? Which likely has an electrical conductor that sends sensation through an organism? Ms Tan,you've referred to your new novel as your eighth book. That's because it took me six or seven attempts at a second novel before I started and completed this one. Why do you think you had so many false starts? I would say that my reasons were wrong:I was trying to prove that I wasn't just a mother-daughter storyteller,or I was trying to prove that I didn't just have to write about things that were strictly Chinese or Chinese-American.Those were never the right reasons for writing those early stories.And I could never come up with other,better reasons for continuing them. What kept you going on this book? This book was different because it was based on my mother's real life.The reason for writing it became more personal and emotional.After The Joy Luck Club came out,my mother was always explaining to people that she wasn't any of the mothers in that book.And at one point she said to me,"Next book tells my true story."And then she started telling me things I never knew before.She also told me many,many stories,because my mother doesn't generalize.The book really grew out of that. Have you ever visited China? Yes.I've been there twice:about three years ago and then again last November,both times with my mother and my husband. Was it difficult to capture the Chinese-American dialect without sounding like a parody ? No,because it's the language I've heard all my life from my mother.She speaks English as it's direct translation from Chinese.But it's more than that:Her language also has more imagery than English. Can you think of an example? Somebody might say to me,"Don't work so hard.You'll kill yourself."My mother will say to me,"Why do you press all your brains out on this page for someone else?"So it's very vivid.That's the way she talks. Have many readers told you that the Chinese mother in your book reminded them of the typical Jewish mother? Many people have told me that.I think the mother-daughter relationship is very intense in both cases.Culturally there is an acceptance that mothers have the power to tell their children,especially their daughters,how to conduct their lives--not simply up until the time they are 18,but for the rest of their lives.However,when children grow up in a different culture from their parents',they tend to keep more secrets from their parents.The children think,"They just wouldn't understand that I had to do this."And that can really create a gap,and it can grow as the number of secrets grows. What's TRUE about Tan's second book? My nine-year-old daughter, Maria, is in Year Four. Every evening we get into homework battles . Three afternoons a week, she has activities(netball, singing) after school and by the time we get home early, we argue about whether she should do her homework right after school, or if she should have some time to rest and play first. When Maria at last sits down to do her homework, she seems to want me there helping all the time, I do want to help her, but I'm sure that she is going to need to be able to do it on her own. And in fact, most of the time, I have other things I need to be doing. It seems that children these days have much more homework than we did, and some of it is really beyond their abilities . As you can see, I'm really worried about homework and I really don't know what I should do. Any ideas? Maria want to _ first when she gets home early.
On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, "You're nervous and that's okay. Everyone is afraid of high school." I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends. On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn't figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be? I didn't think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it! The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right. Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out. With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging. Since then, I've been elected vice monitor of my class, which wasn't much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions. It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you participate in some outofclass activities because you'll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn't straight A's. Most important of all, be who you are, whether you're a "fool", an athlete, or a lower grader. Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. Now you know the true secrets of high school. After his first week at school, the author _ . A. was still not accustomed to the schedule B. gradually adjusted himself to the new school C. found high school not so challenging as he had imagined D. ran for monitor of his class against three other students Answer: B. gradually adjusted himself to the new school Most people know Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. But not many know about another talking device (equipment) he invented just four years later, in 1880. He called the device the photophone. "Photophone" comes form the Greek words for "light" and "sound". The photophone did not use electricity to carry sound over wires between two people. _ . Instead, the photophone used a beam of sunlight traveling through the air. With his invention, Bell could actually transmit human speech on a beam of light. To do so, he spoke close to a thin mirror that was reflecting sunlight. The vibrations of his voice caused the mirror to vibrate, and the vibrating mirror caused the light to vibrate. The vibrating light hit a light-sensitive cell in a receiver placed some distance away. The cell changed the light patterns into electrical signals. Earphones changed the signals back into sounds. Bell believed that his idea of talking on a beam of light would prove to be important. He often called the photophone his greatest invention. Even though the photophone depended on a source of energy that was not constant--the sun--Bell wasn't a bit discouraged. He felt sure that people would one day talk using beams of light. Two much more recent developments made Bell's dream come true. In 1960, a scientist built the laser. A laser produces a highly concentrated beam of light. Shortly afterward, other scientists developed a new kind of optical fiber. The optical fiber is a glass thread. The new fiber could carry light beams long distances--as far as several miles. This passage is mainly about _ . A. how to use light to carry sound B. what the telephone is C. what the photophone is D. how to use electricity to carry sound Answer: C. what the photophone is April Fool's Day , was a day of laughing and jokes. This day is kept in many countries, not only in Britain and the USA. This is a day to play jokes and make people laugh. Nobody knows when was the beginning of this custom. Some people connect it with the end of winter and the return of spring which make people merry and ready to play jokes. In Scotland young people were sent for hen's teeth or bird's milk and everybody laughed when they could find such things. In the USA and Britain some people could place a sign on a person's back with the words "push me!" Children often tell a grown-up that his sock is torn or he has something black on his face, and then shout "April Fool!" There is also the old purse trick. A purse is left lying in the street, but when someone wants to take it, it is quickly pulled back by a string which the hidden joker holds in his hand. Or the purse may be filled with stones. Sometimes invitations are sent to people, asking them to come and visit somebody, but when they come they see that nobody expects them. Some people like to telephone to the zoo on the day and ask for Mr. Fish, Miss Fox or Mrs. Cat. All these jokes are very old but still they make people laugh. The best title of the passage is _ . A. How people in the west spend their April Fool's Day B. Customs are different C. How British people celebrate their holidays D. How April Fool's Day comes about Answer: A. How people in the west spend their April Fool's Day Governments and health officials around the world continued to take steps Tuesday against the outbreak of swine flu that has killed scores of people in Mexico and spread to the U.S., Europe and possibly Asia. By early Tuesday, the swine flu outbreak in Mexico had caused in 152 deaths and more than 1,600 illnesses. So far, at least 113 cases have been proved worldwide, including 64 in the United States; six in Canada; 11 in New Zealand and two each in Spain the United Kingdom and Israel. None has yet resulted in death. The World Health Organization on Monday raised its alert level from three to four on its six-level scale. The move means the U.N. agency has determined that the virus can transmit from human to human. "In this age of global travel, where people move around in airplanes so quickly, there is no region to which this virus could not spread," said Fukuda, assistant director-general of the WHO. Governments around the world struggled to prevent further outbreak. Some, like China and Russia, banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico. U.S. President Barack Obama said the outbreak was a cause for concern, not for alarm. The government urged travelers to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. The latest WHO report listed only seven proved swine flu deaths in Mexico but it was not clear why there was the discrepency. Mexico City has closed all schools until at least May 6 to help curb(control) the spread of swine flu and ordered 35,00 public venues to close or serve only takeaway meals. In addition, bars, clubs, movie theaters, pool halls, gyms, sport centers and convention halls have been told to close until May 5. Armed police officers are also guarding hospitals in Mexico City while roads and schools in the city of 20 million people are deserted. Officials also have talked about shutting down the bus and subway systems. When learning the outbreak of swine flu, the WHO was _ . A. calm B. nervous C. shocked D. careful Answer: D. careful The sun had gone behind a cloud. I was very tired and wanted nothing in the world so much as to be at home. At last I got to the gate of Hide Park. But this was worse than ever; there were buses there--high and terribly red cars, taxis and still more buses in an endless line. Everywhere there were people hurrying past or waiting to get into the buses, while I stood lost in the middle of them. I was ready to cry. In despair, I crossed the street on to an "island", where I found a policeman. I took my last bit of courage in both hands and said, "Please, sir, where is Addison Road?" He began to explain, but when he saw that I couldn't understand he became helpless, too. "Are you French at school?" A few minutes later, he smiled and raised his hand. How wonderful! The traffic stopped. Even the red buses stood still and waited until I had crossed the road. In this passage "island" means _ . A. a piece of land surrounded by water B. a raised place in a busy street where people may be safe from traffic C. a safe place that can only be used by policemen D. a safe place that nobody can use without permission Answer: B. a raised place in a busy street where people may be safe from traffic
Question: We have a new house.It has blue windows and a red door.There is a big garden in front of the house.There are many flowers in it.They are red, yellow, pink and white.We have a dog and a cat now.The dog's name is Brownie.She is brown and yellow.The cat's name is Tabby.He is black and grey.They are lovely.Dad, Mum, Brownie, Tabby and I are a happy family. Is the garden big? A. No,It isn't B. Yes,It is C. It's small. D. I don't know. Answer: B Question: "Long time no see" is a very interesting sentence. When I first read this sentence from an American friend's email, I laughed. I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish. Obviously, it is a word-by-word literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting. I was too thrilled to believe her. Her words could not convince me at all. So I did a research on google.com. To my surprise, there are over 60 thousand web pages containing "Long time no see." This sentence has been widely used in emails, letters, newspapers, movies, books, or any other possible places. Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily. Ironically, if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word, the software will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected. Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence. Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan's movies. In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world wide famous Chinese detective named "Charlie Chan" on wide screens. Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius. "Long time no see" was his trademark. Soon after Charlie Chan, "Long time no see" became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies. Some scholars refer to America as a huge pot of stew. All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together, and they change the color and taste of each other. American Chinese, though a minority ethnic group in the United States, is also contributing some changes to the stew! Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew. You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese, such as pizza from Italian, susi from Japanese, and deja vu from French etc. There is a long list! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others. They will modify it and make it their own, so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant, or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store. Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays, I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future. In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor. According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true? A. Informal language sometimes doesn't go with grammar and structure. B. Languages are always ruled by grammar and structure. C. Long time no see" has been used in at least four media mentioned in the passage. D. There are four languages mentioned to be adopted in the American stew. Answer: B Question: "My dream has come true.I have always wanted to be a Grand Slam champion." These are the words of the Chinese tennis player Li Na after she became the first Asian woman to win the Australian Open final on Jan.25th.2014. "People were saying I'm getting old.So this is a great success for such an old woman." the 32-year-old girl joked. Miss Li has a tattoo . She has dyed her hair many different color1s.And, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she told her fans to "shut up" when they got too noisy in their support. Li Na was born in Wuhan.She started to play tennis at the age of 6.She once recalled: "As a child. I suffered a lot because every day I had to wake up early to practice.After school I had to practice more.I didn't have time to play." Luckily, the strong girl didn't give up. thus making history for Chinese tennis time after time.Now the new champion is already thinking about winning another Grand Slam title."When you have one title, surely you will think about another," she says. not hiding her ambition. "Chinese people are so lacking in confidence on the tennis court.If there is a person like me who can prove we Chinese can do it, the other young players in China will feel the same." she said. The passage mainly tells us _ . A. something about the tennis B. something about how to play tennis C. the Chinese people and the tennis D. the Grand Slam champion--Li Na Answer: D Question: Being beautiful means a lot to teenage girls. Once it did to me too. I was the vainest person in the world, but that all changed one December night. It was a Thursday, and I was getting ready for the wrestling tournament the following day. I was so excited; it was going to be my first tournament as a cheerleader. I walked past the mirror and stopped to check my appearance. I noticed my eyebrows were a little bushy, and that's when my vanity kicked in. The brows could be easily fixed with the waxing kit I had purchased. I put the jar of wax in the microwave. But instead of heating the wax for 30 seconds, I pressed too many zeros and heated it for three minutes. As I reached for the jar, I dropped it, spilling it all over myself. My mother came running when she heard my screams. The hot wax was rolling down my face and arm. My mom took a wet washcloth and tried to wash the wax off my face. This proved to be a bad idea, because the wax was honey based, and it pulled my skin off with the wax. The 15-mile drive to the emergency room seemed to take hours. When we finally arrived, the nurse didn't waste any time. They took me straight to a doctor and gave me extra-strength painkillers, so my mind was in confusion. The doctor explained how severe my burns really were: my arm was a combination of first-, second- and third-degree burns, and needed to stay bandaged. My face was first- and second-degree burns. If the wax had gotten any closer to my right eye, I would have lost my sight. I was covered in multi-colored "goop ", wrapped, and sent home to recover. I got up the next morning and the first thing I wanted to do was wash off the remaining wax. I unwrapped the bandages and "degooped", letting warm water gently remove the rest of the wax. The next step was to do a self-evaluation of the damage. I couldn't believe how horrible I looked. A horror-movie monster stared back at me from the mirror. All I could think was, my life is over. For someone as vain as me, this was very true. I thought I was going to be horribly disfigured for the rest of my life! All I could do was cry. My mom made it worse by forcing me to go out in public. She dragged me to the grocery store and wherever else she felt like taking me. Everywhere we went, people had a million questions, none of which I wanted to answer. Then my mom declared she was going to put me through even more torture--I had to go to school on Monday. School only led to more questions from more people. Now, two years later, my wounds have healed, leaving a few scars. I still feel self-conscious if I don't wear make-up, and I've discovered that three-quarter length sleeves are wonderful for covering the scars on my arm. After spending several months adjusting to this injury, I realized how vain I was. _ . It took this event to teach me that no matter how much you change on the outside, you're still the same person on the inside. The author develops her composition by _ . A. offering accurate facts B. giving contrast and comparison C. using logical arguments D. representing own experiences Answer: D Question: My name is Andrew.There are three people in my family--my father,my mother and I. My father is a bank clerk.And he works in a bank.He thinks it's a boring job.He wants to be a policeman.My mother is a teacher.She teaches Chinese.She thinks her job is very interesting.She works hard and often comes back home very late.In her free time,she likes writing stories for a magazine.I'm a student.I want to be a musician when I grow up. Who likes writing stories? A. Andrew. B. Andrew's father. C. Andrew's mother. D. We don't know. Answer: C
Question: My name is Lucy. I come from America. I am now in China. I study in Hangzhou Shulan Middle School. There are many clubs in our school. They are an English club, an art club, a music club, a ball game club, a swimming club, a chess club and a computer club. There is a "Show Yourselves !" Festival in our school every year. On that day, students from different clubs show their talents in different ways. They can sing English songs, draw and paint beautiful pictures. They can play the guitar, the violin, the piano, and the trumpets. They can also play chess and show us their swimming skills. They like the festival very much. I join the art club, and I paint the ads for them . Giving help makes me happy. Lucy is in the _ club. A. music B. English C. chess D. art Answer: D Question: If you are afraid of the dark,it's not a big deal.It's perfectly normal to feel afraid After all,animals do too. "Fear matters,"says Karen Warkentin,an ecologist."It's a good thing," she adds, "because fear makes you do things that keep you alive." Like kids,many animals experience fear and they respond to the feeling in variety of ways.A frightened turtle pulls its head and legs inside its shell.A small fish will swim away when a big,hungry fish approaches. Some animals respond to fear in ways you might not expect.The first example is that the fear of being eaten can scare some frogs right out of their eggs. Warkentin made the surprising discovery while studying red--eyed tree frogs in Costa Rica. In this species,female frogs attach jellylike clumps of their eggs to the undersides of leaves.The leaves hang on branches that dangle over ponds.After they hatch from the eggs,the tadpoles then fall into the water,where they eventually grow into adult frogs. Tree frog eggs usually grow for 6 days before hatching.If they sense that a hungry snake is about to attack,however,they can hatch up to 2 days ahead of schedule. As the snakes are unable to swim,by falling into the water early,the tadpoles can escape. If hatching early helps protect red--eyed tree frogs from snakes,you might wonder why their eggs don't always hatch sooner.It turns out that hatching early brings its own danger.Once tadpoles land in the water,hungry fish and other animals like to eat them too.Staying in their eggs for a full 6 days,then,allows frog embryos to grow big and strong.This extra growth improves their chances of surviving in the water. What is the best title of the passage ? A. What is Fear B. Why do we feel afraid C. You feel afraid,animals do too D. Fear is a good thing Answer: D Question: Wherever life takes you after A-level results day, it's likely to bring increased independence. That means it's time to take care of yourself. Students, take note. When you arrive at university, make sure you register with a doctor near your term-time address. If there is a university doctor at your institution, they will be your best choice. If not, ask student services for a recommendation. Once registered, do everything you can to make sure you never have to pay them a visit. Don't take unnecessary health risks. Cook meat thoroughly. Throw food away if it's out of date. Clean up after yourself. Food poisoning can be harmful, but it's easy to avoid if you pay due care and attention. University often brings a certain lifestyle, and while that's usually a whole lot of fun, it can quickly tip into a whole lot of sorrow. Know your limits when it comes to alcohol. Habitual drinking can be dangerous, and while every student will have nights of excess, these should be the exception, not the norm. Look out for your friends, too. If you're worried about alcohol or substance abuse, visit alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukorukna.orgfor free and confidential support. Anyone living with teenagers and young adults, especially in environments such as halls of residence, must accept that germs will be shared. Bugs and colds will spread like wildfire. Living communally brings certain health risks, and _ is probably the most serious of these. Symptoms include a rash, stiff neck and an aversion to bright lights. It's rare, but seek immediate medical attention if you're concerned (meningitis.org). Gappers, meanwhile, may need to consider specific health risks. If you're planning a trip abroad, especially in rural areas of poor countries, make sure you get the necessary vaccinations in good time before you leave. Research these at www.netdoctor.co.uk. You should be able to get everything you need from your doctor, although you may have to give them notice and you may have to pay, even on the NHS . If you also need to take medication while you're away, such as anti-malarials, do it faithfully. On a general note, whoever you are, wherever you are and whatever you do with your time, never walk alone at night, especially in quiet and badly lit areas. Always carry your phone. Never get in an unlicensed cab. Be careful who you trust. Respect your new independence, and keep yourself safe. Which of the following statements is true? A. Students are allowed to take medication even when they are away. B. Students have to register with a doctor for free medical care. C. Students prefer to live in environments such as halls of residence. D. Students have to avoid health and security risks to be independent. Answer: A Question: Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person has lived using a strand of hair, a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims. The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people's hair. "You're what you eat and drink, and that's recorded in your hair," said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah. While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as rain clouds move. Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable, but traces of both elements are also present as heavier isotopes . The heaviest rain falls first. As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah. Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months. Cerling's team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a map of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops. They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of rain systems. "It's not good for pinpointing ," Cerling said. "It's good for eliminating many possibilities." Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake. The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair. When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months. She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming. "It's still a substantial area," Park said "But it narrows it way down for me." What is the scientists' new discovery? A. One's hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink. B. A person's hair may reveal where they have lived. C. Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects. D. The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person. Answer: B Question: Albert Einstein had a great effect on science and history. An American university president once said that Einstein had made a new outlook, a new view of the universe. It may be some time before the average mind understands fully the identity of time and space and so on--but even ordinary man now understand that the universe is something larger than ever thought before. By 1914 young Einstein had been world-famous. He accepted the offer to become a professor at the Prussian Academy of Science in Berlin. He had few duties, little teaching and unlimited chances for study, but soon his peace and quiet life were broken by World War I. Einstein hated fighting and killing. The great suffering of war affected him deeply, and he sat unhappily in his office doing little. He lost interest in his research. Only when peace came in 1918 was he able to get back to work. In the year following World War I honors were increasingly put on him. He became head of the Kaiser Whihem Institute of Theoretical Physics. But he himself refused the effort to put him in a position far above other people. He was well known for his humble manners. He often said that his success would certainly have been achieved by others if he had never lived. In 1921 he won the Nobel Prize, and he was honored in Germany until the rise of Nazism when he was driven from Germany because he was a Jew.www.ks5u.com In the years following the First World War, _ . A. Einstein's theory was soon accepted even by ordinary people B. more and more honors went to Einstein C. Einstein almost had no chances for his research D. Einstein was not honored in Germany until the rise of Nazism Answer: B
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston HOURS The MFA is open 7 days a week. Monday and Tuesday: 10 am - 4:45 pm Wednesday - Friday: 10 am - 9:45 pm Saturday and Sunday: 10 am - 4:45 pm HOLIDAYS AND CLOSINGS The Museum will be closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Patriots' Day (third Monday in April), Independence Day (July 4), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The Museum will close early on Wednesday, at 4:45 pm, June 11, and Thursday, July 24. ADMISSION Adults: $25 Seniors (65+): $23 Students (18+): $23 Youths 7 - 17: FREE Children 6 and under: FREE *Weekdays after 3 pm, weekends, and Boston public school holidays; otherwise $10. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Take the T! Because our limited parking fills up quickly - especially during popular exhibitions, holidays, and school vacation weeks - we encourage you to take advantage of the MBTA, Boston's public transportation system (known by natives as the "T"). Subway Take the Green Line E train to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the Orange Line train to the Ruggles stop. Bus Take the 39 bus to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the 8, 47, or CT2 buses to the Ruggles stop. The MFA strives to maintain a safe, comfortable, and respectful environment for all visitors. We also take our role as guardians of the objects in our collection very seriously. Please enjoy all that the Museum has to offer and observe the policies listed here to help protect and preserve the art on view in the Museum. When Visiting the MFA Please Refrain from the Following: Touching any art objects Getting closer than 12 inches to any unprotected artwork Gesturing within 2 feet of any artwork Smoking Chewing gum Running, yelling, or disruptive behavior Cell phone usage in the galleries Flash photography Middle-aged parents with a 10-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl will have to pay _ for a visit at weekends. Answer: Sydney is one of the world's biggest cities and has something for everyone when he comes to shopping.You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer.At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney's favorite stores including 16 jewellery stores and many gift and fashion shops.They're all at Westfield Centrepoint. Tel:9231 9300 SOVEREIGN HILL This prizewinning living museum is where Australia's history comes alive!Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Gold Rush days.A wonderful nightly sound and light show,"Blood on the Southern Cross"tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising.Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment,4star hotel and breakfast. Tel:5331 1944 ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water's edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city centre across Port Phillip Bay. Open 7 days a week Lunch:Sunday to Friday 11:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. Dinner:Monday to Saturday 5:00 p.m.10:00 p.m. Tel:9397 6270 or 9397 7799 COOK'S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook,parents of Captain James Cook,Cook's Cottage stands proudly in the Fitzroy Gardens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century,and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook. Open 9:00 a.m.5:00 p.m. daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer. Tel:9419 4677 If John is interested in the old lifestyle,he may come to visit _ . Answer: A crow is about twenty inches long and black all over. Crows are dirty birds because they live on bad food. Crows eat a lot of waste food. In this way they are more useful to us than any birds. They clean up the dirty things in our streets. Crows are always hungry. They look for food all day, and in the evening you can see them in large numbers flying back to their nests in the trees. They sleep there at night. Crows are much noisier than other birds. Very often a large number of crows will get together on one house and talk. Sometimes they talk together, and sometimes they do it by turns like human beings . It is easy to tell from crow's sound if they are pleased or angry. Perhaps crows talk a lot because they are friendly birds. A pair of crows will live together all their lives, and if one of them dies, the other one becomes very sad and quiet for the rest of its life and some time later it dies too. Crows always look for food _ . Answer: Thai authorities have been urged to see to it that condominiums , apartment houses and other lodgings available to tourists throughout the country will be of higher quality than today, a leading tourism businesswoman has said. Piyaman Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, called on the Ministry of Tourism & Sports as well as other government agencies concerned to have those places and accommodations for tourists improved and upgraded to meet international standards because, she said, today's tourists from around the world have more money to spend and prefer quality lodgings as well as quality services and accommodations at those places. "Added by condos and apartment houses currently opening for daily rent, the number of lodgings for tourists throughout the country has increased over the years, but not the qualities. Many of today's tourists are so _ and selective that they'd prefer quality places where personnel should be very responsible and experienced in taking care of them while security should be constantly and effectually maintained," she said. Employees and staff in charge of providing accommodations to tourists should be expert in communicating with the foreigners, service-minded and speak fluent English, according to the council leader. Thailand is seen to receive up to 23.1 million tourists from other countries around the world next year, compared to about 21.7 million, who have reportedly visited the country throughout this year, about 2.6 million of whom from China, while as much as two trillion baht (US$66.6 billion) is expected to be earned from tourist industry by 2015, compared to about one trillion baht (US$33.3 billion) this year. Thailand's most favorite destinations for tourists include the world-famous beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, the Andaman Sea archipelagos of Krabi and Surat Thani and the capital city of Bangkok. The council leader made her comments in response to news reports that the government might deregulate businesses of running condominiums and apartment houses to the extent that they might not only serve as a place which collects monthly rent from the tenants but as a hotel where guests pay the room rates on a daily basis. No parking lots or hotel-operating licenses might be legally required at such places nationwide only if they were practically turned into daily hotels or guesthouses. According to the passage, how many people went to Thailand for a trip except China this year? Answer: That "Monday morning feeling" could be a crushing pain in the chest which leaves you sweating and gasping for breath. Recent research from Germany and Italy shows that heart attacks are more common on Monday mornings and doctors blame the stress of returning to work after the weekend break. The risk of having a heart attack on any given day should be one in seven, but a six-year study helped by researchers at the Free University of Berlin of more than 2,600 Germans showed that the average person had a 20 per cent higher chance of having a heart attack on a Monday than on any other day. Working Germans are particularly not protected against attack, with a 33 per cent higher risk at the beginning of the working week. Non-workers, by comparison, appear to be no more at risk on a Monday than any other day. A study of 11,000 Italians proved 8 am on a Monday morning as the most stressful time for the heart, and both studies showed that Sunday is the least stressful day, with fewer heart attacks in both countries. The findings could lead to a better understanding of what is the immediate cause of heart attacks, according to Dr Stefan Willich of the Free University. "We know a lot about long-term risk factors such as smoking and cholesterol but we don't know what actually causes heart attacks, so we can't give clear advice on how to prevent them," he said. Monday mornings have a double helping of stress for the working body as it makes a rapid change from sleep to activity, and from the relaxing weekend to the pressures of work. "When people get up, their blood pressure and heart rate go up and there are hormonal changes in their bodies," Willich explained. "All these things can have an unfavourable effect in the blood system and increase the risk of a clot in the arteries which will cause a heart attack." "When people return to work after a weekend off, the pace of their life changes. They have a higher workload, more stress, more anger and more physical activity," said Willich. To protect people from suffering from heart attack, doctors have paid much attention to _ . Answer:
Question: Big ocean fish have almost disappeared from the world since the start of business fishing in the 1950's.The scientists found that the number of large fish has dropped by 90 percent in the past fifty years.The study took ten years.The researchers collected records from fishing business and governments around the world.The magazine Nature published the findings. The scientists say the common way called longline fishing is especially harmful to large fish.This way includes many fishing lines that are connected to one boat.If these lines are joined together,they can reach one hundred kilometers.They hold thousands of sharp metal hooks to catch fish.Longline fishing is especially common in the Japanese fishing industry.Records show that Japanese boats used to catch about ten fish for every hundred hooks.The study says longline fishing boats now might catch one fish per hundred hooks. The scientists say business fishing can destroy groups of fish much faster than in the past.The study suggests that large fish can disappear almost completely from new fishing areas within ten to fifteen years.Ocean life system could be destroyed. It's not the only worry that the number of large fish is becoming smaller and smaller.What's worse.they are smaller in size than their ancestors . What do you think of the business fishing? A. It should be encouraged. B. It can balance ocean life system. C. It needn't be cared about. D. It may bring harm to ocean fish. Answer: D Question: GEOGRAPHICNews Video Photogaphy The Magazine Environment Travel Adventure Television Main Stories Controlling the Mekong The 5000km long Mekong River provides China with fresh when it flows and electricity when it's dammed. Dolphin Intelligence 300 of these social animals have been studied for over 30 years by Dr. Denise Herzing.Find out what she discovered about dolphin communication and what dolphins say. A Day In New York It was once a city that people scared. Now tourists are visiting New York each year. Join Robert Jones as he explores just what the Big Apple has to offer and what interesting activities can be done in a day. Photography The Magic of Night Markets All around the world, street markets come to life at night.While people can shop for T-shirts and toys, the real attraction is the different kinds of food that somehow become even more delicious after dark. Visions of Earth Look through visions of the world as seen through photographers' eyes. Amazing Amazon Incredible images of the wildlife of the Amazon rainforest. Most Read This Week 1.Top Danger for Lions-Hunting 2.A Day in New York 3.Photo of the Day Best of May 4.Making the Picture You Want 5.Photos That Take You to Mexico 6.The Week's Best Space Picture Special Offer. Order Today! Print and Electronic Delivery. Just $25 a year for 12 copies.Orders outside the USA must add 20% What is true about New York according to the website? A. People are now afraid to visit. B. Millions of tourists go there. C. It has some new activities. D. It offers many big apples. Answer: B Question: Worldwide, the most people willing to return your mobile phone if you've lost it are to be found in Slovenia, and the fewest in Malaysia. This finding is the result of an interesting study in 32 of the world's largest cities. Altogether, researchers "lost" 960 new mobile phones. They got back 654 of them, or 68 percent. Prague came in at number eight. There, 23 out of 30 people who were willing to return the mobile phone. It wasn't a traditional study. Two researchers carefully chose different places, such as areas with high crime and busy downtown shopping areas, to "lose" the phones. When one of the researchers dropped a phone, the other would keep watching from a distance. The honest finders tried their best to find the owner with the help of the address book in the phone. They were told why the study was done and asked why they acted the way they did. It was found that the busier the place where the researchers dropped the phone, the greater the chance of it being returned. Another interesting finding was that women were generally more likely than men to return the phone. Researchers also found that most people still have a sense of honesty. "Crime is simply not good behaviour ," said an expert. "People want to trust others, and want to be trusted." This passage is mainly about _ . A. why most people returned the phones B. whether people in busier places are more honest C. a study of people's honesty D. the honesty of people who return phones Answer: C Question: A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color1, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. "I Love You Darling" The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. Sometimes we spend time asking who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationship in giving each other support. After all, shouldn't forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don't multiply pain, and suffering by holding on to forgiveness. If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world. Seeing his dead son, why did the man said "I Love You Darling" to his wife? A. Because his wife did the right thing. B. Because he loved his wife more. C. Because he wanted to comfort her. D. Because he owned his wife an apology. Answer: C Question: In 1995,Oseola McCarty gave a present of $150 000 to the University of Southern Mississippi. She wanted to help poor students. It was a very generous thing to do. But her friends and neighbors were surprised. McCarty was a good woman. She went to church. She was always friendly and helpful. But everyone in her town knew that McCarty was not rich. In fact,she was poor. How did a poor 86-year-old woman have so much money? Oseola McCarty was born in 1908 in Hattiesburg,Mississippi. She had to leave school when she was eight years old to help her family. She took a job washing clothes. She earned only a few dollars a day. Oseola washed the clothes by hand. Then she hung the clothes to dry. She did this for nearly 80 years. In the 1960s,she bought an automatic washer and dryer. But she gave them away. She did not think they got the clothes clean enough!At that time,many people started to buy their own washers and dryers. McCarty did not have much work, so she started to iron clothes instead. McCarty never married or had children. Her life was very simple. She went to work and to church. She read her Bible . She had a black-and-white television. But she did not watch it very much. It had only one channel. McCarty saved money all her life and eventually had about $250 000. When she was 86,a lawyer helped her make a will. She left money to the church,her relatives,and the university. McCarty just wanted to help others. She did not think she was a special person. But then people found out about her present to the university. She received many honors . She even flew in an airplane for the first time!Oseola McCarty died in 1999. She was a shy and ordinary woman who became famous. ,. From the story we know _ . A. McCarty was born in a poor family near the University of Southern Mississippi B. everyone was surprised because they thought McCarty had no education C. washers and dryers brought a change in McCarty's life D. McCarty gave half of her money to the church and her relatives Answer: A
Believing that birds began to mate on February 14, people in the Middle Ages started the card tradition by sending love letters on that day. In the 15th century, singing and spoken valentines were slowly replaced by written letters in Europe. The first written valentine is credited to Charles, the Duke of Orleans, who wrote love poems to his wife while he was in prison in 1415. By the beginning of the 16th century, valentines were almost always written. Early valentines were hand-made on color1ed paper. Often they were tinted with water color1s and inks. The 1800s saw valentines made by factory workers. Black and white pictures were painted by the workers in the early part of the century. By the end of the 1800s, the cards were made by machines. These cards were elaborately decorated with gold leaf, satin, lace and flowers. In 1840, the first mass-produced valentine's cards were made in America. Esther Howland, who sold $5,000 worth of the cards in her first year, created them. What was the tradition of Valentine's Day before the 15th century? Answer: Singing. I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it. Mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be a most wonderful thing in the world. Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. "But the desk," she said again, "is for Elizabeth." I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed in action. But as a young girl. I wanted to have heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was "too emotional ". But she lived "on the surface ". As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me. My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace - it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not. But the present of her desk told me, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside - a photo of my father and a one-paper letter, folded and refolded many times. It was my letter. "In any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words." Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: Neither the author nor her mother had a happy family. All our food comes from the soil . Some of us eat meat, but animals live on plants. If there are no plants, we will have no animals and meat. So the soil is necessary for us to live. The top of ground is usually covered with grass or other plants. Plants grow in soil, which has a dark color. This dark soil is humus. Dead leaves, dead plants and animals' waste make it, but this takes a long time. When the humus has been made, plants can grow well in it. All soil needs food. If we don't give it any, the plants will be weak. Animals' waste is the best food for the soil, but chemical fertilizers are also very useful. The same crop should not be grown in the same place every year; it is better to have a different crop. A change of crop and the use of a good fertilizer will keep the land in good condition. When the soil is dry, the wind blows it away. Sometimes heavy rain carries the humus down to a river. People should grow more and more trees and grass to stop wind from carrying the humus away. It takes hundreds of years to make humus, and so we must save every bit of it. Without soil, where can we grow food? We should _ to keep the soil. Answer: grow more trees and grass Where is most of Earth's water located? Answer: oceans Children of America are getting fatter every time. 13% of the children at the age of 6 to 11 are overweight(too fat). When we look at children's lives today in the USA, we can see the root(origin)of the problem--sports and foods. Young children like sports but they don't have enough around the start of high school. That's especially true for girls. Meanwhile, to make matters worse, schools are becoming much more interested in sports teams. So children are not able to get enough exercise just when they need it the most. There is also the food problem. Children get most of their calories at restaurants or parties or somewhere else away from home. They often drink too many Cokes. Parents have a lot of fears about telling a child he needs to lose weight-- they are afraid it will push a child into an eating disorder. Some parents fear that pushing children to lose weight means their children will think they're not good enough, or not loved because of their weight. Parents need to come to terms with the fact that the family is very important to the children. The most useful program for children is called "family weight control". This is good news. Mom and Dad, even if they don't have weight problems, have to go through the same program as their children and learn how to get some exercise and how to eat healthily. Why are American children getting fatter? The writer thinks _ . Answer: children have less exercise and eat unhealthily
Question: Scientists are closely concerned with the structure of buildings and with the quality of building materials. The World health Organization (WHO) observes that the introduction of air conditioning and energy conservation measures have been accompanied by growing problems of indoor air quality. Some pollutants arise from insulation products, some from moving cars, and others from modern housing materials. As many Europeans spend up to 90% of their lives in buildings, the health effects of the indoor climate are very important. Some construction materials, including fiberboard, insulation foams and certain glues for man-made wood floor boards, for example, give out organic products such as formaldehyde . Heat and humidity increase the release of formaldehyde and the gas seriously harms the eyes. Paint, lacquer, etc. can also release dangerous gas into indoor air. Construction materials can cause serious damage, especially when they contain asbestos . Asbestos is naturally present in rock formations worldwide. It belongs to a family of mineral substances made up of solid, non-combustible fiber. These properties make asbestos a highly sought-after construction material. As early as 1931, however, public health officers in the prefix = st1 /United Kingdomrevealed the connection between breathing in asbestos dust and such diseases as lung cancer. The land on which a building is sited may also contribute to pollution. Some kinds of granite or similar rocks contain traces of radium. As it breaks down, this naturally radioactive element produces some kind of radioactive gas that goes through tiny cracks in walls, floors and building materials, and makes its way into the building and the rooms. The better the homes are insulated, the more is the dangerous gas in indoor air. The main effect of this dangerous gas on health is to increase the risk of lung cancer. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Some building materials pollute indoor air. B. Some factors cause indoor air pollution. C. Asbestos can cause lung cancer. D. The land on which houses are built contributes to indoor pollution. Answer: B. Some factors cause indoor air pollution. Question: When I was four years old, I wanted nothing more in life than to play the piano. My best friend Betty had a piano. But Betty hardly played it at all. She would rather play hide-and-seek. It didn't seem fair. One day my mother came to pick me up from Betty's house. "Watch this!" I told her. Then I ran to play a song I had learned that morning. I was so proud of what I'd learned. "That's nice, Jenny," she said. "But we can't afford a piano." When I turned six, my mother bought me a recorder . The problem was that I didn't love the recorder. When I played the recorder, I didn't feel anything special inside. I asked my mother if we could have a piano. "We still can't afford one," she said. "One day, I promise." In the sixth grade, my mother traded in the recorder for a real clarinet . I like the clarinet more, but it still wasn't a piano. It wasn't the music that was inside of me. One day, when I was in the seventh grade, my mother cut an ad out of the newspaper. We drove to a stranger's home in Providence, Rhode Island. The woman had a beautiful, dark wood piano from Russia. It was called an upright piano because it was tall. It was so shiny that it looked like it was wet. "We'll take it," my mother said. "It has a nice sound." After that, I played the piano every single day.When I left for school in the morning, I would leave the sheet music open on the piano. When I got home, I would walk straight to the piano and sit down and start playing the sheet music. I even played if I stayed home sick. I had finally found the music inside of me. Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it? Maybe you think you're just no good or that you don't have any musical talent. Don't get discouraged. It's not true! We all have music inside of us, even if it's just what we listen to. Now it's up to you to find the right way to set that music free. What is the passage mainly about? A. How Jenny found the music inside of her. B. What benefits Jenny got from making music. C. How Jenny learned to play musical instruments. D. What trouble Jenny had taking up music as a hobby. Answer: A. How Jenny found the music inside of her. Question: There has been an outpouring of love for a 23-year-old disabled woman whose dog was killed in front of her while a groomer tried to trim its claws. Calls and e-mails came from as far away as the Upper Peninsula and Arizona as well as Oakland and Macomb counties, offering Laurie Crouch, who uses a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis , everything from dogs to money, such as that from Jason Daly of Roseville who said, " I would like to buy her a new dog." A story about the death of Crouch's pet, Gooch, was printed on the front page of Macomb Daily. Crouch said a man sat on the dog to trim its nails. Gooch died after one claw was trimmed. Crouch yelled at the groomer to stop when she saw Gooch was struggling to breathe, but she said she was ignored. "If I could have walked, I would have put my hands on her and pulled her off my dog and physically stopped her, but I can't do that." Gooch was not a trained service animal, but naturally helped Crouch by picking up things for her. "This case is absolute animal abuse ," Larry Obrecht, division manager of the Oakland County Animal Shelter in Auburn Hills, said. People who read the story contacted Oakland Press to offer help. A message, from Rebecca Amett of Giggles N Wiggles Puppy Rescue, in Roseville, said, "We have puppies to donate ... and want to help the young woman who lost her service dog." "When Gooch was with me, I was happy," Crouch said, "I think I can be happy again but no animal can replace Gooch. There's never going to be another Gooch out there but I think I will find a dog that can bring me joy again." We can infer from the passage that _ . A. Crouch refused to take another dog. B. Crouch must be sad after losing her dog. C. Crouch has accepted another dog from a stranger. D. Crouch can live well without a dog's company. Answer: B. Crouch must be sad after losing her dog. Question: For a long time being happy was considered something that just happened, and there was nothing special about it. Now we know that getting along with other people is something that we can work at. It is possible to act in such a way that other people will like us better. One way is being unselfish, not wanting everything from our friends. Another way is to look for good points, not bad points in other people. It is surprising how successful this treasure hunt can be. You do not have to be spineless in order to be popular. In fact, you will be liked or loved if you are not afraid to stand up for your rights . But do it politely and pleasantly. Being friendly and polite to your group, to other people and to strangers and especially to those who do not look important or do not interest you is one way to develop a good character. You cannot expect to be perfect, and you must learn not to be unhappy when you make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is to be blamed if he does not refuse to learn from them. Many young people become discouraged when they know in themselves qualities that they do not like--selfishness, laziness, and other unpleasant qualities. Just remember that we all have some of these faults and have to fight against them. At the same time, it is important to remember that while you are probably no worse than others, the best way to be happy is to think yourself above other people. When something is wrong, it is good sense to try to make it right. Perhaps you do not like a teacher or a classmate. Try to see why, and look at yourself, too, to be sure that you are not doing anything to make that person dislike you. Some day, things may turn out all right when you have to learn to get along the best with the situation, without thinking too much about it. Worrying never helps in a situation you cannot change. One of the two ways the writer suggests for us to get along with others is to _ . A. work hard at everything we do B. enjoy the best share of everything C. look for treasure in order to be successful D. pay more attention to their strong points Answer: D. pay more attention to their strong points Question: Sports All over the world people enjoy sports. Sports help to keep people healthy, happy and help them to live longer. Sports change with the season. People play different games in winter and summer. Games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities. The Arabs use horses or camels in much of their everyday life; they use them in their sports, too. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. Some sports or games go back to thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese boxing, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Both of them are just about a hundred years old. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person's character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with _ . The writer did NOT tell us in this passage that _ . A. basketball was invented in America B. sports change with the season C. games and sports often grow out of people's work and everyday activities D. football is played all over the world Answer: A. basketball was invented in America
A: I once heard someone shout, "Look out." I put my heard out of the window and a bucketful water fell on me. It seems that "Look out" may mean "Don't look out". B: I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck ." I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them. C: I once called early on an English friend and the servant who came to the door said, "He's not up yet. Come back in half an hour." When I went again for him, she said, "He's not down yet." I said, "If he's neither up nor down. Where is he?" . "He is not up" and "He is not down" in the dialogue actually means _ . A. He doesn't stand up and doesn't lie down B. He doesn't come up and doesn't go down C. He hasn't turned up and hasn't turned down D. He hasn't got up and he hasn't come downstairs Answer: D Now, there is a new-type school in New York, which has no everyday lessons, no class teachers and even no school buildings. It is called "City-as-School". The name just means the city itself is the place where students learn their lessons. They are from the age of 15 to 18. The students choose areas of work which interest them. Then they help to do that work. One girl spends her week in a government office helping the public with problems like housing. Then she goes to help in a theatre for a day and she spends a week for first-year courses at college. Well, students have to pass Maths and science exams before they enter the "school". These subjects are not easy to provide in"City-as-School". Teachers watch the progress of the students. The success rate is high. 80% of the students go to college after the "City-as-School". The students like the duty of their work. They have the sense of purpose. They know a lot about different kinds of work in the city. One of the students, Lizette Martinez, writes " I want to say that I do not know where I would be right now if I had never become part of City-as-School. Leaving my regular high school and going to City-as-School was the best decision I have ever made. The way the school works to get you to go out there and learn different fields instead of sitting in a classroom is wonderful. For all those who are in between school and dropping out, go to CAS and it will change your life forever." City-as-School High School is the nation's leading external learning or experiential learning model for high school students. According to the passage,"City-as-School" can help _ . A. all the students go to college B. students forget the duty of their work C. students earn much money while studying D. students learn a lot about different kinds of work Answer: D Have you ever thought of joining a book club and buying new books through the post? Here at the International Book Club, we already have many members buying books from us by mail. Immediate benefits: As a special offer, you may choose any reduced-price books from our new members' book list, to the value of $6 in total (plus postage and packing). By doing this, you will save pounds on the publishers' prices. Tick the box on your form to order a free watch. If you reply within seven days, we will send you another free gift carefully chosen from our book list by our staff. Order a DVD from the many on offer in our list, at half the recommended retail price. *When you've joined: As a member, you'll enjoy savings of between 30% and 50% off the publisher's price on every book you buy, and what's more, they'll come straight to your door. Your free club magazine arrives once a month, to keep you up-to-date with the latest bestsellers. This means that every year we offer over 1,000 books to choose from. On the Internet, you can find all our titles for the year on our exclusive members' website. Being a member: All we are asking you to do while you are a member is to choose four books during your first year. After that, you can decide on the number of books you wish to take. In each of our monthly club magazines, our experienced staff choose a Club Choice book -- a work of fiction or a reference title which they feel is particularly worth buying, and which is offered at an extra-special price. However, if you do not want this book, just say so in the space provided on the form. We will always send the book if we do not receive this. So, return your application form today, but hurry -- it's not every day we can make you an offer like this. To apply to become a member, all you need to do is simply fill in the enclosed form and return it in the envelope supplied. Before you know it, your books will be with you. Please don't send any money now, as we will send you your bill with the books. And remember, you have up to a fortnight to decide if you wish to keep the books you have ordered. You should then either return the books or send your payment. Every month the club provides a free club magazine in order to _ . A. let readers know the number of books to be sold B. attract more and more readers to join the club C. make readers know the club's development D. keep readers well informed of recent bestselling books Answer: D When computer salesman Li Guang and his girlfriend Huang Minxia saw on TV the destruction caused by the unexpected earthquake,they quickly filled their car with bottled water and instant noodles and drove more than 160 miles to lend a hand. "It's a small car,but we just wanted to help," said Li,from Chongqing,a city next to the hardest-hit Sichuan province. Donations are flooding in,more money than charities in China collected all of last year,and so are volunteers. In the week since the quake,donations have totaled $1.3 billion--85 percent raised within China. Many,like Li,are taking advantage of growing private car ownership and a new,expanding highway system to join the line of government and army assistance toward the epicenter. Across the disaster region,thousands of cars decorated with large handwritten signs--"Hardship comes from one direction,help comes from everywhere" and "For the people,for the Beijing Olympics"--were coming from as far as the capital,Beijing,more than 900 miles away. Private cars crowded so thickly on roads that the police set up donation drop-off points outside cities and towns to clear the way for army and government assistance.People living in tents along the roads posted handwritten signs asking for urgently needed items--water,rice,vegetables.Cars paused to hand out a box or two and then drove on. Instead of waiting for government-organized charity drives,people quickly acted on their own.Bank account numbers for making earthquake donations flashed on Web logs and mobile phones.Blood donation centers were overwhelmed by offers and began asking citizens to register in advance. "People are really united this time,and they're acting on their own without waiting to be asked.It sounds _ ,but we're taught in schools and from our parents about helping others," said Ge Jian,the company's general manager. What did Li Guang and his girlfriend Huang Minxia intend to do soon after the earthquake?( ) A. They intended to help the victims in the quake-hit areas. B. They were on the way to a pleasant journey in Sichuan. C. They were told to do something for the disaster. D. They wanted to find their friends in the epicenter. Answer: A Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance (pocket money). The purpose is to let children learn from experiences at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly. The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance. In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money. At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this,they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget . Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance. The object is to show young people that a budget demands a choice between spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics. Many people who have written on the subject of allowances say it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home. These jobs are a normal part of family life. Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be useful. It can even provide an understanding of how a business works. Allowances give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save it. Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice. You have to cut costs and plan for the future. Requiring children to save part of their allowances can also open the door to future saving and investing. Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn about personal finance. A saving account is an excellent way to learn about the power of _ . Compounding works by paying interest. So, for example, one dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year. The second year, the money will earn two percent of one dollar and two cents, and so on. That may not seem like a lot, but over time it adds up. Parents give their children allowances in order to _ . A. show off their wealth of family B. let them make more money C. learn the value of money D. help children manage family finance Answer: C
Children who see their parents drunk are twice likely to get drunk themselves, a survey of young teenagers has suggested. Poor parental supervision also raises the chances of teenage drinking, said the Joesph Rowntree Foundation. If parents don't know where their children are on a Saturday night, or let them watch films of violence, they are more likely to have had an alcoholic drink. The survey also found the behavior of friends is also a powerful factor in drinking habits. The more time teenagers spend with friends, the more likely they are to drink alcohol. In this survey of 5,700 children aged 13 to 16, carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, researchers found that one in five wanted to have a drink by the time they were 14. By the age of 16, half of those questioned said they had been drunk. Pamela Bremner, scientist of the survey, said, "For the first time in the UK, this study shows what most influences young people's drinking behavior." "It found that the behavior of friends and family is the most common influential factor in determining how likely and how often a young person will drink alcohol." Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, said, "Government ministers must also look at some of the causes of why it is so easy for children to get alcohol, usually from the home." "Governments should look to see if they've done everything they can to help the large supermarkets from continuing to sell cheap alcohol which encourages more alcohol sales and therefore results in more alcohol being stored in the home." The Royal College of Physicians also said it was not surprising that being able to get alcohol easily was an important factor on current drinking problems and drunkenness of teenagers. A statement said, "This shows that the government needs to focus more attention on increasing the price of alcohol, and increasing education and national campaigns for both young people and their families on the dangers of alcohol." Who should be responsible for the fact that some teenagers formed the habit of drinking besides their parents and friends, according to Don Shenker? Answer: Governments. The British aren't having as many children as they used to. One reason is that people are having children much older than before, meaning they have fewer years in which they can have them. After years at university, they need a few years of work experience before they can get the job they want. They might then get married, but it's incredibly expensive to buy a house in the UK. The above explains why young British people now don't move out of their parents' home until they are around 30 years old on average. It is not until they are 30 that they can afford their own home. Increasingly, it is not until that age that they can afford to get married and start a new life in a new home. It's only after this age that many young people start thinking about having a child. So a British person manages to get a job, get a home and get married. Why isn't he or she then having at least two children on average? The main reason is that it is quite expensive to bring up a child in the UK. Why is it expensive? Well, these days, both parents need to work just to pay for their home and living expenses. Because both parents are at work, that means they then need to pay someone to look after their child during the day. Paying for this childcare is nearly always expensive. The recent financial crisis is making things even harder for families, since unemployment is rising and even fewer people can afford to have children. With so much pressure on families, is it any surprise that the divorce rate is so high? So what is Britain doing to try and save the British family? The government is trying to make it cheaper to have children. For example, there have been increases in money families can claim from the state each month. Also, there are increasing government _ for nursery schools, so that parents do not need to pay so much for child care. The government is also trying to reduce the number of hours British parents have to work to earn enough money to pay their bills. If parents didn't have to work so many hours, they'd have more time to spend with their children and wouldn't need to spend so much on childcare. On average, a Briton works 49 hours a week, which is the most in Europe. The state is now considering introducing laws to encourage companies to improve their employees' work-life balance. Let's hope they're not too late to save the British family. Otherwise, the British will always be too tired, and won't have enough time and money, to have children. It can be inferred from the text that _ . Answer: with long work hours, it is hard for British parents to balance life and work A different sort of _ is developing in the workplace. Someone --- specifically the father-daughter team of Larry and Meagan Johnson --- has figured out that on some American job sites, five generations are working side by side. In their new book about generations in the workplace the pair argue that while such an age difference adds a lot of texture and a variety of life experiences, it can also bring tensions and conflicts. The Johnsons are human-resource trainers and public speakers. Dad Larry is a former health-care executive; daughter Meagan is a onetime high-level sales manager. Here are the oldest and youngest of the five generations they identify: They call the oldest group Traditionals, born before 1945. They were heavily influenced by the lessons of the Great Depression and World War Two. They respect authority, set a high standard of workmanship, and communicate easily and confidently. But they're also stubbornly independent. They want their opinions heard. At the other extreme are what the Johnsons call Linksters, born after 1995 into today's more complicated, multi-media world. They live and breathe technology and are often social activists. You won't find many 15-year olds in the offices of large companies, except as volunteers, of course, but quite old and quite young workers do come together in sales environments like bike shops and ice-cream stores. The Johnsons, Larry and Meagan, represent a generation gap themselves in their work with jobsite issues. The Johnsons' point is that as the average lifespan continues to rise and retirement dates get delayed because of the tight economy, people of different generations are working side by side, more often bringing with them very different ideas about company loyalty and work values. The five generations are heavily influenced by quite different events, social trends, and the cultural phenomena of their times. Their experiences shape their behavior and make it difficult, sometimes, for managers to achieve a strong and efficient workplace. Larry and Meagan Johnson discuss all this in greater detail in a new book, "Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters --- Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work," published by Amacom Press, which is available in all good bookstore from this Friday. What's the main purpose of the passage? Answer: To promote a new book by Larry and Meagan Johnson. Discover the beautiful, silent, white world or Antarctica on the holidays of a life-time.Head South to Buenos Aires and then transfer to the world's most southern city, Ushuaia.From there, it's about 1,000 kilometers on a special icebreaker ship to the freezing temperature of Antarctica. Getting off the ship and taking your first step onto the ice, you will imagine what it is like to be an explorer.Meet penguins sitting on their eggs, or see an Antarctic seal that lives all the year round on the ice.But do not get closer than five meters to any animal, in case you frighten it or make it angry. The friendly crew of the ship will look after you as you explore the ice continent. We promise you fantastic meals and a comfortable bed -- you sleep in a four-person cabin -- as well as many special treats.If you don't think it is cold enough, try the ''polar plunge" -- jump into a special hole dug in the ice and dip your head under the water.You can then jump into a hot bath and if you succeed we will give you a certificate. After you wake up for the first time in the Antarctica you will understand why everybody who goes there falls in love with the place.The scenery is different every day because the sea ice is always moving. Our ships travel to Antarctica from November to March -- phone today and book your dream holiday! If you want to get a certificate, you have to _ . Answer: try the "polar plunge" Henry had been a journalist for many years. He had worked on many international newspapers and magazines and traveled all over the world. Henry had _ wars and natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and erupting volcanos . He had reported on serious accidents such as major fires and airline crashes. He had seen every kind of terrible crime and strange event there was. He had met and written about some of the most unusual people in the world. In fact, there wasn't much that Henry had not seen or done. Now he was retired from journalism. He owned a very expensive restaurant and spent his days talking to his wealthy and important customers. He liked to say that nothing surprised him. One day he was sitting at the bar in his restaurant when a big gorilla walked in and asked for a table. Henry showed no surprise. He took the gorilla to a table and handed him a menu. He treated him politely and pretended there was nothing at all strange about having a gorilla in his restaurant. The gorilla looked through the menu and ordered a salad. Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened. At last the gorilla finished his salad and asked for the bill. Henry wrote out the bill and handed it to the big animal. The gorilla studied it, shook his head sadly, then gave Henry fifty dollars. "Thank you", Henry said, and then to make conversation he added, "We don't get many gorillas in this restaurant." "At fifty dollars for a salad," the gorilla said, "I'm not surprised." From the sentence "Henry served the gorilla his salad personally, knowing that his waiters and waitresses would be too frightened" you learn that: _ . Answer: Henry didn't normally serve customers
Question: For good health, be sure to eat fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and lie as seldom as possible. A researcher is hoping this advice will someday take hold, based on results of a "science of honesty" study she completed. Half of 110 participants were told to stop telling major or minor ("white") lies for 10 weeks, while the other half (the control group) was given no special instructions about lying. The 110 people ranged from ages 18 to 71 and came from both sexes and all income levels. All came to a laboratory each week to complete health and relationship questionnaires and to take a test showing the number of major and minor lies they had told that week. When those in the no-lie group told three fewer white lies than in other weeks, they complained less of headaches, tenseness, anxiety and other problems than those in the control group. In addition, they reported that their close personal relationships had improved and their social interactions had gone more smoothly. "The link was that clear," said study author Anita Kelly, a professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. "Lying less was clearly associated with better health for those people." Previous research indicates that Americans average 11 lies per week, from the little white lies to save face or falsely praise others to major lies about serious matters. Kelly said her study differs from former studies because it didn't focus on how to detect a liar, but on the potential health consequences of telling lies. "People might recognize the more harmful effect lying can have on relationships, but probably don't recognize the extent to which it can cause a lot of stress," said Dr. Bryan Bruno at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. At the end of the study, some participants had created smart ways to avoid lying. Kelly noted that some realized they could simply tell the truth about their daily achievements rather than exaggerate , while others responded to a troubling question with another question to take the person's attention away. They also stopped making false excuses for running late or failing to finish tasks. "People usually think white lies are acceptable. In fact, white lies are trouble, not just major lies," Kelly said. "As long as you like, you can find effective ways to avoid lying in many cases. It depends on you." "But the goal doesn't have to be the absolute absence of lies ... the goal would be a reduction in lies," she added. The finding of the research is that _ . A. white lies help to improve relationships. B. few people realize lying harms their health. C. Americans tell 11 lies per week on average. D. Lying less results in better health mentally and physically. Answer: D. Lying less results in better health mentally and physically. Question: Every year, millions of Americans see their personal information leak into the wrong hands. Maybe there's spyware on the their computer, or a service they use suffered a security reach, leaving customers at the risk of exposure. Or perhaps their password is easy to guess. Don't fear: You can easily set up proper defenses. Here's how. * Clean Your Computer and Smartphone Before you put new security measures into place, make sure your devices are as spotless as possible. This means installing a good antivirus program and taking the time to clear out any spy -- or malware that may have already infected your system. These days, it's also worth it to make sure your phone is safe from viruses. Iphones are less likely to be targeted by spyware, but Android users should download the Lookout app to scan their devices and ensure everything is as it should be. * Secure Your WiFi. It's fairly easy for potential criminals to gain access to your information if they're able to share your connection -- that's why you want to be careful when using public WiFi. Even though you put security measures into place a couple of years ago, it's a good idea to refresh your settings. * Use passwords What you've heard is true: Passwords should use a variety of special characters, numerals, letters, and cases when possible. * Check the shopping security Take care when shopping online. Always check the security symbols when using an online site for shopping. If the lock icon encryption is not there, do not give out credit details. Also, check that the site is legal -- never go to a site from a random email and start shopping online. Keep a separate credit card just for online shopping. This will make it easier to cancel if something bad does happen and your other credit card for "in real life" can still be used uninfluenced. Don't store information on any store's website. It may be convenient but it's also a possible loss to you if the site is hacked. Which of the following is an improper way to shop online? A. Adopting a unique password for every website. B. Shopping online at reliable websites. C. Keeping credit details safe by checking security symbols. D. Monitoring credit card by storing information online. Answer: D. Monitoring credit card by storing information online. Question: Zoe Chambers was a successful PR(Public Relations) consultant and life was going well--she had a great job, a beautiful life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. "The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through," she said. "After everything I'd done for the company, they dismiss me by text! I was so angry and I just didn't feel like looking for another job. I hated everything about the city and my life." Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in north west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, then months later, she is still on the farm. "The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless." Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London I was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and on of Kathy's wonderful dinners." Zoe says she has never bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing-watching a lamb being born is unbelievable. She says, "It's one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I could never go back to city life now " It is stated in the passage that _ . A. Zoe went to the farm to start a new life B. Zoe failed to find another job in London C. Kathy was Zoe's friend from work D. watching a lamb being born touched Zoe's heart Answer: D. watching a lamb being born touched Zoe's heart Question: All organisms contain DNA and RNA. What are the subunits of DNA and RNA? A. simple sugars B. amino acids C. carbohydrates D. nucleotides Answer: D. nucleotides Question: Are fables and fairy tales different or the same? They are both stories for children, but fables are stories for adults, too. Fables are stories which are _ from grandparents to parents and then to children. People can learn much from them. The characters are mostly animals. They can talk and act like humans. The most famous fables were written by a man called Aesop. There are many famous fables in Aesop's Fables. The Lion and the Mouse and The Farmer and the Snake are two examples. Fairy tales are usually stories for children. They are often about magic characters, for example, fairies and gods. Sometimes the characters are animals. We are able to enjoy these fairy tales because of the famous Brothers Grimm. They tried their best to collect these stories before people forgot. There are many fairy tales in Gimmes Fairy Tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Frog Prince and Snow White. Which of the following is TRUE? A. People can learn nothing from fables. B. Children may love reading fairy tales. C. Aesop collected fairy tales before people forgot. D. The characters in fairy tales are all real people. Answer: B. Children may love reading fairy tales.
Jane is a school girl. She is twelve. She studies at a middle school. She is in Grade Seven. She is a good girl. Jane gets up at seven in the morning. Then she has her breakfast. For breakfast she has eggs and a cup of milk. She doesn't have tea for breakfast. After breakfast Jane goes to school. At twelve she comes home from school. She has lunch with her mother. For lunch she has hamburgers and salad. She likes salad, but she doesn't like hamburgers. At seven she has supper with her father and mother. They have chicken and vegetables. Her father likes chicken, but Jane doesn't. Jane has _ for breakfast. Answer: eggs and a cup of milk When Steven was a young boy, he moved quite often with his family and so he never had many friends. He spent a lot of time on his own and liked to play with electronic things. Steven had a neighbour, Steve Wozniak. Steve was a little bit younger than Steven but also liked to play with electronic things. Steven made a microphone and Steve asked him many questions about it until he understood how it worked. Steven liked the fact that such a young boy was also interest ed in electronic things and so he taught him everything he knew. When they were a little older and knew more about electronic things, they made a "blue box". People could make free phone calls by breaking into the phone company's system with this box. They sold this to many people even though it was illegal , but this is not why they are famous today. Steven and Steve were the inventors of the first PC--personal computer. They called their first computer the Apple I. They invented it only for fun and to make themselves known among their friends. They did not think it would become so popular. They just liked playing computer games on it. Their computer made it cheaper and easier for people to own and use a computer. Their PCs were so popular that they made a new PC called the Apple II. Soon many schools, families and factories were using their computers. Without the two clever men, the personal computers might never have appeared. Why didn't Steven have many friends? Answer: Because his family moved a lot. Mrs Green's telephone number was three-four-six-three, and the number of the cinema near her house was three-four-six-four, so people often made a mistake and telephoned her when they wanted the cinema. One evening the telephone rang and Mrs Green answered it. A tired man said, "At what time does your last film begin?" "I'm sorry", she said Mrs Green, "but you have the wrong number. T his is not the cinema." "Oh, it began twenty minutes ago," said the man." That's too bad. Goodbye." Mrs Green was very surprised ,so she told her husband .He laughed and said ,"The man's wife wanted to go to the cinema, but he was feeling tired, so he telephoned the cinema. His wife heard him, but she didn't hear you. Now they will stay at home this evening ,and husband will be happy!"Mrs Green 's telephone number was _ Answer: 3463 Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, "Happiness depends upon ourselves." In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier. The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future --for example, getting into college or getting a good job --that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life's simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives. Another secret to living a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget about your problems, and only think about the activity. Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes. , The passage gives us _ pieces of advice on happiness. Answer: three A thirsty bee went to a river to drink. As it was drinking , it was carried away by the running water. A kind bird saw the bee's danger. It picked a leaf and threw it into the water in front of the bee. The bee was able to climb onto the leaf, and it was brought safely to the land. The bee thanked the bird for its kindness and then flew away. Not long after , the bird was sitting on the branch of a tree . It did not see that a man was aimming his gun at it .But the bee saw what the man was doing . So the bee flew into the man's eye, and hurt him. The pain in his eye was so great that he was not able to shoot the bird, and the bird flew away. In this way, the bee, whose life had been saved by the bird, was able to save the life of the bird. ,. (5) From this story , we have learned that _ . Answer: a friend in need is friend indeed
Sue is an English girl. She is twelve years old today. She has a birthday party now. Her friends Amy, Lily and Kate come to her home. Sue: Sit down and have a cup of tea. Her friends: Thank you. Happy birthday, Sue! Amy: Here is a cake for you. I'm sorry it's too small. The shop doesn't sell the big ones and Lily likes it very much. Lily: Here is a card for you. Happy birthday to you, Sue! Kate: Sue, this hat is my gift for you. Do you like it? Sue: Thank you very much. I like all of your gifts for me. Let's sing and eat the cake. A little dog on TV: Happy birthday! Do I smell birthday cake? "Ha! Ha! Ha!" They jump with joy and begin the birthday party. Sue is blowing out the candles on the birthday cake. And all her friends are singing, "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday..." They _ at Sue's home. A. spell their names B. call their friends C. watch TV D. eat apples Answer: C Many people like traveling during their vacation. They go to mountains, seaside, or forests. Some people like history so they like to visit old castles , museums and monuments (, ). In many foreign countries, the travel agent can help you plan your holiday. You can tell the travel agent what kind of holiday you like, how much money you want to spend, and the travel agent will give you a lot of information about where to go, how to get there, where to stay, and what kind of activities you can do there. One of the holidays is called "package holiday". That is, you just pay the money, and the travel agent will plan everything for you, the ticket for the train or plane, the hotel, the activities, etc. If you plan to go, on a package holiday, you should tell the travel agent A. how much money you want to spend B. how the weather is C. what kind of holiday you like D. both A and C Answer: D Welcome to FrightCatalog.com! We have the widest selection of outfits you'll need to make your holiday one to remember. Regardless of age, men's, women's and kids' outfits are always fun to wear. The outfits give you a chance to live a life outside of your own for one whole night. At FrightCatalog.com, there are countless adult outfits and kids' disguises for you to choose from. If you are looking for something frightening or scary, we have it. If you are looking for something cute or funny, we also have it. If you want to combine the two, go ahead, we have that, too. Our passion makes it impossible not to collect the best products, which is why we have made it our goal to collect so many outfits. Before you buy, ask yourself a couple of questions. First, do you want a full-body outfit, or a multi-pieced one? Full-body ones can be more detailed, but a multi-pieced outfit will not get as hot inside, which can be either good or bad. Next, are you going with a group? There is nothing more impressive than seeing a group of people dressed in theme. Lastly, do you have a favorite movie? We have plenty of movie disguises for you to choose from, like Star Trek, Alice in Wonderland or Wizard of Oz. With a selection as large as ours, even your dog can enjoy this especially hallow night. You can turn your friend into Spider-Man, superman and countless other choices. If you already have your outfit picked out for yourself, search for a dog outfit that will match your own. For example, you could be the robber and your dog could be the policeman, or go for a Batman and Robin combination. Whatever you do, let your dog have some fun, too. Our outfits let you have your October 31st experience, so you get the most out of this frighteningly entertaining night of tricks and treats. Take your time and find the one that catches your attention. From the passage we learn that _ . A. with our outfits you're sure to be frightening or scary. B. with our outfits even your dog can be a policeman and catch a thief. C. with our outfits you can be a robber or go for a Batman. D. with our outfits you can even dress up your dog the way you like. Answer: D 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 neighbors did all of the following EXCEPT _ . A. help them unload B. invite them to a dinner C. offer to drive them around D. welcome their coming Answer: C Sunny English Club For students 16:00 - 18:00 Every Saturday 200 Yuan a month 9 Zhou Yu Street Tel: 3785290 Foreign teachers, English songs and films and more! Ocean Museum 9:00--17:00 From Thursday to Sunday Ticket: 50 yuan 132 Xue Yuan Street Tel: 5439871 Show you a full picture of sea lives! Health Centre 9:00--17:30 16 Yong Le Street Tel: 3801451 Free examinations for those over 70 Give you good advice to keep healthy! , Sunny English Club is for _ . A. nurses B. policemen C. businessmen D. students Answer: D
Question: Hello, I'm Simon. I wear a blue and yellow T-shirt for the show. I borrow the T-shirt from my cousin Jack. Hello, I'm Sandy. I wear a pair of long red boots, a red blouse and a black skirt for the show. They are the clothes from the 1990s. And I borrow the boots from my mother. Hello, I'm Daniel. I wear a purple scarf, a purple shirt, and white trousers today. They are my father's. They are smart. Hello, I'm Amy. I don't like the clothes today. The black trousers and the white blouse don't match very much. But my grandmother likes them very much. They are from the 1970s! I want to have a pair of white boots and a pink one-piece dress. Maybe that will be popular in the 2010s. Who borrowed the clothes from her(his) mother? A. Amy B. Sandy C. Daniel D. Simon Answer: B. Sandy Question: The greatest contribution to civilization in the century may well be the air-conditioning- and American leads just as amazing is the speed with which this situation came to be. Air-conditioning began to spread in industries as a production aid during World War II. Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes, offices, factories, theatres, shops, studios, schools, hotels, and restaurants, and we can see it almost everywhere in today's America. But not everybody is aware that high cost and easy comfort are merely two of the effects of the vast cooling of American. In fact, air conditioning has substantially altered the country's character and customs. Many of the byproducts are so conspicuous that they are scarcely noticed. To begin with, air-conditioning transformed the face of America by making possible those glassy, boxy, sealed-in skyscrapers. It has been indispensable, no less, to the functioning of sensitive advanced computers, whose high operating temperatures require that they be constantly cooled. . . It has, at will, forced families into going back into families with closed doors and shut windows to improve the effects of the air-conditioning, reducing the interactions of neighborhood life. I think there is no need explaining the seriousness of this consequence . It is really surprising that the public's often noted withdrawal into self-pursuit and privacy has kept in pace with the historic spread of air-conditioning. Though science has little studied how habitual air-conditioning affects mind and body, some medical experts suggest that, like other technical avoidance of natural changes in climate, air-conditioning may damage the human capacity to adapt to stress. If so, air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments that liberate man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way - while indirectly weakening him in others. According to the author, the chief consequence brought about by the wide application of air-conditioning is _ . A. the loss of human capacity to adapt to changes in climate B. the reduction of social communications of neighborhood life C. the active life style of all its users D. the decreased human production and power Answer: B. the reduction of social communications of neighborhood life Question: Larry the dinosaur was going to go to a dinosaur birthday party that night, and he was very excited, because the party was for him! He was turning 7 years old, which in dinosaur years, that means he was going to be an adult! There were so many different things he was going to do! He knew that there was going to be a moon bounce, and that he was going to get a lot of presents from all of his dinosaur friends, but the thing that he was most excited about, was the cake! Larry's favorite food was cake, and he hoped that they got the right flavor. Larry's favorite flavor was banana. Larry went to school that day and everyone told him happy birthday! When he came home from school, all the lights were out. "Hello?" Larry said, as he came into the house. All of the sudden, the lights went on, and there was everyone! "Happy birthday Larry!" all of his friends shouted. Confetti went everywhere. "Where is the cake?" he asked. "Here it is!" said his mom, and brought out the cake. "It's a chocolate cake, like you wanted!" Larry froze. "I said that I wanted a banana cake." said Larry. He was very sad. "Now the party is going to be no fun." "Oh Larry." said his mom. "Your friends are here, and we worked very hard to set up this party for you! Please at least go spend some time with your friends." Larry was sad, but he tried to have fun. And the more he tried to have fun, the more he liked the party. The moon bounce was fun, and the gifts were very nice. He found out that you can still have fun even when things don't go as planned. What was Larry's favorite food, and his favorite flavor? A. Banana cake. B. Chocolate cake. C. Chocolate banana. D. Banana chocolate. Answer: A. Banana cake. Question: An American woman Anna Jarvis was the first person to decide the mothers should have a holiday in their honor each year. Miss Jarvis started her campaign in 1906 in her home city Philadelphia. She wrote thousands of letters to congressmen , city officials, teachers and newspaper publishers, proposing an official holiday for mothers. She traveled all over America, trying to get support for the idea. Her battle went on for years. In 1914, the Congress declared the second Sunday in May each year as Mother's Day. Anna Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be a simple event. She thought children could honor their mothers by spending some time with them as an act of love and respect. However, the holiday turned out to be a major event for department stores, flower shops and greetingcard industry, which Miss Jarvis didn't like. Americans spend millions of dollars on gifts for their mothers on this day. Younger children often try to prepare and serve breakfast for their mothers. Fathers may offer to take care of children so that mothers can enjoy themselves. The holiday becomes an important time for family gathering. Miss Jarvis proposed Mother's Day in order that people could show their love and respect to their mothers _ . A. by spending some time with them B. by offering them precious gifts C. by eating in restaurants together D. by taking children for them Answer: A. by spending some time with them Question: We have a strange and strong belief in the idea of perfection. Driven by our culture, we struggle for an unattainable ideal: If I have the perfect parents, perfect grades, perfect..., then I would be happy. We seek what we can't have without remembering that we don't actually need to be perfect. Imperfection allows us to be human. Parents, teachers and other high-achieving peers will have us believe that we must be perfect if we wish to remain competitive. However, what job or school requires you to develop a cure for some form of cancer by the age of 18? Although these grades would be admirable achievements, are they worth losing sleep over? We feel like we need the perfect grades to get into the perfect college that will provide us with the perfect education necessary to obtain the perfect job. Making use of our thirst for perfection, the whole college and career industries have emerged claiming to help us reach our goals. Truth is, you only need to be good enough to get into the conversation. It is what you do afterwards that sets you apart. Focus more on your passions. Don't worry about anything secondary to your passions. You don't become an expert at anything if you spent your time trying to succeed in everything you do. You only become an expert when you devote your time to that one project that truly brings you joy. As members of this society, we have a responsibility to be excellent in what we do, not perfect. Although perfection can be a goal, it should not be the only goal. We only have 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week. Thus, we need to plan what we want to do and cut out the activities we cannot do. With everything, though, make sure you're doing enough. Pursuing your passions is not enough of a reason to completely give up on everything else. Try as hard as you can and let your future worry about itself. Worry about your task at hand and you will be successful in achieving your dreams. Most of all, remember that you're going to be okay. What might be the most suitable title for the passage? A. How to be perfect B. Being enough is enough C. Finding your own passions D. Giving up your secondary goals Answer: B. Being enough is enough
To succeed in business or life we must continually take actions. Putting yourself on the line day after day can be extremely boring, especially when things do not work out as desired. Each time a disappointing event happens, I like to get reminded of these famous failures: Gates has literally changed the work culture of the world in the 20the and the 21st centuries, by simplifying the way the computer is being used. He was the world's richest man for more than one decade. However, in the 1970's before starting out, he was a Harvard University dropout. The most ironic part is that he started a software company by purchasing the software technology from someone for only $50 back then. Lincoln received no more than five years of formal education throughout his lifetime. When he grew up, he joined politics and had 12 major failures before he was elected the 16th President of the United States of America. Newton was the greatest English mathematician of his generation. His work on optics and gravitation made him one of the greatest scientists the world has even known. Many thought that Newton was born a genius, but he wasn't! When he was young, he did very poorly in grade school, so poor that his teachers became helpless in improving his grades. Beethoven is widely regarded as one of history's great composers. His reputation has inspired composers, musicians and audiences who were to come after him. Before the start of his career, Beethoven's music teacher once said of him "as a composer, he is hopeless". And during his career, he lost his hearing yet he managed to produce great music. A deaf man composing music, ironic, isn't it! What can we infer from the above passage? Answer: Robots make me nervous--especially the ones which seem to think for themselves. I was embarrassed to admit this till I heard that Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, felt the same way. Gates said in an interview with the social networking and news website Reddit: "I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence. First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent.That should be positive if we manage well. A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern." Well, maybe I don't have to worry about my computer and kitchen equipment yet. After I use them I can always pull the plug. But in the future, machines might find a way to prevent us from switching them off. There's a terrible thought! Maybe the problem with computers too clever for us is not that they are evil like some we've seen in sci-fi movies. What could put us in danger is that they might be too efficient. That's what philosopher Nick Bostrom from Oxford University believes. He says that machines are indifferent to humans and in pursuit of their own goals,the destruction of people might be just additional damage. Bostrom gives us an example: A machine which might have as its only goal to produce as many paperclips as possible might look at human bodies as extra material for paperclips and go after you. Because it is, well, a machine, it would not take pity on you. It's a good thing that American writer Isaac Asimov thought about how far robots can go and left us his three rules of robotics. They state that a robot may not hurt a human being or allow the human being to come to harm. I'm glad my machines at home are "dumb". All my cleaner wants to take over is the carpet in my living room. Let's hope they don't create an appliance which wants to take over the world!. How does the author feel about Isaac Asimov's rules of robotics? Answer: Although I am not in my childhood. I still prefer reading fairy tales. They often make me think of some special experiences and feelings. This summer I have received this kind of tales ,The Little Prince .It was Published in 1940 .It is the world-famous fairy tale by the Frenc h author Antoine. I ,the narrator of the story ,is a pilot . His plane has something wrong and lands in the Sahara . The little prince lives on a small planet ,and he grows a flower called ROSE there . One day they have a quarrel ,so the little prince runs away . On his all alone journey, he meets different kinds of people . From these people he gets a conclusion that grow-ups are strange . And with the help of the man he meets , he descends in the Sahara . The book moved me a lot . It is not only a fairy tale for children and teenagers, but also for grow-ups . ,. The author loves fairy tales , because _ . Answer: In this life, what did you miss? The wife asked the husband when she was 25. Despondently, the husband replied: 'I missed a new job opportunity.' When she was 35, the husband angrily told her that he had just missed the bus. At 45, the husband sadly said: 'I missed the opportunity seeing my closed relative before his last breath.' At 55, the husband said disappointingly: 'I missed a good chance to retire.' At 65, the husband hurriedly replied: 'I missed a dental appointment.' At 75, the wife did not ask the husband anymore, the husband was kneeling in front of the very sick wife. Remembering the question the wife used to ask him, this time he asked the wife the same question. The wife, with a smile and peaceful look, replied: 'In this life, I did not miss having you!' The husband was full of tears. He always thought that they could be together forever. He was always busy with work and trifles. So much so he had never been thoughtful to his wife. The husband hugged the wife tightly and said: 'Over 50 years, how I had allowed myself to miss your deep love for me.' In the busy city life, there are many people who are always busy with work. These people revolve their lives around their jobs, these people sacrifice all their times and health to meet the social expectations. They are unwilling to spend times on health care. They miss the opportunity to be with their children in their growing up. They neglect the loved ones who care for them, and also their health. Nobody knows what is going to happen one year from now. Life is not _ , so always live in the now. Express your gratitude to your loved ones in words. Show your care with actions. Treat everyday as the last episode of life. In this way, when you are gone, you loved ones would have nothing to feel sorry about. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: "You're going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You're really lucky!" Does this sound familiar? Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But does it seem true all the time? Is your life in this new country always wonderful and exciting? A great many facts show that it's not easy for newcomers to adjust to life in a new culture. They have to experience culture shock. What causes culture shock? Maybe the weather is unpleasant. Perhaps the customs are different. Perhaps the public service systems such as the telephone, post office, or transportation are difficult to figure out and you make mistakes. The simplest things seem difficult. The language may be difficult. The food may seem strange to you. If you don't look similar to the natives, you may feel strange. You may feel as if everyone is watching you. In fact, you are always watching yourself. Everyone experiences culture shock in some form or another. But culture shock comes as a surprise to most people. A lot of the time, the people with the worst culture shock are the people who never had any difficulties in their own countries. They were active and successful in their community. They had hobbies or pastimes which they enjoyed. When they come to a new country, they do not have the same positions or hobbies as they already had in their countries. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self-image. Culture shock produces a feeling of disorientation , which may be homesickness, imagined illness, or even paranoia . When people feel the disorientation of culture shock, they sometimes feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the unfamiliar environment. They want to create an escape within their room to give themselves a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to familiarize the person more with the culture. Familiarity and experience are the long-term ways to settle the problem of culture shock. Who is the passage mainly for? Answer:
Do you know what really troubles me? For some reason, words with silent letters have always bothered me. For example, consider these words: know, design, island, school, wrist, naughty, and salmon. All of these words have at least one letter that is not typically pronounced, and these words are just a very small part of words with silent letters in them. Some words are even worse, consider this word: colonel. Not only are some letters not pronounced, but letters that are not even there are pronounced. Even foreign languages, especially French, are guilty of this needless complexity and confusion. I know there must be some main historical reasons why the words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, but that does not mean bad traditions must continue to survive. Especially if they are no longer logical. Unfortunately, there is very little that anyone can do for it, because there's no group of people who can change or have the right to change the English language for everyone. However, the only thing we can do is make changes in the way we talk and write in hopes that it _ . For example, I pronounce the letter "l" in salmon on purpose to make people annoyed and to sound more different or complicated. I even pronounce colonel the correct or French way. I can only hope these two minor changes to the English language make sense to you, and you will help to keep up these minor changes forever in your everyday life. Which of the following is the main reason for silent letters? A. French language. B. Historical reasons. C. Some linguists D. Bad traditions. Answer: B These are some signs that you can see on the roads of Great Britain. Number one is a sign with the number thirty on it. When drivers see this sign they must not go at more than thirty miles an hour. We see this sign when we get to parts of the country where there are many houses and other buildings, for example, when we are getting near a town. Thirty miles an hour is the speed limit. Number two is sign for the end of the speed limit. We are out of the town now and may go at more than thirty miles an hour. Number three is a sign that we are near a crossroads, that is, a place where two roads cross. We must drive carefully. Number four is a sign that there is a bend in the road. Again, we must drive slowly and carefully. Number five is a sign that there is a hill and number six is a sign that the roads get narrow. Drivers must go slowly and carefully. Number seven has the word "school" on it. This is a sign that there is a school at the side of a street or road. Perhaps there are children going to school or leaving school. So drivers must look carefully and go slowly until they are past the school building. Number eight is a sign with the letter P on it. The letter P is for "parking." A parking place is a place where drivers may leave their cars. If the driver of a car wants to leave his car and go to the shops, he looks for this sign. Then he knows that he may leave his or her car there. If a driver wants to leaves his car and go to the shops, _ . A. he can leave his car anywhere B. he can leave his car at the gate of any shop C. he must look for the sign with the letter P on it D. he can leave his car at the side of the street. Answer: C If you were walking around a supermarket and saw a woman with a shaved head, a ring through her nose, a tattoo design on her arm and she has a small child in her shopping _ , what would your opinion be? Do you think this kind of body decoration is attractive or ugly? Different people have different ideas. The following are some examples of body decoration from around the world. In many parts of Africa, it is thought that an attractive girl should have really shinny skin. On Bali, a little island in Indonesia, they believe that a beautiful woman or handsome man must have perfectly straight, flat teeth. The Balinese believe that teeth with pointed edges make you look like an ugly wild animal. So when a girl or boy becomes a teenager, he or she is taken to a special person in their village who will file off teeth points to make them smooth and flat. There is no anesthetic and this tooth filing is really painful. It is a kind of test. If you can stand it without screaming or crying too much, then you are thought ready to become an adult. In Myanmar, there is a small group of people who are called the "Papaung". They believe that a woman can only be really beautiful if she has a long neck. I mean a VERY long neck. Now you might think that you are either born with a long or short neck and that there's nothing whatever you can do about it. But you would be wrong! At around the age of 5, a Papaung girl has heavy metal rings fitted around her neck, tightly between the chin and shoulders. Each year more rings are added and very, very slowly their weight pushes the shoulders down, in this way making the neck look longer. A Papaung woman will wear her neck rings all her life, never once taking them off. So now I'm sure you will all agree that different people have different ideas about what is beautiful. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Many people think that a woman with a ring through nose is neither attractive nor ugly. B. Most African people think that a girl with shinny skin is beautiful. C. It is thought that a beautiful woman should have straight, flat teeth on Bali. D. Some people think it beautiful that a woman has a long neck in Myanmar. Answer: A "I didn't hear them call my name," explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) as she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. "Are you ready?"is what she heard. Then she said,"I shook my head no,and then they said 'yes' and it was announced again." It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen year old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana. She was still _ "I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen. "Present in the audience that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher. Understanding why members of her family and her friends would be there,AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete . "She's always been my role model. I've danced with her since I was six. She's been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I've learned to get over bad life's experiences and learned how to move on because of her." One of those bad life's experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18. She found writing helped her get through the tough days. She said, "I write a lot about my brother. I write a lot, a lot,a lot..." As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Shelley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving,in addition to many other things to help the youth. When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, "Don't let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way,it is easy to be yourself." .What did Shelley often do after she became Miss Louisiana Teen? A. She visited drunken drivers. B. She gave dance performances. C. She made speeches on safe driving. D. She helped other teens with their studies. Answer: C Which causes more matter vibration? A. megaphone B. walking C. speaking D. yelling Answer: A
Question: Some schools are now forbidding or restricting bake sales in an effort to fight a rise in obesity among kids. In February,the New York City Board of Education ordered that only fruits,vegetables,and approved packaged foods be sold at schools. Many students and parents objected to the restrictions on bake sales , which have long been a way to raise money for schools and community causes , including athletic events and Haitian earthquake relief.New York City finally compromised,allowing each school to hold one bake sale a month.But California and school districts in other states still limit bake sales.Should all schools forbid bake sales? Childhood obesity has been a growing problem for decades.The number of obese school-age children in the U.S.has increased by three times in the past 20 years.According to Eric Goldstein,the head of food services for New York City schools.40 percent of the city's 1.1 million pupils are obese. "We have a big problem in the city,state,and the country with obesity,"Goldstein said."During the school day, we have to focus on what is healthy for the mind and the body." A. J. Juarez, a community organizer for the Massachusetts Public Health Association,agrees.Restricting the kinds of food sold in schools is ''about teaching kids good habits,"he said. Nutrition experts believe schools are supposed to be a place where teachers and students set up a model environment, and the last thing kids need is an extra source of pointless calories. But many parents and students _ ."It's not fair. Bake sales have always been a positive way to raise money for school programs,and to make that against the rules is not appropriate," said a parent. "I don't think they should forbid bake sales,''Reese Butler,12,told The New York Times.A sixth-grader from Wrightstown,New Jersey,he reasoned that,"Money raised by selling cookies is sometimes used for field trips and for community causes,including Haitian earthquake relief." For Alyssa Howell,11,a fifth-grader in Ann Arbor, Michigan,the issue of choosing what to eat is about freedom."It is the child's decision to make the right choice."she said. What is the passage mainly about? A. How to fight childhood obesity. B. How to raise money for school programs. C. Whether to eat food with higher calories. D. Whether to forbid bake sales at schools. Answer: D Question: One of the easiest and cheapest ways to help your health is just to sleep eight hours or more every night, but more and more people in the world are not sleeping enough. According to the World Health Organization, over half the people in the world may be _ . The result of this is not just a lot of tired people; in the United States alone, sleepy drivers cause at least 100,000 car accidents, and 1,500 deaths a year. Problems with sleep can also cause mental problems, as well as medical problems such as high blood pressure and heart problems. American culture values work and often doesn't value sleep. In fact, people who sleep a lot are often called "lazy". Many famous men say proudly, "I only have time to sleep four or five hours a night." Students, especially college students, often sleep only a few hours a night. They often say, "I'm used to sleeping only a little." But according to experts, sleep is like money. If you sleep only five hours a day, you don't "get used to it", but instead, build up a "sleep deficit ". "It's like a credit card (a card used to buy things or services)," says Dr. James Maas, "You are only borrowing time. You always have to pay it back." The more hours you don't sleep, the more hours you should sleep to "pay back" the hours on your "sleep credit card". For example, if you sleep four hours on Monday and then sleep eight hours on Tuesday, on Wednesday you will still have a "sleep deficit" of four hours. This deficit can continue for months or even years. People with a "sleep deficit" are sleep-deprived. Driving and making decisions can be dangerous for these people. Another research shows people should sleep nine or ten hours every night. More than half the people in the world may be running a "sleep deficit". You didn't do your homework last night? Maybe you can tell your teacher that you were working hard on your sleep deficit. "Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish idea which is held by people who have no imagination. You will be able to do more," said Winston Churchill. What Winston Churchill said means _ . A. sleep more during the day, work more at night B. sleep during the day influences your work C. people who sleep during the day have no imagination D. sleep during the day is helpful to your work Answer: D Question: Mr. Brown is a teacher. He is from New York, America. He would like to work in China because he likes our country. He thinks Chinese people are very friendly and he likes to live in China. He is happy to work in our school. He likes the school life here. He teaches English. There are 50 students in his class. Mr. Brown is kind. He and his students are good friends, too. Now some of Mr. Brown's students play sports on the playground . Bill and Mike play tennis. Tom and John play ping-pong. The other students play basketball. Mr. Brown is happy to play basketball with them. They have a good time. ,,. Where is Mr. Brown from? A. England. B. China. C. America. D. Australia. Answer: C Question: GOLDEN, British Columbia (AP)---A 3-year-old girl found alive in the upside down wreckage of an airplane survived because she was _ in a car seat, rescuers said. They said they knew she was OK when she cried for her teddy bear. Sunday's crash killed Kate Williams' pilot-grandfather, Allen D. Williams, 65, and another passenger, authorities said. The plane was found nose down and turned over in the icy water at the edge of a riverbank in the mountains of southeast prefix = st1 /British Columbia. "What saved her life was being strapped into that car seat," said Mike Plonka, a member of the search-and-rescue team. "You could see that she was very frightened. Her big concern at the time was her little teddy bear. She didn't want to leave without it. . . " "She was just pointing at it and calling it 'Baby'. " he said Monday. The girl suffered head injuries but was reported as stable, hospital officials in Golden said. She was reunited with her parents. Police said the Cessna 172 was on its way to Edmontonwhen it took off from Golden around 1 pm Sunday into low clouds and snow. Visibility was poor. An hour later, the Search and Rescue Centre in Victoria picked up the plane's emergency signal from somewhere near the BlaeberryRiver. A team using a hand-held beacon locator found the wreckage, and two military search and rescue technicians--Sgt. Scott Elliston and Master Cpl. Bruno Lapointe---landed nearby in a helicopter. As they checked for survivors, they discovered the girl alive but surrounded by debris in the back of the plane. The two soldiers tried to remove her from the wreckage, but she made it clear she didn't want to leave without her teddy bear. "I got her out and I handed her to Bruno. She was calling out for her teddy bear. I picked up the teddy bear to give it to her but it was covered with snow. She wasn't too happy that it was covered with snow so I brushed it off. "Elliston said. Williams was CEO and founder of Edmonton-based A. D. Williams Engineering Inc. The passenger who was killed, Steven T. Sutton, was chief financial officer. The two had been attending a business meeting in Golden. The cause of the accident was under investigation. How many passengers died in the accident? A. 1. B. 2. C. 3. D. 4. Answer: B Question: Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion. Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of , infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, where as if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often "go on welfare" if they have a serious illness. When older people become or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet , a great many nursing homes and hospitals have been built. These are often profit making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply " grounds" for the dying in which "care" is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under skilled . It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering cultures _ . A. it was a moral responsibility for the families to keep alive the aged people who could not work B. the survival of infants was less important than that of their parents in times of starvation C. old people were given the task of D. death was celebrated as a time of rejoicing for an individual Answer: B
YANGON -- Myanmar has officially accepted an offer of the United States to send humanitarian aid to the country's cyclone(;)victims, state radio reported Friday in a night broadcast Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu gave the assurance Friday, saying that the country is receiving such relief aid from any country without limit at this time according to its policy of dealing with the disaster, the report said. Kyaw Thu denied rumors about Myanmar's turning down of such relief materials from Western countries but accept those from nations in good relations with Myanmar, saying that the country has never done so in this case. Kyaw Thu said that well wishers abroad may make cash donation through Myanmar embassies stationed there, while those who like to donate relief goods may present at the Yangon International Airport and seaports. According to the report, the US relief aid would arrive in Yangon in days. A foreign ministry's statement said earlier on Friday that at this moment, the international community can best help the victims by donating emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, and materials for emergency shelter or with financial assistance," adding that "Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action". The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and others for their sympathy and generosity." it said. What is Myanmar's policy toward the aids from abroad? A. Myanmar prefers cash donation to relief goods. B. Myanmar only receives emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, etc. C. Myanmar receives donation relief aid from any country without any limit. D. Myanmar prefers relief goods to cash donation. Answer: C. Myanmar receives donation relief aid from any country without any limit. If you enjoy reading, don't miss Shakespeare and Company when you visit the city of Paris. It is a famous English-language bookstore on the left bank of the river Seine. The first Shakespeare and Company in history was opened in 1919 by an American, Sylvia Beach. Ms. Beach did more than sell books. Her bookstore was also a library, and she even prepared beds for writers visiting there. Ms. Beach was not only kind to people but also good at choosing books, so her bookstore was often visited by writers like Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. But in 1941, after the Germans took power in Paris, Ms. Beach was told to close her bookstore. In 1951, another American, George Whitman, opened in Paris another English-language bookstore, Librairie Mistral. Since then, just as Ms. Beach did, Mr. Whitman has also made his bookstore a library for people to borrow books, and a free hotel for writers to stay in. To remember Ms. Beach, Mr. Whitman changed the name of his bookstore to Shakespeare and Company in 1964, two years after Ms. Beach died. Next time when you are in Paris, don't forget to visit this friendly bookstore, and see if you can spend a night there! Ms. Beach closed her business because _ . A. she died B. she left Paris C. she was made to do it D. she didn't manage it well Answer: C. she was made to do it 1. Summer came early to Middlesbrough yesterday, as temperatures shot up to 22degC (71degF), a record for March. But local NFU agent Jim Wilkes says it could be bad news for farmers. "The crops will think it's summer," he told our reporter, "and start sprouting four weeks before time." 2. The death toll of the Burnside train crash rose to four yesterday when John Phillips, 32, of Petersville died in Wallsend Hospital. Another six people are still on the danger list. Mr. Phillips, an electrical engineer leaves a wife and two children. 3. China and the United States reached an agreement on the protection of intellectual property rights yesterday, after difficult marathon talks. The agreement is good news for all parties concerned. The Chinese Foreign Trade Minister described the agreement as a "turning point" in Sino-US trade relations that "promises further progress" in the future. The agreement will not only favorably influence trade relations between China and the United States. It may favorably influence the overall relations between the two countries. Who are on the danger list? A. Petersville and Wallsend. B. An electrical engineer and John Phillips. C. John Phillips' wife and two children. D. Another six people who were on the train. Answer: D. Another six people who were on the train. A bargain is something offered at a low and advantageous price. A more recent definition is: a bargain is a dirty trick to force money out of the pockets of silly and innocent people. The cost of producing a new - for example - toothpaste would make 80p the proper price for it, so we will market it at PS1.20. It is not a bad toothpaste, and as people like to try new things it will sell well to start with; but the attraction of _ soon fades, so sales will fall. When that happens we will reduce the price to PS1.15. And we will turn it into a bargain by printing 5p OFF all over it. Sometimes it is not 5p OFF but 1p OFF. What breathtaking rudeness to advertise 1p OFF your soap or washing powder or whatever! Even the poorest old-age pensioner ought to regard this as an insult , but he doesn't. A bargain must not be missed. People say one has to have washing powder (or whatever) and one might as well buy it a penny cheaper. The real danger starts when unnecessary things become 'bargains'. Many people just cannot resist bargains. Provided they think they are getting a bargain they will buy clothes they will never wear or furniture they have no space for. Once I heard of a man who bought an electric saw as a bargain and cut off two of his fingers the next day. But he had no regrets: the saw had been truly cheap. Quite a few people actually believe that they make money on such bargains. A lady once told me: "I've had a lucky day today. I bought a dress for PS120, reduced from PS400; and I bought a beautiful Persian carpet for PS600, reduced from PS900." It will never occur to her that she has actually wasted PS720. She feels as though she had made PS580. She also feels, I am sure, that if she had more time for shopping, she could make a living out of it. Some people buy in large quantities because it is cheaper. Once a couple bought enough sugar for their lifetime and the lifetime of their children and grandchildren. They thought it a bargain not to be missed. When the sugar arrived they didn't know where to store it - until they realized that their toilet was a very spacious one. So that was where they piled up their sugar. Not only did their guests feel rather strange whenever they were offered sugar to put into their coffee, but the toilet became extremely sticky. To offer bargains is a commercial trick to make the poor poorer. When greedy fools fall for this trick, it serves them right. Which word best describes the language style of the passage? A. Polite. B. Foolish. C. Humorous. D. Serious. Answer: C. Humorous. Le Whif, an inhaler that allows chocolate lovers to meet their needs whenever they please without putting on weight, is to be released in British stores. The invention, called the world's first breathable food by its creators, let consumers suck in the taste of chocolate and coffee while taking on less than one calorie. Its makers claim it will enable dieters to enjoy their favorite snacks without worrying about their waistline. The lip-stick-style tube contains hundreds of milligrams of tiny food particles which are small enough to become conveyed by air, but too large to enter the lungs. Each Le Whif contains enough flavor about eight to ten whiffs and costs $1.99 on its own or $4.99 for a pack of three. The inhaler is available in chocolate, raspberry chocolate and mint chocolate models as well as coffee flavor, which gives a dose of caffeine equivalent to a small short of strong black coffee. It was invented by Prof. David Edwards. He said Le Whif was not designed to replace food but could be used to increase dining experience, such as allowing people to sample a variety of dishes from restaurant menus before ordering their meals He said, "In terms of living off whiffing we aren't even close to being there. But there clearly has been a revolution over the last few years where we are eating smaller amounts of food more frequently, and choosing food or its aesthetic pleasure. We will be launching new whiffing experiences probably every six months. It is reasonable to assume that the next line of whiffing products will be even more health-centered. The product that was released in Paris in 2009 and the initial production run of 25,000 inhalers were sold out within a month. It has since been made available across France and in the US. In Britain Le Whif is to be sold firstly in House of Fraser for a month, after which it could become more widely distributed. What is the main purpose of inventing Le Whif? A. To produce all kinds of chocolate. B. To replace the traditional chocolate. C. To change the coffee flavor. D. To increase people's dining experience. Answer: D. To increase people's dining experience.
An American woman Anna Jarvis was the first person to decide the mothers should have a holiday in their honor each year. Miss Jarvis started her campaign in 1906 in her home city Philadelphia. She wrote thousands of letters to congressmen , city officials, teachers and newspaper publishers, proposing an official holiday for mothers. She traveled all over America, trying to get support for the idea. Her battle went on for years. In 1914, the Congress declared the second Sunday in May each year as Mother's Day. Anna Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be a simple event. She thought children could honor their mothers by spending some time with them as an act of love and respect. However, the holiday turned out to be a major event for department stores, flower shops and greetingcard industry, which Miss Jarvis didn't like. Americans spend millions of dollars on gifts for their mothers on this day. Younger children often try to prepare and serve breakfast for their mothers. Fathers may offer to take care of children so that mothers can enjoy themselves. The holiday becomes an important time for family gathering. Miss Jarvis proposed Mother's Day, but she didn't like _ . Answer: The World Health Organization (WHO) said that processed meat may be carcipogenic . Do you still dare eat cancer-linked processed meat ? Here are some comments on the website. Bill (Australia) I'd rather live a short, pleasant life than a long, unhappy one, denying myself tasty food just because some experts say it's not healthy. We should all enjoy the one life we have ---if I had listened to every piece of health advice I would never go anywhere, eat anything or enjoy life in any way. So, I won't change my habit. I am going to have bacon sandwich, glass of wine, burger, can of coke whenever I fell like it. Tim (America) Is meat really as bad as smoking: I don't think so. According to the WHO 34,000 people die worldwide per year because they eat processed meat. In 2012, 8.2 million people died of cancer worldwide. That means if you eat a lot of processed meat you have a chance of being among the 0.41 percent of people dying of cancer because of processed meat. I'll take the chance. Helen (Switzerland) The WHO doesn't say that just one bite of meat causes cancer, it is rather saying that people should vary their diet. People who eat more meat often have other unhealthy habits. They usually eat fewer fruits and vegetables and they also often exercise less. Van (China) Perhaps this report will make people consider becoming vegetarians ( ). So for your health, the environment and future generations, it is not difficult; it just needs a change of attitude. There is a vast variety of other delicious food available to enjoy. What if Bill has to change his habit ? Answer: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Have you heard of it before? It means that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we shall be healthy. We shall also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who do not have enough sleep cannot do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also helps the blood to move around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood .Exercise helps us to think better! If a child doesn't have 10 hours' sleep, maybe he _ . Answer: (B) What are you going to do if you are in a burning house? Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save yourself. It is important to know the ways you can use and to show them to everyone in the family, such as stairways and fire escapes, but not lifts . From the lower floors of the building, escaping through windows is possible, learn the best way of leaving through windows with the least chance of serious injury . The second floor windows are usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the finger-tips will have a drop of about six feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building. Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed, or smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room. On a second or third floor, the best windows for escaping are those which open onto a roof . From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely, dropping onto stones might end in injury. The best title for the passage is _ . Answer: The Harbourside Development is one of the world's most exciting places to shop. It is right on the edge of Sydney Harbour, and there are over 200 shops, selling everything from home-made sweets to the latest clothes in fashion; from Australian souvenirs to Swiss watches and Japanese cameras. The Australian Wildlife Park has been specially built to give people an extra close look at Australia's native animals. Have your photo taken with a kangaroo, touch and feed koala bears. There are talks every afternoon about these animals, which are only found in this part of the world. There is also an excellent souvenir shop. A visit to the Australian Museum is like an adventure across Australia. There are shows on the people and their way of life, and the whole continent. Talks and guided tours help to make your visit unforgettable. There is also a cafe and a good book shop, selling excellent maps. Taronga Zoo has Australia's finest collection of rainforest birds and sea-life centre which has many of the fish that can be found off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. Taronga is also famous for its large group of South East Asian monkeys. Fast food can be got at cafes. If the visiting time is very short and you still want to have a good knowledge of the whole Australia, you'd better go to _ . Answer:
My mother was a household servant. Through her work, she observed that successful people spent a lot more time reading than they did watching television. She announced that my brother and I could only watch two to three pre-selected TV programs during the week. With our free time, we had to read two books each from the Detroit Public Library and write book reports. She would mark them up with check marks. Years later we realized her marks were a _ My mother had only received a third-grade education. Although we had no money, between the covers of those books, I could go anywhere, do anything and be anybody. When I entered high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted the fancy clothes. I wanted to hang out with the guys. I went form being an A- student to a B- student to a C-student, but I didn't care. One night my mother came home and I complained about not having enough shirts. She said, "Okay, I'll give you all the money I make this week cleaning floors and bathrooms, and you can buy the family food and pay the bills. With everything left over, you can have all the shirts you want." I was very pleased with that arrangement but once I got through allocating money, there was nothing left. I realized my mother was a financial genius to be able to keep a roof over our heads and any kind of food on the table, much less buy clothes. I also realized that immediate satisfaction wasn't going to get me anywhere. Success required intellectual preparation. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. I dreamed of becoming a doctor when I was just a kid. And now I have achieved my dream. Over the years my mother's changeless faith in God has inspired me, particularly when I found myself faced with my own medical illness. A few years ago I discovered I had a very serious cancer; I was told it might have spread to my spine . My mother believed in God very much. She never worried. She said that God would never throw me away forever; there was no way that _ was going to be a major problem. The abnormality in spine turned out to be not bad; I was able to have surgery and am cured. My story is really my mother's story -a woman little formal education or worldly goods who used her position as a parent to change the lives of her children. When the author asked his mother to buy him shirts, she _ . A advised him to earn money by himself B asked him to try to manage their money C persuaded him not to buy them patiently D agreed to buy them for him immediately Answer: B Cars are an important part of life in the United States. Without cars most people feel that they are poor. And even though a person is poor, he doesn't really feel poor when he has a car. Perhaps you have heard of Henry Ford. He first started making cars in large numbers. Perhaps he didn't know how much the car was going to be to American culture . The car made the United States a nation on wheels . And it helped make the United States what it is now. The car has become popular in the United States. The Americans like to move around in cars. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money. We can know from this passage that _ . A cars are cheaper in the USA B the Americans are the richest in the world C the Americans like to move around in cars D the USA makes the most cars Answer: C When travelers think of an Adriatic cruise, scenes of Venice, Italy--its canals, bridges, piazzas, and stunning architecture--come to mind. It's one of the most popular cruise destinations in Europe. And for many, the sail-away from Venice, through its Giudecca Canal, is an awe-inspiring experience. Venice may be known as La Serenissima, or "the most peaceful," which, however, isn't entirely accurate these days. Venetians have been increasingly concerned about the impact of tourism and the potential for an environmental disaster off its shoreline due to the number of cruise ships that enter and exit its lagoon . That's why earlier last month, Venice announced a new policy to forbid the transit of cruise ships to the city via the Giudecca Canal. It's not that the city wants to shun the cruise industry altogether: It simply wants to force traffic further away from the landmarks along the shoreline. City officials say that most ships will now transit the Contorta Sant'Angelo Canal. Additionally, the city is _ the size of ships that can visit Venice, as well as the total number of ships that call on it on a daily basis. As of January 2014, Venice plans to reduce the visitations of larger ships (those that are 40,000 tons or heavier) by 20 percent. This effectively caps the number of ships that can enter per day to five. In November, ships heavier than 96,000 tons will not be allowed to enter Guidecca Canal at all. How the city plans to carry out the new five-ships-per-day rule remains to be seen and have yet to be announced. Which ships will be allowed passage? Will it be first-come, first-served? However they proceed, cruise line executives want their passengers to know that Venice will remain a regular port of call--even if the transit to and from the city must evolve. The new policy was issued in order to _ . A stress the accuracy of Venice's fame for peace B reduce the damage to Venice's enviironment C depend less on the crusie industry D limit the number of toursits Answer: B As a soccer ball goes flying through the air, the person watching it knows that the reason is because A everything is aerial B exerting occurred C balls are birds D soccer takes wing Answer: B The date was like any other day in his life. After school Michael walked past the shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the front row of shoes. And he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted to have them for his birthday. He sadly walked away and thought of what to tell his mother. He knew she would give anything he liked if she could. But he also knew very well she had little money. He decided not to go home immediately, as he looked worried and his mother would notice it. So he went to the park where he sat on the grass. Then he saw a boy in a wheelchair. He noticed that the boy moved the wheel with his hands. Michael looked at him carefully and was surprised to see the boy had no feet. He looked down his own feet. "It is much better to be without shoes than without feet." He thought. There was no reason for him to feel so sorry and sad. He went away and smiled, thinking he was more lucky in life. What does the story seem to tell you? A Why feet are more important than shoes. B How a child learned to talk in a wheel chair C .Being poor is not necessarily a bad thing. D Life often taught poor people good lessons. Answer: C
I always experienced guilt when I passed by without giving a coin or two to a beggar. My conscience was pricked again on a tour of Venice in 2010. I had taken refuge from the crowds in a quiet canal-side cafe. Outside the cafe was an old woman kneeling on the ancient cobbled stones, begging. Steady streams of tourists were walking past her. A lone young back-packer stood away from the crowds drinking something, but I noticed he was also observing the woman. A tourist group glanced at the woman and walked on. Another group of tourists arrived and, again, walked past her. The backpacker watched. Then, as I prepared to leave, I stopped at the sight of the backpacker stepping forward and placing some money in the woman's cup. He did this rather ostentatiously , just before the arrival of another tourist group. I watched as the leader of the group stopped and put some money in the cup. Having been shown the way, other tourists followed suit and added more coins to the woman's cup. The young backpacker repeated this process in front of the next tour party going past. Once again, the subtle peer pressure worked on the tourists, who all added coins to the cup. His work done, the young man walked over to the old beggar woman, patted her shoulder and said, "I hope that helps a bit." I don't know if the woman understood his English or realized what had just happened, but I did. I placed some money in the woman's cup and continued my travels, light-hearted after witnessing such an act of caring. The backpacker placed some money in the woman's cup rather ostentatiously because _ . Tom, a 15-year-old boy, couldn't hear anything after the whole night computer games and MP3 listening. He was excited and yelled after the MP3. When he walked out of his room the next morning, he could hear nothing about his mother's words. His mother sent him to the doctor at once. It was moderate hearing loss . Do you have an MP3 player? Do you use it to listen to your favorite music? A survey shows that lots of young people enjoy listening to their MP3 players. And they always listen to them at high volumes . There are about 100 million people listening to MP3 players in Europe every day. Most of them are young people. Scientists have found that if people listen to MP3 players at a very high volume for more than five hours a week, they could lose their hearing in five years. High-volume music can keep people excited, so young people would like to keep their players high. It's too bad for the ears. So the MP3 listeners should keep the player within safe volume levels, no higher than 60~70 of full capacity . If people near you can hear your MP3, that means you are keeping your MP3 at a very high volume, turn it down, please! Who enjoys MP3 most? My boss's daughter was studying in the Philippines. He asked me if my husband and I could take care of her. He thought his daughter would be able to improve her English communication skills in this way. After days of thinking, we agreed. He then brought her here and left after 3 days. I thought that my boss's daughter was well-mannered, but that was wrong. After a month of staying in the Philippines, she started to show her true colors. When my husband asked her what she wanted for breakfast, she answered him in a rude way. From then on, we experienced fights at home. There was a time when we didn't talk to her for a week as a punishment of not being good to us. What I hated most was that she didn't care about other people's feelings. She ate ahead of us when we were still working and didn't leave anything for us. So we had to separate her food from ours to avoid such a problem. The worst thing about her was that she shouted at us. I was wondering if she did this to her parents. We told this to her parents, but unfortunately I didn't think _ solved the problem. This situation lasted for almost 8 months. Our patience was tested during that time. We tried to teach her everything we could to make her a better person, but I guess 8 months may not to be enough. We even tried to understand her and adjust for her, but it didn't work. I just hope that she learned something from us and from other Filipinos. After reading the passage , we learn that _ . Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship.Before you start a discussion,however,make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboo in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art and customs.You may expect questions about your family,and be sure to show pictures of your children.You may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends.The French think of conversation as an art form,and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them,arguments can be interesting and they can cover pretty much or any topic ---- as long as they occur in are respectful and intelligent manner. In the United States,business people like to discuss a wide range of topics,including opinions about work,family,hobbies,and politics. In Japan,China,and Korea,however,people are much more private.They do not share much about their thoughts,feelings,or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away from the harmonious business relationship they're trying to build.Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters.It is considered rude,for example,to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children. As a general rule,it's best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends.This can get you into trouble,even in the United States,where people hold different religious views.In addition,discussing one's salary is usually considered unsuitable.Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world,although be careful not to criticize national sport.Instead,be friendly and praise your host's team. Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others? You've probably seen it before-two elderly people walking hand in hand down the street and looking very much like each other. They look so much alike that they could be brother and sister. Do you believe that people who live together for many years would look alike? It's strange. but scientists say it's true. How scientists proved it? In a study, scientists found young couples only showed similarity by chance. However, elder couples were very likely to look like each other. The similarity could be very subtle and could be found in wrinkles or furrows, etc. Besides, some couples look far more alike than other couples. The scientists thought of several possible reasons: 1. Diet. "We are what we eat." As couples usually share the same diet, will they probably look alike? For example, if both partners eat a high fat diet, their faces will tend to look fat. However, the scientists ruled this out using another small study. 2. Environment. Will elderly couples show similarity because they live together in the same area for a long time? The environmental factors such as sunshine and wind affect the skin in similar ways. The scientists ruled this possibility out as well. 3. Empathy . This is the theory the scientists believe in. Couples grow to look similar because they are empathizing with each other. They copy each other's facial expressions. For example, if one partner often smiles in a certain way, the other is likely to copy it. In this way, their faces share similar wrinkles and furrows. How many reasons did the scientist think of about it?
It isn't often that an entire industry is symbolized in the figure of a single human being, and such is the case with Canadian aviation and the aircraft industry. The man is the Hon. John A. D. McCurdy and the life story of this still vigorous , distinguished Canadian is at once and at the same time the thrilling history of aviation's progress in Canada. It all began one cold February day in 1909 at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, when John McCurdy confounded the critics by flying the Silver Dart, an aircraft designed by himself, for half a mile over the ice of Brasdeor Lakes. This was the first powered flight in Canada and the first by a British subject in the Commonwealth. McCurdy gave proof of his flying ability and of the development and the use of the aileron by being the first man in the world to carry out a figure high in the air. He became the first to pilot a flying boat, taking off from Long Island Sound. He flew the first airplane to Mexico. In 1911 he had made the longest flight to date, and that over open sea 90 miles from Key West to Havana. He won the first crosscountry race in Canada 40 miles from Hamilton to Toronto and he transmitted the first radio message from aircraft. When World WarIIcame, McCurdy took on board supervisory authority for Canadian aircraft production by serving with the government in various senior positions. Following World WarII, McCurdy was honored by being made lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia where he made Canada's first historic flight. He now lives in Montreal with a summer home in Baddeck, site of his first flight. McCurdy is NOT the first one to _ . Answer: fly from Key West to Toronto While Jennifer was at home taking an online exam for her business law class, a monitor a few hundred miles away was watching her every move. Using a web camera equipped in Jennifer's Los Angeles apartment, the monitor in Phoenix tracked how frequently her eyes moved from the computer screen and listened for the secret sounds of a possible helper in the room. Her Internet access was locked - remotely - to prevent Internet searches , and her typing style was analyzed to make sure she was who she said she was: Did she enter her student number at the same speed as she had in the past? Or was she slowing down? In the battle against cheating, this is the _ and a key to encourage honesty in the booming field of online education. The technology gives trust to the entire system, to the institution and to online education in general. Only with solid measures against cheating, experts say, can Internet universities show that their exams and diplomas are valid - that students haven't just searched the Internet to get the right answers. Although online classes have existed for more than a decade, the concern over cheating has become sharper in the last year with the growth of "open online courses." Private colleges, public universities and corporations are jumping into the online education field, spending millions of dollars to attract potential students, while also taking steps to help guarantee honesty at a distance. Aside from the web cameras, a number of other high-tech methods are becoming increasingly popular. Among them are programs that check students' identities using personal information, such as the telephone number they once used. Other programs can produce unique exam by drawing on a large list of questions and can recognize possible cheaters by analyzing whether difficult test question are answered at the same speed as easy ones. As in many university classes, term papers are scanned against some large Internet data banks for cheating. Some programs can find out possible cheaters by _ . Answer: checking the question answering speed A boy is playing with his toy boat in his wading pool. His mother comes along and sprays more water into the pool. Answer: the boat rises We moved to a new area when our son was in Grade Five. Before we moved, we took him to spend half a day at his new school. There he saw his new classmates and teachers. He enjoyed the visit. During the almost 150-kilometre drive home, he told us that he had told some of the students the dace when we would move there. And he had also invited them to visit us. The moving day, a Saturday, was a busy day. We arrived at our new house at noon. About an hour later, kids began to come and soon one of them invited our son to his house to play for the afternoon. By the time he returned, he knew where most of the kids lived and the histories of their families. On Monday morning, the doorbell rang just before the time he would leave for school. Then it rang again and again. By the time he was ready, we had eight young boys waiting to walk to school with him on his first day. They all live near us. I asked them if their parents had sent them. The answers surprised and pleased me, "No, we just came so that he would have someone to walk with." and "It is the right thing to do." The friendships were formed from that day. We have lived here for nearly six years and the same group of kids still play together, go to parties on weekends together, and surfing the Internet together. I am still thinking how welcoming and kind those kids are. And how lucky my son is to have them as friends. Why did the doorbell ring again and again on Monday morning? Answer: Because kids were coming one by one. One day an American called Simon went to London to visit his friend, Rick. Rick told him that his flat was on the first floor. When he arrived, Simon went straight to the first floor of the building. But he was told that there was no Rick on that floor. Do you know why? In fact, the British call the first floor of a building the ground floor. The floor above the ground floor is the first floor, while Americans would call it the second floor. The story shows that there are a few culture differences between Britain and America, though the British and Americans both speak English. The British usually hide their feelings. They seldom start a conversation with strangers. For example, on the train the British often spend their time reading newspapers or books. But Americans are quite different. They're more active and easier to talk with. The British and Americans may use different _ for many things. The British usually use "football", "eraser" and "mail" while Americans prefer to use "soccer", "rubber" and "post". What's the best title for the passage? Answer: Differences in British and American culture
There once was a doggy named Jack that was really bored. One day he was sitting on the sofa he thought to himself, "Maybe I'll go for a ride." The dog put on his shoes and hat and walked out of the door. He began riding down the street and he saw a lot of funny things. He saw a pumpkin name Sue using toothpaste, a cat name Walt watching a movie and a bear name Phil cooking on a grill. On his drive back home he saw a rat name Randy, and a lion name Leo riding a bike. When the doggy got back home he wanted to write a book about all of the things that he saw. He went into his office and gathered the pen and paper, sat down and began writing. After hours of writing he felt that his leg was hurting from being bent under the table so long. He wrote his last sentence and got up to walk off the pain. The doggy cooked his dinner, ate, then went to bed and the next day he woke up and read his story and liked what he wrote so much that he thought he would write another story later that day. What animals did doggy see on his ride? A Pumpkin, bear, cat, rat, lion B Pumpkin, cat C Cat, rat, lion D Bear, cat, rat, lion Answer: D Peter is a sixth-grader at Woodland Primary School. He is only 12 years old but has been smoking for three years. John, 15, is a Junior 2 student at Woodland Secondary School. He began smoking four years ago. "Smoking is part of my life," John said. Peter and John are not those boys' real names. But their problem, smoking, is a very real problem. In many countries, smoking is becoming a bigger problem for young people. Most smokers start in their teens or earlier. A study of 8,000 London students shows that smoking is a problem for many British kids. More than 21% of middle school students and 6% of primary school pupils said they smoked. "If young people start smoking early, it will be very hard for them to give up later on," said a professor. Every year, about four million people die because of smoking. And if people keep smoking that number will go up to about ten million a year by 2030 the World Health Organization (WTO) says. So we have to learn and tell others about dangers of smoking. ,. As middle school students, what should we do from now on? A We should start smoking after middle school. B We should start others to smoke outside. C We should laugh at smokers. D We should say no to smoking. Answer: D prefix = st1 /Indonesiais known as the country of islands. It has 17,508. But in recent years, the popular tourist destination has lost some of its shine. Due to rising sea levels caused by global warming, 24 Indonesian islands have gone under the sea. Scientists say 2,000 more will disappear before 2030. In the past three years, the southeast Asian nation also witnessed its islands destroyed by a tsunami and typhoons. "If no measures are taken to fight climate change, the beautiful islands will go forever." scientists told environmental ministers from about 190 countries at a UN climate change meeting. This week they are meeting in Bali, an Indonesian islands. They are trying to reach a deal to cut the world's emissions of CO2, which makes the earth warmer. Indonesia is not alone. This year has been more _ hit the world.Canadaand US suffered heavy storms and typhoons, While Australians were caught in the heaviest drought in a century. In China, the average temperature this year went up by 1.2degC from last year, reaching the highest on record since 1951. From Jiangxi and Hunan in the south to Heilongjiang andJilinin the northeast , one -third of farmland has suffered from a drought. However, other parts of the country got too much rain. More than 700 people were killed in floods, landslides and storms. "These weather extreme are the more obvious effects of global warming," said Song Lianchun, a climate expert. Scientists say time is running out. To escape from the worst effects, global CO2 emissions need to be cut from the levels they were at in 2000 by 50 to 85 percent by 2050. But in recent years climate change talks have been bogged down by arguments over who will pay the bill for cleaner technology. Developing countries are worried that the cut in emissions will slow their economic development. "Chinawill play a responsible and constructive role in the meeting," said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The nation is now the world's second largest greenhouse gas emitter ."However, developed nations should help developing nations deal with the global issue." What does the phrase "extreme weather" mean in the story? A Temperatures are rising all over the world. B Bad weather like floods, drought, and landslides happen in some countries. C More and more farmland is eaten up by desert. D It pours down in some places, while it doesn't rain at all in other places. Answer: B My name is Hua Fei and I am a sporting robot of the 23rdcentury. I am an expert at high flying exercises. I jump from spaceships and as I fall I turn, dive circle and dance until I softly land as close as I can to the finishing line. Robot competitions in the 23rdcentury are truly a popular sport. Fans from all overprefix = st1 /Chinawatch their handheld TVs when a competition comes on. Last time I took part in the 78thOlympics on a flying island aboveBrusselsin the sky. I won the silver medal for my performance. This year I had the honour to be chosen again. I wanted to meet robots from other countries and explore ideas about sport. However, my programmer fell ill the week before we were going to leave. It was very painful for her and I felt very frightened. I no longer felt so confident that I would win. The day of the competition was rather cold for my legs and my special oil began to freeze. I paused before I jumped from the starting place on a little spaceship but then I began my performance. At the correct moment I tried to open my parachute but there was a problem. It only opened a little. Instead of flying softly to earth I began to fall faster and faster so that I could not turn, dive, circle or dance. My heart stopped beating as I landed heavily on a mountain covered with snow. This is why I am writing to you from my hospital bed with two broken legs and a fragile head. I did not win anything at the Olympics after all. I need the factory to build me two new legs and an even bigger head. Then I will be able to compete once more. Let's hope for greater success in the next Olympics! What we know about Hua Fei is that he is_. A an experienced expert B a computer system C a flying spaceship D a sporting robot Answer: D Thanks for bringing me down here to the university last Sunday. Classes didn't start until Wednesday, so I had a few days to get adjusted. I'm signed up for five classes: zoology, calculus, English, and two history sections. It's a heavy load, but they are all courses that will count for my degree. The zoology class which meets at 8:00 every morning is going to be my hardest subject. The history class that I have in the morning is on Western Civilization; the one in the afternoon is on early prefix = st1 /United Stateshistory, our ancestors' life. Calculus which I have at noon every day looks like it's going to be easy. Besides zoology, the other class that's going to be hard is English, for you see, we have to do a composition a week. I like all of my classmates but one. There are four of us in our suite including two girls from Texas and a girl from Manitoba. Sally who is fromSan Antoniois great: I feel like I've known her all my life. I also really like Anne who is the girl fromManitoba. Heather the other girl fromTexasis kind of a pain, though; she's one of those types of people who never tell you what's bothering them and then get hostile. I don't know how to get along with her but I'll try my best to make friends with her. This I take as one other class I myself open. All in all, though, it looks like it's going to be a great year. I'll write again in a week or so. Where is the author of the above passage now? A In England. B InAmerica. C InTexas. D InManitoba. Answer: B
Question: Career building is an ongoing activity. Planning and goal setting are part of career building, but so is adjusting and taking advantage of things that happen in an unplanned way. Our dreams and desires, as well as the opportunities open to us, are changing all the time. Sometimes, they can change dramatically over a short period of time. Dealing with change often requires taking your career in a different direction. Therefore, most people's career paths wind up looking more like a forest path or the course of a river than a straight flight path from point A to Point B. Career paths tend to _ . Just as a river must take an indirect path to get round hills and other obstacles , we often have to do a little meandering to get round barries. We also meander simply to explore various career posibilities. This doesn't mean that you should wander aimlessly for the rest of your life! It doesn't mean that, although career building gives you an overall sense of direction, it is responsible to expect that you'll have to take some meandering along the way. Career building involves maneuvering as well as meandering. To maneuver is to be focused and strategic , to decide what you want and how you are going to get there. Believe it or not, you can maneuver and meander at the same time. In fact, you have probably already done so. For example, if you have ever sent in an application form for an education program or job before you are really sure you want your application to be accepted, you have taken action on a plan while you are still exploring other posibilities. In other words, you are maneuvering and meandering at the same time. When you are hunting for a job, you are supposed to _ . A. take your career in different directions B. avoid exploring various career posibilities C. change your dreams and desires now and then D. know your goal and try all possible ways to achieve it Answer: D Question: 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. According to the information above, which of the following sentence is not right? A. This year's sales figures were quite excellent. B. I couldn't figure out what the teacher was talking about. C. She was the leading figure in British politics in the 1980s. D. He was about to speak but she put a figure on his lips to stop him. Answer: D Question: If I hear about a warm front I can expect to bring what with me to work? A. time traveling B. candles C. an umbrella D. a wagon Answer: C Question: Of all the things we eat and drink, water is the most important. Not all people realize this, but it is quite true. The human body can live without food for a long time, but two or three days without water usually result in death. Many people do not understand how much water the human body needs, but many people do not drink enough, especially in the hot weather. Most people drink when they are thirsty but often need more water after exercises. 65 to 70 percent of the human body is water. Water is important in several different ways. Most people need five to seven liters of water every day, but we needn't drink this amount because a lot comes from the food we have. If we don't have enough water, however, we will feel tired and many become ill. Do you know what the best drink is? Yes, you are right. Cool water! When do we need more water? _ A. In cold weather or after exercises. B. In hot weather or after exercises. C. Before breakfast, lunch and supper. D. When we feel tired or become ill. Answer: B Question: Which of the following is an example of electrical insulation? A. Ethernet cables B. stove burners C. movie cameras D. air conditioning Answer: A
Jerome David Salinger was born in Manhattan on New Year s Day,1919.His father was a Jew.His mother was of Irish descent. Never much of a student attended the progressive McBurney School.But he left school after two years and in 1934was packed off to Valley Forge Military Academy.In 1937,after a couple of unenthusiastic weeks at New York University,he traveled with his father to Austraia and Poland,where father s plan for him was to learn the ham business.Deciding that wasn t for him.he returned to America and driturned to America and drifted through a term or so at Ursinus College.His most sustained exposure to higher education was an evening class he took at Columbia in 1939,and under Mr.Burnett s directions he managed to sell a stpry"The Young Folks"to Story magazine.He afterwards sold stories to Esquire,Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post.In 1941,after several rejections,Mr.Salinger finally cracked The New Yorker,with s story"Slight Rebellion Off Madison,"that was an earlu sketch of what became a scene in"The Catcher in the Rye<<>> . "But the magazine then had second thoughts,apparently worried about seeming to encourage young people to run away from school and held the story for five years--a long time even for The New Yorker--before finally pubishing it in 1946,buried in the back of an issus. Meanwhile Mr.Salinger had been drafted and was stationef for a while in Tiverton,Devon,the setting of "For Esme--with Love and Squalor,"probably the most deeply felt of the "Nint Stories".On June,6,1944,he landed at Utah Beach,and he later saw action during the Battle of the Bulge.In 1945 he was hospitalized for"battle breakdown"and after recovering he stayed on in Europe past the end of the war.He married a German woan doctor,very briefly. The magazine didn't publish one of David Salinger's stories at first because _ . Answer: When someone says extinct animals, you may think about dinosaurs . But now many other animals are becoming less and less in number. These animals might disappear from the earth very soon. Take a look at the following animals. They are all in danger. The African Elephant The African elephant is a clever animal. It has a very good memory. But people kill it for its tusks . Half of the African elephants have disappeared. The African Lion The African lions have nowhere to live because of wars in Southern Africa. Besides, hunters and farmers often kill them. The Tortoise George is a tortoise. It is the last Pinta Island giant tortoise. It was found in 1971. Now it lives in a research station. It can still live for another 200 years. But it is the last one of this species of tortoise. The Tadpole Shrimp Maybe you've never seen a tadpole shrimp. This is one of the oldest species on the earth. People have found them in fresh water pools on four continents . A tadpole shrimp can only live for two months or less. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: Some kids start to drink alcohol at a young age. They think it is part of becoming an adult. They also think drinking is not that bad because so many people do it. They feel it is not as bad as taking drugs . It is easy for kids to get liquor by using fake identification . Parents may start to notice a change in their child's behavior if the child starts drinking. Kids who drink sometimes stop doing things they normally liked to do. They may keep telephone calls and meetings a secret and not want anybody to touch their things. They act moody and do not have the same eating and sleeping habits. Parents need to stay involved in their kids' lives. They should talk to their children about their problems to be aware of any changes. Parents can be the best protection. Children who get a lot of love can feel good about themselves. It helps them resist doing bad things even when other kids are doing them. Parents can also help set a good example by not drinking and driving. They can have firm rules in the home that everyone follows. Give the children good ideas on how to say "no" to drinking, even when they are at a party. Try not to overreact or panic if the child tries alcohol. How you handle it can affect their attitude. It may be helpful to talk to other parents about setting up curfews and rules about parties or other events. According to the writer, if parents find their children try alcohol, they had better _ . Answer: Want to save money when traveling by train? Here are some ways. Day Returns This ticket can save you up to 45% on the standard fare. You have to travel after the rush hour period Mon.--Fri . but can travel at any time on Sat. or Sun. Big City Savers These are special low-priced tickets on certain trains. You have to book in advance--at the latest by 16:00 the day before you travel. It's first come, first served. Weekend Returns Weekend Returns are available for most journeys over 60 miles. Go on Fri. Sat. or Sun, and return the same weekend on Sat. or Sun, and save up to 35% on the standard fare. Monthly Returns These are available for most journeys over 65 miles. Go any day and return within a month. Monthly returns save up to 25% on the standard fare. Family Railcard For PS20 this railcard allows you to take a second adult and up to 4 children for only PS3 each when you buy single or return tickets. You can travel as often as you like until the card becomes out of date. In which way will you not get tickets if you don't book in advance? Answer: My summer holiday began on July 5th. I didn't want to stay at home and did nothing in the hot summer. I called my grandma, and she asked me to go to her village. I was very happy with it. After four hours, I got to my grandma's house by bus. There are many trees around her house. I liked to play games with other children during the day. At night, people in the neighborhood often came and sat together to chat. My grandma liked telling stories. My new friends and I enjoyed her stories very much. There is a pool in the village. My friends and I often went there with some food and _ fish in the pool. Then we cooked the fish and had dinner there. It was not easy to catch fish, but it was interesting and exciting. I stayed there for about a month, and then I went back home. When might the writer go back home? Answer:
Brazil is the greatest football nation in the world. There are 170 million Brazilians. How many of them are football fans? 100 million! All of them think they know all about football. This makes life very difficult for the Brazilian team managers. When things go bad for the Brazilian team, the newspapers would demand that the team manager should leave his job. "If we win, they me in heaven," a manager once said. "If we lose, they put me in hell ." You can't escape football in Brazil. There are football matches on every street and beach. On television, the results of football matches come before the main news programs. There are six television channels in Rio de Janeiro. On Sundays each channel shows a different football match. Brazil is not the richest country in the world, but the government spends lots of money on football. It cost more than one billion pounds to prepare for the 1978 World Cup. That's 10 pounds for every Brazilian man, woman, and child. And many Brazilians don't earn as much as 10 pounds a week. Is it worth it? "Brazil must have a great football team," says one journalist. "If it costs one billion pounds, that's all right. If the government doesn't give us a good team, then it will become unpopular. Football is more than a game in Brazil." Football is more than a game in Brazil. This is certainly true in its largest city, Sao Paulo. The most popular team is Corinthians. Corinthians' fans are the most loyal and emotional in Brazil. When Corinthians win, production in the Sao Paulo car factories increases by fifteen per cent. When they loses, it drops. At one time Corinthians won the national championship for the first time, for four days fans danced and sang in the streets, Why are people so loyal to one football team? What makes a football fan? One man says, "Without Corinthians my life would be sad. Corinthians bring some joy and excitement into my life. We all need that, don't we?" People are loyal to their football team mainly because _ . A. it brings joy and excitement to their life B. they could always count on it C. it can increase the car production D. they could see hope in it Answer: A. it brings joy and excitement to their life In America, when people say "man's best friend", they don't mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal:A dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give happiness to people's lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. A few even leave all their money to their pets when they die! Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to become the "eyes"for a blind person or "ears"for a deaf people. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, animals are brought into hospitals for "visit". Americans hold "Be---Kind-to-Animals Week"in the first week of May. Pets shows are held during the week. Even if you don't live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First, think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. Also, be sure to keep your pet from those unwanted babies. If you don't have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, don't kick it or throw things at it. Instead, just leave it alone, or beter yet, make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to an animal, try to shop them. As people, we must protect animals who can't speak for themselves. The words" man's best friends"shows _ . A. the friendship between people. B. the friendship between people and animals. C. the friendship between animals. D. the friendship between men and women Answer: B. the friendship between people and animals. What is the smallest unit of an element that still has the properties of that element? A. an atom B. a compound C. an electron D. a molecule Answer: A. an atom A thermometer would be used to A. determine if it is airier B. determine if it is windy C. determine the high tide D. determine if it is hotter in the desert Answer: D. determine if it is hotter in the desert Planetary changes which will have an influence on many are drawing near because of the poor ecological state of the planet. Actually change has already begun through climate changes, but most humans haven't noticed this yet. Climate change has begun to influence the world already and will begin to worsen within the next few years. Around 2020 most people will begin to see that the results of climate change will be far more serious than now understood. As the planet is under big geological stresses, which are continuously increasing, it will in the future no longer be able to support its population. Scarcity of resources, over-farming, lack of clean air, not enough clean drinking water and drought are some of the issues that will all play a much greater role in the near future. Humans have caused large ecological devastation . The lifestyles of many people are improving at a fast speed; however, this will finally result in a lack of some precious resources. When this scarcity begins to happen, people will no longer be able to have sustainable lifestyles. It's important to understand that everyone plays a role in the whole process of life. Each person's decision can finally affect the future. These decisions, all combined, can have good effect on what the future will be like for humans. So the future depends on the choices we make at the present moment. While more and more people are becoming aware of climate change and other environmental problems related to global warming, not all are fully understanding how far-reaching its effects will be. Unfortunately, most of the humans are aware that the planet isn't functioning well, but they don't understand that this is creating a major problem for the future survival of humans. So, every person should make the necessary changes to reduce their influence on the environment and help create a more sustainable future. What opinion does the author most probably hold? A. Humans shouldn't try to improve their lifestyles. B. The future we'll have depends on every one of us. C. The ecological devastation is coming to a stop soon. D. The future of humans can be determined ahead of time. Answer: B. The future we'll have depends on every one of us.
Question: Walker, a pedestrian, started north across the street in a clearly marked north-south crosswalk with the green traffic light in her favor. Walker was in a hurry, and before reaching the north curb on the street, she cut to her left diagonally across the street to the east-west crosswalk and started across it. Just after she reached the east-west crosswalk, the traffic light turned green in her favor. She had proceeded about five steps farther across the street to the west in the crosswalk when she was struck by a car approaching from her right that she thought would stop but did not. The car was driven by Driver, 81 years of age, who failed to stop his car after seeing that the traffic light was red against him. Walker had a bone disease, resulting in very brittle bones, that is prevalent in only 0.02 percent of the population. As a result of the impact Walker suffered a broken leg and the destruction of her family heirloom, a Picasso original painting that she was taking to her bank for safekeeping. The painting had been purchased by Walker's grandmother for $750 but was valued at $500,000 at the time of the accident. Walker has filed suit against Driver. Driver's attorney has alleged that Walker violated a state statute requiring that pedestrians stay in crosswalks, and that if Walker had not violated the statute she would have had to walk 25 feet more to reach the impact point and therefore would not have been at a place where she could have been hit by Driver. Walker's attorney ascertains that there is a statute as alleged by Driver, that his measurements are correct, that there is a state statute requiring observance of traffic lights, and that Driver's license expired two years prior to the collision"The failure of Driver to have a valid driver's license has which of the following effects? A. It makes Driver liable to Walker because Driver is a trespasser on the highway. B. It would not furnish a basis for liability. C. It proves that Driver is an unfit driver in this instance. D. It makes Driver absolutely liable for Walker's injury Answer: B. It would not furnish a basis for liability. Question: At 7:49 a.m. local time on Wednesday, April 14th, a huge earthquake struck Yushu County in Qinghai, China, described as "end of the earth" in a famous poem of the Tang Dynasty. The earthquake destroyed many houses, cut off power and caused over 2,000 deaths and injuries. On the night when the earthquake happened, many survivors had to sit or lie on the ground in terrible darkness. Some brought their own tents and others turned on the lights of motorcycles. It seemed that the earth was at an end. But their natural character made them get together to fight the early spring's cold nights. Facing the disaster, they chose to be stronger and standing still and firmly like Yushu, the name of their hometown meaning "Standing like Trees". The disaster drew much attention both at home and abroad. Our country leaders ordered rescuers to value every life and never to give up. Thousands of rescuers and medical teams rushed to Yushu from many areas of China, bringing machines, medicines and something necessary to the quake-hit town. They entered every village to search for survivors. Governments, organizations and volunteers are offering money and materials to the areas. We believe that under the leadership of the Central Government, people in the disaster areas are sure to restore production and rebuild homeland as soon as possible. And the overall victory can be achieved in the earthquake rescue work. In Paragraph 2, the writer refers to the meaning of "Yushu" to show that _ . A. the strong trees stand still to fight the early spring's cold nights B. some trees were cut down to make tents to live through the disaster C. the big tree standing still brings the local people good luck D. people there are brave and strong when facing the earthquake Answer: D. people there are brave and strong when facing the earthquake Question: (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. How did the two boys finally reach the pier? A. They were dragged to the pier by Tim. B. They swam to the pier all by themselves. C. They were washed to the pier by the waves. D. They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back. Answer: A. They were dragged to the pier by Tim. Question: "It is obvious that China will climb up university rankings in the years to come."This statement from Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, lines up with China's optimism that it will produce world-class universities. But there are still difficulties to overcome, experts say. Universities from China's mainland slipped in the 2011-2012 Times' global rankings. Peking University dropped 12 places from last year to 49th, and Tsinghua University fell to 71st place. Among Asian universities, Peking is ranked No. 4 and Tsinghua No. 8. A combination of factors determines rankings -- research output, study environment, reputation and international outlook. Due to China's economic development, investment in education and research has increased, but the quality of education and research in Chinese academia seems not to have kept pace. The gauge is the number of papers published in highly respected English-language journals, so while many papers are being produced in China, it appears not all are good enough to attract international attention. Still, higher education in China is developing quickly, thanks in part to huge government investment. China spent an amount equal to 3.69 percent of GDP on education last year, according to Ministry of Finance data. China has the largest and one of the fastest growing higher education systems in the world -- 2,723 schools for 31 million students. Enrollment has increased more than four times from 2001 to 2011. What is the problem with papers produced in China? A. Lack of variety. B. Lack of quality. C. Not being translated well. D. Not being tested enough. Answer: B. Lack of quality. Question: When I'm in trouble, I always take out a book and read quietly. I put my heart into it so that I'll forget all the troubles. I've formed the habit of reading in this way. When I was a little boy, I was interested in picture books and storybooks. When I was a middle school student, I began to read novels, plays, essays and so on. I found I could get much from them. Little by little I took great interest in literature and last term I won the first prize in the composition contest among middle school students in our city. Reading The Emperor's New Clothes, I had to let out a burst of laughter over his silly action. The Little Match Girl couldn't keep me from crying for her misery . Robinson Crusoe took me into a strange world full of danger. And I was also deeply impressed by Helen Keller's perseverance . Besides these, books also tell me other things -- how to be a brave man and how to tell the difference between the right and the wrong. In a word, good books can make me know what I didn't know before. So I think of good books as my best friends. I'll never forget this famous saying, "Good books are the best friends who never turn their backs upon us." When did the writer begin to take interest in literature? A. When he was in primary school. B. When he was in middle school. C. When he was at college. D. After he left college. Answer: B. When he was in middle school.
Our children grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Even my husband and I sometimes ate one secretly at late night with a glass of milk. It was too delicious and tasty. My mother-in-law was the jelly maker in this family. The jelly was made of either grape or blackberry. The only job I did to the jelly making was to save baby food jars , which my mother-in-law would fill with the tasty gel , pack them up and send back to our home. For the past 22 years of my married life, whenever I wanted to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for ourselves, all I had to do was reach for one of those little jars of jelly. It was always there. This past December, my mother-in-law passed away. Among the things in the house to be divided by her children were the remaining canned goods in the pantry . When my husband brought his jars home, we carefully put them away in our pantry. The other day I reached in there to get jelly for a quick sandwich, and there _ was. Sitting all alone on the far side of the shelf was a small jar of grape jelly. As I picked up the jar, I suddenly realized something that I had failed to see earlier-this was the last jar we would ever have from my mother-in-law. Although she had been dead for nearly a year, so much of her had remained with us. Our children had never known a day without their grandmother's jelly. It seems like such a small thing, and most days it was something that was ignored. But today it seemed a great treasure. No longer was it just a jar of jelly. It was the end of a family tradition. I believed that as long as it was there, a part of my mother-in-law would always live on. What did the mother-in-law leave to the author? Chinese people take their food and eat it extremely seriously .Eating is a communal ,social, human experience in China .Sharing a meal is a sign of friendship,and trust , Eating plays a central role in friendship ,business ,medicine ,family and love. In short, food is life. When eating, the rice is separated into your own personal bowl, but the dishes are placed in communal bowls in the center of the table and everybody help themselves with chopsticks .It's considered polite, and sign of respect and friendship, to encourage other people to eat plenty of the good bits, even to pick up food with your chopsticks and drop it into their rice bowls for them. Food is an important component of weddings, funerals and almost all Chinese festivals. New Year is the time for dumplings, the Dragon Boat Festival is the time for sticky rice Zongzi wrapped in leaves, and Mid -Autumn Day is the time for Moon Cakes. The dinner table is the best for forum to close business deals ,and it's the number one thing to do with friends. Chinese women express their admiration for the opposite sex by cooking delicious meals of many courses, and these days it's the other way round too. In short, if you want to get to know Chinese people, understand Chinese culture and thinking and get into Chinese life, you have to eat and appreciate Chinese food. What is the representative food for the Dragon Boat Festival in China? This is No. 12 High School. My friend Dongdong is in this school. Dongdong has short hair, a big nose, a small mouth and big eyes. He is thirteen. He is in Class Two, Grade Seven. He's a good student. He has two good friends in his school. They are Jim and Jack. They're brothers . They are fourteen. They have small noses, small eyes, but they're very tall . Jim, Jack and Dongdong are in the same class. Mr. Lee is their teacher. They are good friends. ,. (10) Jim, Jack and Dongdong are in _ school. As the economic crisis forces corporations and small businesses to shed jobs , one large employer still has the "help wanted " sign out :the U.S .government Experts say the federal governments' civilian workforce of 2.8 million is likely to expand significantly over the next several years as it aims at stimulating the economy , rescue troubled banks, _ health care and pursue other elements of President Barack Obama's agenda With the economy in turmoil the stability of a government career now holds greater appeal. And it doesn't hurt that the new boss, President,Barack Obama, has encouraged citizens to consider public service-a marked contrast to predecessor George W. Bush who disparaged government "It's the same thing that happened 40-some-old years ago when Kennedy came in "said Ross Harris whose Federal Research Service helps applicants find government jobs, "It was a new generation and there was the same type of excitement behind it , and we're seeing the same type of thing with Obama"Harris said he has seen the number of unique visitors to his website double over the past year as the recession has taken hold, He estimated that the $ 787 billion economic stimulus package signed into laws last month could create at least 100,000 more government jobs next year and 120,000 by 2012 Government hiring has increased steadily over the past four years, from 79,000 in the year 2004 to 99,000 in 2007 according to the Office of Personnel Management Which one of the following is TURE about government hiring'? There is an English saying :"laughter is best medicine ."Until recently ,few people took the saying seriously .Now however ,doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body .They have found that laughter really can improve people's health . Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body .People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts ,blood pressure ,breathing and muscles .It was found that laughter had similar effects to physical exercise .It increases blood pressure ,the heart beating and breathing ; it also works several groups of muscles in the face ,the stomach ,and even the feet .If laughter exercises the body ,it must be beneficial . Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body .In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes .The group that tolerated the pain for the longest time was the groups which listened to a funny programme .The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which _ both stress and pain . As a result of these discoveries ,some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics ,in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh .They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing ,making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter . Doctors have proved the following EXCEPT that _
Did you ever wonder how some of your favorite foods, products or toys came about? Believe it or not, they may have been an accident, or a failure of some other intention. Below, we found three mistakes we're thankful for turned out to be what they are. 1. Most historians hold that the Chinese invented fireworks in the 9th century when they discovered how to make gunpowder. Story has it that a Chinese cook accidentally mixed together what were then considered common kitchen items and noticed they burnt. When put tightly in a bamboo tube and lit, it blew up. 2. In May of 1886, a law led John Pemberton, a pharmacist , to rewrite the formula for "Pemberton's French Wine Coca," his popular headache treatment. Containing sugar instead of wine as a sweetener, the outcome became something for Coke, which was later mixed with carbonated water. His bookkeeper suggested the name Coca-Cola because he thought the two C's would look good together, which is how what we call Coca-Cola, a world -wide drink came into being. 3. During World War II, scientists at the University of Birmingham invented the magnetron--an important heat-producing part of the microwave oven . While working for Raytheon Corporation after the war, the American engineer Percy Spencer was testing the magnetron when a chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He went on to test other foods including popcorn kernels, and found it to be a much more efficient way to cook. In 1947 Raytheon came out with the first restaurant microwave oven, which was six feet tall and weighed 750 lbs. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: Stories of Accidental Inventions. After numerous warnings over the years, you thought coffee probably had a negative effect on your health. Perhaps the drink is not so bad after all. The new study, conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has been published and suggests that coffee does not have a harmful effect on your health. Researchers suggest, based on data examined, older adults who drink a lot of coffee, have a lower risk of death when compared to their non-drinking coffee peers. The team of researchers conducting the study analyzed data on 400,000 U. S. men and women,aged 50 to 71 years; the individuals had participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. This study started in 1995-1996 and was tracked until the day a participant passed away, or Dec. 31, 2008. According to a press release on the report, researchers shared that coffee drinkers are "less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections, although the relationship was not seen for cancer." Results indicated participants that drank three or more cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of death by 10 percent. Based on the findings that both caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee found similar results, researchers are thinking caffeine is not the protective ingredient , although which ingredient in coffee might be, they are not sure. Researchers indicate that despite these observational findings, they caution it is not clear whether or not drinking coffee actually extends life expectancy. "Coffee is one of the most widely drunk drinks in America, but the relationship between coffee consumption and risk of death has been unclear. We found coffee consumption to be associated with lower risk of death overall, and of death from a number of different causes," said Neal Freedman, Ph. D., Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI. "Although we cannot infer a relationship between coffee drinking and lower risk of death, we believe these results do provide some comfort that coffee drinking does not adversely affect health," Freedman said. Dr. Cheryl Williams, a registered dietician, told ABC News, "Overall, more research needs to be done to truly understand the ingredients in coffee and their biological activity and effect on health," said Williams. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: new study results on coffee The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues that flesh receives. The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes. During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches , cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds. In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp , naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains--taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms . The passage mainly discusses _ . Answer: the fallacy about the common cold One afternoon, Coyote went hunting. Suddenly, a large frog laughed in front of him. Coyote pounced and pinned Frog to the ground. Frog thought quickly and came up with a plan. "Brother Coyote," he called. "You must not eat me today!" Coyote laughed loudly, _ "Why, I have a bet to make with you," Frog stated. "Tomorrow there is to be a race." Coyote's ears twitched. "A race?" "Yes," Frog continued. "You and I will race. If you win, then you may eat me." Coyote agreed. Frog hurried to the lake. In the morning, the animals gathered to watch as Coyote and Frog agreed on the course they would run. They were to start at the large stone and circle all the way around the lake. The first one back to the stone would be the winner. When the sun reached the noonday mark, they were off. Coyote ran as quickly as he could. Frog bounded into the grass and waited. Coyote looked behind him. Seeing no sign of Frog, Coyote was sure he would win. As Coyote was beginning to tire, Frog's look-alike friend jumped onto the course from behind an alder tree ahead. Coyote was surprised to see what he thought was Frog, and ran even faster, determined to win. Coyote dashed past him and called, "You may be fast, but I'm faster, I'll wait at the finish line to eat you up, Frog!" When Coyote came in sight of the finish line, Frog had appeared from his hiding place and easily hopped across the line. "You may be fast, Coyote, but I've managed to beat you!" Frog joyfully called out. Silently, he added, "With the help of my friends." Coyote went home puzzled and hungry again. What is Frog's problem in this passage? Answer: He is in danger. Residents along Australia's east coast awoke in the morning to an orange sky as winds swept millions of tons of red dust from the country's inland and dumped it on Sydney. Tanya Ferguson,living in Sydney,saw that the room was completely orange.She thought there was a bush fire.But when she went outside,the entire city was covered in a film of orange dust. "It was like being in the outback ,but it was right here in the city,"she said On that day,a big dust storm swept through Sydney.It covered the city in orange dust for about eight hours,making landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge invisible. The storm affected the transportation system.Flights were delayed.Roads were busy as drivers struggled in the difficult conditions.Children and the elderly were told to stay indoors until the dust had cleared.Later strong winds blew it out to the sea and up the coast. No one was hurt in the storm,though health officials answered hundreds of calls from people with breathing difficulties.Emergency services responded to hundreds of calls about tree branches brought down by strong winds. Dust storms are common in the Australian outback,where the land is arid .But the storms rarely reach the coastal regions. Officials said it was the worst dust storm of the past 70 years.Air pollution levels were 15,500 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter. "On a clear day the pollutants are around 10--20 micrograms per cubic meter,"said Chris Eiser of the NSW department of the environment. Experts said that dry conditions in the outback and strong winds caused the sandstorm. "Ten very dry years over inland southern Australia and very strong winds have combined to produce the storm,"said Nigel Tapper,an environmental scientist at Monash University, Australia. From the passage we can see that_. Answer: Sydney's landmarks were out of sight when the storm happened
It was a great day for American girl D' Zhana Simmons when she got a new heart. However, her dream died when the new heart started not to work properly. The doctors had to take it away. She needed another heart transplant . But the doctors couldn't find a proper heart so soon. Then they came up with an idea -- they would use two machines to keep her blood _ in her body. After waiting for about four months, D' Zhana had another heart transplant. It was very successful. When doctors use a man-made heart to keep a patient's life, they usually leave the patient's own heart in the body. "She, we believe, is possibly one of the youngest that had the machines without her own heart," one of D' Zhana Simmons' doctors said. Living without a heart for 118 days -- that's great. When a heart transplant doesn't work, doctors have no time to waste. If they don't get a new heart or some machines to help the patient, he or she will die. The patient's life is in their hands. This story once again shows how important the medical world really can be. I hope that one day I will be a doctor. I hope I can be so quick and helpful to my patients. Why did D' Zhana Simmons' dream die? A Because her new heart didn't work properly. B Because she didn't have enough money for a new heart. C Because her health was too bad to get a heart transplant. D Because the doctors didn't know what to do with her new heart. Answer: A. Because her new heart didn't work properly. When it comes to the choice of books,I always manage to find a hidden jewel or two,which led to my journey to Earthsea. Ursula K. Le Guin has her own voice in fantasy literature-that's something I had to admit as soon as I passed the first page.She doesn't imitate anybody-she is herself. I followed Ged's adventures and his gradual transformation from a wild and proud kid into a wise,powerful wizard. A Wizard of Earthsea begins in Ged's own village where he,a kid of 7,learns his first magic from his aunt. Five years later he starts to learn from Ogion the Wizard. But Ogion teaches him patience-not magic-so Ged leaves him and sails to the island of Roke to learn the art in a real School of Magic. There the boy is so proud that he plays with forbidden spells -he frees into this world a terrible shadow horn the land of the dead,leading to the death of Nemmerle,the head of the school. Now Ged must try to overcome this shadow before it controls him. Finally,Ged guesses its secret and saves the world-and himself-from a terrible danger. He knows now the patience is indeed the greatest of arts,and names Ogion his only true master. Ursula K. Le Guin makes every word sing-her language is more poetic than poetry and more musical than some music.She draws the reader's attention without effort. She's made me want to try my own hand at fantasy-and I might one day. Which of the following causes the tragedy at the School of Magic? A Ged's rudeness B Ged's pride C Ged's shyness D Ged's curiosity Answer: B. Ged's pride Which behavior can help animals establish a territory? A A caribou herd migrates seasonally. B A scent trail leads ants to a food source. C A wolf pack howls to warn other wolves to stay away. D A honeybee society divides the work between its members. Answer: C. A wolf pack howls to warn other wolves to stay away. It does not have to be January 1st to give yourself a chance to make the most out of your day -- and your life. Every day is a new day and a fresh start to learn, grow, develop your strengths, heal yourself from past regrets or hurts, and move forward older and wiser. Every day gives you a chance to reinvent yourself, to fine-tune who you are, and build on lessons of what you have learned. It is never too late to change things that are not working in your life and switch gears, instead of thinking in the same old ways, hoping for a different outcome. Be intelligent, be flexible, and keep and open mind to start each day anew! Flexibility is the key! Ask yourself: How do you wake up each day? Do you start your day going already feeling pressured and rushed? Do you go through the morning routine without much thought at all, doing what you "have to do" to start your day? How about starting each new day with a moment to stop, breathe and think of a positive intention for the day. Think not just what you want to DO, but how you want to BE today? Each day is a new beginning and a blank slate. How would you like to create your day? Think of it as a blank canvas -- what would you like to paint on it. What can you create? If you wake up in a negative mindset, you are more likely to paint a dark picture throughout the day, and your canvas will not reflect hope, happiness and joy. If you take each day to think positively, and have a positive intention for how you would like to create your day, how would your life be different? What positive outcome can reflect your positive intention? What can daily positive intentions do for you? Every day you will give yourself the gift of an "attitude of gratitude." Visualizing how you would like your day will help release positive energy from within you and you will attract more positive energy from those around you. Instead of spinning your wheels in an old way of thinking, each day is a chance to reframe and re-look at things in a different way. You can experience each day an awe in the beauty and creation of the world -- and the beauty of you who is in it! You find yourself shifting from an "I can't mindset" to an "I can" mindset. With a focus on positive intentions, you feel more empowered and more like a "victor" than a "victim." You are more mindful of the present, and will be more likely to live fully in the present each moment of each day. After all, the past is a great place to visit, but you don't want to live there! So how about starting each day taking a moment to think of a positive intention for the day? Each morning, write it down and reflect each evening on how you did! Here are examples of Positive Intentions: "Today I would like to replace my feelings of annoyance towards my co-worker to feelings of acceptance." "I am looking forward today to focusing on what I am grateful for in my life, rather than what is missing, and express gratefulness to others." "Today I want to slow my life down and take time to savor the moment, especially with my children".. Using each day to recommit yourself to positive thinking and intention will help you create the life you want and that you deserve! What can daily intention do for you ,except _ ? A You can live fully B You will become mindful everyday C You will feel powerful D You can spend your day happily Answer: D. You can spend your day happily Located in Florence, Oregon is "Sea Lion Caves", the only known western, coastal, mainland habitat of Stellar Sea Lions. It is also the world's largest sea cave in existence today and a perfect place to get up close and personal with nature. The sea caves are said to be the home of an estimated 200 sea lions and that at any given time visitors can expect to see at least 150 sea lions going about their daily business. The most immense of all sea lions, the Stellar males are known to grow up to 12 feet in length and weight an incredulous 1,500 pounds. The females, on the other hand, tend to be a bit smaller and average 9 feet in length with an average weight of 700 pounds. They tend to breed and give birth during the spring and summer months. The breeding and birthing process takes place on the steep cliff ledges that surround the sea cave. Therefore the best time to view this ritual is during those select months from the outside viewing platform. In addition to the sea lions, visitors can expect to catch a glimpse of the rare Pigeon Guillemont. These unusual sea birds tend to nest in seaweed along the cliff ledges in early April. And ever the graceful Gray Whales are expected to be seen. Each year, travelling in pods, these sea creatures _ around " Cape Blance" on their way to and from their native Alaska waters. As of 2010 " Sea Lion Caves" is open daily year round except for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The ticket box office is open from 9:00 am until 5:30 pm. Visitor have a choice of two different ticket options; platform view or cave view. And admission into the cave itself is $13.00 for adults and $ 8.00 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under the age of 2 are admitted for free and there is a discount ticket price available for senior citizens . It currently costs $3.50 per person to access the topside wildlife viewing platform. While on the platform visitor can pay an additional fee to use the on-site telescope or opt to bring their own such equipment. The passage suggests that Stellar Sea Lions usually breed and give birth _ . A in the entrance to the sea cave B on the smooth cliff cave walls C in the warmer season months D out of the vision of the tourists Answer: C. in the warmer season months
Think stars don't move? Think again! When you look at the sky at night, the stars may appear to stay in the same place. But stars are always on the move--they are just so far away that the movement is hard to see. But some stars move in ways that appear to be strange to be real. In 2005, astronomer Warren Brown found one of these space oddities . It was located on the outer edge of the Milky Way, the galaxy we live in. The star was speeding away like nothing he'd ever seen. "It seemed unbelievable. No star in the galaxy has a speed like that," Brown remembers. "I thought, oh my goodness, I have something kind of special here." No one had ever seen a star like this one. What does a scientist do when the results don't make sense? Brown didn't give up. Instead, he kept looking. And he kept finding more of these strange and speedy stars, called _ stars. Hyper means "above" and velocity has to do with speed. He and his team just found six more of these "above speed" stars, bringing to the total of 16. And, he says, he's found even more, and is just waiting for the scientific community to confirm them. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: It's hard to see the stars moving. If you have been pulled over by the police, then you would have got a traffic ticket because of breaking some law. In some states, you can reduce the mistakes on your driving record by choosing to attend a traffic school. Here is what to expect if you make up your mind to start taking the traffic school classes. People who break certain rules when driving such as speeding, running red lights, or causing an accident will receive a ticket. The ticket comes with many consequences to force you to _ the law. The consequences include a certain increase to the money you pay to the insurance company. For example, a traffic ticket will increase your charge by about 15%. Many states have a regulation that attending a traffic school can eliminate a bad record from your driving records. Different states have different methods. Many have a wide variety of ways that allow you to attend the classes in the most convenient way. You do not have to attend classes physically, as you can take courses online or watch a DVD. Many schools will give the basic level, middle level and advanced level courses for a driver. Others are about alcohol and traffic awareness. The courses lasts 4- 12 hours. The subjects being covered will determine the length of the course. The main aim of the traffic classes is not about punishing you for the mistakes you have made in driving. The person undergoing the classes learns to care about road safety. It is more than just his own safety to consider. According to this passage, people choose to attend a traffic school to _ . Answer: have a good driving record Which of these lists has only products that come from plants? Answer: Paper, spices, and fibers When my daughter was in the fifth grade, she came home from school almost every night with three or more hours of homework. It was my duty to help her get it done. One night she worked until midnight doing her homework. I felt annoyed, but I didn't want the teacher to think I was lazy. So I never complained. I wasn't sure, but it seemed to me that five hours of homework was a bit too much for a fifth grade student. Later, I found out that parents and educators have discussed about homework for more than a century. Parents who like more homework want to give their children every advantage to succeed in today's world. Some educators see homework as a way to help students perform better in tests. Other parents dislike the recent trend toward more homework. They don't want to stay up until midnight helping their children. They would prefer to spend their time going to the park or reading some really good books with their children. Added to the opposition are those who say that homework increases the gap between the rich and the poor. That's because middle class families do better when it comes to helping their children with their homework. So, who is right? Is homework an enemy or a help? According to experts, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The author thought that her daughter's homework _ . Answer: was too much to finish The rapid growth of Smartphones and electronic tablets is making the Internet favourite for Americans reading news, a report said. News consumption online increased 17% last year from the year before. Television news, newspapers, radio and magazines all lost audience last year. For the first time, the number of people who get news online at least three times a week is larger than the number of people who get news from the newspapers. TV news has been the most popular since the 1960s. It has replaced the afternoon newspapers. But now the online news seems to be more popular than the TV news. People are used to having the Internet available on phones or small tablets. In December, 2010, 41% of Americans said they got most of their news on the Internet, more than double the 17% who said that a year earlier, the report said. In January, 2011, 7% of Americans owned electronic tablets, nearly double what it was three months earlier. It was the fastest-growing new digital technology, ahead of mobile phones when they were introduced. The online ad income was expected to surpass print newspaper ad income for the first time in 2010. The news business used to be the intermediary . You needed newspapers and TV stations to reach your customers. In this age of the computer, it's the software developers that you need. About _ % of Americans got most of their news on the Internet in 2009. Answer: 17
Oleksander Pylyshenko is either very fearless,very foolish... or both. The 40-year-old zookeeper from the Ukraine recently spent five weeks in a cage with Katya, a 200-kilo African lioness. Why? Well for a start, he wanted to raise awareness of the treatment of animals in captivity. Secondly, he hoped to break the Guinness World Record for time spent living in a cage with a lion. And thirdly? "I wanted to show my children what kind of man I am," said Oleksander. For 36 days, Oleksander and Katya shared the cage together. They ate hunks of meat thrown into the cage by Oleksander's wife, and slept side by side on a bed of hay. Oleksander did have a few more creature comforts than his feline flatmate - he built himself a shower and toilet inside the enclosure. But he didn't use any soap as the sharp scent is upsetting to lions. And as if living with the king of the jungle wasn't dangerous enough, Katya was also pregnant at the time. She gave birth during Oleksander's stay. Wild animals are very protective of their young but the zookeeper said Katya trusted him completely. Oleksander' wife, Olena, was also very trusting. "when he first told me about the plan I was very scared. But I decided to support my husband." Once the five weeks was up, Oleksander stepped out of the cage and declared the experiment a success. He told a Russian news agency, "Katya taught me a lot about honesty and kindness." Also, a representative from Guinness World Records confirmed that Oleksander ahd beaten the previous record by three weeks. But the parting was also bittersweet. "Katya was very sad to see me go," Oleksander noted. Oleksander's wife, on the other hand, was very happy to have her husband back. [(<<>> 20121 "Into the Lion's Den" )] Oleksander spent _ more weeks than the previous record. [ ] A one B two C three D four Answer: C Apple is to open a research lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, according to Tim Cook, its chief executive, as it seeks to boost sales in the country and improve ties with the authorities. Beijing has been encouraging foreign technology companies to carry out more high-end work on the mainland as part of efforts to revitalize local industry. It will be Apple's second facility in China. It already has a new research and development facility in Beijing. The two R&D centers were "aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country", Apple said in a statement. A closer relationship with the Chinese authorities has been a priority following setbacks for the US technology company this year. The iPhone has been losing market share to high-end handsets made by local competitors including Huawei, Vivo and Oppo, which topped the rankings in the second quarter, while Apple languished in fifth place, according to Canalys data. Analysts said the announcement of the R&D centre was Mr. Cook's latest attempt to gain favour with Beijing, following the US group's $1billion investment in Didi Chuxing, the Chinese car-hailing company, in May. Apple has had to change its approach in China as it faces rising nationalism and high-quality local competition, according to Ge Jia, a tech blogger, who wrote yesterday: "It's time for Apple to cast aside their pride." "Their previous strategy of only selling devices to China without leaving anything behind is not working any more and they are starting their process of localisation in China through the Shenzhen lab." According to Ge Jia, what is Apple's previous sales approach in China? A taking part in high-quality local competition. B choosing certain customers in China. C only selling devices. D selling devices as well as technology. Answer: C Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running,from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. "I don't have any training in genetics ; it was all trial and error," Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years. Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity. It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering--every day or two--is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it. Dill's favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. "I've grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot," he remembers. "I never would have imagined ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now," says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, "These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them." One of Dill's giant pumpkins earned _ . A $2210 B $442 C $1000 D $1469 Answer: A Most people want to work, but in today's word ,it is more difficult to find work for everybody.The economics of the world need to grow by 4% each year just to keep the old number of jobs for people. Often this is not possible,and so more people are out of work. Some people have no jobs now because new machines can do the work of many people do in a short time.Also, machines do not ask for more money and longer holidays. In all the countries of the world, machines are taking work from people ,not only in factories but also on the farms. One machine can often do the work of forty people. About 75,000 people are moving to the cities a day to look for jobs ,but only 70% of them can find jobs . Some people are out of work because _ . A of the machines B they are old C they ask for more money and longer holidays D they want to move to the cities Answer: A I learned my first lesson from my grandparents when I was young. They both grew up in very large families and lived through the Great Depression. Saving for a rainy day was their life philosophy. Rather than seeking fulfillment through material items, they chose to spend really simple life together with their family. Over the years my grandparents notice dramatic changes in their community. Every year more farmland was destroyed to build larger and larger homes. As real estate prices rose, many of their neighbors sold their little homes and land. Soon theirs was the only small house surrounded by a sea of mansions. My grandparents built and lived in a small 600-square-foot cottage for most of their adult lives. Lots of family members encouraged my grandparents to expand their little old house. But they didn't want a bigger one. They loved their little house and were content with what they had. My grandparents avoided a consumptive ( ) lifestyle by painting and repairing the house themselves. They lived in a small home, but had a huge garden. They loved gardening and planting because it reduced their grocery bill, improved their health, and gave them an excuse to be outside. They also reused and recycled many things. For in- stance. they had driven the same car for over 15 years and didn't buy a new one until the old Chevrolet was worn out. From my grandparents, I learned an important lesson: it is possible to live a simple life. My grandparents taught me that living a simple life isn't about self-deprivation . Instead ,it's about giving yourself the time, freedom, and money to pursue your dreams. Becoming debt free, downsizing to a smaller home, and going out on foot instead of by car are good ways to take control of your life and start pursuing your dreams. Which of the following is a consumptive lifestyle in the grandparents' opinion? A Changing cars in a short time. B Planting vegetables in the garden. C Reusing and recycling things. D Repairing the house themselves. Answer: A
Question: "Tammy! Come here, please! Mother needs your help in the kitchen." Her father called out to her. Tammy was in her room, getting ready to do her homework. "Yes, Daddy!" she replied. "I'll be right there." She hurried out of her bedroom and down the hallway. She was only nine years old. Her elder sister, Ella, had just moved away to go to a performing arts high school in another city. Her brother, Harry, was in middle school and always got home late. With Ella leaving home, Tammy was expected to do a lot more than she had ever done before, especially now, because her mother was ill. Her father was in the kitchen. "Tammy, I know you usually do your homework right now, but with things being different, we all have to change a little bit. I'll help you and Harry with your homework later on, OK?" Her father had an apron on over his clothes, and he looked kind of funny. He was doing the dishes and he always splashed water all over when he did that. After helping her father with the dishes, Tammy helped set the table. After supper, her father helped her and Harry with their homework, and then they played a board game so that their mother could lie down for a while. The next morning, Tammy got up early on her own because she wanted to help her mother with breakfast. She made orange juice and even put bread in the toaster and got out the butter so that her mother could sleep for a few more minutes. When her mother got up half an hour later, she was very surprised and moved to see the breakfast on the dining table. She gave Tammy a big hug. "Thank you, Tammy. You really are mother's little helper now, aren't you?" Why did Tammy's sister move out of their home? A. Because she hated doing housework B. Because she was busy with her work. C. Because her school was far away from home. D. Because she disliked her family. Answer: C Question: Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to an outlet that is acceptable in the domestic setting. One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to train its obedience. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training pens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do. Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of "come here, sit," it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack by using extreme measure. You can teach your dog its subordinate role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge. Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal. The key to solving dogs' behavior problems is to _ . A. teach the dog to perform clever tricks B. make the dog aware of its owner's authority C. enable the dog to regain its normal behavior D. provide the dog with a pattern accepted by its owner Answer: D Question: Blogging may have psychological benefits for teens suffering from social anxiety, improving their self-esteem and helping them relate better to their friends, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. "Research has shown that writing a personal diary and other forms of expressive writing are a great way to release emotional distress and just feel better," said the study's lead author, Meyran Boniel-Nissim, PhD, of the University of Haifa, Israel. "Teens are online anyway, so blogging enables free expression and easy communication with others." Blogging has a stronger positive effect on troubled students' well-being than merely expressing their social anxieties and concerns in a private diary, according to the article published online in the APA journal Psychological Services(r). Opening the blog up to comments from the online community intensified those effects. The researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel, who had agreed to fill out a questionnaire about their feelings on the quality of their social relationships. A total of 161 students -- 124 girls and 37 boys, with an average age of 15 -- were selected because their scores on the survey showed they all had some level of social anxiety or distress. All the teens reported difficulty making friends or relating to the friends they had. The researchers assessed the teens' self-esteem, everyday social activities and behaviors before, immediately after two months and after the 10-week experiment. Four groups of students were assigned to blog. Two of those groups were told to focus their posts on their social problems, with one group opening the posts to comments; the other two groups could write about whatever they wanted and, again, one group opened the blog up to comments. The number and content of comments were not evaluated for this experiment. The students could respond to comments but that was not required. Two more groups acted as _ -- either writing a private diary about their social problems or doing nothing. Participants in the writing and blogging groups were told to post messages at least twice a week for 10 weeks. Four experts, who held master's or doctoral degrees in counseling and psychology, assessed the bloggers' social and emotional condition via their blog posts. Students were assessed as having a poor social and emotional state if they wrote extensively about personal problems or bad relationships or showed evidence of low self-esteem, for example. Self-esteem, social anxiety, emotional distress and the number of positive social behaviors improved significantly for the bloggers when compared to the teens who did nothing and those who wrote private diaries. Bloggers who were instructed to write specifically about their difficulties and whose blogs were open to comments improved the most. All of these results were consistent at the two month follow-up. The authors conceded that the skewed sex ratio was a limitation to the study. However, the researchers analyzed the results separately by gender and found that boys and girls reacted similarly to the interventions and there were no major differences. They said future research should attempt to control the subjects for sex. From the experiment we can know that _ . A. writing private diaries makes no difference to the relief of one's emotional stress B. teenagers opening their blogs up to comments have more psychological benefits C. the positive effects of expressing one's emotions by blogging don't last very long D. those describing bad relationships on blogs tend to develop more mental problems Answer: B Question: The Basics: First of all, there is nothing basic about this movie. The closest thing to the description this film has is about a Texas family of five struggling to relate and exist together when they are all very different people. They deal with death, fear, growing up, and just making it through a day. However, the story itself is woven into other visuals that make it just a part of what director Terrence Malick is trying to say. If you want something basic, stay away from this movie entirely. But if you're stricken by movies that make you say. "Wait, huh?" then you should rush out to see it immediately with someone and plan to hold a summit afterward discussing what it means. A Method To His Madness? The loose, disjointed style of the story involved both the 1950s version of the O'Brien family as well as the present-day version of their oldest son Young Jack. There are no solid beginning-middle-ends in any scene; they play out more like a merory or a dream does in your head. Therefore, the audience is left with less of a definitive statement about what's going on, and more of an emotional connection to what they see on screen. We drift through scenes, getting a vague idea that Mr O'Brien is overbearing and Mrs O'Brien is very nurturing , and that the children are growing up with a strong sense of how to move around the imbalance between their parents. Now, throw in scenes of Sean Penn wandering around the high-tech modern city, looking like the rug has been pulled out from underneath his soul. Add in a dash of nature shots, including but not limited to magrna, the ocean, dinosaurs, and hillsides... What Does It All Mean? It is very clear that Malick wants us to have a sense of this family as a part of the entire universe. A child frightened at his father's touch is a microcosm of the dark expanse above our heads, and it exists alongside the tides, animals, and even God. It all depends on what you believe, which is why this movie is so interesting. We can learn from the text that the director cares most about _ . A. something basic that happens in everyday life B. how to educate children in different families C. something causing people to think and discuss D. the importance of protecting endangered anirnals Answer: C Question: Bad teeth can be painful and even be deadly. Infections of the gums and teeth can release bacteria into the blood system. Those bacteria can increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke and worsen the effects of other diseases. And adults are not the only ones at risk. For example, a 12yearold boy died when a tooth infection spread to his brain in 2007 in Washington. Experts said it might have been prevented had he received the dental care he needed. Experts say good dental care starts at birth. Breast milk, they say, is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth. But dentists say a baby's gums and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding by using a cloth with a little warm water. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give only water. When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. The use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. For example, it is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel , the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes from forming. But young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush their teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the size of a pea, should be used. Parents often wonder what effect finger sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their fingers by the age of four. If it continues, experts advise parents to talk to their children's dentists or doctors. Because it could _ the correct development of permanent teeth. Dentists say children should have their first dental visit at least by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear--usually at around six months. What is the purpose of the author in writing the passage? A. To warn us of the deadly infections of gums and teeth. B. To introduce the advantages of fluoridated toothpaste. C. To draw our attention to the dental care of young children. D. To present the research results about dental care. Answer: C
This is a reading room in Kate's school. It is big and very nice. There is a lot of furniture in it. There are twenty desks, eighty chairs and twenty computers. There're some pictures on the wall. They are all of famous people. Some students are in the reading room. They like reading books here. Kate is here too. Her mother is an English teacher at the school and her father is a doctor in the school hospital. They like reading books in the reading room too. How many desks are there in the reading room? Answer: Twenty When was the last time you laughed a lot? Most people are the victim of an uncontrollable fit of laughter at least once in their lives. But when it happens in front of the television cameras, it can become an internet sensation. Do you think there's anything funny about spicy meat? Swiss finance minister Hans-Rudolf Merz seemed to think it was hilarious. Mr. Merz was making a speech in the Swiss parliament on meat imports when he started laughing and couldn't stop. The meat in question is known as "bundnerfleisch"-- a type of air-dried beef product. Herr Merz later admitted that he was amused by the bureaucratic language in which the bill was written. Since then, Mr. Merz has become an internet hit. A video of the incident shows a grey-suited minister giggling away, accompanied by applause from his parliamentary colleagues. So far, the video has been seen by more than 500,000 people on YouYube and other websites. "I don't understand what he's talking about," said one viewer, "but it's just so funny." The recent publicity will be good news for the minister, too. Mr. Merz had been criticized recently for signing away much of Switzerland's banking secrecy, and for failing to do enough to help two Swiss citizens who were detained by Libya. But now, with retirement a few months away, Mr. Merz may leave on a high note. Some even suggest he may have a future career as a comedian. Of course, Mr. Merz isn't the first person to _ on air. BBC Radio 4 newsreader Charlotte Green lost control on the programmeTodaynot so long ago. It all happened after a clip of the oldest known recording of the human voice was played. A studio member remarked that the 1860 recording of a woman singing the French song "Au Clair de la Lune" sounded like a "bee buzzing in a bottle". That seemed to set Ms. Green off as she broke down into a fit of the giggles. Later, the editor of the show, Ceri Thomas, said most listeners who contacted the show had commented on "how much they had enjoyed the moment". He added, "When Charlotte loses it, she really loses it." So, why do we get these fits of laughter? Experts say it's a form of release. Nervous tension often builds up inside us, especially in those who have got high-pressure, stressful jobs. When stressed out, the body constricts blood vessels, elevates the production of potentially damaging stress hormones, and raises blood pressure. Short periods of stress are normal and not dangerous, but over long periods of time stress weakens the immune system and makes heart problems more likely. Under the control ofself-protecting mechanisms of human body, this pressure needs an outlet, usually manifesting itself through tears, anger or laughter-- uncontrollable fits of laughter! So, beware! That uncontrollable laughing fit could strike at any moment. [(<<>> 201102 "Laugh Away")] Which of the following is true according to the experts? [ ] Answer: Uncontrollable laughing fits can help to release the pressure. 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." . ? Answer: Mr. Black brings the wrong dog home. On May 18,1969,NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford,John Young,and Eugene Cernan boarded the Apollo 10 lunar module --the fourth manned mission in the US Apollo Space program and only the second after Apollo 8 to circle the moon.Its mission was to circle the moon and thoroughly test the components and procedures to pave the way for the first lunar landing. The mission went perfectly without incident--at least that's what every one believed. However, that view has changed since February 22, after NASA released a digital recording of strange music heard by the space travelers.Then as they were re-entering the zone where they could communicate with ground control.One of the astronauts asked if they should report it.In response, Stafford expressed his doubts if anyone would even believe them.But they needn't have worried. When NASA experts listened to the recordings,they thought the strange sounds were radio interference. Michael Collins--the Apollo 11 pilot--said that the only reason why he was not shocked upon hearing them was that he had been forewarned by NASA officials.Collins also said that the music stopped as soon as the lunar module landed on the moon. So why did it take NASA over 40 years to release the digital recording of the awful music only after it was featured in a recent television series NASA's Unexplained Files? The US Space Agency says they have not been hiding them.In the press release that accompanies the release of the recording,NASA officials state,"The Apollo 10 audio clips were uploaded in 2012, but the mission's sound recordings have been available at the National Archives for anyone that wanted to hear them since the early 1970s." Eugene Cernan, Apollo 10's pilot who heard the sounds first,also released a statement saying,"I don't remember that incident excited me enough to take it seriously.It was probably just radio interference.Had we thought it was something other than that,we would have briefed everyone after the flight. We never gave it another thought." While most people are ready to accept this logical explanation,there are some that believe otherwise. They guess the music proves the presence of aliens. Among them is Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden,who thinks the sounds came from a source in outer space.In the episode of NASA's Unexplained Files, which discusses the origin of the strange music,the astronaut says, "Logic tells me that if there was something recorded on there,then there was something there." What is the main idea of this passage? Answer: The music heard by Apollo astronauts could be radio interference. Imagine your body is like the house you live in. Every day, your family creates rubbish. The rubbish builds up until it is put out for the weekly garbage collection. Now, say you put three bags of garbage out, but because one of the collectors was away sick, only two bags are collected. You take the leftover bag inside to be put out again next week. The following week you put on another three bags, plus the leftover bag from last week. But again, only two bags are collected. Imagine this cycle is repeated over the following weeks. This is a simple description of what happens to your body when your kidneys don't work efficiently. Your body is not thoroughly emptied of waste products. Other areas of the body such as blood pressure and red blood cell production are affected and the _ process that may lead to kidney failure begins. It's not uncommon for people to lose up to 90% of their kidney function before developing any symptoms. There may be no warning signs. This makes early detection difficult. Kidney's main job is to remove toxins and unwanted water from our blood. Every day our kidneys clean an average of 200 litres of blood. Kidney failure may be a gradual and silent process, going unnoticed because there is no apparent pain. Research shows that more than 25% of the patients requiring dialysis do not see a kidney specialist before they have to do so. Some risk factors for kidney disease such as age and genetic make up are out of our control; however, some changes in lifestyle may help prevent kidney damage.Two major risk factors for kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, have been on the rise over the last few decades.Both conditions are chiefly affected by being overweight and not getting enough exercises, which are the potential risk factors for the kidney disease. We can infer that when we find some symptoms related to our kidneys, _ . Answer: the kidneys may have been seriously damaged
One fine afternoon, I was walking along Fifth Street when I remembered that it was necessary to buy a pair of socks. Why I wished to buy only one pair was unimportant. I turned into the first sock shop that caught my eye. A boy clerk, who could not have been more than seventeen years old came forward. "What can I do for you, sir?" he said "I wish to buy a pair of socks." I replied. His eyes shone. There was a note of excitement in his voice. "Did you know that you had come into the finest place in the world to buy socks?" I had no idea of that, as my entrance had been accidental. "Come with me," said the boy, eagerly. I followed him to the back of the shop, and he began to pull down box after box from the shelves, showing their contents for my choice. "Hold on, lad" I said "I am going to buy only one pair!" "I know that," said he, "but I want you to see how beautiful these are. Aren't they wonderful!" There was on his face an expression of seriousness and pride and delight as if he were showing me the secrets of his religion . I became far more interested in him than in the socks. I looked at him in surprise. "My friend, " said I, "if you can keep this up, if this is not merely from having a new job, if you can keep up this high spirit and excitement day after day, in ten years you will own every sock in the United States." What did the writer want to buy one fine afternoon? A pair of socks. One cold winter evening, some young families and young couples were eating in a McDonald's when an old couple walked slowly into McDonald's hand in hand. Some of the customers looked admiringly at them .You could tell what the admirers were thinking. Look, there is a couple who has been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more." The little old man walked right up to the cash register, placed his order with no hesitation and then paid for their meal. The couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of French fries and one drink. The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink, his wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them. When the man began to eat his few bites of hamburger, the crowd began to get restless. Again you could tell what they were thinking. "That poor old couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two of them." Then, the man began to eat his French fries, when one young man stood and came over to the old couple's table. He politely offered to buy another meal for the old couple to eat. But the old man replied that they were just fine and they were used to sharing everything. Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady hadn't eaten a bite. She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally taking turns sipping the drink. When the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly, the young man could stand it no longer. Again he came over to their table and offered to buy some food. After being politely refused again, he finally asked a question of the little old lady. "Ma'am, why aren't you eating? You said that you shared everything. What is it that you are waiting for?" She answered, "The false teeth". From the old lady's answer, we know that _ . the couple were using the same false teeth Below is a brochure about the British Library. Events The Taking Liberties events programme explores themes raised by the thought that has brought about this exhibition. A wide range of discussions, talks, comedy events and live music provide further understanding of the personal stories of those who have struggled for freedom and show how the debate continues today. Free group tours, gallery talks, local events and learning classrooms are also available. For more information please visit www.bl.uk/takingliberties. Adopt a Book Please support the British Library with a "novel" gift. For as little as PS25, you can help the Library preserve the nation's treasures for generations to come. There are hundreds of titles to choose from including many first edition classics. For a full list books available and details on how to Adopt a Book, please visit www.bl.uk/adoptabook. Friends The Friends of the British Library is a charity to helping the Library develop its holdings and its facilities. Members enjoy a lot of tours of the exhibitions: visit to specialized departments and to other important libraries, access to the Friends Room and discounts in the shop and restaurant. For more information you can talk to a representative at the Friends Desk in the Entrance Hall or visit www.bl.uk/friends. Shop The British Library Shop has a wide selection of Taking Liberties-related books, including the official exhibition book Taking Liberties: The Struggle for Britain's Freedom and Rights by Mike Ashley and Taking Stock of taking Liberties: A Personal View by Linda Colley, plus a large range of goods, including postcards, stationery, bags and souvenirs. www.bl.uk/shop. British Library Web Pages Searches 10,000 web pages from the main British Library website. You can also browse the pages using the links on our home page or the site map. Online Gallery: Searches 30,000 images from Online Gallery. Catalogue records: Searches the British Library Catalogue, which contains records for 14 million items, including books, series, printed music and maps. Journal articles: Searches records of over 9 million articles published, during the last five years, in the 20,000 most heavily requested journals at the British Library. Many of our specialist catalogues are not yet included in the home page search. Searching these will give you a more complete picture of what we have available. Members of the Friends of the British Library can _ . buy books at a cheaper price An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the "accident of evolution" had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7 - foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing. He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the atheist cried out "Oh my God!" Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky," You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don't exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this difficulty? Am I to count you as a believer?" The atheist looked directly into the light. "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?""Very well," said the voice. The light went out. The river ran again. And the sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear dropped his right paw... brought both paws together... bowed his head and spoke, "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful." It can be inferred from the passage that an atheist is a person _ . who denies the existence of God Billy went to the farm to buy some beef for his brother's birthday. When he arrived there he saw that all six of the cows were sad and had brown spots. The cows were all eating their breakfast in a big grassy meadow. He thought that the spots looked very strange so he went closer to the cows to get a better look. When he got closer he also saw that there were five white chickens sitting on the fence. The fence was painted blue and had some dirty black spots on it. Billy wondered where the dirty spots had come. Soon he got close to the chickens and they got scared. All five chickens flew away and went to eat some food. After Billy got a good look at the cows he went to the farmer to buy some beef. The farmer gave him four pounds of beef for ten dollars. Billy thought that it was a good deal so he went home and cooked his brother dinner. His brother was very happy with the dinner. Billy's mom was also very happy. How did Billy's brother feel after dinner? Happy
A thing which moves very little over quite a lot of time is a A. pack of wolves B. racing horses C. falling rocks D. giant ice brick Answer: D The huge explosion in Tianjin is only a symptom of a much bigger problem plaguing China today ! Laws are often not enforced , or are enforced half-heartedly. The law clearly prohibits storage of dangerous goods and chemicals within a certain radius of residential areas, and there must be strict adherence to rules on storage and transportation, etc. The fact that this accident occurred so close to residential areas, resulting in devastating damage to homes and serious injuries to residents, shows that the law was not strictly enforced. Whoever approved the siting of that logistic plant in that particular area has a lot to answer for. Often, officials come to take action only after lives are lost. Another case in point is the unfortunate death of a young mother in the escalator accident in a shopping mall recently. Problems with elevators and escalators have been around for ages, and residents have made countless complaints, but to no avail. After the accident, city officials fan out all over the country checking on escalators for faults, and many escalators have been shut down for repairs. This kind of action is a kneejerk reaction to a serious disaster! There are many disasters waiting to happen. And all are due to weak or non-existent enforcement. For instance, it's well known that many residents add an extra floor to the roof-top of their apartment bocks, endangering the safety of the block, while others dig into their ground floor units to create an extra basement living area, hacking away concrete slabs and cutting steel bars which are the basic foundation of the building, seriously jeodardizing its safety. Neighbors complain, city officials come round and leave, saying they can't do anything as the owner wouldn't open his door for an inspection! They would often leave a note on the owner's door telling him to stop construction, but true to form, the owner just ignores it. This is the kind of enforcement we see so often in China. What is urgently needed in China is a complete overhaul of the enforcement practice, with every official held accountable for his failure to enforce the law strictly! Why wait till lives are lost before acting? What does the fact that the huge explosion in Tianjin resulted in serious injuries show? A. It is very difficult to enforce laws. B. People are not aware of the danger. C. The law was not strictly enforced. D. There is no law for ensuring us safe. Answer: C A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole neighborhood knew the story. The neighbor was deeply hurt. Later the woman learned that it was completely untrue. She was very sorry and went to a wise old man to find out what she could do to repair the harm. "Go to the market," he said, "and buy a chicken, and have it killed, then on your way home, pick its feathers and drop them one by one along the road." Although surprised by this advice, the woman did what she was told. The next day the wise man said, "Now, go and collect all those feathers you dropped yesterday and bring them back to me." The woman followed the same road, but she was so _ when she found the wind had blown all the feathers away. After looking for hours, she returned with only three in her hand. "You see," said the old man, "it's easy to drop them, but it's impossible to get them back. So it is with gossip. It doesn't take much to spread a gossip, but once you do, you can never completely undo the wrong." Why did the woman feel sorry? A. She didn't know the story. B. She hurt her neighbor deeply. C. She was hurt deeply. D. She was told an untrue story. Answer: B With thousands of years of history and mythology in its area, prefix = st1 /Athens--named for the olive-tree-loving Athena---is more than a concrete jungle. It's a lovely city decorated by outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks, gardens and plenty of characters. _ The city is connected three sides by Mt Parnitha, Mt Pendeli and Mt Hymettos. WithinAthensthere are no less than eight hills, of which the Acropolis and Lykavitos are the most famous. The hills provide a peaceful rest from the noise of the city. Just about everything of interest to the traveler is within a small area surrounding Plateia Syntagmatos (Syntagma Square). This area is connected with the districts of Plaka to the south, Monastiraki to the west, Kolonaki to the east and Omaonia to the north. Plateia Syntagmatos is dominated by the oldRoalPalaceand is the beating heart of the business district, with luxury hotels, banks and airline offices. Plaka, nestled below the Acropolis, is the old Turkish quarter and virtually all that existed when Athens was declared the capital of independentGreece. Though Plaka is packed with tourists in high season, it's also one of the prettiest and most atmospheric areas of the city. Monastiraki is the market district and a fascinating part of town to wander. Psiri, nearby, is full of stylish cafes and bars and makes a great place to stop for a rest of lunch. Kolonaki, a classy living area, is full of trendy boutiques, art galleries and cafes. If you want to buy something, where will you go? A. Plaka B. Kolonaki C. Omonia D. Monastiraki Answer: D During which process does a caterpillar become a butterfly? A. fertilization B. metamorphosis C. asexual reproduction D. biological adaptation Answer: B
Leon, 12, was born without fingers on his left hand.That didn't -stop him from being able to do many tasks. But Leon could not grasp more than one object at a time. So Leon's father, Paul, created a prosthesis ,using a 3D printer. Now Leon has fingers that open and close."It was a do-it-yourself, father and son adventure," says raw. When Leon was a baby, his doctor advised his parents not to give him a prosthetic hand until he was in his early teens. "The doctor said Leon should first learn to get full use out of the hand he was born with," says Paul. As Leon got older, his father looked into buying a prosthetic hand, which can cost as much as $30,000. Paul found a more affordable solution. One day, Paul discovered a video on the Internet about Robohand, a prosthesis created with a 3Dprinter. He downloaded the free instructions and called Robohand's creators for advice. They told him all he needed was a 3D printerwhich costs around $2,000- and some materials. Luckily, Leon's school had recently purchased a 3D printer and it offered to help Paul build the hand for Leon."We used a soccer shin guard ,cardboard, and tape. They cost about$10," says Paul. With his new hand, Leon can do things better. "I can help my mom more, because now I can carry two grocery bags,"he says. Leon's father has already built .several hands for Leon. Leon helps design each one. He says there's one thing in particular that he wants to do with a future prosthesis."The goal," he tells the reporter from the local evening paper,"is to be able to tie my shoelaces:' Why did Leon's doctor disapprove of his using a prosthesis in his childhood? Answer: My name is Jack.Here are four of my favorite photos.Let me tell you something about them. In the first photo, I'm running.I like sports and I want to be a running star. I like spring and winter best.So I have two photos of them.Look at the second photo.I am flying kites with my friends in the park. There are all kinds of kites there.We are very happy.In the third photo,I'm playing snow fight with my friends.And some friends are making snowmen.We are playing happily. In the last photo.I'm doing my homework. Who's that girl? Oh.she is my sister and she is helping me with my homework.My sister is good at her subjects.In the evening,we usually do our homework and watch TV. ,. Which of the following isn't right? Answer: Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it? Many people are afraid to assert (,) themselves.Dr.Robert Albert, author of STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and TALK BACK, thinks it is because their self-respect is low."There's always a superior around--a parent, a teacher, a boss who knows better.'' But Albert and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves. They offer assertiveness training courses, A.T.for short.In the A.T.course people learn that they have a right to be themselves.They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so.They learn to be confident without hurting other people. In one way, learning to speak out is to get rid of fear.A group taking an A.T.course will help the _ person to lose his fear.But A.T.uses an even stronger motive to share the need.The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels. Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-respect.If your face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person.You start to doubt your answers to problems.However, once you get to feel good about yourself, you can learn to speak out. The problem the writer talks about is that _ . Answer: Mr. Sankaram, a physics teacher, was known for his antics in his classroom to make the dull lessons in physics lively and interesting. Mixing different chemical drugs in the lab to become new substances in chemistry makes students excited. While studying botany or zoology, students can visit a garden or zoo. But physics limits students to listening to the boring lectures which are hard to understand. For example, why an apple dropping from a tree travels downwards but not upwards. But Mr. Sankaram's classroom antics to cause students to listen to topics such as how sound travels in air or why light travels faster than sound made him stand out from the rest of the teachers. At that time, most students in our school attended the college to please their parents, and some parents were proud of their children for simply attending a college, no-matter whether they benefited or not. They didn't study hard. But a few students were diligent and they wanted to study pre-medical courses to gain admission into the medical school. The schooling of pre-medical courses was very expensive. The college was next to the medical school. The wall separating them was about four feet high. Few tried to jump over the wall to get free pre-medical courses. Doing this was at risk of injuries and the climbing was forbidden. The college where Mr. Sankaram taught was known for unruly and naughty students. The unruly students usually sat at the back of the classroom. When a student from the back of the classroom tried to disrupt the class, Mr. Sankaram would say, "Dare you go ahead to make noise? Can you jump over the four-foot wall to get into the medical school?" The student's face went red and he became silent. In the physics class . I sat in the first row to escape from the troublemakers at the back. One day during the class. Mr. Sankaram unexpectedly asked me, "Can you jump over the four-foot wall?" I shook my head and answered, "No, sir, I couldn't jump over a one-foot wall, let alone a four-foot wall." Mr. Sankaram wasn't satisfied with my reply but waved his hand for me to sit down. He looked at me in the eyes hard and said, "If you can. Believe in yourself!" There were stories about Mr. Sankaram's past history. As a student at same college years ago, he went into much depression for some time when he couldn't get into the medical school. In fact he could have been admitted by the school by his ability of studying. Because his family couldn't afford his pre-medical courses and he didn't dare to climb the wall, he often walked back and forth along the four-foot wall talking to himself and sometimes cried over his failure. Whether this story was true or false it was passed on from year to year. So Mr. Sankaram had a nickname "four-foot." It was true that he left his dream to his students and he began challenging the students' ability to jump over the four-foot wall to get into the medical school. As a student I failed at my attempt to get admission into the medical school. In fact not all students wanted to be a doctor. And years later I ended up as a chemistry teacher at the same college. I thank Mr. Sankaram for his encouragement to me, and I am determined to follow his example to make my class interesting. Mr. Sankaram passed away years ago. He will always be remembered for his wonderful teaching techniques such as dancing movements and his encouraging words. Most of the author's schoolmates went to college to _ . Answer: If you are not happy with China's high Internet fees and slow speed, you are not alone.So is Premier Li Keqiang.On April 14, he said in a meeting that the government should speed up the Internet and lower the fees. "The first question people ask at a new place is 'Is there WI-FI' because Internet service fees are so high," said Premier Li.According to a recent survey by CCTV, the average cost of 1GB mobile Internet data per month in China is 100 Yuan, while it is only 60 Yuan in the US and 40 in Japan. However, high prices don't necessarily mean good service.The average Internet speed in China was 4.25Mbps in late 2014.South Korea had the fastest average Internet speed-25.3 Mbps.People can download a 1 GB movie within 6 minutes in South Koreas, but in China it would take half an hour. To improve Internet services, the key is to build more fiber networks.Through them we can send text, pictures and videos globally in less than a second, which offer high speed Internet.Besides, the lack of market competition is another problems. _ ,. (2,10) Why do people always ask for WI-FI at a new place in China? Answer:
Question: Doctors' moonlighting is becoming popular in hospitals around China. It has not only raised a lot of heated discussions in the media, but also caught the attention of the central government in Beijing. On December 26, a spokesman of the Ministry of Health stressed that the ministry was firmly against doctors' moonlighting, while strict regulations should be applied to doctors taking part-time jobs, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Last year, the Ministry sent out a notice to a variety of health organizations to speed up the reform of their personnel system. According to the notice, medical organizations can hire medical experts as part-time doctors but such activities should take place under the hospital's management and regulations . As for moonlighting--meaning that the doctor provides medical service without the permission of the original hospital--such activity goes against China's Practicing Doctor Law, Xinhua reported. In China, doctors used to be controlled by hospitals and they could work for only one hospital. However, as China's medical personnel system reform developed, it has been recognized that medical human resources, just like human resources in other areas, should be shared by the whole society. But on the other hand, doctors' taking part-time jobs should follow the relative regulations applied in the medical field. First of all, they should follow relative government laws and regulations. They should also follow the rules and regulations set by the medical organizations they work for. In addition, they should pay taxes for their income from the part-time jobs. What matters most is that they should first finish their regular jobs as required and be responsible for patients to ensure qualified and safe medical treatment. From this passage we know that doctors are allowed to _ nowadays. A. only work for one hospital B. work for more than one hospital C. work any time when they are free D. be out of control of hospitals Answer: B Question: friction acts to counter the motion of two objects when their surfaces are what? A. converging B. separated C. in vision D. apart Answer: A Question: After successfully serving their term for 4 years, military service men and women are given the choice to stay in the military of return to civilian life. For some, having to readjust to civilian life is one of the mist challenging assignments our returning soldiers and marines will ever to undertake. While people may think readjusting should be simple, they must take into consideration of all physical and mental stress our servicemen went through. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder ,or PTSD, is a mental disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat . Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. In the military, the marines are given a two-week course on how to return to civilian life. Unfortunately, some will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individual may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD have difficulty sleeping because they are often reliving the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, and feel deserted or often stand off, and these symptoms can be severe enough an dlast long enough to significantly damage the person's daily life. Fullerton College, like most colleges, has its own Veteran's Office. Ray Bustos has been running the office for 3 years. Bustos acts as a liaison for the school and the veteran students. He makes sure the veterans returning to school get the right benefits. There are various types of financial aid for soldiers and marines. He strongly encourages the use of the Veteran Affairs website. The website is very informative and extremely helpful for veterans as well as for friends and s of veterans who want to learn more. Which of the following is true about Ray Bustos? A. He's a veteran who has just come back from a military combat. B. He runs Fullerton College with a veteran office. C. He's in charge of an office dealing with veteran affairs. D. He provides a lot of financial aid for soldiers and marines. Answer: C Question: A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color1, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. "I Love You Darling" The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. Sometimes we spend time asking who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationship in giving each other support. After all, shouldn't forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don't multiply pain, and suffering by holding on to forgiveness. If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world. What is the purpose of the passage? A. To persuade readers to forgive people. B. To tell us a touching love story. C. To warn the readers to be cautious. D. To call on readers to show love to people. Answer: A Question: Sleep is like food for the brain. Enough sleep helps the body and the brain grow and develop. However,many Chinese do not sleep well,and many do not pay enough attention to sleep. The Chinese Medical Doctor Association released the 2013 China Sleep Quality Index on March 19 to mark World Sleep Day---March 21. According to the index,nearly a quarter of Chinese people don't sleep well.Half said that they feel tired after getting up and 15 percent people have trouble falling asleep. Ye Jingying,a sleep expert at Beijing Tongren hospital,says:"If people often wake up during the night,or always feel weak and tired in the day,they should pay attention to their sleep pattern." Many people play with their cell phones or i pads before sleeping.The report said that this is one of the main reasons for bad sleep.Other reasons include stress and bad moods. How to sleep well? Above all,get enough sleep.Seven to nine hours of sleep every night is perfect for an adult,and eight to nine hours is best for a teenager. Forming good sleep habits is important.The report suggested that people need to keep away from digital devices for at least an hour before sleep. The lights keep their brains excited for a long while.Other suggestions include:try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day,even on weekends and during holidays,and do the same relaxing things before bed each night,like listening to soft music. Which of the following means that you sleep well? A. You feel tired after getting up B. You wake up several times during the night. C. You can fall asleep within 20 minutes. D. You often do something boring until you feel sleepy. Answer: C
Question: Ask any student to say one thing they know about Charles Dickens, and it is very likely they will say Oliver Twist. His classic tale of a poor orphan boy strikes at the heart of all those who have ever wanted "more", as Oliver did. And now, Dickens' classic scenes of the lives of the Victorian British poor will appear in a big screen movie, "Oliver Twist," an adaptation of his classic tale directed by Roman Polanski. The new film is not meant for younger viewers, and is meant for children over 13. For those old enough to enjoy it, however, the film shows just how long people have been enjoying Dickens' remarkable literature. His short stories and essays began appearing in magazines in 1833. "Oliver Twist" was published in 1837 - more than 165 years ago. "Oliver Twist" tells the story of an orphan forced to live in a workhouse headed by the awful Mr Bumble, who cheats the boys who work there out of their already low pay. Oliver decides to escape to the streets of London, where he meets a thief called Fagin, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, who leads him into a world of crime. Several of Dickens' books have been made into films and television series, including 2002's "Nicholas Nickleby" and 2000's "David Copperfield." And several versions of "A Christmas Carol" have entertained audiences for years. In his novels, Dickens wrote about several important issues. He talked about the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1824 in "Oliver Twist"; the French Revolution in "A Tale of Two Cities"; and helping the poor in "Hard Times." One of Dickens' best-known books is the first Christmas book he wrote - "A Christmas Carol" (1843), about a mean man. We thought this would be a good time to take a look at the man behind the words and see what kind of experiences helped shape and affect one of the best -- known writers of all time. The passage show many things about Oliver except that _ A. he is forced to live in a workhouse by Roman Polanski B. he meets a thief, Fagin, in the streets of London C. he lives a hard life in his childhood D. Fagin trains and forces Oliver to do some crimes Answer: A Question: 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. What is the purpose of the hearing? A. America hopes that Toyota apologizes to the US customers. B. America wants to get Toyota out of the US market. C. America wants to help Toyota out of difficulty. D. America hopes that Toyota admits their cars have electronic system problem. Answer: D Question: In 2012, I had just recovered from a serious illness when I received an invitation to a writer's conference in Orlando, Florida. My family and friends persuaded me that a holiday might be just what the doctor ordered, so off I went. Arriving in the Sunshine State was not easy, but I managed to catch a taxi to the hotel. The next morning, I caught another taxi to do some shopping. Later I went to a cafe to buy some lunch, but having my sandwich and drink in my hands, I saw that all the tables were occupied . Then I heard a friendly voice saying, "You can share my table." I thankfully sat down with the smiling elderly lady and we shared a happy lunch together. As the meal drew to a close she asked how long I would be in Orlando. I had already told her that I hadn't hired a car, and hadn't realized how costly taking taxis would be. After a while she said, "My dear, don't use any more taxis. It would be my pleasure to drive you wherever you wish." I told her that I couldn't put her to that trouble, but she insisted. She took details of where I was staying and the next morning she drove me to Disney World. She took me through the park's gates and spent some time with me before leaving me to explore alone. At the end of the day, she returned to take me back to my hotel. The next few days, she drove me around Orlando's tourist areas. I offered her money but she refused to take any. When we had lunch on my last day, I thanked her for her kindness. I'll never forget that wonderful lady who filled my holiday in Florida with wonderful memories. What did the elderly lady do? A. She helped the author hire a car. B. She drove the author to a park. C. She bought the author a lunch. D. She offered her seat to the author. Answer: B Question: Dear Mr./Ms, I would like to suggest that the starting time be changed at our school. Classes at Sebastian Valley Middle School simply start too early in the morning. Getting eight to nine hours of sleep each night is almost impossible when classes begin at 7:30 am. In order to shower, dress, get organized, eat a quick breakfast, and meet the school bus by 6:45, I would have to get up at 5:45. Early in the morning, students are too sleepy to learn well. Without enough sleep, young people cannot think clearly or enjoy learning. According to a report called "Are Students getting Enough Sleep?" From Sebastian Valley Times, "Sleepiness disturbs concentration, reduces short-term memory, and causes bad feelings." Researchers have learned that teens normally fall asleep and wake up later than adults. Teens who stay up late at night have trouble getting up early in the morning. Studies show that some schools have already adjusted school hours to better match the teen sleep cycle , as a result, students in these school are learning better on the new schedule . Some of my classmates argue that starting school an hour later will prevent them from taking part in after-school athletic programs. A solution would be to carry out these programs before school instead of after school. The students who are involved in sports and clubs would continue to arrive at the usual time. The rest of the student body could get a little more sleep and arrive an hour later. Teens usually have a later sleep cycle, and learn and behave better when rested. So I would like to suggest that we have a meeting to discuss the problem and listen to all the students' voice. Thank you for considering this request ! As for athletic programs, Tom thinks that _ . A. they are very difficult B. they are a waste of time C. they make most students sleepy D. they may start early in the morning Answer: D Question: Why are people interested in eating raw foods or whole foods? One reason is that eating these types of food reduces the risk of acid accumulation in your body. Raw and whole foods are usually digested more efficiently than cooked and refined foods. When we cook foods, we destroy the natural enzymes that are part of the food in its raw form. These enzymes were intended by nature to help us digest the food. When we consume food without these natural enzymes, our bodies either digest the food improperly or allow too many nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In both instances, the result is obesity. When too many nutrients are absorbed at once, the body grows fat. Improperly digested food moves slowly through the digestive tract, where it becomes increasingly acidic . To protect its vital organs from this acidic waste, the body changes the acid into fat and stores it safely away from the organs. Processed foods contain chemical elements, which might confuse the appetite mechanism that tells us when we've had enough to eat; as a result, people often overeat . Processed foods also upset the digestive cycle. The body will either identify these foods as allergens and then store them safely away from the organs as fat, or the remains of undigested food will become acidic and enter the bloodstream as acid waste, which will stick to the blood vessel walls and block the passage of vital oxygen and nutrients heading for the body's cells. The body's metabolism becomes inactive, and then result is weight gain and obesity. The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion increasingly inefficient. When that happens, even healthy foods can become acidic and the food allergies will become more common. To stop this vicious circle in its tracks, people need to consume food and supplements that will neutralize (...)the acid already accumulated in body. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods can help. it's also important to restore your enzyme balance. You need to identify and avoid the foods that cause acid accumulation and consume the foods that increase enzyme production. If you truly want to change and help your body heal itself , you need to take an active approach.. . What can we learn from the text? A. Processed foods are good for our appetite mechanism B. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods does good to our body C. The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion more effective D. Processed foods also comfort the digestive tract Answer: B
Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful spirit--the ant philosophy . I think we should study ants. Ants have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part:they never give up. That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, and they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy to never quit looking for a way to get where they'd like to go. Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important view. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in summer. An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in summer." There is some reason in what it says. It is important to think ahead. In summer, you've to think about the storm. You've got to think about rocks when you enjoy the sand and sun. The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long;we'll soon be out of here." And on the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll go back, but then they come out again if it is warm. They can't wait to get out. And here is the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-that-you-possibly-can" philosophy. What a great philosophy to have the ant philosophy! Never give up, look ahead, stay active and do all you can. If ants have trouble reaching somewhere, they will _ . Answer: In 1977 , a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a nineteen-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, a gentle married lady and one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world. ks5u In June 1977 , a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar , near Sandi Arabia . Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness, so she was flown to London and sent to Hammersmith Hospital. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were puzzled by the very unusual signs of illness. While they were having a discussion about the baby's illness, a nurse asked to speak to them. "Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitland, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium poisoning ." "What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is very rare." "A few days ago, I was reading a novel called 'A Pale Horse' by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitland explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the signs are exactly the same as the baby' s . " "You are very careful and you may be right," another doctor said. "we'll carry out some tests and find out whether it' s thallium or not." Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later on it was proved that the poison might have come from an insecticide used in Qatar. As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _ Answer: What do water, aluminum, redwood trees, and valley quail all have in common? Answer: Driver was driving his car near Owner's house when Owner's child darted into the street in front of Driver's car. As Driver swerved and braked his car to avoid hitting the child, the car skidded up into Owner's driveway and stopped just short of Owner, who was standing in the driveway and had witnessed the entire incident. Owner suffered serious emotional distress from witnessing the danger to his child and to himself. Neither Owner nor his property was physically harmed. If Owner asserts a claim for damages against Driver, will Owner prevail? Answer: It's Jimmy's birthday and he is 9 years old. He gets a lot of presents from his family and one of them is a big drum . His grandfather buys it for him. Jimmy likes it very much. He plays with it every day and he often makes a terrible noise . His father works in the day and Jimmy is in bed when he gets home in the evening. So his father doesn't hear the noise. But Mrs Black doesn't like the noise, so one morning she takes a knife and goes to Jimmy's room when he hits his drum. She says to him, "Hello! Jimmy. Do you know there is something very nice in your drum? Here is a knife. Please open the drum and let's find it." When his father gets home in the evening, what does Jimmy do? Answer:
There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with his students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all. The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK. Then the professor asked about the cure for the illness, and the student, too, answered just as right. "Good," said the professor, "and how much will you give the patient?" "A full spoon," answered the student. "Now you go out and wait for what you can get," said the professor. At the same time the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed there was something wrong with his last answer. "A full spoon is too much," he thought to himself. Anxiously he entered the room and cried, "Mr. Professor, I've made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for the patient. He can take only five drops. " "I'm sorry, sir," said the professor coldly, "but it's too late. Your patient has died." We can learn from this text that _ . A. someone died in the exam B. the student would probably not pass the exam C. the professor was pleased to see the students' improvement D. the slight change may not cause big difference in medical treatment Answer: B. the student would probably not pass the exam Elena jogged with her dad in some empty lots . These out-of-the-way lots were good places to jog. But the lots were full of rocks and rubbish. One day, Elena saw a sign on the lots. It said, "New City Park". Elena was excited. Maybe the park would have a jogging trail ! Elena told her parents about the sign. "I read about the park in the newspaper," said Elena's father. "The city wants volunteers to help clean the area. Then the city will build a soccer field and a playground. But the paper didn't mention a jogging trail." "Well, perhaps if I help clean up the lots, they'll put in a jogging trail," said Elena. On Saturday Elena went to the lots. Many adults were working there. Some were picking up rubbish. Some were moving rocks. Elena looked around. She could carry rubbish, and she could move rocks. So she went to the area every week to do volunteer work. She told everyone she was glad to help build the park. She explained that she hoped the park would have a jogging trail. Then everyone knew her and her jogging trail. Soon the volunteers cleared the lots. The city could start building. The mayor gave a speech. He showed a drawing of the new park. He told them about the soccer field. There would be picnic tables. There would be a playground. The park would even have basketball courts. But there was no sign of a jogging trail. The mayor thanked the volunteers. Then he asked if they had any suggestions. The volunteers said they wanted to build a jogging trail around the park. They told the mayor how helpful Elena had been and how she wanted a jogging trail. The mayor then said, "A jogging trail won't be hard to build. Let's do it!" Everyone clapped and cheered. What can be the best title for the story? A. Elena and a Mayor B. Elena and a Jogging Trail C. Elena and Some Volunteers D. Elena's Family Answer: B. Elena and a Jogging Trail Hal and Wan owned Blackacre as joint tenants, upon which was situated a two-family house. Hal lived in one of the two apartments and rented the other apartment to Tent. Hal got in a fight with Tent and injured him. Tent obtained and properly filed a judgment for $10,000 against Hal. The statute in the jurisdiction reads: Any judgment properly filed shall, for ten years from filing, be a lien on the real property then owned or subsequently acquired by any person against whom the judgment is rendered. Wan, who lived in a distant city, knew nothing of Tent's judgment. Before Tent took any further action, Hal died. The common-law joint tenancy is unmodified by statute. Wan then learned the facts and brought an appropriate action against Tent to quiet title to Blackacre. The court should hold that Tent has A. a lien against the whole of Blackacre, because he was a tenant of both Hal and Wan at the time of the judgment. B. a lien against Hal's undivided onehalf interest in Blackacre, because his judgment was filed prior to Hal's death. C. no lien, because Wan had no actual notice of Tent's judgment until after Hal's death. D. no lien, because Hal's death terminated the interest to which Tent's lien attached. Answer: D. no lien, because Hal's death terminated the interest to which Tent's lien attached. Christmas has never looked as beautiful as it is now, when this one-foot-tall mini tree grew from a pothole in the streets of London. London pothole gardener Steve Wheen , 34 , has created over 150 little gardens so far the smallest one of which is just one-inch-square. "I really enjoy the reactions of people who come across my work and love them ."said Steve. "London can be so grey, especially at this time of year. When l was thinking about how to brighten it up, gardening came to my mind." Steve has been pothole gardening for four years, mainly around the streets of London His pothole gardens are made with some plants he chooses from his local garden centre. Each of them usually costs between five and ten pounds. Although they are often temporary to the streets, Steve is sure that they can be in people's mind for a long time, if they are lucky enough to come across these small gardens while they go about their daily lives. "I'm always surprised when I ask people what they think the message is behind my Work ."he said. "Often they think I'm against or in honor of something. One person even considered that l was marking the places where people had died in car accidents." "I think in a city like London, where it's easy to feel short of green space, my message can be seen as a green one and that's fine with me. "he said. "The environment is something we all need to be thinking about more and more. But most importantly, it's all about making people smile and giving them an unexpected moment of happiness." Steve Wheen makes pothole gardens in London mainly to _ . A. be against or in honor of something B. mark the places where car accidents happen C. protect the environment D. make people enjoy more greens Answer: D. make people enjoy more greens Most people make their living with their hands, but Bob makes his living with his feet. Bob's story began in a small city of England. His family was poor. Seven people lived in a small house. Bob had no place to play but on the street. Kids in the city like playing football very much. Little Bob wanted to play football, too. So his father made a soft ball for him to kick. It was a sock full of old cloth. He kicked it every day. At last ,Bob learned how to kick a real football. And after a few years, he could play football very well. ,. From the story we can know _ . A. Bob's age B. it's about an American boy C. Bob's mother's name D. The boy become a football player at last Answer: D. The boy become a football player at last
My friend Robert started a new job this week and he's been in the training class for two days. The employer has a very strict dress code--dark blue shirts and pants. On the first day, an older gentleman in his class did not have the proper clothes and he was strictly told that he would be fired if he didn't have the right clothes the next day. He explained, "Sir, I had not been told about this. Because of my larger size, it's sometimes difficult to find the right clothing for a price I can afford." Last night, Robert and I decided that this old man shouldn't lose the chance of work simply because he couldn't afford the clothes. I had some cash on hand and Robert took it with him this morning just in case it was needed. When training started this morning, the trainer was ready to fire the older gentleman. "You have 10 minutes to be in proper clothes," he was told. At this point, Robert spoke up and asked if he could have 10 minutes to get him the clothes. He then ran out to the store and bought the proper-sized pants and a shirt; he returned with both and gave them to the older man. The older gentleman began to cry and told him that he couldn't accept such a gift from a stranger. Robert told him he had to because he had lost the receipt and couldn't return them--a little white lie. The pants were a perfect fit, the shirt was a bit tight but he was able to keep his job. "My wife and I tried to gather together some money last night, but we didn't have enough to buy the clothes," he told Robert. "It's unbelievable to me that anybody would do such a thing for only knowing me a day!" More unbelievable is how good it has made Robert and me feel to do this. How did Robert persuade the older man to accept the clothes? Answer: Peter waved goodbye and closed the door slowly as Jane left home to visit her grandmother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favorite TV talk show on his first day off in months. "This will be like a walk in the park," he'd told his wife, "I'll look after the kids, and you can go to visit your grandma." Things started well, but just after eight o'clock, his three little "good kids"--Adam, Bob, and Christopher--came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted "breakfast, daddy." When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Adam began using his spoon on Christopher's head as if it were a drum. Christopher started to shout loudly in time to the beat . Bob chanted "Where's my toast, where's my toast" in the background. Peter realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds. Life became worse after breakfast. Adam wore Bob's underwear on his head. Bob locked himself in the bathroom, while Christopher shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named "Not Me" had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Peter knew the talk show had already started. By ten o'clock, things were out of control. Christopher was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Adam was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his color pencils. Bob, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room, but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Peter realized that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible. At exactly 11:17, Peter called the daycare centre ."I suddenly have to go into work and my wife's away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?" The answer was obviously "yes" because Peter was smiling. This text is developed _ . Answer: If you are lost in the mountains, stay calm in the face of darkness, loneliness, and the unknown. It will greatly increase your chances of survival. Many people think that preparing necessary equipment and knowing how to use it are very important, but in fact eighty percent of mountain survival is your reaction to fear. Finding a hiding place Unnecessary labor will make you sweat and make you cold. Find a hiding place around you before trying to start your own construction. If you are in a snow-covered area, you may be able to dig a cave in deep snow for protection from the wind. You should try to hide yourself in the middle of the mountain if possible. Stay out of the valleys--- cold air falls, and the valley floor can be the coldest area on the mountain. Signal rescuers for help The best time to signal rescuers is during the day. Signal for help from the highest point possible--- it will be easier for rescuers to see you, and any sound you make will travel farther. If you take a box of matches and a space blanket ( a special blanket for traveling ), build three smoky fires and put your blanket ---gold side facing out --- on the ground. Do not walk away It will make finding you more difficult , as search teams will be trying to follow your path and may miss you if you have gone off in a different direction. Searchers often end up finding a car with no one in it. If you get frostbitten , do not rewarm the affected area until you are out of danger. You can walk on frostbitten feet, but once you warm the area and can feel the pain, you will not want to walk anywhere. Try to protect the frostbitten area and keep it dry until you are rescued. What can we infer from the passage? Answer: During the next several weeks I went completely to the wolves. I took a tiny tent and set it up on the shore of bay. The big telescope was set up in the mouth of the tent in such a way that I could observe the wolves by day or night. Quite by accident I had pitched (set up) my tent within ten yards of one of the major paths used by the wolves. Shortly after I had taken up residence one of the wolves came back and discovered me and my tent, but he did not stop or hesitate in his pace. Later, one or more wolves used the track past my tent and never did they show the slightest interest in me. I felt uncomfortable at being so totally ignored. The next day I noticed a male wolf make boundary markers by passing water on the rounds of his family lands. Once I had become aware of the strong feeling of property rights which existed among the wolves, I decided to use this knowledge to make them at least recognize my existence. One evening, after they had gone off for their regular nightly hunt I staked out a property of my own, including a long section of the wolves' path. In order to ensure that my claim would not be overlooked, I made a property mark on stones, dumps of moss, and patches of vegetation with a lot of tea. Before the hunters came back, task was done, and I retired, somewhat exhausted, to observe results. A few minutes later, the leading male appeared. As usual he did not bother to glance at the tent, but when he reached the point where my property line intersected (cut across) the trail , he stopped as suddenly as if he had run into an invisible wall. Cautiously, he extended his nose and sniffed at one of my marked bushes. After a minute of hesitation he backed away a few yards and sat down. Then, he looked directly at the tent and at me. His glare seemed to become more fierce as I attempted to stare him down. The situation was becoming intolerable. To break the impasse I turned my back on the wolf. Then quickly and with an air of decision, he turned his attention away from me and began a systematic tour of the area I had staked out as my own. As he came to each boundary marker he sniffed it once or twice, then carefully placed his mark on the outside of mine. Which is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: What is the difference between a college and a university? This is a good question for students who want to attend a college or a university in the United States. Colleges and universities have many things in common. Both provide a greater understanding of the world and its past. Both provide education in the arts and sciences. And both can help prepare young people to earn a living. Students who complete their undergraduate studies either at a four-year college or a university receive a bachelor's degree. One difference is that many colleges do not offer graduate studies. Universities are generally bigger, offer more programs and do more research. Modern universities developed from those of the Middle Ages in Europe. The word "university" comes from the Latin "universitas". This described a group of people organized for a common purpose. The word "college" comes from a Latin word with a similar meaning, "collegium". In England, colleges were formed to provide students with places to live in. Usually each group of students was studying the same thing. So college came to mean an area of study. But a college can also be a part of a university. The first American universities divided their studies into a number of areas and called each one a college. This is still true. Programs in higher learning may also be called schools. The University of Arizona in Tucson, for example, has 18 colleges and 10 schools. They include the colleges of pharmacy , education, engineering and law. They also include the schools of architecture, dance and public administration. College is also used as a general term for higher education. A news report might talk about "college students" even if they include students at universities. Or someone might ask, "Where do you go to college?" Today, most American colleges offer an area of study called liberal arts. These are subjects first developed and taught in ancient Greece. They include language, philosophy and mathematics. The purpose is to train a person's mind instead of teaching job skills. The area of study called liberal arts is designed to _ . Answer:
Fifa has announced a track by Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez as the official the me song for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. We are one,which also features Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte,will be performed at the opening ceremony at the Arena de Sao Paulo on 12 June. The track will be released later this year in the lead up to the World Cup.It will also be included on the upcoming official 2014 Fifa WorldCup album. Pitbull said,"I truly believe that this great game and the power of music will help unify us,because we are best when we are one."The 33-year-old singer, also known as Mr.Worldwide,has had 11 top 10 tracks in the Official Singles Chart to date.His most recent single,"Timber which features Kesha,was the first number one of 2014. "I grew up in a house that loved football.so I am thrilled to be performing at the World Cup Opening Ceremonies, with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte,"said Jennifer Lopez."This is all amazing celebration of global unity,competition and the sport." The last Fifa World Cup song for the South Africa tournament in 2010 was Waka Waka by Shakira.The track peaked at number 21 in the Official Singles Chart and the video has been viewed almost 600 million times on YouTube. Talking about this year's track,Fifa General Secretary Jerome Valcke added,"In my many visits to this country I've seen and heard a lot about the great Brazilian music tradition and it gives me great pleasure to see a Brazilian artist at the heart of this song.I'm sure,like me, millions of football and music fans all over the world will be eagerly awaiting the song's release." According to the text,what do we know about Pitbull? His songs have been well received. A student notices that an inflated balloon gets larger when it is warmed by a lamp. Which best describes the mass of the balloon as a result of this change? The mass of the balloon stays the same because the gas inside the balloon still has the same mass after it warms up. Americans like to think of themselves as martyrs to work. At this time of the year they admire the laziness of their European cousins, particularly the French. Studies show that the average American gets only four weeks of paid leave a year compared with seven for the French and eight for the German. In Paris many shops close down for August; in Washington, where the weather is really hot, they remain open, some for 24 hours a day. But when it comes to the young, the situation is just opposite. American children have it easier than most other children in the world, including the supposedly lazy European children. They have one of the shortest school years anywhere, a mere 180 days compared with an average of 195 for OECD countries and more than 200 for East Asian countries. German children spend 20 more days in school than American ones, and South Koreans over a month more. Over 12 years, a 15-day deficit means American children lose out on 180 days of school, equal to an entire year. Americans also divide up their school time strangely. They cram the school day into the morning and early afternoon, and close their schools for three months in the summer. The long summer vacation acts like a mental eraser, with the average child reportedly forgetting about a month's worth of instruction in many subjects and almost three times that in mathematics. American academics have invented a term for this phenomenon, "summer learning loss". It is leaving American children ill-equipped to compete. They usually perform poorly in international educational tests, coming behind Asian countries that spend less on education but work their children harder. California's state universities have to send over a third of their classes to take some extra courses in English and math. What would be the best title for the passage? The Less Diligent American Children I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world. From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a _ that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes. Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season. "The world will see him when he can walk," she told Dad. "And he will walk." Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin. A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs . Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs. "There's nothing anyone can do but you can't," Mam said. "You and I are going to walk through town." The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. "Hold your head up high, now, Ronan," she said. We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride. That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk. Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me--Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do--and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it. I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived. Why did Mam dress him and herself in finest clothes? To indicate it an unusual day. Earlier this year,my oldest daughter got braces on her teeth,and let's just say she did not go quietly into that dentist's chair.Fear and hate pretty much describe the days leading up to her first appointment. So when she finally walked out with shiny teeth,a sore mouth and a broken spirit,I told her I was proud of her and took her to Ben &Jerry's for an ice cream reward.Two weeks later,we returned to the scene of the crime.The dentist spent about 45 seconds checking her teeth before sending her on her merry way.Before I could start the car, she was placing her ice cream order.She was shocked when I told her that she wasn't going to get a reward every time we get her teeth checked. Clearly,she's not alone.According to some parenting experts,kids are easily addicted to a benefit--producing system of parental rewards and bribes--it's not all ice creams,candies and cool toys.Some parents are offering their children prizes to just let them sit down and behave in a restaurant--or sleep in their own beds--or score a goal in the next soccer game. While the experts agree that occasional awards are okay, the danger lies in the system's overuse.Kids quickly gain a sense of entitlement ,where they come to expect a big reward for every good thing that they do,no matter how small.To keep things in check,experts say parents should reduce the number of rewards they offer,make sure rewards match the behavior and explain the real benefits of behaving for the sake of behaving. Have you used bribery or a reward system with your kids? Was it successful? Do your kids expect more because of that system? Misguided by the parental reward system,children easily think _ . they should benefit from their every desired behavior.
Question: Some animals escape predators by moving how? A. slowly B. happily C. briskly D. steadily Answer: C. briskly Question: Despite being tall, Michelle Obama is much smaller than she appears on television. And she seemed a little short by her surroundings in the great hall of Christchurch College as she spoke quietly without a microphone because of a technical mistake. Her audience were 40 young girls from a London state school where 50 languages are spoken. "I remember how well-meaning but misguided people questioned whether someone with my background could succeed at an elite university," she said. "When I was accepted, I had all kinds of worries and doubts. I wouldn't be as well prepared as students from privileged families and I wouldn't fit in. But you are just as capable and have just as much to offer as anyone else." This was Mrs. Obama's only solo outing during the state visit and part two of an unusual relationship which she has struck up with Anderson College in Islington. Two years ago on her first visit to the UK she visited the school. Yesterday she returned to meet the pupils but this time at Christchurch College where they were taking part in an open day run to improve Oxford's still poor record on diversifying student intake. Mrs. Obama was asked why she married her husband, what it was like being First Lady and when there would be a female President in the White House. Her message--which she repeated time and again--was work hard, have self-belief, and don't be afraid to fail. _ Afterwards there were hugs for everyone and a photo with her. And watching the group of multicultural young Britons surround her among the splendor of the college building one thought stood out. Had Mrs. Obama been born in Britain, she would almost certainly not have made it to Oxford as she did to Harvard. But now--thanks in part to her--some of these children just might. Michelle Obama thinks success may come from the following EXCEPT _ . A. working hard B. believing in yourself C. good opportunities D. facing failure without fear Answer: C. good opportunities Question: Who give us life,raise us and are our constant support and wellwishers?Our mothers.That's why millions of people across the world take Mother's Day as an opportunity to express thanks and send best wishes to their moms. However,the celebration of Mother's Day is not the recent thing that many believe it to be.It was the ancient Greeks who started the tradition by celebrating their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea,the mother of many gods and goddesses. Later,in the 1600s,Mothering Sunday came to be celebrated in England.On the fourth Sunday of Lent ,children brought flowers and special fruitcakes to show their respect for their mothers.It may be the root of the modern Mother's Day. Thanks to the great efforts of Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis,Mother's Day became an official festival in the US.It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.Later,many countries began to celebrate this day as Mother's Day. Today,Mother's Day is an international festival honoring mothers.It is celebrated all over the world in different ways.In Western countries,the most common way is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed.Kids often allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they prepare her favorite breakfast with their fathers.Some also make handmade gifts or buy beautiful carnations .It is the day when you acknowledge your mothers contribution in your life and pay a tribute to her,often with flowers and gifts.It complements Father's Day,the celebration honoring fathers. Today,Mother's Day is a day celebrated on various days in many places around the world. From the passage we can learn that _ . A. Rhea is the mother of many gods and goddesses of England B. many people wrongly believe Mother's Day has a short history C. in America Mother's day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent D. on Mother's day fathers have to get up early to prepare breakfast Answer: B. many people wrongly believe Mother's Day has a short history Question: "It's 8:15 on a Sunday morning," said the officer, Tidwell, "and this sort of thing seems an unlikely adventure at such a time. Would you mind explaining?" The man was astonished at the voice from behind. He turned about and said, "I know what you're thinking, officer, but it isn't true. It's a very funny mistake." "I think you've just left this house in a manner rather than the usual one. That may be quite all right, but I'd like to make sure." Tidwell took out his notebook and a pen. "Name, address and occupation and then, please tell me your story." "Charlie Crane, lorry driver, from Nottingham, 51 Brecon Street. My story?" "Yes, What were you doing like a fly on that wall, Mr. Crane?" "Well, I had a breakdown yesterday and had to stay the night here. The landlady's name is Mrs. Fern. She gave me breakfast at seven, and I was out of here in the right way and down at the lorry park by half past seven. It was only when I felt around for a cigarette that I realized I'd left $80 under the pillow here. It's a habit I've got into. I even do it almost every day." "I see. Why didn't you miss it when you meant to pay Mrs.? What's her name?" "I paid her last night. You've got to pay when you take the room, see? So I came rushing back, but it's Sunday, and she'd gone back to bed. I rang the bell and banged on the front door for ten minutes before I came round here. Up I went this pipe and the money was still there. You know the rest, and I hope you believe it because...." "Mr. Crane, whatever are you doing here? I thought you'd gone an hour ago." It was Mrs. Fern. What do you think happened in the end? A. Mrs. Fern found the $80 in the house B. Tidwell took Mr. Crane to the police station C. Mrs. Fern said sorry to Mr. Crane D. Mr. Crane was let go Answer: D. Mr. Crane was let go Question: Near the North Pole there are only two seasons:winter and summer.In winter,nights are long.For more than two months you can't see the sun,even at noon.In summer,days are long.For more than two months the sun never sets and there is no night at a11.The temperature is very low near the North Pole.Even in summer the temperature is below 0degC.So people there wear warm clothes all year round.They make their clothing from the skins of animals.From the skins they also make coats,hats and even boots. In the cold climate,plants cannot grow.So the people have to build their houses with skins,earth,stone or snow.When they go out to hunt something,they live in tents of skins.When they move,they take their tents with them.Sometimes,they build houses of snow.Now don't think that these houses must be cold.In fact,they are very warm and safe. The life near the North Pole is very interesting. Near the North Pole the winter nights can last _ . A. more than a month B. more than two months C. more than half a year D. more than four months Answer: B. more than two months
We Chat, the Chinese social media smartphone app, saw an increase in user numbers of 41 per cent year on year to 500m at the end of 2014, in a sign that parent company Tencent is extending its reach for the mobile internet. Revenue grew 24 per cent to Rmb20.98billion, slightly higher than forecasts, driven mainly by online gaming revenues. It is unclear how much WeChat contributed to Tencent's revenues but the app's growth is a strong indicator of the company's long-term health as it tries to adjust its business to be more suitable for mobile devices. "We extended our leadership in games and online media, and made breakthroughs in emerging platforms such as online security . . . and mobile payments," Ma Huateng, Tencent chairman, said in a statement. WeChat is the second highest ranked app in China, behind QQ, Tencent's other chatting app, which claimed to have 815m registered monthly users at the end of 2014. However, that figure is more than the total number of internet users in China, which the government puts at 640million. Tencent has been unwilling to earn money through WeChat by flooding it with advertising, which could reduce efforts to increase the user base. But this is expected to change. Some analysts predicted that advertising would be introduced on later this year. Early attempts to test ads on the service have not always gone smoothly. After a BMW ad was introduced on some users' feeds in January, many users complained of "discrimination" by Tencent's data mining algorithm. They said it unfairly considered them as not wealthy or successful enough to view the sought-after BMW ad. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Most people have heard the sound of bees among flowers. Bees live almost everywhere in the world except in the Arctic areas. Many kinds of agriculture depend on these small, social insects. Without bees, fruit and nut growers as well as many other farmers would not have a crop. There are more than 20,000 kinds of bees. But only honey bees make enough honey for people to use. Honeybees are highly-organized social insects. They work together in a group, called a colony . Each colony lives in a hive . It contains one queen bee -- she lays all the eggs from which the members of the colony come. Each colony has only a few hundred males, called drones. The majority of all bees in a colony are workers, which are all females. Bees even have a special stomach, called a honey stomach, which is used to store sweet fluid that the bees gather from flowers. Bees also have long hairs on their body and legs. These hairs capture pollen as bees go from flower to flower. Some of the pollen is taken back to the hive. Some, however, is passed to the next flower. This is how many plants are fertilized. Pollen is the reproductive material of plants. Many important agricultural crops depend on bees for fertilization. Inside their hives, bees store sweet liquid from flowers and pollen as well. They may even gather sweet liquid from some other kinds of insects. These kinds of sweet liquid are also stored in the hive. Bees make honey through a process. They add liquid from their own mouths to sweet liquid into simple sugar. As the honey is stored, it dries. It becomes thicker and darker. Although bees are often thought of as honey makers, they provide a surprising number of products. Also, their greatest economic value is in fertilizing crops-not in making honey. The most valuable thing honeybees do for people is in _ . Answer: The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff they call "books". I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn't answer. In fact I dared not. The clock struck twelve. "Oh, dear!" I cried. "Ten more books to read before I can go to bed!" We pupils are the most _ creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy. The clock struck one. I was quite desperate now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, "Oh God, please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen." My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep. The best title for the passage would be _ . Answer: Writer: Ralph Ellison Novel : Invisible Man Invisible Man is Ellison's best known work, most likely because it was the only novel he ever published during his lifetime and because it won him the National Book Award in 1953. Ellison, originally from Oklahoma worked hard to match his earlier success but felt that he could not make any progress on his next novel that eventually came to include well over 2000 pages. It was not until Ellison's death that this novel was condensed ,edited and published under the title Juneteenth. Writer: Margaret Mitchell Novel: Gone with the wind Margaret Mitchell, born in Georgia, never wanted to seek out literary success and wrote this expansive work in secret, only sending to publishers after she was mocked by a colleague who didn't believe she was capable of writing a novel. She turned out to be more than capable, and the book won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into one of the best-known and loved films of all time. Mitchell would not get a chance to write another novel, as she was struck and killed by a car on her way to the cinema at only 49 years of age. Writer: Anna Sewell Novel: Black Beauty Sewell didn't start off her life intending to be a novelist, she didn't begin writing Black Beauty until she was 51 years old, motivated by the need to create a work that encouraged people to treat horses ( and humans) humanely and it took her six years to complete it. Upon publication it was an immediate bestseller, rocketing Sewell into success. Unfortunately, she would not live to enjoy but a little of it as she died of hepatitis five months after her book was released. What might the novel Black Beauty be about? Answer: Eat less and exercise more--it has long been a magic word for reducing those extra weight. But now it seems that all the hard work may have been in vain. Scientists say there are ten other reasons why people just keep getting bigger. They say that sleeping habits, central heating, medicines and even some pollutants can play a role in weight gain. Traditionally, people have focused on diet and exercise to solve the problem. However the scientists from top US and Canadian universities say that other things must be considered. Lack of sleep could be partly the reason. In recent years, the average night's sleep has dropped from nine hours to just seven. Sleep shortage changes levels of the hormones that control food intake and body fat and increase hunger and appetite. If it is too hot or too cold, we burn calories to cool down or heat up. But if the temperature is just right, the calories may be turned into body fat instead. Those who take medicine to control their blood pressure can often put on weight. Similarly, studies have shown that going on the Pill can add to a woman's weight. Mother nature may also be the reason, with our body shape being partly inherited . The overweight are also more likely to settle with partners of a similar size. And their children are more likely to be obese . And the use of pollutants is on the rise, say the researchers. The man-made chemicals in pesticides and plastics can lead to weight gain. Your mother's age and your weight at birth are also important, with older woman more likely to have obese children and underweight babies having a bigger chance of being obese in later life. We also tend to put on weight as we get older. Finally, giving up smoking can also help pile on the pounds. The scientists from Yale, Cornell and Johns Hopkins said there was some evidence supporting poor diet and lack of exercise as the main causes of obesity. Which is commonly thought to be effective in losing weight? Answer:
When my parents were alive, they weren't well off financially. Yet they helped their two older daughters time after time. My sisters paid Mom and Dad back part of the time, but when Daddy passed away, his cash journal showed debts due from several of his children. I was not among them. I seldom borrowed money and when I did, at the beginning I set a repayment plan and stuck to it. It was a matter of pride for me. When you think that I was raised in the same household with my brothers and sisters and had the same parents, it is hard to figure out why I was the only one who couldn't stand to owe them -- or anyone -- money. Maybe it's because I watched my parents struggle to help my older sisters out when they were in financial difficulties themselves. Maybe it's because of that reason, I was just too proud to depend on anyone else. These days, I am the one of those other people turn to for help when they need it. Just as I can't stand to owe other people, I can't stand to say no to anyone who presents a credible case of need. So I am what is called an"enabler". Being an enabler is an insidious disorder. It starts simply enough when you help someone with an extraordinary expense created by an unusual event. Then when people find out you will provide aid, they ask you more and more and you -- being a nice person -- just keep giving. It's a hard cycle to break and I personally have no clue how to escape. I'm not angry. I'm not holding a grudge. I don't try to tell my children or my sisters how to run their lives because they ask me for money. Yet I would be so proud of all of them if they were to make more of an effort to handle things themselves, perhaps by doing some financial planning -- like planning not to spend money they don't have! And I don't see why they can't do this. After all, I'm not lassoing them and forcing them to take my money. I'm just not good at saying"no". So I ask you, what can I do when so many people around me have no shame in owing others money? On the other hand, I am doing them a greatdisserviceby my"kindness". I remember as a child how my father always said these two things,"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again,"and"I can't get stuck in the fence. I'll try to pull it down."As an enabler, I have prevented my children from learning to keep trying instead of turning to me for help. Yes, they could change their ways and learn to get along on their own, but why would they do that? Who among us would choose to be out of a car because we can't afford to fix it when Mom will supply the money to get it fixed? Yes, I am an enabler; and I am wronging my children by enabling them to be less than self-sufficient. I have known this for a long time but I still can't say no. In which column of a newspaper can we find this passage? A Finance. B Education. C Culture. D Life. Answer: D. Life. Homes that are built to be environmentally friendly because they use energy more efficiently than other homes are called "green" homes. "Green" homes often have reflective roofs and walls made of recycled materials. The windows in these energy-saving homes are double-paned, meaning each window has two pieces of glass. Double-paned windows have a layer of air between the window panes. This layer is a barrier against extreme temperatures and saves energy. A solar panel on a "green" home uses A chemical energy B mechanical energy C a renewable energy source D a nonrenewable energy source Answer: C. a renewable energy source In America, when people say"man's best friend", they don't mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal--a dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give joy to people's lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. Some people even leave all their money to their pets when they die! Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to be the"eyes"for a blind person or"ears"for a deaf person. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, they bring animals into hospitals for"visits". Americans hold"Be Kind to Animals Week"in the first week of May. Pet shows are held during the week. Even if you don't live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. If you don't have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, just leave it alone, or make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to animals, try to speak up. As people, we must protect animals who can't speak for themselves. According to the passage, scientists bring the dogs to hospital because _ . A they are ill and they need to see the doctor B they can make the patients happier C they can help the doctor find out the problems D the doctors can do experiment on them Answer: B. they can make the patients happier Every people uses its own special word to show its ideas and feelings. Some of these expressions(,) are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is "Where's the beef?" It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s "Where's the beef?" was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time. Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this "McDonald's". Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America. Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called "Wendy's" said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald's or anyone else. The Wendy's Company began to use the expression "Where's the beef?" to make people know that Wendy's hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy's television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. "Where's the beef?" she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy's hamburger restaurants was success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression "Where's the beef?". Wendy's made the expression known to everybody _ . A with many old women eating hamburgers B by a television advertisement C while selling bread with a bit of meat in it D at the McDonald's restaurant Answer: B. by a television advertisement I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention. Finally, the driver, a man about 60, looked up from behind the wheel and apologized, "I'm sorry, but I was reading a letter." He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough. Since I was in no hurry, I told him to finish his letter. He shook his head, explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart. Curious, I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild. "This isn't family," he replied. "Though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family, Old Ed and I grew up together." They were always friends. But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago, it'd generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them. A couple of weeks ago, Ed died. "I should have kept in touch." He repeated this, more to himself than to me. To comfort him, I said sometimes we just didn't seem to find the time. "But we used to find the time," he said. "Take a look." He handed the letter over to me. The first sentence "I've been meaning to write for some time, but I've always delayed it." reminded me of myself. It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together. When I read the part where it said "Your friendship really means a lot to me, more than I can say because I'm not good at saying things like that", I found myself nodding in agreement. We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: "So I thought you'd like to know that I was thinking of you." And it was ended with "Your Old Friend, Tom." "I thought your friend's name was Ed," I said. "I'm Tom," he explained. "It's a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he'd died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner." His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. When I got to my hotel room I didn't unpack right away. I had to write a letter and post it. It can be inferred from the passage that the driver regretted _ . A missing Ed's funeral B moving away from his neighborhood C forgetting to send Ed Christmas cards D not being able to keep in touch with Ed Answer: D. not being able to keep in touch with Ed
Kangkang's father is a doctor. When SARS, a kind of serious disease, spread in Beijing, he took an active part in the battle against it. He left his wife and his son to work in the Xiaotangshan Hospital. He cared for the patients day and night. He couldn't go home and he could only talk with family on the telephone. "Do you miss your family?" asked a reporter. "Yes, of course. It's my duty to save the patients," Doctor Lee answered. Do you think Kangkang's father is a good doctor? Answer: Yes, I think so. The quest for success always begins with a target. As Berra once said , "you get to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Too many people wander through life like sleepwalkers. Each day they follow familiar routines, never asking, "What am I doing with my life?"and they don't know what they're doing because they lack goals. Goal-setting is a focus of the will to move in a certain direction. Begin with a clear conception of what you want. Write down your goals and date them---putting them into words clarifies them. Rather than concentrating on objects to acquire and possess, focus on fulfilling your desires to do, to produce, to contribute to goal-setting that yields the true sense of satisfaction we all need. It's important to visualize yourself accomplishing your goal. While losers visualize the penalties of failure, winners visualize the rewards of success. I've seen it among athletes, statistics contrasting air and highway safety, but it made no difference. I had read too many articles describing crash scenes and imagined these scenes vividly. I had programmed myself, without realizing it ,to stay off planes. Then one summer I had the opportunity to fly on a private plane with friends to a resort; I didn't want to miss out on a great vacation. So I spent two weeks imagining a smooth flight on a beautiful sunny day and an easy landing. When the day arrived, I was eager to go . To everyone's surprise, I got on the plane and I loved every minute of it , and I still use the techniques I employed that day. What would be the best title for this passage? Answer: Defining Your Goal My little brother sat in the corner of the living room, a pen in one hand and my father's book in the other. As my father walked into the room, my brother knew that he had done something wrong. I could see that he had scribbled in the book with a pen. Now, he and I both waited for our father's punishment. My father picked up his book and looked at it carefully. My father was a teacher. For him, books were very important, and yet he loved his children. Instead of punishing my brother, he took the pen from my brother's hand, and then wrote in the book himself: John's work, 1959, age 2. I'm very thankful to you for scribbling in my book. "Wow," I thought. "Is this punishment?" The years and the books came and went. We always knew our parents loved us. From time to time we would open the book, look at the scribbles and read my father's expression of love. _ . He also taught us about what is really important in life: people, not things. Now I am a father too. Unlike my father, I don't wait for my daughters to take books from my bookshelf and scribble in them. I take one down and give it to my children to scribble. As I look at their artwork , I think about my father and the lessons he taught me. What is the best title for the passage? Answer: A Lesson in Love Farmers may not be able to prevent natural disasters, but they can at least try their best to reduce losses. For example, they can plant crops that are more likely to survive extreme weather. In north-central Vietnam, people with small farms do not plant rice between September and December. Seasonal rains might destroy the rice. So instead, they plant lotus seeds on raised beds. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the lotus seeds _ . Farmers in the Philippines are showing new interest in crops like winged beans, string beans, arrowroot and cassava. The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center says traditional crops like these can survive the fierce storms that often strike the islands. The United Nations says some African farmers grow bambara groundnuts during long dry periods. The seeds of this drought-resistant plant can be boiled for eating or for making flour. In some parts of the world, farmers grow vetiver grass. Researchers in Thailand wrote about vetiver in 2007 in the journal Science Asia. They noted that the grass can absorb and control the spread of harmful waste waters, like those from pig farms. Agricultural expert and author William Rivera says vetiver resists difficult conditions. It reduces damage from heavy rains. And vetiver planted on earthen dams may strengthen them against breaks and flooding. William Rivera also speaks approvingly of alfalfa. Its deep roots can find and take up groundwater. Those roots also help hold the soil against winds. And alfalfa can be a valuable food source for animals. The deep and extensive roots of sunflowers make them another good candidate for resisting extreme conditions. The tall plants have brightly color1ed heads that provide seeds and oil. North Dakota grows more hectares of sunflowers than any other American state. But North Dakota is better known as a top wheat producing state. Hans Kandel works at the North Dakota State University Extension Service in Fargo. He says farmers in some parts of North Dakota plant wheat that is ready to harvest in only about one hundred days. That way it can grow before the hot, dry months of July through September. From this passage we may safely conclude that _ . Answer: some crops can help farmers to fight against extreme weather We all want to live in good neighborhoods, but not everyone lives in a good neighborhood. How can you build a better community for yourself and your family? There are many things you can do. Paint your intersection . A street intersection is not something you think of as interesting. However, In Portland, people in some neighborhoods have made them really worth stopping for. Some paint, creative people and a bright design are all it takes to bring neighbors together and produce something the whole community can be proud of. Make a poetry box. The idea is simple, really - create a box with a glass or clear plastic front. Put this box on a post. Write your own poem or print out your favorite classic and display it in the box for all your neighbors to see. You can also set up a drop box and encourage neighbors to write their own poems and drop them in the box. Display the poems from your neighbors as the poems come in. Set up a tool library. How often do you need a leaf blower? Or a chain saw? And how often do you use that electric cake mixer? To01 libraries have space where neighbors can drop their hardly used tools to share. Check with a local business, community center or church group about space that can house a tool library. Turn your front yard into your backyard. How often do you meet your neighbors in your backyard? Probably never. Moving your typical backyard activities to the front immediately makes you more visible . You can create front-yard gardens, build community benches and even just barbecue in your front yard. They are all great ways to connect with your community. With effort, you'll make your neighborhood a much better place. How many ways are mentioned to build a better community? Answer: Four.
AAAGH! The Generation 90s is coming! Wearing earphones, using complex Net language and constantly text messaging friends, the Gen-90s following the Gen-80s begin to make their world debut . Each generation or age group has its own symbols and lifestyle. Read on and judge for yourselves if you fit the Gen-90s group. Earphones These little devices seem to grow on the heads of the Gen-90s. They might lead to MP3, MP4 or MP101 players, giving these young people a plugged-in, cool and perhaps self-addicted look, of course, life is not always music to the ears. Martian language They have created their own code-like online language. It's a mixture of English, Japanese and Chinese that perhaps only Martians can understand. This is an imaginative generation, though they need to be careful to keep it out of their term papers. Self-Portrait Saying "cheese" to their own digital cameras is usual for this generation. A little bit of narcissism never hurts anyone. It helps them reflect a little on their own lives. But be aware of the risks of posting private photos online. Text-messaging They can type their mobile phones as fast as they can speak. This is a generation that respects efficiency . However, oral communication is important and will never go out of style. According to the passage, if you belong to the Gen-90s , you will _ . Answer: Clean your ears, because airport security might soon be scanning them. According to a recent discovery, the shape of ears could provide a reliable new way of identifying people at airports. Researchers discovered that ears of each person have a unique shape and they have created a system that can scan them. The ear scanning technique uses a technology called image ray transform that highlights all the tubular structures of the ear and measures them. Professor Mark Nixon, a computer scientist who led the team from the University of Southampton, believes ear scanning could take place as passengers walk through security gates, for example, by placing cameras on either side to record an image of their ears. Comparing the results against a database of ear shapes, the new system could help airport security workers instantly identify passengers. Nixon and his team tested 252 images of different ears and found the system was able to match each ear to a separate image held in its database with 99 percent accuracy. Besides ear scanning, there have been other systems developed for identity recognition. "With facial recognition, the systems are often confused by crows feet and other signs of ageing," Nixon said. "Your ears, however, age very gracefully. They grow proportionally and your lobe gets a bit larger, but otherwise your ears are fully formed from birth." What's more, facial recognition software is often confused by changes in expression so people need to control their faces and in some cases even avoid wearing make-up. An ear scan system would also offer a less _ alternative toretina scanning, which requires passengers to stare at scanners from a close range. Fingertip detection has long been the most effective way of identifying someone. Nixon expects there to be a combination of different techniques that can be used at the same time to identify a person." Ear scanning would work better than facial recognition mainly because _ . Answer: Most people have ambitions.An ambition is something we want to do,want to be or want to have.A student's ambition,for example,might be to pass his or her exams and then get a good job.An athlete's ambition could be to win an important competition.A businessman's ambition is usually to make a lot of money. Not all ambitions are about success at work,however.Some people just want to be good people,have a family or help others. Ben's ambition is to be a sports writer.He writes the sports reports for his class newspaper.He likes most sports,but swimming and football are his favourites.Trudy's ambition is to be a concert pianist.She is very serious about it and practises every day with her best friend Lily.It is very important to her. Harry's ambition changes every day.One day he wants to be an astronaut .The next day he wants to be a pop singer.The next day he wants to drive a racing car.His mother would be happy if his ambition was to get up in time for school every day. Most businessmen want _ . Answer: Your youngest son or daughter has just graduated from high school, and soon he or she will trade his or her bedroom in your home for a college residence hall. You're starting to worry about the coming silence in your home and are wondering how you will fill the hours that you previously spent with your son or daughter attending his or her school and sporting events. Take heart -- the empty nest "is often worse in anticipation than in day-to-day practice", says psychologist Bert Hayslip Jr. Hayslip, who has studied retirement adjustment and other aging problems, such as aging sleeplessness, for many years, points out that, more often than not, children who leave do not completely cut off contact with their parents. He advises parents to think of _ as a series of life events, instead of a sudden change. He also says an empty nest can cause bigger problems to surface "if a couple hasn't looked after their marriage while raising their children". According to Hayslip, some couples may find they no longer have anything in common once the children are out of the house. Thinking of an empty nest as the loss of children makes the adjustment more difficult. "With the empty-nest syndrome , parents actually need to deal with the loss of the parenting control over children, not with having really lost their children," Hayslip says. "They just have to find a new way to get along with their children." "Relating to their college-age children in this new way will come easily to parents as the months pass. As with many things, the passage of time heals the pain of loss," Hayslip says. According to Hayslip, what parents actually lose in an "empty nest" is _ . Answer: Our Web Editor Jan Fields has always loved two things----writing and teaching, so she's done both throughout her professional career. After graduating from college with a BA in Journalism, she quickly found that writing for newspapers didn't fulfill her dream. So she switched to magazines and soon began teaching magazine writing. Still, something didn't feel quite right. She wanted more challenges and creativity. In the 1980s, Jan answered a call to rewrite a year's children's church lesson. She quickly found That writing stories and activities for children offered all she desired. She dove in and has never looked back. Her work has appeared in Ladybug, Shining Star and many others. As Jan continued building credits in children's magazines, educational magazines, and parenting Magazines, she looked for opportunities to pass along what she had learned to other writers. Soon, teaching small community college classes wasn't enough---she wanted to help other writers to find success in creating material for children. In 2001, she discovered the Institute of Children's Literature and she's been happily instructing students here ever since. To best meet her students' needs, she's constantly searching out new information. As a web editor, Jan looks after the needs of all the visitors to this site. She moderates the Scheduled Events discussion groups and the Writer's Retreat forum, writes for the Writer's Support Room, and edits the Writer's Support Room and Writing Tips articles. Jan is always open to suggestions for new ways to meet the needs of the writing community. Feel free to email her. She's eager to hear from you. Jan Fields gave up her first two jobs mainly because _ . Answer:
Life comes in a package. This package includes happiness and sorrow, failure and success, hope and despair. Life is a learning process. Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us a better person. With each passing day we learn to handle various situations. Love Love plays a pivotal role on out life. Love makes you feel wanted. Without love a person could go hayward and also become cruel and ferocious. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who shower us with unconditional love and care, they teach us about what is right and wrong, good and bad. But we always tend to take this for granted. It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands and becomes sensitive to others feelings. Kids make a person responsible and mature and help us to understand life better. Happiness and sorrow Materialistic happiness is short-lived, but happiness achieved by bringing a smile on others face gives a certain level of fulfillment. Peace of mind is the main link to happiness. No mind is happy without peace. We realize the true worth of happiness when we are in sorrow. Sorrow is basically due to death of a loved one, failure and despair. But these things are temporary and pass away. Failure and success Failure is the path to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way. Success brings in money, fame, pride and self-respect. Here it becomes very important to keep our head on out shoulder. The only way to show our gratitude to god for bestowing success on us is by being humble, modest, courteous and respectful to the less fortunate ones. Hope and despair Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope builds in patience. Life teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hour, because after every night there is a day. Nothing remains the same we have only one choice keep moving on in life and be hopeful. Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is beyond our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be bright or dull. So the only alternative is work hard today, so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow. In which section can readers probably read the passage? A Opinions. B Politics. C Education. D Lifestyles. Answer: C. Education. Mr and Mrs Green come from Australia .They are in Beijing now .Mr Green is a teacher in a high school .He teaches English ,He likes reading and running .His son, Jim, is a student.He likes playing football very much .He likes school, too. He does his homework every day . Mrs Green is a teacher ,too. She can speak a little Chinese. She likes Chinese food .She doesn't like doing housework at all, but she likes cooking .They all like China a lot. _ can speak a little Chinese. A They B Tom C Mrs Green D Mr Green Answer: C. Mrs Green Hemophilia results when a gene fails to produce the protein needed for the blood to clot ,or change from a liquid to a solid .The fault gene is passed from parents to children .People with hemophilia suffer uncontrolled bleeding .This can result in pain , tissue swelling and permanent damage to joints and muscles. One in every ten thousand males has the most common kind of hemophilia .It is extremely rare for females to have it. Patients can be treated with the missing clotting substance .They generally can lead normal lives. Scientists say gene treatment may be a possible way to cure hemophilia in the future .Researchers consider hemophilia the best disease for gene treatment because it is caused by a single fault gene .Also ,only a small increase in the missing clotting substance could provide good results .They tested gene treatment in six patients with severe hemophilia. First ,they removed skin cells from the patients' arms .The researchers grew the cells in the laboratory .They added copies of the needed gene taken from healthy people .Then they created hundreds of millions of genetically changed cells .They placed these cells into the patients' stomachs.After four months ,the amount of blood clotting substance in the blood increased in four of the six patients .Some of the patients reported a decrease in bleeding problems .However ,ten months later ,the clotting substance was no longer in the patients' blood .It is not clear if the implanted cells died or the added genes stopped working. The researchers say the study showed that gene treatment is safe for people with the most common kind of hemophilia .But others expressed concern about the treatment because the effects were only temporary. People with hemophilia can live normally when _ . A they are treated with the missing clotting substance B they accept scientists' help C good copies of gene are placed in their bodies D They place some genetically changed cells into their stomachs Answer: A. they are treated with the missing clotting substance Jules Verne was a Frenchman who was born in 1828 and died in 1905. He read a great many scientific books and wrote a number of exciting books about the things which he thought that scientists and inventors would one day be able to do. Years later, many of the things really happened. At that time, however, his stories seemed like fairy tales. Jules Verne's most famous book is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.(A league is an old word meaning a distance of about three miles). In those days submarines had not been invented but he described an underwater ship very like a modern one. Many of the things Jules wrote about in his books more than a hundred years ago to look into the future, however, were surprisingly exact. In his book From the Earth to the Moon he wrote at the age of about forty, three men and a dog made a journey around the moon in a hollow ship fired from a gun. After going around the moon, they returned to the earth and splashed down into the sea not far from where the first real moon traveler landed in July, 1969. Some of what Jules described in his books _ . A is almost the same as what happened years later B is quite different from what happened years later C never comes true D seems impossible to the people today Answer: A. is almost the same as what happened years later STEVE EMBER: And I'm Steve Ember with People In America in VOA Special English. Today we remember the singer and actress Lena Horne. During her sixty-year career performing, Lena Horne entertained people with her beauty and rich, emotional voice. She used her fame to fight social injustices toward African-Americans. Lena Horne was born in New York. At sixteen, Lena became a dancer at the famous club in New York City in 1933. After taking voice lessons, she soon became a singer. In 1940, Lena Horne became the first African-American to perform with an all-white jazz hand. After performing at a club in Hollywood, California, she caught the attention of filmmakers. She soon began making movies. Her films became very popular. In the 1940s, Lena Horne was the first African-American in Hollywood to sing a long -term contract with a major movie studio. Her deal with MGM stated that she would never play the role of a servant. She refused to play roles that represented African-Americans disrespectfully. Lena Horne once said that World War II helped make her a star. She was popular with both black and white soldiers. She sang on army radio programs and traveled to perform for the troops. These experiences led to Lena Horne's work in the civil rights movement. Lena Horne sang at rights gatherings. She took part in the march on Washington protest in 1963. It was during this event that Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. She protested racial separation at the hotels where she performed. She took action so that she and her musicians would be allowed to stay in those hotels. B1ack musicians at the time generally stayed in black neighborhoods. At the age of eighty, she said she did not have to act like a white woman that Hollywood hoped she would become. She said: "I'm me, and I'm like nobody else." Lena Horne died in New York in 2010. This text is developed A by space B by time C by process D by comparison Answer: B. by time
A used book or nearly-new kitchen gadget may not be at the top of every Christmas wish list, but hard economic times coupled with a new green awareness are changing attitudes about gift-giving in France. French holiday shoppers are choosing larger numbers for "green" gifting this Christmas, studies show. About 30 percent of French consumers will give second-hand items as gifts to stretch out their tight budgets but also to do their little bit for recycling, according to a study by international consulting firm Deloitte. The survey of Christmas consumer behaviors in 18 European countries found the French were more than twice as likely as other Europeans to give second-hand items. Websites promoting re-gifting and green gifting are popular in France, with many reporting a rise in business. "Concerns about the ecology and the economy have come together and we are now seeing people who accept the types of gifts that were not appreciated just a short time ago," said Sebastien Ravut, who runs a website promoting eco-friendly consumerism. His site lists shops in France that offer fair trade products, bio-friendly goods and recycled items. Over the Christmas holidays, the number of visits to the site has doubled from last year, reaching 60,000 a month. A study by online survey firm Vivodi for PriceMinister showed eight out of 10 people would be happy to receive a used item as a gift and that younger consumers were more open to the idea. But Gilles Goldenberg, author of the Deloitte study, said that environmental concerns are not why customers buy used goods. "The number one concern is getting the lowest possible price," said Goldenberg. "Eco-friendly products are drawing a lot of interest, but not if that means paying more." Theatre tickets and other low-carbon gifts are fashionable, and eco-friendly websites are also encouraging gift givers to offer time and services instead of stuff. "The order of the day is to spend less time shopping and more time connecting" over the holidays, said Florence de Monclin from the Nicolas Helot foundation for Nature and Humanity. Which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: Many of us enjoy doing it: you turn on the camera on your mobile phone and hold it at a high angle--- making your eyes look bigger and your cheekbones more defined. You turn to your best side and click. There it is - your selfie. Over the past year, "selfie" has become a well-known term across the globe. This August the Oxford dictionary added the word to their online dictionary and define it as: "A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website." Today it's not difficult to find social networking pages full of photos people have taken of themselves and their friends. And selfie culture has become especially relevant for young people. As many as 91 percent of teenagers have posted photos of themselves online, according to a recent survey by the US Pew Research Center. So what are the reasons for the rise of selfie culture? "The craziness about the selfie celebrates regular people," Pamela Rutledge, a professor at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, told Vogue magazine. "There are many more photographs available now of real people than models." Posting selfies also allows you to control your image online. "I like having the power to choose how I look, even if I'm making a funny face:' Samantha Barks, 19, a high school student in the US, told Vogue. In addition to self-expression and documentation , selfies "allow for a close friendship for long-distance friends, because you can see each other's faces every day", wrote Casey Miller at The Huffington Post. But US psychologist Jill Weber is concerned that selfies might lead to social problems. "There's a danger that your self-esteem may start to be tied to the comments and '1ikes' you get when you post a selfie, and they aren't based on who you are - they're based on what you look like," Weber told Vogue. "When you get nothing or a negative response, your confidence can decrease." In Jill Weber's opinion, selfies may cause one to _ . Answer: At EF--English First, we provide the best English language training program available, and teachers are at the heart of our learning center. EF has over 120 schools in 50 cities, and is a very popular name in China. EF is looking for native English speakers with teaching experience to help Chinese people learn English well. While teaching English with EF, you will continue to develop as a teaching profession while experiencing life in this great nation. As soon as you walk into an EF school, you will understand why creating a welcoming learning environment is important for us to teach English. Our schools have modern well-equipped classrooms, computer labs, and teaching preparation areas. Our teachers receive a complete modern teaching program to prepare themselves to teach our high standards. And they've got high salary. EF was set up a year before 1965 with the duty to "break down barriers in language, culture and geography". It has helped over 15 million students to learn a new language and travel abroad. According to the passage, those who _ are likely to be welcomed. Answer: Summer Term in the School of Life will start on Friday 25 January 2015, in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia and will become the first international school to open its doors. To make everyday life rich, the writer Alain de Botton has worked hard at getting the best ideas and the School of Life is his brainchild . Since it began in London in 2009, more than 50,000 people have taken part in its programs and its new way of life-long learning is now well-known all over the world. Summer Term in the School of Life is a 10-week project offering a selection of the UK's most popular programs, led by Australia's thinkers. "We are very excited to start the School of Life in Australia. We can't wait to start receiving our first guests ," says Alain de Botton. Summer Term will include different classes, workshops and other special events held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 25January and 31 March. The conversation Cafe onsite will serve up a daily conversation menu, light food and of course, delicious coffee. "There has been a growing need among Australians to deal with the problems in life like love, creativity, work, money, nature and death. The School of Life Australia will provide a space for us to explore these subjects," says Sara Tiefebtun, Project Director of the School of Life Australia. Program details for the School of Life Australia's Summer Term will be announced in December 2013. For more information sign up to our mailing list at: Updates will also be shared regularly on Twitter and Facebook . People can get more details for Summer Term by _ . Answer: I will never forget the year when I was 12.My mother told us that we would not get Christmas gifts because there was not enough money .I felt sad and thought, "What shall I say when the other kids ask me about my gifts?" I started to hope the Christmas wouldn't come that year. Just then three women came to our house with gifts for all of us. For me,they brought a doll .I felt so happy. Years later, my life changed a lot. So one Christmas, I wanted to do something special. I asked forty friends to help me. We visited 125 orphans to come to our Christmas party. For every child, we prepared a beautiful gift. Finally the moment came. I called out," One, two, three. Open your gifts!" As the children opened their boxes, the whole room was full of their bright smiles. The feeling I got from that Christmas so long ago came again. From the sentence "Years later, my life changed a lot." we can guess that _ . Answer:
For thousands of years, man has enjoyed the taste of apples. Apples, which are about 35 percent water, grow almost everywhere in the world but the hottest and coldest areas. The leading countries in apple production are China, France and the United States. There are various kinds of apples, but a very few make up the majority of those that are grown for sale. The three most common kinds that are grown in the United States are Delicious, Golden Delicious and Macintosh.w Apples are different in color1. Size and taste. The color1 of the skin may be red, green, or yellow. They have various sizes, with Delicious apples being among the largest. The taste may be sweet or tart"". Generally, sweet apples are eaten fresh while tart apples are used to make apple sauce . Apple trees may grow as tall as twelve meters. They do best in areas that have cold winters. Although no fruit is _ during the winter ,this cold period is good for the tree. Apples are different in _ Answer: For any person who must speak in public, to business or pleasure groups, humor is a helpful, and necessary, tool for getting your message across. Why does humor work a lot? There are several reasons. People will enjoy what you have to say if it is presented with humor. But, more importantly, if you are in a situation where important, and perhaps controversial , ideas must be presented to less than open minds, humor allows those ideas to be presented in a non-threatening manner. Abraham Lincoln was famous for his ability to relate humorous stories to make a point. Humor used carefully throughout a presentation will also keep the listener's interest high. In a word, individuals learning how to use humor in their speeches can strengthen arguments, support interesting presentations and, most of all, entertain their audience in a positive and comfortable way. While popular culture may well hold many kinds of humor, some of it has no place in presentations that are designed to educate and encourage the audience. If you want to become a professional stand-up comedian whose goal is 100% entertainment, then you may be able to use some of the reference materials like The Art of Using Humor in Public Speaking. They can help you develop your skills and sources of humor. To that _ , your participation in this study of humor will become necessary. Hopefully, you will come to appreciate the special difficulty of entertaining the audience with good and clean humor. Why did the author suggest reading The Art of Using Humor in Public Speaking? Answer: An old farmer spent all his life on his farm in the country in the southeast of England. One day he decided to visit the big city. Everything was new and strange to him, because he had never traveled to the city before. The old farmer visited a lot of interesting places in the city. He rushed into a large tall building and saw a lift. When he was watching, an old woman got into the lift and closed the door. After a while, the door opened again and a very perfect young girl came out. The old farmer was very surprised, "What a funny little room!" He said to himself, "It's magic. It can change an old woman into a young girl. The next time I come here, I'm going to bring my wife to take the lift. " When the old farmer was in a large tall building, he saw _ get into the lift. Answer: One day an Australian farmer,Joe,saw a bright light in the sky.The light came nearer and nearer and suddenly Joe saw that it was a spaceship landed in a field nearby. The door of the spaceship opened and two strange beings climbed out.They seemed to be half man and half bird.Joe was afraid of them.He tried to run away.But the spacemen walked towards him,picked him up and carried him into the spaceship. They asked him questions about Each."We're from Venus ,"they said,"but it is getting very hot there.A lot of our people are dying and we haven't much time left.We ale trying to find a new home." After some time they freed Joe and at last the spaceship took off and could not be seen. Joe told his friends about the spacemen,but no one believed his story. "You will believe me one day".Joe told them."The spacemen will come back..." The strange beings _ before they let him go. Answer: (2014 ) I came to study in the United States a year ago. Yet I did not know the real American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor and go to court. After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I'd have to have a good lawyer. And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer. Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him. But every day I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215. My lawyer was all smiles the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. He knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss him. And he made me pay him $770. Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance company the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time... and I left without getting a cent. The author's roommate offered to help him because _ . Answer:
John is an American boy. His family is in China now. John likes chocolates very much. But his mother doesn't give him any. They are not good for him, she thinks. But John has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves him very much, and sometimes he buys John some chocolates. Then his mother lets John eat them. She wants to make the old man happy. One Sunday evening John says in his room, "Please, God. Make them give me a big box of chocolates tomorrow. It's my birthday." His mother says, "God can't hear you, my boy." "I know, but my grandfather is in the next room. He can hear." ,. John likes _ very much. China's second manned space flight will be done by two astronauts over five days in 2005. "Shenzhou-VI will be sent into space sometime in 2005," said Zuo Saichun, a spokesperson of the China Aerospace Science and Technology (CAST). "The spacecraft will make new breakthroughs in China's manned space technology." Unlike Shenzhou-V, a little more than a year ago (in October, 2003), the next flight will see two astronauts fly in space for five days. Their capsule is designed to be capable of orbiting for a whole week, the spokesperson said. "For the first time, astronauts will enter and live in the orbital module of the spacecraft to do scientific experiments," said a statement from CAST. CAST did not say what those experiments will be. In Shenzhou-VI, scientists have changed the spacecraft's configuration to reduce its weight, and tried to improve the performance of on-board equipment. They have also worked to make sure of the energy supply of the spacecraft and further improve its safety. So far, scientists have worked out ways to solve problems on environmental control and life support. Shenzhou-VI will be sent into orbit atop a Long March 2F rocket. Meanwhile, a model of the Chang'e-1 satellite is expected to be sent to orbit the moon in two years. The satellite, part of the three-stage programme, would be followed by the landing of an unmanned vehicle on the moon in the second stage by 2010 and collecting samples of lunar soil by 2020 in the final stage, according to Sun Laiyan, director of the China National Space Administration. Which of the following about Shenzhou-VI is NOT true? Large trees block sunlight from reaching what? As A/H1N1 continues to spread, experts from the Centers for Disease Control to the World Health Organization to neighborhood doctors are calling on the people to practice smart flu prevention techniques. Here are some tips to keep body improved and immune system ready to fight infection. Wash Your Hands And wash them often, in hot soapy water, and for the amount of time it takes you to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. Get Enough Sleep This means slightly different things to different people, but try to get 8 hours of good rest each night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape. Keep Hydrated Drink enough water each day to clear poisonous matter from your system and keep up good moisture production in your body. Eat Immune-Improving Foods Keeping you body strong and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. Fatty foods can slow your metabolism , make you feel inactive, and weaken your immune system. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits. Avoid Alcohol Alcohol is likely to decrease your resistance to infections and further damages the immune system. So avoid alcoholic drinks to keep your immune system strong. --------------------------? Proper exercise-for example walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week-supports the immune system by increasing circulation, oxygenating the body, removing poisonous material through sweat, and reducing tension and stress. So get moving! Avoid Contact with Sick People If you're coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth(and then wash your hands),and if you have to be around someone who is sick, try to stay a few feet away from them and avoid physical contact. Know When to Get Help A/H1N1 can look like regular flu, so don't feel like you necessarily are infected if you're exhibiting flu-like symptoms . But do go to your doctor if you live in an area where there are recorded cases, or if your symptoms are very serious. The passage seems to suggest that we should _ . Which statement best describes the nature of sound?
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.And this year, as always,the Easter holidays will be peak time for tutor demand. "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 exams for different boards . On the whole we think one-two-one tuition works best and it is worth the money.In our case,Preeta is a bit like an elder sister to Zarreen and that's the most important,"says Ashan Sabri from London, whose daughter Zarreen,18,is having tuition in biology and chemistry in preparation for A-levels this summer. In fact,Preeta Datta is only six years older than her pupil and she is happy to provide extra tuition through mobile phone."Maybe Zarreen will call me two or three times a week with a question about biology or chemistry, and that's fine to me,"says Datta. The real question is:does tutoring do any good? "It's not the magic bullet,"says Professor Judith Ireson.'It's still up to the child to do the learning.If he or she isn't interested,then sending them to a private tutor won't do any good." In which case,surely it's time to break open the Champagne ?Not necessarily, says Elaine Tyrrell,head of the Rowans School. "While we recommend private tutoring for a few children whose first language isn't English,we don't encourage it for the others,"says Tyrrell."With the level of education they get here,children really ought to be able to pass the entrance exams without any extra teaching. Besides, our biggest worry is that they might just get in with the help of last-minute tutoring,but,once they actually get to that school,they won't be able to manage." It's a point worth considering.After all,who would want their child to stay at the bottom of the class? Elaine Tyrrell doesn't encourage parents to hire private tutors for their children mainly because_. We know the westerners like to plan for their time carefully in order to do all the things that are important to them. So if your American or English friend asks you to dinner, he usually invites you a week ahead. But if you really have no time and can't go to the dinner, you can ring him to say sorry. The dinner is usually served at home, sometimes at a restaurant. You should get there on time, and don't forget to put on your fine clothes. It is also a good idea to take some little presents to your friend, such as flowers, chocolates and so on. When you are at dinner, you should also observe some other customs. Here I'll give you some dos and don'ts about them in the following: 1) Don't leave bones on the table or the floor. (You should put them on your plate with fingers.) 2) Don't use your bowl to drink soup, but use your spoon to help you instead. 3) Don't talk with much food in your mouth. 4) Don't ask others to have more wine. (This is quite different from that in China.) 5) After dinner, use your napkin to clean your mouth and hands. 6) Make sure small pieces of food are not left on your face. Then after dinner, you can stay there a little time. And your friend will be pleased if you leave in half an hour or so. Next day, you had better ring him up to thank him for the good dinner. It would be impolite to _ . The Chinese word "Shanzhai" means a small mountain village, but now it becomes an accepted name for fakes , after "Shanzhai Cell-phones" produced by small workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years. Besides "Shanzhai" electronic products, there are "Shanzhai" movies, "Shanzhai" stars and even a "Shanzhai" Spring Festival Gala , a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. "Shanzhai" has become a culture of its own, meaning anything that imitates something famous. In Chongqing, "Shanzhai" version "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube" woven by farmers with bamboo attract wide attention from tourists. Both are copies of the famous Olympic buildings in Beijing. A literature critic said that taking the "Shanzhai" Gala as an example, when the traditional CCTV program becomes less and less attractive to the audience, the"Shanzhai" version appears timely to attract people. "Although it is often connected with poor techniques and operation, 'Shanzhai' culture meets the psychological needs of common people and could be a comfort to their minds," he said. To the mainstream culture, the rise of "Shanzhai" culture is a challenge and a motivation . People believe different kinds of cultures developing together is a perfect situation and it is for the public to choose. We can infer that the mainstream culture _ . Which can go in the recycled bin In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content through multiple platforms . Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2012. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine", NBC and NBC.com presents green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site. Fashion & Beauty Throw a clothes exchange party! Are you dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize an exchange party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own! Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products on your skin wasn't exactly that nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty. Home Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush. Work Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on over night? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. If you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, shut off your monitor at least. Transportation Organize a car pool . There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas and you get to ride in the HOV lines. Get connected with your neighbors and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com. Lose the car and get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas! Every small step and efforts makes a difference! Be sure to GREEN YOUR ROUTINE! NBC Universal holds Green Week activities _ .
While the 1970s pop psychotherapy movement focused on the importance of letting anger out, more recent research suggests that there's a smarter, healthier way to react to life's misfortunes with forgiveness. In a recent study, it was found that when individuals were about to forgive, they experienced greater joy, a greater sense of control over life and less depression. Sound appealing. Why holding a grudge can be harmful? Your boyfriend blows you off for an important date. If you stay angry at him, you'll probably get fresh flowers on your doorstep and maybe a romantic meal or two. But grudge-holding only gives us the illusion of power. If you hold on to that anger on a chronic basis, then it has power over you, eating away at your peace of mind and perhaps even your immune system. A study by Kathleen Lawler, Ph. D., a psychology professor at the University of Tennessee, confirms that people who are unable to forgive report more stress in their lives, more illness and more visits to the doctor than do forgiving folk. Going from a grudge to forgiveness A few ways to develop your capacity to tolerate--Try writing a daily "forgiveness" reminder in your journal; it may sound out of date, but it's a great way to help gain control over your emotional life.--Write a letter to your offender, detailing exactly what's bothering you. Then throw it. You'll feel better, even if your message never reaches its intended target.--What, exactly, makes your blood boil? Forgiveness isn't about swallowing anger or being a doormat. It's not about forgetting, either. On the contrary, it's about acknowledging an offence with your eyes wide open--and then releasing the anger. That means not quarrelling with the person who hurt you, but focusing on the good parts of your life. *An act of courage Are you still not convinced that it's worth it to put your energies toward forgiving? Besides the benefits to your mental and physical health, true forgiveness is a sign of strength and spiritual virtue . "It takes a lot of moral muscle to forgive," says Dr Witvleit of Hope College in Michigan. The bottom line: Forgiving eventually benefits the forgiver more than the person who has done wrong. So start putting your own well-being first, and live life with as much interest and love as you can. According to the passage, if you keep feeling angry for a long time, . you will gradually lose control over your mind and your health Drawings of human colonies on other planets often picture the entire community under a glass or plastic bubble. The bubble is intended to create an atmosphere with adequate oxygen and other essential elements. But similar bubble-like structures have also been constructed on earth. One of the most famous, and controversial, is a site in the Arizona desert. Biosphere 2, as it is called, was built not far from Tucson in 1984 and is now run by Columbia University. This huge(7,200,000-cubic-foot)glass and steel construction contains several separate ecosystems, including a desert, a rain forest, and a 900,000-gallon "ocean." The climatic conditions-humidity, temperature, air quality-are regulated by sensors and can be adjusted as needed or desired. For example, a rainstorm can be created to increase the humidity. The adjustable features of Biosphere 2 make it an ideal location to perform experiments to help determine the effects of such climatic changes as global warming. The current conditions at Biosphere 2 are vastly different from those in 1993, when eight people who had moved into the environment with great fanfare two years earlier moved out in failure. Though promising to be self-sufficient , these "colonists" had so much trouble regulating the environment that they reportedly had food smuggled into them. Oxygen levels became dangerously low; most plants and animals died. In taking over the unsuccessful site, Columbia hopes to erase its notorious past by focusing on small research projects that gradually answer some of Biosphere 1's -- that is, Earth's most basic environment questions. This passage primarily deals with _ . conditions of life in Biosphere 2 Katie was excited today because she was going to make her favorite meal! There were three things Katie had to do to get ready to make her favorite meal. First, she had to go to the store. Second, she had to cook her meal. Third, she had to eat it! Katie's favorite meal was pizza, but she liked to make it at home all by herself. First, she went to the store. Katie bought four things: a pizza crust, tomato sauce, cheese and pepperonis. She put it all in her car and drove it home! Next, she turned on her oven and put the sauce on the pizza crust. She sprinkled the cheese all over the pizza and then put the pepperonis on top. Katie put the pizza in the oven for half an hour. When she took it out, it was done! Katie was very happy. She ate 3 slices of pizza and went to bed. When does Katie go to the store? First Who hasn't enjoyed eating peanuts? Did you know that although peanuts look like nuts and taste like nuts, they aren't nuts at all? They belong to the pea family, so they are called peanuts. The peanut grows flowers above ground, but its "fruit" grows underground. It grows in more countries than most other "nuts". The peanut is a native South American plant. Scientists believe that it grew wild in Brazil long ago. They think that for several thousand years the early peoples of South America made it a part of their diet. These peoples were nomads who moved on when a natural food could no longer be found in one area. Along the way they probably let fall some peanuts, which got into the ground and grew. This is believed to be the way the plant reached the place where the Incas lived. The Incas, from about 1100 to 1532, thought highly of peanuts. The peanuts were eaten in several forms and used as sacrificial offerings to the Incan Sun God. Later in the 16thcentury, European soldiers had brought peanuts to other parts of the world, including North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Pacific Islands. Although peanuts were found native in South America, they are now grown in almost every country that has warm weather. India produces the most peanuts. China's production is next, followed by the United States. The peanut is special in more ways than one. It can be eaten raw, boiled, roasted, or fried. Hundreds of widely different products have been made from it. Carver, an American scientist, set himself the task of discovering new uses for eating and for many other products. Peanuts are very highly _ and are also high in protein . Americans use about seven-tenths of their protein in the form of meat. In India, where the poor can't pay for meat or milk, peanut meal and peanut milk have been produced. These have been a great help to the poor. New products are continually being made from peanuts, among them peanut cheese and a powder that becomes peanut butter when water is added. The fact is that peanuts are so healthy that they were used by astronauts. The unusual nut that isn't a nut is one of nature's most amazing gifts. Although we like eating peanuts, many of us don't know peanuts belong to _ family. the pea Is it necessary for a young man to have an apartment as a prerequisite for marriage? Housing has become a major obstacle for Chinese young men hoping to start a family. China may breed a new group of bachelors, men caught in the trap of unaffordable houses. Since early 2009, the housing market has once again become a hot pot at boiling point. Even with allowance and special government policies, home prices in China's first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are riding the crest of a rising wave. According to the "2010 China Marital Status Report" released on Dec 15, 2010, about 70 percent of women interviewed said that housing, a stable income and some savings were the main requirements for marriage. From the report, we can see that housing is given top priority and that women see an apartment as essential to show that the man is responsible and can provide for his family. Personality and morals lay outside the top three matrimonial requirements. Some women and their families hold the traditional position and take it for granted that the home issue should be the man's responsibility, which doesn't agree with the contemporary independent spirit of women and gender equality. These marriage values reflect the fact that many women consider marriage another form of "social welfare". Things may be different overseas. Social housing, provided by European authorities, offer the less wealthy people their own piece of real estate. Such housing is usually apartments in tall buildings with 10 or more floors on the _ of town, whose main advantage is the low rents. For many Americans, houses don't pose an obstacle to getting married. They often buy a house after the wedding, because more and more people are reconsidering their real estate worship, and going back to a more rational mode of consumption. In Japan, renting is the custom for newly married young couples. Few young couples can afford to purchase property. Up to 67.1 percent of young couples choose to rent. Generally speaking, renters account for most people younger than 40 in Japan. Young people should be free to enjoy being young, without the huge pressure of trying to buy property. Society should help create an environment for them to grow up. Don't let the poor bachelor group become a suffering layer of our society. The author uses the examples of European countries, America and Japan to show that _ ? the situation is different in some foreign countries
Once upon a time, there was a family with eighteen children in a small village not far from Nuremberg. Eighteen! In spite of the hopeless condition, two of the children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art. After many long discussions, the two boys finally worked out an agreement. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother who attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy. They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was excellent. By the time he graduated, he had earned considerable fees for his works. When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming, where Albrecht drank a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled him to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "Now you can go to Nuremberg to look for your dream, and I will take care of you." Tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side, Albert sobbed, "No... no... no...no. It is too late for me. Look...look at what four years in the mines has done to my hands! I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less draw delicate lines with a pen or a brush... For me, it is too late." To show thanks to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands", but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed it "The Praying Hands". The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one - no one - no one ever makes it alone! The reason why the two brothers worked out the agreement was that _ . Answer: their family was so poor that it couldn't afford the academy Each year, prizes are presented to adults who make great achievements in art, writing, science, and economics. So why not give awards to kids? Harry Leibowitz asked himself that question in 1996. As an answer, he and his wife, Kay, created the World of Children organization and began handing out awards to kids and adults whose work has helped kids all over the world. The awards the World of Children presents arenicknamed(......)the " Children's Nobel Prize". "You know, children are so important," Leibowitz, a retired business manager, told me. " We should have prizes for children if we're going to have prizes for everything else." Talia Leman, from Iowa, was awarded a Founder's Youth Award for Leadership this year. She is only 13 years old, but she has completed a lot. In 2005, she founded " RandomKid". Since then, it has raised more than$10 million to help kids in 48 states in the U.S. and in 19 other countries. One place helped by RandomKid was a school built in Cambodia to enable 300 kids to go to school. The organization has also helped fix a school for 200 kids in Louisiana, and provided interactive play centers that serve more than 500 kids in hospitals in Iowa. In faraway places like Africa, RandomKid has provided money to buywater pumps . Talia never thought that the organization she founded would be as successful as it has become. She said, " My first goal was to raise $1million. That seemed really high, but when you reach a goal, you always wind up reaching higher, and we actually raised $10 million." I asked her what advice she would offer to other young people who want to help kids in need. " Well, I'd say the first thing would be to find an adult and tell them your idea," Talia said. " They're really the people who can help, and from there I think it can just really take off." What advice is given by Talia to those who want to help kids in need? Answer: To win help from adults. Lopburi is around 150 kilometers north of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. What make Lopburi famous are its more than 2,000 monkeys who live in the middle of the city. They hang on phone line, cross streets, grab food from other locals and tourists, or even search your pockets. However, nobody blames the monkeys. As the locals say, they bring prosperity to the town. The "Lopburi Monkey Festival" is held each year on the last weekend of November and is a major attraction for locals and foreign visitors alike. A local businessman started the tradition twenty years ago. The monkeys attracted many foreign tourists to travel there. The businessman started the tradition in order to honor those monkeys. On the festival, they are offered a buffet of delicious fruits and sweets, ice cream, and more as a way of thanking them for the good fortune they bring to the town! The monkeys were not always living in the city. They used to love outside the city limits, but the group divided and a new group formed and decided to live in the ruins of the temples. As time went by, the monkeys became more familiar and daring and started to go out of their homes. They are now part of LOpburi's local culture. Last year, people had a great time celebrating the monkey festival. A parade was held through town, cultural shows were lined up and the streets were filled with locals and tourists as they watched the parade with monkeys. Sellers selling food and souvenirs can be seen everywhere. There were 20 chefs who "cooked up" a lot of food for the "monkey" buffet. It was reported that about two tons of fruits and vegetables, ice cream jelly and milk were prepared for the more than 2,000 monkeys. Up to now, how many monkey festivals have been held in Lopburi? Answer: About twenty. Whether it's a carol service or an evening of karaoke in the pub, many people will enjoy a good old singsong this Christmas. Singing aloud will not just lift the spirits---it's good for your physical health as well. Filling the lungs with air, increasing the heart rate and getting blood pumping round the body faster can all help our physical health. For the past few years Heart Research UK has been Funding a Christmas campaign aimed at getting people singing, simply for the benefit it can bring. The organizer of the campaign says singing is a safe, simple and social activity that everyone can enjoy. "Singing is linked to long life, stress reduction, and general health protection. It also brings a great amount of happiness. It is impossible to sing well with a long face because it affects your pitch ." Professor Graham Welch, who leads the International Music Education Research Centre at the University of London, has spent more than 30 years studying the effects of singing. He says that singing is a form of exercise. It means we're also having a strong aerobic activity when we're singing, which results in increasing the feeling of pleasure while decreasing that of stress. "And communal singing--like in a singing group, a church service or even a singsong in the pub--helps improve our sense of self-respect. It increases our sense of satisfaction with ourselves, a greater sense of feeling included. " Helen Astrid, a singing teacher, also sees the great effects that singing brings. "It lifts us up on a spiritual level, it helps our self-respect, and it's great for all ages from small kids to grannies--you can have a good sing and _ ." But she warns people not to have too many beers or glasses of wine, though a glass may help them gather courage before taking to the stage during the holidays. What can we infer from the passage? Answer: In a low mood one is not able to sing well. Our school is No 1 Middle School. It is not big, and it has a short history, but I'm lucky that I am a student of this school. Ten years ago, there were not any teaching buildings and not a library in our school. The playground was so small that we could only play basketball there. Now great changes have taken place in our school in the past ten years. There are three modern teaching buildings and there four modern computer classrooms. We have computer studies every week. On the left side of the school stands a modern lab building. On the right side of the school there is also a modern building--the library. In the library there are 20 thousand books and magazines. We can go to the library to borrow books and magazines at any time. We have built a new playground. It is much bigger than before. We can play not only basketball but also football and many other sports there. There are a lot of flowers, grasses and trees in and around our school. We usually take a walk or chat with our classmates after lunch and supper between the flowers and trees. We always feel very happy. In a word, our school is more and more beautiful and modern. We love our school. Could the students borrow the books from the library ten years ago? Answer: It's impossible because there is not library.
Alex,Nicole and Vickie are friends.They live in the same neighborhood.They want to make some money to buy Christmas presents. "We need to print out fliers and pass them around to all the houses,"says Nicole.Alex's dad helps them print out fliers.The three friends go to all the houses and put a flier in everyone's mailbox. "It's winter,"says Vickie."There is lots of snow on the ground.Maybe people will need us to sweep the snow for them." First,Mrs.Jones _ the children to sweep the snow from her driveway .She says,"I have twin baby girls.I am much too busy to sweep the snow myself." Then,Mrs.Smith calls them.She says,"I am very old,and the snow is much too heavy for me to move." Then,Mr.Lee visits them.He says,"My garden is much too big to sweep all by myself.Can you help me?" The children work very hard sweeping the snow.It is cold,but they also have great fun.They make 30 dollars in all.Now they can buy nice Christmas presents for their friends and families. How does Alex's dad help? He prints some fliers for them. In the past, many people depended on horses for transportation , farming and other kinds of work. Nowadays a lot of people still like to ride horses. So it is not surprising that many expressions about _ are still used by Americans today. Long ago, people who were rich or important rode horses that were very tall. Today, if a girl is too proud and looks down upon others, you might say she should "get off her high horse." Last night, I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite television show. I decided not to answer it because "wild horses could not drag me away" from the television -- there was nothing that could stop me from doing what I wanted to do. Sometimes you get information "straight from the horse's mouth." It comes directly from the person who knows most about the subject and is the best source. Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow. You could say you got the information "straight from the horse's mouth." However, you would not want to call your teacher a horse! You may have heard this expression: "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink." That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does not want to do. In politics, a "dark-horse candidate" is someone who is not well known to the public. Sometimes, a dark horse unexpectedly wins an election . Another piece of advice is "do not change horses in midstream." You would not want to get off one horse and on to another in the middle of a river. Or make major changes in an activity that has already begun. The expression "get off her high horse" is used for a girl _ . who thinks she is better than anyone else The Vienna-based researchers showed that dogs will stop doing a simple task when not rewarded if another dog, which continues to be rewarded, is present. The experiment consisted of taking pairs of dogs and getting them to present a paw for a reward.On giving this "handshake" the dogs received a piece of food.One of the dogs was then asked to shake hands, but received no food.The other dog continued to get the food when it was asked to perform the task. The dog without the reward quickly stopped doing the task, and showed signs of anger or stress when its partner was rewarded. To make sure that the experiment was really showing the interaction between the dogs rather than just the frustration of not being rewarded, a similar experiment was conducted where the dogs performed the task without the partner.Here they continued to present the paw for much longer. Dr Frederike Range from the University of Vienna says this shows that it was the presence of the rewarded partner that was the greater influence on their behaviour. "The only difference is one gets food and the other doesn't, they are responding to being unequally rewarded." she said. The researchers say this kind of behaviour, where one animal gets frustrated with what is happening with another, has only been observed in primates before. Studies with various types of monkeys and chimpanzees show they react not only to seeing their partners receiving rewards when they are not, but also to the type of reward. The dog study also looked at whether the type of reward made a difference.Dogs were given either bread or sausage, but seemed to react equally to either.Dr Range says this may be because they have been trained. What would the dogs do if they presented their paw alone? They would go on with the performance much longer. For four lonely years, Evelyn Jones of Rockford, Illinois, lived friendless and forgotten in one room of a cheap hotel. "I wasn't sick, but I was acting sick," the 78-year-old widow says, "Every day was the same. I would just lie on my bed and maybe cook up some soup." Then, six months ago, she was invited to The Brighter Side -- Rockford's day care center for the elderly. Every weekday morning since then, she has left her home to meet nine other old people in a church for a rich program of charity work, trips, games, and -- most important of all -- friendly companionship. Just a few years ago, there were few choices for the elderly between a normal life in their own homes and being totally confined in nursing homes. Many of them were sent to rest homes long before they needed full-time care. Others like Mrs. Jones were left to take care of themselves. But in 1971, the White House Conference on Aging called for the development of alternatives to care in nursing homes for old people, and since then, government-supported day-care programs like The Brighter Side have been developed in most big American cities. "This represents a real alternative to the feared institution and makes old people believe they have not left the world of living", says Alice Brophy, 64, director of New York City's Office for the Aging, "They do well at the centers, and I hate it when people describe us as elderly playpens ." New York's 138 centers encourage continuing contact for the aged with the community's life. The centers serve more than 15,000 members, and volunteer workers are always looking for new ones. If someone doesn't show up at the center for several days in a row, a worker at the center calls to make sure all is well. And although participation in the center is free, those who want to can pay for their lunches. No normal studies have been made of these centers for the elderly, but government officials are enthusiastic. In the future, the Public Health Service will do a study to decide if the programs can receive federal Medicare money. And the old people themselves are very happy with the programs. "There is no way", says Evelyn Jones, smiling at her new companions at the Brighter Side, "that I will ever go back to spending my day with all those loses at the hotel." What's author's attitude towards the program of day care centers? optimistic. Alzheimer's disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer's disease is not confined to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease. At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be "getting old". The disease was thought to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer's disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic disease that destroys brain cells. Alzheimer's disease affects the patient's memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking, then the patient's memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, numbers, names and plans. As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior. In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk. Scientists don't know exactly what causes Alzheimer's disease. It may be caused by a virus .It may be caused by a poisonous substance in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease. All of the following are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease EXCEPT _ . loss of sight
The 18-meter-tall Rubber Duck arrived in Beijing on Friday. It was placed on waters in the International Garden Expo Park, where the Yongding River passes through. The Rubber Duck exhibition was designed by Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman. It was part of the activities of Beijing Design Week, which ran from September 26 to October 3 in 2013. The Rubber Duck stayed in the park until September 23, then moved to the Summer Palace, a famous Beijing tourist spot, where it was on display until October 26. The duck is made of over 200 pieces of rubber. It was guarded not only by staff, but also by 10 volunteers wearing yellow T-shirts and hats with a rubber duck logo. Sun Yidong, a volunteer who guided visitors to the duck, said the art brought energy to the traditional Chinese park. "Seeing the giant Rubber Duck makes me feel like I'm a kid again." Sun said. Because of the rain on Friday, there were not too many people coming to see it. The Expo workers said they expected more people to come and visit the duck on weekends. Zhao Yan said she had been following news about the duck since 2007, when the duck began its journey. "I even considered going to Hong Kong to see it. It's great that the duck is in Beijing," Zhao said. Before arriving in Beijing, the Rubber Duck traveled to 13 cities in nine countries. "The aim of the Rubber Duck is simply to bring everyone back to their childhood again," said Zeng Hui, a leader of the Beijing Design Week Organizing Committee Office. "It can be a toy for adults." ,. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: A German artist designed The Rubber Duck. It is impossible not to make a mistake at some points in your life. We may as well accept that something will go wrong and we will be to blame. It is therefore sensible to work out some strategies for apologizing, and the best way to apologize is by letter. This way you can take care over every work you write-- which you can't do if you say sorry to someone in person. We all say or do something that we wish we hadn't said or done. You may say something that accidentally hurts someone, or you may provide a service which doesn't come up to the standards that a client or customer expected. You may feel that it was a genuine mistake which couldn't be avoided. Rather than dwell on the mistake, you should quickly try to remedy the problem. An effective letter of apology is an important part of that process. For the contents of the letter, just remember TABS--Timing, Action, Brevity, Sincerity. The timing of a letter of apology is essential--it must be sent as soon as possible. Any delay in our sending the letter will only compound the problem. In this case "Better late than never" is not the best motto! The longer you wait before you wait before writing a letter of apology, the more it will seem that you have been coerced into writing it. Although it is important to recognize what has gone before, it is also essential to detail the action you plan to take to rectify whatever it was you did wrong. Research has shown that some indication that you have thought about what future action you plan to take is always well received. A letter of apology should be brief and the word "sorry" should appear no more than twice. Indicate that you are aware using it a second time--"once again, I am so sorry for..." or "as I said earlier, I am really sorry about...". Finally, the tone of the letter has to be sincere. In fact, the combination of all the above factors will help in this respect. And don't think that letters are out of date in the email--oriented 21st century. An apology email can be worse than no apology at all! What kind of things do you NOT apologize for? Answer: Car accidents. Every day I go into the same coffee shop on the way to work. It's part of a large chain here in the UK. I am new to the anonymous act of kindness concept. I came across it recently. A few weeks ago I worked up the courage to ask the barista if I could pay for a coffee for someone later that day. He looked at me kind of strangely and said "okay" and then put the money into the drawer where some change was put. I walked out feeling doubtful whether this would happen and privately thinking he might just add the money to his tips. This chain stamps a card every time you buy a coffee and when you get 9 stamps, the 10th coffee is free. I had just completed my card today and was due a free cup of coffee next time, so I cheered up as I headed out of the coffee shop. I believe that giving the card to people on the street is better than giving them cash so I forgot about the barista and passed the card on to a homeless guy I met later. A week later I was in the same store and I ordered my usual coffee and a new barista said to me, "Your coffee is on us." I was surprised and asked why he would give me a free coffee. He said that the staff were allowed to give out one free coffee a day to anyone they chose. And that today I was the lucky one. He said they knew that I was a regular and that I was always so cheerful with the staff. By the way, I was not sure I had been the first lucky person in the morning! This put a big smile on my face but I decided to ask if I could choose to pay it forward to someone else instead. Finally, he gave me the power to make a decision. Why did the author give the card to the homeless guy on the street? Answer: Because he wanted the guy to have a free coffee rather than some money. The British people are among the world's greatest readers of newspapers.It's been the custom ever since most people could read. But why do people want to do nothing but read while traveling to work in a train? Perhaps they are tired, or else they sit behind a newspaper to shut themselves off from the world.All the same, most men would notice a woman struggling with a heavy case and jump up to help her and a pretty girl sitting opposite wouldn't escape their attention either.In this case a paper is useful because they can have a good look at her from behind it without her knowing.Perhaps they do nothing but read.There are stories of girls and young men who met in the rush hours, got married, and went on traveling in the same train hand in hand. The writer said that most men in the train would help a woman struggling with a heavy thing.The implication is that _ . Answer: men are often more interested in other things than reading newspapers, especially when women are in trouble If you saw another kid ride her bike too fast around a corner and fall down, you might ride your bike more slowly on that turn. Yes, we humans are very sensitive to others' mistakes. And the same is true for other animals. Animals mess up all the time. They might eat poisonous leaves, fall off a tree or let their prey slip away. By watching others fail, an animal can avoid making the same mistakes, thus improving its chance of survival. Scientists suspected that one part of the brain helps animals process information about others' errors. Cells in that part appear to become more active when a person sees someone else making a mistake. But researchers didn't know whether individual cells in this part of the brain play different roles in _ errors. To investigate the brain's response to errors in more detail, the researchers taught a game to two macaques, a type of monkey. One monkey could press a yellow or green button while the other watched. If the first monkey pressed the right button, the team gave both animals a treat. Every couple of rounds, the two monkeys switched roles. Meanwhile, the scientists monitored individual cells in the animal's brains. When the first monkey messed up the game by pressing the wrong button, a group of cells in the second monkey's brain fired. But if the second monkey also made the wrong choice during its turn, some of the cells in that group didn't respond. Those unresponsive cells reacted specifically to mistakes made by others, not to the monkey's own mistakes. Scientists believe other parts of the brain also might help people process information about another's errors. "You start to think about this other person and see things from his angle. " Ellen de Bruijn, told Science News. She studies the brain at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. In the experiment mentioned, those unresponsive cells are only sensitive to _ . Answer: others' mistakes
The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, is back on our screens. The new BBC TV series of Sherlock was broadcast in the UK on Jan 1. But the history of Sherlock dates back 127 years. Since the creation of Holmes in 1887, he has been taking us on adventures one after another. The Sherlock series is a playful drama, covered in crimes and mystery. It gives us a modern Sherlock for a new generation, who solves cases with the help of the Internet, cell phones and GPS. People look to Sherlock for both adventure and inspiration . Each case sends us on a mysterious journey with Holmes. The stories give life and color to our imagination: as he checks the crime scene, we join him and become detectives too, looking out for hidden clues. Yet Holmes is no Superman. He cannot fly, or turn invisible . But his powers are within all of us: reason, logical thinking and paying attention to detail. While an artist's painting is his art, Sherlock's art is his intelligence . He is human, and this is what makes Holmes a true hero for all of us. In the new series of Sherlock, most people thought Holmes was dead. But he returns after two years of hiding in the shadows. Now the whole city of London is in danger. What can Holmes possibly do? Uncover the mystery yourself by watching the new series! From the passage, we learn that Sherlock Holmes _ . Australia is one of the best places in the world to live while you learn.The standard of living is amongst the highest in the world, yet costs remain competitive.On your breaks from study, you will have a wide choice of activities to enrich your expenence-from cultural festivals, concerts and museums, to major sporting events. Australian education has a strong international reputation for excellence. Whether you study at a university, school, vocational or English language institute, you will receive a quality education that will form a strong foundation for your future success. The benefits of living and learning in Australia are both personal and academic. Your years in Australia will give you the best platform to succeed in your career, and prepare you for the challenges of the work place. It won't just be your mind that develops--your time in the classroom will change you as a person. You can find out here about courses, institutions, studying and living costs, the application process, visa requirements and much more. If you've already decided on an institution, use the search function to learn more about that university, training course or language school. If you haven't decided yet, let our Study Wizard guide you through all the steps of selecting a course and enrolling to study in Australia. You can also click the Student Response Facility if you can't find the information you are looking for. If you want an Australian education but can't travel here to receive it, you'll be pleased to hear that many Australian institutions now provide education and training to students Jiving outside of Australia. Some of these institutions have established their own campuses in other countries, while others offer courses in partnership with overseas institutions. The text is most probably taken from _ . At Bristol Zoo Gardens you can enjoy an amazing world of animals, all within our award-winning 12 acre gardens. With over 400 species and nine animals houses under cover, it's one of the best days out in Bristol whatever the weather. We suggest you allow 2-5 hours for your visit to really take in everything we have to offer. By visiting Bristol Zoo you will be directly contributing to the conservation of endangered species and habitats. Admission prices at Bristol Zoo include a 10% voluntary donation to help support our conservation projects. With so many things to do in Bristol Zoo, it really is one of the top attractions in Bristol and the South West. Adopting an Animal Help us look after your favorite animal by becoming an animal adopter; it makes a fantastic gift for any age! Choose from 10 of our favorite animals to adopt, which costs just PS45. Adopt them in a matter of minutes online. Opening hours We're open every day from 9 am to 5:30 pm in peak season, and close at 5 pm during off peak. The Zoo is closed on Christmas Day. Last entry to the Zoo is an hour before closing time and animal houses close half an hour before closing time. Traveling by bus Our bus service is operating every 30 minutes on Sundays and public holidays only. The service will enable guests to travel to the Zoo or anywhere along the route. The service is FREE to Bristol Zoo members -- all you need to do is bring your membership card. We encourage all of our guests to use public transport when coming to the Zoo. What message can we get from the text? What is taken in by the leaves of a tree so it can make its own food? We have now known something about computers---computers work for us at home, in offices and in factories. But it is also true that many children today are using computers at schools before they can write. What does this mean for the future? Are these children lucky or not? Many people do not know about computers and they think of them as machines that children play with. They worry that children do not learn from experience but just from pressing* a button* and that this is not good for them. They think that children are growing not knowing about the real world. And they are very worried about that their children will lose themselves in the computer games. But many people understand more about computers, they say that computers can be very good for children. A computer can help them to learn about the real world more quickly, to learn what they want to learn and think for themselves. And for the future, don't we need people who can think clearly, who know how to get information quickly and use it well? What do you think? For example, e-mail is very popular at this moment. Do you know about e-mail? E-mail is a way of sending messages to other people. E-mail is a fast and cheap way to keep in touch with friends and family. It's much quicker than sending a letter. People who use e-mail have an e-mail address. This address must have letters and dots* and the symbol "@"meaning "at". This is what an address looks like. People can send the messages across the Internet. It is quick, easy and fun. If you know about computers, you must know the letter "@" means _
As the amount of water a plant receives increases what will usually happen with it? A. diminish B. shrinking C. grow metal D. expanded proportions Answer: D If you're looking for a fairly painless way to lose weight, researchers at Brigham Young University have a new solution for you: Put yourself on a regular sleep schedule. People who keep a regular sleep routine have a lower body fat than those who keep irregular sleep hours, says a new study. Led by Bruce Bailey, professor of exercise science, researchers followed 300 female college students aged 19 to 26, who were given activity trackers to watch their movements and activities, including waking and sleeping times . Researchers also measured their body composition before and after the one-week study period. What the researchers found: Body fat varied with sleep quantity. Women who slept between 8 and 8.5 hours a night had the lowest body fat. While those who slept less than 7 hours or over 9 hours had higher body fat. High quality sleep was associated with lower body fat while poor sleep was connected with higher body fat. Waking and going to sleep at the same time every day was most strongly linked with lower body fat. The difference in body weight was greater with more variation in sleep pattern. Women whose sleep patterns varied by 90 minutes a night had higher body fat than those whose sleep patterns varied by 60 minutes or less on average. The study followed up on a body of research conducted over the last few years that ties quality and quantity of sleep to weight loss and better weight control. While researchers don't know exactly how sleep schedules affect body weight and fat, other studies have shown that sleep has an effect on physical activity, appetite , and the hormones that control metabolism , and the signals that tell us we're full. Who may have the lowest body fat according to the study? A. Women whose sleep patterns varied by 90 times a night. B. Women whose sleep patterns varied by 60 times a night. C. Women who sleep no more than 7 hours a night. D. Women who get 8 to 8.5 hours of sleep a night. Answer: D A mother returned home from the store very tiredly.As she put down all of the things on the kitchen table,her 8-year-old son ran up to her.He was waiting for her and wanted to tell her what his younger brother had done. "While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,Tyler took his crayons and wrote on the wall! It's on the new wallpaper you just hung up in the living room.I told him you would be mad at him for doing it again,but I couldn't stop him." She let out a long sound and asked, _ "He is in his room,"the son answered quickly. She walked to the younger son's room.She called his full name as she entered.Then,she found Tyler.He was trying to hide.He knew that the worst moment was corning! For the next 10 minutes,the room was full of her shouting about the expensive wallpaper.She punished the little boy for his bad behavior. Then,she headed for the living room to see what happened.As she saw the wall,her eyes flooded with tears at once.It said"I love Mommy"and was surrounded with a heart. Well, the wallpaper remained,just as she found it,with an empty picture frame hung around it.A reminder to her and to all:Take time to read the handwriting on the wall. So when you are sure that something goes wrong,have you ever had any doubt that there might be a misunderstanding? Take some time to give it a second thought. Where was Tyler when his mother came home? A. In his room. B. In the living room. C. In his study. D. In the bathroom. Answer: A In some urban centers, workaholism is so common that people do not consider it unusual.They accept the lifestyle as normal.Government workers in Washington D.C., for example, frequently work sixty to seventy hours a week.They do this because they have to; they do it because they want to. Workaholism can be a serious problem.Because true workaholics would rather work than do anything else, they probably don't know how to relax; that is, they might not enjoy movies, sports, or other types of entertainment.Most of all, they hate to sit and do nothing.The lives of workaholics are usually stressful, and this tension and worry can cause health problems such as heart attacks or stomach ulcers.In addition, typical workaholics don't pay much attention to their families.They spend little time with their children, and their marriages may end in divorce. Is workaholism always dangerous? Perhaps not.There are, certainly, people who work well under stress.Some studies show that many workaholics have great energy and interest in life.Their work is so pleasurable that they are actually very happy.For most workaholics, work and entertainment are the same thing.Their jobs provide them with a challenge; this keeps them busy and creative. Why do workaholics enjoy their jobs so much? There are several advantages to work.It provides people with paychecks, and this is important.But it offers more than financial security It provides people with self-confidence; they have a feeling of satisfaction when they have produced a challenging piece of work and are able to say," I made that." Psychologists claim that work gives people an identity; by working, they get a sense of self and individualism.In addition, most jobs provide people with a socially acceptable way to meet others. According to some studies, most workaholics _ . A. live a hard life B. regard work as something enjoyable C. like to be under stress D. are good at both work and entertainment Answer: B Too many people want others to be friends,but they don't give friendship back.That is why some friendships don't last long.To have a friend,you must learn to be one.You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you.Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules:be honest,be generous,be understanding. Honesty is where a good friend starts.Friends must be able to trust one another.If you do not tell the truth,people usually find out.If a friend finds out that you have't been honest,you may lose your friend's trust.Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly. Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow.You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes of course.Instead you have to learn how to share things you enjoy,like your hobbies and your interests.Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings.These can be very valuable to a friend.They tell your friend what is important to you. By sharing them,you help your friend know better. Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and help with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be the first step in solving the problem. So a friend must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend's place so you can understand the problem better. No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends,you must practice honesty,generosity,and understanding. Some friendships don't last long because _ . A. some people don't treat friendship seriously B. there are too many people who want to make friends C. some people only receive friendship but don't give friendship back D. they don't share their lunch money Answer: C
Question: There is a brown female Canadian duck that weighs only four hundred fifty grams. The duck had flown to the southern state of Florida for the winter.A hunter shot it on January fifteenth and took it to his home in the city of Tallahassee.He put it in the refrigerator .Two days later the man's wife opened the refrigerator door.The duck lifted its head and looked at her.It was alive! The family took the duck to a doctor who treats animals.The doctor gave the duck to the Goose Creek Animal Sanctuary .Animal sanctuaries provide homes for animals and teach people about their care. The doctor said it was easy to understand why people thought the duck was dead. He said ducks generally do not move a 1ot,especially after being shot.And he said its low body temperature helped it survive in the refrigerator. _ was enough to make the duck famous around the world.The Tallahassee newspaper published the story that was re-printed in many different countries.But that was not the end of the story. Workers at the wildlife sanctuary named the duck Perky.And they got the doctor to give an operation to repair the duck's damaged wing.During the operation,Perky stopped breathing--not just once but two times.The doctor tried to save Perky by giving her oxygen.But he finally said the duck had died.A few seconds later, however, Perky began to move.Reports say the people in the operating room were so happy that they cried. Workers at the wildlife sanctuary say Perky will not have any more operations. It seems the drugs that were used had side-effects on her.Perky is expected to live at the sanctuary.And a local company has begun to sell T-shirts showing a picture of the lucky duck. Money from the sale of the shirts will help pay for Perky's care. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Animal sanctuaries are homes specially for wounded animals. B. The hunter shot the duck in the wing. C. Ducks do not move at all for the whole winter. D. The hunter's wife intended to free the duck in the refrigerator. Answer: B Question: A mother wanted to encourage her son's progress at the piano. She bought tickets to a performance by a great pianist. When the evening arrived,they found their seats near the front of the concert hall and looked at the big piano waiting on the stage. Soon the mother found a friend to talk to,and the boy slipped away. At 8 o'clock,the lights in the hall became weak. The spotlights came on. Only then did they notice the boy up on the piano bench,playing Twinkle,Twinkle Little Star. His mother was shocked,but before she could get her son back,the master himself was 0n the stage and quickly moving to the piano. He went up to the boy and said gently,"Don't stop. Keep playing. "Then he leaned over and reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his fight arm reached around the other side and played a delightful piece of music. Together,the old master and the little boy carried the crowd away with their beautiful music. In all our lives,we receive helping hands--some we notice,some we don't. Equally we ourselves have a great many chances to give a helping hand to others--sometimes we like our help to be noticed,sometimes we don't. Little of what we a11 achieve comes without learning or support from others. What we receive we should give back. We learn from the text that_. A. we always do things successfully without help B. we should give helping hands to others when they notice C. we never receive helping hands when we need D. we could get help and we should help others Answer: D Question: A house is built in a desert, where there is no electricity and very little wind. Which action could lead to operating the electrical appliances in the house that would cause the least amount of environmental pollution? A. constructing a small hydroelectric plant B. placing solar panels on the roof of the house C. using gasoline generators D. burning coal or wood Answer: B Question: Reached My Destination "Ego has an enormous appetite, the more you feed it, the hungrier it gets." --Nathaniel Bronner Jr. It has been two years, we have not met. Last time was when we were departing at Rome Airport as a procedure of joining different competitive firms. We exchanged our personal email IDs and I never realized my email ID was one with an error. We had been in six years of professional relationship that ended with a small misunderstanding. We never realized that we might not get a chance to clear it. We both had tough ego levels to shed off. In these two years work has always kept me busy. There have been instances where I wanted to write to him for his expertise advice but my ego always stopped me. And then one day flying to London for a conference was taking away my peace of mind. I knew he would be there as a part of the event from his firm. I thought to ignore him and behave professionally as an employee. Finally, I entered the conference hall. I was quick enough to realize that he would take over participants' attention with his confidence, and all I would do sitting there would be appreciating him, nodding my head as "Yes to Yes" and "No to No". Finally, he approached the stage. The very first line that fell into my ears was my name as he continued, "I am proud to be here with 8 years of experience and I would like to share my best practices with all of you. This is a journey I completed with one of my best colleagues and my best friend 'my name' who supported me through day and night with the toughest projects and killing deadlines". For a moment I fell numbed and completely lost. All I could remember were my thoughts for him before entering the room and his greatness to acknowledge my presence. Finally, the conference ended and we all left for refreshment. I was struggling hard to face him. I saw him coming towards me with a gift. I asked him, "Why this gift?" He was very humble to answer, 'This is a small symbol of friendship to tell how much I missed my friend when I wanted her the most. A small token to represent that even when you were not with me, your teachings helped me to work on difficult projects." I asked curiously, "But you never wrote to me, if I was so important and helpful." He replied, "You left me with an email ID that is not reachable, maybe you missed a letter. I had no number to call you either but when I read your name in the list, I did all these arrangements. We never know when we meet again in life, so this gift is for you my friend." Finally, we again departed to our respective destinations but this time with a smile. What can we learn from the story? A. One should keep friendship with others. B. One should show more respect for others. C. One should have the sense of his own value. D. One should not be governed by self-respect. Answer: D Question: Billy was like a king on the school yard. A king without a queen. He was the biggest kid in our grade, so he made all the rules during recess. He was a big bully. He told kids what to do, what to play, what to sing, and called them names like "Dork". He always had a smile on his face as he sat on the bench next to the big tree and watched his "kingdom". All of the other kids were scared of him. Even I was scared of him. He was mean and he could beat you up if you made him angry. Last week, a very, very stupid kid chose not to listen to Billy. Billy beat him up and Mr.Stupid Kid told the grownups that he tripped. No one would dare get Billy in trouble. Billy was mean, but he kept the school yard from getting too crazy. Well I had enough it. Billy had been picking on us for too long and we had to stop him. I grabbed some fishing line from home and brought it to school the next day. Before recess, I tied a long piece of fishing line around the tree by Billy's bench and tied the other end to a big rock. Then I went inside for class. When it was recess, Billy sat on his bench and started yelling at people. This was it. I called out, "Hey you big dummy! You're not so tough". Billy's face turned red with anger and he started marching my way. Billy marched and then tripped over the fishing line. Billy was lying face down and he seemed to be crying. Everyone cheered. The king was down. What did the boy grab from his home? A. a rock B. a bench C. a tree D. Fishing line Answer: D
Despite organized anti-bottled-water campaigns across the country and a noisy debate about bottled water's environmental effect, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other Americans choose to buy or do? If they want to buy bottled water, let them. If they want to eat fast food, let them. If they want to smoke pot, let them. ----Barackalypse People just get tired of paying for others' bad behavior. If many people eat too much fast food, you pay higher insurance bill. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly. It's about personal responsibility, which really should be a basis of our society. ----Bdbr So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a little money? What would you say when someone do the same to you? ----Norman619 I'm just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome. ----Yoyo What a waste of money. It's fine when you're on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy. ----Agmlauncher I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the trade-off? Hope we can find better ways. ----Skipweis Which of the following is TRUE about bottled water in America? Recently we've had a popular department store open in our area. It's been the talk of the town for months. On about the third day of the grand opening, I thought I'd stop by to check it out. I noticed right away that the parking area was very busy. As I was about to exit my car, a lady was about to enter her car to leave. She was parked on the opposite side of me and there was a four way stop behind our parking areas. As the lady tried to back out to leave, some of the shoppers were extremely rude to her. They shouted and beeped their horns at the lady and she had a look of terror on her face. She looked at me and threw up both of her hands as if she didn't know what to do. I gestured for the lady to put her window down and I told her that she was doing just fine. She smiled and seemed to relax. I then became her rear view mirror as it was hard for her to see behind her while backing out of the parking space. As I watched for safety, she was able to back out enough to drive forward. At this point, she was smiling broadly!She thanked me many times. I felt that many of the other drivers weren't sympathetic enough toward. I was happy to help that lady. Besides that, who knows, we may have avoided a potential accident with this simple act of patience and kindness. What was the difficulty the woman met with when she wanted to leave? Joe used a flame torch against the side of a bucket and the entire barrel heated up, but didn't burn. What material could the bucket have been made of? Bayfield Shopping Coupons 1. Six Hours Free Parking If you spend $ 100 or more in our stores you will receive six hours of free parking. When you have spent $ 100 or more, just take this coupon and your receipts to the customer service desk on level 4. They will stamp your parking ticket to allow 6 hours of free parking. Offer until November 14. 2. Win a $ 1,000 CD Collection Win your choice of $1,000 worth of CDs from JB Music Store. Just buy any two CDs and your name will go into the competition. Select your own prize from our wide variety of rock, pop, jazz, and classical music. Competition ends November 14. Prize drawn on November 21. Check store for more information. 3. Buy One, Get One Free Buy one shirt or tie at Daniel's Men's Wear, and get another shirt or tie of the same value free. Choose from any of our dress shirts and we will give you another one at no cost. Hurry! Offer ends November 14. Offer limited to one per customer. 4. 10% Off Present this coupon at The Book Store to get a 10% discount on any books you buy. We have lots of books to choose from, including children's books, novels, travel guides, and science works. You are sure to find something that you will enjoy. Shop now for Christmas. We have plenty of toys as gifts for you and avoid the rush. Offer here until November 14. 5. Half-price Movie Tickets Buy a full-price movie ticket on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and you can buy a second ticket for a friend for only half price. The latest movies are here, shown in one of our five theaters at Bayfield Shopping Center. Offer good through December 1. Limit one per customer. 6. Free Soft Drink Buy any meal for at least $ 6 at Mike's Cafe, and receive a free soft drink. We serve the best fast food in the Shopping Center. Come in and try our delicious meals and our excellent service. You won't be disappointed! Free soft drink offer ends November 14. Which of the following is TRUE according to the ads? Peter is a student. He usually goes to school on a bus. This morning, He takes a taxi with his father because he may be late for school. His mother gives him a banana when they go out. On the way, he eats the banana and then throw the banana skin out of the taxi. At that time, an old man passes there. The old man just steps on the skin and then _ . His father and he get off the car. They find the old man lying near the taxi. The banana skin is near him. The old man looks at them and says, "Teach your child to throw the banana skin to the right place!""I am sorry," says his father."Sorry, I won't do that." Peter says. Why does the old man lie near the taxi?
Do you want to know how you can succeed in a new school term? Here are several tips for you from some teachers. * Use a calendar or chart. Write down special tasks, activities and important dates on a calendar. This helps you remember things you need to do. You can also make a chart. Then, use colorful pens to circle or draw a line under your homework, reading tasks or other activities. By using a chart, you learn how to plan for your studies. * Buy folders in different colors. Put your notebooks in different folders according to the subject. This helps you keep papers and notes organized. * Books are great friends. Visit the bookstore or library every few weeks to find a new book to read. The more you get excited about reading, the more confident you will become. * Join all kinds of clubs or sports. It's important to communicate with teenagers outside of school. Joining sports clubs or other group activities is also a good way to help you learn how to get on with others. During this process , you can learn how to solve problems and respect others. * Ask for help. You're never too old to ask for help. You can turn to your teachers when there is a question about homework, projects or relationships with your family members. They are there to help solve problems and listen to you. How many tips can you find from the passage? _ . In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city. Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage. Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages. Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if "other things are equal". Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions. There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may _ . Fixtures, Inc., in a signed writing, contracted with Apartments for the sale to Apartments of 50 identical sets of specified bathroom fixtures, 25 sets to be delivered on March 1, and the remaining 25 sets on April 1. The agreement did not specify the place of delivery, or the time or place of payment. Which of the following statements is correct? Online educational learning games is an effective way with endless option for teaching kids of all age groups, and children are also able to operate it without much assistance. Parents find it easier to teach kids through these programs, who become familiar with operating the computer. Kids have fun learning phonetics, spelling and even a new language. Children are not willing to learn math tables or difficult words at school. They find it fun to sit in front of a computer and learn language and solve mathematical problems. In this age of computers, computers are becoming an important part of the child's daily curriculum with parents opting to teach these children new things each day with the help of online educational games. Computers are also known to improve the motor skills in children. In addition, the level of these games can be adjusted according to the level and learning ability of the kids. The makers of the games keep the kids' interest in mind while designing them so that their interest is maintained. Another advantage of these games is that you can find free online games and do not have to invest in these expensive products. Other activities that are available on the internet include online coloring games. This is also a constructive way that children can use to pass their leisure time. Another advantage is that the children can lay in the comfort of their homes. Kids who are fond of playing on the computer can spend their time learning educational material instead on video games that teach violence. Parents have to keep an eye on their kids and make sure that they do not spend their time on the computer playing games that could be harmful for them. It is essential to direct the kids to educational sites that have beneficial games and are known to help the progress of these children. Kids don't like to learn knowledge probably because _ . Irina,now 46,never imagined she'd one day make a living as a balloon artist.The daughter of an engineer and a teacher,she won top academic awards in high school,went on to medical school and became an emergency room physician in a small city. "I loved the science of medicine," she says today,"but being a doctor was very hard.I saw things people don't normally see--women giving birth in the street,people getting drunk and killing someone." Medications were scarce,making it very difficult to treat those in need.When Irina was 33,a girlfriend showed her a magazine photo of an American named Wes Patterson.They began exchanging letters,and married that December.Irina took a public relations job.Then,a few years ago,she watched a man at a party twist a skinny balloon into the shape of a dog. _ Irina soon purchased a tiny pump and a supply of balloons and began practicing on the sidewalks.Observers challenged her to create all kinds of figures.Now,Irina says,"There's nothing I can't make." Many years ago,Irina's husband developed a serious disease which now keeps him homebound."But he is a very wonderful man," Irina says.Thanks to her new career,she is able to support them both,performing about five events weekly and earning as much as $2,000 per appearance. "Irina's a wonder," says Marlene Berg,chief development officer for the Florida Heart Research Institute."She turned the evening into magic." "My whole life has become magic," Irina says,"and it's all come from a balloon." What's Irina's job now?
Which type of energy conversion occurs in a flashlight? Hello,my friend.I'm Jack.Today I'd like to tell you a story about the language.People live together and they speak the same language.They are kind to each other . People want to build a tower.One of them says, "Let's build it high and it can reach the heaven !".And the name is the Tower of Babel.But God doesn't like it."I will stop them!" God says. People can work together because they can speak the same language.So God makes people speak different language.This is a big problem.Someone asks for water,people give him clothes.They can't understand each other.So people are not friendly.They don't like building the tower. People begin to speak different languages and live in different places.They never finish building the Tower of Babel. People can work together because _ . the earth's tilt controls the This is my beautiful home. There is a small garden in front of my house. There are many beautiful flowers in the garden. Behind my house there is a big tree. Near the tree, you can see a garage. My father's beautiful car is in it now. On the first floor, there is a large living room, a dining room, a kitchen and a bathroom. I like watching TV in the living room. On the second floor, there is a small study room and two bedrooms. I love playing with the computer in my study. What a nice home! I like it very much. There is _ on the first floor. You are enrolled in a full - time school called "life". Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or hate them, but you have designed them as part of your curriculum. Why are you here? What is your purpose? Humans have sought to discover the meaning of life for a very long time. What we and our ancestors have overlooked, however, is that there is no one answer. The meaning of life is different for every individual. Each person has his or her own purpose and distinct path, unique and separate from anyone else's. As you travel your life path, you will be presented with numerous lessons that you will need to learn in order to fulfill that purpose. The lessons you are presented with are specific to you; learning these lessons is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and connection of your own life. As you travel through your lifetime, you may encounter challenging lessons that others don't have to face, while others spend years struggling with challenges that you don't need to deal with. You may never know why you are blessed with a wonderful marriage, while your friends suffer through bitter arguments and painful divorces, just as you cannot be sure why you struggle financially while your peers enjoy abundance. The only thing you can count on for certain is that you will be presented with all the lessons that you specifically need to learn; whether you choose to learn them or not is entirely up to you. The challenge here, therefore, is to align (......) yourself with your own unique path by learning individual lessons. This is one of the most difficult challenges you will be face with in your lifetime, as sometimes your path will be completely different from others'. But, remember, don't compare your path to the people around you and focus on the difference between their lessons and yours. You need to remember that you will only be faced with lessons that you are capable of learning and are specific to your own growth. Our sense of fairness is the expectation of equality - the assumption that all things are equal and justice will always prevail. Life is not, in fact, fair, and you may indeed have a more difficult life path than others around you, deserved or not. Everyone's circumstances are unique, and everyone needs to handle his or her own circumstances differently. If you want to move toward calm, you will be required to move out of the complaining phase of "it's not fair". Focusing on the unfairness of circumstances keeps you comparing yourself with others rather than appreciating your own special uniqueness. You miss out on learning your individual lessons by distracting yourself with feelings of bitterness and anger. Which of the following is TRUE?
Tom likes chocolates very much,but his mother doesn't give him chocolates , because they're bad for his teeth,she thinks. But Tom has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves his grandson very much and sometimes he buys Tom some chocolates. Then his mother lets him eat them,because she wants to make the old man happy. On Sunday evening,it is Tom's birthday. He says,"Please,God ,let them give me a big box of chocolates for my birthday."His mother says,"God can't hear you. Don't shout.""I know,"says the clever boy with a smile."But Grandfather is in the next room,and he can." Why does Tom's mother let him eat chocolates sometimes? A. Because Tom studies hard. B. Because Tom's grandma buys him some chocolates. C. Because she is happy. D. Because she wants to make Tom's grandpa happy. Answer: D. Because she wants to make Tom's grandpa happy. In my experience, one of the greatest reasons of unhappiness is the difficulty we have in accepting things as they are.When we see something we don't like, we wish it could be different-we cry out for something better.That may be human nature, or perhaps it's something that has been grown in our culture. The root of the unhappiness isn't that we want things to be different, however, it's that we decided we didn't like it in the first place.We've judged it as bad, rather than saying, "It's not bad or good, but it just is." Here is an example.I have written a paper, A Beautiful Method to Find Peace of Mind.Quite a few people think it bad after reading it because I think people should expect things to go differently than you planned, and that you should accept that, instead of encouraging people to change themselves or the environment as much as possible.You could accept it as the way the world works-as the way things actually are.And try to understand why that is, and follow it, as it is. This can be useful to whatever you do: whether it be how other people act at work, how politics works and how depressing the news media can be.Accept these things as they are, and try to understand why they're that way. It'll save you a lot of sadness because you'll no longer say, "Oh, I wish things didn't go bad!" If you really understand what I mean, you can try a different way to live in this world:accept, and understand.It might lead to some interesting results. Why do some people think badly of the writer's new paper after reading it? A. The writer hasn't shown an encouraging attitude in his paper. B. The writer asks people to try to make things better. C. The writer reminds the people that things will go exactly as you've planned. D. The writer doesn't think it a good idea to accept the things go naturally. Answer: A. The writer hasn't shown an encouraging attitude in his paper. Dear Jenny, I am in Beijing, China now, but my parents are in the USA. I live with my brother Peter. Beijing is big and great. There are many beautiful places and much delicious food here. I like Beijing very much. Peter and I are in the same grade, but we are in different classes. We live far from the school and it takes us a long time to go to school. We have to get up at 6:20 in the morning, and then at 6:30 we ride bikes to the bus stop. It takes us about 20 minutes. At about 7:00, we take the bus to school. We get to school at about 7:30. We have four classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. I think Chinese is too difficult, but Peter thinks it is easy. He can speak Chinese very well and he often helps me with it. How is everything going with you in the USA? Write to me soon. Love, Kate ,. What time does Kate get to the bus stop? A. At about 6:40 B. At about 6:50 C. At about 7:00 D. At about 7:30 Answer: B. At about 6:50 That warm day was the only day of the week without rain. I opened the door, took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine. Suddenly, I noticed that the house near mine had been sold. An elderly lady was in front of the door, with some beautiful flowers beside her. I walked to her. She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair. "Hi! My name is Karmen," I said smiling brightly at the old lady. She smiled back and said, "Hello, Karmen. I'm Henrietta." Her voice was very strong for someone at her age. Later, I learned she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her. From that day on, I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food. A year passed, and I considered Henrietta to be one of my best friends. One day, I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and she still didn' t _ . So I let myself in, using the key she had given me. I checked her living room and then her kitchen. I finally went into her bedroom, and she was lying peacefully on her bed. Beside her there were two notes. One was her will, which said all that she had would be given to me. The other was a thank-you note. I went to her bedside and cried sadly. Though several years have gone by, I still miss her deeply. Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house, I remember the wonderful friendship we had. What can we learn from the passage? A. The old lady was not kind. B. The writer didn't have any good friends. C. The old lady didn't know how to make food. D. The writer got on very well with the old lady. Answer: D. The writer got on very well with the old lady. The government employs many people to help take care of our society. However, these professionals cannot help out everyone just by themselves. They need our help! Consider Volunteering! What Exactly is Volunteering? Volunteering is when we regularly go and do nice things for other people. Volunteers may help out in local retirement homes, or in hospitals. Some volunteers work with poor people and other volunteers help teach orphaned children to read. There are many types of volunteers who help those who need help the most. Volunteering Teaches Mature Thinking Volunteering is something that really helps us as individuals. It gives us a chance to stop complaining about our own lives, and realized exactly how lucky we are. We are able to see the people who really need help. Volunteering also teaches us more about responsibility, patience, empathy , and above all, compassion . Doing Our part! Volunteering gives us a chance to do our share of the work of making this society the best it possibly can be. It helps us feel good about ourselves when we can help those who really need our help. When we can make someone else feel special, it helps us remember what life is really about. Ways to Start Volunteering There are many places that you can go to try to start volunteering. Here are just a few places you can go and what you can do at each place. 1) Hospital-ask if you can go and visit people who are really sick. Sometimes all they need is just someone who will talk with, or someone to give them hope. 2) Orphanage-the children living here really need someone to play with them. 3) Food Shelter --many food shelters can really use more people willing to just organize the shelters and help distribute the food to those who need it. Whatever you decide to do, just do the best you can. Remember that giving can be its own reward! By saying "Volunteering is something that really helps us as individuals", the author really means that _ . A. we can change our views of society, the people and even ourselves B. we can make people's life better C. we will feel lucky compared with those less fortunate people D. we can get more reward from society Answer: A. we can change our views of society, the people and even ourselves
Observe a child; any one will do. You will see that not a day passes in which he does not find something or other to make him happy, though he may be in tears the next moment. Then look at a man; any one of us will do. You will notice that weeks and months can pass. Days are greeted with nothing more than resignation . A man can not smile like a child, for a child smiles with his eyes, whereas a man smiles with his lips alone. It is not a smile; but a grin ; something to do with humor, but little to do with happiness. Sir Henry Stewart was a lawyer. He was certainly successful. It is twenty years ago since he came down to our village from London. I remembered some ten years ago when he was made a King's Counsel , Amos and I, seeing him get off the London train, went to congratulate him. We grinned with pleasure; he merely looked as miserable as though he'd received a penal sentence. It was the same when he was knighted. He never smiled a bit. He took his success as a child does his medicine. I asked him one day what it was like to achieve all one's ambitions. He looked down at his roses and went on watering them. Then he said "The only value in achieving one's ambition is that you then realize that they are not worth achieving." I recall this incident, for yesterday, I was passing his house, and had drawn up my cart just outside his garden wall. I had pulled in from the road for no other reason than to let a bus pass me. As I sat there filling my pipe, I suddenly heard a shout of joy come from the other side of the wall. I peered over. There stood Sir Henry doing nothing less than a tribal war dance of unashamed ecstasy . When he saw me staring over the wall, he shouted, "Come and see. Look! I have done it at last! I have done it at last!" There he was, holding a small box of earth in his hand. I observed three tiny shoots out of it. "And there were only three!" he said, his eyes laughing to heaven. "Three what?" I asked. "Peach stones", he replied. "I've always wanted to make peach stones grow, even since I was a child, when I used to take them home after a party, or as a man after a banquet. And I used to plant them, and then forgot where I planted them. But now at last I have done it, and, what's more, I had only three stones, and there you are, one, two, three shoots," he counted. And Sir Henry ran off, calling for his wife to come and see his achievement. What does the passage mainly tell us? Answer: In a nation with a one-child family planning policy, it's understandable for parents to worry over whether they are petting their children. Are the children truly as fragile as sometimes made out to be? The concern has been brought into focus with the popularity of a hit reality TV series, Hunan TV's Dad! Where Are We Going? and Zhejiang TV's First Time In Life. In both, children as young as three have become new public figures. In the show First Time In Life, children chosen from ordinary families are given small tasks to complete by themselves;the ongoing Dad! show centers on five celebrity fathers and their children who are forced to live a simple life in rural areas, far outside their comfort zone. Regardless of their family background, the children's reactions to new environments have struck the public. In one episode of Dad! , the five-year-old daughter of former Olympic diving champion Tian Liang cries and hides behind her father when they arrive at a rural village. In an episode of the other series, a young girl in Tianjin breaks down into a tearful fit after being asked by her father to go out alone to buy eggs and a pancake. In the eyes of some observers, these kids show no sense of independence, and the reason is put down to parents who are overly sheltering. But television viewers and parents were heartened when the sobbing Tianjin girl finally wiped away her tears as she returned holding the pancake. In the case of Tian's daughter, she eventually began to take care of her younger companions and learned to seek help from people she didn't know. The father of the Tianjin girl felt "delightfully shocked" and said. "She used to have to be accompanied by her mother or grandmother. Now she has the courage to do it all by herself. " The shows have led many parents to change how they raise their children. Shanghai mother Liang Jing said she would try to "give some training" to her shy son, asking him to tidy up his toys. Lin Yi, a parenting expert in Beijing, said giving kids a chance to do things for themselves helps to raise their sense of achievement, which carries benefits throughout their lives. " What is Tian Liang's daughter expected to do in the show? Answer: Sherwood Forest Farm Park Lamb Pens Farm Edwinstowe, Mansfield Tel: 01623 823558 _ Lovely traditional breeds of farm animals, horses, wallabies, fallow deer, water buffalo and Kune pigs are waiting to greet everyone. Play areas, pets' corner, bird garden, a tearoom and a gift shop make this the ideal venue for the whole family. Open daily 3rdApril ---17thOctober 10. 30 am---5. 15 pm. Just off A6075 between Edwinstowe and Mansfield Woodhouse Admission: Adult: PS5.00, Child: PS 3.50 Under 3 FREE (All children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult) Family Ticket 2 Adult +2 Children PS 15.00 Season Tickets Adult PS18.00 Child PS12.00 Visit as many as you like during the season Excellent reductions for pre-booked groups/school If you want to go there with your classmates and book the tickets ahead of time, _ . Answer: Twenty-first century humanity has mapped oceans and mountains, visited the moon, and surveyed the planets. But for all the progress, people still don't know one another very well. That brings about Theodore Zeldin's "feast of conversation"-events where individuals pair with persons they don't know for three hours of guided talk designed to get the past "Where are you from?" Mr. Zeldin, an Oxford University professor, heads Oxford Muse, a 10-year-old foundation based on the idea that what people need is not more information, but more inspiration and encouragement. The "feast" in London looks not at politics or events, but at how people have felt about work, relations among the sexes, hopes and fears, enemies and authority, the shape of their lives. The "menu of conversation" includes topics like "How have your priorities changed over the years?" Or, "What have you rebelled against the past?" As participants gathered, Zeldin opened with a speech: that despite instant communications in a globalized age, issues of human heart remain. Many people are lonely, or in routines that discourage knowing the depth of one another. "We are trapped in shallow conversations and the whole point now is to think, which is sometimes painful," he says. "But thinking interaction is what separates us from other species, except maybe dogs...who do have generations of human interactions." The main rules of the "feast": Don't pair with someone you know or ask questions you would not answer. The only awkward moment came when the multi-racial crowd of young adults to seniors, in sun hats, ties and dresses, looked to see whom they would be 'intimate' with for hours. But 15 minutes later, everyone was seated and talking, continuing full force until organizers interrupted them 180 minutes later. "It's encouraging to see the world is not just a place of oppression and distance from each other," Zeldin summed up. "What we did is not ordinary, but it can't be madder than the world already is." Some said they felt "liberated" to talk on sensitive topics. Thirty-something Peter, from East London, said that "it might take weeks or months to get to the level of interaction we suddenly opened up." In a "feast of conversations", participants _ . Answer: Hi, I'm Judy. I'm a middle school student . In my class, there are thirty-eight students. How do they go to school every day? Seventeen of them take buses because they live far from the school. Six students walk. They think walking is good exercise. Fifteen students ride their bikes to school because they like riding bikes very much and their homes are not far from the school. No one goes to school by car. How do I go to school? Ha, I'm one of the fifteen. _ students ride their bikes to school. Answer:
Singapore is a dynamic city-state where you will find a harmonious mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, people and architecture. If you have at least 5 hours to spare in transit before your next flight, join us in one of our free two-hour guided tours, which runs daily at regular times. Registration for the tour must be made at least one hour before the start of the tour. HERITAGE TOUR Tour Timings: 9:00 am to 11:00 am 11:30 am to 1:30 pm 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm The heritage tour has a short stopover at the Merlion Park before going to the Colonial District, Central Business District and Chinatown or Little India. The journey to the Merlion Park offers you a entire view of Singapore's landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. The tour will bring you through a discovery journey where you will have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West, tradition and modernity. It will be a splendid way for you to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of multi-racial Singapore while in your transit. CITY LIGHT TOUR Tour Timings: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm As night falls, Singapore takes another look to offer an entertainment choice. The City Light Tour brings you to various attractions in Singapore. As the journey begins from Changi Airport towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge, you will get a wide view of Singapore's famous symbols- the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Esplanade. Next, you will see the Helix Bridge which is inspired by the double helix of our DNA structure. If it is 2: 45pm now and Mike's plane is going to take off at 8:35pm, which is the best timing for him? Answer: Here's an amazing way to get a hard-boiled egg into a bottle, even though the mouth of the boiled is smaller than the egg! What's more, you don't even need to touch the egg to get it to go in! For this experiment you will need: a hard-boiled egg a glass bottle with a mouth just slightly smaller than the egg (a fruit-drink bottle works well) a 8-cm by 8-cm(3-inch by 3-inch)piece of newspaper a match Remove the shell from the egg. Set the egg on the mouth of the bottle to see that the egg does not fit through the mouth. Light the paper. Remove the egg from the mouth of the bottle and drop the burning paper into the bottle. Before the fire goes out, set the egg back onto the mouth of the bottle. Within a few seconds the egg will squeeze through the mouth and into the bottle. As it entered the bottle, the egg may have broken into pieces. This happens when the diameter of the egg is more than about 0.5 cm(about 3/16 inch) larger than the diameter of the bottle's opening. Why does the egg slide into the bottle, even though no one is pushing it? Because the pressure of the air is pushing it. Before the burning paper is put into the bottle, the pressure of the air inside is the same as outside. The burning paper, however, heats the air inside. This causes the air inside to expand. When the egg is placed on top of the bottle, it seals the bottle. When the fire goes out, the air inside cools. As it cools, the air contracts , and the pressure of the air inside becomes less than the pressure outside. Then, the higher outside pressure pushes the egg into the bottle! Why will the egg break into pieces while entering the bottle? Answer: In Singapore, many school students spend a lot of time on their studies. People always think that good schooling is the key to success . So, many of these students try their best to get good grades in their tests. They have a lot of homework every day and tests are usually a big problem to them. Sometimes, a few students even have to go to evening classes after school because of the pressure of the tests. Students have many after-school activities to do at school, such as sports games, dance groups, swimming and rock-climbing. On weekends, they have enough time to do what they like. Most students like to listen to pop music. Hollywood films, Hong Kong and Singapore films are very popular, too. Some of them also spend free time surfing the Internet, e-mailing their friends, playing computer games. They sometimes go to cafes, fast food restaurants, shopping centers and big bookstores. They also join in community service . So life for students in Singapore is not easy but _ and colorful. Which of the following is the after-school activity at school for the students in Singapore? Answer: There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system. In a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, _ goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money. An alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy. In a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. An inactive society may result. Which of the following is not mentioned by the author as a criterion for determining a person's position in a traditional society? Answer: 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. The writer thinks taking selfies _ . Answer:
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday. When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world's recordholder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span ? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond? Researchers don't entirely agree on the answers. "Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn't surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135, "says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas. Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. "People can live much longer than we think, "he says. "Experts used to say that humans couldn't live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can't we go higher? " The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it's all just guessing. "Anyone can make up a number, "says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. "Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine. " Won't new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, "adding another 50 percent would get you to 120. " So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible , but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. "We can get flies to live 50 percent longer, "he says. "But a fly's never going to live 150 years. "Of course, if you became a new species , one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds. Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve their way to longer life? "It's pretty cool to think about, "he says with a smile. According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, _ . A the average human life span could be 110 B scientists cannot find ways to slow aging C few people can expect to live to over 150 D researchers are not sure how long people can live Answer: D. researchers are not sure how long people can live The early history of the city of Rome involves Romulus and Remus,two orphan boys who,legend says,were raised by a she-wolf.The boys' mother had been murdered by an evil king and the two babies tossed into the river Tiber.When the wolf found them they had washed up on the shore.She perhaps took pity on the crying of the babies and,gently picking them up in her teeth,she carried them back to her cave and fed them on her milk.The boys grew bigger and stronger and,eventually,were found by a herdsman who took them home.He and his wife raised the boys like their own children.When they reached manhood they sought revenge on the king who had killed their mother and driven them from their home. They decided to build a city.Unfortunately,they argued over the appropriate site and Romulus killed his brother Remus.Romulus ruled this city -- called Roma -- for thirty-seven years. The city of Rome is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.If you travel there you can see a statue of the two baby boys feeding from their mother - the wolf. Which is true according to the passage? A It was the king who made Romulus and Remus orphans. B The boys didn't grow well for lack of food. C The herdsman killed the wolf and took Romulus and Remus home. D The herdsman treated the boys well and told them to kill the king. Answer: A. It was the king who made Romulus and Remus orphans. "If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!" That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better. Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is. When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it. With your skin, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too. You can even feel sounds against your skin. Have you ever wanted to know why some people like very loud music? They must like to feel the sounds of music. All children soon learn what "Don't touch!" means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops, we touch things we might buy, such as food, clothes and so on. To see something well, we have to touch it. The bottoms of our feet can feel things, too. You know this when you walk on warm sand, cool grass or a bad floor. All feel different under your feet. There are ways of learning to see well by feeling. One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them! Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things to touch. Their signs say, "Do touch!" There you can feel everything on show. If you want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you'll really see! When people buy things in shops, they often _ . A try them on first B put their right hand on them C just have a look D feel and touch them Answer: D. feel and touch them My class will put on a short play in English at the end of the year. Yesterday our English teacher gave us copies of the play. "Choose a character in the play whom you'd like to be, "she told us. "This afternoon learn a few lines of this part for homework. Then tomorrow you can say those lines in front of the class. Ill decide who play each part." I wanted to have one of the bigger parts in the play, so I choose the part of the king. He has a lot of lines to say. I learned them by heart. This morning in our English lesson we had to say our lines. I acted the part of the king. When I said my lines, I put a lot of expression into my acting. I thought I acted really well. Everyone in the class read a part and then the teacher who would play each part. Many of the students in my class couldn't act at all. They couldn't even read without making lots of mistakes. I was sure that I would get a big part in the play. However, the teacher gave me the part of a soldier. He has only one line. It is, "Yes, sir!" I was very disappointed. At the end of the lesson I went up to her and asked her why I had such a small part. "You put too much _ in your acting," she said. "Good acting is not big acting. It is acting the audience can believe in." I think I know what she means. What did the boy want to do in the play? A To get a morning eating part B To organize the play C To get a large acting part. D To work the lights. Answer: C. To get a large acting part. There are many kinds of cars in this world. My grandfather thinks this is because cars are like their drivers. He says, "Rich people have expensive cars, big people have large cars, and old people drive old cars." But I don't agree with him. My neighbor, Mrs. Hill, is 82 years old. She drives only on Tuesday, and then she drives only to the bank. She never drives more than 30 kilometers an hour. Do you think Mrs. Hill has a very old and small car? No! Her car is new. It's very large, and it can go 200 kilometers an hour! My friend Mike is an artist. He paints beautiful pictures with lots of colors. But his car is black. Mrs. Bates has a very, very old car. It often has some trouble. Does she drive that kind of car because she is poor? No, she has four restaurants and two million dollars in the bank. My uncle Joe has a very small car. Every Sunday, he drives to the country with his wife, his three children, his mother and his dog. Now, you have read about my friends and their cars. Do you agree with my grandfather? Maybe you have a car. Does it say something about you? Though Uncle Joe has a very small car, _ . A he has a dog B he has a large family C he has no children D he has few members in his family Answer: B. he has a large family
WHAT is your favorite drink ? A bottle of cola ? If so , be careful ! Soft drinks are not all that healthy. They are bad for your teeth and make you fat . How about energy drink ?Sporty kids like them very much .This kind of drink has caffeine in it .It makes children active in sports . But don't drink too much .Or you will not sleep well ,maybe you'll find it hard to concentrate in class .Energy drinks also have acid .This is bad for your teeth . So what can you drink ? Don't worry ,here are some cool and healthy drinks .Let's take a look . Water Water ? That's right . It is the best and bealthiest drink . Water has no sugar or calories .It won't give you bad teeth or make you fat. How much water should you drink every day ? US research group Mayo Clinic suggest at least eight glasses of water a day (240 ml water a glass) Juice If you don't like fresh fruits and vegetables , 100 percent of juice can be goood .But don't drink too much , no more than 240 ml every day is good for you.Remember : If you open a bottle of fresh juice , please drink it in one go ,or it will go bad . Milk Milk helps you build a healthy body.Milk is rich in protein , vitamin D and calcium .They are all good for children's bones and teeth. Why can energy drink make children active in sports? A. There's caffeine in the drinks B. They taste good C. The bottles are very beautiful D. There's acid in the drinks . Answer: A Evidence suggests that there is a relationship between ancient dinosaurs and modern birds. Through time, each occurrence of a new trait most likely resulted from which of the following? A. mutation of genes B. hybridization of species C. extinction of populations D. alteration of the environment Answer: A Walking along a lake in the cold winter, Birbal and the king made a bet that a man would do anything for money. The king said, "I don't think a man would spend an entire night in the cold water of this lake for money." Birbal replied, " I'm sure I can find such a person." The king asked Birbal to find such a person and said that he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins. Birbal searched far and wide and finally found a poor man. When he entered the lake, the king had guards around him to make sure that he really did as promised. The poor man made it. He told the king that there had been a street lamp nearby and that he had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold. The king then said that there would be no reward as he relied on the warmth of the street lamp. The poor man went to Birbal for help. The next day, Birbal did not go to court . The king went to Birbal's house and see what he was up to. He found Birbal sitting on the floor near some burning branches and a bowl filled with rice hanging five feet above the fire. The king and his followers couldn't help but laugh. The king then said to Birbal, "How can the rice be cooked if it is so far away from the fire?" Birbal answered, "The same way the poor man received heat from a street lamp that was more than two thousand meters away." Finally, the king gave the poor man his reward. The poor man used the lamp to _ . A. keep him warm in the cold water B. light his way around the lake C. stop him from being afraid in the darkness D. keep his attention away from the cold Answer: D Which body system's primary function is the continuation of the species? A. digestive B. nervous C. excretory D. reproductive Answer: D When I was a foreign teacher in China, every day I taught English to my students and they taught me about China. One day the topic turned to saying "I love you". I was shocked to learn that not one of my students had said this to their mothers, nor had their mothers said it to them. "Does your mom love you?" "Of course "they answered. "How do you know ?"was my logical question. They responded that their mons cooked and always told them what they were doing wrong to show their caring. I was stunned .So mon's cooking and criticzing read out as "I love you ". "Then how do you say 'I love you 'to her?" They agreed that getting good grades, followed by god jobs would be how they showed their love. I come from a culture where most people are expressive enough, so I repeated these queries in classes over time. Gradually, I began to get different response. Some of them had exchanged those sentiments with their moms. One of my favorite stories of change came from a girl. When she came home from university, her mother met her at the door and hugged her. This had never happened before, but her mom said, "Now that you have gone I have more time to myself. I noticed that in some places mothers and children hug each other and I decided it was a good idea and that I would begin hugging you." In my family we all say "I love you" a lot .While it is true that we often say the words without having great depth of feelings at that moment, it is almost like a blessing we give each other. Those three little words carry a world of meaning ,even when said as a greeting, but most especially if they are the last words we say to or hear from those we love. What's the main idea of the passage? A. Say "I love you"more to your family. B. Say "I love you "a lot to Chinese people . C. Say "I love you "as a greeting to others. D. Say "I love you "without great depth of feelings. Answer: A
Question: Hello, everyone. Because of the high rate of school violence in some areas, teenagers' safety becomes a serious problem. We are planning to set up an organization named School Watch to make sure that students have a safe school environment. Please be part of our plan! What is School Watch? School Watch is a volunteer project in our school. It helps us stop violence and improve the quality of school life. It will keep yourself and your schoolmates safe. The other members of School Watch care for you and your classroom, and you do the same for them. Is it for everyone? Anybody can become a member of School Watch because everyone has something to offer. What else can it do? School Watch makes it possible for us not only to help each other but also to make friends with each other. Some members may offer to help the schoolmates who have problems with their homework. Who is the School Watch? Our school will look for the School Watcher and give him or her lots of prizes. You could be the one! How do you start? To be part of this plan, the only thing you need to do is to talk to the director of the plan in your grade. You can check the official website _ if you want to get more information. The best School Watcher will get a lot of prizes from _ every year. A. the website B. the school C. the parents D. the director Answer: B Question: The day is like any other day in his life. Tom walks past the shop on the street corner. He stops to look at the front row of shoes, and he feels happy to see that the pair of shoes he wants very much is still there. Looking down at his old shoes, he feels sorry for himself. He really wants to have them for his birthday. He sadly walks away and thinks how to tell his mother about it. He knows very well she has little money. He decides not to go home at once , as he looks sad and his mother will notice it. So he goes to the park and sits on the grass. There he sees a boy moving a wheelchair with his hands . Tom looks at him and is surprised to see that the boy has no feet. He looks at his own feet. "It's much better to be without shoes than without feet", he thinks. There is no reason or him to feel so sorry and sad. He goes away and smiles, thinking he is happier. Tom passes the shop _ . A. on foot B. by bike C. in a wheelchair D. by bus Answer: A Question: At Denver there was an crowd of passengers into the coaches on the eastbound B. & M. express. In one coach there sat a very pretty young woman dressed in elegant taste and surrounded by all the luxurious comforts of an experienced traveler. Among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank face expression and manner; the other a ruffled, glum-faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. The two were handcuffed together. As they passed down the aisle of the coach the only available seat offered was a reversed one facing the attractive young woman. Here the linked couple seated themselves. The young woman's glance fell upon them with a distant, swift disinterest; then with a lovely smile brightening her face and a tender pink tingeing(,) her rounded cheeks, she held out a little gray-gloved hand. When she spoke her voice, full, sweet, and deliberate, proclaimed that its owner was accustomed to speak and be heard. "Well, Mr. Easton, if you will make me speak first, I suppose I must. Don't you ever recognize old friends when you meet them in the West?" The younger man aroused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle with a slight embarrassment which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her fingers with his left hand. "It's Miss Fairchild," he said, with a smile. "I'll ask you to excuse the other hand; "it's otherwise engaged just at present." He slightly raised his right hand, bound at the wrist by the shining "bracelet" to the left one of his companion. The glad look in the girl's eyes slowly changed to a bewildered horror. The glow faded from her cheeks. Her lips parted in a vague(,), relaxing distress. Easton, with a little laugh, as if amused, was about to speak again when the other forestalled him. The glum-faced man had been watching the girl's face expression with veiled glances from his keen, shrewd eyes. "You'll excuse me for speaking, miss, but, I see you're acquainted with(,) the officer here. If you'll ask him to speak a word for me when we get to the pen(,) he'll do it, and it'll make things easier for me there. He's taking me to Leavenworth prison. It's seven years for cheating." "Oh!" said the girl, with a deep breath and returning color. "So that is what you are doing out here? An officer!" "My dear Miss Fairchild," said Easton, calmly, "I had to do something. Money has a way of taking wings with itself, and you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. I saw this opening in the West, and well, an officer isn't quite as high a position as that of ambassador, but--" "The ambassador," said the girl, warmly, "doesn't call any more. I needn't ever have done so. You ought to know that. And so now you are one of these brave Western heroes, and you ride and shoot and go into all kinds of dangers. That's different from the Washington life. You have been missed from the old crowd." The girl's eyes, fascinated, went back, widening a little, to rest upon the glittering handcuffs. "Don't you worry about them, miss," said the other man. "All officers handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr. Easton knows his business." "Will we see you again soon in Washington?" asked the girl. "Not soon, I think," said Easton. ." "I love the West," said the girl irrelevantly. Her eyes were shining softly. She looked away out the car window. She began to speak truly and simply without the gloss of style and manner: "Mamma and I spent the summer in Denver. She went home a week ago because father was slightly ill. I could live and be happy in the West. I think the air here agrees with me. Money isn't everything. But people always misunderstand things and remain stupid--" "Say, officer," shouted the glum-faced man. "This isn't quite fair. I'm needing a drink, and haven't had a smoke all day. Haven't you talked long enough? Take me in the smoker now, won't you? I'm half dead for a pipe." The bound travelers rose to their feet, Easton with the same slow smile on his face. "I can't deny a require for tobacco," he said, lightly. "It's the one friend of the unfortunate. Good-bye, Miss Fairchild. Duty calls, you know." He held out his hand for a farewell. "It's too bad you are not going East," she said, reclothing herself with manner and style. "But you must go on to Leavenworth, I suppose?" "Yes," said Easton, "I must go on to Leavenworth." The two men sidled down the aisle into the smoker. The two passengers in a seat near by had heard most of the conversation. Said one of them: "That officer is a good sort of man. Some of these Western fellows are all right." "Pretty young to hold an office like that, isn't he?" asked the other. "Young!" exclaimed the first speaker, "why--Oh! Didn't you catch on? Say--did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand?" Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the passage? A. Miss Fairchild was an ambassador B. Easton was an officer with his prisoner C. the glum-faced was considerate and careful D. Easton had been trying to make a big fortune in the West Answer: B Question: Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music for relaxation. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs' copyright appears on the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay the recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the websites. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing. "Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is hot fight to get copyrighted songs without paying." Downloads may face lawsuits or fines," said an official. Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in prefix = st1 /GuangdongProvince, doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favorite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about getting others' work without paying. However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a senior 2 girl from Jinan, ShangdongProvincepointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. " If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD," she said. "So what the recording companies really concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuing file-shares." According to the passage, people like to download music largely because _ . A. CDs are too expensive B. it's convenient and free of charge C. music on line is always pleasant to hear D. it is a good way to promote pop singers Answer: B Question: All schoolchildren should have "happiness" lessons up to the age of 18 to combat growing levels of depression, according to a senior government adviser. "Pupils should study subjects such as how to manage feelings, attitudes to work and money, channeling negative emotions and even how to take a critical view of the media," said Lord Richard Layard, a Labor peer and professor of economics at the London School of Economics. The proposal comes only days after the Government said that lessons in manners--including respect for the elderly and how to say "please" and "thank you"--should be taught in secondary schools to combat bad behavior. Lord Layard, the director of the wellbeing program at the LSE's Center for Economic Performance, said: "Learning hard things takes an enormous amount of practice. To play the violin well takes 10,000 hours of practice. How can we expect people to learn to be happy without large amounts of practice and repetition?" It is believed that at least two percent of British children under 12 now struggle with significant depression. Among teenagers, the figure rises to five percent. A UNICEF study involving 21 developed countries showed that British children were the least satisfied with their lives, while the World Health Organization predicts that childhood psychiatric disorders will rise by 50 percent by 2020. In a speech at Cambridge University, Lord Layard said the Government's lessons in manners did not go far enough. "We need a commitment to producing a major specialism in this area, with a serious teacher training program," he said. However, happiness lessons have been criticized by academics. Frank Furedi, a sociology professor at Kent University and author of Therapy Culture, said: "In pushing emotional literacy, what some teachers are really doing is abandoning teaching. They are giving up and talking about emotions instead, so that children value all this non-discipline-led activity more than maths, English or science. What is amazing about this is that time and time again, research says that it does not work." Which of the following method does Lord Layard use to show learning to be happy takes practice? A. Analysis. B. Description. C. Argument. D. Comparison. Answer: D
1Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom? Or in a waiting room full of strangers? Or on a bus? Researchers have found out some interesting facts. 2Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys.Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near.But it goes further than this.We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us.People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses.People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair. 3We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar experiences and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves, or even, we think we may be safer with people who look like us.Sometimes that' s true but it's a pity if we always stay with the same people, the same group.The danger in always staying in our comfort zone is that we just recycle the same opinions, the same tastes and the same ideas.We lose the chance to learn something new, find out interesting things, hear funny stories and discover differences. 4When we always stay with the same people, how can we break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas? And how can we avoid the ignorance ? If you want to live in a society that opens to changes, new things and different opinions, be the cat among the pigeons . 5Move out of your comfort zone.Go and sit next to someone different.And don't just sit there in silence.Say hello.Ask a question.Start a conversation.That's how we make friends.That's how we learn about people.That's how we open our minds to new ideas.That's how we live an exciting life. From the passage, we know that people prefer sitting by someone who _ . Answer: is like themselves If you are like most people ,your intelligence changes with the seasons ,You are probably a lot sharper in the spring than you are at any other time of year . A famous scientist ,Ellsworth Huntington (1876--1947),concluded from other men's work and his own among people in different climates that climate and temperature have an effect on your mental abilities . He found that cool weather is much more favorable for creative thinking than summer heat .This does not mean that all people are less intelligent in the summer than they are during the rest of the year. It does mean, however , that the mental abilities of large numbers of people tend to be lowest in the summer . Spring appears to be the best period of the year for thinking One reason may be that in the spring man's mental abilities are affected by the same factors that bring about great changes in nature . Fall is the next-best season ,then winter .As for summer ,it seems to be a good time to take a long vacation from thinking . Ellsworth Huntington decided that climate and temperature have _ Answer: some effect on most persons' intelligence We know that cigarette smoking kills. So, producers made electronic cigarettes as a safer smoking choice - safer than tobacco. Although e-cigarettes contain the drug nicotine like cigarettes, they do not use tobacco and you do not light them. They are powered by battery . However, if e-cigarettes are so safe, why has the United States Center for Disease Control(CDC) seen an increase in telephone calls about e-cigarette poisonings? The answer is children. Most of the calls are from people worried about children who have played with the devices, In the period of one month this year, the Center said 215 people called the Center with e-cigarette concerns. More than half of these calls were for children aged five and younger. The devices had made them sick. Tim McAfee is director of the Center's Office on Smoking and Health, He says the problem is regulation. Meaning, the U.S. federal government does not control e-cigarettes even though they contain liquid nicotine. Mr.McAfee adds that liquid nicotine is a well-known danger. Mr.McAfee explains that nicotine poisoning happens when it gets into the skin, gets into the eyes or is swallowed. It can cause stomach pain or a sense of unbalance. And too much nicotine can kill, Tim McAfee says e-cigarettes do not create the level of risk to people that tobacco products do.He notes that almost 500,000 Americans die each year from cigarettes. "So, cigarettes are the winner in that contest." E-cigarettes do not contain hundreds of harmful chemicals that are found in real cigarettes. So, the U.S.Surgeon General Boris D. Lushniak has suggested that e-cigarettes may be a useful tool for adults trying to end their tobacco use. But McAfee worries that teenagers may think electronic cigarettes are harmless. They could become addicted to the nicotine and then start smoking real cigarettes. In other words, he fears that for young people fake e-cigarettes could be a "gateway" to the real thing. Why did the CDC receive so many calls about e-cigarettes? Answer: Parents feared that their children might get poisoned, Sam, Thank you for asking me to play soccer with you. But I'm afraid I can't. I have a piano lesson on Tuesday. Maybe another time. Nancy Sandy, Thank you very much for inviting me to your birthday party on Friday. I'd love to come, but I have to go to New York that day. It's very kind of you. I hope you have a happy birthday party. Nancy Lucy, Thanks for your invitation. I'd love to go to your house for dinner on Thursday. But I have to get my things ready for travelling. How about coming to my house with Lily? My mother cooks fish very well. I think you'll like it. I hope to see you before I'm leaving. Nancy Rose, Would you like to come to my house for dinner tonight? Many of our good friends will come. Nancy Nancy will go to New York on _ . Answer: Friday The Guidance Department at Burrville High School has a staff of eleven. Most of their work is done with the students. But the staff sees a lot of parents, too. "Parent meetings form a clear monthly pattern," says Mildred Foreman, Guidance Director. "This pattern stays much the same from year to year. The busy months are October, March and May." September starts rather slowly. Few parents come in. Most of them want to discuss the schedules. October brings many behaviour problems. Some parents are called in. Others come by themselves. Things quiet down in November. December is a quiet month. "It's the holiday," Ms. Foreman says. "People want to come in, I know, but they decide to wait until after New Year's Day." Report cards go home just before Christmas holidays. Bad marks bring parents in as school reopens. This happens again in March, another report card month. May is always the year's busiest month. That's when parents realize that their children might be held back . They come in to see if anything can be done before things are decided in June. May is always the busiest month because the parents want to _ . Answer: have something done to help their children's promotion
Question: He leant down to the pickpocket The heaving and gasping had stopped, but he was still making a show of his breathlessness. "That's better," Mallon said. "Can you stand up? Try to stand up. Here." he said, and gripped the pickpocket's arm and forced him upright until he saw his face for the first time. As the pickpocket labored for breath, he gazed up at Mallon with his dark eyes. "How could you?" they asked. Mallon might have said, "Because you tried to steal from me." But he was still conscious of the flush of joy he'd felt when his blow struck home-when he knew he'd hurt the man. Where that joy came from he couldn't say, but he knew that its roots were deeper than some clumsy failed theft. Fat drops of rain began to patter on the awning . "How are you?" Mallon said. "Can you walk?" The pickpocket turned away and leant against the store window with both hands, and his head sank lower as his shoulders rose and fell. A gray-haired woman inside the store rapped on the glass and made a shooing motion. When the pickpocket ignored het she rapped harder and kept rapping. "I have to go," Mallon said. "I'm sorry." He looked up at the sky. "I'm sorry," he said again, and stepped into the rain and walked quickly up the street. One of the Bangladeshi umbrella sellers was working the comer, and Mallon had just paid seven euros when he heard a woman shouting. He didn't want to look back but did. It was the woman from the shop. pushing and batting the pickpocket away from the window while he bent down and covered his head like a boxer trying to get through the 1ast seconds of a round. Mallon slipped his wallet back into his jacket pocket and took the umbrella that the Bangladeshi had opened for him. The pickpocket was out on the sidewalk now, in the rain. The woman stood just under the awning with her arms crossed over her chest. "Excuse me, madam," Mallon said, coming up to them. "This man isn't well. He needs to rest a moment. '' "I know these people." she said. "Our Romans don't want them here." The rain fell in sheets, ran down the pickpocket's shiny scalp and face, down his 1eather jacket. "Here." Mallon said, and offered him the umbrella, but he only looked at Mallon with his hurt dark eyes and then lowered his head again Mallon bumped him in the shoulder with the handle of the umbrella "Go on-take it!" he said. And finally, with a beaten. unwilling look, the pickpocket did. And that was when he saw a taxi round the corner with a 1ight glowing on its roof. Mallon ran out waving his arm and the cab turned sharply to the pavement, sending a lot of water over his shoes. He opened the door but couldn't help looking back. The pickpocket had lowered the umbrella to the ground upside down and was 1caning on the shaft, head low, neck bared to the sky. "Wait,'' Mallon said to the driver. He went back and grabbed the pickpocket's sleeve and pulled him to the cab. "Get in," Mallon said, and took the umbrella and pushed him into the back seat. He leaned inside. "O. K., where do you live?" ''No Gypsies!" the driver said. He was twisted around, glaring at the pickpocket. "Gypsy? Look, he's not well. I'll pay," Mallon added The driver shook his head. "No Gypsies. Get him out. " Mallon 1ooked at the driver's nameplate: Michele Kadare. "It's the law," he said, "If you don't take us. Signor Kadare. I'll report you and you'll lose your license. Believe me-I am quite serious. The driver fastened those pale eyes on Mallon and turned and put his hands on the steering wheel. He raised his eyes to the rearview mirror and he and Mallon exchanged stares. "O. K., Mr. American." he said. "You pay. " Where should the sentence "He hesitated, then turned back. "be placed? A. Between Paragraphs 5 and 6. B. Between Paragraphs 6 and 7 C. Between Paragraphs 7 and 8. D. Between Paragraphs 8 and 9. Answer: C. Between Paragraphs 7 and 8. Question: What purpose does a plant light serve? A. Comfort them B. replicate sunlight C. Protect from bugs D. Keep plants warm Answer: B. replicate sunlight Question: After a confirmed rabies case in Parke County, Indiana, experts are urging caution if you find a bat in your home or office. "If you try to kill a bat, you are more likely to get bitten," said Joy O'Keefe, assistant professor of biology and director of Indiana State University's Centre for Bat Research, Outreach and Conservation. "Most bats people find in their houses are healthy and are not going to bite them and give them rabies." But they could be a federally endangered species, such as the Indiana Bat, which is found in this area. So if you spot a bat in your home or office, don't kill it or touch it with bare hands, O'Keefe said. Instead, put on a pair of heavy gloves and gently move it into a box or bucket. Once contained, the bat can be removed outside. "If it's a healthy bat, it'll fly away eventually," O'Keefe said. "If it doesn't move or seem to be healthy, you can take it to the health department to be tested." This is the time of year when bats move from their summer resting sites to their winter resting sites, O'Keefe said. "We get calls every year during the first month of school year from people finding bats in the university's buildings," said O'Keefe. Bats are a great help to people, as every night they can eat up to their entire body weight of insects. Bats, however, are facing great threats from epidemics , habitat destruction and other things. "The best way the average person can help bats is by understanding them and by telling other people how awesome bats are and what bats do for us," O' Keefe said. "Hopefully, _ will make people think that if there's a bat in their house, they should try to get it out but not kill it. That would be really positive for bats--to not have people be one of their major threats." According to the text, experts are giving the public a warning about _ . A. the biting by bats B. the danger of keeping bats C. the spreading of an infectious disease D. the extinction of an endangered species Answer: A. the biting by bats Question: On April 8th, 2013, the world felt sorry because of the death of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who died at the age of 87. Besides being the country's longest leader (1979-1990) in the 20th century, she was the first woman to lead Britain. She worked hard and did well in her work, so she was called "Iron Lady". Whatever you think of Margaret Thatcher, the thing everyone does agree on is that she was a woman with great decisions. When she took over Britain in 1979, she led a country that was in economic trouble. She faced a lot of problems because of the poor economic position. In order to make the country become strong again, Ms. Thatcher had to make some hard and special decisions like raising interest rates and even taxes at a time when most British people were living a hard life. In this way she led Britain to run out of economic troubles. Early in her second term, just as things were looking a little better, she faced another problem -- a strike by the British Miners Union. Once again, the Iron Lady stood her ground to stop the longest strike in the country's history. In 1982, Argentina said that they had owned the Falkland Islands since the 19th century. Britain, however, considered the islands to be one of their overseas dependent territories . Margaret Thatcher tried to talk about the problem with Argentines. But Argentines didn't agree with her ideas, so Ms. Thatcher did what any strong leader would do -- send in the British Army. It took 74 days, and on 14th June 1982, the Argentine army finally failed and Britain controlled the Falkland Islands again. When Ms. Thatcher resigned in 1990, she left behind a country that was very strong. Unluckily, during the last few years of her life, something was wrong with her mind. She hardly remembered anything that was happening around her and even what she had done during her wonderful lifetime. How did Margaret Thatcher make her country control the Falkland Islands again? A. She paid a lot of money for the islands. B. She helped people on the islands a lot. C. She sent many workers to the islands. D. She sent in the British Army to the islands. Answer: D. She sent in the British Army to the islands. Question: People in Shanghai can quench their thirst with high quality water if the Shanghai Water Authority (SWA) is able to make good on its word. It has vowed to make the city's water match its status as a world class city. "The current tap water quality meets national standards, but, compared with that of the European Union and the United States, it still needs to be improved." said the SWA's director general, Hang Jiayi. In other developed countries, water fountains can be found almost everywhere--people do not bother with bottled drinking water. By 2020, the water of the Huangpu River will be treated to reduce the amount of organic waste in it. Major water works that draw water from the Huangpu will need more treatment facilities to improve the colour, texture, ammonia and nitrogen content before 2010. These treatment facilities are expected to cost 4 billion yuan, something that could affect the price of water, according to Chen Yin, SWA's deputy director general. Chen said that replacing water pipes was also a key project. The city's aged pipes are mostly to blame for the bad water quality. The SWA has started the water facilities renovation work, including the more than 14,000 kilometres of indoor piping, 107,000 tanks on top of the buildings, and more than 6,000 underground facilities. World Water Day came on March 22, and this year's theme is "Water for the future". Beijing is also drawing up plans during China's Water Week, which runs until March 28. By 2010, the water for the Shanghai EXPO is to be above World Health Organization standards. And, the people of Beijing will be able to drink their tap water as well. People in Shanghai can drink their tap water _ . A. by 2020 B. in the first half of this year C. by 2010 D. by 2008 Answer: C. by 2010
Millions of young people are writing blogs . Millions of others are reading them. The word "blog" is a short way of saying Web log. Many popular Web sites now offer free, easy ways to create personal Web pages and fill them with writings and pictures. Web sites called "Face book" and "My Space" are some of the most popular blog sites for young people. Blogs offer young people a place to show their writings and feelings. They can also be helpful to connect young people with others. But blogs can become dangerous when they are read on the Internet by millions of people all over the world. Recent studies show that young people often tell their names, age and where they live on the Internet. That may not be safe for them. This personal information puts them in danger when found out by dangerous people who want to hurt them. Students can also get into trouble when they put information about others on their blogs. As a result, many schools don't allow using blogging web sites on school computers. Many schools have also begun teaching parents about the web sites. Parents should know what their children are doing online and should read their blogs to make sure they are not giving out personal information. One way to keep away from these problems is to use programs so that blogs can be read by "friends only." people can read the website only if they know a secret word chosen by the blogger. This passage is mainly about _ . A the safety of children's blogs B how to surf the internet C students' action at school D communicating with parents at home Answer: A. the safety of children's blogs Catalin Baciu from Romania wanted to make money in Germany. So, he and his wife, Oltita went to Bucharest, the capital city of Romania to get legal papers to move to Germany. However, when they arrived, they were surprised by what they saw. "Hundreds of street children were living in a busy and dirty city of two and a half million people. Many of them were using drugs. They all seemed lost. Most of them were under ten years old. Oltita had tears in her eyes," Catalin said. Many of these streets children were orphans . They had grown up in the government orphanages, but had run away. They thought any place would be better than the orphanages. But the streets were cold and hard. The winters were freezing. The children had to sleep in warm sewers under the ground. Many of the children even became involved with crime and violence . The Baciu's did not like the sight of so many pitiful children in Bucharest. They wanted to leave immediately and go to Germany. However, that night, Catalin and Oltita stayed with a friend in Buchares. "The friend we were staying with was working with street children. I was deeply touched by what he and his fellows were trying to do...they were sacrificing their jobs and lives to save street children, " Catalin said. After that visit, the Baciu's completely changed their life plan. Instead of moving to Germany, they began working with street children in Bucharest. They started by opening a home called House of Hope, which provided a warm and loving place for children who needed to get away from the streets. Many hospitals and business workers called House of Hope when they found troubled kids. Everyone knew the House of Hope would help. Oltita had tears in her eyes because _ . A she felt pity for the street children B she almost lost her Way in Bucharest C she didn't get legal papers D she would leave Romania Answer: A. she felt pity for the street children Ants have a reputation for strength,organization and teamwork.But researchers have now discovered that a key secret to the success of ants is their ability to identify the importance of age in the work place. A study of Gentral American leaf-cutter ants has shown that the younger and stronger members are give the toughest job of cutting therough the leaves they harvest.Their sharp youn teeth do this job effectively,but as they get older their teeth become relatively worn and _ . But rather than being retired or abandoned by the group,the ageing ants are given a new role more suyted to their physical abilities.They become carriers and teansport the leaves back to the kingdom where they are harvested for food. The findings by researchers from the University of Oregon and the Oregong State University support previous research showin the survival of a leaf-cutter kingdom depends on the efficiency of is workers. "Cuting leaves is hard work,"said Dr.Robert Schofield,who led the research team."Much of the cutting is done with a V-shaped blade between teeth on their jaws.This blade starts out as sharp as the sharpest razor blade that humans have developed."But over rime the teeth become blunter and the cutting job slows down.The team estimated that,because of this age-related wear,a colony spent twice the energy cutting leaves than it would if all the ants had sharp blades.Its findings support the idea that wear and break can be significant problems for insects as well as largre animals. Like humans,leaf-cuttre ant recognize that older members of the group can still make a worhwhile contribution to society."This study shows an advantage of social living that we are familiar with,"said Dr.Schofield. What can be the best title for the passage? A The key secret to the success of ants B The developed structure of ant colony C The most challenging job for leaf-cutter ants D No V-shaped blade,no success of ants Answer: A. The key secret to the success of ants In the next few years, battery technology is going to grow rapidly. No more charging your smart phone every day... No more "range anxiety" for electric cars, as new lithium batteries allow them to drive hundreds of miles on a single charge, just like a tank of gas. And a tiny Chinese company is to be the leader of it all. It already counts Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung as customers for its advanced batteries. But the real money is going to come when it starts selling electric cars. Right now, the stock is trading at an extreme discount, offering in-the-know investors a chance to get in and _ . You need to know all the details about this opportunity today -- and not a day later. To do that, and to gain access to all the information you'll need to invest confidently, simply sign up for the free e-Letter from Energy & Capital by entering your email address below... Once you do, we'll rush you our latest report, China's $2.00 Lithium Linchpin. After getting your report, you'll begin receiving the Energy & Capital e-Letter, delivered to your inbox daily. Become a member of Energy & Capital today. It is free and there is absolutely no obligation , ever. NO-JUNK: By no means will we EVER rent, sell or give away your email address for any reason. Unsubscribing from Energy & Capital is quick, easy, and painless... with just a few clicks. View our Privacy Policy. What is the possible problem with online subscribing? A The giving-away of privacy. B Getting lots of junk emails. C Becoming a member of some organization unwillingly. D Not being able to unsubscribe. Answer: A. The giving-away of privacy. Hi, my name's Alan. I'm fourteen years old. I go to Canyon Middle School in America. I go to school on weekdays, but not on Saturday or Sunday. I usually have breakfast at eight o'clock. I enjoy some bread and milk for breakfast. My class starts at ten to nine. My friend Lisa sits in front of me, and my friend Peter sits next to me. We have three lessons in the morning, and we usually have English, maths in the morning. In the afternoon, we usually have a PE lesson and we often play basketball. That's my favourite. I don't like history or geography because they are difficult. After school, I usually go back home at once. In the evening, I enjoy watching TV. Why doesn't Alan like geography? A Because it's very long. B Because it's too easy. C Because it's hard. D Because it's not funny. Answer: C. Because it's hard.
You've heard of the fat suit and the pregnancy suit;now meet AGNES--the old person suit. AGNES stands for "Age Gain Now Empathy System" and was designed by researchers at MIT's AgeLab to let you know what it feels like--physically--to be 75 years old."The business of old age demands new tools,"said Joseph Coughlin,director of the AgeLab."While focus groups and observations and surveys can help you understand what the older consumer needs and wants,young marketers never get that'Ah ha!'moment of having difficulty opening a jar, or getting in and out of a car.That's what AGNES provides." Coughlin and his team carefully adjusted the suit to make the wearer just as uncomfortable as an old person who has spent a lifetime eating poorly and not doing much exercise.Special shoes provide a feeling of imbalance,while braces on the knees and elbows limit joint mobility.Gloves give the feeling of decreased strength and mobility in the hands and wrists,and earplugs make it difficult to hear high--pitched sounds and soft tones.A helmet with straps attached to it presses the spine ,and more straps attached to the shoes decrease hamstring flexibility, and shortens the wearer's step. AGNES has been used most recently by a group of students working on a design of .By wearing the suit they could see for themselves what design and materials would make the most sense for a physically limited older person.Coughlin said the suit has also been used by clothing companies,car companies and retail goods companies to help them understand the limitations of an older consumer. "AGNES is not the destiny of everybody," he said."She is a badly behaved lady who didn't eat and exercise very well.A secondary benefit we've found with AGNES is that it has become a powerful tool to get younger people to invest in their long-term health." AGNES has been developed to _ . A make the users more comfortable B 1et us understand old people better C help old people move more quickly D produce new tools for the old-age business Answer: B Chloroplasts in shrubs scrub carbon from the air and return A breathable air B tears C sweat D water Answer: A Sub-Saharan Africa has the world's highest hunger rate. But according to a new report, African farmers also have ideas that could help the world fight hunger and poverty. Danielle Nierenberg from the Worldwatch Institute in Washington spent a year visiting twenty-five countries south of the Sahara. In Nairobi, Kenya, for example, Ms Nierenberg found women farmers growing vegetables just outside their doorsteps in the Kibera settlement. She says they are finding ways to make their lives better. The women feed their families and sell their _ They use the money to send their children to school. Last year, about 925,000,000 people worldwide did not get enough to eat. Half of all people in the world now live in and around cities. Researchers like Ms Nierenberg are looking increasingly at creative ideas to feed those who don't have enough good food to eat. She says there are a lot of lessons that people in the Western world can learn from Africa. And what they are doing can certainly be done in other developing countries. Farmers in the developing world lose between twenty and forty percent of their harvest before it ever reaches market. There are many reasons why food gets wasted. Farmers are without electricity and cold storage. They lack good seeds and fertilizer. They lack good roads. Conditions like these keep small farmers in poverty. Ms Nierenberg says more attention needs to be paid to protecting harvests. She says, "Given all that we invest in producing food in the first place, we need to devote the same amount of attention to making sure that it is not wasted." In Nigeria, village processing centers are helping farmers reduce their losses and earn more money. They centers process cassava, a root vegetable, into basic food products. In Uganda, the Worldwatch report says some schools are teaching children how to grow local kinds of crops. And in South Africa and Kenya the report praises the breeding of local kinds of livestock. These animals may produce less milk or meat than other breeds, but they can survive heat and drought conditions. We could learn from the new report in Para.1 that _ . A sub-Saharan Africa has the world's highest hunger rate B African farmers have ideas to help fighting hunger and poverty C women farmers grow vegetables in the Kibera settlement D women farmers grow vegetables to send their children to school. Answer: B Nobody wants to be called a helicopter parent,who manages to be responsible for whatever a child does, however small a matter is--but parents want to protect their kids.At least no playing with sticks means no risk of lost eyes. Yet as Gever Tulley points out in Fifty Dangerous Things(You Should Let Your Children Do),children who grow up as safe as possible become adults who aren't adventurous,highly adaptable,or confident.Sometimes you have to fall out of a tree to figure out how to climb one the right way,and learning that you can accomplish such a thing on your own teaches you that you can be self--sufficient. With Fifty Dangerous Things,Gever Tulley,has written a handbook of activities that are,yes,dangerous at some level-like playing with fire,breaking glass,and opening batteries.The book is a blueprint to help parents and children explore the world,and ensure the children grow up,with a little common sense and a lot of curiosity. Both the advice and the warnings are down to earth.Yes,there are risks,but Tulley provides good ways to learn to avoid them through your own skill.It takes work to raise a child who can use a table saw or build a campfire.But with this book in hand,it'll be a satisfying adventure. We see a child climbing a tree and the first thing we think of is how they might fall and be disabled for life.We seldom say,"Look at how well Sarah is climbing that tree!" When we protect children from every possible source of danger,we also prevent them from having the kinds of experiences that develop their sense of self--reliance,their ability to deal with risks,and their sense of accomplishment. Which of the following is most likely to be included in Tulley's book? A Reading books before sleep. B Climbing up a steep rock C Riding a bike to school. D Breaking windows of the classroom Answer: B The 16-year-old girl Jessica Watson is said to be the youngest person to sail non-stop alone around the world. But her record has been questioned because someone thought that she has not sailed far enough. She will also not be recognized by the World Speed Sailing Record Council, as it was too dangerous for someone under 18 years old. Ms Watson sailed into Sydney port on Saturday, seven months after leaving on a hard voyage. Family, friends and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd have gathered to greet her. Thousands of well-wishers waited at the port and watched from boats as Ms Watson sailed her pink, 10m boat over the finishing line. Many more Australians watched the event broadcast live on television. Watson said she was just an "ordinary girl who believed in her dream". Ms Watson left Sydney on 18 October, despite that some people disagreed her plan. Watson traveled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator , south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia. The route took her through some of the world's most changeful waters, and she battled through huge storms and suffered seven accidents of her boat. People around the world have followed Ms Watson's adventures on her blog, which she has daily updated . On her blog, she wrote down beautiful sunrise over seas, the excitement of meeting a blue whale and the bright, terrible sight of a shooting star flying across the night sky above her boat. Ms Watson has reportedly sold her story to a news company for $700,000. She is planning to write a book on her experience. Ms Watson's voyage will NOT be considered an official world record mainly because _ . A no one can prove that her route was dangerous enough B she hasn't applied for the record C girls are not allowed to take part in the dangerous sports D teenagers re not encouraged to take such a dangerous adventure Answer: D
It's not just adults who have a thing or two to discuss with other people, babies too have their own social lives and enjoy group interaction, according to a world-first study. The breakthrough study conducted by psychologist Professor Ben Bradley, at Charles Sturt University, could completely transform the way child-care centres are set up. In their study, the researchers examined groups of nine-month-old babies in New South Wales and Britain. And they came across astounding results. It was found that infants had "social brains" and focused not just on their mothers but on social life in groups as well. "They communicate with more than one baby at once, and show jealousy and generousness," said Professor Bradley. He added, "They develop their own meanings through group interaction, they notice if a group member is behaving differently and they take on roles, such as leaders and followers." "A baby who has a depressed mother tends to be withdrawn ( ), but put that same baby in a group of its peers and they behave and interact like any other baby." It was the first all-baby group study ever to be conducted. "Most studies of babies concentrate on the infant-mother relationship, assuming that is the single foundation for mental health, but babies are constantly involved with groups of people other than their mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents and those taking care. Therefore, the mother-baby approach needs to be combined with a group approach," said Bradley. Phoebe Christison, a child-care worker at Camperdown Sunshine Bubs in Sydney's inner west, said she often noticed what appeared to be emotional attachments developed between toddlers. She said, "Joel ( 10 months ) and Isabella ( 11 months ) always like to hold hands when they sit in their high chairs and eat. And babies definitely show jealousy. They push and touch each other, and copy what the other is doing." What can be inferred from the result of this study? Answer: The normal infant-mother bond alone isn't enough for the good mental health for babies. A new graph has revealed exactly how long you'11 need to sweat it out in the gym to neutralize swallowing a favorite fast food. While eating fried chicken, pizza and burgers will all entail a gym session of over an hour doing cardio or lifting weights, women have it far harder than men and must work extra hard to banish calorie-packed meals. After a classic McDonald's favorite, the Big Mac, men would need to do 42 minutes of cardio or 57 minutes of weightlifting. As for women, fifty one minutes of cardio would help counter the 24 grams of fat in a Big Mac---over a quarter of the recommended daily allowance - --or an hour and eight minutes of weightlifting. However, the 450g Tesco chocolate cake was by far the worst offender. Clocking in at a whopping 1,710 calories and 90 grams of fat, only a hardcore gym session is going to shift the calories you've absorbed from this dessert. The average woman would have to lift weights for almost four hours to work off the calories in this cake. Comparatively a chocolate bar seems healthy, with 237 calories which would take 25 minutes for the average woman to run off. Alternatively you could spend thirty three minutes doing weightlifting exercises. Men will have to complete 40 minutes of cardio and 53 minutes of weightlifting while women will have to complete 48 minutes of cardio and 64 minutes of weightlifting against the calories in French fries. Compared with men, women must spend _ to consume the calories in French fries. Answer: 11 more minutes lifting weights When news broke that Chinese NBA superstar Yao Ming was planning to hang up his jersey last summer after a persistent injury got the better of his on-court career, his former also-newly retired-rival Shaquille O'Neal welcomed him. "Enjoy retirement!" exclaimed Shaq on YouTube. "Let's go on vacation, bro me and you." No word if the two towering centers were ever able to share 18 holes or a drink on a beach, but it would be hard to imagine how either of them would have found the time, especially Yao. Since leaving professional basketball in July, Yao has become a force in Shanghai. He has gone back to school, launched a high-end wine label, released pandas into the wild and, just this past weekend, been elected onto a political advisory committee in his hometown of Shanghai. The 31 year old took his place on Sunday at Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee's annual meeting alongside six other newly elected members who were all almost twice his age. Among his new colleagues were the directors of the Shanghai Library and the Shanghai Tourism Bureau. Yao is the youngest and, at 7-foot-6, the tallest member of the 142-person committee. Even in retirement, Yao Ming is still one of the most famous men in China. Plenty of organizations and Yao himself are seemingly eager to use his influential capital while the going is still good. "Yao said the new title shows trust coming from the people in the city," Yao spokesman Zhang Chi told the China Daily. Zhang denied that Yao harbored any political aspirations. "The responsibilities for a CPPCC member include offering political consultation, and supervision. What Yao wants is to use his influence to do good deeds for society, but not to seek a political position," Zhang said. With the new job Yao is expected to attend regular meetings and offer suggestions or written proposals to the local government. "Raising proposals is very serious business, and I do not want to be hasty," Yao told the press after the meeting, adding that he will be focusing his efforts on sports education, an area he is more familiar with. Yao will have to juggle this new political job with a fulltime gig at Shanghai's prestigious Jiao Tong University (though through custom, private one-on-one degree program) and his commitments as owner of Shanghai's professional basketball team, The Sharks, which he used to play for. What' s the best title of the passage? Answer: Yap Ming in Shanghai Politics You are enjoying the beautiful scenery in a quiet place, but suddenly the peace and quiet is interrupted by the noisy sound of a cellphone ! Cellphones are everywhere, and some people don't know what the limits of cellphone use are. For me, it's just a matter of education, good manners, and common sense. If I go to a beautiful place, it is because I want to enjoy nature. I can do it, but without bothering other people. Nowadays, that's the biggest problem. People disturb other people, first with the ringing of their cellphones and then with their conversations because they usually speak very loudly. Not everybody in a public place should have to listen to private conversations . Even more annoying, you hear just one part of the conversation. People need to learn how to use cellphones correctly. If there is an emergency ,cellphones are acceptable, but remember that just a few years ago few people had cellphones and the whole society survived! But again, not everybody wants to listen to other people's private conversations. It's like smoking. _ . Our society has to learn to respect other people. Sometimes when you are talking to someone, that person interrupts the conversation because of a cellphone call, without saying "I'm sorry." That is bad manners. They don't know how to respect other people. It's just common sense! But our society is sometimes so "common senseless!" So, we have to write some rules to prohibit cellphone use in some places. According to the author, what is the biggest problem nowadays? Answer: People are disturbed by those who use cellphones. Tragedy struck for brothers Rob and Paul Forkan when they lost their parents in the 2004 Asian tsunami. Now, over ten years later, they're using their flip flop business to help other orphans. The boys had an unusual childhood. They were just 11 and 13 when their parents, Kevin and Sandra, took them out of the UK education system and moved the family to Goa in India. Their parents were of the philosophy that they would receive a healthier and fuller education by traveling the world and helping others. There they did lots of voluntary work and mixed with the local community. It was when the family were on holiday in Sri Lanka that the tsunami hit. Although the children managed to escape, their parents tragically couldn't. But Paul says their upbringing meant they were able to cope with this tough blow. "Our parents gave us this confidence that we could do anything, that nothing was hard to achieve," says Paul. What the boys did was to start a business selling ethically-sourced sandals. They're called 'Gandys' after the father of India's independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi. "He was in all our schoolbooks as kids; he's on all the money over in India; he's famous for wearing his flip flops," says Paul. The entire project was inspired by their parents' philosophy, their globetrotting childhoods and what happened to them in Sri Lanka. Their parents had previously worked in the fashion industry before quitting their jobs and focusing on humanitarian projects. Thus, Gandys is a very fitting tribute to their lives. Gandys sells flip-flops and donates 10 percent of the profits from every pair sold to orphans around the globe. In conjunction with Gandys, the Forkans also founded Orphans for Orphans, a charitable organization dedicated to helping orphans. They say they can make a profit and do good at the same time: they give 10% of their profit to charity, and have set up their own foundation through which they've been able to open a children's home in Sri Lanka. This year alone, Gandys has sold 250,000 pairs of flip flops, which is only expected to increase. In 2013, the business made around 1.2 million pounds ($1.8 million). With more profits, more orphans will receive assistance. Hence, it's safe to say that the Forkan brothers are making their parents very proud. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: the parents had great influence on the two brothers

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